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Previous: "Alfred"
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Next: to be released
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Series 1 Episode 2
"District 79"
The siren wailed once again.
That piercing, miserable noise had nothing positive associated with it.
Ashin sighed. Her ‘fresh air’ break was over. Of course, ‘fresh’ was used lightly; the air quality had been worsening for months, but it was still preferable to the inside of the tent, which had never felt clammier and claustrophobic than it had that morning.
Regardless, it was the only place Ashin could be for the remainder of the day. Nobody was allowed outside for more than a few minutes beyond work hours. The sirens were their cue to get back to safety, because those few minutes were the calm before the most atrocious storm.
Unzipping the front of her tent, Ashin slipped down the hatch in the ground, supervising as Leyvin, Amtra and Voot, the only surviving children of their community, ran inside after her, filling the tight space inside the tent. Quickly, she poked her head out to check she hadn’t missed anyone.
Alarmingly, across the barren, rocky land they lived underneath, she could see Filt, the oldest of their small clan. He must have strolled off without Ashin noticing. She cried out, “Filt!” but his back wasn’t as strong as it used to be, so there was no way he could run to make it back in time.
“I’m sorry,” Ashin muttered quietly as a tear fell from her eye. She zipped the tent back up most of the way, leaving just enough open to be able to see outside.
The siren ceased. Though her ears were relieved, Ashin knew it was just the beginning. A bright blue laser fired from above, piercing Filt directly through the heart. Ashin felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. They were such a close-knit unit that losing anyone was hard, but Filt was the heart of their community. She closed the zip fully, attempting to compose herself. She didn’t want the children to see her tears.
Ashin felt hopeless. Would their nightmare ever end? It didn’t feel like it.
That piercing, miserable noise had nothing positive associated with it.
Ashin sighed. Her ‘fresh air’ break was over. Of course, ‘fresh’ was used lightly; the air quality had been worsening for months, but it was still preferable to the inside of the tent, which had never felt clammier and claustrophobic than it had that morning.
Regardless, it was the only place Ashin could be for the remainder of the day. Nobody was allowed outside for more than a few minutes beyond work hours. The sirens were their cue to get back to safety, because those few minutes were the calm before the most atrocious storm.
Unzipping the front of her tent, Ashin slipped down the hatch in the ground, supervising as Leyvin, Amtra and Voot, the only surviving children of their community, ran inside after her, filling the tight space inside the tent. Quickly, she poked her head out to check she hadn’t missed anyone.
Alarmingly, across the barren, rocky land they lived underneath, she could see Filt, the oldest of their small clan. He must have strolled off without Ashin noticing. She cried out, “Filt!” but his back wasn’t as strong as it used to be, so there was no way he could run to make it back in time.
“I’m sorry,” Ashin muttered quietly as a tear fell from her eye. She zipped the tent back up most of the way, leaving just enough open to be able to see outside.
The siren ceased. Though her ears were relieved, Ashin knew it was just the beginning. A bright blue laser fired from above, piercing Filt directly through the heart. Ashin felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. They were such a close-knit unit that losing anyone was hard, but Filt was the heart of their community. She closed the zip fully, attempting to compose herself. She didn’t want the children to see her tears.
Ashin felt hopeless. Would their nightmare ever end? It didn’t feel like it.
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Shaking violently, Alfie was taken aback by just how rough a journey in the TARDIS was. The console room’s homely lightly had lulled him into a false sense of security, but what hadn’t subsided was his excitement. He was travelling in a spaceship; there was no way he wasn’t living out the coolest experience of his life.
Alfie’s grip of the console weakened. The TARDIS jolted. Alfie flew backwards, collapsing flat on his back with a thud. Silence. Had they landed? Was that it?
“Okay then,” the Doctor leapt up energetically. Alfie scrambled to follow, pushing himself up off the floor ready to listen, “Outside that door could be absolutely anywhere. Any planet, any time.”
“Anywhere?” Alfie’s mind couldn’t begin to comprehend what could be out there. Where would he even begin?
“Well, it’s somewhere that has oxygen. A little oxygen. Enough oxygen,” the Doctor observed on the small monitor attached to the console, “The rest will be a surprise to us both. Do you want to go first?”
“Hell yeah,” Alfie beamed. He ran to the door gleefully, pausing in front of it to brace himself for what he was about to see. However, Alfie was unconvinced it was of any use. His heart was racing even faster than his mind. How many other humans had experienced what he was about to experience?
Timidly, Alfie clicked the door open and peered outside. The first observation he made was the deep red rocky surface, which continued up to the hills that surrounded the crater they were in. The sky was a matching shade of dark pink, illuminating the uneven surface in a deep glow of dark light. Was it night? Did this place even have night? It looked like night, anyway.
Stepping onto the surface, Alfie couldn’t help admiring the sky. The clouds glowed pink from the night of two suns, one to his left and the other to his right. It looked beautiful, and Alfie had the biggest grin on his face. He was on another planet, and that rush of excitement was a sensation he would never forget.
In contrast, the planet itself looked a little worse for wear. Their rocky surroundings were covered in debris, though there was movement and noise coming from a little further in the distance.
The Doctor followed Alfie outside, pulling the TARDIS door shut behind her. Just as Alfie did, she took in the sights, of the planet as well as the sky. There was a glimmer of excitement in her eye that Alfie found comforting; the Doctor was exploring the universe in much the same way he was, and she was visiting new worlds too. After all that time, she still seemed impressed. A thrill like that could never get old.
“Where are we?” Alfie queried.
“Going by the position of the stars, and more notably, the two suns, I’d say this must be Tanjari. 39th Century. You’re a long way from home, Alfred,” the Doctor answered, examining the sky as she spoke. Alfie couldn’t help being impressed at how quickly she figured that out.
“It looks dead,” Alfie observed.
“The Tanjarians are known to be a peaceful race. They live in tribes built on a community of trust. We must have landed a long way away from civilisation,” the Doctor considered.
“Is that a tribe over there?” Alfie pointed to the setup in the distance. He could see what looked like white tents, and some figures moving back and forth. Amongst that was a noise. A deep rumbling sound, like machinery. He enquired, “Wait, can you hear that?”
“Yes, it sounds like a drill,” the Doctor pondered, “I knew the ground felt unusual.”
“The ground?” Alfie raised an eyebrow. The Doctor began walking towards the tents, Alfie quickly following suit like an excitable puppy.
“I can feel the ground moving. This planet is in orbit around two suns, and it has the most unusual, inconsistent gravity field. We’re directly in the middle right now, in perfect equilibrium. I can feel the pull against the surface, and every vibration that goes with it. A drill is vicious, and the vibrations ripple across the planet’s crust. I can feel it all, Alfred. It’s what a Time Lord is,” the Doctor explained, much to Alfie’s amazement.
“Doesn’t that drive you mad?” Alfie wondered.
“For some, yes. For me, it’s a reminder of what’s at stake. A planet is a miracle. For life to develop, so many scientific coincidences must unfold. Everything is precious, Alfred,” the Doctor continued. Alfie gave a nod of approval. He understood what she meant despite having no real perception of anything she experienced. If school had been that interesting, Alfie would undoubtedly have gained top grades across the board.
“Speaking of precious things,” Alfie took the opportunity to ask one of his burning questions, “Why does the TARDIS look like a police box?”
“The TARDIS is meant to blend into its surroundings. I once landed in 1963, where these police boxes were common, and the chameleon circuit got stuck. It’s been a police box ever since,” the Doctor replied, “I like it, though. It helps me remember where I parked.” She smirked playfully, and Alfie chuckled. On a planet enshrined in pink sunlight, a blue phone box certainly stood out.
The tents were much more vivid now. Alfie could make out some finer details; there were people, perhaps ten, maybe more, moving back and forth. It looked like they were working; it had to have been work, there was nothing homely about what he could see.
“Um, Doctor,” Alfie caught sight of the most worrying aspect of all. They were metres away from the tents now, which blocked them from view, but Alfie could see something strange. Something he had never seen before. Something he couldn’t explain, “What’s that?”
“Oh, Alfred,” the Doctor’s eyes widened. She looked panicked, and if she was panicking, Alfie stood no chance. In front of the tent were three creatures, at least double their size, with six spider-like legs raising their circular bodies above the ground. Their backs had large wings attached. They looked like enormous bugs, but Alfie wasn’t usually so terrified of the bugs he found in his house.
Interrupting their conversation, an ear-piercing siren blared out. It was high-pitched, louder than it needed to be, fading in and out just like an air-raid siren from World War II.
“What the hell is that?” Alfie blocked his ears to stop them hurting, but it was in vain.
“Hey! You two! Get inside!” a voice commanded. The Doctor grabbed Alfie’s arm and led him towards one of the tents roughly fifty metres away. Alfie’s excitement had rapidly diminished into stress and fear. What was happening?
A duty of care was something the Doctor took seriously. It had been a long time since she’d had company in the TARDIS, and in many ways, it was refreshing to have somebody to show around the universe again. All her happiest memories were with friends in years gone by.
However, it always came with an added layer of pressure. It was up to her to keep Alfie safe. He knew next to nothing about Tanjari, or what the potential dangers were. The Doctor herself only knew some vague details, but she had seen enough scrapes to know she had to always remain on her toes.
Therefore, it was instinct that made the Doctor take hold of Alfie’s arm to lead him to safety. Without his help, she wouldn’t have made it anywhere near the Sarmbud. He was a vital part of what the Doctor saw as a flat team structure between them.
Alfie entered the tent first giving the Doctor a chance to look around once more. The surroundings hadn’t changed, so what had caused such an invasive siren? Who had set it up, and why? Its pitch and volume didn’t suggest a friendly warning.
At the top of the crater, barely visible, the Doctor caught sight of a watchtower. Why would a largely barren crater need a siren, tents, and a watchtower? It was baffling on any planet, but on Tanjari, it made even less sense.
“Now!” the Doctor heard another call from the tent. That was her cue. She couldn’t delay any longer, because she had a nasty feeling that the siren was only the advance guard.
Inside, the Doctor immediately sensed the humidity of the tent against her skin. Inside was a damp, musty smell, undoubtedly from the dire state of the tent, and the assortment of objects inside.
“What the hell were you doing out there? Are you crazy?” that same voice ranted. It belonged to a young girl, surely a similar age to Alfie. She was humanoid, and to the naked eye, was entirely indistinguishable from the form her and Alfie shared, though her ear sported a zig-zag pattern along the lobe.
“What’s the problem? What happens out there?” the Doctor questioned, ensuring she kept a cool head.
“Come on, you really don’t know?” she frowned.
“Not a clue. It’s a long story,” the Doctor held eye contact, hoping to assure the girl of her sincerity.
“Do you live in here?” Alfie remarked, observing the clothing scattered around the tent, and the sleeping bags tucked away in the corner.
“How do I know I can trust either of you?” the girl lowered her volume, but her body language remained distant.
“Here,” the Doctor fished her trusty psychic paper from her jacket pocket and held it up to her.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise,” she relaxed her posture, “We’ve been waiting for a response from the Shadow Proclamation for years. It’s so good that you’re finally here.”
“Yes,” the Doctor played along, “There’s a very long waiting list, I’m sorry. We were rushed over here without a brief, so please, could you fill me and my colleague Alfred in? Perhaps start with your name.”
“My name is Ashin,” she replied calmly, “But I think you need to meet the others first.”
Perhaps he was easily intrigued, but Alfie was loving taking in every detail, even in the rundown, dirty tent he’d found himself in. On Earth, such a place would disgust him, but there was a novelty about everything when he was on a different planet, no matter how tiny or mundane it actually was.
There was just enough space for three or four people to sleep on the floor inside the tent. Spare clothes covered the sides, but they were just as dirty as the clothes Ashin was wearing. There was no sign of any belongings or possessions, and the ground had no padding to protect them from the rocky surface. It looked deeply uncomfortable, but Alfie was intrigued. Why were they living in such bleak conditions?
Ashin had poked her head out of the tent to summon her roommates. She hadn’t said anything else yet, so Alfie was none the wiser as to what was going on. She seemed nervous, though. She was hesitant to share any information, but why? Alfie assumed all of their questions would be answered before long, particularly considering how persistent the Doctor could be, but he was curious to know what the deal was.
“What is the Shadow…thing?” Alfie whispered to the Doctor beside him, using the awkward silence as an opportunity to clue himself in.
“Shadow Proclamation,” the Doctor corrected, “They’re like police, in a way. We don’t get on that well, but nobody needs to know that. I’ll do the talking, but keep your eyes peeled.”
“I can do that. One more question, though. She’s speaking English. Is English spoken across the universe? I thought there would be so many different languages out there,” Alfie pondered.
“There are. Oh, there are so many. Some languages are beautiful, spoken with such precision and passion. Others are full of vitriol and anger. English can be either one, or both, at the same time. The TARDIS recognised that English is your first language and is translating for you. You’re speaking Tanjarian with Ashin,” the Doctor clarified.
“Huh,” Alfie processed. Ashin’s lips synced perfectly with the English words he was hearing, which was making his brain hurt, “So, the TARDIS is in my head? That’s a little bit weird, I can’t lie.”
“Did you need me to ask for permission?” the Doctor raised an eyebrow.
“No. I’m just worried that the TARDIS can read my mind,” Alfie considered, “There’s some stuff in there I’d rather keep to myself.”
“Don’t stress,” the Doctor assured, “It’s just to translate. We all have our skeletons, Alfred.”
Alfie felt relieved. Spending time with the Doctor felt like an insane dream in the best way, and he didn’t want to risk ruining that through some of his previous actions coming to light.
Ashin returned with three other adult Tanjarians, who each sat on some wooden crates positioned in the centre of the tent. The Tanjarians looked as if they had never seen new people before, each one staring at them, either in awe or in terror.
“Don’t worry. This is the Doctor and Alfred, from the Shadow Proclamation,” Ashin announced, “They’re here to save us.” Alfie raised an eyebrow. Save them from what? He was keen to help, but there was so much to learn. Maybe he was a little out of his depth?
Scanning the virtual map of the surface, Shoma was satisfied. No life signs was the goal; what the rancid Tanjarians got up to inside their tents didn’t bother him if they weren’t cluttering up the surface of his planet.
Conquering Tanjari had been surprisingly simple. Tucked away in orbit around two suns was the stupidest race in the galaxy. The planet had so much potential, and finally, they were on track to unleash it.
The drill had been operating like a dream. They were close to unlocking the goldmine underneath the pink planet, and then, they would finally be rich. Shoma would be rich. Finally, he could afford that second home back on Samlo. It was the business opportunity of a generation.
“Excuse me, sir,” Miko interrupted. He was one of the most junior members of the team and should only have been addressing Shoma under the strictest of emergencies.
“Yes?” Shoma abruptly spoke.
“There’s an unusual object on the surface. A new object,” Miko timidly explained.
“Blast it,” Shoma snapped. It was an easy solution to something that was barely a problem.
“We have. It’s resistant to the blast,” Miko continued. Shoma sighed. He was sure this would be a waste of his time.
“Show me,” Shoma demanded. Miko swiped his wristwatch against Shoma’s console, sharing his screen on Shoma’s monitor. The footage displayed a tall blue box, obviously made of wood, but fully resisting their strongest laser beam. Shoma was fuming. What was it? Nothing should have been able to resist their weaponry. He had to see it for himself.
With Ashin and three adult Tanjarians surrounding them, the Doctor could feel the pressure. Not just to say the right thing, but to protect their lives, too. It was blatant how terrified they were. It was facial expressions like theirs – desperately hoping for a way out, towards something even a tiny bit better – that were the Doctor’s fuel. It was her duty to help them all.
Despite his unusual concerns about secrets, the Doctor felt more confident knowing she had Alfie by her side. They barely knew each other, but he had more than shown his character back on Earth, and the Doctor only took the very best in the TARDIS.
“It started four months ago,” Ashin explained, facing the Doctor directly. The tent was silent; every adult was silently hanging on every word of Ashin’s story, because it was their story too, “Ships landed unannounced. That was when we first heard the siren, that dreadful thing. I wish we knew what it meant then. Maybe we would all still be here if we knew.”
“What happened” the Doctor gently probed.
“Destruction everywhere, and it was immediate. Our cities were bombed. They unleashed their experiments onto our streets, vicious creatures that rounded us up. They took our planet as their own and forced us to work for them, living in these so-called ‘districts’, which they use to categorise and control us. We had no chance against them. We live in District 79, and there are around a hundred of us in each district. There were, anyway,” Ashin continued.
“Um, I’m sorry, can I just ask, who are they?” Alfie timidly spoke up.
“Samloans,” Ashin answered.
“From the planet Samlo,” the Doctor recognised, explaining for Alfie’s benefit, “Samlo is a nearby planet, known for training keen and strong warriors who travel across the galaxy. A truce was established between Samlo and Tanjari in the early days of their training programme, two polar-opposite species agreeing to live in peace.”
“Why would someone break a treaty like that?” Alfie wondered.
“The drill,” the Doctor recalled, piecing as much of the story together as she could, “I could feel it. The Samloans are mining, but what?”
“They haven’t told us,” Ashin answered, “They’re destroying our beautiful planet, and we can’t do anything about it. We don’t have defences. All we can do is work. Please, can you help?”
“Yes,” the Doctor affirmed without a second thought, “We will help you all. But first, I’m going to need to speak to the Samloans.”
“You won’t get close. The experiments kill anyone not inside a tent outside of our allotted time. We won’t get any until tomorrow now. It’s too dangerous,” Ashin advised.
“The experiments are those bug creatures?” Alfie checked.
“They’re called Arthroans, Apparently, they were grown in laboratories on Samlo. They watch over the compound all day every day,” Ashin clarified, “Nothing gets past them.”
“I’ve got a trick up my sleeve,” the Doctor flashed a smile that she hoped would reassure Ashin.
“Then I’m coming,” Ashin insisted. The Doctor could see the determination painted across her face. Even if she said no, Ashin would have found a way to get involved regardless. After all, it was her species they were fighting for. It was time to restart the treaty.
Carefully looking left and right, Alfie felt nervous, but he was raring to go. There was no sign of the Arthroans, but if they were as terrifying as they looked, it wasn’t going to be that easy. The Doctor brushed past him, remaining light on her feet with a gentle run across the surface in the direction of the TARDIS. Alfie followed behind, doing his best to keep a brave face.
At the back of his mind, Alfie couldn’t help thinking about everything Ashin had said. Her story was shocking; the idea of seeing another world felt mystical, but reality had come crashing down quickly. It wasn’t so different from Earth after all.
Ashin’s strength was what struck Alfie the most, though. He’d coped with adversity in his life with much less dignity and composure than Ashin, and what he’d been through was nothing in comparison. Even as she kept pace beside him, on their way to face to people who destroyed her world, she was focused.
“How old are you?” Alfie quietly Ashin as they jogged side-by-side.
“Asking personal questions when I’ve only known you five minutes?” Ashin playfully smiled, “I’m twenty.”
“One year older than me,” Alfie commented, “How do you stay so…optimistic?”
We keep going. We’re all hurting inside, but we’re still alive, and life is precious. We have each other. Tanjarians believe in community, and we still have ours,” Ashin answered. Alfie was impressed at her maturity; he couldn’t imagine being in her position, but he knew he’d have taken to it much worse, “You’re new to this, aren’t you?”
“How could you tell?” Alfie chuckled, “A different planet. Despite everything, it’s so beautiful. A fresh start.”
“What’s your world like?” Ashin pondered.
“It looks different. We only have one sun. There are so many different places. Cities, countryside, it’s beautiful,” Alfie described, “There are cars, and music, and parties, and, oh, the food. Crisps. You can’t beat crisps.”
“It sounds incredible,” Ashin smiled.
“Yeah, I suppose it is,” Alfie reflected, “It’s not perfect, though. There’s war, and fighting, and politicians who only give a damn about themselves.”
The TARDIS was just a short distance away, and Alfie felt relieved to see it. Just a couple of hours back, he had no idea what that blue box was, nor what it would soon represent for him. It was the one certainty he had on an alien planet, so in a way, it was the closest thing he had to home.
“That’s it?” Ashin looked underwhelmed as they approached the TARDIS.
“Just wait,” Alfie smirked, knowing precisely what Ashin was about to discover. He had barely processed the impressive interior himself, but he couldn’t wait to see it again.
“Well, well, well,” a different voice called out. A man strolled out from behind the TARDIS, wearing navy-black combat gear with a golden sash around his neck, complementing the arrogant grin on his face. He looked older, at least forty, and mostly human, just like Ashin, save for a lightning-shaped scar across his cheek. He was flanked by three armed guards, wearing all-black protective gear and carrying the biggest, most intricately designed guns Alfie had ever seen. They must have been Samloans, and Alfie was terrified, “I should have known a Tanjarian would be behind this.”
“This is nothing to do with her,” the Doctor stepped forward, meeting the man’s gaze directly. Her confidence in any situation was impressive, Alfie thought. It was hard to imagine him doing anything other than crumbling in that same position.
“This planet is not open to visitors,” he scoffed.
“We’re not visitors,” the Doctor remained calm, holding up the psychic paper once more, “Shadow Proclamation.”
“You have no jurisdiction here,” he laughed.
“Neither do you,” the Doctor hit back, “Now, please, allow me to put a name to such an egotistical face.”
“Commander Miko. I represent Samlo,” he finally answered, “And you are?”
“The Doctor. These are my friends Alfred and Ashin,” she answered, playing ball.
“What do you know of Samlo?” Miko questioned abruptly.
“A little. Enough to know that you’re violating a treaty that has stood for millennia,” the Doctor volleyed. Alfie wondered if anyone had ever lost a debate to her; if they had, he wanted to shake their hand.
“Money talks, I’m sure you understand,” Miko shrugged.
“It must be yelling at you. You must be in immense pain. You’d have to be, if money’s talking loudly enough to drown out your conscience,” the Doctor frowned.
“I’m bored of this discussion. What’s the blue box?” Miko desperately tried to gain control of the conversation.
“Nothing of your concern,” the Doctor wasn’t letting up.
“It’s on my territory,” Miko insisted.
“No it isn’t,” the Doctor scoffed.
“As I said, you have no jurisdiction here,” Miko laughed.
“You don’t get to decide that. This is your only chance, Miko,” the Doctor warned, unfazed by Miko’s mockery, “Get off this planet and free the Tanjarian people.”
“No,” Miko stood firm, “If you won’t leave, then you’re a problem. Luckily for me, I can deal with problems.”
One of the soldiers handed Miko a whistle, which he delicately blew on, creating an ear-piercingly high-pitched wail that could surely be heard for miles. For a few seconds, silence followed. The calm before the storm.
A rumble broke the silence. Initially, it was distant, but the noise grew closer rapidly. Alfie glanced back the way they came and started to panic. Those grotesque bug creatures, the Arthroans, were whooshing through the air towards them. Alfie was terrified; his body had frozen, his mind too chaotic to be able to think straight.
“TARDIS, now!” the Doctor commanded. Alfie didn’t need to be asked twice. He followed Ashin through the open police box doors before the Doctor slammed them shut. She overtook them as she raced to the console, commanding, “Hold on!”
Laser-focused, the Doctor was in her own domain. Nobody could touch her when she was piloting her TARDIS. She could steer it in her sleep – in fact, she had.
The TARDIS was well-shielded; the police box exterior made for the perfect disguise, tricking opponents into thinking such a vast ship was as shoddy as the wood it appeared to be made of. Little could penetrate the TARDIS, and extrapolator shielding provided a forcefield all around the exterior, but there was always a small chance that Samloan technology was more advanced than she realised. The Doctor wasn’t going to rest on her laurels.
As she yanked ferociously on the dematerialisation lever, the TARDIS violently shook. The Doctor and her passengers all slammed to the floor. The soft, warm lighting turned an alarming shade of red. The Doctor leapt up to check the monitor, which was flashing an alert in the Doctor’s mother tongue.
“What the hell was that?” Alfie queried.
“Look,” the Doctor swung the monitor around, the symbols disappearing in favour of the view outside.
“Is that…” Alfie was confused.
“An Arthroan, clinging on?” Ashin correctly stated.
“How is it alive?” Alfie queried.
“They’re experiments, nobody knows how they’re made or what they’re capable of,” Ashin added.
“Nothing can survive in the time vortex for long,” the Doctor informed.
“So, what are we going to do?” Alfie posed, “It’s a living creature, Doctor. We can’t kill it.”
The Doctor paused for a moment. Alfie was right. Trying to shake the creature off was the easiest route to safety, but it deserved dignity, regardless of its intentions, abilities or the experimentation it had endured.
“Okay,” the Doctor regained her momentum, “Ashin, is there somewhere quiet we can land, for just a short while?”
“There’s the coast. We call it Mantari. It’s miles away from us, we could never get there on foot, but nobody’s ever lived by the coast, the ground is too soft to live on,” Ashin explained quickly.
“If we land, it’ll just attack as soon as we step outside,” Alfie panicked.
“Usually, the TARDIS can materialise, which is what you saw before, Alfred. It just appears, no fanfare, no damage,” the Doctor explained, “But this ship is enormous – neither of you have seen anything yet – and if I were to apply its true weight to the exterior dimensions, it won’t be able to materialise quite so gracefully.”
The Doctor had never landed the TARDIS with such force before, but she didn’t want Alfie and Ashin to know that; their lives were in her hands, and they didn’t need to worry any more than they already were. Nevertheless, the Doctor knew precisely what to do. Energetically, she jumped around the console, pressing buttons and pulling levers as required.
Briefly, she paused. The Doctor placed her hand across the side of the console, whispering, “I’m sorry.” What they were about to do wasn’t going to be easy on the TARRDIS, and the Doctor felt bad. It was a necessary evil.
“One more time, hold on!” the Doctor commanded. She slammed the lever down again. The TARDIS jolted aggressively, falling through the vortex to their destination.
THUD! The Doctor’s back bashed against the floor again. The TARDIS quietly groaned, filling the otherwise silent atmosphere now they had landed. Eagerly, the Doctor leapt up to check the monitor again.
“Ha!” she exclaimed before running for the door, knowing Alfie and Ashin would be just behind her. She was desperate to learn more about what the Arthroans were.
Processing what was happening wasn’t getting easier, but Alfie was learning to go with the flow. It was the only way to adapt to a day spent with the Doctor. The way she sprang to action inside the TARDIS was like she was prepared to navigate a situation so risky – was every day with the Doctor like that?
There was no time for him to ask questions, though. They had landed again at another new location. Stepping outside, Alfie faced an even more breathtaking sight. The land was flat and rocky, and you could see for miles in any direction. It was blissfully tranquil.
Ahead was a large body of water, meeting the land like a beach. The water – if it even was water – reflected the beautiful shade of pink from the suns above. The tide gently rippled across the rocky ground before scurrying backwards again, just like on Earth. Alfie felt comforted by the serenity around him. There was nowhere in Manchester quite like that.
“There you are,” the Doctor commented from behind him. Behind the TARDIS laid the Arthroan, sprawled across the ground. It was as tall as the TARDIS and looked terrifying up close. Alfie wasn’t scared of bugs, but if he saw a fly as big as that at home, he’d have run for miles to avoid it.
“Is it alive?” Alfie wondered.
“It’s breathing,” the Doctor pointed to the gentle in-and-out contractions in the middle of its body, “It’s beautiful, but it’s a monster. It shouldn’t exist. Can you see the device under its neck?”
Alfie squinted, but sure enough, a rectangular device was secured just below its neck. There was no strap or chain, so Alfie figured it must have been surgically attached, much to his disgust, “Yeah, I see it.”
“That must be how it’s controlled. Perhaps I can patch the TARDIS into it?” the Doctor pondered aloud.
She ran back into the TARDIS as if she had to act on her theory immediately before she forgot it. Alfie’s gaze drifted to Ashin, silently observing the sea.
“Holding up?” Alfie gently broke the silence as he approached her.
“That box…the ship…it’s bigger on the inside,” Ashin stuttered, blinking in disbelief.
“That was only my second time in there, we’re in the same boat,” Alfie related.
“Who is she?” Ashin questioned.
“I…I don’t know,” Alfie shrugged, “All I know is that she saved my life, and my whole planet, and nobody else even knows about it.”
“Did you not tell anyone? Do you have a family?” Ashin wondered, “Sorry if I’m speaking out of turn.”
“No, it’s okay. I have my mum, but I don’t think she’d believe me. Nobody would,” Alfie chuckled, “My mum doesn’t even know I’m here.”
“Are you close?” Ashin asked.
“We’re all each other has,” Alfie nodded, “Can I ask, do you have a family?”
“My parents are both dead. They went to look for supplies during one of our mandated breaks, but they didn’t return before the sirens,” Ashin explained.
“I’m sorry,” Alfie’s heart broke.
“Life goes on. There are still Tanjarians alive, so why would I give up fighting? District 79 is my family now,” Ashin eloquently clarified, “Talk to your mum, Alfie. As soon as you can.”
Ashin’s words struck a chord with Alfie. His mum had no idea where he was, and he’d been gone at least a few hours. His phone was out of range – unsurprisingly – and he couldn’t even send a WhatsApp like he usually would if he were staying out late. Never before had he been so cut off from his mum; the longest he’d spent away from her was for a couple of residential trips at school, but even on those, he knew he could have called her at any time.
Alfie sheepishly approached the TARDIS, propping the door open to see the Doctor firing on all cylinders around the console. He was nervous to disrupt her flow, but he didn’t want to leave his request too late.
“Doctor,” Alfie cautiously interrupted.
“This Samloan technology is way fiercer than I expected. This is going to take a little bit of time,” the Doctor related an update.
“Ashin and I can keep watch,” Alfie replied, “I wanted to ask something.”
“Anything,” the Doctor assured, pausing her work for a moment to give Alfie her full attention.
“Is there any way I could, you know, call my mum?” Alfie queried, “Probably a stupid question.”
“Of course you can,” the Doctor nodded, “Pass your phone.”
Alfie followed the instruction, handing over his phone to the Doctor, who aimed her sonic screwdriver at the device for a few seconds before passing it back.
“Done. You can call anywhere in the universe,” the Doctor grinned knowingly.
“Thank you,” Alfie smiled. As impressed as he was, there was only one place in the universe he wanted to call.
Slipping back out of the TARDIS, Alfie wasted no time in making the call. Selecting ‘Mum’ from his contacts and dialling was muscle memory to him, particularly as she was the only person he ever really spoke to over the phone. His heart was racing, and he began to overthink; it was important to sound normal, but near impossible given the spectacular sight of the pink ocean ahead and the two suns above.
“Hello?” Gemma’s voice through the phone somehow blew Alfie’s mind. The fact he was able to talk to someone in another time, on another planet, was a contender for the most impressive thing he’d seen so far.
“Hi mum,” Alfie grinned, his eyes welling with joy.
“Everything alright? You only call during the day when you need a loan,” Gemma spoke, as if she were having the most normal, regular day ever.
“Yeah, I’m fine, I don’t need a loan,” Alfie assured with a chuckle, “Just…sightseeing.”
“In Manchester? Good luck with that,” Gemma laughed, “Will you be home for your tea?”
“I’ll probably stop at Matty’s tonight,” Alfie lied. He hated lying, but the truth would have sounded insane, and his only aim was to avoid making Gemma worry.
“Alright sweetheart, have fun, I’ll see you soon,” Gemma said. Alfie’s joy at hearing his mum’s voice faded into sadness, as if the distance between them was suddenly pushing down on his body like a grand piano that had violently collapsed on top of him.
“Love you,” Alfie fought off his tears that were preparing to sweep downwards.
“Love you too,” Gemma replied, surprised. He didn’t tell his mum he loved her often enough.
The call ended. Alfie attempted to compose himself. He took in a deep breath of the fresh, salty ocean air. He would be home to see his mum before long, but in the meantime, he was eager to make the most of the opportunity he’d been given; meeting the Doctor was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to turn his life around.
Sprinting back outside the examine the Arthroan once more, the Doctor was desperate to figure out how the neck device worked. This was the key to finding out what they were, but the TARDIS was having difficulty breaking through, so there had to be some fierce security protocols.
The creature’s body looked almost identical to a fruit fly that could be found on Earth, with only some minor alterations, and a considerable amount of upsizing. Its weight looked unnaturally heavy, so it must have been artificially grown, but why an insect like that, and where did they come from?
“What do you think it can feel?” the Doctor thought aloud as Ashin approached, standing beside her.
“I hope it feels nothing, because that’s better than it feeling any pain,” Ashin shared, “We had nothing like this on Tanjari before they arrived.”
“Nothing at all? No flies, bugs, or insects?” the Doctor queried.
“Nothing. We’re the only lifeform to originate on Tanjari,” Ashin explained.
“Transporting the Arthroans from Samlo would have taken a lot of space and energy,” the Doctor pondered. As she spoke, she felt a gentle ripple beneath her feet. A vibration, like when they first landed on Tanjari, but much less violent, “That vibration under the surface, can you feel it?”
“It’s the drill,” Ashin theorised.
“The drill is miles away though,” the Doctor considered, “This is happening right here. Below our feet. I don’t think you’re the only lifeforms on Tanjari, Ashin.”
“You think the Arthroans are from here?” Ashin processed, her mouth wide open.
“Insects that live underground, discovered when their habitat was disrupted by the drill. Experimented on by the Samloans, who artificially grew them and installed devices to control them,” the Doctor realised regretfully, “Innocent creatures weaponised.”
“Can we help them?” Ashin asked without hesitation.
“Maybe,” the Doctor considered, “I will do everything in my power to help them. The same goes for you and your people.”
“I know. Alfie trusts you, so I do too,” Ashin smiled.
“Who was in charge of Tanjari before all of this happened?” the Doctor wondered.
“We had a president, and a council, but they were all killed. We’ve not been able to hold an election since,” Ashin replied, defeated.
“I think I may know the perfect candidate, for when you have your planet back,” the Doctor hinted, “Someone who puts her people first, wants the best for them, and will do anything she can to protect them.”
“Me? No way, I’m too young,” Ashin scoffed.
“And yet, here you are,” the Doctor justified.
“Well, none of that matters unless we can save Tanjari,” Ashin changed the subject.
“Quite right,” the Doctor nodded.
In her pocket, the sonic screwdriver buzzed. That was her cue. The TARDIS had cracked it. It was able to connect with the neck device. They had a way out.
Alfie loved watching the Doctor work. When she had a plan, it was like she’d been recharged with fresh new batteries, and it was contagious. She had bounded in and out of the TARDIS, back and forth from the Arthroan, which was starting to come around from its slumber.
On her way past, the Doctor had thrown the sonic screwdriver to Alfie. It was the first time he had seen the device up close, with its impressively intricate details carved across its metal surface, with a deep blue handle to match the colour of its glow. Quite what she wanted Alfie to do with it, he wasn’t yet sure, but he felt powerful simply holding it.
“Alright, I’ve got a plan,” the Doctor finally paused to face Alfie and Ashin to clue them in, “The TARDIS has figured out the neck device controls and patched it through to the sonic. This Arthroan is now under our control, until we can set it free. The problem with that is we can only switch it off from the central control station.”
“The watchtower,” Ashin added, “And it’s heavily guarded. The lasers would take us out way before we get there.”
“We could take the TARDIS?” Alfie suggested.
“The TARDIS is too powerful. The Samloan technology is fierce, and I can’t risk them getting their hands on it. It’s best left here, out of their way. Which leads me to the plan,” the Doctor justified, “The lasers wouldn’t take out the Arthroan, they’re allowed to be out at any time.”
“There’s no way the Arthroan can turn off its own control,” Alfie tried to wrap his head around the plan.
“Correct, the controls are too sophisticated for us to work remotely, which is where I come in,” the Doctor grinned knowingly, almost smugly, “I’m going to ride the Arthroan to the watchtower.”
“What?” Alfie couldn’t believe his ears, “Like a horse at Kempton Park?”
“More glamorous than that,” the Doctor winked, “Both of you can wait in the TARDIS, I’ve programmed it to take you back to District 79.”
“No, I want to help,” Alfie replied firmly. He wasn’t a baby. He didn’t need to be pacified.
“It’s my planet. I should be there,” Ashin insisted, “The controls may be more familiar to me.”
“Okay, but I do the talking, remember,” the Doctor gave in, much to Alfie’s delight, “I’ll be keeping watch from the front, so Alfred, you’re going to steer the Arthroan. Just press the button on the sonic. It’s already waking up, so we need to act now.”
The Doctor led the way, giving Ashin and then Alfie a leg up to climb onto the body of the beast. It was surprisingly hairy, but Alfie was somewhat relieved, as it made for something to hold onto.
“One final time, hold on,” the Doctor commanded, with all three of them in place between the enormous wings either side, “Alfred, now!”
Alfie pressed on the sonic screwdriver for a few seconds before slipping it safely into his jacket pocket. The Arthroan began to move, lifting itself up clumsily from the floor. Alfie held on tight. The further he got from the ground, the more his stomach began to somersault. Heights were not something he enjoyed in any capacity, but if there were a moment to conquer his fear, this was it.
The more the Arthroan woke up, the faster it became. Its wings created an unavoidable draught as they flapped at an increasing rate, soaring above the ground and towards their destination. Alfie did his best to avoid looking down, desperate not to lose his balance in an already precarious position.
Nevertheless, Alfie was still able to absorb the sensational views around him. The vast stretches of untouched land, the mountains on the horizon, and even a glimpse of what remained of the Tanjarian cities. The Arthroan swept above them all, giving Alfie a brief but phenomenal glimpse of the world below. Manchester had never felt smaller.
The journey continued for what felt like five minutes, but Alfie couldn’t have been sure. All perception of time had gone out of the window while up in the air. The watchtower finally came into view, standing obnoxiously tall through the soft layer of cloud. The reality of what they were doing caught up to Alfie. This wasn’t just an experience. They had work to do.
“How do we get down?” Alfie called out, fighting against the fresh cold breeze.
“That platform there,” Ashin pointed to what looked like a large loading bay at the top of the watchtower.
“Press the sonic, Alfred,” the Doctor commanded once more. Alfie did as he was told, and the Arthroan glided its way down, swooping elegantly along the loading bay and grinding to a halt.
Alfie took one final deep breath before sliding down the Arthroan’s side, landing perfectly on the floor beside the Doctor and Ashin. It was only upon landing that he noticed three Samloan guards, pointing their large, menacing guns at them. Alfie gulped. So close, yet so far.
Though she often tried, the Doctor couldn’t lie to herself. Her plan hadn’t worked entirely perfectly. Riding the Arthroan felt like a stroke of genius, but the Samloans were one step ahead. Now, there was another obstacle to cross.
All three of them were handcuffed to a railing against the wall of the watchtower’s control room. The handcuffs were strong and metal, and it would have taken far too long for her to negotiate through such a restraint. Five other guards stood around the circumference of the room, each wielding their oversized guns as if they were something to be proud of. She didn’t even have her sonic screwdriver, which was tucked away in Alfie’s jacket pocket. All she could rely on was her ability to talk, which she could comfortably win a gold metal with, and she would have, if she hadn’t wanted to give others a fair shot.
“I’ll be honest, I’m impressed,” Shoma strolled back and forth in front of them, unfazed by their arrival, “Utilising one of the Arthroans by hacking its controls is, dare I say, genius. Unluckily for you, we know everything that’s happening around the watchtower. Did you think we wouldn’t notice three insects riding a bigger insect?”
“I was counting on you noticing,” the Doctor lied. She had to gain the upper hand in any way she could, and there was no better way than to make Shoma think he had already lost.
“Don’t insult my intelligence,” Shoma scoffed, his arrogance radiating from his smug grin.
“I wouldn’t, which is why we knew precisely what would happen,” the Doctor insisted.
“Why? Why would you want to end up here, tied up and helpless?” Shoma laughed, but his eyes displayed his inner worry.
“That would be telling,” the Doctor smirked. Shoma huffed. It was blatant that he hated not being in control, and that gave the Doctor a way in.
In the corner of her eye, the Doctor met eyes with Alfie. She gave a subtle, gentle nod, hoping he would get her gist.
“Because, Shoma, this isn’t your word, and what you’ve done here contravenes multiple articles of the Shadow Proclamation, so you’re already on thin ice,” the Doctor explained.
“Is this your plan? My guilty conscience?” Shoma laughed once more, but the lines on his forehead told a different story.
“I’m offering you a way out,” the Doctor suggested, “Let me take you and your people back to Samlo. Nothing more needs to be said.”
“No, there must be justice,” Ashin spoke up, her voice quivering.
“I’m sorry, Ashin,” the Doctor met eyes with her, giving her the same, subtle nod she gave Alfie. They had some so far in the name of Tanjari, there was nothing that could make the Doctor give up on their mission, and she couldn’t allow Ashin to think otherwise.
“How do I know I can trust you?” Shoma’s guard lowered slightly, already proving the foundations of trust.
“You don’t, you’ve never met me before,” the Doctor replied, truthfully that time, “You have one chance, and you would much rather have me on your side than actively working towards your downfall.”
“Is that a threat?” Shoma pushed his shoulders back, but it wasn’t enough to make up for his softening, pensive gaze.
“It’s a warning,” the Doctor corrected, “One of two routes at the crossroads you’re now facing.”
“The drill is so close,” Shoma pondered aloud, “All the hard work. We’re so close to a fortune. The precious metals under the surface are worth millions.”
“Your fortune, or your freedom,” the Doctor continued, making the choice crystal clear.
“We’ve come this far,” Shoma’s face hardened once more, “It would be foolish to give up now.”
“Then I make no apologies for what I’m about to do,” the Doctor sternly yet regretfully responded, before she turned to face Alfie, “Now!”
Alfie squeezed his arm against his chest as hard as he could, despite the handcuffs. The gentle whir of the sonic, muffled from underneath Alfie’s jacket, was music to the Doctor’s ears.
“You don’t have a plan. You can’t, when you’ve got no way of carrying it out,” Shoma’s arrogance resumed, but the Doctor was no longer fazed. The upper hand was theirs.
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” the Doctor grinned, gesturing to the loading bay. The Arthroan had just heaved itself upwards, as directed by the sonic screwdriver, and immediately swooped into the control room and around the edge in a circuit, thrashing the guards’ guns out of their hands to the ground, alongside their unconscious bodies in the process. Shoma ducked for cover at the opposite end of the room, cowering embarrassingly and without a shred of control.
“Press it again,” the Doctor ordered Alfie. Another squeeze and all three of their handcuffs clicked open.
“No!” Shoma called out, ducking below the Arthroan once again. Alfie threw the sonic towards the Doctor, who caught it effortlessly. She immediately aimed it at the central console and began working, getting to grips with the controls as quickly as she could. The Arthroan neck device had taught her a lot about Samloan technology.
“You will pay for this!” Shoma growled.
WHACK!
The Arthroan swung its tail and slammed it violently against Shoma’s head, knocking him to the floor unconscious. The Doctor concealed a smirk; though Shoma wasn’t going to be bothering them anymore, they weren’t clear just yet. There would be time to celebrate later.
“And…” the Doctor exclaimed, pressing one more button, “…the Arthroans are free. Now for your people, Ashin.” The Arthroan breezed out of the loading deck door and into the fresh air, filling the Doctor’s hearts with warmth. Refocusing, she played with the console once again as Alfie examined the screen beside her.
“We’ve got incoming,” Alfie observed the camera footage outside the control room, “With guns.”
“Press that red button there,” the Doctor pointed, typing the final part of the necessary code.
“The big red button? Really?” Alfie raised an eyebrow.
“It deactivates all weaponry in an emergency. I think, anyway,” the Doctor tentatively explained, “Guns, the laser, and even the drill.”
“Then Ashin should do it,” Alfie suggested.
“Um,” Ashin hesitated.
“Ashin, this will free your people. Alfred is right. You have to do this,” the Doctor motivated.
Ashin nodded, raising a smile. Proudly, she slammed her hand down on the button. Red lights flickered and an alarm blared out around the control room. The Doctor checked the monitor. An alert flashed with the words ‘DRILL INACTIVE’ pulsating in bold capitals.
“Now we reclaim,” Ashin nodded, her eyes meeting the Doctor’s gaze. Already, her whole demeanour appeared lighter, as if she’d been feed from unbearably heavy weights secured to her feet.
Glancing around one final time, Alfie was making the most of the beautiful views while he still could. The pink tint on Tanjari was something he would never forget, and it was complemented by the addition of the Arthroans, soaring through the sky, living their lives freely. The tents at District 79 were being dismantled, and it was safe to walk cross the crater. Tanjari was free.
“The last people just left for Samlo. They all surrendered. Nobody was willing to fight without Shoma’s orders,” Ashin explained, stood in front of what remained of the tent she had been forced to call home. Behind Alfie and the Doctor was the TARDIS, parked precisely where the Doctor had programmed it to land.
“Everyone deserves a chance of peace. Perhaps Tanjari and Samlo can rebuild a relationship, in time,” the Doctor considered.
“Where did Shoma end up?” Alfie questioned.
“Taken by his own people as prisoner. They have assured me he will remain in custody for good, and that they will rebuild their military from scratch, learning from his errors. I have to trust that they will honour their word,” Ashin justified.
“A fresh start,” Alfie nodded.
“I can’t thank you both enough,” Ashin beamed, “Even if you weren’t actually from the Shadow Proclamation, you saved us all. We will be forever in your debt.” Alfie couldn’t help smiling proudly. To have helped, even a little bit, to save an alien world was an accomplishment he would carry with him forever.
“Thank us by thriving. Rebuild your world and protect your people,” the Doctor suggested.
“I can promise that,” Ashin nodded, “Goodbye Doctor, and goodbye Alfie.”
“Bye,” Alfie smiled. He felt sad to be leaving Ashin so soon; they had already struck up a friendship, and Alfie had no idea if they’d ever meet again. Nevertheless, he knew Ashin was exactly where she needed to be.
With one final scan of the incredible view, Alfie followed the Doctor inside the TARDIS, which already, strangely, felt like coming home.
“Will they be okay?” Alfie asked as the door clicked shut and the Doctor bounced her way back to the console.
“I didn’t realise until we were talking by the lake,” the Doctor responded, “The name, Ashin, I recognised it, but not on its own. President Ashin, however, is going to go down in history. Tanjari’s golden age, best known for securing trade and peace deals with hundreds of planets, most notably the strongest peace deal with Samlo that either planet has ever seen.”
“President Ashin,” Alfie repeated with a large, proud smile painted across his face, “So, what next?”
“That, Alfred, is entirely your choice,” the Doctor sprang to life, “There are more planets out there. Oh, there are so many! Not to mention all of history, and everything still to come. So much to see, and no time to waste,” she paused for a few seconds while Alfie internally salivated over the idea of more trips, “Or, you could go home. Back to Manchester. Back to normality. Saving one planet, all in a day’s work.”
“I could, yeah. I could see my mum. I miss her, I can’t lie,” Alfie answered, joining the Doctor beside the console, “But it can wait. I want to see something amazing. Something exciting. Something I’ll never forget.”
“Your wish is my command,” the Doctor smirked, “But be careful what you wish for.” She joyfully slammed the lever down, jolting the TARDIS aggressively back and forth, giving Alfie just enough time to cling on for safety. Regardless, Alfie was brimming with anticipation. Where would they end up next?
Alfie’s grip of the console weakened. The TARDIS jolted. Alfie flew backwards, collapsing flat on his back with a thud. Silence. Had they landed? Was that it?
“Okay then,” the Doctor leapt up energetically. Alfie scrambled to follow, pushing himself up off the floor ready to listen, “Outside that door could be absolutely anywhere. Any planet, any time.”
“Anywhere?” Alfie’s mind couldn’t begin to comprehend what could be out there. Where would he even begin?
“Well, it’s somewhere that has oxygen. A little oxygen. Enough oxygen,” the Doctor observed on the small monitor attached to the console, “The rest will be a surprise to us both. Do you want to go first?”
“Hell yeah,” Alfie beamed. He ran to the door gleefully, pausing in front of it to brace himself for what he was about to see. However, Alfie was unconvinced it was of any use. His heart was racing even faster than his mind. How many other humans had experienced what he was about to experience?
Timidly, Alfie clicked the door open and peered outside. The first observation he made was the deep red rocky surface, which continued up to the hills that surrounded the crater they were in. The sky was a matching shade of dark pink, illuminating the uneven surface in a deep glow of dark light. Was it night? Did this place even have night? It looked like night, anyway.
Stepping onto the surface, Alfie couldn’t help admiring the sky. The clouds glowed pink from the night of two suns, one to his left and the other to his right. It looked beautiful, and Alfie had the biggest grin on his face. He was on another planet, and that rush of excitement was a sensation he would never forget.
In contrast, the planet itself looked a little worse for wear. Their rocky surroundings were covered in debris, though there was movement and noise coming from a little further in the distance.
The Doctor followed Alfie outside, pulling the TARDIS door shut behind her. Just as Alfie did, she took in the sights, of the planet as well as the sky. There was a glimmer of excitement in her eye that Alfie found comforting; the Doctor was exploring the universe in much the same way he was, and she was visiting new worlds too. After all that time, she still seemed impressed. A thrill like that could never get old.
“Where are we?” Alfie queried.
“Going by the position of the stars, and more notably, the two suns, I’d say this must be Tanjari. 39th Century. You’re a long way from home, Alfred,” the Doctor answered, examining the sky as she spoke. Alfie couldn’t help being impressed at how quickly she figured that out.
“It looks dead,” Alfie observed.
“The Tanjarians are known to be a peaceful race. They live in tribes built on a community of trust. We must have landed a long way away from civilisation,” the Doctor considered.
“Is that a tribe over there?” Alfie pointed to the setup in the distance. He could see what looked like white tents, and some figures moving back and forth. Amongst that was a noise. A deep rumbling sound, like machinery. He enquired, “Wait, can you hear that?”
“Yes, it sounds like a drill,” the Doctor pondered, “I knew the ground felt unusual.”
“The ground?” Alfie raised an eyebrow. The Doctor began walking towards the tents, Alfie quickly following suit like an excitable puppy.
“I can feel the ground moving. This planet is in orbit around two suns, and it has the most unusual, inconsistent gravity field. We’re directly in the middle right now, in perfect equilibrium. I can feel the pull against the surface, and every vibration that goes with it. A drill is vicious, and the vibrations ripple across the planet’s crust. I can feel it all, Alfred. It’s what a Time Lord is,” the Doctor explained, much to Alfie’s amazement.
“Doesn’t that drive you mad?” Alfie wondered.
“For some, yes. For me, it’s a reminder of what’s at stake. A planet is a miracle. For life to develop, so many scientific coincidences must unfold. Everything is precious, Alfred,” the Doctor continued. Alfie gave a nod of approval. He understood what she meant despite having no real perception of anything she experienced. If school had been that interesting, Alfie would undoubtedly have gained top grades across the board.
“Speaking of precious things,” Alfie took the opportunity to ask one of his burning questions, “Why does the TARDIS look like a police box?”
“The TARDIS is meant to blend into its surroundings. I once landed in 1963, where these police boxes were common, and the chameleon circuit got stuck. It’s been a police box ever since,” the Doctor replied, “I like it, though. It helps me remember where I parked.” She smirked playfully, and Alfie chuckled. On a planet enshrined in pink sunlight, a blue phone box certainly stood out.
The tents were much more vivid now. Alfie could make out some finer details; there were people, perhaps ten, maybe more, moving back and forth. It looked like they were working; it had to have been work, there was nothing homely about what he could see.
“Um, Doctor,” Alfie caught sight of the most worrying aspect of all. They were metres away from the tents now, which blocked them from view, but Alfie could see something strange. Something he had never seen before. Something he couldn’t explain, “What’s that?”
“Oh, Alfred,” the Doctor’s eyes widened. She looked panicked, and if she was panicking, Alfie stood no chance. In front of the tent were three creatures, at least double their size, with six spider-like legs raising their circular bodies above the ground. Their backs had large wings attached. They looked like enormous bugs, but Alfie wasn’t usually so terrified of the bugs he found in his house.
Interrupting their conversation, an ear-piercing siren blared out. It was high-pitched, louder than it needed to be, fading in and out just like an air-raid siren from World War II.
“What the hell is that?” Alfie blocked his ears to stop them hurting, but it was in vain.
“Hey! You two! Get inside!” a voice commanded. The Doctor grabbed Alfie’s arm and led him towards one of the tents roughly fifty metres away. Alfie’s excitement had rapidly diminished into stress and fear. What was happening?
A duty of care was something the Doctor took seriously. It had been a long time since she’d had company in the TARDIS, and in many ways, it was refreshing to have somebody to show around the universe again. All her happiest memories were with friends in years gone by.
However, it always came with an added layer of pressure. It was up to her to keep Alfie safe. He knew next to nothing about Tanjari, or what the potential dangers were. The Doctor herself only knew some vague details, but she had seen enough scrapes to know she had to always remain on her toes.
Therefore, it was instinct that made the Doctor take hold of Alfie’s arm to lead him to safety. Without his help, she wouldn’t have made it anywhere near the Sarmbud. He was a vital part of what the Doctor saw as a flat team structure between them.
Alfie entered the tent first giving the Doctor a chance to look around once more. The surroundings hadn’t changed, so what had caused such an invasive siren? Who had set it up, and why? Its pitch and volume didn’t suggest a friendly warning.
At the top of the crater, barely visible, the Doctor caught sight of a watchtower. Why would a largely barren crater need a siren, tents, and a watchtower? It was baffling on any planet, but on Tanjari, it made even less sense.
“Now!” the Doctor heard another call from the tent. That was her cue. She couldn’t delay any longer, because she had a nasty feeling that the siren was only the advance guard.
Inside, the Doctor immediately sensed the humidity of the tent against her skin. Inside was a damp, musty smell, undoubtedly from the dire state of the tent, and the assortment of objects inside.
“What the hell were you doing out there? Are you crazy?” that same voice ranted. It belonged to a young girl, surely a similar age to Alfie. She was humanoid, and to the naked eye, was entirely indistinguishable from the form her and Alfie shared, though her ear sported a zig-zag pattern along the lobe.
“What’s the problem? What happens out there?” the Doctor questioned, ensuring she kept a cool head.
“Come on, you really don’t know?” she frowned.
“Not a clue. It’s a long story,” the Doctor held eye contact, hoping to assure the girl of her sincerity.
“Do you live in here?” Alfie remarked, observing the clothing scattered around the tent, and the sleeping bags tucked away in the corner.
“How do I know I can trust either of you?” the girl lowered her volume, but her body language remained distant.
“Here,” the Doctor fished her trusty psychic paper from her jacket pocket and held it up to her.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise,” she relaxed her posture, “We’ve been waiting for a response from the Shadow Proclamation for years. It’s so good that you’re finally here.”
“Yes,” the Doctor played along, “There’s a very long waiting list, I’m sorry. We were rushed over here without a brief, so please, could you fill me and my colleague Alfred in? Perhaps start with your name.”
“My name is Ashin,” she replied calmly, “But I think you need to meet the others first.”
Perhaps he was easily intrigued, but Alfie was loving taking in every detail, even in the rundown, dirty tent he’d found himself in. On Earth, such a place would disgust him, but there was a novelty about everything when he was on a different planet, no matter how tiny or mundane it actually was.
There was just enough space for three or four people to sleep on the floor inside the tent. Spare clothes covered the sides, but they were just as dirty as the clothes Ashin was wearing. There was no sign of any belongings or possessions, and the ground had no padding to protect them from the rocky surface. It looked deeply uncomfortable, but Alfie was intrigued. Why were they living in such bleak conditions?
Ashin had poked her head out of the tent to summon her roommates. She hadn’t said anything else yet, so Alfie was none the wiser as to what was going on. She seemed nervous, though. She was hesitant to share any information, but why? Alfie assumed all of their questions would be answered before long, particularly considering how persistent the Doctor could be, but he was curious to know what the deal was.
“What is the Shadow…thing?” Alfie whispered to the Doctor beside him, using the awkward silence as an opportunity to clue himself in.
“Shadow Proclamation,” the Doctor corrected, “They’re like police, in a way. We don’t get on that well, but nobody needs to know that. I’ll do the talking, but keep your eyes peeled.”
“I can do that. One more question, though. She’s speaking English. Is English spoken across the universe? I thought there would be so many different languages out there,” Alfie pondered.
“There are. Oh, there are so many. Some languages are beautiful, spoken with such precision and passion. Others are full of vitriol and anger. English can be either one, or both, at the same time. The TARDIS recognised that English is your first language and is translating for you. You’re speaking Tanjarian with Ashin,” the Doctor clarified.
“Huh,” Alfie processed. Ashin’s lips synced perfectly with the English words he was hearing, which was making his brain hurt, “So, the TARDIS is in my head? That’s a little bit weird, I can’t lie.”
“Did you need me to ask for permission?” the Doctor raised an eyebrow.
“No. I’m just worried that the TARDIS can read my mind,” Alfie considered, “There’s some stuff in there I’d rather keep to myself.”
“Don’t stress,” the Doctor assured, “It’s just to translate. We all have our skeletons, Alfred.”
Alfie felt relieved. Spending time with the Doctor felt like an insane dream in the best way, and he didn’t want to risk ruining that through some of his previous actions coming to light.
Ashin returned with three other adult Tanjarians, who each sat on some wooden crates positioned in the centre of the tent. The Tanjarians looked as if they had never seen new people before, each one staring at them, either in awe or in terror.
“Don’t worry. This is the Doctor and Alfred, from the Shadow Proclamation,” Ashin announced, “They’re here to save us.” Alfie raised an eyebrow. Save them from what? He was keen to help, but there was so much to learn. Maybe he was a little out of his depth?
Scanning the virtual map of the surface, Shoma was satisfied. No life signs was the goal; what the rancid Tanjarians got up to inside their tents didn’t bother him if they weren’t cluttering up the surface of his planet.
Conquering Tanjari had been surprisingly simple. Tucked away in orbit around two suns was the stupidest race in the galaxy. The planet had so much potential, and finally, they were on track to unleash it.
The drill had been operating like a dream. They were close to unlocking the goldmine underneath the pink planet, and then, they would finally be rich. Shoma would be rich. Finally, he could afford that second home back on Samlo. It was the business opportunity of a generation.
“Excuse me, sir,” Miko interrupted. He was one of the most junior members of the team and should only have been addressing Shoma under the strictest of emergencies.
“Yes?” Shoma abruptly spoke.
“There’s an unusual object on the surface. A new object,” Miko timidly explained.
“Blast it,” Shoma snapped. It was an easy solution to something that was barely a problem.
“We have. It’s resistant to the blast,” Miko continued. Shoma sighed. He was sure this would be a waste of his time.
“Show me,” Shoma demanded. Miko swiped his wristwatch against Shoma’s console, sharing his screen on Shoma’s monitor. The footage displayed a tall blue box, obviously made of wood, but fully resisting their strongest laser beam. Shoma was fuming. What was it? Nothing should have been able to resist their weaponry. He had to see it for himself.
With Ashin and three adult Tanjarians surrounding them, the Doctor could feel the pressure. Not just to say the right thing, but to protect their lives, too. It was blatant how terrified they were. It was facial expressions like theirs – desperately hoping for a way out, towards something even a tiny bit better – that were the Doctor’s fuel. It was her duty to help them all.
Despite his unusual concerns about secrets, the Doctor felt more confident knowing she had Alfie by her side. They barely knew each other, but he had more than shown his character back on Earth, and the Doctor only took the very best in the TARDIS.
“It started four months ago,” Ashin explained, facing the Doctor directly. The tent was silent; every adult was silently hanging on every word of Ashin’s story, because it was their story too, “Ships landed unannounced. That was when we first heard the siren, that dreadful thing. I wish we knew what it meant then. Maybe we would all still be here if we knew.”
“What happened” the Doctor gently probed.
“Destruction everywhere, and it was immediate. Our cities were bombed. They unleashed their experiments onto our streets, vicious creatures that rounded us up. They took our planet as their own and forced us to work for them, living in these so-called ‘districts’, which they use to categorise and control us. We had no chance against them. We live in District 79, and there are around a hundred of us in each district. There were, anyway,” Ashin continued.
“Um, I’m sorry, can I just ask, who are they?” Alfie timidly spoke up.
“Samloans,” Ashin answered.
“From the planet Samlo,” the Doctor recognised, explaining for Alfie’s benefit, “Samlo is a nearby planet, known for training keen and strong warriors who travel across the galaxy. A truce was established between Samlo and Tanjari in the early days of their training programme, two polar-opposite species agreeing to live in peace.”
“Why would someone break a treaty like that?” Alfie wondered.
“The drill,” the Doctor recalled, piecing as much of the story together as she could, “I could feel it. The Samloans are mining, but what?”
“They haven’t told us,” Ashin answered, “They’re destroying our beautiful planet, and we can’t do anything about it. We don’t have defences. All we can do is work. Please, can you help?”
“Yes,” the Doctor affirmed without a second thought, “We will help you all. But first, I’m going to need to speak to the Samloans.”
“You won’t get close. The experiments kill anyone not inside a tent outside of our allotted time. We won’t get any until tomorrow now. It’s too dangerous,” Ashin advised.
“The experiments are those bug creatures?” Alfie checked.
“They’re called Arthroans, Apparently, they were grown in laboratories on Samlo. They watch over the compound all day every day,” Ashin clarified, “Nothing gets past them.”
“I’ve got a trick up my sleeve,” the Doctor flashed a smile that she hoped would reassure Ashin.
“Then I’m coming,” Ashin insisted. The Doctor could see the determination painted across her face. Even if she said no, Ashin would have found a way to get involved regardless. After all, it was her species they were fighting for. It was time to restart the treaty.
Carefully looking left and right, Alfie felt nervous, but he was raring to go. There was no sign of the Arthroans, but if they were as terrifying as they looked, it wasn’t going to be that easy. The Doctor brushed past him, remaining light on her feet with a gentle run across the surface in the direction of the TARDIS. Alfie followed behind, doing his best to keep a brave face.
At the back of his mind, Alfie couldn’t help thinking about everything Ashin had said. Her story was shocking; the idea of seeing another world felt mystical, but reality had come crashing down quickly. It wasn’t so different from Earth after all.
Ashin’s strength was what struck Alfie the most, though. He’d coped with adversity in his life with much less dignity and composure than Ashin, and what he’d been through was nothing in comparison. Even as she kept pace beside him, on their way to face to people who destroyed her world, she was focused.
“How old are you?” Alfie quietly Ashin as they jogged side-by-side.
“Asking personal questions when I’ve only known you five minutes?” Ashin playfully smiled, “I’m twenty.”
“One year older than me,” Alfie commented, “How do you stay so…optimistic?”
We keep going. We’re all hurting inside, but we’re still alive, and life is precious. We have each other. Tanjarians believe in community, and we still have ours,” Ashin answered. Alfie was impressed at her maturity; he couldn’t imagine being in her position, but he knew he’d have taken to it much worse, “You’re new to this, aren’t you?”
“How could you tell?” Alfie chuckled, “A different planet. Despite everything, it’s so beautiful. A fresh start.”
“What’s your world like?” Ashin pondered.
“It looks different. We only have one sun. There are so many different places. Cities, countryside, it’s beautiful,” Alfie described, “There are cars, and music, and parties, and, oh, the food. Crisps. You can’t beat crisps.”
“It sounds incredible,” Ashin smiled.
“Yeah, I suppose it is,” Alfie reflected, “It’s not perfect, though. There’s war, and fighting, and politicians who only give a damn about themselves.”
The TARDIS was just a short distance away, and Alfie felt relieved to see it. Just a couple of hours back, he had no idea what that blue box was, nor what it would soon represent for him. It was the one certainty he had on an alien planet, so in a way, it was the closest thing he had to home.
“That’s it?” Ashin looked underwhelmed as they approached the TARDIS.
“Just wait,” Alfie smirked, knowing precisely what Ashin was about to discover. He had barely processed the impressive interior himself, but he couldn’t wait to see it again.
“Well, well, well,” a different voice called out. A man strolled out from behind the TARDIS, wearing navy-black combat gear with a golden sash around his neck, complementing the arrogant grin on his face. He looked older, at least forty, and mostly human, just like Ashin, save for a lightning-shaped scar across his cheek. He was flanked by three armed guards, wearing all-black protective gear and carrying the biggest, most intricately designed guns Alfie had ever seen. They must have been Samloans, and Alfie was terrified, “I should have known a Tanjarian would be behind this.”
“This is nothing to do with her,” the Doctor stepped forward, meeting the man’s gaze directly. Her confidence in any situation was impressive, Alfie thought. It was hard to imagine him doing anything other than crumbling in that same position.
“This planet is not open to visitors,” he scoffed.
“We’re not visitors,” the Doctor remained calm, holding up the psychic paper once more, “Shadow Proclamation.”
“You have no jurisdiction here,” he laughed.
“Neither do you,” the Doctor hit back, “Now, please, allow me to put a name to such an egotistical face.”
“Commander Miko. I represent Samlo,” he finally answered, “And you are?”
“The Doctor. These are my friends Alfred and Ashin,” she answered, playing ball.
“What do you know of Samlo?” Miko questioned abruptly.
“A little. Enough to know that you’re violating a treaty that has stood for millennia,” the Doctor volleyed. Alfie wondered if anyone had ever lost a debate to her; if they had, he wanted to shake their hand.
“Money talks, I’m sure you understand,” Miko shrugged.
“It must be yelling at you. You must be in immense pain. You’d have to be, if money’s talking loudly enough to drown out your conscience,” the Doctor frowned.
“I’m bored of this discussion. What’s the blue box?” Miko desperately tried to gain control of the conversation.
“Nothing of your concern,” the Doctor wasn’t letting up.
“It’s on my territory,” Miko insisted.
“No it isn’t,” the Doctor scoffed.
“As I said, you have no jurisdiction here,” Miko laughed.
“You don’t get to decide that. This is your only chance, Miko,” the Doctor warned, unfazed by Miko’s mockery, “Get off this planet and free the Tanjarian people.”
“No,” Miko stood firm, “If you won’t leave, then you’re a problem. Luckily for me, I can deal with problems.”
One of the soldiers handed Miko a whistle, which he delicately blew on, creating an ear-piercingly high-pitched wail that could surely be heard for miles. For a few seconds, silence followed. The calm before the storm.
A rumble broke the silence. Initially, it was distant, but the noise grew closer rapidly. Alfie glanced back the way they came and started to panic. Those grotesque bug creatures, the Arthroans, were whooshing through the air towards them. Alfie was terrified; his body had frozen, his mind too chaotic to be able to think straight.
“TARDIS, now!” the Doctor commanded. Alfie didn’t need to be asked twice. He followed Ashin through the open police box doors before the Doctor slammed them shut. She overtook them as she raced to the console, commanding, “Hold on!”
Laser-focused, the Doctor was in her own domain. Nobody could touch her when she was piloting her TARDIS. She could steer it in her sleep – in fact, she had.
The TARDIS was well-shielded; the police box exterior made for the perfect disguise, tricking opponents into thinking such a vast ship was as shoddy as the wood it appeared to be made of. Little could penetrate the TARDIS, and extrapolator shielding provided a forcefield all around the exterior, but there was always a small chance that Samloan technology was more advanced than she realised. The Doctor wasn’t going to rest on her laurels.
As she yanked ferociously on the dematerialisation lever, the TARDIS violently shook. The Doctor and her passengers all slammed to the floor. The soft, warm lighting turned an alarming shade of red. The Doctor leapt up to check the monitor, which was flashing an alert in the Doctor’s mother tongue.
“What the hell was that?” Alfie queried.
“Look,” the Doctor swung the monitor around, the symbols disappearing in favour of the view outside.
“Is that…” Alfie was confused.
“An Arthroan, clinging on?” Ashin correctly stated.
“How is it alive?” Alfie queried.
“They’re experiments, nobody knows how they’re made or what they’re capable of,” Ashin added.
“Nothing can survive in the time vortex for long,” the Doctor informed.
“So, what are we going to do?” Alfie posed, “It’s a living creature, Doctor. We can’t kill it.”
The Doctor paused for a moment. Alfie was right. Trying to shake the creature off was the easiest route to safety, but it deserved dignity, regardless of its intentions, abilities or the experimentation it had endured.
“Okay,” the Doctor regained her momentum, “Ashin, is there somewhere quiet we can land, for just a short while?”
“There’s the coast. We call it Mantari. It’s miles away from us, we could never get there on foot, but nobody’s ever lived by the coast, the ground is too soft to live on,” Ashin explained quickly.
“If we land, it’ll just attack as soon as we step outside,” Alfie panicked.
“Usually, the TARDIS can materialise, which is what you saw before, Alfred. It just appears, no fanfare, no damage,” the Doctor explained, “But this ship is enormous – neither of you have seen anything yet – and if I were to apply its true weight to the exterior dimensions, it won’t be able to materialise quite so gracefully.”
The Doctor had never landed the TARDIS with such force before, but she didn’t want Alfie and Ashin to know that; their lives were in her hands, and they didn’t need to worry any more than they already were. Nevertheless, the Doctor knew precisely what to do. Energetically, she jumped around the console, pressing buttons and pulling levers as required.
Briefly, she paused. The Doctor placed her hand across the side of the console, whispering, “I’m sorry.” What they were about to do wasn’t going to be easy on the TARRDIS, and the Doctor felt bad. It was a necessary evil.
“One more time, hold on!” the Doctor commanded. She slammed the lever down again. The TARDIS jolted aggressively, falling through the vortex to their destination.
THUD! The Doctor’s back bashed against the floor again. The TARDIS quietly groaned, filling the otherwise silent atmosphere now they had landed. Eagerly, the Doctor leapt up to check the monitor again.
“Ha!” she exclaimed before running for the door, knowing Alfie and Ashin would be just behind her. She was desperate to learn more about what the Arthroans were.
Processing what was happening wasn’t getting easier, but Alfie was learning to go with the flow. It was the only way to adapt to a day spent with the Doctor. The way she sprang to action inside the TARDIS was like she was prepared to navigate a situation so risky – was every day with the Doctor like that?
There was no time for him to ask questions, though. They had landed again at another new location. Stepping outside, Alfie faced an even more breathtaking sight. The land was flat and rocky, and you could see for miles in any direction. It was blissfully tranquil.
Ahead was a large body of water, meeting the land like a beach. The water – if it even was water – reflected the beautiful shade of pink from the suns above. The tide gently rippled across the rocky ground before scurrying backwards again, just like on Earth. Alfie felt comforted by the serenity around him. There was nowhere in Manchester quite like that.
“There you are,” the Doctor commented from behind him. Behind the TARDIS laid the Arthroan, sprawled across the ground. It was as tall as the TARDIS and looked terrifying up close. Alfie wasn’t scared of bugs, but if he saw a fly as big as that at home, he’d have run for miles to avoid it.
“Is it alive?” Alfie wondered.
“It’s breathing,” the Doctor pointed to the gentle in-and-out contractions in the middle of its body, “It’s beautiful, but it’s a monster. It shouldn’t exist. Can you see the device under its neck?”
Alfie squinted, but sure enough, a rectangular device was secured just below its neck. There was no strap or chain, so Alfie figured it must have been surgically attached, much to his disgust, “Yeah, I see it.”
“That must be how it’s controlled. Perhaps I can patch the TARDIS into it?” the Doctor pondered aloud.
She ran back into the TARDIS as if she had to act on her theory immediately before she forgot it. Alfie’s gaze drifted to Ashin, silently observing the sea.
“Holding up?” Alfie gently broke the silence as he approached her.
“That box…the ship…it’s bigger on the inside,” Ashin stuttered, blinking in disbelief.
“That was only my second time in there, we’re in the same boat,” Alfie related.
“Who is she?” Ashin questioned.
“I…I don’t know,” Alfie shrugged, “All I know is that she saved my life, and my whole planet, and nobody else even knows about it.”
“Did you not tell anyone? Do you have a family?” Ashin wondered, “Sorry if I’m speaking out of turn.”
“No, it’s okay. I have my mum, but I don’t think she’d believe me. Nobody would,” Alfie chuckled, “My mum doesn’t even know I’m here.”
“Are you close?” Ashin asked.
“We’re all each other has,” Alfie nodded, “Can I ask, do you have a family?”
“My parents are both dead. They went to look for supplies during one of our mandated breaks, but they didn’t return before the sirens,” Ashin explained.
“I’m sorry,” Alfie’s heart broke.
“Life goes on. There are still Tanjarians alive, so why would I give up fighting? District 79 is my family now,” Ashin eloquently clarified, “Talk to your mum, Alfie. As soon as you can.”
Ashin’s words struck a chord with Alfie. His mum had no idea where he was, and he’d been gone at least a few hours. His phone was out of range – unsurprisingly – and he couldn’t even send a WhatsApp like he usually would if he were staying out late. Never before had he been so cut off from his mum; the longest he’d spent away from her was for a couple of residential trips at school, but even on those, he knew he could have called her at any time.
Alfie sheepishly approached the TARDIS, propping the door open to see the Doctor firing on all cylinders around the console. He was nervous to disrupt her flow, but he didn’t want to leave his request too late.
“Doctor,” Alfie cautiously interrupted.
“This Samloan technology is way fiercer than I expected. This is going to take a little bit of time,” the Doctor related an update.
“Ashin and I can keep watch,” Alfie replied, “I wanted to ask something.”
“Anything,” the Doctor assured, pausing her work for a moment to give Alfie her full attention.
“Is there any way I could, you know, call my mum?” Alfie queried, “Probably a stupid question.”
“Of course you can,” the Doctor nodded, “Pass your phone.”
Alfie followed the instruction, handing over his phone to the Doctor, who aimed her sonic screwdriver at the device for a few seconds before passing it back.
“Done. You can call anywhere in the universe,” the Doctor grinned knowingly.
“Thank you,” Alfie smiled. As impressed as he was, there was only one place in the universe he wanted to call.
Slipping back out of the TARDIS, Alfie wasted no time in making the call. Selecting ‘Mum’ from his contacts and dialling was muscle memory to him, particularly as she was the only person he ever really spoke to over the phone. His heart was racing, and he began to overthink; it was important to sound normal, but near impossible given the spectacular sight of the pink ocean ahead and the two suns above.
“Hello?” Gemma’s voice through the phone somehow blew Alfie’s mind. The fact he was able to talk to someone in another time, on another planet, was a contender for the most impressive thing he’d seen so far.
“Hi mum,” Alfie grinned, his eyes welling with joy.
“Everything alright? You only call during the day when you need a loan,” Gemma spoke, as if she were having the most normal, regular day ever.
“Yeah, I’m fine, I don’t need a loan,” Alfie assured with a chuckle, “Just…sightseeing.”
“In Manchester? Good luck with that,” Gemma laughed, “Will you be home for your tea?”
“I’ll probably stop at Matty’s tonight,” Alfie lied. He hated lying, but the truth would have sounded insane, and his only aim was to avoid making Gemma worry.
“Alright sweetheart, have fun, I’ll see you soon,” Gemma said. Alfie’s joy at hearing his mum’s voice faded into sadness, as if the distance between them was suddenly pushing down on his body like a grand piano that had violently collapsed on top of him.
“Love you,” Alfie fought off his tears that were preparing to sweep downwards.
“Love you too,” Gemma replied, surprised. He didn’t tell his mum he loved her often enough.
The call ended. Alfie attempted to compose himself. He took in a deep breath of the fresh, salty ocean air. He would be home to see his mum before long, but in the meantime, he was eager to make the most of the opportunity he’d been given; meeting the Doctor was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to turn his life around.
Sprinting back outside the examine the Arthroan once more, the Doctor was desperate to figure out how the neck device worked. This was the key to finding out what they were, but the TARDIS was having difficulty breaking through, so there had to be some fierce security protocols.
The creature’s body looked almost identical to a fruit fly that could be found on Earth, with only some minor alterations, and a considerable amount of upsizing. Its weight looked unnaturally heavy, so it must have been artificially grown, but why an insect like that, and where did they come from?
“What do you think it can feel?” the Doctor thought aloud as Ashin approached, standing beside her.
“I hope it feels nothing, because that’s better than it feeling any pain,” Ashin shared, “We had nothing like this on Tanjari before they arrived.”
“Nothing at all? No flies, bugs, or insects?” the Doctor queried.
“Nothing. We’re the only lifeform to originate on Tanjari,” Ashin explained.
“Transporting the Arthroans from Samlo would have taken a lot of space and energy,” the Doctor pondered. As she spoke, she felt a gentle ripple beneath her feet. A vibration, like when they first landed on Tanjari, but much less violent, “That vibration under the surface, can you feel it?”
“It’s the drill,” Ashin theorised.
“The drill is miles away though,” the Doctor considered, “This is happening right here. Below our feet. I don’t think you’re the only lifeforms on Tanjari, Ashin.”
“You think the Arthroans are from here?” Ashin processed, her mouth wide open.
“Insects that live underground, discovered when their habitat was disrupted by the drill. Experimented on by the Samloans, who artificially grew them and installed devices to control them,” the Doctor realised regretfully, “Innocent creatures weaponised.”
“Can we help them?” Ashin asked without hesitation.
“Maybe,” the Doctor considered, “I will do everything in my power to help them. The same goes for you and your people.”
“I know. Alfie trusts you, so I do too,” Ashin smiled.
“Who was in charge of Tanjari before all of this happened?” the Doctor wondered.
“We had a president, and a council, but they were all killed. We’ve not been able to hold an election since,” Ashin replied, defeated.
“I think I may know the perfect candidate, for when you have your planet back,” the Doctor hinted, “Someone who puts her people first, wants the best for them, and will do anything she can to protect them.”
“Me? No way, I’m too young,” Ashin scoffed.
“And yet, here you are,” the Doctor justified.
“Well, none of that matters unless we can save Tanjari,” Ashin changed the subject.
“Quite right,” the Doctor nodded.
In her pocket, the sonic screwdriver buzzed. That was her cue. The TARDIS had cracked it. It was able to connect with the neck device. They had a way out.
Alfie loved watching the Doctor work. When she had a plan, it was like she’d been recharged with fresh new batteries, and it was contagious. She had bounded in and out of the TARDIS, back and forth from the Arthroan, which was starting to come around from its slumber.
On her way past, the Doctor had thrown the sonic screwdriver to Alfie. It was the first time he had seen the device up close, with its impressively intricate details carved across its metal surface, with a deep blue handle to match the colour of its glow. Quite what she wanted Alfie to do with it, he wasn’t yet sure, but he felt powerful simply holding it.
“Alright, I’ve got a plan,” the Doctor finally paused to face Alfie and Ashin to clue them in, “The TARDIS has figured out the neck device controls and patched it through to the sonic. This Arthroan is now under our control, until we can set it free. The problem with that is we can only switch it off from the central control station.”
“The watchtower,” Ashin added, “And it’s heavily guarded. The lasers would take us out way before we get there.”
“We could take the TARDIS?” Alfie suggested.
“The TARDIS is too powerful. The Samloan technology is fierce, and I can’t risk them getting their hands on it. It’s best left here, out of their way. Which leads me to the plan,” the Doctor justified, “The lasers wouldn’t take out the Arthroan, they’re allowed to be out at any time.”
“There’s no way the Arthroan can turn off its own control,” Alfie tried to wrap his head around the plan.
“Correct, the controls are too sophisticated for us to work remotely, which is where I come in,” the Doctor grinned knowingly, almost smugly, “I’m going to ride the Arthroan to the watchtower.”
“What?” Alfie couldn’t believe his ears, “Like a horse at Kempton Park?”
“More glamorous than that,” the Doctor winked, “Both of you can wait in the TARDIS, I’ve programmed it to take you back to District 79.”
“No, I want to help,” Alfie replied firmly. He wasn’t a baby. He didn’t need to be pacified.
“It’s my planet. I should be there,” Ashin insisted, “The controls may be more familiar to me.”
“Okay, but I do the talking, remember,” the Doctor gave in, much to Alfie’s delight, “I’ll be keeping watch from the front, so Alfred, you’re going to steer the Arthroan. Just press the button on the sonic. It’s already waking up, so we need to act now.”
The Doctor led the way, giving Ashin and then Alfie a leg up to climb onto the body of the beast. It was surprisingly hairy, but Alfie was somewhat relieved, as it made for something to hold onto.
“One final time, hold on,” the Doctor commanded, with all three of them in place between the enormous wings either side, “Alfred, now!”
Alfie pressed on the sonic screwdriver for a few seconds before slipping it safely into his jacket pocket. The Arthroan began to move, lifting itself up clumsily from the floor. Alfie held on tight. The further he got from the ground, the more his stomach began to somersault. Heights were not something he enjoyed in any capacity, but if there were a moment to conquer his fear, this was it.
The more the Arthroan woke up, the faster it became. Its wings created an unavoidable draught as they flapped at an increasing rate, soaring above the ground and towards their destination. Alfie did his best to avoid looking down, desperate not to lose his balance in an already precarious position.
Nevertheless, Alfie was still able to absorb the sensational views around him. The vast stretches of untouched land, the mountains on the horizon, and even a glimpse of what remained of the Tanjarian cities. The Arthroan swept above them all, giving Alfie a brief but phenomenal glimpse of the world below. Manchester had never felt smaller.
The journey continued for what felt like five minutes, but Alfie couldn’t have been sure. All perception of time had gone out of the window while up in the air. The watchtower finally came into view, standing obnoxiously tall through the soft layer of cloud. The reality of what they were doing caught up to Alfie. This wasn’t just an experience. They had work to do.
“How do we get down?” Alfie called out, fighting against the fresh cold breeze.
“That platform there,” Ashin pointed to what looked like a large loading bay at the top of the watchtower.
“Press the sonic, Alfred,” the Doctor commanded once more. Alfie did as he was told, and the Arthroan glided its way down, swooping elegantly along the loading bay and grinding to a halt.
Alfie took one final deep breath before sliding down the Arthroan’s side, landing perfectly on the floor beside the Doctor and Ashin. It was only upon landing that he noticed three Samloan guards, pointing their large, menacing guns at them. Alfie gulped. So close, yet so far.
Though she often tried, the Doctor couldn’t lie to herself. Her plan hadn’t worked entirely perfectly. Riding the Arthroan felt like a stroke of genius, but the Samloans were one step ahead. Now, there was another obstacle to cross.
All three of them were handcuffed to a railing against the wall of the watchtower’s control room. The handcuffs were strong and metal, and it would have taken far too long for her to negotiate through such a restraint. Five other guards stood around the circumference of the room, each wielding their oversized guns as if they were something to be proud of. She didn’t even have her sonic screwdriver, which was tucked away in Alfie’s jacket pocket. All she could rely on was her ability to talk, which she could comfortably win a gold metal with, and she would have, if she hadn’t wanted to give others a fair shot.
“I’ll be honest, I’m impressed,” Shoma strolled back and forth in front of them, unfazed by their arrival, “Utilising one of the Arthroans by hacking its controls is, dare I say, genius. Unluckily for you, we know everything that’s happening around the watchtower. Did you think we wouldn’t notice three insects riding a bigger insect?”
“I was counting on you noticing,” the Doctor lied. She had to gain the upper hand in any way she could, and there was no better way than to make Shoma think he had already lost.
“Don’t insult my intelligence,” Shoma scoffed, his arrogance radiating from his smug grin.
“I wouldn’t, which is why we knew precisely what would happen,” the Doctor insisted.
“Why? Why would you want to end up here, tied up and helpless?” Shoma laughed, but his eyes displayed his inner worry.
“That would be telling,” the Doctor smirked. Shoma huffed. It was blatant that he hated not being in control, and that gave the Doctor a way in.
In the corner of her eye, the Doctor met eyes with Alfie. She gave a subtle, gentle nod, hoping he would get her gist.
“Because, Shoma, this isn’t your word, and what you’ve done here contravenes multiple articles of the Shadow Proclamation, so you’re already on thin ice,” the Doctor explained.
“Is this your plan? My guilty conscience?” Shoma laughed once more, but the lines on his forehead told a different story.
“I’m offering you a way out,” the Doctor suggested, “Let me take you and your people back to Samlo. Nothing more needs to be said.”
“No, there must be justice,” Ashin spoke up, her voice quivering.
“I’m sorry, Ashin,” the Doctor met eyes with her, giving her the same, subtle nod she gave Alfie. They had some so far in the name of Tanjari, there was nothing that could make the Doctor give up on their mission, and she couldn’t allow Ashin to think otherwise.
“How do I know I can trust you?” Shoma’s guard lowered slightly, already proving the foundations of trust.
“You don’t, you’ve never met me before,” the Doctor replied, truthfully that time, “You have one chance, and you would much rather have me on your side than actively working towards your downfall.”
“Is that a threat?” Shoma pushed his shoulders back, but it wasn’t enough to make up for his softening, pensive gaze.
“It’s a warning,” the Doctor corrected, “One of two routes at the crossroads you’re now facing.”
“The drill is so close,” Shoma pondered aloud, “All the hard work. We’re so close to a fortune. The precious metals under the surface are worth millions.”
“Your fortune, or your freedom,” the Doctor continued, making the choice crystal clear.
“We’ve come this far,” Shoma’s face hardened once more, “It would be foolish to give up now.”
“Then I make no apologies for what I’m about to do,” the Doctor sternly yet regretfully responded, before she turned to face Alfie, “Now!”
Alfie squeezed his arm against his chest as hard as he could, despite the handcuffs. The gentle whir of the sonic, muffled from underneath Alfie’s jacket, was music to the Doctor’s ears.
“You don’t have a plan. You can’t, when you’ve got no way of carrying it out,” Shoma’s arrogance resumed, but the Doctor was no longer fazed. The upper hand was theirs.
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” the Doctor grinned, gesturing to the loading bay. The Arthroan had just heaved itself upwards, as directed by the sonic screwdriver, and immediately swooped into the control room and around the edge in a circuit, thrashing the guards’ guns out of their hands to the ground, alongside their unconscious bodies in the process. Shoma ducked for cover at the opposite end of the room, cowering embarrassingly and without a shred of control.
“Press it again,” the Doctor ordered Alfie. Another squeeze and all three of their handcuffs clicked open.
“No!” Shoma called out, ducking below the Arthroan once again. Alfie threw the sonic towards the Doctor, who caught it effortlessly. She immediately aimed it at the central console and began working, getting to grips with the controls as quickly as she could. The Arthroan neck device had taught her a lot about Samloan technology.
“You will pay for this!” Shoma growled.
WHACK!
The Arthroan swung its tail and slammed it violently against Shoma’s head, knocking him to the floor unconscious. The Doctor concealed a smirk; though Shoma wasn’t going to be bothering them anymore, they weren’t clear just yet. There would be time to celebrate later.
“And…” the Doctor exclaimed, pressing one more button, “…the Arthroans are free. Now for your people, Ashin.” The Arthroan breezed out of the loading deck door and into the fresh air, filling the Doctor’s hearts with warmth. Refocusing, she played with the console once again as Alfie examined the screen beside her.
“We’ve got incoming,” Alfie observed the camera footage outside the control room, “With guns.”
“Press that red button there,” the Doctor pointed, typing the final part of the necessary code.
“The big red button? Really?” Alfie raised an eyebrow.
“It deactivates all weaponry in an emergency. I think, anyway,” the Doctor tentatively explained, “Guns, the laser, and even the drill.”
“Then Ashin should do it,” Alfie suggested.
“Um,” Ashin hesitated.
“Ashin, this will free your people. Alfred is right. You have to do this,” the Doctor motivated.
Ashin nodded, raising a smile. Proudly, she slammed her hand down on the button. Red lights flickered and an alarm blared out around the control room. The Doctor checked the monitor. An alert flashed with the words ‘DRILL INACTIVE’ pulsating in bold capitals.
“Now we reclaim,” Ashin nodded, her eyes meeting the Doctor’s gaze. Already, her whole demeanour appeared lighter, as if she’d been feed from unbearably heavy weights secured to her feet.
Glancing around one final time, Alfie was making the most of the beautiful views while he still could. The pink tint on Tanjari was something he would never forget, and it was complemented by the addition of the Arthroans, soaring through the sky, living their lives freely. The tents at District 79 were being dismantled, and it was safe to walk cross the crater. Tanjari was free.
“The last people just left for Samlo. They all surrendered. Nobody was willing to fight without Shoma’s orders,” Ashin explained, stood in front of what remained of the tent she had been forced to call home. Behind Alfie and the Doctor was the TARDIS, parked precisely where the Doctor had programmed it to land.
“Everyone deserves a chance of peace. Perhaps Tanjari and Samlo can rebuild a relationship, in time,” the Doctor considered.
“Where did Shoma end up?” Alfie questioned.
“Taken by his own people as prisoner. They have assured me he will remain in custody for good, and that they will rebuild their military from scratch, learning from his errors. I have to trust that they will honour their word,” Ashin justified.
“A fresh start,” Alfie nodded.
“I can’t thank you both enough,” Ashin beamed, “Even if you weren’t actually from the Shadow Proclamation, you saved us all. We will be forever in your debt.” Alfie couldn’t help smiling proudly. To have helped, even a little bit, to save an alien world was an accomplishment he would carry with him forever.
“Thank us by thriving. Rebuild your world and protect your people,” the Doctor suggested.
“I can promise that,” Ashin nodded, “Goodbye Doctor, and goodbye Alfie.”
“Bye,” Alfie smiled. He felt sad to be leaving Ashin so soon; they had already struck up a friendship, and Alfie had no idea if they’d ever meet again. Nevertheless, he knew Ashin was exactly where she needed to be.
With one final scan of the incredible view, Alfie followed the Doctor inside the TARDIS, which already, strangely, felt like coming home.
“Will they be okay?” Alfie asked as the door clicked shut and the Doctor bounced her way back to the console.
“I didn’t realise until we were talking by the lake,” the Doctor responded, “The name, Ashin, I recognised it, but not on its own. President Ashin, however, is going to go down in history. Tanjari’s golden age, best known for securing trade and peace deals with hundreds of planets, most notably the strongest peace deal with Samlo that either planet has ever seen.”
“President Ashin,” Alfie repeated with a large, proud smile painted across his face, “So, what next?”
“That, Alfred, is entirely your choice,” the Doctor sprang to life, “There are more planets out there. Oh, there are so many! Not to mention all of history, and everything still to come. So much to see, and no time to waste,” she paused for a few seconds while Alfie internally salivated over the idea of more trips, “Or, you could go home. Back to Manchester. Back to normality. Saving one planet, all in a day’s work.”
“I could, yeah. I could see my mum. I miss her, I can’t lie,” Alfie answered, joining the Doctor beside the console, “But it can wait. I want to see something amazing. Something exciting. Something I’ll never forget.”
“Your wish is my command,” the Doctor smirked, “But be careful what you wish for.” She joyfully slammed the lever down, jolting the TARDIS aggressively back and forth, giving Alfie just enough time to cling on for safety. Regardless, Alfie was brimming with anticipation. Where would they end up next?
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Previous: "Alfred"
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Next: to be released
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