Part 7 (2/2)

Mother Jaelette looked at her with interest. 'Is that likely?'

Rose nodded. 'They'll have technology, tools that might help. . . '

And the Doctor's there, she thought to herself, he's worth a whole pile of tech all by himself.

To her relief she saw that Mother Jaelette was nodding; it looked like Rose had persuaded them not to take any action until this option had been explored. Rez stepped forward.

'I'll take you,' he said simply. 'I promised I would.'

'Thanks.' Rose smiled at him.

As Mother Jaelette gave him a big hug and told him to take care, Rose felt a twinge of guilt. She was taking Rez away from his family 92 and she had an ominous feeling that he might never come back to them.

93.

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The walk through the forest was different this time. It was still as beautiful as ever and everywhere Rose looked there was another stunning vista to marvel at, but since the attack last night something subtle had changed for her. It might be a paradise but now she was very much aware that there could be monsters lurking all around. Rez led the way, confidently striding through the maze of different trees, following the path the monsters had taken last night. They walked in silence, each occupied with their own thoughts. Finally they reached an area where there were signs of damage to the tree tops.

'This must be where the s.h.i.+p came down,' Rez told her, pointing up at the broken branches.

A little further on they reached a clearing and there, battered but intact, was the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.

Rose was getting a bit blase about s.p.a.ces.h.i.+ps these days, but she'd never seen one quite like this. She could tell instantly that this was not a new s.h.i.+p. It looked a bit like one of the cars she used to see boys working on back home on the estate. Not new by any means, but well loved and showing signs of a long life of repairs. On the Powell Estate you'd see cars with bonnets and doors in colours that didn't match the 95 rest of the car, and it was the same with this s.p.a.ce vehicle. Panels looked to have been replaced by spares from entirely different s.h.i.+ps, or possibly bits salvaged from junkyards.

'Perhaps that's why it crashed!' she speculated out loud. Rez gave her a look. To him it was an amazing, technologically advanced machine and it was clearly intimidating him.

'Do you think it's safe to just walk up to it?' he asked. Rose wasn't sure. 'We could go under a white flag?' she suggested. Unfortunately a quick search of her pockets failed to produce anything that even faintly resembled a white flag, although Rose did find a half-empty packet of Polos, which was a bonus.

'Come on, then,' she said finally, popping a mint into her mouth and offering Rez one. 'Let's just walk slowly, keep our hands where they can see them and hope they don't fancy any target practice.'

A little nervously they stepped out of the cover offered by the trees and began to walk towards the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p. As they got closer Rose could see that the main airlock doors were open and there were a couple of people standing just inside.

'We come in peace,' she called out hopefully, adding, 'Don't shoot!'

'Rose Tyler, where the heck have you been?' called a familiar voice. To Rose's shame she completely lost it. 'Doctor!'

She ran towards him and was delighted to see that he was running to meet her too. They collided in a giant bear hug that was probably so not cool, but Rose just didn't care. Sometimes being cool was just overrated.

Finally the Doctor let her go and they just grinned at each other for a moment, then they both began speaking at once, stopped, started again at exactly the same moment and then stopped again, laughing.

'You first, then,' Rose said finally.

'No, no. . . ' insisted the Doctor, 'you carry on.'

'Actually I don't know quite where to begin,' Rose confessed. The Doctor threw a look in the direction of Rez, who was standing around looking a little embarra.s.sed at the overt display of affection.

'How about starting with introducing the new boyfriend?' suggested the Doctor with a grin. 96 This is Rez,' Rose said, ignoring the Doctor's teasing. 'He's a human living with the locals,' she added.

'Pleased to meet you,' said the Doctor, extending a hand for the lad to shake.

Rez looked a little hesitant.

'Does he shake?' he asked, raising an eyebrow at Rose. She and Rez exchanged a knowing look and then both of them burst into hysterics.

'I'll take that as a no, shall I?' The Doctor sounded a little hurt. Rose managed to stop herself laughing and apologised. 'Private joke,' she explained.

If anything this only made him look more upset.

'So, are you going to introduce us to your new friend?' she asked, grinning, and nodded over the Doctor's shoulder in the direction of a severe-looking woman in her fifties who was walking purposefully towards them.

'Let me introduce the commander of this fine s.h.i.+p, Professor Petra Shulough,' said the Doctor. 'Professor, this is my travelling companion, Rose Tyler, and this is, er, her new friend, Rez.'

The professor nodded at the newcomers but her expression remained serious. 'You live with the natives?' she asked Rez. He nodded. 'I was found here as a baby in an escape pod fifteen years ago.'

'An orphan!' exclaimed the professor, and Rose thought she could detect an unexpected emotion in the woman's voice. Was it empathy?

'And you've been brought up as a native since then?'

Again he nodded.

The professor seemed to be making an effort to stifle whatever emotional reaction she was having and her voice hardened. 'So what can you tell us about the creatures that attacked us last night?'

'Creatures?'

'Big hairy chaps with four arms and serious talons,' the Doctor said, giving Rez some more details.

'Snap!' said Rose.

'You've seen them too?' The Doctor sounded excited. 97 Rose affected an air of nonchalance. 'Been there, seen that, bought the T-s.h.i.+rt,' She grinned again.

'You were attacked too?' asked the professor, surprised at this development.

'Our village was raided last night,' explained Rez.

'But it was OK,' Rose hurried to tell the Doctor. 'I saw them off with a hot drink!'

'I'm sorry?'

Rose was pleased to hear the surprise in the Doctor's voice.

'I threw my drink at them and it seemed to stop them. Like Superman and kryptonite.'

'You found a weakness!' The Doctor was impressed. Rose was chuffed. The score was now two-nil, Rose told herself.

'I think we need to compare notes,' the Doctor decided, and started to lead them back towards the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p. 'And talking of hot drinks, any chance of a cup of tea, Professor?'

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