Well, as anyone who knows me is well aware, I am a massive Dr Who fan. As such I decided last year to write my own stories and post them on another forum. They went down well, so I've decided to open them up for others to read. Here is my first part of.... Dr Who: Echoes. Prelude.... It was the end of time, literally. The few remaining stars in the cosmos sputtered and spiralled into the all consuming abyss. As one red giant flew on its deathward spiral, it passed the most incongruous object, a 20th century British police telephone box. In the console room of the TARDIS an old man stared at the scanner array as he saw star after star leap towards its doom. "So beautiful, even in death!" He said to the empty control centre. "Even after 2347 years in this cosmos, you still find ways to astound me don't you??? His voice little more than a whisper echoed around the interior of the unfathomably large room. His question did get an answer of sorts as he saw a binary star set fly off, still circling each other like lovers on a stroll and then vanish into the arms of the oblivion. "Well, thats enough sight seeing old girl. time to go back to the end of things I suppose" He moved to the dematerialisation controls of the craft and flicked a switch. The groaning noise grew and reached a crescendo as the police box vanished from the gaping maw of darkness. As the Tardis took him on what was possibly his last voyage as master of the ship, he rested in his high backed chair, a personal gift from a dear friend by the name of Rennie MacKintosh. He opened his diary at a day marked in Red and stared at a list. "Time I suppose to assemble the guests, I hope they have nothing else planned." He smirked, "how likely is that? An ordinary day? Or one final flight with a dear old friend?" He couldn't envision any of them turning down the invitation. Part 1. London, 1979. "Do you believe in fate? Well do you? I have to now, as if we hadn't both been deathly curious about that girl, we would just have gone on being colleagues and we would never have gotten anywhere near to where we are now". Ian Chesterton looked down as his wife of 10 years looked back, love glowing in her eyes like burning embers. She smiled at him, and still that smile made him melt. He gazed back and continued, "we have seen so many things together, almost all of which no one else in this room would believe. And my love for her still grows each time I look at her." She began to cry, If Ian had any thought that they were sad tears he would have stopped and comforted her, but still she smiled as he knew she was remembering everything with crystal clarity, just as he was. "We fell in love in another time and place, but to this day I feel as though it is so new to me. To the rest of our lives, my darling Barb!!" he raised his glass towards her and smiled with a warmth that could burn through the depths of space. "To Ian and Barbara" the guests shouted, mixed with cheers and awws from all quarters. Barbara stood beside her husband and touched her glass to his and kissed him. Fifteen minutes after Ian's passionate speech, he and barbara were mingling among the 50 strong group of friends and family, invited to the party. As one they caught sight of the old man, standing stock still, staring at them both with a wry smile on his face. "Can I help you?" Asked Barbara, slightly concerned that such an old man should be out alone, not to mention standing in the middle of a private party. But concern for his well being was the first thought in her head. "You always did try to put others first didn't you my dear?" The old mans smile deepened "You always felt you had to protect all of us, even by putting yourself in danger, but your stalwart hero was always there as well to guard you from harm." his smile turned to Ian who smiled in return. So we know you? You seem to think you know us" "Oh but I do my boy!!! I do. I know so much more about you that even you don't know, yet." The cryptic use of the word "yet" rang bells in Ians mind. "Who are you?" He asked. "Exactly!!! Good to see you as sharp and aware as ever." The smile grew deeper in the mans face. "I almost wore the coat the Thals gave me, so that you would remember me more easily. But then I thought, no, Ian is a smart boy he'll work it out. and if not, his charming wife most assuredly would." Barbara immediately threw herself at the man who was no longer a stranger to her, well no less a stranger than he had been so long ago. "Doctor is it really you????" Ian was too stunned to move. "Doctor" cried Barbara. "you look well for age." "Better than you know miss Wri, err Mrs Chesterton. I am here to offer my heartsfelt congratulations on your anniversary, and to perhaps proffer an invitation to you both." "Doctor, my God.." Ian started, " It's been too long, far too long for someone who possesses a time machine anyway. How are you? What have you been doing since we last saw you?" "The answer to the latter question is simple. More than you could imagine. In answer to your first question, I am dying" Part 2 London 2076 The rebuilding was continuing apace. In parts of the city you could never have told that only a decade or so ago, the world was ruled by the Daleks, th most malevolent force in the Galaxy. But since their defeat at the hands of a mysterious group of time travellers and their allies, the world had begun rebuilding. There was still rubble of course. Travel for 5 minutes in any direction and you could find a trace of the occupation, if you looked for it. There were so many memorials now, to those who died resisting the Daleks. "It was strange", thought the woman walking down the street, "for a race that has always been on the verge of self annihilation, these humans built the most beautiful and poignant memorials with inscriptions like, 'Never again' and 'Lest we forget' and then they go and find someone else to fight and have to build more memorials. It's senseless in a way". Susan continued walking, It was all she could do, she carried an air of sadness with her and in her hand a piece of paper, the source of the sadness. He had done it. He had divorced her. "I can't blame him", she thought to herself. "How did I expect him to react when I told him that it was possible I could outlive our great great great great grandchildren and still not be middleaged." Her Grandfather had tried to warn her when he came to the wedding, he had regenerated by then, he had still had the white hair, but he was taller, far taller and leaner than she had remembered him, but he was still Grandfather, and nothing would change that. He had told her "Til death do us part, is a much longer commitment for us, than them, you must bear that in mind Susan." It was only now, five years later that the words really hit home. Death for her was Millenia away, for her husband, sorry ex-husband it was a matter of decades. She put her hand in her pockets as a chill wind blew down the near deserted streets. Her hand tightened around a piece of oddly shaped metal in one of the pockets. The Tardis key Grandfather had given her. She took it out of the pocket and looked at it and a sad smile crossed her lips, "Happier times!" She thought of her travels more and more frequently now. She had nothing left for her here. Because of the demands for weapons, she had resigned as head of the science and technology ministry and found herself with more free, "time, hah" than she knew how to fill. She turned a corner and almost ran headlong into someone, She apologised and walked on without even looking up. "Well some might say that was rude Miss Foreman." The voice, and the use of her old assumed name jolted her. she turned to see who had called her by a name she had not used in many a year. She looked into the smiling face of her old travelling companion/friend/history teacher. "Miss Wright? But how can you be here? It's impossible, its...." She stopped, the words refused to form on her lips. She just ran to the woman and hugged her, not caring how she came to be here, just happy that she was. "It's Mrs Chesterton now, Susan." Barbara said. "And your grandfather brought us in the Tardis. He needs to speak to you, it's.... It's important, he needs to tell you something." "What? Why couldn't he come himself to fetch me?" "Just come to the Tardis Susan. I think he should explain everything. It's something he needs to tell you." Barbara took Susans hand and led her to an alleyway, and there in the shadows was a familiar and welcome sight. The Tardis. Susan held out her key and put it into the lock..............
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