Merry Christmas everyone! As a Christmas gift, I have brought back the character of Colonel Bugtra from Republic Commando: The Pilot!
Rosita returned home where unfortunately the owner of the property was stood outside. Lessor Bugtra (or Charlie to friends of which there were none) was stood arms crossed and jaw clenched in typical frustration.
"And what time do you call this?"
"My deepest apologies Mi-"
"I have made it clear time and time again curfew is at 12AM sharp!"
"I'm fully aware of that but-"
Charlie took a step closer to Rosita, looking down on her in every sense of the word. "I have half a mind to throw you out into the street if this happens again, it's going to be a very cold Christmas this year. Do you wish to spend it out on the streets? Or perhaps in the residency of Mr Scoones and his workhouse?"
Rosita looked down, deciding not to mention anything about the Rose and Crown. "I will try not to violate my curfew again."
"That's what I thought Farisi. I heard about your job by the way. How it all went up in smoke. I wonder how you will make your rent this month? Perhaps if you were to give me that exotic medallion-."
"The rent shall be paid in cash at the end of the week as always" She said quickly, not wanting to look at Bugtra in the eye.
"Very well." The cold-hearted lessor said before leaving Rosita alone in the house which she could no longer afford.
Rosita collapsed down on her ice-cold bed. Despite the threat of being booted out by that monster of a property owner, all she could think about was the kindly gentlemen who had rescued her. She wanted to find him again and thank him properly but how could she? It's not like she caught his name, it was Doctor… what was it?
Before she could think more about it, there was a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw a young urchin with a wooden wagon filled with junk behind him. "'scuse me miss. You seem like a bright sort, would you like to look an' buy something to 'elp a poor urchin such as myself?"
Rosita gave a sigh, she hated seeing young boys in poverty but she barely had enough money of her own to give. Before she could say anything, her blood froze. In the urchin's wagon was a metal arm. The same arm that belonged to the Cybermen.
In a panic, she grabbed the kid by the shoulders almost pulling him into her house. "Where did you get that!?"
"Wot you doing? Let go of me! 'elp 'elp I'm being grabbed by this cra-" Rosita put her hand on the kids mouth to stop him from yelling.
"Listen to me, this is dangerous. Where did you get this? Near the Rose and Crown?"
Rosita removed her hand so that the kid could speak and before he would start biting her.
The boy gave the strange woman a look of confusion. "Rose and what? I found it by the Thames South Bank!" Rosita looked over to the metal arm. It didn't have any scorch marks or ash on it from any fire. Instead, it had an odd series of scratches like it had got caught in some machinery. Regardless it was still a Cyberman arm and it put Rosita on edge despite it being nothing more then a lump of metal.
"How much?" Rosita asked, not wanting this sweet innocent boy to go the same way as Mr Wilson.
"One pound." Rosita restrained herself from giving the boy a smack round the ears.
"A pound!? I'm doing you a favour, this is really dangerous!"
"Alright, for you miss 20 shillings." The little brat said with a crap-eating grin.
"That's the same thing, you cheeky git! I'll give you 1 shilling."
"10!"
"2 shillings. And I won't tell the constabulary on you."
"3!
"…Deal." She gave the boy the majority of her wages. Rosita was about to touch the arm before remembering the blue fiery lightning that came out of it's fingers. She quickly grabbed her thickest winter gloves and gently carried the arm into her room, being sure to avoid touching it's fingers. She opened her locked chest of drawers and took out her few precious valuables including her mother's golden medallion. She then put the arm in the drawers and locked it securely before putting the rest of her valuables in her unsecured closet.
Rosita was about to go for a walk before going back to the closet and taking her mother's medallion with her. Before she passed, Rosita's mother said it would bring her luck and protection. After what had happened tonight, Rosita would need all the luck and protection she could get.
She went out to clear her head but also to try to find the Doctor. She found herself at the library. Rosita always loved libraries, places to read and learn and keep herself informed about the world. If anywhere had information about the Doctor, it was here.
She went through some old medical books for doctors, but obviously that search was fruitless, then it was a flick through history books about ancient knights but she couldn't find anything. Funnily enough she did find a description of a 'Doctor' who had heroic fought kings and demons and monks? But obviously this wasn't the same man. Maybe her Doctor was inspired by him? They did seem to share the same glee and desire to do right. Rosita laughed to herself. All this talk of demons and heroes, reminded her of those stories she was told as a child.
She wasn't sure how she remembered this, but Rosita went to the children's section and picked out a book she used to love about the lord and lady who came from the stars. She opened the book and smiled in nostalgia at the woman's laughing face, the lord in the funny outfits and their mode of transportation a blue-a blue box! It didn't look exactly like the sphere she saw but this felt like the closest thing to the Doctor that had saved her.
With all those fairy tales in the world, perhaps one of them was true. If that's the case, how many times has London been protected by this heroic doctor? she wondered to herself.
She borrowed the history book and the kids book to take home and on her way she saw a poster on a wall. "Who is Doctor Who?" It asked with a sketch drawing below. The sketch was crude but the figure looked very much like her doctor! He was wearing a different set of clothes but it was definitely him! Rosita ripped the poster off the wall to take with her as well.
She looked at the address provided. Mutton Street, a retched and vile part of London just south of the themes. She likely wouldn't pursue this 'Jedidiah' unless she was desperate, but Rosita was satisfied. She knew she was getting closer to finding the Doctor as she ran home full of energy. She took her mother's medallion out of her pocket and gave it a kiss. Perhaps it was bringing her some desperately needed luck.
Before she could ponder about that, Rosita returned to find Charlie Bugtra breaking into her locked chest of drawers!
"What the 'ell are you doing?"
"Your neighbors reported a young boy on your doorstep. Money exchanged hands and you were also seen threatening him into silence!
"You don't understand, it's dangerous!"
"I knew it!" Bugtra shouted as the lock finally broke and the drawers were ripped out revealing the Cyberman's arm. "What in the name of the lord is that? I won't have any of your dark foreign dealings on my property Farisi!"
Rosita held her tongue and bit back her anger as the lessor reached in for a closer look. She heard a strange noise coming from the box like the whirl of a machine starting up. Rosita realised she heard the same thing in the Rose and Crown!
Realising what was happening, she shouted "Don't touc-" but it was too late, the two hands tightly gripped each other and powerful bright blue energy coursed through the unfortunate property owner. A blood-curdling scream spilled onto the streets as Charlie Bugtra's life was snuffed out. As the burnt cadaver fell to the floor, the murderous arm slowly climbed it's way out the box and began crawling in Rosita's direction.
Out of instinct, she grabs her broom and swats it like an oversized rat. This would be a near-fatal mistake, as now the arm knew there was a second person to delete. The arm quickly walked it's way over to Rosita as she leapt over it, her ankle narrowly avoiding getting caught by its deadly grip.
Remembering what the Doctor had told her, she reached into her pocket and brought out her mother's medallion. Giving a final kiss, she threw the golden medallion onto the floor where it immediately caught the attention of the Cyber-arm who scrambled to delete it. The result was the arm continually electrocuting itself until it started to glow hotter and hotter.
Rosita ran out of her house as the arm became white hot. Just as she closed the door, the arm exploded setting fire to her house! Rosita looked through the open door in tears as the fire slowly but surely consumed her possessions, the body of her now ex-property lessor and the small cold house.
As horrible as old Bugtra was, Rosita still felt a twinge of mournful guilt. No one deserved that terrible fate. Rosita knew she needed to find the Doctor quickly before more people were killed and that meant talking to Jedidiah.
Author's notes: Shame that this Bugtra has also met with a quick and brutal end but at least it's better then being shot in the face.