The Companion
It Really Does Make Your Head Hurt
“What did you mean you weren’t sure?” I asked the Doctor as he stood at the console, hands hovering over the controls.
“I’m not sure what we’ll find there,” said the Doctor.
“Find where?” said Harry.
“Do you two trust me?” said the Doctor.
“You’ve shown me the impossible today, Doctor. I’m pretty sure I do,” I said.
“And you, Harry. Do you trust me?”
“Of course,” said Harry as if the matter required no extra thinking.
“Why do you ask?” I said.
“We’re going to Alfava Metraxis, the crash site of the Byzantium, which, when I last visited, was teeming with Weeping Angels,” said the Doctor, turning his attention back to the console and seemed to be putting in some coordinates.
“What are Weeping Angels?” asked Harry.
“Also known as the Lonely Assassins, they’re quantum-locked meaning that they can only move when they’re seen. They resemble an angel statue that appears to be weeping. It’s how they protect themselves, so they don’t look at each other. But that’s just the beginning. They move… and fast. When they’re not being observed, that is. And if they get close enough, they can rip you from your time stream, forcing you to live out your life in another time period while feeding on your potential time energy. They can just as easily snap your neck.”
“Intense,” said Harry, eyes wide.
“And deadly,” said the Doctor.
“Surely it’d be easy enough to avoid the Weeping Angels if we were to go there at a different time to when you did,” I said.
“Ah no, you see Kylie, I rebooted the universe meaning that the Byzantium crash is part of an alternate timeline,” said the Doctor.
“Meaning?” I asked.
“Meaning that it actually didn’t happen… well it did… it still may have and for all we know the Angels could be there even if we were to visit how ever many years into the future. But of course, the Byzantium could still be in one piece, which is why this is going to be tricky.”
“What are we going to do then?” asked Harry.
“We’re going to Alfava Metraxis, didn’t I just say that?”
“But you also just said-“
“Its only to check. The TARDIS isn’t always reliable, you know.”
“Of course,” said Harry as if he couldn’t think of a better reply because it was all getting quite confusing.
“And by the looks on your faces I can see the timey wimey is getting to you so I guess we’ll be off,” said the Doctor as he began to fiddle with the controls and hovering over the lever before turning to say, “Don’t worry, it only gets more confusing.”
With that he pulled the lever and put us in flight.
After another extremely bumpy ride the Doctor jumped up and made his way to the door. I went to follow him but he turned around quickly to say, “Stay right there until I say its safe. You never know what could be out here. Don’t need you two getting into trouble unnecessarily.”
“It really does make your head hurt. I try thinking over everything he says, trying to make sense of it myself but it’s just so… bizarre,” said Harry, who sat himself on the steps near the console as the Doctor left the TARDIS.
“I never realized how complicated time travel could be,” I said, sitting down next to him and placing my head on his shoulder.
“Its exciting, though, isn’t it?” said Harry.
“Thrilling,” I said, giggling. “And to think you thought the Doctor was accosting me.”
“I would never think such a thing of him or of you,” he said, pressing his lips to my forehead.
“No he doesn’t seem the type, does he?”
“What you were supposed to say was, ‘I would never do that to you, Harry.’ But no, he’s a little too alien for that.”
“You know I wouldn’t, Harry,” I assured him. “But yeah, he’s got that geek air about him, not entirely sexual although there is potential.”
“What are you trying to say?” said Harry, poking me playfully in the rib.
“I’m just saying he may have got down a few times, he’s just not the type to show that kind of affection in public.”
“Are you talking about me?” said the Doctor, poking his head back in the TARDIS.
“What on earth are you on about?” I said, turning towards the door and laughing at his facial expression.
“I’ll have you know I’ve been around a bit and seen a few things,” said the Doctor as he walked inside, closing the door behind him.
“Well I certainly hope so at the age of… how old are you? 30… 31?”
“A good thousand years old.”
“A thousand? Really?” said Harry, chuckling.
“Yes a thousand although I’ve long since forgotten my exact age. I’ve been wandering around that long.”
“Wait, you’re serious?” said Harry.
“Of course I’m serious,” said the Doctor, looking down at us on the step.
“But… but you hardly look older than thirty. How can you be a thousand years old?” I asked.
“I’m a Time Lord. We age slowly and can regenerate when our bodies are dying. But it’ll take too long to explain, time to head off.”
“Hold on, what about the Byzantium?”
“Its not there.”
“What, we don’t even get a look? This is another planet! When in your life would you ever get the chance to set foot on another planet?” said Harry.
“If you stick with me, all the time,” said the Doctor.
“Oh come on, Doctor. Just a little look?” I said.
“Fine, but quickly. I want to see if I can find a location for the ship.”
Harry and I jumped up, ran to the door and opened it to see a massive temple-like structure made of rock and beneath it a long stretch of sand and smooth stone.
“Right, had a good look? Good, time to go,” said the Doctor, walking over and going to close the door.
“We barely had five seconds,” said Harry.
“Ten, I counted. And now eleven,” said the Doctor.
“We didn’t even step outside,” Harry protested.
“Don’t worry, Harry. There’ll be plenty more where that came from,” the Doctor replied, leaning past us to close the door before walking back over to the console.
“Did you find the ship’s location?” I asked him while he fiddled once more with his buttons and knobs.
“It’s difficult to lock onto, we may be a bit early in the planet’s timeline. But I’d rather get to the bottom of this problem we all ready have on our hands. I would like to be thorough but time can easily run out.”
“All these places you’re taking us to, Doctor… have you seen cracks here before?” I asked.
“Not all of them. They’re just places I visited after I discovered the cracks and could be of some importance to finding out more about this one in your shop. I did see one on the Byzantium, however.”
“Doesn’t that give you all the more reason to look for it?”
“Winston said we might not be looking in the right place and there might be something in that. I’d rather not make too many mistakes before realising I’m wrong.”
“So I assume you’re taking us somewhere else.”
“Two more stops and then I’ll take you home. You’ll be getting tired I should think.”
“I’m actually not too tired, surprisingly. Given we’ve been traveling non-stop for a while. I don’t know about this one, though,” said Harry, coming over to place an arm around my shoulder.
“I’m not too bad. Its all too exciting in here,” I said, grinning.
“In here… or out there?” said the Doctor, returning my grin and pointing to the doors.
“Both,” said Harry.
“So penultimate stop. Had to make it exciting for you, guess where we are going,” said the Doctor as he walked around the console fiddling with the controls.
“Where?” I asked.
“You take all the fun out of guessing games, you know,” said the Doctor jokingly.
“Oh all right… we’ve been to space, to the past, to another planet… maybe the future?” I asked.
“Right in one! And on Earth too! Well… when I say on Earth its not quite… “on” Earth,” said the Doctor before pulling his trusty leaver.
