Return To "The Adventures Of Atrox And Company" (Doctor Who)
Peri watched the column at the center of the TARDIS Control Room as it rose and fell in rhythm to the almost silent hum of machinery. After everything that had happened to her the last few weeks, it was a welcome change of pace. She looked at the door leading to the interior of the TARDIS. Somewhere inside was the man known only as the Doctor. Before his regeneration, he had been a good friend that she trusted with even her life. Now she was not so sure anymore.
Besides his percular style of dress, the Doctor in his new body had eccentric and unpredictable behavior. She never knew what the Doctor was going to next. Still it was better that being on that horrible boat with her so-called friends. If she did not swim to shore on her own, who knows what they would have demanded from her in exchange for her own freedom.
The Doctor returned to the Control Room. His taste in clothing had not changed. Neither had his eccentric behavior.
"Have we reached our destination?" he asked.
Peri read the information, or at least as much of the information as she could understand.
"We should be there in a few minutes," she said. "You still haven’t told me where we’re going."
"It is a place you should enjoy," said the Doctor. "Friendly people in a pleasant environment-"
"Are we going to get attacked by some sort of monster?" groaned Peri.
"I certainly hope not," said the Doctor. "They have enough problems as it is."
Peri wondered what sort of planet they were going to land on and if it would be anything like Earth. As it turned out, it was Earth. The TARDIS scanners showed a small farm nearby filled with a wide variety of vegetables ready to be harvested. In the distance was a small house, large enough for a family but not much else. The Doctor went outside to take a look around. Peri followed.
"We are in the Untied States," said the Doctor. "Central Kentucky to be exact."
The Doctor put his finger in the air as if examining the wind.
"The year is 1933," he added. "The time of the Great Depression. "In 1929 the stock market collapsed. The devastating effects were felt worldwide."
"I already know all about the Great Depression," interrupted Peri to prevent the Doctor from continuing with another one of his lectures. "I’m not that stupid."
"Just wanted to make sure," said the Doctor.
He pointed to the house.
"These are the people I want you to see," he explained.
"Are they aliens?" said Peri.
"No, just some friends of mine," said the Doctor.
The two of them walked up to the house. Not knowing what to expect, Peri took a step back as the Doctor knocked loudly on the old wooden door. For a minute she was afraid the door might break. Footsteps could be heard approaching the door from several different directions. The door opened revealing a man and woman, both in their 30s, and a 5-year-old boy.
"Hello, I am the Doctor and this is my friend Peri," said the Doctor. "You may not recognize my face, but it is still me. Time Lords go through a process know as regeneration where we take on a completely different appearance."
"Ah, yes, the Doctor," said the man with a smile. "We remember you, or at least my wife and I do. I am Mark and this is my wife Tanya and my son Brian."
"Thank you for warning us about that strange meteor," said Tanya.
"Thank you for telling me what to find it," said the Doctor. "Without the two of you to help me, who knows what might have happened."
"What made you decide to return?" asked Mark.
"I was thinking," said the Doctor. "If you provide us a good home cooked meal, Peri and I could help you with the harvest. That is if Peri doesn’t mind."
"I don’t mind, Doctor," said Peri only half listening.
Brian was getting bored with the conversation and turned his attention to Peri.
"Hello," said Brian. "Would you like to see my new pet goldfish?"
This was a conversation Peri could understand.
"I would be glad to," said Peri.
Brian led Peri back to his room. It was empty except for a bed and a chest of drawers with a fishbowl on top. Inside the fishbowl was a single goldfish content to just swim around in circles. Brian got out the fish food and fed the fish.
"This is my pet goldfish," said Brian. "His name is Charlie."
"What do you remember about the Doctor?" asked Peri.
"Not much," said Brian. "I was only a baby when it happened."
"It seems nobody knows much about the Doctor," said Peri. "Not even his closest friends."
The two of them talked for about all sorts of things before Mark, Tanya, and the Doctor invited them back into the living room.
"Are you ready to help with the harvest?" asked the Doctor.
"Ready as I’ll ever be," said Peri.
"I can’t do much," said Brian. "but I’ll help."
The Doctor chuckled.
"We could use all the help we can get," he said.
Mark and the Doctor began looking over a blueprint of the farm while Peri and Brian had the more mundane job picking cucumbers. To keep themselves going, they counted each of the cucumbers outloud as they picked them. When she got to 300, Peri stopped and wiped the sweat off her forehead. The sun felt unusually hot for that time of year, but she guessed this was just because she had spent most of her time in the TARDIS. She looked over at Brian who was still picking cucumbers. He could not pick them as fast as she could, but that did not stop him from trying.
"Are you ready to take a break?" she asked.
"Good idea," said Brian.
After their break, they finished picking cucumbers and returned to the house to relax. Inside they could hear Tanya humming to herself as she prepared a full course meal for the five of them.
"Do you need any help?" said Peri.
"No thanks. I can manage. Just take care of Brian," she said.
About an hour later, Mark and the Doctor returned exhausted from their efforts.
"How did it go?" said Peri.
"The harvest is now complete," the Doctor assured her. "Not only do they have enough food for themselves, have plenty left over to give to their neighbors."
"We could not have done it without you," said Mark.
"All in a day’s work," said the Doctor.
The Doctor, Peri, and Brian seated themselves as the table as Mark and Tanya brought out the meal. For Earth food it was quite good. It did not compared to some of the food Peri had tasted on other planets, but there was something about a home cooked meal that made it seem extra special. Conversation varied from the Doctor’s adventures on other planets to Brian’s pet goldfish, but each was interested in what the other had to say.
Finally came the moment Peri had been dreading. It was time to go. She and the Doctor were needed elsewhere.
"Thank you for the meal. It was good," said Peri.
"You’re welcome," said Tanya. "Thank you for your help on the farm."
"Feel free to stop by whenever you feel like it," said Mark. "It is always good to see you."
"Likewise," said the Doctor. "It is always good to have friends no matter where you are."
They turned to leave.
"Good bye!" said Brian.
"Good bye!" said Peri.
They walked back to the TARDIS in silence. Peri thought over the events of the day. Even when he was not fighting monsters, the Doctor was always helping people and she was glad that she had a chance to help him. The two of them entered the TARDIS and the Doctor set the coordinates for another unknown destination.
"Did you enjoy yourself?" asked the Doctor.
"Yes," said Peri somewhat surprised. "Kept thinking something was going to happen."
"Something did happen," said the Doctor. "Not all my time is spent ridding the Universe of would be galactic dictators. I can always find time to do a small favor for one of my friends. Without small favors, it would be far easier for those would be dictators to get a grip on things. Where would you like to go next?"
Peri thought about it for awhile. Perhaps this new Doctor was not so bad after all.
Copyright 1999, Steve Lucky
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