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neveralarchSo Far Exceeds Expression, 2/5
(alternate title: Covered in Blood)
Doctor Who, Classic Series AU
Rating: PG-13 as a whole
(this chapter: violence, mild swearing, lots of awkward innuendo.
As a whole: violence, PG rated slash, femslash, and het. Small children.)
Pairing and characters (this chapter): Two/AU!Master, Jamie, Zoe, various historical personages.
Wordcount (this chapter): about 5,500
Summary: The Doctor continues his adventures in 1671, while Koschei continues with his plot. Neither of these activities turn out quite as expected...
A/N: Another chapter of my odd, historical fiction reimagining of the War Games. Credit for the plot to steal the Crown Jewels goes to Colonel Thomas Blood. Thanks again to my beta,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
birdsarecalling, who helped me figure out even more fictional relationships and listened to my tl;dr about Restoration military. Written for the best_enemies bigbang challenge.
Previous Chapters: Chapter One
The Doctor's face went through several expressions at once. Koschei and the young man eyed him with trepidation.
"Father?" said the Doctor at last, quite calmly.
"Doctor, this is Thomas. Thomas, the Doctor." Koschei said in English, and then hurried down the stairs, the better to avoid the explosion.
“The Doctor? This is unexpected.” Thomas’ cheek twitched, and then his face went blank as he looked the Doctor up and down. “It’s really you?”
“Yes,” said the Doctor.
"You've finally turned up then!" said Thomas. His expression settled into a nervous smirk that was worryingly familiar to the Doctor. "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be rude. Only Father's been telling us children about you for as long as I can remember."
"Children," said the Doctor.
"Oh, yes," said Thomas. He certainly looked like Koschei's current regeneration, except for his normally sized nose. His clothing and wig were much newer, and he was clean-shaven, but otherwise he could have been the Time Lord's younger double. He was also frowning as the silence stretched on.
"I say, I haven't ruined his chances with you, have I? He'd be ever so upset. Listen, if it makes you feel better, it's even odds that I'm the apothecary's son."
"Stop telling people that!" called Koschei, from the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm only trying to help," said Thomas, walking down a few steps.
"How many of you... children are there?" said the Doctor, following him.
"Seven, including me. I'm the oldest, of course, twenty this year, and already plying an honest trade."
"Pah," said Koschei, looking as severe as a preacher, which, admittedly, was a part he was aptly dressed to play. "It's highway robbery, that’s the truth of it. No art in it at all."
"Don't be so harsh," said the Doctor, automatically siding with Thomas. "What is it you do, my boy?"
"Oh, highway robbery, like Father said. He doesn’t like how spontaneous and noncomplex it is." Thomas' tone had the feel of someone who had long wearied of these arguments. "I find that one's parents always disapprove of what you do, no matter your calling."
"It's a waste of your talents," huffed Koschei, but he too looked unwilling to reopen a sore topic. "We're ready to go, then?"
“Hold on a moment,” said the Doctor. “You’re just going to leave? We don’t even get to discuss the fact that you have been hiding a wife and seven children from me? You do have a wife, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, and not exactly hiding,” said Koschei. “Anyway, I’m on a schedule.”
“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’?”
“It just didn’t happen to come up,” said Koschei, looking away.
“I’m not surprised he didn’t mention it,” said Thomas, smirking again. “It isn’t the first thing you say to your old beau when he comes back from space, is it? ‘By the way, you’ll never guess what’s happened since I saw you last.’ Yes, I can just see Father pushing forward with that conversation.”
“What have you been telling this boy about me?” asked the Doctor, eyeing Thomas.
“Can’t we talk about this later?” said Koschei. “I’m a little busy right now. Busy preparing to steal the crown jewels? You recall?”
The Doctor did recall. Putting aside his questions about Koschei’s new-found parenthood, he fell back into his previous position as arbiter of good sense.
"Koschei, you can't mean to go through with this."
"I can and I will, and I'll ask you not to call me that in public. Anyway, how could I abandon my compatriots to complete my scheme without my help?" The Colonel waved his arms to encompass Halliwell, Perrott, and Jenny, who had all gotten up from the table to join the conversation at the bottom of the staircase.
"What's going on, Doctor?" called Jamie, still sitting in the kitchen.
"I think we're leaving," said the Doctor slowly. "If you won't be dissuaded, Ko- Colonel, then I won't bother hanging around."
The Colonel folded his arms, and nodded. A look of regret crossed his face, but vanished quickly.
"Oh, can we not go with them, Doctor?" asked Jamie. "It sounds a grand lark, and it's for a crown, after all."
"You can come if you wish," said the Colonel. "We've room for a stout lad like you, and I'm sure the Doctor will wait for you. Won't you?" The other question remained unspoken - will you wait for me?
"I suppose," said the Doctor, and Jamie beamed.
"To horse, then," growled the Colonel. "We can't hang around and bother the Doctor any longer." He swept away to the door, pulling his cloak down from beside the door as he went. The rest of the men filed out behind him, Thomas giving the Doctor a wink.
"We'll be back soon enough. More than enough time for you and Father to 'catch up,' I'm sure." He grinned, and then started as Jenny caught him about the waist.
"Thomas, let me come and help. I hate to send you out alone into terrible danger."
"I'll be fine," said Thomas. "Anyway, you may be a good actress, but you're lousy with a sword or a pistol. We'll bring you your share of the loot."
"Return quickly, then, dearheart," said Jenny, pouting. "I'll wait for you!"
"Um, aye," said Thomas, detaching himself and hurrying away.
"Bye, Doctor," said Jamie, as, anxious not to be left behind, he practically trod on Thomas' heels.
"Fine," complained the Doctor, once he'd shut the door. "Leave me here all alone, with only a lovesick girl for company."
"I'm not lovesick," said Jenny. "He's just very good-looking, and Halliwell told me he likes a clingy woman."
"I'm still here," said Zoe, annoyed.
"I'm sorry, Zoe, I thought you'd gone as well," said the Doctor. "Found new clothes, have you? The dress looks very nice."
"Thank you, Doctor. I've decided to stay and help you with your investigation."
"Investigation? Investigation of what?"
"The disappearances, remember?"
"Oh! Oh, yes, thank you, Zoe. That was why I stayed, of course." The Doctor contrived to look as if he had known all along, and Zoe pretended to believe him.
"I can help," said Jenny. "I know nearly everyone in London, and I'll be bored to tears just sitting here."
"Thank you," said Zoe. "Do you know Old Lady Heppy? We've been told that she knows something about the people going missing."
"No," said Jenny. "Doesn't ring a bell." She got a cloak and opened the door.
"I thought you said you knew everyone in London," said the Doctor, following her outside.
"'Course not, London's huge. You can't know everyone. But I bet I know someone who knows this Heppy. Come on, we'll go to the King's Head."
---
The King's Head was a slightly more genteel pub than the one they had been in earlier. It had more windows, and a few attempts at color were splashed haphazardly across the walls. On the other hand, there were already people drinking in the early morning, so perhaps it wasn't that different from other pubs after all. The Doctor and Zoe sat down at a table and waited while Jenny bustled around, trying to get information.
"So," said Zoe, "you said you would tell me how you came to know the Colonel."
"Did I?" said the Doctor, vaguely. "Well, perhaps now is not the time."
"When will be the time, then? When we're safely away in the TARDIS and I've completely forgotten about the whole affair?"
The Doctor looked at her sharply, frowning.
"Oh, please, Doctor. I think it's important that I know exactly what's going on."
"All right." The words dragged reluctantly out of the Doctor. "The Colonel, as you call him, is a very, very old acquaintance from back home. We were at school together."
"At school?" Zoe raised her eyebrows.
"Yes, at school." The Doctor ignored the implied question. "We were in the same year, though I was a little older, and we graduated together. Drifted apart in the end, unfortunately."
"That can't be the whole story, surely," said Zoe.
"What do you mean?" The Doctor tried to sound unconcerned, but mostly just looked defensive.
"Well, for one thing, the way the Colonel looks at you doesn't quite fit your picture of 'just friends.'"
"Why do you keep calling him the Colonel?" said the Doctor. "It sounds ridiculous."
"More so than calling someone 'the Doctor?'" Zoe looked at the Doctor, who said nothing. "No, I thought not. Anyway, it's none of my business to pry, but I hope you're not trying to delude yourself as well."
"No" said the Doctor, sighing. "No, you're quite right. We were- well, we were, pure and simple. Simple, anyway."
"What happened?" asked Zoe, after the Doctor had sat for a moment, staring into space.
"This and that," said the Doctor. "Koschei - the Colonel, to you - did some things I didn't approve of, and then I fell in with a bad crowd. In the end, I was forced to leave home or be arrested, and Koschei stayed behind. I thought that was an end to it, but it seems that he followed me, at the last." The Doctor smiled, suddenly. "I suppose I'm happy about that, even if he's still doing things I don't approve of. And hiding things so that I don’t get to decide whether they approve of them or not." The Doctor’s smile faded slowly into a frown as he thought, but then his cheerfulness reasserted himself. “Anyway, I’m sure we’ll have time to sort all of that out later.”
"Good," said Zoe. "Oh, thank you for trusting me, Doctor. I realize that this is all private."
"It's fine," said the Doctor. "Ah, and Jenny seems to have achieved a measure of success. How did it go, my girl?"
"Well, I've got you an address," said Jenny, looking doubtful. "But I don't know if it will do you any good. From what I hear tell, Heppy's a few pence short of a shilling."
"Don't be too quick to judge on rumor," said the Doctor, standing up. "Anyway, she's our only lead. Let’s go."
---
"I suppose you're wondering how I came to know the Doctor," said the Colonel, smiling conspiratorially at Jamie. They were all walking to the tower, the horses left at a convenient spot with a boy paid to watch them. Jamie, Thomas, and the Colonel were in front, with Perrott and Halliwell lurking along at the back.
"Not really," said Jamie. "The Doctor knows a lot of people."
"Aye, sure," said the Colonel. "But I'd wager I know him a damn sight better."
Jamie looked at him oddly.
"Like I said, the Doctor knows a lot of people."
"What do you mean, know?" said the Colonel, suspicious. He raised his eyebrows in a way that completely failed to convey anything to Jamie.
"Oh, I don't know," said Jamie. "You've got me all confused."
"Jamie, let me see if I can explain." Thomas broke in. "Father means that he and the Doctor used to be very close." He raised his eyebrows as well and then, not to be outdone by the Colonel, waggled them.
"Oh!" said Jamie, finally understanding. "Like me and the Doctor now!"
"What?" said the Colonel. "Surely not- not with-"
"Aye, and Zoe, too," continued Jamie, oblivious to the reaction he was causing. The Colonel blanched.
"Two of you? Two?"
"Well, it used to be three, but then Ben and Polly left. Then there was Victoria, but she decided to stay behind after a while as well. Tired of it all, I suppose."
"Active lives you lead, eh?" muttered the Colonel, venomously, his hands twitching. "Busy nights?"
"I suppose," mused Jamie. "Days as well. It never stops with the Doctor." He started to say something else, but Thomas clapped a hand over his mouth, looking worriedly at the Colonel.
"Fine," said the Colonel. "Fine. I was a fool to expect anything else from that- that traitor. I understand now why he was so reluctant earlier. Replace me, will he?"
"It's not as if you've been practicing total celibacy yourself, Father," murmured Thomas, his hand still clamped over Jamie's mouth as they continued to walk down the street.
"There's a difference between marrying one human woman while you're trapped on Earth compared to running a traveling harem," growled the Colonel. "Not that I regret marrying your mother, of course," he added hurriedly, not looking Thomas in the eye. "Well. It doesn't matter, not at this point. Let the boy go, Thomas."
"Hold on," said Jamie, as soon as he could be heard again. He blushed, a little. "I think you've got the wrong end of the stick here-"
"Shh." Thomas held a finger to his lips, and then grimaced and wiped his hand off on his breeches. "Why'd you have to slobber all over me?"
"I was trying to tell you something, listen-"
"I think you've said quite enough. Anyway, look, we're here."
The Tower of London rose upwards before them, looming larger with every step they took toward it. Its off-white walls shone dully in the bright sunlight. The Colonel walked through the open gate, and then through another gate into the main courtyard, leading the group to one of the interior towers, a blocky structure set in the far right corner.
"Everybody be calm," he said quietly. "Act civilized and courteous, aye, even you, Halliwell. Remember, you're friends of a nice reverend, here to witness the first meeting between my nephew," he clapped Thomas on the shoulder, squeezing briefly as he continued, "and the daughter of the keeper of the crown jewels."
"No problem," said Halliwell. "We can act all lordly. Just stick your little finger out, right?" He did so, to demonstrate. Perrott sniggered, and contributed his own fingers.
"Wrong ones, Rob. That's not half rude," said Halliwell, grinning, and the Colonel covered his eyes.
"Actually, why don't we separate you two? Halliwell, you stay and keep watch. The rest of you, with me. And for God's sake, be polite, Perrott." The Colonel turned and climbed up the steps to the top level of the tower, gesturing at the rest of them to follow. Then he drew his hand up and knocked on the door, three quick raps, no secret codes this time.
---
The Doctor sat back and ran a hand over his face, tiredly. His chair, at least, was comfortable. Indeed, the whole house in which they had found Heppy was comfortable. The conversation, unfortunately, was not. After prolonged exposure to Old Lady Heppy, even the Doctor was forced to admit that the rumors had been broadly true. There was nothing obviously abnormal about her, but something was certainly a little off. On balance, it was as if someone had taken an average human's thoughts, stirred them up, and then tried to shake them out all at once.
Her appearance didn't quite fit either, though it could have been the normal displacement of a person fallen on hard times. Despite her moniker, Old Lady Heppy was quite young, with dark, ragged hair that looked as if it had been growing out from a shorter cut. Her clothing seemed normal, if more carefully scrubbed than most, except for a long woolen coat that was much too large to fit men's fashion, and wasn't part of women's fashion at all. Her face was also unusually clean, and somewhat unfocused, much like her conversation.
"We just want to know about the disappeared soldiers," the Doctor tried to explain, for about the fifth time.
"My dad was a soldier, said Heppy, tapping her nose thoughtfully. "Killed fighting off the Huns."
"Yes," said Zoe, "but what about the recent soldiers?"
"Not real soldiers, not really," sniffed Heppy. "Haven't seen the wars. Well, some wars, but not the kind that you got in my time."
"You're not that old," said Jenny, curiously. "My age, aren't you? What kind of wars did they have in 'your time' that I haven't seen?"
Heppy hesitated, looking confused, and the Doctor jumped in.
"You said your father fought the Huns, my dear. Was that a figure of speech?"
"No-o," said Heppy. "Well, sort of. It was the Germans, do you see? He was fighting the Germans, and I'd snuck into the nursing corps. I wasn't old enough, not really."
"When was this?" asked the Doctor. His gaze had sharpened, and he sounded as if he was on the verge of realizing something. "When did the war begin?"
"'14," said Heppy. "Dad volunteered right away, and I joined in '15."
"It's '71 now," said Jenny. "You can't possibly be that old. You're what, twenty?"
"Twenty-one," said Heppy.
"Oh, Doctor, I think I see," said Zoe. The Doctor nodded.
"Yes, Zoe. Heppy, can you give me the exact year you were born?"
"1897. A good year, I thought. I was born on the old Queen's birthday." Heppy shook off her confusion and fell back into a comfortable bask in reflected glory.
"That's impossible," said Jenny.
"By no means," said the Doctor. "But it is very strange." He turned back to Heppy. "How did you get here?"
"I- I don't quite know." The confusion was back, and Heppy hurriedly tried to get away from it. "I've been living here in this house for a week though, isn't it nice? I just kept hanging around until the woman who owns it let me stay, and I only had to threaten her a little bit-"
"Heppy." The Doctor interrupted her gently. "What can you remember? What's the first thing you remember after you came here?"
"The Mist." Heppy was certain here, and some strength returned to her voice. "There was a box, a green one, and Mist, and some soldiers. I think I was in the box, but then I ran out, and all of it went away, and I was alone."
"What happened then?" asked Zoe.
"Some people came, and asked why the Army barracks were empty, and I said I didn't know. Then they sent me away."
"That must have been when the soldiers disappeared," muttered the Doctor. "How many went missing?"
"Every soldier in London," said Jenny. "But it was only the men who weren't in Ireland and so on, or campaigning on the continent. Not too many."
"Still, it leaves the capitol defenseless," pointed out the Doctor. “Someone might just show up and take over, mightn’t they?”
"No, there's still the navy," retorted Jenny. "They won't let anyone within striking distance of home."
"Perhaps whoever took the soldiers will come for the sailors next," said Zoe, and the Doctor sprang up.
"You're right. We must go to the Royal Navy barracks, at once."
"I'll show you the way," said Jenny, moving to leave.
"Heppy, do you want to come with us?" asked Zoe. "This isn't your time."
"No, I suppose it isn't," agreed Heppy, a light of understanding glimmering in her eyes. "But I think my time wasn't much better than this one. Less mud and blood here, if not by much. Go solve the mystery on your own."
The lines in her face deepened and her eyes seemed to sink. For a moment, it was easy to see why people called her Old Lady despite her youth. Then the lines vanished, and Heppy smiled, guilelessly.
"I always liked mysteries. Holmes, and Poe, and dear old Wilkie Collins."
"Come on, Zoe," said Jenny, out the door with the Doctor following her.
"Goodbye, Heppy. Good luck," Zoe started to turn away, and Heppy took her hand, stopping her.
"Thanks, kid. Be careful out there." She let go, smiling, a young woman in a coat that wouldn't be standard issue for another two hundred and fifty years.
---
The door was opened by a stooped old man, his face splitting with a toothless smile.
"Reverend, my dear friend! And which of these young men is your nephew?"
"Edwards, meet my nephew Tom," said the Colonel, pushing Thomas forward to shake Edwards' hand. "He's very excited to meet your lovely daughter. Aren't you?"
"Yes, very excited indeed," said Thomas, offering Edwards a gentle smile of his own.
"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a little while," said Edwards regretfully. "The ladies are still getting ready. I told my wife to be up bright and early, but you know how women are."
"What can you do?" said the Colonel.
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment, Edwards apparently not thinking to invite them in.
"I know," said the Colonel, abruptly. "Why don't you show my nephew and his friends the Jewels? They're a grand sight, and I'm sure they'd love to see them."
"Oh, aye," said Edwards. "I'm sure they would."
They stood for a moment longer, Edwards not moving at all.
"We have your usual fee, of course," said the Colonel, sounding a little exasperated.
"Oh, you shouldn't have," said Edwards, holding his hand out. He watched as the Colonel counted coins into it, then closed his fist tightly around the weight and stepped back, allowing the group into the Tower. "Right this way, gentlemen." He led the way to a stone staircase that stood apart from the living area and began to climb down the steps. Thomas rolled his eyes and began to untie his cloak from around his neck.
"Well, here we are," said Edwards, when they were in the basement. "The crown- hey!" Thomas swept his cloak over the old man's head, while Perrott stuffed a block of wood into Edwards' open mouth.
"He won't be able to breathe!" exclaimed Jamie.
"Don't worry," said the Colonel. "There's an air hole in the wood. I think of everything. Stop struggling," he said, turning his attention to the thrashing Edwards. "There's no one to hear you. We won't harm you if you just lie still."
Edwards ignored him, trying to get free of Thomas and Perrott, who were now having trouble keeping him from throwing off the cloak and wood. Finally, the Colonel sighed, turning away.
"Take care of him."
Thomas nodded, producing a wooden mallet from his belt. He bashed Edwards over the head, sending the old man to his knees. Jamie stood, shocked and frozen, as Thomas raised the mallet for another strike.
"Don't kill him," called the Colonel, over his shoulder. "We don't need the authorities chasing after murderers on top of thieves."
"Take all the fun out of it, why don't you," said Thomas, laughing. He put the mallet away before kicking Edwards to the ground.
"Stop it," said Jamie, finally coming to his senses. "I thought you were-"
"What," said Thomas, looking nasty. "A gentleman robber? This isn't a story, Jamie. People get hurt."
Edwards was writhing on the stone floor, curled around his stomach where Thomas had kicked him. Jamie knelt down beside him, taking the wood out of his mouth.
"Are you all right?"
"I'll get you," spat Edwards, his gums dribbling blood. "I'll get you with my own hands if I have to, I'll be waiting by the executioner, fighting to get first crack at you-"
Perrott pushed Jamie aside, something sharp flashing in his hands. Edwards' vitriol descended into bubbling wheezes as he stared at the knife buried in his belly.
"You've killed him," gasped Jamie. He rose to his feet, hands balled into fists. Perrott backed off, looking wary.
"He was threatening us," said Thomas, stepping between them. "You heard him. Now come on, unless you want to be left behind for the King's justice."
Jamie glared at him, unsure of what to do but certain that this wasn't the adventure he'd thought he'd been signing up for.
"Thomas, bring me your mallet," called the Colonel.
Thomas walked away, Perrott following. After a moment, Jamie followed, sparing a last glance for Edwards bleeding out on the floor before looking away.
---
The barracks were locked, and there was no one visible in the windows.
"They're probably training," said Zoe. "It's well past when a sailor should be awake. Nothing will be happening now, will it?"
"You're probably right," said the Doctor, "but I would like a look in there after all. We might even get lucky and catch them in the act - time travel does have a slight problem with accuracy."
"You don't have to tell me that," said Zoe with exaggerated weariness, and the Doctor looked wounded.
"What are you talking about?" asked Jenny. "Time travel?"
"Don't worry about that now," said the Doctor. "How can we get in the barracks?"
"Well," Jenny had looked doubtful, but now perked up a bit. "Is there anyone official around?"
"No," said Zoe. The area around the barracks was relatively deserted, with only a few beggars and children quietly loitering.
"Good," said Jenny. She lifted her skirts and kicked the door in.
"A neat display of strength," said the Doctor, edging past the slightly splintered doorframe and into the building.
"They don't keep these places in very good shape," explained Jenny. She looked at Zoe, as if inviting approval. "It was a little rotten, I could tell."
"Still, very impressive," said Zoe, and Jenny's face lit up.
"Nothing in here," said the Doctor, disappointed. "I'm afraid we've wasted our time." He sat on one of the cots, reflecting that it was much less comfortable than Koschei's bed.
"What's that?" said Jenny.
"What?" the Doctor looked around.
"There's smoke." Jenny pointed at the light gray tendrils starting to filter into the air. "Is something on fire?"
"No, I think this is the Mist Heppy was talking about." Zoe reached out and waved a hand through some of it. "It feels odd."
"Quick, hide," said the Doctor, ducking under a bed and bumping his head. "Perhaps not there. But if the Mist is here, the abductors probably aren't far behind." He looked around a little frantically, and then finally ducked behind the bed instead of under it. After a moment, an odd creaking sound filled the air and Zoe and Jenny hurried to join him.
The Mist thickened, and a green box began to fade into existence between the cots. As it solidified, a panel opened out of it, creating a doorway. The trio waited, but no one came out. After a moment, the Doctor stood up.
"I think they've realized that they've come to the wrong time to pick up any soldiers. If we hurry, maybe we can hitch a ride and find out what's going on." He looked down at Jenny and Zoe, who were still crouched behind the bed. "Well?"
They advanced slowly toward the box, the Doctor leading. The sound began again, and the Doctor jumped for it as the sliding doorway began to close. Zoe and Jenny fell in behind him and the box disappeared.
---
The crown jewels glinted in the dim light. Two crowns, heavy with gems, lay next to an orb and a sceptre, both with crosses decorating them. The Colonel took the wooden mallet from Thomas and used it to hammer the smaller crown flat before stuffing it in a bag. Gems, knocked free of their settings, scattered across the floor.
"Easier transport," he said, glancing at Jamie's shocked face. "Pick those jewels up, will you?"
"I'll do no such thing," said Jamie, crossing his arms. "I'm only staying with you lot until I can find the Doctor, and then I'll have nothing more to do with this."
"Suit yourself," said the Colonel. "Thomas, give me a hand, then."
As Thomas gathered gems off the ground, Perrott picked up the orb from its velvet cushion, looking at it with a speculative air.
"What'll you do with that, then?" said Jamie, scornfully. "Smash it flat as well?"
Perrott raised an eyebrow and, sniggering, shoved the orb down his breeches.
"Wish there was another," he said. "Could have a matched set."
"Your trousers will fall down," said Jamie.
"Nah," said Perrott. "Got a belt." He buckled it as an afterthought.
Thomas started to file the sceptre in half, bracing it against the plinth that had held the Crown Jewels. Jamie shut up and stood aside, trying to distance himself from what suddenly seemed like a grossly criminal act.
"I'll tell the Doctor about this," he said, to no one in particular. "A man's dead."
"He won't be surprised," said the Colonel. "Your dear Doctor's been ashamed of me for a long time. This won't change anything." He had started off sounding bluff and confident, but as he spoke his voice faded into resignation.
Any further conversation was interrupted by Halliwell running into the room, barely avoiding tripping over Edwards' body.
"Blood! Blood, there's a kid here, Edwards' son. He'll be down here any minute, we've got to run."
"The hell you say," said the Colonel. "The son's been gone for ten years, at war in Europe." He gathered up his tools and spoils as he spoke, though, his actions more practical than the disbelief of his words.
"He's here now, wherever he was before," said Halliwell. "We'll be found out!"
"Not if we're quick," said the Colonel, with determination. "Thomas, forget about the sceptre. Go with Halliwell to the horses. Jamie, Perrott, with me. Meet up again at the hideout."
They all moved quickly, arguments and distrust forgotten by the need to escape. As they hurried up the stairs, Edwards came suddenly to life, his voice screeching after them.
"Treason! Murder!"
"Apparently not," laughed Thomas, before running after Halliwell. "Seems you bungled it, Perrott."
"Aye, just as well," said Jamie, flooded with relief even as he hurried to keep up with the Colonel. "Something off our consciences, then."
"Speak for yourself," said the Colonel. "He can identify us."
A female voice joined the cacophony of accusations, the daughter having found Edwards bleeding on the floor.
"Treason! The crown is stolen!"
Jamie looked back and saw a pair of men giving chase. One was blonde and tall, the other dark and short, and both looked ready to dispense the King’s justice then and there.
"Shit," said Perrott, with feeling.
---
Jenny gaped at the room in which they had found themselves.
"It's bigger inside than out!"
"Many places are," said the Doctor. "Stop marveling and start thinking. We have to get out of sight before anyone spots us."
Zoe opened a door, carefully, and peered through the resulting crack.
"There's no one in here," she said. "I think it's an observation room or something - there's a viewscreen, at least."
"Good work, Zoe," said the Doctor. "Let's get in there. Best to be out of the hallway, I would think."
Jenny followed him, and then stood in awe again. As the slight vibration of the box stopped, the viewscreen lit up, showing the barracks. Only this picture showed the barracks night-dark and full of sleeping sailors. The Mist began to fill the room, and a few men sat up, looking at it. They called out, fearing fire, and the noise filtered through into the room that Jenny, Zoe, and the Doctor were standing in.
Now all of the sailors were awake, and some were staring straight at the viewscreen, presumably at the box. Everyone fell silent as the box opened and a man stepped out, just barely in the picture. He put on a pair of glasses and spoke to the panicked men.
"You will fall in and march into our transportation. That is an order."
Some of the men hesitated, but most of them followed the man's instructions immediately. Soon every sailor had gone into the box, followed by the man. The noises faded out and back in again as they began to sound from outside the door of the little room.
"Kidnapping soldiers," said the Doctor. "I was right. But what could they be doing with them?"
"I don't know," said Zoe, "but- Doctor, someone's at the door. We'd better hide."
"Oh, yes," said the Doctor, but he was still lost in thought.
Jenny spotted a shining, mostly opaque screen-wall off to the side, and pulled Zoe and the Doctor behind it. Just after they had gotten secure, the man with the glasses entered. He turned to the viewscreen and began to operate dials on a panel next to it. A buzzing started from the screen and he stepped back. A face appeared, that of a man with dark hair and very odd sideburns.
"This is the War Chief. You have a report, Smythe?"
"Sir. I have gathered a group of sailors from the selected time period. I will shortly return to the processing room, and I wished to be certain that they would be prepared for me."
"Of course," said the War Chief. "All is ready. Hurry up and get here. We need replacements for the casualties."
"Sir."
The viewscreen blanked, and the man walked out of the room, the door closing automatically after him.
"That tells us something, doesn't it?" said Jenny. "Time travel! But I suppose it must be true."
The Doctor said nothing, completely still beside her.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" asked Zoe.
"Nothing much," he said slowly. "Just surprised by a coincidence." The Doctor stepped out from behind the screen-wall and to the door out of the small room.
"We'll be landing at their headquarters soon," he said. "We need to get out of here as soon as we can. There's someone I need to speak to."
(alternate title: Covered in Blood)
Doctor Who, Classic Series AU
Rating: PG-13 as a whole
(this chapter: violence, mild swearing, lots of awkward innuendo.
As a whole: violence, PG rated slash, femslash, and het. Small children.)
Pairing and characters (this chapter): Two/AU!Master, Jamie, Zoe, various historical personages.
Wordcount (this chapter): about 5,500
Summary: The Doctor continues his adventures in 1671, while Koschei continues with his plot. Neither of these activities turn out quite as expected...
A/N: Another chapter of my odd, historical fiction reimagining of the War Games. Credit for the plot to steal the Crown Jewels goes to Colonel Thomas Blood. Thanks again to my beta,
birdsarecalling, who helped me figure out even more fictional relationships and listened to my tl;dr about Restoration military. Written for the best_enemies bigbang challenge.Previous Chapters: Chapter One
The Doctor's face went through several expressions at once. Koschei and the young man eyed him with trepidation.
"Father?" said the Doctor at last, quite calmly.
"Doctor, this is Thomas. Thomas, the Doctor." Koschei said in English, and then hurried down the stairs, the better to avoid the explosion.
“The Doctor? This is unexpected.” Thomas’ cheek twitched, and then his face went blank as he looked the Doctor up and down. “It’s really you?”
“Yes,” said the Doctor.
"You've finally turned up then!" said Thomas. His expression settled into a nervous smirk that was worryingly familiar to the Doctor. "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be rude. Only Father's been telling us children about you for as long as I can remember."
"Children," said the Doctor.
"Oh, yes," said Thomas. He certainly looked like Koschei's current regeneration, except for his normally sized nose. His clothing and wig were much newer, and he was clean-shaven, but otherwise he could have been the Time Lord's younger double. He was also frowning as the silence stretched on.
"I say, I haven't ruined his chances with you, have I? He'd be ever so upset. Listen, if it makes you feel better, it's even odds that I'm the apothecary's son."
"Stop telling people that!" called Koschei, from the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm only trying to help," said Thomas, walking down a few steps.
"How many of you... children are there?" said the Doctor, following him.
"Seven, including me. I'm the oldest, of course, twenty this year, and already plying an honest trade."
"Pah," said Koschei, looking as severe as a preacher, which, admittedly, was a part he was aptly dressed to play. "It's highway robbery, that’s the truth of it. No art in it at all."
"Don't be so harsh," said the Doctor, automatically siding with Thomas. "What is it you do, my boy?"
"Oh, highway robbery, like Father said. He doesn’t like how spontaneous and noncomplex it is." Thomas' tone had the feel of someone who had long wearied of these arguments. "I find that one's parents always disapprove of what you do, no matter your calling."
"It's a waste of your talents," huffed Koschei, but he too looked unwilling to reopen a sore topic. "We're ready to go, then?"
“Hold on a moment,” said the Doctor. “You’re just going to leave? We don’t even get to discuss the fact that you have been hiding a wife and seven children from me? You do have a wife, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do, and not exactly hiding,” said Koschei. “Anyway, I’m on a schedule.”
“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’?”
“It just didn’t happen to come up,” said Koschei, looking away.
“I’m not surprised he didn’t mention it,” said Thomas, smirking again. “It isn’t the first thing you say to your old beau when he comes back from space, is it? ‘By the way, you’ll never guess what’s happened since I saw you last.’ Yes, I can just see Father pushing forward with that conversation.”
“What have you been telling this boy about me?” asked the Doctor, eyeing Thomas.
“Can’t we talk about this later?” said Koschei. “I’m a little busy right now. Busy preparing to steal the crown jewels? You recall?”
The Doctor did recall. Putting aside his questions about Koschei’s new-found parenthood, he fell back into his previous position as arbiter of good sense.
"Koschei, you can't mean to go through with this."
"I can and I will, and I'll ask you not to call me that in public. Anyway, how could I abandon my compatriots to complete my scheme without my help?" The Colonel waved his arms to encompass Halliwell, Perrott, and Jenny, who had all gotten up from the table to join the conversation at the bottom of the staircase.
"What's going on, Doctor?" called Jamie, still sitting in the kitchen.
"I think we're leaving," said the Doctor slowly. "If you won't be dissuaded, Ko- Colonel, then I won't bother hanging around."
The Colonel folded his arms, and nodded. A look of regret crossed his face, but vanished quickly.
"Oh, can we not go with them, Doctor?" asked Jamie. "It sounds a grand lark, and it's for a crown, after all."
"You can come if you wish," said the Colonel. "We've room for a stout lad like you, and I'm sure the Doctor will wait for you. Won't you?" The other question remained unspoken - will you wait for me?
"I suppose," said the Doctor, and Jamie beamed.
"To horse, then," growled the Colonel. "We can't hang around and bother the Doctor any longer." He swept away to the door, pulling his cloak down from beside the door as he went. The rest of the men filed out behind him, Thomas giving the Doctor a wink.
"We'll be back soon enough. More than enough time for you and Father to 'catch up,' I'm sure." He grinned, and then started as Jenny caught him about the waist.
"Thomas, let me come and help. I hate to send you out alone into terrible danger."
"I'll be fine," said Thomas. "Anyway, you may be a good actress, but you're lousy with a sword or a pistol. We'll bring you your share of the loot."
"Return quickly, then, dearheart," said Jenny, pouting. "I'll wait for you!"
"Um, aye," said Thomas, detaching himself and hurrying away.
"Bye, Doctor," said Jamie, as, anxious not to be left behind, he practically trod on Thomas' heels.
"Fine," complained the Doctor, once he'd shut the door. "Leave me here all alone, with only a lovesick girl for company."
"I'm not lovesick," said Jenny. "He's just very good-looking, and Halliwell told me he likes a clingy woman."
"I'm still here," said Zoe, annoyed.
"I'm sorry, Zoe, I thought you'd gone as well," said the Doctor. "Found new clothes, have you? The dress looks very nice."
"Thank you, Doctor. I've decided to stay and help you with your investigation."
"Investigation? Investigation of what?"
"The disappearances, remember?"
"Oh! Oh, yes, thank you, Zoe. That was why I stayed, of course." The Doctor contrived to look as if he had known all along, and Zoe pretended to believe him.
"I can help," said Jenny. "I know nearly everyone in London, and I'll be bored to tears just sitting here."
"Thank you," said Zoe. "Do you know Old Lady Heppy? We've been told that she knows something about the people going missing."
"No," said Jenny. "Doesn't ring a bell." She got a cloak and opened the door.
"I thought you said you knew everyone in London," said the Doctor, following her outside.
"'Course not, London's huge. You can't know everyone. But I bet I know someone who knows this Heppy. Come on, we'll go to the King's Head."
---
The King's Head was a slightly more genteel pub than the one they had been in earlier. It had more windows, and a few attempts at color were splashed haphazardly across the walls. On the other hand, there were already people drinking in the early morning, so perhaps it wasn't that different from other pubs after all. The Doctor and Zoe sat down at a table and waited while Jenny bustled around, trying to get information.
"So," said Zoe, "you said you would tell me how you came to know the Colonel."
"Did I?" said the Doctor, vaguely. "Well, perhaps now is not the time."
"When will be the time, then? When we're safely away in the TARDIS and I've completely forgotten about the whole affair?"
The Doctor looked at her sharply, frowning.
"Oh, please, Doctor. I think it's important that I know exactly what's going on."
"All right." The words dragged reluctantly out of the Doctor. "The Colonel, as you call him, is a very, very old acquaintance from back home. We were at school together."
"At school?" Zoe raised her eyebrows.
"Yes, at school." The Doctor ignored the implied question. "We were in the same year, though I was a little older, and we graduated together. Drifted apart in the end, unfortunately."
"That can't be the whole story, surely," said Zoe.
"What do you mean?" The Doctor tried to sound unconcerned, but mostly just looked defensive.
"Well, for one thing, the way the Colonel looks at you doesn't quite fit your picture of 'just friends.'"
"Why do you keep calling him the Colonel?" said the Doctor. "It sounds ridiculous."
"More so than calling someone 'the Doctor?'" Zoe looked at the Doctor, who said nothing. "No, I thought not. Anyway, it's none of my business to pry, but I hope you're not trying to delude yourself as well."
"No" said the Doctor, sighing. "No, you're quite right. We were- well, we were, pure and simple. Simple, anyway."
"What happened?" asked Zoe, after the Doctor had sat for a moment, staring into space.
"This and that," said the Doctor. "Koschei - the Colonel, to you - did some things I didn't approve of, and then I fell in with a bad crowd. In the end, I was forced to leave home or be arrested, and Koschei stayed behind. I thought that was an end to it, but it seems that he followed me, at the last." The Doctor smiled, suddenly. "I suppose I'm happy about that, even if he's still doing things I don't approve of. And hiding things so that I don’t get to decide whether they approve of them or not." The Doctor’s smile faded slowly into a frown as he thought, but then his cheerfulness reasserted himself. “Anyway, I’m sure we’ll have time to sort all of that out later.”
"Good," said Zoe. "Oh, thank you for trusting me, Doctor. I realize that this is all private."
"It's fine," said the Doctor. "Ah, and Jenny seems to have achieved a measure of success. How did it go, my girl?"
"Well, I've got you an address," said Jenny, looking doubtful. "But I don't know if it will do you any good. From what I hear tell, Heppy's a few pence short of a shilling."
"Don't be too quick to judge on rumor," said the Doctor, standing up. "Anyway, she's our only lead. Let’s go."
---
"I suppose you're wondering how I came to know the Doctor," said the Colonel, smiling conspiratorially at Jamie. They were all walking to the tower, the horses left at a convenient spot with a boy paid to watch them. Jamie, Thomas, and the Colonel were in front, with Perrott and Halliwell lurking along at the back.
"Not really," said Jamie. "The Doctor knows a lot of people."
"Aye, sure," said the Colonel. "But I'd wager I know him a damn sight better."
Jamie looked at him oddly.
"Like I said, the Doctor knows a lot of people."
"What do you mean, know?" said the Colonel, suspicious. He raised his eyebrows in a way that completely failed to convey anything to Jamie.
"Oh, I don't know," said Jamie. "You've got me all confused."
"Jamie, let me see if I can explain." Thomas broke in. "Father means that he and the Doctor used to be very close." He raised his eyebrows as well and then, not to be outdone by the Colonel, waggled them.
"Oh!" said Jamie, finally understanding. "Like me and the Doctor now!"
"What?" said the Colonel. "Surely not- not with-"
"Aye, and Zoe, too," continued Jamie, oblivious to the reaction he was causing. The Colonel blanched.
"Two of you? Two?"
"Well, it used to be three, but then Ben and Polly left. Then there was Victoria, but she decided to stay behind after a while as well. Tired of it all, I suppose."
"Active lives you lead, eh?" muttered the Colonel, venomously, his hands twitching. "Busy nights?"
"I suppose," mused Jamie. "Days as well. It never stops with the Doctor." He started to say something else, but Thomas clapped a hand over his mouth, looking worriedly at the Colonel.
"Fine," said the Colonel. "Fine. I was a fool to expect anything else from that- that traitor. I understand now why he was so reluctant earlier. Replace me, will he?"
"It's not as if you've been practicing total celibacy yourself, Father," murmured Thomas, his hand still clamped over Jamie's mouth as they continued to walk down the street.
"There's a difference between marrying one human woman while you're trapped on Earth compared to running a traveling harem," growled the Colonel. "Not that I regret marrying your mother, of course," he added hurriedly, not looking Thomas in the eye. "Well. It doesn't matter, not at this point. Let the boy go, Thomas."
"Hold on," said Jamie, as soon as he could be heard again. He blushed, a little. "I think you've got the wrong end of the stick here-"
"Shh." Thomas held a finger to his lips, and then grimaced and wiped his hand off on his breeches. "Why'd you have to slobber all over me?"
"I was trying to tell you something, listen-"
"I think you've said quite enough. Anyway, look, we're here."
The Tower of London rose upwards before them, looming larger with every step they took toward it. Its off-white walls shone dully in the bright sunlight. The Colonel walked through the open gate, and then through another gate into the main courtyard, leading the group to one of the interior towers, a blocky structure set in the far right corner.
"Everybody be calm," he said quietly. "Act civilized and courteous, aye, even you, Halliwell. Remember, you're friends of a nice reverend, here to witness the first meeting between my nephew," he clapped Thomas on the shoulder, squeezing briefly as he continued, "and the daughter of the keeper of the crown jewels."
"No problem," said Halliwell. "We can act all lordly. Just stick your little finger out, right?" He did so, to demonstrate. Perrott sniggered, and contributed his own fingers.
"Wrong ones, Rob. That's not half rude," said Halliwell, grinning, and the Colonel covered his eyes.
"Actually, why don't we separate you two? Halliwell, you stay and keep watch. The rest of you, with me. And for God's sake, be polite, Perrott." The Colonel turned and climbed up the steps to the top level of the tower, gesturing at the rest of them to follow. Then he drew his hand up and knocked on the door, three quick raps, no secret codes this time.
---
The Doctor sat back and ran a hand over his face, tiredly. His chair, at least, was comfortable. Indeed, the whole house in which they had found Heppy was comfortable. The conversation, unfortunately, was not. After prolonged exposure to Old Lady Heppy, even the Doctor was forced to admit that the rumors had been broadly true. There was nothing obviously abnormal about her, but something was certainly a little off. On balance, it was as if someone had taken an average human's thoughts, stirred them up, and then tried to shake them out all at once.
Her appearance didn't quite fit either, though it could have been the normal displacement of a person fallen on hard times. Despite her moniker, Old Lady Heppy was quite young, with dark, ragged hair that looked as if it had been growing out from a shorter cut. Her clothing seemed normal, if more carefully scrubbed than most, except for a long woolen coat that was much too large to fit men's fashion, and wasn't part of women's fashion at all. Her face was also unusually clean, and somewhat unfocused, much like her conversation.
"We just want to know about the disappeared soldiers," the Doctor tried to explain, for about the fifth time.
"My dad was a soldier, said Heppy, tapping her nose thoughtfully. "Killed fighting off the Huns."
"Yes," said Zoe, "but what about the recent soldiers?"
"Not real soldiers, not really," sniffed Heppy. "Haven't seen the wars. Well, some wars, but not the kind that you got in my time."
"You're not that old," said Jenny, curiously. "My age, aren't you? What kind of wars did they have in 'your time' that I haven't seen?"
Heppy hesitated, looking confused, and the Doctor jumped in.
"You said your father fought the Huns, my dear. Was that a figure of speech?"
"No-o," said Heppy. "Well, sort of. It was the Germans, do you see? He was fighting the Germans, and I'd snuck into the nursing corps. I wasn't old enough, not really."
"When was this?" asked the Doctor. His gaze had sharpened, and he sounded as if he was on the verge of realizing something. "When did the war begin?"
"'14," said Heppy. "Dad volunteered right away, and I joined in '15."
"It's '71 now," said Jenny. "You can't possibly be that old. You're what, twenty?"
"Twenty-one," said Heppy.
"Oh, Doctor, I think I see," said Zoe. The Doctor nodded.
"Yes, Zoe. Heppy, can you give me the exact year you were born?"
"1897. A good year, I thought. I was born on the old Queen's birthday." Heppy shook off her confusion and fell back into a comfortable bask in reflected glory.
"That's impossible," said Jenny.
"By no means," said the Doctor. "But it is very strange." He turned back to Heppy. "How did you get here?"
"I- I don't quite know." The confusion was back, and Heppy hurriedly tried to get away from it. "I've been living here in this house for a week though, isn't it nice? I just kept hanging around until the woman who owns it let me stay, and I only had to threaten her a little bit-"
"Heppy." The Doctor interrupted her gently. "What can you remember? What's the first thing you remember after you came here?"
"The Mist." Heppy was certain here, and some strength returned to her voice. "There was a box, a green one, and Mist, and some soldiers. I think I was in the box, but then I ran out, and all of it went away, and I was alone."
"What happened then?" asked Zoe.
"Some people came, and asked why the Army barracks were empty, and I said I didn't know. Then they sent me away."
"That must have been when the soldiers disappeared," muttered the Doctor. "How many went missing?"
"Every soldier in London," said Jenny. "But it was only the men who weren't in Ireland and so on, or campaigning on the continent. Not too many."
"Still, it leaves the capitol defenseless," pointed out the Doctor. “Someone might just show up and take over, mightn’t they?”
"No, there's still the navy," retorted Jenny. "They won't let anyone within striking distance of home."
"Perhaps whoever took the soldiers will come for the sailors next," said Zoe, and the Doctor sprang up.
"You're right. We must go to the Royal Navy barracks, at once."
"I'll show you the way," said Jenny, moving to leave.
"Heppy, do you want to come with us?" asked Zoe. "This isn't your time."
"No, I suppose it isn't," agreed Heppy, a light of understanding glimmering in her eyes. "But I think my time wasn't much better than this one. Less mud and blood here, if not by much. Go solve the mystery on your own."
The lines in her face deepened and her eyes seemed to sink. For a moment, it was easy to see why people called her Old Lady despite her youth. Then the lines vanished, and Heppy smiled, guilelessly.
"I always liked mysteries. Holmes, and Poe, and dear old Wilkie Collins."
"Come on, Zoe," said Jenny, out the door with the Doctor following her.
"Goodbye, Heppy. Good luck," Zoe started to turn away, and Heppy took her hand, stopping her.
"Thanks, kid. Be careful out there." She let go, smiling, a young woman in a coat that wouldn't be standard issue for another two hundred and fifty years.
---
The door was opened by a stooped old man, his face splitting with a toothless smile.
"Reverend, my dear friend! And which of these young men is your nephew?"
"Edwards, meet my nephew Tom," said the Colonel, pushing Thomas forward to shake Edwards' hand. "He's very excited to meet your lovely daughter. Aren't you?"
"Yes, very excited indeed," said Thomas, offering Edwards a gentle smile of his own.
"Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a little while," said Edwards regretfully. "The ladies are still getting ready. I told my wife to be up bright and early, but you know how women are."
"What can you do?" said the Colonel.
They stood in uncomfortable silence for a moment, Edwards apparently not thinking to invite them in.
"I know," said the Colonel, abruptly. "Why don't you show my nephew and his friends the Jewels? They're a grand sight, and I'm sure they'd love to see them."
"Oh, aye," said Edwards. "I'm sure they would."
They stood for a moment longer, Edwards not moving at all.
"We have your usual fee, of course," said the Colonel, sounding a little exasperated.
"Oh, you shouldn't have," said Edwards, holding his hand out. He watched as the Colonel counted coins into it, then closed his fist tightly around the weight and stepped back, allowing the group into the Tower. "Right this way, gentlemen." He led the way to a stone staircase that stood apart from the living area and began to climb down the steps. Thomas rolled his eyes and began to untie his cloak from around his neck.
"Well, here we are," said Edwards, when they were in the basement. "The crown- hey!" Thomas swept his cloak over the old man's head, while Perrott stuffed a block of wood into Edwards' open mouth.
"He won't be able to breathe!" exclaimed Jamie.
"Don't worry," said the Colonel. "There's an air hole in the wood. I think of everything. Stop struggling," he said, turning his attention to the thrashing Edwards. "There's no one to hear you. We won't harm you if you just lie still."
Edwards ignored him, trying to get free of Thomas and Perrott, who were now having trouble keeping him from throwing off the cloak and wood. Finally, the Colonel sighed, turning away.
"Take care of him."
Thomas nodded, producing a wooden mallet from his belt. He bashed Edwards over the head, sending the old man to his knees. Jamie stood, shocked and frozen, as Thomas raised the mallet for another strike.
"Don't kill him," called the Colonel, over his shoulder. "We don't need the authorities chasing after murderers on top of thieves."
"Take all the fun out of it, why don't you," said Thomas, laughing. He put the mallet away before kicking Edwards to the ground.
"Stop it," said Jamie, finally coming to his senses. "I thought you were-"
"What," said Thomas, looking nasty. "A gentleman robber? This isn't a story, Jamie. People get hurt."
Edwards was writhing on the stone floor, curled around his stomach where Thomas had kicked him. Jamie knelt down beside him, taking the wood out of his mouth.
"Are you all right?"
"I'll get you," spat Edwards, his gums dribbling blood. "I'll get you with my own hands if I have to, I'll be waiting by the executioner, fighting to get first crack at you-"
Perrott pushed Jamie aside, something sharp flashing in his hands. Edwards' vitriol descended into bubbling wheezes as he stared at the knife buried in his belly.
"You've killed him," gasped Jamie. He rose to his feet, hands balled into fists. Perrott backed off, looking wary.
"He was threatening us," said Thomas, stepping between them. "You heard him. Now come on, unless you want to be left behind for the King's justice."
Jamie glared at him, unsure of what to do but certain that this wasn't the adventure he'd thought he'd been signing up for.
"Thomas, bring me your mallet," called the Colonel.
Thomas walked away, Perrott following. After a moment, Jamie followed, sparing a last glance for Edwards bleeding out on the floor before looking away.
---
The barracks were locked, and there was no one visible in the windows.
"They're probably training," said Zoe. "It's well past when a sailor should be awake. Nothing will be happening now, will it?"
"You're probably right," said the Doctor, "but I would like a look in there after all. We might even get lucky and catch them in the act - time travel does have a slight problem with accuracy."
"You don't have to tell me that," said Zoe with exaggerated weariness, and the Doctor looked wounded.
"What are you talking about?" asked Jenny. "Time travel?"
"Don't worry about that now," said the Doctor. "How can we get in the barracks?"
"Well," Jenny had looked doubtful, but now perked up a bit. "Is there anyone official around?"
"No," said Zoe. The area around the barracks was relatively deserted, with only a few beggars and children quietly loitering.
"Good," said Jenny. She lifted her skirts and kicked the door in.
"A neat display of strength," said the Doctor, edging past the slightly splintered doorframe and into the building.
"They don't keep these places in very good shape," explained Jenny. She looked at Zoe, as if inviting approval. "It was a little rotten, I could tell."
"Still, very impressive," said Zoe, and Jenny's face lit up.
"Nothing in here," said the Doctor, disappointed. "I'm afraid we've wasted our time." He sat on one of the cots, reflecting that it was much less comfortable than Koschei's bed.
"What's that?" said Jenny.
"What?" the Doctor looked around.
"There's smoke." Jenny pointed at the light gray tendrils starting to filter into the air. "Is something on fire?"
"No, I think this is the Mist Heppy was talking about." Zoe reached out and waved a hand through some of it. "It feels odd."
"Quick, hide," said the Doctor, ducking under a bed and bumping his head. "Perhaps not there. But if the Mist is here, the abductors probably aren't far behind." He looked around a little frantically, and then finally ducked behind the bed instead of under it. After a moment, an odd creaking sound filled the air and Zoe and Jenny hurried to join him.
The Mist thickened, and a green box began to fade into existence between the cots. As it solidified, a panel opened out of it, creating a doorway. The trio waited, but no one came out. After a moment, the Doctor stood up.
"I think they've realized that they've come to the wrong time to pick up any soldiers. If we hurry, maybe we can hitch a ride and find out what's going on." He looked down at Jenny and Zoe, who were still crouched behind the bed. "Well?"
They advanced slowly toward the box, the Doctor leading. The sound began again, and the Doctor jumped for it as the sliding doorway began to close. Zoe and Jenny fell in behind him and the box disappeared.
---
The crown jewels glinted in the dim light. Two crowns, heavy with gems, lay next to an orb and a sceptre, both with crosses decorating them. The Colonel took the wooden mallet from Thomas and used it to hammer the smaller crown flat before stuffing it in a bag. Gems, knocked free of their settings, scattered across the floor.
"Easier transport," he said, glancing at Jamie's shocked face. "Pick those jewels up, will you?"
"I'll do no such thing," said Jamie, crossing his arms. "I'm only staying with you lot until I can find the Doctor, and then I'll have nothing more to do with this."
"Suit yourself," said the Colonel. "Thomas, give me a hand, then."
As Thomas gathered gems off the ground, Perrott picked up the orb from its velvet cushion, looking at it with a speculative air.
"What'll you do with that, then?" said Jamie, scornfully. "Smash it flat as well?"
Perrott raised an eyebrow and, sniggering, shoved the orb down his breeches.
"Wish there was another," he said. "Could have a matched set."
"Your trousers will fall down," said Jamie.
"Nah," said Perrott. "Got a belt." He buckled it as an afterthought.
Thomas started to file the sceptre in half, bracing it against the plinth that had held the Crown Jewels. Jamie shut up and stood aside, trying to distance himself from what suddenly seemed like a grossly criminal act.
"I'll tell the Doctor about this," he said, to no one in particular. "A man's dead."
"He won't be surprised," said the Colonel. "Your dear Doctor's been ashamed of me for a long time. This won't change anything." He had started off sounding bluff and confident, but as he spoke his voice faded into resignation.
Any further conversation was interrupted by Halliwell running into the room, barely avoiding tripping over Edwards' body.
"Blood! Blood, there's a kid here, Edwards' son. He'll be down here any minute, we've got to run."
"The hell you say," said the Colonel. "The son's been gone for ten years, at war in Europe." He gathered up his tools and spoils as he spoke, though, his actions more practical than the disbelief of his words.
"He's here now, wherever he was before," said Halliwell. "We'll be found out!"
"Not if we're quick," said the Colonel, with determination. "Thomas, forget about the sceptre. Go with Halliwell to the horses. Jamie, Perrott, with me. Meet up again at the hideout."
They all moved quickly, arguments and distrust forgotten by the need to escape. As they hurried up the stairs, Edwards came suddenly to life, his voice screeching after them.
"Treason! Murder!"
"Apparently not," laughed Thomas, before running after Halliwell. "Seems you bungled it, Perrott."
"Aye, just as well," said Jamie, flooded with relief even as he hurried to keep up with the Colonel. "Something off our consciences, then."
"Speak for yourself," said the Colonel. "He can identify us."
A female voice joined the cacophony of accusations, the daughter having found Edwards bleeding on the floor.
"Treason! The crown is stolen!"
Jamie looked back and saw a pair of men giving chase. One was blonde and tall, the other dark and short, and both looked ready to dispense the King’s justice then and there.
"Shit," said Perrott, with feeling.
---
Jenny gaped at the room in which they had found themselves.
"It's bigger inside than out!"
"Many places are," said the Doctor. "Stop marveling and start thinking. We have to get out of sight before anyone spots us."
Zoe opened a door, carefully, and peered through the resulting crack.
"There's no one in here," she said. "I think it's an observation room or something - there's a viewscreen, at least."
"Good work, Zoe," said the Doctor. "Let's get in there. Best to be out of the hallway, I would think."
Jenny followed him, and then stood in awe again. As the slight vibration of the box stopped, the viewscreen lit up, showing the barracks. Only this picture showed the barracks night-dark and full of sleeping sailors. The Mist began to fill the room, and a few men sat up, looking at it. They called out, fearing fire, and the noise filtered through into the room that Jenny, Zoe, and the Doctor were standing in.
Now all of the sailors were awake, and some were staring straight at the viewscreen, presumably at the box. Everyone fell silent as the box opened and a man stepped out, just barely in the picture. He put on a pair of glasses and spoke to the panicked men.
"You will fall in and march into our transportation. That is an order."
Some of the men hesitated, but most of them followed the man's instructions immediately. Soon every sailor had gone into the box, followed by the man. The noises faded out and back in again as they began to sound from outside the door of the little room.
"Kidnapping soldiers," said the Doctor. "I was right. But what could they be doing with them?"
"I don't know," said Zoe, "but- Doctor, someone's at the door. We'd better hide."
"Oh, yes," said the Doctor, but he was still lost in thought.
Jenny spotted a shining, mostly opaque screen-wall off to the side, and pulled Zoe and the Doctor behind it. Just after they had gotten secure, the man with the glasses entered. He turned to the viewscreen and began to operate dials on a panel next to it. A buzzing started from the screen and he stepped back. A face appeared, that of a man with dark hair and very odd sideburns.
"This is the War Chief. You have a report, Smythe?"
"Sir. I have gathered a group of sailors from the selected time period. I will shortly return to the processing room, and I wished to be certain that they would be prepared for me."
"Of course," said the War Chief. "All is ready. Hurry up and get here. We need replacements for the casualties."
"Sir."
The viewscreen blanked, and the man walked out of the room, the door closing automatically after him.
"That tells us something, doesn't it?" said Jenny. "Time travel! But I suppose it must be true."
The Doctor said nothing, completely still beside her.
"Doctor, what's wrong?" asked Zoe.
"Nothing much," he said slowly. "Just surprised by a coincidence." The Doctor stepped out from behind the screen-wall and to the door out of the small room.
"We'll be landing at their headquarters soon," he said. "We need to get out of here as soon as we can. There's someone I need to speak to."
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2010-07-21 11:34 pm (UTC)"Don't worry," said the Colonel. "There's an air hole in the wood. I think of everything.
...because that's SO the Master. Obsessively prepared, and still everything is GUARANTEED to go wrong in the end. Poor thing *pats him onna head*
I'm enjoying this very much! Can't wait to read more.
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Date: 2010-07-22 01:07 am (UTC)I'm glad you liked! Hopefully I'll be sticking to my Wednesday schedule, so there'll be another chapter next week.
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Date: 2010-07-21 11:43 pm (UTC)Young Thomas knowing all about his father's and the Doctor's relationship was so hilarious! I loved how he was trying to explain to the comfused Jamie, and his reaction to it, saying that the Doctor had the thing with him and all of his companions. I was giggling like a loon on that bit. Oh, I love Jealous!Master, he was just so adorable how worked up he was getting!
Poor Jamie, he really did get in over his head, didn't he? I felt so bad for him being caught up in all that mess with the theft.
I do hope the Doctor can get out of the sticky situation he seems to have found himself, Zoe and Jenny in! And, as always, another exciting cliffhanger! Thanks so much for another magnificent update with this story, I loved it to bits. :D I cannot wait for the next chapter now, as I will be on pins and needles waiting.
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Date: 2010-07-22 01:17 am (UTC)Jamie is having a pretty hard day all around, and I guess the Doctor isn't doing much better. This particular cliffhanger should get resolved next week, as long as I can stick to my Wednesday schedule.
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Date: 2010-07-22 12:49 am (UTC)I will never get over how young both Two and Koschei seem in this fic. So much adorable. <3
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Date: 2010-07-22 01:21 am (UTC)I seem to be a little stuck on adorable right now? (This is okay, but a little odd.) I blame Two - it's the over-sized jacket and the giant smile. I've been infected!
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Date: 2010-07-22 11:30 am (UTC)'"We were at school together."
"At school?" Zoe raised her eyebrows.
Hah, I love that Zoe gets it straight away. Clever, clever girl.
'"Jamie, let me see if I can explain." Thomas broke in. "Father means that he and the Doctor used to be very close." He raised his eyebrows as well and then, not to be outdone by the Colonel, waggled them.
"Oh!" said Jamie, finally understanding. "Like me and the Doctor now!"'
...while Jamie, of course, is oblivious. :D
'"No-o," said Heppy. "Well, sort of. It was the Germans, do you see? He was fighting the Germans, and I'd snuck into the nursing corps. I wasn't old enough, not really."'
Oh. OH. And it suddenly clicks. Great moment, that.
'"Your trousers will fall down," said Jamie.
"Nah," said Perrott. "Got a belt." He buckled it as an afterthought.'
Your Two, Jamie and Zoe voices are all so SPOT ON, it's amazing, but it's these little lines with the other characters that are cracking me up (like with Edwards waiting until Koschei offers him his normal fee for viewing the jewels.)
'A face appeared, that of a man with dark hair and very odd sideburns. "This is the War Chief. You have a report, Smythe?"'
OoooOOOOOOoooooohhhhh, THIS GONNA BE GOOD. :D :D :D
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Date: 2010-07-22 03:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-22 04:12 pm (UTC)What I liked even better this chapter than last was the interaction (brief though it was) between the Doctor and the Master - last chapter, it seemed a little too easy, whereas this time the Doctor's disapproval and the Master's sort of aggressive sulking seem much more natural.
I'm still very intrigued by the Master's exile story, I hope we'll learn more about how he happened to settle on Earth so completely.
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Date: 2010-07-23 05:07 am (UTC)There should be more about Koschei's exile later in the series (I'm currently rewriting that section).