I roll my eyes at Adam as he stumbles into the TARDIS. Eventually he joins us, Rose smiling as he looks around in awe.
"Right you humans need to sleep, off you go." Doc orders, speeding around the console to set us into drift. I watch as he tries to distract himself, I remain in my seat on the captain's chair, tugging my sleeves over my hands. "You to Alula." he adds as soon as he spots me still around.
"No thanks, I know I won't sleep." I respond, standing up. I slowly approach him, watching as he absently fiddles with different controls on the console. Once I reach him I gently wrap my arms around his waist, feeling his body tense underneath me.
"What are you doing?" he mumbles, standing rigid.
"I'm comforting my friend who was tortured, had to watch me die and reface the species that killed his entire planet." I answer, pulling away to look at his face. I watch as a tear rolls down his cheek, his hand moving to wipe it away quickly. "Come on Doc , I'm your friend let me help you." I whisper. He goes rigid again, muscles tensed as he spins on his heel pushing me away.
"I don't need your help." he snarls, his eyes glossy as his lips pull back in anger. I stumbled away from him, eyes wide. "I won't ever need your help. I'm fine. And I always will be. I will NEVER need a humans help." he spits, emphasising the word your. My face flushes with anger as hurt fills me.
"Fine, I was offering to help you you bastard. You obviously don't see me as a friend, I'm just some other stupid ape that God forbid tried to connect with one of the mighty Timelords!" I shout, spinning on my heel and racing to my room. Fucking Timelords and their mood swings. I sigh angrily as I make it to my bed, not even caring to eat of get changed I throw myself onto the duvet. Reaching over to the bedside table where my Ipod and headphones sat wrapped up. I shove my headphones over my ears, kicking off my boots before blasting my playlist. Afterall with the meds I'm never going to get any sleep.
~1~
Remaining awake whilst everyone else is asleep or avoiding you is boring, for the past 10 hours I have done so many different things. I've read three books, painted a small watercolour picture, re-arranged my bookshelf and I am in the process of bleaching my hair. Is it going to burn it? Probably. Do I give a fuck? Not at all. But you know what, I'll look badass with platinum blonde hair. I'm also deciding on whether to cut it or not, but I think I might leave it till it grows out a bit more. After all it is only just reaching my breasts. Although I am feeling like having bangs instead of curtains.
As my timer goes off I peel the foil off of my head, my hair is an almost white colour. I excitedly step into the shower, the colour corrector T had given me help to create one colour in my hair. Once done I half dry my hair with a towel before brushing it. I grab a pair of hair scissors that appeared on the side as I was in the shower.
~1~
Maybe T shouldn't have given me scissors. I now stand blow drying my just-below-the-earlobe length platinum blonde hair. I now have a very layered, very short hair style with thin bangs and a lot of face framing. Changing my appearance is one of the many things I do when my feelings are hurt, especially by guys. Even though I'm disappointed with my lack of self control I am happy with the way it turned out.
Grinning at my reflection I skip into the closet the TARDIS has given me, picking an outfit for today. I choose ripped olive green wide shorts with fishnet tights that have a spider web like pattern in them; I match this with a black corset like top that shows my chest slightly. I grab one of the many zipped hoodies T has for my choosing the same green as my shorts. Sliding it one I choose my jewellery: Multiple thick and thin silver rings, a collection of silver necklaces all ranging in length, silver bangles and a black leather bracelet on my other wrist as long as my usual collection of earrings. I slide my doc boots on changing the laces to match my shorts before doing my makeup.
I do the same makeup as normal, this time adding silver eyeshadow to the corners of my eyes and a different lip. Choosing nude lipstick and cover that with some gloss, I grab my iPod and headphones, slipping the black headphones around my neck and the iPod into my hoodie pocket before slipping into the corridor. I skip through the TARDIS heading to the kitchen, except T had another idea and sends me to the console. I walk in to see Adam, Rose and the Doctor stood talking. Well shit. I just wanted some coffee.
"Sup Rosie." I state walking into the room with confidence, I waltz over to my chair. I turn sitting down before looking up at them all, Adam stands mouth dropped with a disgusting look in his eyes, Rose on the other hand is practically shaking in excitement whilst the Doctor stands mouth wide and and weird look in his eyes.
"I love it!" Rose exclaims, she rushes over holding my hair in her hands. "You have to cut mine, It's beginning to annoy me." she states, pulling away to look at the others. "Anyways are we going?"
"Going where?" I question, looking up at the blonde next to me.
"We're taking Adam on his first trip. We were just waiting for you." she explains, I nod.
"Should've just knocked, I haven't slept." I state, standing to help fly.
We all, except Adam, help the Doctor fly the time and space machine. We land rather calmly, only bumping slightly. Adam still finds it rough though as he falls to the floor.
Rose, the Doctor and I exit the spaceship. Rose explains that she wants to impress Adam. We step onto an observation deck.
"So, it's two hundred thousand, and it's a spaceship. No, wait a minute, space station, and go and try that gate over there. Off you go." the man informs pointing to a gate nearby. He then leans on the TARDIS a grin on his face.
"Two hundred thousand?" Rose double checks. I nod, assuring her.
"Two hundred thousand." I repeat, she smiles at me in thanks.
"Right." she states knocking on the door, "Adam? Out you come." laughter lines her voice.
"Oh, my God." Adam exclaims, his jaw dropping. I giggle at his expression, as much as I don't like him his reaction is humorous.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to it." Rose assures closing the door behind him.
"Where are we?" Adam queries scanning the area.
"Good question. Let's see. So, judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand. If you listen.." Rose starts pausing so that we could hear the engines running. "Engines. We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station."
"It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down." I mumble, taking my hoodie off to wrap it around my waist. Rose nods in my direction, tugging at the neck of her hot pink and black jacket.
"Tell you what - let's try that gate. Come on!" she excitedly announces we all follow her Adam in awe whilst I watch her bemused. Oh and the Doctor. We climb to a smaller observation deck, this one against a window that supplied a view of the Earth.
"Here we go! And this is.." Rose starts, looking at the planet trailing off. "I'll let the Doctor describe it."
"The Fourth great and bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at its height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle." Doc rattles off, proud to be in the centre of the attention all watch the view, a thud resounds behind us. Adam's body hitting the floor.
"He's your boyfriend." I point out to Rose, chuckling at the unconscious boy.
"Not anymore." she grumbles, looking down at him with a mix of guilt and disappointment. I pat her shoulder walking over to the guy, I kick his leg trying to wake him up. He finally wakes as I hit him again groaning as he clutches the back of his head.
We all walk out, following the Doctor through the space station. The area we enter seems fairly quiet, mosta of the stalls closed for lunch break.
"Come on, Adam. Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners-" Doc begins to ramble his arms around Rose and Adam, I roll my eyes at his chosen ignorance of my presence. Although a snort slips through my staright face facade when a man shoves the trio out of the way whilst yelling,
"Out of the way!"
Suddenly the place is teeming with life, the stalls open as customers form large queues throughout the space.
"Thank you very much indeed. Somebody there? That's great. What do you want, love? All right, keep moving. I'll be with you lot in a minute. Here you are." one servers announces rather loudly, their voices all begin to merge slightly.
"One at a time." another shouts at his queue as many try to skip it.
"What now, what was it? Kronkburger with cheese, kronkburger with pajatos. Do you want a drink?" one of the vendors nearby serves the man in front of him. A man shove past us knocking me into a nearby customer who thankfully steadies me. "Oi, you, mate. Stop pushing. Get back. I said, back." the vendor orders at the man skipping the queue.
"Fine cuisine?" I remark, taking a close look at the food before backing away.
"My watch must be wrong." the Doctor complains, pulling his sleeve back to look at his watch, "No, it's fine. That's weird."
"That's what comes from showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was." I dryly state, totally not upset with his attitude towards me.
"My history's perfect." he snaps at me, rolling his eyes.
"Well, obviously not." Rose pipes in, looking between us with a questioning look.
But before she could ask either of us an oblivious Adam decides to state the obvious, "They're all human."
"Oh my God really Adam? So glad we have you otherwise I wouldn't have been able to tell." I drawl sarcastically, crossing my arms whilst watching him. Choosing to ignore my remark he continues.
"What about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?"
"Good question. Actually, that is a good question." the Timelord answers, it's my turn to roll my eyes. "Adam, me old mate, you must be starving."
"No, I'm just a bit time sick." he denies, looking green at the thought of eating the kronkburger.
"No such thing." I state, watching the two males with a bored look. They both ignore me once again.
"No, you just need a bit of grub." the Doctor states, turning to the vendor nearby, "Oi, mate - how much is a kronkburger?"
"Two credits twenty, sweetheart. Now join the queue." he answer shortly before turning back to his magnitude of customers.
"Money. We need money." the alien states, spinning around to find somewhere which offered money.
"A cashpoint." I state, pointing at said cash point. We stroll over, the Timelord using his sonic to scam some credits.
"Attention all staff. All coverage of the Glasgow water riots being transferred five through nine." a reporter announces through the speakers.
"There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets." he states, giving Rose two credits and Adam one. The credits were a small thing metal like stick with engravings on it.
"How does it work?" I question, just because he's being a total arse doesn't mean I'm going to pretend like I know everything.
"Go and find out. Stop nagging me." he snaps before turning to Adam who looks about as clueless as I feel. "The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers." he explains with extreme detail. Rose and I share a look which the Doctor caught, "Or is that just me? Stop asking questions, go and do it. Off you go, then. Your first date." he adds, sending Rose and Adam a pointed look.
"You're going to get a smack, you are." Rose threatens, throwing her spare credit at me before skipping off with Adam. The man turns to me but I simply spin on my heel to walk off, my exit though is postponed when he grabs my arm yanking me back.
"What now. Want to yell at me some more now that Rose and Adam are gone again?" I snap, glaring up at the man whilst yanking my arm free. His winces at my action, I roll my eyes. WHat reaction was he expecting?
"No, um, I, you're staying with me." he begins, ending the sentence with an order.
"I'm sorry do I look like one of your soldiers, you don't get to yell at me, avoid me, snap at me and then treat me like a foot soldier." I hiss, crossing my arms whilst taking steps backwards. "If you want me to join you, you can start with apologising." I add, standing for a few seconds. I really don't know why I'm bothering, it's not like he actually cares for me. He stands awkwardly, repeatedly opening and closing his mouth before giving up and walking away towards some young women. I stick my middle fingers up at his retreating figure before venturing into the future market.
I pass a few screens until one catches my eyes, The Face of Boe sat in his tank with the headline, 'The Face of Boe pregnancy announcement'. I stand there for a few seconds, before shrugging and heading towards a trinket stall. The stall had three sections, decoration, jewellery and fabrics. I choose to admire the jewellery and since I have unlimited credits I can buy whatever I want. A few golden necklaces stand out, a long bar with long swirling scribed lines that contain separate circles and lines seem to form some sort of written language on the gold. The other a small seal of circular writing, similar to the bar but very much different at the same time. I pick up them, running my fingers over the engravings, surely the TARDIS should have translated it.
"This please." I request, showing the vendor the items, she nods taking my credit stick before scanning it. Her eyes widen as she reads the 'unlimited' before giving it back with a wide smile. What you want to bet she took more than needed. I smile at her nonetheless slipping the bar necklace over my head onto my neck whilst putting the circular one into the pocket of my hoodie. I spot Rose and Adam sat eating, Adam on the phone whilst Rose slurps her slush. I skip over to the pair plonking down beside them. "Hiya." I greet, declining Rose's offer of some of her food.
"I'm fine, and I'll call you later. Love you. Bye." Adam finishes his call, turning to Rose. "That is so-"
He's interrupted as an alarm suddenly rings throughout the level, the people quickly pack up before practically running out.
"Oi! Mutt and Jeff! Over here!" the Timelord hollars from the nearby, we turn to see him waving us over, the two women from early stood near him. I huff, rising from my seat to follow Rose who obediently listens. Adam trailing behind the pair of us.
The two women lead us into a white room with a chair in the center and seven kneeling spaces surrounding it. A table lay in front of the knelt people, each with a green area for them to place their hands. The black lady remains standing whilst the white woman goes to join the others surrounding the chair.
"Now, everybody behave. We have a management inspection." the lady standing orders before turning to us. "How do you want it, by the book?"
"Right from scratch, thanks." the Timelord requests nodding at her.
"Okay. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot,- my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni." she introduces turning to us whilst adding, "That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor five hundred praising me, and please do. Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy."
"Actually, it's the law." the white lady pips in, smiling sweetly at the Doctor.
"Yes, thank you, Suki. Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go." she continues moving to the center chair. She lies back settling into it. "And engage safety." she orders, the other people hold their hands over the green hand spots, the walls light up in a moving sequence around the room. The central woman snaps her fingers causing the most disturbing sight ever. Her head opens a little door showing her brain.
"What the actual fuck." I mumble, leaning away from the railing slightly.
"And three, two, and spike." she announces, the people on the outside all place their hands down, causing a beam of white energy to fly towards her head entering her brain.
"Compressed information, streaming into her. Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head. She becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer." the man beside me explains.
"If it all goes through her, she must be a genius." Rose points out, glancing at the woman with slight disgust.
"She doesn't remember any of it. There's too much. Her head would blow up." I respond remembering the book I read about Human Technology over the ages. "The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets."
"So, what about all these people round the edge?" Rose questions, following the Doctor as he walks around the room. She points to one of the members on the outside.
"They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels. Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power." he explains, I crouch down near one disturbed by their lack of awareness.
"Not the sort of power you'd want though. It's wrong. Outdated." I state, standing up. Apparently to the book this sort of technology should've been done with about a century ago.
"Do you want to get out?" Rose gently questions a peakish looking Adam, he shakes his head adamantly.
"No. No, this technology, it's amazing." he answers in awe. God it's all about power and knowledge with him.
"This technology's wrong." the Doctor states, his brows furrowed.
"That's what Luna said." Rose replies, smiling at me.
"Oh, yeah." he responds, sending me a look.
"Trouble?" I question, already knowing the answer.
"Yup."
Our conversation is cut off as the white lady is zapped by the green pads, she yanks her hands away cradling them. In effect the rest of them pull their hands off as the white beam stops, the middle ladies head closes as she shoots to a sitting position.
"Come off it, Suki. I wasn't even halfway. What was that for?" she snaps, glaring at the lady.
"Sorry." she answers, I step up in front of Suki
"There was a glitch. She didn't do anything." I state, crossing my eyes whilst raising my brow. Challenging her to say anything else. She simply huffs, swinging herself out of the chair.
"Promotion." the Tannoy announces, a hologram appears on the wall.
"Come on. This is it. Come on. Oh God, make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name." Cathica wishes enthusiastically, standing in front of the screen.
"Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to Floor five hundred." it announces, Suki's eyes widen whilst Cathica's turn into slits as she glares at the woman.
"I don't believe it. Floor five hundred." Suki excitedly states, walking toward the wall as if to double check it was real.
"How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you." Cathica shouts angrily.
"I don't know. I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes." she replies, a grin appearing on her face.
"That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor five hundred for three years." the salty woman complains. Huffing as she crosses her arms.
"What's Floor five hundred?" I question, gathering my travelling partners attention.
"The walls are made of gold." the Timelord answers shortly, his face twisted in a perplexed expression.
~1~
We now stand in front of the lift. Suki saying goodbye to us and Cathica. Cathica looked almost grateful for the woman's departure which really annoys me since so far Suki has been a really nice person.
"Cathica, I'm going to miss you." Suki says, a sad smile on her pink lips. She turns to us smiling brightly. "Floor five hundred, thank you."
"I didn't do anything." the Timelord on my left admits, a large grin on his face.
"Well, you're my lucky charm." she happily responds, I send her a small smile. Her happiness seems to be contagious.
"All right. I'll hug anyone." the Doctor accepts, bringing the woman into a hug. Suki turns to me her arms out. I shake my head trying to decline the contact although I'm completely ignored. She wraps her small yet surprisingly strong arms around me before pulling away.
"What happened to consent in the future." I grumble, a false smile on my face. Rose wanders over to Adam, trying to raise his spirits since the man looks bored out of his mind. I watch closely as Rose hands him something, the boy smiling before standing up and walking away in the direction of the observation deck. A smug grin tugging his lips as he leaves Rose.
"All staff are reminded that the sixteen forty break session has been shortened by ten minutes. Thank you." the tannoy announces, I look up at the ceiling wondering how that doesn't become annoying. My attention is brought back to Suki as she realises just how long she had been talking to us.
"Oh, my God, I've got to go. I can't keep them waiting." she starts, running into the lift with her bags in hand. "I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me. Bye!" she adds frantically, barely ending her sentence before the doors close.
"Good riddance." Cathica announces as the doors close. I spin to her opening my mouth to tell her to fuck off before the Doctor interrupts, moving in front of me.
"You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs." he notices, looking at the lady whilst Rose gives her a judgmental glance.
"We won't. Once you go to Floor five hundred you never come back." Cathica responds before leading us away. We walk through a cafeteria and back to the room from early, this time it's deserted.
"Have you ever been up there?" I question her, something about this all isn't sitting right.
"I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion. No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few." she explains, grabbing a folder with information to read. "Look, they only give us twenty minutes of maintenance. Can't you give it a rest?" she demands, sighing tiredly.
"But you've never been to another floor? Not even one floor down?" the Doctor asks, sitting down in the central seat.
"I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical. That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all." Cathica answers, taking notes whilst inspecting the machinery. "You're not management, are you."
"At last. She's clever, it took you long enough." I comment, leaning on the back of the Timelords chair.
"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me. I don't know anything." she informs, walking to the other side of the room to perform more inspections.
"Don't you even ask?" Doctor questions, watching her walk around.
"Well, why would I?" she retorts, I roll my eyes.
"Maybe because it's your job, you're a journalist." I state, looking at her with a bored expression. "Why's all the crew human?" I add hoping to point some things out to her.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"There's no aliens on board. Why?" the Timelord repeats my question, understanding where I was going with it.
"I don't know. No real reason. They're not banned or anything." she replies, bending under our stare's.
"Then where are they?" he states, looking at her pointedly.
"I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats." she begins, fumbling for reasons.
"What threats?" I continue.
"I don't know all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away. Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all." she responds, flustered with the onslaught.
"Adding up to one great big fact, and you didn't even notice." Doc - no, the Doctor - points out.
"Doctor, I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything." she points out, not believing what we were trying to tell her.
"I can see better. This society's the wrong shape, even the technology." he boasts.
"It's cutting edge." she protests insulted.
"It's backwards. There's a great big door in your head. You should've gotten rid of it years ago." I answer, looking at the woman incredulously. Who in their right mind think that is cutting edge?
"So, what do you think's going on?" Rose pipes up, looking at the Timelord expectantly.
"It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire's stunted. Something's holding it back." he answers, Rose nods along.
"And how would you know?" Cathica snips, looking at the man frustrated.
"Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years." he deadpans, looking up at the woman. "When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?"
"Ninety one years ago." she answers, pausing as she thinks this over. Her eyes widen slightly when she realises how our information adds up.