The Deadly Health Stone Part 1
The Red Eye Tavern stood in the middle of the Village and was a common meeting place for all manner of people who lived in the area, it was out of the tavern a man partly stumbled/partly exited; this man was quite tall, being 5ft8, with a mess of medium length blonde hair with pale blue eyes. The man stood still for a moment and shook his head to try and clear it, he was beginning to try and struggle through the falling snow when a sudden gust of wind blew all round him and a cyclic wheezing, groaning noise filled the air as a little blue box seemed to appear in front of the man. As soon as the strange sound stopped and the box seemed solid the doors flew open and a man bounded out. The man seemed quite tall with brown hair which was flattened forwards and brown eyes, he wore a dark brown suit with a white shirt, brown tie, a brown overcoat and a pair of cream trainers. The mans face wore on it a broad smile, which seemed infectious, and his every move seemed overflowing with energy.
“Hmm yes-well-judging-from-the-environment-I would-say-it’s-been-snowing-oh-hello-who-are-you?” All this tumbled out of the stranger’s mouth at an astonishing speed which left the other man quite bemused before he regained his composure.
“I, young man, am the doctor”
The stranger’s mouth flew open. “The doctor!!”
The doctor frowned and replied slowly “Yes Doctor Reuben Jones at your service”
The stranger seemed to relax and the infectious smile returned. “Oh right, well it’s a funny old world, Doctor John Smith nice to meet you..” at this the Doctor gripped Reuben’s hand and shook it vigorously “and speaking of worlds I was just wondering….what world is this?”
Reuben chuckled at this peculiar young man and opened his mouth to answer him when a load gong emitted from the castle on the hill, at this Reuben looked around quickly.
“I say Doctor do you have a place to stay?”
The Doctor’s face became pained. “Well, not exactly, I mean there’s always my ship…”
“oh now, I couldn’t have that.” Reuben interrupted the Doctor quickly “You can stop at mine for the time being, but we must hurry now. That was the gong to start the curfew, now follow me Doctor” At this Reuben quickly scurried off towards an old 3 story house that reminded the Doctor of the inn he and Martha had stopped in when they had met Shakespeare all those years ago, snapping out of his daydream the Doctor ran across the white snow covered roads into the building. Once inside Reuben hurriedly lit his fire and poured himself a brandy, and sat down next to the fire. While this had been happening the Doctor had removed his overcoat, laid it on the back of a chair and sat down.
Reuben took a sip of brandy, smiled to himself and offered the Doctor a drink, which was declined politely.
“Now Doctor, you wanted to know what planet this was yes? A most bizarre question I may say.” Reuben stared intently at the Doctor as he looked up from the fire and smiled at him.
“Yes, well-you-see-my-ship-isn’t-always-the-most-reliable-and-can-be-terribly-tempramental-so-she-doesn’t-always-tell-me-where-I’m-going-you-see?” Once again the words tumbled out of the man’s mouth as if he couldn’t wait to say the next thing.
Reuben looked quite uncertain at this explanation, but dismissed it.
“yes…well I don’t really see but never mind. The planet that we are on Doctor is the planet Hapsburg in the nation of Yalta”
The Doctor’s face broke out in a smile happy enough to lighten the blackest mood. “The planet Hapsburg…wonderful, tell me is King Barnabas Tythe still in charge?”
Reuben frowned at the impossible man and leant in closer towards the Doctor.
“Doctor, King Tythe was deposed 30 years ago, it was all over the news. The planet was carved up into smaller nations by warlords; the warlord that gained control of Yalta is a spineless, feeble excuse for a man calling himself General Protector Paul.”
The Doctor sat back, a look of shock and surprise plastered on his face and stared deep into the fire, after a few minutes he looked up at Reuben again.
“I can’t believe it, Barnabas was such a strong character, who did you say was in control of this nation again?” the Doctor asked earnestly.
“A pitiful excuse for a man called Paul, nobody really knows why he hasn’t been overthrown, he seems to have his army and guards under tight control some how….” Reuben looked at the clock above the fireplace and stood up. “…listen Doctor, we can talk more about this in the morning but it’s getting quite late, do you mind if I go to bed?”
“Oh no, go right ahead, I’ll see you in the morning” The Doctor grinned stupidly at Reuben as he stomped up the stairs to bed, then the Doctor sat down and stared long and hard into the burning embers of the fire.
Outside, standing in the crisp, crunchy white snow, a figure stood robed and hooded all in black next to the TARDIS, all that could be seen of his features were his eyes, eyes that burned with a dark black intelligence.
“So Doctor, the first move is made by me you will find” His raspy voice changed to a chuckle as he turned to General Protector Paul. “Take the box to laboratory…now!”
Paul turned to a contingent of troops and barked a series of orders at them, they were soon heaving the TARDIS up the hill to the castle.
“Hmm yes-well-judging-from-the-environment-I would-say-it’s-been-snowing-oh-hello-who-are-you?” All this tumbled out of the stranger’s mouth at an astonishing speed which left the other man quite bemused before he regained his composure.
“I, young man, am the doctor”
The stranger’s mouth flew open. “The doctor!!”
The doctor frowned and replied slowly “Yes Doctor Reuben Jones at your service”
The stranger seemed to relax and the infectious smile returned. “Oh right, well it’s a funny old world, Doctor John Smith nice to meet you..” at this the Doctor gripped Reuben’s hand and shook it vigorously “and speaking of worlds I was just wondering….what world is this?”
Reuben chuckled at this peculiar young man and opened his mouth to answer him when a load gong emitted from the castle on the hill, at this Reuben looked around quickly.
“I say Doctor do you have a place to stay?”
The Doctor’s face became pained. “Well, not exactly, I mean there’s always my ship…”
“oh now, I couldn’t have that.” Reuben interrupted the Doctor quickly “You can stop at mine for the time being, but we must hurry now. That was the gong to start the curfew, now follow me Doctor” At this Reuben quickly scurried off towards an old 3 story house that reminded the Doctor of the inn he and Martha had stopped in when they had met Shakespeare all those years ago, snapping out of his daydream the Doctor ran across the white snow covered roads into the building. Once inside Reuben hurriedly lit his fire and poured himself a brandy, and sat down next to the fire. While this had been happening the Doctor had removed his overcoat, laid it on the back of a chair and sat down.
Reuben took a sip of brandy, smiled to himself and offered the Doctor a drink, which was declined politely.
“Now Doctor, you wanted to know what planet this was yes? A most bizarre question I may say.” Reuben stared intently at the Doctor as he looked up from the fire and smiled at him.
“Yes, well-you-see-my-ship-isn’t-always-the-most-reliable-and-can-be-terribly-tempramental-so-she-doesn’t-always-tell-me-where-I’m-going-you-see?” Once again the words tumbled out of the man’s mouth as if he couldn’t wait to say the next thing.
Reuben looked quite uncertain at this explanation, but dismissed it.
“yes…well I don’t really see but never mind. The planet that we are on Doctor is the planet Hapsburg in the nation of Yalta”
The Doctor’s face broke out in a smile happy enough to lighten the blackest mood. “The planet Hapsburg…wonderful, tell me is King Barnabas Tythe still in charge?”
Reuben frowned at the impossible man and leant in closer towards the Doctor.
“Doctor, King Tythe was deposed 30 years ago, it was all over the news. The planet was carved up into smaller nations by warlords; the warlord that gained control of Yalta is a spineless, feeble excuse for a man calling himself General Protector Paul.”
The Doctor sat back, a look of shock and surprise plastered on his face and stared deep into the fire, after a few minutes he looked up at Reuben again.
“I can’t believe it, Barnabas was such a strong character, who did you say was in control of this nation again?” the Doctor asked earnestly.
“A pitiful excuse for a man called Paul, nobody really knows why he hasn’t been overthrown, he seems to have his army and guards under tight control some how….” Reuben looked at the clock above the fireplace and stood up. “…listen Doctor, we can talk more about this in the morning but it’s getting quite late, do you mind if I go to bed?”
“Oh no, go right ahead, I’ll see you in the morning” The Doctor grinned stupidly at Reuben as he stomped up the stairs to bed, then the Doctor sat down and stared long and hard into the burning embers of the fire.
Outside, standing in the crisp, crunchy white snow, a figure stood robed and hooded all in black next to the TARDIS, all that could be seen of his features were his eyes, eyes that burned with a dark black intelligence.
“So Doctor, the first move is made by me you will find” His raspy voice changed to a chuckle as he turned to General Protector Paul. “Take the box to laboratory…now!”
Paul turned to a contingent of troops and barked a series of orders at them, they were soon heaving the TARDIS up the hill to the castle.