The Multiverse is an amazing thing, you know. One tiny little world in one tiny little solar system in one tiny galaxy, is just a speck of the entire Picture. Your world is unique. Your world is precious. But it is not the only VERSION of your world. You are never alone out there. You are never Lonely.
When I was in my first incarnation, I believed that there was only one version, and the parallel universes which circled ours were untouchable. The One Circular Universe Theory was law in Gallifrey for so long, and so many Timelords still believe in it! I, however, could not stand for it. I believed that there must be a way to enter these alternate universes, to see the infinite void, and the universes beyond. So, it was me, and my wonderful friend and research assistant Starbright Alightantvour, Starbright for short (She hates her Academy Last Name) worked to break the universal barrier with one Type 50 TARDIS.
And it worked.
I have seen so many universes since then. Every single universe, every single thing we create is a real universe out there, and everything we create is a window into a particular universe. There is a reason Why I have one of the biggest libraries out there (And no one question the comics, Believe me, those are very useful when you run into a Superhuman with the ability to pound your face in with a single punch), because there is a quite a big difference reading it, or watching it, or playing a game of it…..There is quite a difference, when you are EXPERIENCING the things you write. The Things you watch. The Things you play.
Episode 1: The Teen and the Death Machine
“COME BACK HERE, THIEF!”
The world is such a cruel place, when you start looking at it at a certain perspective. Try going a day, two, even three, starving, looking for a next meal because you took a wrong turn in your life. That’s what went wrong here, as what I was told. A father, who couldn’t find work, a mother who had to care for two kids, a Brother who had to steal food, and a sister who tried to escape from the world by never leaving their house. But maybe I shouldn’t spoil things. Maybe you should just watch.
“COME BACK HERE!”
Footsteps clattered down the alleyway, as yelling echoes. Again, and again, the words scream at the boy wearing a tattered red jacket, black shoes with holes torn right through them, hole covered blue jeans, and ripped black shirt, carrying just a loaf of bread and a cheese wheel the size of his hand. He kept running, and running, the water from a nearby puddle splashing against the plastic bag of the bread loaf.
“COME BACK HERE, THIEF! DON’T THINK YOU CAN COME BACK HERE AGAIN!”
The Store Clerk swings a baseball bat against a nearby dumpster, giving the sound of monstrous thunder, before walking back into the brightly lit GREEN LEAVES corner store, the brightly shined front window, with a Tree Logo plastered on the window. The store was small, probably about the size of a gas station store, attached to two homes, both of which boarded up years ago from foreclosure. He sighs, turning on the security footage, seeing the 17-year-old sneak to the back end of the store, in his tattered clothing, before taking off with food barely able to keep one person sustained. He wipes his forehead, watching the footage, before pausing on their face, looking at it with sensitive eyes. The kid looks scared. Stunning blue eyes. Slight weight loss. Slight stubble. “God…” The Store Clerk Thought. “He barely looks 14…..”
The Teenager made it, running down alleyway after alleyway, passing by boarded homes, fires crackling in some of the windows, new residents taking shelter in former homes of the rich and wealthy. Altura Colony. It used to be a paradise among the masses. People used to come from all around the Local solar systems to feel the pleasures of Earth without being there. It was fantastic, cars flying through the sky every minute, the sun always shined, The Colony was bustling with life not unlike that of Earth. Then came the change. Just one little change. One tiny, minute change which would completely modify the outcome of the Galaxy. One percent of the road which led to the colony was diverted. The Road was splintered, and lead to a recently acquired part of the Earth Empire, as it was called. That lead from one thing to another, from the Fall of the Earth, the Destruction of the Earth……And the Collapse of the Galaxy Trade which kept Altura Colony alive. It wasn’t a military home, so it wasn’t taken over. It wasn’t a Trading Post, so it wasn’t destroyed. It was just……There. Residential homes of Humans who didn’t have any other job in the universe than just to live and be happy. So the homes were foreclosed. The stores began having to pay cheap and selling high just to get food in their stores. The Sun was artificial, kept running by batteries airlifted from Earth to the colony in order to keep the Colony sunny. No Earth, No Sun. Storm Clouds now rule the skies, Rain falls day in, Day out, but it never floods. Just to keep it extra gloomy. The Teenager Hated it. Every day he would have to make a new run on a new store just to bring back two, maybe 3 items of food in order for it to be rationed off and disappear and when it was his turn he probably only got to see a piece of a cookie or a slice of bread with a shard of cheese laying on it. He wanted out. He wanted to leave. So as the Teenager walked, passing by barrel fires and Busted open stores and Boarded up houses and Mossy Cobblestone Roads, the words just fell out of his mouth.
“I want to leave. I want to fly away. I want to get free of this Damn World….”
So, as he walked away, heading to hand off the latest food haul from the store, something slowly rolled out of an adjacent Alleyway, it’s glowing red eyes focusing on the Teenager Thief.
Meanwhile….
“BAD! BAD! VERY BAD THINGS ARE HAPPENING!”
Fire rages around a small room, the wood chipping and burning off revealing wires and circuit boards, which hang out of the wall, lights flashing on them giving the only light into the room because the Time Rotor was smashed. This was a TARDIS. The console room, was contracting onto itself once again, trying to put out the blaze which had sparked by the untimely regeneration of her pilot. The man whose green coat was in tatters, his red tie ripped off and thrown into the blaze to destroy any remains of his most hated fashion accessory, his vest was warped with buttons firing off in odd directions. This man was known as the Professor. His TARDIS was rocketing towards the closest bubble it could see, on some forgotten rock.
“OK! OK! Hang on Old Girl, Hang on! Everything is going to be fine, all I have to Do is try and-“ Sparks rained from the console, as he pulled on a little blue switch, the switch landing in his hand. “Ok, Ok, Not that, Ok, No Stabilizers! Fine! I can Try and do this! HANG ON!” He yanked down on the fast return switch, and the console erupted into sparks rained from the burning time rotor, beginning to slow it’s up and down motion. “NONONO, Don’t Stop, Don’t STOP! You can’t stop Now, I need you awake for this!” Those were the last words he was able to speak, for once he tried to pull down on another lever the console exploded, sending the Newly Regenerated man flying into the wall, knocking him out like a light, as the TARDIS around him slowly tightened and tightened, rocketing down to the Planet below.
Back on the Planet…
“You got the goods?”
The rough man slowly looked down at the teenager thief. His eyes glaring down on the small fry to him, his gut nearly stretched into view seeing the thin little boy. It was like David and Goliath. This time, However, there was no slingshot to help the David.
“Yeah, It’s Here…” The Teenager slowly looked up at the handler in this situation, fear forming in his throat. “Hey, Roberts, Can I have just a piece of-“ A quick punch to his jaw silenced any request of that nature forming in his throat. The Teenager hits the ground, shaking, Silent, trying not to deal with the anger at the tall fat man with Zod stubble on his face and short blond hair on his face.
“You know the Rules.” He rips the food out of the teenager’s hands. “Leaders Get first bite of the food.”
The Anger quickly grew too much. “AND THEY ARE LETTING PEOPLE GO WITHOUT FOOD! How can you just stand there and say that when you start rationing off food, and you give the runners just enough to Run! YOU ever try to run from a Store Clerk with a Baseball bat?! Or what about a Shotgun?!”
“You know the Rules.”
“You know the Rules, Blah Blah-“ Roberts slowly grabs the teenager’s jaw, slowly picking him up off the ground, and pushes him off for his part of the small camp of boarded up houses, people lighting new barrel fires to keep themselves warm.
“You know the Rules, Steven. Don’t let your anger get over your head. Or you will HAVE no Dinner.” Finally, He walks inside another boarded up house, some of the windows still having glass inside them, he can see eyes peering out of the home to watch the normal people stumble and starve.
Steven’s anger began to boil, as he headed down the mossy covered sidewalk, raindrops begin to hit against them, puddles growing quite quickly, finally getting their own “food”. “How lucky for bloody them.” He thought to him….as a new sound began to echo around him. His ears began to twitch, and shake, picking up what sounded like….bells? Bells, ringing? He looked around the street, seeing people just move on by, their feet hitting against the pavement…..It echoes again in his ears. Again, and again, the sound gets louder and louder…He quickly looks around, trying to spot the origin of such a sound, when he spots, just for a moment, a box shaped object flies through the large rain clouds swirling above them. The box flies faster, and faster, and faster, before hitting a nearby house and causing the roof to collapse within it. Steven’s eyes grew wider and wider, his brain beginning to connect what just happened, before hurrying down the street and into another alley, people gathering nearby, watching the house as part of the wall falls outward and smashing against the ground, some of the moss attaching quite quickly to the old wood and clean stone.
“What the Hell…..”His eyes looked at the scene, trying to get some view inside. All he could see was the roof, pouring out of the open hole and scattering into the streets before him. He grew almost frightened from the damage caused. What could have possibly done so much damage? He eyes around at the crowd, before sneaking silently through a bottom window, to get a closer look at the damage.
The Roof had collapsed somewhat in the building. The Basement ceiling had tiles popped out and smashed against the ground, two posts meant to keep the ceiling up are snapped in half, a large hole lets the raindrops slowly hit against the ground, again and again……but his eyes are locked onto a simple piece of furniture. Sitting on the ground, the ground around it cracked, shattering where it stood, dirt from the ceiling plastered all over it’s beautiful carved furnish, sits a Victorian Wardrobe. The Doors have curved window like etchings on it, beautiful curly wood pieces lining its roof, and the whole thing has a sort of…. adventure emitting from its old style of paint. Worn and brown. He slowly steps closer and closer as he stares at it…. getting lost in the curves of the door….He slowly reaches for the doors, going for the door handle, he can almost…..reach it…..
The door swings open, smoke begins to rise out of the doorway, as a weird dressed man, wearing torn up clothing, his face somewhat covered in dirt and grime, slowly coughing as he steps out, waving his hands.
“Oh, Dear Rassilon ABOVE! I did it! I actually landed somewhat well this time! Maybe I actually didn’t cause any da- “His eyes slowly stop, seeing the cracks. His eyes gaze up to the ceiling, raindrops landing on his face and trailing away the dirt, hitting against the ground. “Oh. Oh my……Well I didn’t expect that.” The Man Scratches his hand in guilt. “Well…. Surely I didn’t hit anyone, that is good-“His eyes slowly begin to drift up to the teenager in front of him, whose eyes are as wide as Grapefruits, and his jaw is down to the floor. “Oh. Hello! Hi! Welcome! Sorry for the mess, I will help pay for damages if this is someone’s home, who are you, Dear Boy?”
Steven’s jaw just can’t get off the floor. Something just completely impossible happened to this man, and he is just up and about like nothing ever happened! Who is this?! And what is he doing here, why is he here? After a moment more of staring at the man’s face, he slowly begins to move his jaw again.
“Who….Who am I?” The Words finally came out, stumbling one after another. “Who are you?! You came crashing out of the sky like you were in some sort of escape pod of a starship! There are no more in this section of the Galaxy! Where did you come from, Who the HELL are you?!”
The Man chuckles, looking up at the hole in the clouds he left, before returning his gaze down at the teenager before him.
“Ah Yes, I should start first, shouldn’t I? Universe 19584, Designated “Altura’s World” by yours truly….My word, I have not been here in nearly 400 years my time, It is such a different place…..My name is the Professor. I am a Timelord, Traveling the Multiverse in looking for mixed and changing Timelines within them. You could say I am…..Oh what is the word…..The “Continuity Protector”, Making sure the universes follow as they would. I have missed a couple in all of my lives, But I am at least here now.” A grin forms across his face, like he had just said something that would make sense to anyone that wasn’t him, before looking back at the teenager he terrified by stumbling out of his own TARDIS. “Now. What about you, Hmm? I said my piece, which might I say, Was a wonderful choice of words on my part. Who are you?”
“Me? Heh. Take your pick. Thief, Scoundrel. Delinquent. Criminal. My name is Steven. Steven Lesterton, Like my parents called me. If you know our world then you know that it is hell in the universe. Supplies are short. Prices are skyrocketing day in, day out. The World begins to fall, and no one moves a finger to save it until it is abandoned, and everyone gets forced out. We aren’t like that. We aren’t at that “level” yet, we have to wait until food runs out completely, or ALL the trade routes leave us because of the loss of money it could cost. That’s what they blare every day on the speakers on the street. That is what they say in the only newspaper written on old wood because the process to make paper is too expensive. If you know our world, “Professor”, then where in hell have you been.” Steven stared at him, angry, his eyes aflame with rage and hate, over all the things that have happened to him. Being stuck in the camp because that is the only place that would house him. The Food run missions. The “Rationing”. It all bubbled over at this man who said he “knew” this world. He would have come to help sooner.
The Professor sighed. “I should have come sooner, yes. But I cannot get involved with the bigger, fixed points in universes. If I could, I would have wanted to. But I can’t. What I can do now is help what is can before I have to leave. Right now, there is something here that should not be here. And I have to make sure it doesn’t get anywhere near the most important moment for your colony.”
Meanwhile….
“THE ROGUE ELEMENT HAS BEEN DETECTED.” The Robotic voice echoes in the small home, three people lay hanging against the wall, One of them is Roberts, as they slowly begin to rest up, Anger raging in them, their eyes flickering with Rage and anger and hatred, as a 4th Member, a Woman, with long Blond hair and stunning blue eyes, slowly looks at their “uninvited guest”, as Roberts put it….but a Smirk slowly begins to form across her face.
“The “Rogue Element” Is here, you say? How awful, How awful indeed…..Hmm….Have you started your search to find him?”
“NO NEED, MISTRESS.”
“And why would you say that?” Her eyes drift to the boarded-up windows, watching people slowly walk back, oblivious to her plans.
“THE RUNNER IS WITH HIM. HE WILL LEAD US RIGHT TO THE ROGUE ELEMENT. NOT REALIZING HE WILL DO SO.”
Episode 1, Part 2: The Teen and His Death Machine
“So what you are telling me, Professor, is that you died, became a new person, and came rocketing down to our planet under some sort of last resort mechanism? Do I seriously look that gullible to you?”
The Professor and Steven slowly walked back to the camp, the smoke beginning to clear from the home, and the crowd shrinking enough that another man in cut up clothing leaving the scene wouldn’t cause that much suspicion. Steven watched the interesting man, eyeing his every move. The new man was messing with the tips of his fingers, internally frustrated over one thing or another. Three Different times he would mouth off some odd statement like “The Hair isn’t unique enough” or “Too Short, One inch off”, or something like that….He chuckled a bit however. The crazy man who fell from the sky, was actually a good change of pace for the starving teenager.
“Oh it is the truth, and it helps when I talk out loud, keeps the brain running. I would rather not just fall asleep and let the problem get worse and worse and then end up having my hand cut off and have to grow a new one! I still hate that Particular Regeneration Tale….Now excuse me.” He slowly sticks his hand, and pulls out the most delectable red candy sweet. It is shaped like a person, but the face seems a little crushed from being in a bag. Steven’s eyes go wide at it, looking at the sweet, his stomach beginning to growl, his lips go dry, he stares at the sweet as the Professor brings it closer to his mouth, before stopping, and looking to the teenager. “You can have one of course. Have a few, if you need the energy rush. I am so sorry, I forgot I had them, I so love Earth Candies you know….”
Steven rips into his pocket, and pulls out a sort of brown bag, the bottom feels heavy from the weight of sweets in it, his eyes go wide, his lips going more and more dry. He slowly opens the bag and peers into the bag. His eyes go wide. So much red candy. Cherry Flavored Jelly babies, Red Skittles, Twizzlers, and so much more. A Sea of Cherry Candies!
The Professor smiles, popping the Cherry Jelly Baby into his mouth. “I love the Cherry Flavor the Most. I usually give the other flavors away to people who want a sweet or two and keep the cherry ones for me.” He looks to Steven, who is almost salivating into the bag. “Well Go on then, Take a couple! If you wish to run and take the bag with you and feed your camp, then you can. I have so much more in reserve, but I can’t get to the corridor door at the moment, as you saw, with the massive fire.” He smiles a genuine smile, looking at the boy with sincere eyes. “On the house.”
Steven can’t help but grin from ear to ear, grabbing a small handful and stuffing them into his pocket, forgetting about the searches Roberts does to make sure they aren’t hiding food, his stomach taking charge, before taking off in front of him, grinning wide, sticking a Twizzler into his mouth as he ran. The Professor watches him, smiling a bit, before looking around the cityscape as he could see. Boarded up houses, the same style, lined up one by one, fires crackling in the busted-out windows.
“Post Earth-Market Collapse, it seems…” The Professor looks around, sighing a bit. “This place used to be so marvelous to come visit….I remember coming here all the Time, Aurora used to tell me how she loved the colors they were able to make the houses, and the beautiful art would make Cynthia’s heart sing….”He looks around again, seeing the cracking paint falling from the buildings, graffiti made from oil smeared on the wall. “At least the world isn’t as Different as it would seem…..There is some hope-“ He pauses. His ears begin to hear the clicking of gears, movement following down an alleyway, stomping down, heading for the same camp Steven anxiously was returning to, a Sweet filled haul in tow. Silently, or well, as silently as he can, given the massive puddles forming on the cobblestone roads, he moves down a zig zag pattern of street, before peering down another alleyway, and his eyes latch onto what he spots. “Oh Steven……Oh Steven, you poor boy….” The Professor whispered, looking at the focus of his attention. “You don’t know, do you….I found why they don’t want you all getting your food or supplies…..”
Back at the Camp…..
“Have A few! Have a few!” Steven runs down the camp street, handing the bag to anyone he sees, letting them grab a few as they pass the bag down the line, smiles forming across their faces as they take their slow time chewing the delectable sweets. “This wonderful find is ours, and we should revel in it! Please! Take a few, save them, This is a rarity to be find! Let the children have more, let them have Sugar!” Steven’s face beams with happiness, seeing the people head off, talking with their others, smiling, talking, the sugar actually giving them some energy to actually do things again. He can’t help but grin. He finally was able to help the camp. This time, Roberts didn’t get in the way, taking all the food for themselves and leaving them scraps. Finally!-
“STEVEN!”
His heart almost stopped with fear. It was HER calling. The leader of the camp. He slowly looked back to see the Female, standing on the doorstep of the Leadership home, Her stunning blue eyes burning hatred and anger through every inch between her and him. His throat felt dry. His mouth, still somewhat covered with sugar dust, felt dry. The people froze, a Child slowly sneaking out a tiny Jelly baby, smiling wide at it, not noticing the stare down in front of her.
“STEVEN! IN HERE! NOW! AND IF YOU TRY TO RUN, I SWEAR TO YOU I WILL CHASE YOU DOWN MYSELF!”
Steven’s legs slowly begin to move on their own, like a man slowly walking to his death. His heart begins to beat in his chest with his steps. Fear again rising in his chest, as it was every moment before he met that man. In fact, that meeting was the farthest from his mind. His rash thinking with those sweets might have just gotten into serious trouble, or worse. He swallows the spit formed at the back of his throat, as he follows the blond woman inside. The House is elegant. Well, Elegant for an Abandoned House. The walls looked somewhat intact. The Staircase wasn’t bare bones. The tables weren’t smashed. The chairs weren’t turned into firewood. The Kitchen was actually held together, the metal wasn’t stripped out. It actually looked……normal.
“I cannot believe you Steven.”
The Woman slowly walks over to a chair, sitting down, staring at the shaking 17-year-old boy, looking at him with malcontent. Steven’s heart sinks even further. She already made up her mind before the two even entered the home.
“I know, I know I should have waited for him, but some of them were so hungry, and I couldn’t just wait, they needed some food!-“
She raises a finger, her eyes burning holes right through him. “I know. I know. However you also know the Rules. The Food comes to us, and then you get your share. No matter if you meet with your boss, or if you deliver the food to the front door.”
“Yes….Yes, I understand….” Steven’s gut drops, knowing the words that are about to come to her lips.
The woman smirks. “Now you must be punished…but I don’t think you have to be removed from the camp.”
Steven looks up, his mind replaying the words, smiling a bit, feeling over the moon that he just didn’t lose his home. “R…Really?”
“Of course. However, you must be punished still. That is where these will come into play.” She claps her hands together, and the back door swings open, he turns towards that direction, trying to see what she meant. His eyes swell up. Standing there are two odd little Robots, their heads perfect circles, with crystal shards sticking out in every cardinal direction, the one on left and right glowing red like eyes. Their heads divided into four sections, two of which look like coral pattern, hundreds of tiny raised cylinders at different levels. Their Bodies are boxes, with two slots in the upper chest, somewhat large, while right underneath them are buttons lining from one side to the other in one row. Finally, those boxed shoe feet, as they slowly walk in, the clicking echoing against the floor as they move. Steven looks at the robots, backing against the slightly opened door, shaking, staring at the new Robots who just joined their party.
“Wh….What are those….”
The Woman chuckles a bit, slowly smirking, looking back to him. “These are….My tools for discipline. I do not take any sort of rule breaking, Steven Lesterton. Even you will know this.” The robots turn to him, the slots swing open, revealing two arm like appendages, at the end of them are five to seven small holes, surrounded by silver lining.
“Goodbye, Steven Lesterton. It has been an Education, seeing how your species reacts to hunger.” The woman laughs, and Steven turns away, trying to back away, knowing he won’t make it out in time……
When he is yanked out the door, firing echoes from within the building, getting the attention of the people outside. Steven’s eyes slowly open, when he doesn’t feel the pain of being shot, and look to his savior. It’s the man. “RUN!” He yelled. “RUN! SAVE YOURSELVES! GET OUT OF HERE! RUN!”
Steven watched with horror, as people hurried out of the homes, and the tents, and the alleyways, that he had called home for so long. The Robotic Creatures started walking out, angrily firing into the air, missing their bolts, as the man yanked him down the alleyway, the woman, now dressed in a sort of striped suit outfit, and a chestplate like article of clothing, the Shoulders stretching as big as her head, her eyes cold as ice as she watched the people flee.
“COME ON, STEVEN! COME ON!” The man yelled. He quickly pulled the teenager down an alleyway, heading back for his “TARDIS” as he called it, the screaming and the flames from the bolts hitting the ancient wood raged behind them.
“WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS?! WHAT WAS SHE?!” Steven yelled, trying to keep up with the man- no, the Professor, as they ran down the alleyway trying to escape the madness behind them.
The Professor looked to him, taking a quick sigh before looking back at the frightened Steven. “They are Quarks. The Woman with them is a Dominator. Their species is specially known in my universe for causing a lot of trouble with those nasty little buggers. Their sing song voice are to frighten you, before you are obliterated to frighten the others into submission…Well, that was what they were supposed to do, anyway. In Earth Time, 1973, The Dominators and the Quarks were almost all wiped out from an attack from the Daleks, claiming their planet as a strategic advantage in their exploration and conquer of the universe……Which never happened…..”
“1973, 1973?!” Steven yelled, looking at him with fear and anger darting through his eyes. “How are they here?! How are they in Altura Colony?!”
The Professor sighed, looking back to him. “Because this is not MY universe, Steven. Remember what I said, I travel the Multiverse……Universe 19584. Altura’s World. The Worse Case scenario thought up by Universe Scientists if the Dominators and Quarks fought off the Daleks. Named Altura’s World by the Head scientist of the Theory…..The Dominators would return the favor on the Daleks, teaming up with many a world who were angered by the Daleks and their push for Universal Control. They would Succeed, and then repay the worlds by conquering them. They would then start growing across the Milky Way Galaxy, and by 2209, 2 years ago for you, They would reach the Earth. Order a Surrender. But your people are brilliant, you could have stopped them….if the Dominators had any sort of Mercy to them.” Steven’s eyes go wide, realizing what he is about to say. The Dominators, those robots……Those robots destroyed the Earth because they wanted to….Wipe it off the map because they wanted to….
“All those people……all those memories, those places….They just destroyed it all just because we looked to them and told them no?!”
He nodded, his head held low, not looking him in the eyes. “The Earth was pushed off of it’s orbit and sent careening into the Sun, on Earth Time, July 30th, 2209. Because of that, the last bastion of the Old Milky Way was gone. The Dominators had won in their view, and begin rushing in to take over, or toy with, the Colonies and Planets the Humans colonized for the next 25 years…..Before a rare SOS signal from a Planet on the outer reaches is picked up in the Andromeda Galaxy and they send people in to save the Milky way….”
Steven’s gut drops to the floor. His throat becomes so dry, it almost becomes too hard to speak. 25 years? That’s how long they have to wait? 25 years? Because of one wrong mistake almost 300 years ago, His home has to suffer because of a choice he never knew of…..His mind clicks, remembering what he said about his machine, Hope forming in his chest….but the Professor looks back to him with a shake of his head.
“I can’t, Steven. I wish I could help you, but I can’t. If we stopped something that vital to your universe, your entire universe would shatter into thousands of pieces….What would be better for you. A home like this, or no home to come to at all.”
“This…..This can’t be…..” The two slow down, stopping at the destroyed home which started all this mess, which led Steven down a path unfamiliar to him. The Professor smiles a bit, putting a hand on his shoulder, but he shakes it away. Steven shakes, slowly leaning himself against the wall, holding his head, trying to stay calm, but tears run down his cheeks.
“Oh Professor, now look what you’ve done. You’ve made the boy cry.”
The two turn back down the alleyway, to spot the woman standing there, a smirk forming across her face, the quarks pop open their weapons, aiming it at the two. A glare quickly forms across the Professor’s face, looking at the Dominator. “Steven. Meet the Dominator Captain of Altura Colony.” His eyes lock to hers. “You shouldn’t be here this late into the story.”
“Why, hmm? Scared that something might go wrong, with that precious “Story” of course….” The smirk grows wider across her face. “I am shocked you aren’t asking how I know you.”
“Not impossible. It’s not Important at the Moment. I should be asking you to leave this world and let it begin to heal from the damage you caused.”
“Damage?” The woman laughs, the Quarks step closer, their weapons aimed right at the Professor’s Chest. Steven looks at the three, realizing this, but keeps his demeanor, shaking, trying to hold in fake tears. “If I came to Damage this world, there would only be SPLINTERS remaining, Timelord. No, No, I wanted to see how they could handle hunger. How they could handle days, maybe even WEEKS, without any nourishment beyond what was necessary. All the while acting like the rest of the food was rotten, or ours to consume. They bought it of course, the Moronic Humans. They never would have gone through this if they only just SURRENDERED.” The woman chuckled.
The Professor’s glare sunk deeper into his face. “You’re sick….”
“Sick? Sick? Oh, dear Timelord, all I am pushing is a simple “Winners take the spoils” Mentality that is so prevalent to many of the Humanoid species in our Galaxy. From the Thals, to the Mondasians. Do you honestly suspect we wouldn’t….test.” The woman slowly looked at the Professor’s clothing, at the cut up jacket and burnt up shirt. “What a pity, however. That you will die, looking like one of these humans. Pathetic.”
The Professor looks to her, as the Quarks begin to make singing noises, ready for the call…..and can’t help but laugh. “Honestly? Honestly, you really are going to try just shooting me down and killing me here? I am sorry, I died once in the last 48 hours, I am not willing to die again. You on the other hand, if you do not leave, will not make it off of Altura alive.” His hand begins to twitch, his finger making a slight jabbing motion. Steven slowly looked back, following the motion, down to the corner of the building. Sitting there, inside the wall, is a brick. A Simple red brick, slightly propped out of the wall, holding up the bricks above…wait…..Steven slowly ran his finger up the wall, feeling the wall’s divots and cracks, all the way up. “You brilliant man!” Steven thought. The wall is barely held up by that brick, one good kick and it will come down on the Dominator! The Professor smirks a bit. “I am not one of the war mongering Timelords you think I am, nor am I a changed man from this universe. I am simply, the Professor. A Traveler.”
“Brilliant final words.” The Dominator Captain slowly looks to her Quark Minions. “Goodbye, Timelord.” The Quarks kept singing, singing their song again and again, their weapons beginning to glow from their battery power. The Professor watches with intent, stepping back a step or two, eyeing what could be another regeneration before him…if he wasn’t a smarter man. A grin formed across his lips, and then he dives down the other alleyway, covering his head.
“NOW, STEVEN!”
Steven kicked the brick as hard as he could, sending the brick flying into one of the Quarks. They turned, their voices getting angrier and angrier by the moment, but they didn’t notice what that brick caused. The building wall began to sag, leaning down, the wall’s cracks spread higher and higher up the wall, before the woman could even notice. The two men hurried into the basement, as the wall collapses, dust rising up into the air, the building following suit, collapsing into it’s own basement, dust and debris being tossed up into the air.
The Professor listened, letting the silence take over, barring a board or two hitting against the ground. He looks down, holding his head, before turning his head to the teenager. “I don’t like doing that.” He said, looking back outside as the dust began to settle. “I don’t like causing harm, no matter what.”
“But Professor, they would have Killed you. They were ready to leave you there, and just walk away….”
“What gives me the right, though? To cause that?....You are right however. They would have just left me for dead, if not dead already…” He slowly looks to the TARDIS, and her fixed exterior, the shining wood making him smile a bit, seeing his lives-long friend back to normal. “You are right. Well, Steven, it was an education, seeing Altura’s World in it’s pivotal time.” He smiles, heading for the door, taking off his jacket, and his shoes, shaking them, before stopping at his shoe, pulling out a key from within his shoe heel. “I am sorry for all the mess. Good luck with your life.”
“Wait, wait a minute, what?!” Steven turns to him, as the Professor fiddled with the lock to his machine. “That’s it, you just show up, do something, and then leave within the day is done? What type of person just does that?!”
“What do you mean?”
“You can’t just leave! At least you cannot just let us starve! The world is in trouble, and even from what you said we have to wait over 20 years for help to arrive! The Colony needs you, Professor! Or at least do something!”
“I did…..” The Professor slowly looked back. “I fixed your home, you are now safe, something is-“
“NOTHING IS FINE! All that you did was stop one person, we are still starving!.....All we will see, all I will see…..will be the suffering day in, day out, for so long….” Steven looked away, shaking, his anger again taking hold of him.
“That’s why I am going to ask you to come with me, Steven Lesterfield.”
Steven slowly looked up, his jaw agape. “W….What? Also it is Lesterton, Professor….Lesterton."
“That’s what I said Lesterfield, Now, I meant what I said. I want you to come with me. Come with me and see the Multiverse, see what you always wanted to see. I thought that you would want to leave this colony.”
Steven’s jaw just hung there. How. How did he know. How did he know what he wanted. How did he know that he wanted to escape from the colony that he called his home….How did he know he wanted to see out there. He looked up to see the man smirk a bit, realizing he hit right on the mark.
“It was easy to see. Only you came crawling down into the basement to see what crashed. Only you took the incentive to take the bag and run back to your camp. Only you helped hand out the candy, and give it out to the people most in need. There are people special in the multiverse, people who are….more willing than most, who could even possibly begin to understand the majesty of what I do and where I go. One of them is you, Steven. Why else do you think that you wonder where you shouldn’t. I think you even have dreams of leaving this world behind and seeing what lies beyond. The dreams of an explorer bottled up inside a teenager. A Boy who wishes to leave behind the hunger and the destruction and finally see what hope is out there. So, I ask you, Steven. Will you come with me?”
That answer came quick. “Of course…..Of course, if you honestly think you can get me away from this planet, if you think you can pull me away from this world, Professor, I would do anything, just please…..If that is all you can do to help…..truly…..Then I want to help those out there as thank you for at least giving them a moment.”
The Professor grinned, looking at him, before opening the door to his TARDIS. “Welcome, Steven. Welcome, to the TARDIS.”
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