A Ghost a Doctor and a new beginning (10th Doctor who fanfic)

A Ghost, a Doctor and a New Beginning


‘Look kid I know how you feel but this is wrong.’ Captain Jack Harkness, the tall and good looking ex Time Agent stood facing the young man with the thick dark hair and dark eyes. He watched as he gathered up his belongings and pulled back the barrel of the pistol in his hands. ‘This isn’t the way to go, Miguel, please.’
‘They destroyed my grandfather and even if I have to hunt them all down I will.’ The boy growled back.
‘You can’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘They’re dead, the Time War wiped them out, all but one.’
‘Then the job will be easier.’
Jack stood closer to the young man he’d taken under his wing. There was a history between them, a closeness, a kindred spirit. He felt responsible for the boy’s existence and although he never admitted it, he cared for him deeply.
‘Miguel, please. Think about what you’re saying.’
Miguel stared at him, the tall American was the closest to a brother he could ever wish for, but the loss of his grandfather could never ease the pain he felt.
‘I have to Jack, I have to find him. I need the truth.’
‘Then what?’ Jack enquired as the boy clicked on co-ordinates on the Vortex Manipulator strapped to his wrist.
‘Then I kill him.’
‘NO.’
The boy disappeared in a flash of light and Jack stood alone in the hub staring at the empty space and a feeling of hopelessness. He could only pray that fate intervened before Miguel killed the last of the Time Lords.

****

Beaumont Estate was a three storey light sandstone house that belonged to the late Beaumont family. Lady Clarissa was reputed to haunt the rooms on all levels, her search for her lover Ralph DeWitt, an American she had met while in the colonies before returning home kept her spirit active. She had died young, pining for her lover, her ghostly figure dressed in white satin that trailed behind her, and the golden hair that hung low over her shoulders and down her back in loose curls. She was the only child of the late Earl of Beaumont, only the man servants and footmen controlled the home and opened it to the public.
Visitors from all over the world visited Beaumont Estate, it was advertised as a ghost hunting package with guaranteed sightings of the young and beautiful Lady Clarissa which were highlighted in bold on the brochures. The Doctor turned it over in his hand and read with scepticism the details within. He pushed it into the inside pocket of his brown striped jacket and strode through the hallway as if he owned the place, his hands behind his back as if he were the Earl himself.
There were thirty guests booked in, their loud voices could be heard disappearing up the stairs to their rooms. The further through the hallways and doorways distanced the Doctor from them. He acknowledged the servants and chambermaids as he passed them along the narrow corridor between the rooms and stepped out into the large courtyard at the back of the house. The smell of a used stable caught his nostrils and he pulled a face, it smelt of pig.
In its day the Estate had been home to horses and carriages, a workman’s hut to repair the wooden contraptions that ferried the owners back and forth, now sat empty, with the odd remnants of the trade. He turned and looked back at the house and caught sight of a young man staring back at him, his short black spiked hair and dark menacing features sent a shiver through the Doctor.

The spread for the guests in the large dining room was sumptuous; a large banquet table spread along one wall consisted of food fit for a king. Large turkeys, hams and meats of several varieties filled large silver trays. Tureens of vegetables, bread rolls, fruit, jugs of wine and beer, trifles, gateaux, pies and creams overflowed the table. The young man felt sick and returned to the table and drank his glass of water. He watched people filter back and forth to the table and refill their plates as if one heaped plate just wasn’t enough. He caught sight of the striped suited man wandering back to the table, his plate piled with various meats and bread rolls. He was talking to a woman next to him, laughing at a joke before seating himself beside her and tucking in to his meal.
The Doctor glanced at the people at his table, rich and oversized men and women who viewed this trip as an excursion and worth blowing a few hundred dollars if it meant they saw an English ghost.
Lifting the glass of water to his lips he turned towards the opposite table and caught the hard glare of the young man from the window. He lowered the glass and smiled to be polite but felt that same cold feeling.
A high pitched voice from the banquet table took his attention from the boy and he spun around in his seat and saw a strange image of a man with only his head visible. He was dressed in a white wig, his face powdered white and had red circles on his cheeks, he looked grotesque. The loud American with the beer gut and treble chins guffawed at the sight of the man, suspecting it nothing more than a cheap gimmick, but loving it nonetheless.
The head bobbed about over the food bowls, it spoke in a loud foreign accent that the young man couldn’t make out. It was inaudible but had the servants rushing about like fools in a show. The tables were in uproar, the tourists laughed and cheered, clapping when the head disappeared into the bowl of trifle with a splash and was removed by a waiter in full dinner suit complete with white gloves.
The night air chilled the bones but the young man needed space to breathe. There was something about that tall man in the suit that un-nerved him. He crossed the garden towards the trees and the walled in orchard and saw the object he’d only seen in dreams and at Jack’s. The upright 1950’s Police Call Box stood quietly beside the fruit trees that rubbed against it in the night. The young man touched the wooden door and heard the inner lock click. He pushed the door open and inhaled deeply and stepped inside. The central control unit hummed in a low voice as he walked towards it. The various controls and gadgets that sat around it were strange and looked as though they’d been gathered from a tip or scrapyard. An old telephone from the 1970’s sat in one segment, a pulley and dial from a bygone day sat in another. The only up to date gadget appeared to be a monitor that spun several circles this way and that like the cogs inside a clock.
The young man closed his eyes and reached his hand out towards the segment he was standing beside and placed his hand over the series of switches, something clicked, whirred and as he opened his eyes another level appeared above his head and a spiral staircase wove up towards it. He climbed slowly and reaching the top found himself to be inside a large walk in wardrobe. On various levels of pole he saw clothing, a vast array of menswear from all different centuries. At the back of the room stood a wardrobe that was sealed shut. He looked about the unit and saw it was made of wood like the outside of the ship. He felt with his hand all about for a lock or a handle and heard the inner workings of a lock click once more, he grinned to himself. The door popped open and he stood facing a red satin dress with frills about the hem. At the front of the dress a pattern stood out that caused him to step back horrified. He gasped and took several minutes to regain his composure and look back at the dress. He lifted the dress from the wardrobe, it still held her scent and he felt the prickle of emotion creeping through his nose and throat and the tear that escaped down his cheek and dropped onto the soft red satin.

Lady Clarissa ran along the corridor, a door to the right was open and she ran inside. It was the loud treble chinned American at the front of the dining hall, the same one who a few hours later had spotted her exiting the second dining room while on his ghost tour. He was pulling on his pyjamas when he saw her, the beautiful woman with the golden hair flowing down her back, her traditional white dress bright and illuminating.
‘Oh my god…’ He started to say as she stepped towards him and kissed him on the mouth. At first he could do nothing, the shock of being kissed by a ghost was enough, but now he couldn’t breath, now he had to push her away. But his strength was waning, he felt dizzy, sick.
‘I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.’ She ran along the corridor, her footsteps heavy on the carpet. She ran on, cutting through the servant’s quarters and down the stairs towards the stables, as a scream of a woman’s voice alerted her that time was precious and she ran on faster.
Miguel sat bolt upright in the bed, he pulled his pistol from under the pillow and stood beside the door, pulling it open a crack and listened for the sounds of footsteps. He pushed the gun into the top of his trousers and pulled over the jacket and followed the sound of voices further along the corridor. In a room no bigger than his own wept a woman over a body of her husband, the portly loud American was dead.
The stranger with the suit was crouching beside the dead man, Miguel saw him check the neck pulse and speak to the new grieving widow.
‘I’m so sorry.’ He spoke softly in an English accent.
As the crowd dispersed back to their own rooms ushered by a tall, well spoken butler, Miguel stayed beside the door and watched the man console the woman.
‘What do you think caused it?’ He found himself asking the man.
The Doctor stepped away from the grieving wife and stepped into the hallway. He looked back at the man on the ground before settling his eyes upon the young man with the dark blue eyes and whose hand was gripping something inside his jacket.
‘Asphyxia. There’s no physical signs of a struggle, no hands around the neck, but it does look like someone took his breath away. Who would do something like that I wonder?’
‘Right.’ Miguel felt uncomfortable in the presence of the man, his hand felt clammy against the butt of the gun.
‘If you’re going to do it, get it over with, don’t hesitate.’ The Doctor spoke coldly.
Miguel froze, the cold rush of fear poured over him.
‘Wha….’
‘The gun inside your jacket, I take it that’s why you’re here, or is this message for someone else?’ He produced a brown wallet from his pocket and flipped it open. There was a warning on the psychic paper: Watch your back!
Miguel lowered his hand and leaned against the wall, the element of surprise was over. ‘Jack.’

The stable was quiet, the servants and staff were bustling about the guests and calming them down, nobody was looking for the ghost. Clarissa pulled a face and clasped a hand to her mouth, she’d forgotten what it was to smell. Straw and excrement lay about the floor in the double roomed stable. A bed of straw and a thick rug lay against the middle of the far wall and she stepped precariously towards it. Her slippered shoes squelched in unseen poo and muck and she pulled several faces in the light of the full moon.
She looked about her and considered all the hiding places for a precious jewel. She pulled a face when she realised that it was quite likely hiding under the bed.
‘Ewww.’ Her hand tentatively pushed its way through the straw and touched on moist dirt. She felt as though she would hurl and stemmed a desire to do just that. She heard noises above her, the footsteps were coming down the stairs, she didn’t have much time. She forced her hand in deeper and touched on a solid object wrapped in a cloth. She clasped her fingers around the object and pulled but it snagged and wouldn’t budge. She became desperate and pushed in two hands beneath the bedding as a deep and menacing voice growled behind her.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’
She spun around and saw a large pig in a flat cap, its evil eyes glinting in the light of the moon. She watched as it transformed into the evil Russilion that had kidnapped her. His six feet of muscle and deformed mechanical arm slammed on the light switch, it lit up the room and showed him for the pirate he really was. The camera lens for an eye and the full length mechanical arm with sharp blade for a hand was terrifying from any angle.
‘Please Bonaparte, you have to let me go. What good is there keeping me here?’ She begged.
‘You killed a guest, people will come now, you disappoint me Princess.’ He lashed out with his good arm and sent her flying back into the dirt. She cried out in pain from the cut to her cheek and as he leaned over her she felt her body resuming the ghostly image she’d been so desperate to shake.
Bonaparte lumbered towards his bed and lifted the blanket, he kicked the metal box back under the floorboard and slammed his bed back down glowering at the girl. ‘You just remember what happens to those that try to take the amulet. Remember DeWitt, now back into the house and don’t let me catch you down here again.’ He growled.

The Doctor waited for the young man to speak and grew tired. He leaned up against the opposite wall and folded his arms, his dark eyes scrutinised the young man, he tried to probe his mind but the young man looked back up at him.
‘Don’t. If you want to know me, answer me this. Why do you have her dress in your ship?’
The Doctor frowned. ‘What dress?’
‘In a locked wardrobe at the back of your ship, you have her red dress, why?’
The Doctor mouthed several times before his eyes widened and he glared furiously at him. ‘How did you get into the wardrobe and how did you enter my ship?’
‘The dress, tell me about the dress.’
‘Nobody can get into that cupboard except for a Time Lor…..’ He pulled out his sonic screwdriver as the young man reached for his gun. ‘Don’t be stupid, a murder has just been committed and you’re brandishing a weapon.’
‘Tell me about the dress, now?’ He clicked the hammer back on the pistol and the Doctor dropped the sonic back into his pocket and stared at the barrel. The Doctor looked into the eyes of the young man, they were so full of hate and revenge that he wondered if telling about a dress from long ago would save his soul.
‘The dress belonged to somebody I used to know. She lived a long time ago and died before I came to Earth.’
‘She was murdered, she never got old enough to die naturally.’
‘How would you know this?’
‘Because my grandfather told me. She was murdered by the Time Lords, executed for a crime she didn't commit, and you were there.’
‘She was married to a tyrant who destroyed many planets and civilisations across the galaxy. The Time Lords had no choice but to sanction new laws to aid the capture of Luman Petrillian.’
‘But they killed her, why?’
‘It was the law, to persecute those related to Petrillian. It was wrong I grant you, but when the Laws were set there was no going back.’
‘And you let it happen, you couldn’t save her, why not? You save so many people from death and destruction and you couldn’t save her?’
‘I wanted to believe me.’ He looked at the emotional young man, the gun wavering like a wand. ‘Is that why you’re here, to punish me.’
‘Why is her dress in your wardrobe?’
‘Because I loved her, because she and I were in love, because despite my commitment, despite everything I believed in, I couldn’t live without her.’
‘But you did, because she was murdered by you and your race.’
‘Not by me, there was nothing I could do.’ He looked at the young man. ‘But why is she so important to you, you wouldn’t have been alive then?’
‘She was my great grandmother.’
The Doctor fell silent.
‘Her death destroyed my grandfather; he couldn’t forget what your people did to her. For years he believed that he was the son of a tyrant, but he wasn’t and it’s not fair. How can it be that the people who destroyed her are still a part of my life?’ He yelled angrily at the Time Lord and lowered the gun.
‘By killing her you doomed us all.’
‘I don’t understand, how does her death affect you?’
‘I’m her great grandson; your Laws condemned us all, now I’m the only one left. Don’t you think I have a right to defend myself against the Time Lords?’
‘But Ragda didn’t have children.’
‘She kept my grandfather safe. But your disease destroyed him, the same way it destroyed my mother and likely me too in the end.’
‘What disease?’ The Doctor looked horrified.
‘I don’t know what its called, but they all got sick, and they died, they all died.’ He choked back the tears and ran back to his room slamming the door behind him. The Doctor made to follow but stopped as the clatter of furniture from the room bounced along the floor.

The next morning felt no different to the last as Miguel walked through the grounds of the Estate. He passed the tall butler in full dress and nodded acknowledgement as the man bid him good day. Miguel stared at the dilapidated construction in the overgrown field where buttercups and rose bay willow herb grew in clumps everywhere. The pink and yellow flowers blended well in the field and lifted the drab green colour pleasantly. He waded through the long grass and came upon a tunnel. He walked around the outside and discovered it to be a stone bridge, the other side had collapsed and mounds of soil and rocks had made a small rockery of woodland plants and lichen. He climbed onto the mound and cupped his hands above his forehead and stared about him at the immense acres of land either way. The estate was huge, acres of grassland and woods as far as the eye.
He climbed back down the construction and stepped inside the gloomy arch with its overgrown flooring and plants growing in the cracks along the walls. As he turned back towards the entrance something bright flashed from an alcove. He touched the loose stone and pulled it away revealing a hidden space with a disk like object with an orange flashing light on the top. He carefully lifted it out and turned it over in his hands, it was no bigger than a mug coaster, it was metal in construction and looked heavy but felt light. A shadow blocked the entrance and he subconsciously reached for his gun but relaxed slightly when he saw who it was.
The Doctor frowned but let it pass. He too had seen the dilapidated structure and had come to see what mysteries it held. He strode towards the young man and pulling his glasses from his pocket snatched up the device and peered at the tiny indentations around the rim.
‘It’s a Z8 transponder, used back on Delta Spectron, but what its doing over here.’ Miguel gave up glaring at the Doctor and stared at the device he was playing with. ‘Now, if I flip this over and wiggle that inner section there it should…….got it.’ The Doctor said as the object clicked and whistled and a green light released itself and lit up the entire tunnel.
‘What does it do?’ Miguel found his voice.
‘It sends and receives messages.’ He looked up at the sky and squinted at the brightness of the clouds. ‘But who would hear it out here is a little worrying.’
‘Why?’
‘The people who carried these were pirates, they used these devices to escape capture, but their ship would need to be close by.’
‘Pirates?’
‘Yeah, you know, ‘avast me hearties, yo ho ho.’ Pirates.’ The Doctor confirmed.
Miguel reached for his pistol as a series of angry grunts and rustling through the undergrowth came to their ears.
‘You’d better put this back. I think we’ve alerted someone.’ He tossed the device to the young man who quickly pushed it into the hole in the wall and followed the Doctor to a safe vantage point.
They watched from the cover of the fir trees as a Berkshire pig wearing a flat cap ran towards the structure they’d just left. It looked about itself and kicking with its back trotter kicked its underbelly and began to transform into a two legged creature before their eyes.
‘What the hell is that?’ Miguel whispered unable to take his eyes off the creature with a large camera lens for one eye and a large sharp blade for a hand. It looked more machine than human, a real nightmarish creature from a horror film or game station.
‘It’s a Russilion.’
‘The pirate?’
‘They’re battle transformers, started out as normal pirates but after every skirmish they’re rebuilt from machines by machines. They’re more droid than human. In the years before last Time War there were armies of them in the Corul System, fighting never ending battles. But what they’re doing here on Earth, I have no idea.’
‘But all of that – in one pig.’
‘Less conspicuous.’
‘Right and a pig with a flat cap on running about a house full of tourists doesn’t look odd to you?’
They watched as the Russilion pulled out the device from the wall and activated it inside the tunnel. The Doctor didn’t feel comfortable being this close to a sharp blade.
‘We should go.’
Bonaparte clicked on the underside of the now opened teleport device, a recall switch relayed the last few moments of its use and the Russilion saw the same two men that were exiting the field behind the trees.

Miguel watched as the Doctor strode across the gardens towards the house. All the while as he stood in the tunnel not once had he attempted to kill the Time Lord? He had every opportunity at his disposal. He walked back to his room and came face to face with a ghost.
It bothered the Doctor a lot that a Russilion could be living amongst them, he had seen one transform, but they rarely came in ones. He studied the workforce from the maids who cleaned the rooms to the servants who dealt with the tourists. Since the death of the large American yesterday, no Police had been called, no authorities notified and yet both the body and the wife had disappeared and their room restored to normal. He lowered his sonic screwdriver, something was going on, something was wrong.
He strode back along the corridor towards his room and heard a loud commotion a few doors ahead of him, he looked up in time to see the young man from earlier crawl on all fours and collapse half in and half out of the room. A young woman in a flowing white satin dress and long flowing golden hair pushed past him as he ran to his aid. He stared back at her as she rounded a corner and disappeared before concentrating on the young man whose lips were turning blue.
He felt for a pulse and lifted the boy up, noting how light he felt in his arms and carried him to his bed, kicking the door shut behind him. He lay the boy down and pulled out the stethoscope from his pocket and felt for a pulse. His eyes widened and he backed away knocking the young man’s jacket onto the floor, it landed with a thump.
He picked it up and the object that had fallen from the pocket. He knew what it was before he even flicked the cover and pushed it into his own coat. He looked back at the young man and heard a voice echo in his head from yesterday.
‘She kept my grandfather safe.’
‘But that’s…..no….he can’t be.’ The Doctor’s heart ached, the pain of what couldn’t possibly be the truth was staring him in the face. ‘Ragda why didn’t you tell me.’ He felt the same emotion, the same heart felt anger that he’d experienced on the day she died. Once again he was staring at another child of Gallifrey, an echo from his past and it hurt.
Lady Clarissa hid inside the broom cupboard and peered out at the milling crowd. She kicked herself for picking a busy corridor and wished for nightfall when the rooms would be full of sleeping guests and the floors would be safe to roam. But the energy she’d taken lasted only for a limited time before it found its way back to its owner. She took her chance as the butler caught sight of her leaving the broom cupboard. He followed her quietly into the study and watched her as she glanced out of the windows at the pig in the fore court entertaining some of the guests.
‘It’s not safe to be out here my lady.’ He said softly behind her.
‘It’s not safe full stop.’ She sighed watching the younger members of the party clapping at the antics of Bonaparte as he stood on his hind legs and danced for them. ‘All I want is the amulet and I can go home.’ She looked into the eyes of the butler, his stiff manner only for the guests, to her he was the friend she needed.
‘Please, he wouldn’t hurt you, you were part of the team.’
‘My lady you ask too much from me. Bonaparte will kill anyone who nears the stable, especially since the death of the American. He had to kill the wife too, could you imagine the trouble we’d be in, explaining that away. You’ve got to stay hidden.’
‘If I’m not home before the second alignment of the moon, my throne goes to the second family, surely you understand what that means.’ She implored.
‘My lady, you’re asking me to sacrifice everything for you. Haven’t I covered up enough already?’
‘Gemini please.’
Gemini backed away shaking his head. ‘Please return to your room my lady, if you displease Bonaparte again, he’ll kill us all, throne or no throne.’ He held the door open for her and reluctantly she returned to her room in the north facing tower.

The Doctor watched over the young man as he lay unconscious on the bed. His pulse had slightly improved but he was still pale and his lips remained a dark red. He was a very thin young man, but then looking at his own physique so was the Doctor. He looked about the room and pulled out drawers for an ID. As he stood by the rich mahogany unit near the window his Converse shoe rested upon a canvas bag pushed underneath the base of the chest of drawers. He pulled it out and peered inside. Setting out the contents on top of the unit he inspected the metal tin that rattled. It was a metal cube but hollow and seemed to have no visible signs of entry. He pulled out the sonic and released a tiny catch invisible to the naked eye, a small hiss of gas released itself into the room and he lifted the lid and using his finger and thumb in a pincer like movement, pulled out the tiny data chip. It had a familiar circular inscription along one side of it and pulling on his spectacles he saw it to be the insignia of the Time Lords. He pocketed that also and looked back at the child asleep on the bed, he was awakening.
He kicked the canvas bag with the contents back under the unit and pulled out his stethoscope and listened to a healthier rhythm than before.
Miguel awoke and was unsure at first where he was. He sat up and saw the Doctor leaning against the pole at the end of the bed and in his hand looped around his finger was the vortex manipulator.
‘I think we need to talk, don’t you?’
The Doctor listened as Miguel explained about the device in his hand, he told him about Jack and the hub and Torchwood, but the Doctor was well aware of Captain Jack Harkness and his travelling teleport device. What he didn’t know was that Captain Jack had always known about the young man, even during his times with the Doctor and had used this information to pass onto Miguel. He knew Jack wouldn’t have given it freely, the information about the Doctor was still a closely guarded secret to those outside of UNIT.
Miguel listened as the Doctor told him about his great grandmother; he filled his head with the exact images that he had stored in his memories. He listened as the Doctor reminisced about life on Gallifrey and the Time Lords, he heard about the last great Time War when an alien race called the Daleks battled with the Time Lords and now both races were gone. He saw sadness in the Doctor’s eyes and realised that losing his family wasn’t the only thing the Time Lord had lost, he’d lost everything.
The Doctor looked at the young man sitting quietly on the bed absorbing the information like a sponge. ‘That’s my story, where do you fit in?’
‘My grandfather was aboard a shuttle bound for Earth almost two hundred years ago, not many survived the crash. He was a grown man, had a family, but he was bitter. He always wanted to avenge the death of his mother, despite the stories that the Elders of the Aboras talked about, he knew different, he felt things differently. The Aboras told him he was a Petrillian, but he knew he wasn’t the son of a tyrant, he was the son of a Time Lord, but that’s what made him sick. He wanted to return to Gallifrey and wreak revenge on them all. He got so bad that it affected his mind and he couldn’t settle. When he died, there was this glow of light, just for a second. Mom said she waited for him to return to her but he changed, he became twisted, far worse than before, he saw us all as evil. Mom went the same way, she wanted to believe that the tyrant was her grandfather coz it surely made up for the way she was feeling. Grandfather was twisted and evil just like the tyrant, but he was a long way from home and had no means of transport back into the skies above. I watched them twist out of existence and die.’ He screwed up his face in disgust as he remembered the day and the smoking gun in his hand as he stood over them.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Your Laws condemned us all, every member of my family is dead, every memory of who I am is on that memory chip in your pocket.’
The Doctor grabbed his pocket and looked astounded at the young man.
‘How did…..?’
‘I have a gift. Jack said I reminded him of someone he knew.’
‘I can’t be your great grandfather, it’s not possible.’ The Time Lord replied sadly.
‘That’ll make it easier to kill you then.’ Miguel replied without emotion.
‘Is that what you want to do?’
‘She was killed by your race, it’s only fitting that you should die by her race.’
‘She came from Gallifrey, theoretically you’d be erasing her memory too.’
‘No, your people did that already.’
The Doctor lifted down the holster that swung at the end of the bed on a hook and pulled out the black Beretta. His hand fitted snug in the grip and he felt the cold steel in his palm. He inhaled deeply with a loose quiver of fear as he handed the gun to the young man.
‘You do know that Time Lords regenerate don’t you, so that every time you shoot me, I’ll come back to life.’ He added looking at Miguel and the pistol in his outstretched arm.
‘How many times?’
‘Does it matter?’
‘Yes.’
‘Thirteen.’
‘Oh.’ The young man lowered the weapon. ‘I only have enough for one shot.’ He sighed and lowered the hammer; securing the safety he tossed the gun back at the Doctor. ‘If I’m the last of my species and I’m likely to die the same as my family, then one shot should do it. Your turn.’
The Doctor lifted the weapon back into his hands and held it against the boy.
‘You have two hearts and only one bullet.’ He said lowering the weapon. ‘What would be the point?’
‘Two hearts?’
‘Like I said, Ragda came from Gallifrey, if your grandfather was indeed her son, then he too would have had two hearts. That orangy yellow glow that you saw would be him regenerating. Sometimes it goes wrong, sometimes the results can be horrific. We only survive to the thirteenth regeneration, then we’re gone. Had he regenerated before that?’
‘I don’t know.’ He looked deep inside his own memories and shook his head. ‘No, he’s always looked the same.’
‘It could be that he fought with the regeneration, scared of what was taking place. Sometimes mid way things can affect who we turn into. If he was full of hate and malice…..’
‘Who else loved my great grandmother other than you?’
‘She had many admirers.’ He smiled, reminiscing.
‘There was always one name that came up time and time again when my grandfather rambled.’
The Doctor’s hearts skipped a beat.
‘If you’re not my great grandfather, then the man I search for is already dead.’
‘What was his name?’
Miguel slid from the bed and walked towards the window as dusk closed down over the countryside. The black Beretta lay on the light yellow throw.
‘His name was the Doctor.’

Nightfall blanketed the ground and the entire countryside. Owls hooted in trees and foxes yelped in the darkness. Miguel sat on the steps of the house and felt the cold air cling to his face and clothing. He had travelled so far to find the Time Lord and now it wasn’t even the right one. He felt so lost and alone and without transport home, he was destined to live in this foreign land that he doubted was really Earth if he fell through a gap in the fabric of the rift.
He sensed a being behind him but didn’t reach for a weapon, the being stood stationary behind him. It cleared its throat only once.
‘Can I be of service sir?’ It was Gemini, standing as before with a silver platter awaiting an order.
‘Not unless you’ve got a teleport machine I can use.’
‘I’m sorry sir, I have no idea what you’re talking about.’ He laughed falsely.
Miguel turned to look at the man in the uniform.
‘You’re a Gemini 450ZX with a titanium transfer. I think you do know what I’m talking about.’
Gemini froze, his eyes widened like saucers and he quickly glanced behind him for fear of someone overhearing.
‘How did you know?’
‘As droids go, you’re a fairly new model. That usual whirring of mechanical parts is masked by the titanium. There’s just that tiny ticking sound that can’t be heard by the human ear.’
He saw fear etched across the droids face. ‘I won’t tell, not if you help me.’

A bright yellow sun warmed the Earth and brightened up the mood of the guests the following morning. Peacocks pecked the grass on the front lawn around the strange topiary shrubs beside the maze. A young fox cub ran across the gravel its tail between its legs as a large pig with a tuft of brown hair snarled after it.
The Doctor and Miguel joined the guests in the dining room, a sombre affair in light of the disappearance of the American and his wife and a handful of guests spread out around the large room. The appearance of the bodyless man came and went without laughter or interest. Miguel chased the bacon around his plate and gave up, picking up the mug of strong coffee to awaken his senses. The Doctor polished off his second plate of eggs and bacon and wiped his mouth on the napkin resting on his lap. He inspected the meagre guests as he drank his coffee, the young man was amongst them. He seemed distant until Gemini bowed beside him and whispered in his ear, then the young man drained his cup and followed the butler out. The Doctor followed after a few moments and skulked in the shadows as the young man headed towards the back of the building and into the courtyard with the servant.
‘I’m risking a lot telling you this.’ Gemini whispered in a low voice.
‘Go on.’ Miguel urged, looking directly at the servant.
‘Bonaparte and most of us here belong to the Russilions, I take it you’ve of those.’ Miguel nodded. ‘Our ship lost orbit, battle damage, we landed here eight Earth years ago and have been waiting and biding our time until we can return to the Delta vector.’ He looked about him for signs of Bonaparte and his close team, but nothing stirred, only the Doctor stood beside the partly opened door beside the back kitchen, where the smells of the fry up still hung in the air. He listened while Gemini told Miguel about the ghost who happened to be a Princess from the senate of Delta vector, from the house of Bordermon. It had always been a tough battleground, the lines drawn against the senate and the Russilions and the level of ground they occupied. But the last skirmish had taken its toll on the crew, families were killed in the gunfire that wiped out three quarters of the Russilions’ battalion, there was only one thing for it, they had to take the senate by force. The royal family of Bordermon were caught up in the scuffle, the young lady Clarissa Bordermon was kidnapped, her brother died trying to save her.
‘So she’s not a real ghost.’ Miguel asked.
‘Bonaparte knew if he kept her life energy she would assume the life of a ghost and be unable to pick up the amulet and return home.’ Gemini continued.
‘What’s the amulet?’
‘It’s a part of who she is, her real self. Bonaparte keeps it hidden in his stable.’
‘Why?’
‘If she returned to her home our mission would have failed.’
‘Mission, you’re stranded on Earth.’ He replied sarcastically.
‘If Bonaparte knows I’ve talked to you.’
‘You’re a droid, what can he do to you?’
‘You have no idea of his powers, he’s not just a pig, he’s….’
‘I’ve seen the two legged version thanks.’ Miguel added.
A thump of movement behind the Doctor caused the Time Lord to take drastic action. A two legged Russilion with a bladed hand was storming towards him, another step and he would see the Time Lord standing beside the opened door. He dove into the kitchen and through the connecting door leading back upstairs through another set of stairs. Bonaparte was raging, his senses were slipping into overdrive. Baccus, the kitchen porter had informed him of Gemini’s change of allegiance, it was time to bring the crew back into check.
He saw the droid talking in hushed whispers to the young man he’d seen in the transponder recall and gritted his teeth. Pulling back the door with his bladed hand he strode towards them and grabbing the droid around the throat lifted him from the ground and above his head.
‘What are you doing discussing our business with a human?’ He growled as the droid went through repertory breakdown.
‘Leave him alone, he’s done nothing wrong, we were just trading recipes.’ Miguel replied, shaking his head at the lame excuse.
The Russilion swiped him with the side of the bladed hand sending him sprawling backwards onto the stone floor.
‘I’ll deal with you in a moment.’ Bonaparte snarled.
‘P..please Bonaparte, leave him alone, he’s safe, he’s not like the others.’ Spluttered the droid.
‘Trading recipes, with a droid, I don’t think so. You’ve been seen on many occasions talking with this boy. You were always a disappointment to me.’ He hurled the droid against the nearest wall, a clang of metal and body hit the brickwork and slumped to the ground, fizzing and twitching. He turned his attention to the young man who had a weapon pointing in his direction and laughed.
‘Your puny weapons are no match for me.’ He roared and ran at the young man. Miguel fired a shot at the shoulder of the pirate, it penetrated his skin but didn’t slow him down.
‘Ok, that didn’t work.’ Miguel backed away as the giant swipe of the bladed hand came at him like a rotor blade, it narrowly missed him. He fired another shot, this time clipping the pirate in the bladed arm, something hissed and incited the pirate even further. He pushed the pistol back into his shoulder holster, it wasn’t working, why waste bullets. The bladed hand crashed near him and he dodged again, cartwheeling away from the blade as it came again and again. Miguel was running out of space, the giant Russilion was gaining on him and there was no sign of help from any quarter. The Time Lord who he’d sensed beside the door was nowhere to be seen.
The Doctor was having problems of his own. The Russilion pirates were aware of conflict in their ranks and were beginning to arm themselves with any weapons they could muster.
‘This is not good.’ All avenues were blocked, the only exit was through a window or further up the stairs into the tower room. The stairs seemed to go on forever but eventually stopped outside a black oak door with a large metal key still stuck in the door. He smiled at their lapse of security and unlocked the heavy door, it creaked open.
‘Princess Clarissa of Bordermon I presume.’ He smiled at the semi ghost before him. She rose from the bed and ran to him, but he held up his hands to stop her advancing further.
‘No, let’s not.’ He advised.
‘How do you know who I am?’ She spoke in a whisper, her life energy almost back to ghost form.
‘Your friendly butler Gemini, he seems only too keen to tell the young man you almost kissed to death downstairs.’
‘I wasn’t going to kill him, I needed his energy, I want to get back the amulet, I must go home, the second alignment of the moon is almost in place, when that happens, the House of Bordermon will be no more.’ She said woefully.
‘Then we’d better go and pick up your amulet, your highness.’ He grinned and stepped aside to let her pass. ‘Where is it kept?’
‘Bonaparte has it, in his stable. We must hurry.’ She urged and floated ahead at speed. The Doctor ran to catch up, but being unable to float through walls he was already at a disadvantage. She returned to find him pointing at two doors and grinned sheepishly at him.
‘Sorry, forgot. It’s this way.’ The Doctor ran behind her, through the second dining room, along the corridor, avoiding three servants fighting over the suit of armour weapons and out towards the stables. Miguel was still battling Bonaparte but now he was using the only other gift he possessed – telekinesis.
Bonaparte despite his strength and muscle was unable to reach the boy inside the forcefield he’d generated ahead of him. The dome was enough protection against the evils that Miguel had fought on the streets of his own nightmares, Bonaparte was different. He had the strength of ten strong men and Miguel knew he could only hold this forcefield for a certain amount of time and it was waning already.
The Doctor watched in awe at the young man while the Princess struggled with the latch on the stable door. She turned to see the Doctor mesmerised by the boy fighting a giant and flew towards him, reminding him of the urgency in finding the amulet.
Miguel noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and saw a pair of Converse trainers disappear into the stables. It was imperitive now that he kept the forcefield going long enough for the Time Lord to find the amulet.
Gemini sat up, his mind fizzed in and out of focus, he observed the movement in front of him, the towering giant against a child with what looked like a clear dome of energy. He staggered to his feet and readjusted his head, it clicked into place, the normal whirring that continued within his armour settled down and ticked quietly. His right hand was damaged, the artificial skin hung off in a clump revealing machine beneath and the lights that moved each joint flickered up at him. He saw the Princess in the stable hovering towards the door, her face bright and beaming, the Doctor emerged carrying a metal box. He looked at Bonaparte, the boy was wavering, there was perspiration pouring down his face, the energy was failing.
He saw the Doctor struggling with the tin box all the while staring from that to the boy. He wanted to help them both, but the amulet was equally as important. He saw the frustration on the Time Lords face as his fingers scrabbled with the rusted lid. He tried with the sonic screwdriver, the high pitched whistling drew the attention of Bonaparte who turned and faced the Time Lord. Miguel collapsed back against the stones of the courtyard, his chest heaving in and out gulping in fresh air. He was exhausted, he had used his reserve energy, Bonaparte could swing his blade and he wouldn’t be able to move.
The Doctor felt the lid give way, it spurred him on to tug harder but Bonaparte was gaining ground. He put some distance between them and ran back into the stinking pig sty and sealing the door closed while he struggled with the lid. He felt the door take the full force of the angry Russilion and continued his quest for the amulet until finally free he held it up triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear.
The door on its final pounding gave way and fell flat near the feet of the Time Lord, as Bonaparte blocked the Doctor’s only means of escape, he held the amulet aloft in his left hand. The pirate stopped moving, his bladed hand dropped down by his side, he breathed heavily, his heart pounding inside of his chest.
‘You will let me pass, Bonaparte, is that you’re real name?’ He asked curiously.
‘What of it? That amulet is mine.’
‘This amulet belongs to the princess of the Bordermon reign, not the Russilion pirates.’
‘You have no idea about our world, Earth man.’ The Russilion glowered.
‘You’re stranded here, but she can return home. Why do you need her?’
‘Our borders were shortened by the senate, they had no right to destroy our land and our homes. They had to be stopped.’
‘Surely there were better embargoes than kidnapping.’
‘They refused to listen. My crew had family, children and lives on the Delta Vector, but the House of Bordermon instructed the senate to destroy three quarters of our land and everyone upon it.’
‘Then they were wrong, and I will do what I can to put everything right.’ The Princess implored hovering just in front of the pirate. ‘I know my family did a wrong to your people, but you were no better to the people’s of PentaSeven, you massacred an entire race. Sanctions had to be met, but this war must stop and I can make that happen, if we can work together.’ She put across a good argument, but Bonaparte had only eyes for the Amulet.
‘You’re good at talking, but that’s it, my lady.’ He strode towards the Doctor, his bladed fist struck the stall and sliced through it like butter, the Doctor took this moment to run for the door and out into the courtyard as the young man picked himself up off the ground with help from Gemini.
‘Give me that amulet.’ The Russilion ran from the destroyed stable and came at the Doctor. He tossed the amulet towards Miguel who caught it deftly as the pirate was almost upon the Doctor. Miguel ran with it across the courtyard while the pirate gave chase. From the kitchen and out of the door beside the stables came the crew of the Russilion ship, their weapons varied from axes, swords and rolling pins. The Doctor felt sick, even if they let the Princess free, they couldn’t stave off the entire crew, not with a sonic screwdriver and an exhausted force field.
Miguel had run towards a dead end, he’d taken the wrong turning and cursed himself, but for once he was having fun. He had something someone else wanted, but he knew the risks that came with it. This giant with the bladed hand was now within spitting distance of beheading him. He caught sight of the princess hovering above the head of the giant. It could go horribly wrong now, he knew that, but he had to take that chance. He ran towards the giant, diving through his legs and calling to the princess.
‘If you kiss me now you’ll have the energy to take the amulet and go.’ He said running towards Gemini and passing the amulet onto him. The droid held it in his hand, unsure what to do.
‘RUN!’ Shouted the Doctor as the giant stormed towards him and so the fun continued as Clarissa kissed Miguel. The crew armed with weapons stared as she regained enough energy to push the young man away from her and towards Gemini. Miguel’s hearts pounded in his ears, he felt light headed but still able to focus on the plan.
‘Gemini, throw it to me.’ Miguel called but his voice was faint and the droid didn’t hear. The Doctor took the lead and waved towards the droid, trapped once more in a no win situation with the giant.
‘Over here, Gemini.’ Called the Doctor, he waved his hands and dodged a back swipe from the blade of the giant.
Gemini saw the Princess and smiled, he tossed the amulet high over the head of the giant, as if in slow motion everyone held their breath and watched it fall past the pirate and into the hands of the Princess. She clasped it to her chest and closed her eyes. A bright light flashed from amulet and blinded the group who cowered and covered their eyes momentarily.
The Doctor squinted at the light until it faded, he saw the princess become a small orb that floated up into the sky and shot like the tail of a comet into the morning air.
It was over, the mission had failed and the crew had nowhere left to go. Bonaparte glared at the droid, he punched his bladed fist into its belly and took a satisfaction in its internal organs rupturing and its milky blood escaping from every orifice. Miguel was horrified, Gemini had risked his own life to save her. He became incensed and pulled the gun from the hip of the giant and aimed it directly at him.
Bonaparte looked down at the missing weapon and turned to face the young boy as the droid fell to the ground a mass of sparks and fluid.
‘You better hope you can use that weapon because I’ve a blade that needs a new body.’ He snarled and faced the young man head on, the blade dripped of droid fluid that hung in a sticky mess glooping onto the courtyard floor.
‘You’ve got nowhere left to go Bony, this is it. You have a choice, a life as a pig and working at this house bringing in enough money to fix your ship, or….’
‘Or what?’ He growled advancing on the young boy holding the gun without fear.
‘Or I pull the trigger and we all die.’
‘You wouldn’t dare.’
‘Watch me.’ He dared.
The crew watched but dared not step forward. The Doctor became suddenly aware that the young man was serious. He’d seen the weapon before, it was a cluster gun, not only did it hit the target, but it was likely to take out the entire unit of men standing around the courtyard including him and Miguel.
He turned to face the crew who also knew the dangers of their boss’s gun.
‘Is this what you want, a war that never ends. You’re never going to make it back to Delta vector if he pulls that trigger. Make a difference, you like this place, I’ve seen you smile, I’ve heard your songs in the galley, this is no different to fleecing ships in the galaxy, the only difference is these tourists are willing to give you money to stay here.’
‘They won’t now the princess has gone.’ Bonaparte growled.
‘So invent one, use the bodyless crew member, turn it into a theme park. You’re pirates, you’ve always learned to think on your feet. What’s wrong, lost that spark, come on Bonaparte, this isn’t like you.’
‘You don’t know me Earthman.’
‘I’m not from Earth, my planet has long since gone, but the name lives on in the heart of the many, and the few.’ The Doctor growled in a deep menacing voice.
‘So what are you?’
‘TIME LORD.’
The Russilion’s gasped, a few dropped their weapons and backed against the wall of the building behind them. Bonaparte straightened himself and turned to face the Time Lord.
‘They were wiped out, how did you survive?’
‘Unlucky I guess. But I know of the Russilion’s, they’re fighters true, but they’re also thinkers and schemers and I know for a fact that your land was part of the Delta Spectron, farming country. This crew were selected purely because they were all that were left after the war. They’re not fighters Bony,’ he raised his eyebrow and continued. ‘You could live out your days here, bring the place into 21st century, make your money on Earth.’ He looked at the crew and saw them nodding their heads, a life off the ship, a life working the soil as their fathers and fore fathers had done. The clanking of weapons fell to the ground as the crew disarmed and looked to Bonaparte for support.
The giant shrugged and felt suddenly tired, his crew, his loyal crew were disbanding. They were listening to the Time Lord, they were listening to anyone but him, Bonaparte III, leader of men. He turned back to face the young man with weapon still trained on him.
‘No hard feelings!’ He forced a smile and offered an outstretched hand in friendship to the young man. He stood for a moment or two, watching for signs of a trap, but nothing, the man seemed completely genuine. He lowered the weapon and took a hold of the pirates outstretched hand. The pirate pulled him close and Miguel felt something hard puncture his stomach. He gasped and sputtered. He heard the Doctor yell, he tasted blood in his mouth and saw blood that could only be his on the clothing of the pirate.
Miguel twitched and with a final squeeze of the trigger released one round into the pirates chest before falling to the ground. The bright light blinded him for a second as Bonaparte separated into millions of atoms and dispersed into dust that showered the ground. The crew and the Doctor picked themselves up from the ground and looked about them. Bonaparte was gone, the damage to the brickwork was repairable. The Doctor ran to Miguel, his almost lifeless body stared up at the morning sunlight, he was shivering.
The Doctor cradled him in his arms and touched his face that felt so cold and pale.
‘Stay with me, you can do this.’ He said shivering with emotion.
‘I never did ask your name.’ Miguel spoke between gulps of air.
‘I’m the Doctor, your great grandfather.’ He said fighting back the urge to cry.
‘Fine time to tell me now….I…feel….cold.’ He said shivering more.
‘You can regenerate. It’s in your data chip, your grandfather and mother held the same power. Just let it happen, you have to let it happen. Please.’ He whispered as his chin quivered and the tears began to fall.
Miguel arched as the pain became too much to bear and the Doctor felt his body go limp in his arms. He’d lost them again, the whole pain of losing the family he’d so desperately wanted to get to know and now once more, just like Jenny, he’d lost them.
He laid the boy down on the courtyard and sat beside him crosslegged, the blood still on his hands from the wound. He looked down at the young man, so young and so full of hate until the end.
He stared hard at the young man, that all familiar glow across the hands and the face was beginning and he edged back as the boy began to regenerate before his very eyes. The crew ran into the house afraid of another cluster shell about to burst over their heads as the Doctor stared down at the young man, his transformation complete. The Doctor grinned, staring back at him was the same man, the dark spiked hair of the Latin American and his deep blue eyes twinkled the same as before. But the wound was gone, all injuries to his body had miraculously disappeared. The Time Lord laughed out loud and pulled the young man to his feet and held him close, clapping him on the back.