Dean flew the fighter in-between the other two ships and they moved closer together, so close that Susan could see both Nola and Cherry in their cockpits. Both girls waved at Susan who nervously smiled back.
'Experts you see.' said Dean, twisting the fighter through a gap between the other ships.
'Very impressive.' mumbled Susan, holding her stomach.
Dean laughed again.
'So you think you might want to be a Space Rat?'
'I don’t know.'
'If you do.' Dean said, 'I’d get a nice commission if you sign up before the end of the month.'
The Doctor sat on the edge of a row of padded seats, glancing around the interior of the Zolan ship. Kobeck emerged from the rear carrying two cups and a plate with thick, doughy pastries on it.
'Where are you head-ing to?' asked Kobeck, handing the Doctor a cup and settling himself down in front of him. 'Oh Chom cake?' he added before the Doctor could reply.
'Erm, well, I have just eaten but these do look most agreeable, thank you.' said the Doctor, taking a cake from the plate.
'It’s o-kay. So where are you head-ing for?'
'Heading?'
'Your des-tin-ation.'
'We have no destination.'
'You’re not go-ing any-where?'
'Nowhere particular.' replied the Doctor. 'We’re, we’re rather, erm, we’re just travellers.' he explained. The Doctor took a bite of the cake. It was sweet and chewy with a pale cream in its centre. 'Mmm. This is rather good.'
'Yea, my cus-tom-ers like them.'
'Ah yes. I feel I must once again apologise for my early remarks.'
'Hey, don’t wor-ry.'
'Fine, fine. You have been most kind, most kind.'
'That’s what I do. You’re a Doc-tor!'
'Well, Yes. A Doctor of many things.'
'That must be hand-y'
'It can be, although you’re the one who seems to be rather handy.' retorted the Doctor, looking at the Kobeck’s many hands. Kobeck laughed.
A static computerised voice echoed around the station. 'Will the Doctor, please report to Reception, will the Doctor please report to Reception.'
'That’s you!'
'Hmm?' asked the Doctor who was staring at the tealeaves at the bottom of his cup.
'You’ve just been called for over the public address system.'
'I have? Are you sure they weren’t calling for a Doctor?'
'No they said the Doc-tor.'
And as if on cue the call was again repeated. 'Will the Doctor, please report to Reception, will the Doctor please report to Reception.'
'Must be ur-gent.' said Kobeck.
'But no one knows I’m here.' mused the Doctor. 'Most strange. Erm where is the reception please, my dear fellow?'
'Oh, I’ll show you.'
The Doctor followed Kobeck out from his ship and they made their way across that level’s concourse and to one of the many express lifts. The Doctor gave a disapproving look as he found himself pushed up against the side of the metal box as Kobeck’s flailing limbs protruded into him.
'Gosh, these lifts are a lit-tle on the cram-ped side.'
'Indeed.' mumbled the Doctor. 'I wonder what they, whoever they are, want.'
'Well we’ll soon find out. Lev-el one here we come, you might want to hang on to the rail, Doc, these things hurt-le!'
'Very well,' replied the Doctor, aggrieved at Kobeck’s over familiar abbreviation of his name.
The metal box did indeed plunge down at speed towards level one; in fact it took less than a minute to pass through three hundred or so levels and reach the first floor of the station.
They stepped out of the lift and the Doctor needed to place a hand on Kobeck’s shoulder to steady himself.
'Oh excuse me. Rather unsettling that contraption.'
'It’s ok, you get use-d to it.' shrugged Kobeck. 'Come on this way.'
As they approached the large semi-circled reception manned by a large fur-covered individual the Doctor noticed a hooded figure clinging to the desk.
'This is the Doctor.' said Kobeck, nodding towards the Doctor.
'This person requested you.' huffed the giant pointing at the cloaked figure.
The Doctor moved around. 'Can I assist you?' he asked. The figure started to move towards the Doctor using the desk to support itself.
'Come along, I’m a busy man.' said the Doctor as he watched the shape move itself around to face him.
It whispered something, barely audible.
'Pardon?' enquired the Doctor, tilting his head forward so he could hear.
'Grandfather.' it breathed, before falling into his arms.
'Susan?' replied the Doctor in dismay as he took the weight of the figure and lowered it to the ground. As it lay on the metal floor he removed the black hood that covered the face.
It was Susan, but she was now her Grandfather’s age if not older. Her face was wrinkled, deep lines set into her once soft features and her hair was now as white as snow.
'Susan, Susan.' pleaded the Doctor.
His Granddaughter’s eyes flicked open.
'Grandfather, I’m, I’m…'
'Yes, yes, take it easy, my dear.'
'I don’t un-der-stan-d,' mused Kobeck, 'we did-n’t see them come back. Have the Space Rats re-turned?' he asked the receptionist.
'No,' the receptionist replied, 'they’re not back.'
'What happened, Susan, Susan?' asked the Doctor, as he stared helplessly into
his relative’s eyes.
'Space Rats,' she murmured.
'Yes, I know. But how did this happen?' he asked, his desperation cracking his usual hardened emotions as a tear escaped from an eye.
'I’m so sorry Grandfather,' she exhaled, 'I’ve been waiting so long.' Susan raised her time-withered hand towards her Grandfather’s face. 'I love you.' She almost incomprehensibly uttered before losing her last breath.
Chapter Three
Paramedics, called by the hairy beast on the desk, quickly arrived at the scene. But Susan was dead: there was nothing they could do to cure old age.
The Doctor looked away, his eyes wide in total disbelief. He stared out through the glass wall into space.
'Are you o-kay?' Kobeck asked, his tentative question breaking the silence.
'Far from it.' came the hushed, controlled reply.
The Doctor seemed, and indeed was, completely detached from the proceedings as Susan’s body was removed from the reception. Kobeck wasn’t sure if the Doctor was in denial or shock, he just stood motionless, with one fixed look of horror across his face.
'Doc-tor they are tak-ing her to the med-ic-al u-nit.'
Finally the Doctor showed a modicum of recognition in the form of a brief nod.
'How did this happen?' asked Kobeck, scratching an extremity on his body with his third right hand. "She was only gone a few minutes right?
Kobeck’s comment sparked the Doctor’s interest and instantly thoughts and ideas started to formulate.
'I just don’t un-der-stand,' mused Kobeck shuffling away.
'Young man,' announced the Doctor.
'Yes?'
'We must take your craft and track the Space Rats.'
'But…'
'If a monetary recompense is what you require I shall be more than happy to oblige on our return but time, yes time! Is of the essence.'