Doctor Who - Legacy of the Doctor - Part 1
Legacy of the Doctor I: Deep Breath
London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
3 September 1893
A gigantic female Tyrannosaurus rex was walking in the Thames near Westminster. Police were holding back the crowds.
“Madame Vastra. Thank goodness. I'd wager you haven't seen anything like this before,” Police Detective Gregson said.
The Great Detective, Madame Vastra, had in fact seen something like it before. She took off her veil. “Well, not since I was a little girl,” she said.
“Big Fellow isn't he?” her maid/wife, Jenny Flint asked.
“Dinosaurs were mostly this size. I do believe it is a she,” Vastra said.
“No, they were'nt. I've seen fossils,” Jenny objected.
“I was there,” Vastra pointed out.
“Well, that is well and good, but what is this dinosaur fellow doing in the Thames?” Gregson asked.
The crowd screamed, as the Dinosaur approached them.
“It must have time travelled,” Vastra surmised.
Jenny began to scan the T. Rex with a scanning divice in her glove.
“Time travelled?” Gregson asked, confused.
The T. Rex began to make a choking sound.
“Is it choking?” Jenny asked.
“I don't know, perhaps it was something she ate.”
The T. Rex then coughed up the TARDIS, which then landed on the riverbank.
“Stand back, stand back, stand back,” Gregson ordered. He pushed his way to a better vantage point. “Well, it's just laid an egg.”
Vastra looked at him askance. “It's dropped a blue box marked 'Police' out of it's mouth. Your grasp of Biology, it troubles me.”
“It's the TARDIS,” Jenny pointed out.
“It would seem so,” Vastra said. “We'll take care of this, Inspector.”
“But what if that thing goes on the rampage?” Gregson asked.
Vastra handed him some devices. “Place these lanterns on the embankment and the bridges, encircling the creature at twenty foot intervals.”
“What will they do?” Gregson asked.
“They will emit a signal that will incline it to remain within their circumference,” Vastra answered. She turned to her fellow investigators. “Jenny, Strax, with me.”
“So, it's him then, the Doctor?” Jenny asked as they approached the TARDIS.
“A giant dinosaur from the past has just vomited up a blue box from outer space. This is not a day for jumping to conclusions,” Vastra responded. She turned to Strax. “Strax if you wouldn't mind.”
Strax knocked on the TARDIS door. “Hello? Exit the box and surrender to the glory of the Sontarran Empire.
A young brunette woman, wearing a hospital gown, opened the door, letting out smoke. “Oi! Be Quiet!” she said. She closed the door again.
“Boy?” Strax asked. That woman looked familiar.
The door opened again. “I was being chased by a giant dinosaur, but I think I gave it the slip,” she said before closing the door and opening it again. “Sleepy?” she asked quietly.
“Sir?” Strax asked, confused.
“That's not right,” the woman said. “Who are you?”
Another woman, who looked very similar to the first, but wearing a black fitted jacket and tartan mini-kilt exited the TARDIS.
“This is...” the first woman said, pausing. “Clara/”
“Hi. you know, me, Clara,” Clara Oswald said.
The dinosaur roared.
“Oh, you have a dinosaur too...” the first woman said excitedly.
“Susan! You need to calm down,” Clara said.
“Oh, we're back in London? How disappointing,” Susan said. She then fainted.
Jenny was confused. “I don't understand. Who's she? Where's the Doctor?”
Clara started tearing up. “The Doctor perished, on Trenzalore. This is his granddaughter, Susan.”
“Well, here we go again,” Vastra said.
Later they were trying to get Susan to go to sleep. “Susan, you need to lie down, since we arrived here, you've been falling asleep,” Clara said, as she tried to put Susan into the bed.
“Sleep! How can I, when there's a dinosaur in Victorian London.” Susan objected.
“You can't help with it if you keep fainting,” Vastra said.
“But I'm awake again fairly quickly.”
“I can fix that,” Vastra said as she placed her hands on Susan's temples/
“You want to link with me?” Susan asked. I'd hit you like a harpsicord!”
“Then be gentle,” Vastra said
“Here it is, the harpsicord!” Susan said, she then fell asleep.
“There. She'll get a good rest,” Vastra said. She stood up. “Tuck her in, Jenny.”
“Yes, Ma'am,” Jenny said as Vastra left the room.
Soon...
“...And then?” Vastra asked. She was wearing her veil.
She and Clara were in her chamber. “And then I managed to get the TARDIS to leave Trenzalore. You know how!”
“Assume that I don't,” Vastra directed.
“Echoes from those other me's!” Clara projected. “One of them was a Time Lady.”
“I see,” Vastra prompted.
“Why are you wearing a veil?” Clara asked.
Vastra took note of the question, but didn't answer it. “And then?”
“And then I met Susan. We got introduced and re-entered the TARDIS. Which when she did the same thing the Doctor could and changed.” Clara then paused.
“Go on,” Vastra prompted.
“She changed to look and sound like me! It's more than a bit creepy. Then we were crashing and ran into the dinosaur.” Clara teared up.
“You miss the Doctor.”
Shedding more tears, Clara said. “Of course I do!”
“How do you know he is dead?”
“The timestream was there!”
“The timestream was there for you to jump into,” Vastra stated. “Was he dead then?” she asked, trying to get Clara to think outside the box.
“No!” Clara answered.
“Then how do you know that he's dead?” Vastra asked again.
“Tasha said that we had arrived too late. The Daleks were also 'making good' on their conquest of Trenzalore.”
“You certainly believe he is dead,” Vastra said sadly. “Back to Susan. You asked her why she regenerated to look like you?”
“I asked her. She simply said that Time Ladies have the ability and that she choose to use it with me.”
“And you don't like it that she did?” Vastra asked.
“More than a bit creepy,” Clara commented.
“Maybe she didn't do it consciously?” Vastra asked.
“What?” Clara asked.
“It could have been a reflex,” Vastra suggested.
“That's some reflex,” Clara stated.
“Clarify.”
“I don't think it would be a reflex,” Clara responded.
“Tell me again about how you met her.”
“Why?” Clara asked.
“It may be important,” Vastra pointed out.
“I had managed to leave Trenzalore and landed in a hospital room in the early 24th Century. Susan was a patient there. It seemed that she had been for some time.
“She must have been lonely. Who knows how long she would have been there before you arrived.”
“I have no idea,” Clara said while she thought about what Vastra had just said.
“She regenerated to look like you for a reason. I guess it has to do with familiarity,” Vastra suggested.
“Familiarity?” Clara asked, confused.
“Giving a familiar face,” Vastra clarified. “What is more familiar than your own? Are you judging her based on her choice?”
“No!” Clara objected.
“Think about it,” Vastra directed.
Clara took a few moments to think before saying; “She didn't need to look like me to be accepted by me!”
“True, but she choose to look like you regardless.”
“Are you saying I need to accept that she now looks like me?”
“Are you putting words in my mouth?”
“Is that what you are saying?” Clara asked.
“Yes,” Vastra answered.
“How dare you. How dare you!”
Meanwhile in the bedroom, Susan was awake and writing on the floorboards. She then heard the dinosaur roar in the distance. She decided to go and investigate. She went to the door. “Not this way. I'd be boring,” she said. She went to the window. “Across the rooftops of London. Is there any other way?” she said as she exited through the window.
“I'm not afraid because of Susan looking like me!” Clara objected.
Jenny clapped her hands. “Whoo Whoo!” She noticed Clara and Vastra looking at her. “Sorry.”
“Well, goodness me. The lake is ruffled at last. I often wondered what you'd be like when you lost your temper,” Vastra said.
“Oi. Married!” Jenny interjected.
“Susan needs us, you more than anyone. She's lost in the ruin of herself, and we must bring her home,” Vastra said.
Clara noticed something. “When did you stop wearing your veil?
“When you stopped seeing it.”
Meanwhile, Susan was making her away from Paternoster Row towards the river, effortlessly leaping across the streets. She soon saw the dinosaur clearly. “Rexie?” she asked. “I may call you Rexxie, right?” Sorry. It's all my fault. My time machine got stuck in your throat. It happens. You were brought along by accident. I will get you home,” she called out.
However, the promise was to go unfulfilled, as suddenly, the dinosaur burst into flames!
“What! No!” Susan said in shock.
The dinosaur's death throws were heard throughout that area of London, including in Paternoster Row.
“That came from the river,” Vastra realised.
“The Dinosaur,” Jenny pointed out.
Vastra called out. “Strax! Bring the carriage now!”
Soon they were on their way. “What do you think has happened?” Jenny asked.
“I don't know,” Vastra answered. “But I fear devilment.”
“Should we not have told Susan?” Clara asked.
“She's not ready to leave her bed,” Jenny answered.
Susan arrived at the river. She looked at the dinosaur's remains mournfully. “I'm very sorry!” she said.
Vastra's carriage then pulled up, and the ladies got out. “Susan!” Jenny called out.
“What's she doing here?” Clara asked as Vastra secured the carriage with a remote control.
“It seems that she's inherited her sense for trouble from her grandfather. Where else would she be?” Vastra stated/
“She was scared. She was scared and alone. I brought her here and look at what they did.” Susan said mournfully.
“Who or what could have done this thing?” Vastra asked.
“I don't think that is how we start,” Susan said.
“The question is how. The flesh itself has been combusted,” Strax put in.
“That's still not the question!”
“Then, what is the question, Susan?” Clara asked.
“A dinosaur, burning in the heart of London. All that is left is smoke and flame. The question is: ave their been any similar murders?”
Vastra realised something. “Yes, yes, by the goddess, there have.”
Then there was a splash as Susan jumped into the river. “She'll drown!” Clara called out.
“I very much doubt it,” Vastra objected.
“Why?”
“There has been a murder. Susan has taken up the case. If we are to see her again, we must do the same.”
London, 4 September 1893
Shortly after waking, Clara heard Strax in the yard. She went to the window. “Strax!”
“Ah! Morning, Miss Clara. You're awake at last,” Strax remarked.
Clara could see that the TARDIS had been brought to the courtyard. “You got the TARDIS then?”
“Military Tactics. Susan is still missing, but she will come back for her grandfather's box. By bringing it here, she'll be lured from the dangers of London to this place of safety. And then we'll melt her with acid!”
“Okay, that last part?”
“And we will not melt her with acid. Old habit,” Strax said. He lifted the copy of the Times he was carrying. “The Times, shall I send it up.”
“Why not?” Clara asked.
Shortly afterwards, Clara entered Vastra's palour, paper in hand.
“Clara, excellent. Pop your clothes on that chair over there,” Vastra directed.
Clara wouldn't have any of that. “Look,” she said, holding the paper up.
“Advertisements, yes. It is a distressing modern trend,” Vastra opined.
“No. Look, look,” Clara said, pointing to a specific advertisement.
Impossible Girl: Lunch on the Other side.
Vastra looked.
“Ma'am?” Jenny asked.
“The game is afott. We're going to need a lot of tea.”
A while later, Vastra had found nothing of significance in the rest of the newspaper, not even in the agony column.
“The thing is, I haven't told Susan about the incident with the Timestream,” Clara explained.
“I see,” Vastra observed.
“So, it can't be her...” Clara began.
Vastra pondered. “Unless...”
Clara apprehensively asked. “Unless, what?”
“She has found out about it elsewhere in London,” Vastra deduced.
“Maybe,” Clara said. She pondered the paper. On a hunch she turned over the back of the page with the 'Impossible Girl' ad.
“You've found something?” Jenny asked.
“A restaurant,” Clara said, turning the paper over.
Mancini's Family Restaurant, best Dinner in London.
“It could be a trap,” Vastra warned.
“It's worth the risk,” Clara opined.
“It certainly is. Which is why, we'll cover out front while you go in,” Vastra said.
Clara nodded.
Clara entered the restaurant. She looked around and found Susan near the back. She sat with her and sniffed.
“What's wrong?” Susan asked.
“I don't know, maybe the smell?” Clara pondered.
“It's everywhere,” Susan said.
Clara noticed that Susan was wearing an old threadbare coat. “Where did you get that coat?”
“I bought it,” Susan answered.
"From where?" Clara asked.
“From a tramp,” Susan answered. “I exchanged my hospital id card for it. The holographics should keep him entertained for a while.”
“Are you sure that was wise?” Clara asked.
“What?”
“Giving a tramp a piece of advanced technology from the future,” Clara clarified.
“It'll be harmless,” Susan said. “At worst, it'll just confuse from archaeologists.
“Right.”
There was then an uneasy pause.
"How did you know I was here?" Susan asked.
"How did you know I am the Impossible Girl?"
“What do you mean 'Impossible Girl?'”
“Answer mine first,” Susan directed.
“Sure,” Clara said. “I guessed from the ad in the paper.”
“What ad?” Susan asked in confusion. “And what does impossiblility have to do with it?”
“You placed an ad in the Times for the Impossible Girl to meet here at this restaurant.”
“I haven't placed an ad. I haven;t had time to place an ad in today's Times. And what do you mean, 'Impossible Girl'?
“I'll explain later. But first, why are you here at this restaurant, if not to met up?” Clara asked.
“I noticed something very strange,” Susan explained. “Look around.”
Clara looked around, trying to be discrete.”It doesn't seem unusual.” Susan plucked a hair from her head. “Why did you do that for?”
“You wouldn't want me to take one of yours,” Susan answered.
“I guess not,” Clara said.
“I'm trying to measure the air disturbance in this room,” Susan explained. She held the hair at table level and let it go. It fell slowly downwards. “Something is very wrong with everyone else in this room.”
Clara looked around. “They look fine. They are all eating.”
“Are they?” Susan asked.
Clara looked again. She saw that a soup spoon is repeatedly brought to the mouth and lowered again, still full. Knives and forks rose and fell over plates. She turned back to Susan. “Okay, no they're not eating.”
“There is something else they're not doing!” Susan said.
“What?”
“Eating.”
“So what do we do?” Clara asked.
“How long can you hold your breath?”
“We could just casually stroll out of here, like we changed our minds,” Clara suggested.
“I'm sure it happens all the time,” Susan reasoned.
“Of course it does,” Clara added.
However, as soon as they had stood up, all the robots also stood up! “That may not work,” Susan considered. They both took a step. The robots moved towards them.
“We could have another look at the menu,” Clara suggested. They sat down again and the robotic diners returned to their tables. “What are they?”
“I have no idea,” Susan answered. “But that is not the question. The real question is; what is this restaurant?”
“Okay, what is this restaurant?” Clara asked.
“I have no idea!”
A waiter arrived at the table.
“No sauerkraut!” Susan said. “Do you have some? There aren't any pictures! Is there a children's menu?”
The waiter shone a green light at Susan from the end of his pencil.
“You have specials don't you?” Susan continued.
“Liver,” the waiter said.
“Liver,” Susan considered. “I don't think I like it.”
“Spleen, Brain Stem, Eyes,” the waiter continued.
Clara wondered. “Hmm, Is there a lot of demand for those?”
“I'm sure that's not what is on the the menu. We are what is on the menu!”
“...Lungs, Skin,” the waiter continued. Susan reached up and ripped skin from the waiter's face, revealing a metal mesh with a frame behind it.
“Okay. Robot in a mask,” Clara remarked.
“It is a face,” Susan pointed out.
“Yeah. It's very convincing,” Clara said.
“Look closer,” Susan said, Clara looked closer. “It's an actual face.”
“Oh!” Clara called out in alarm. She threw it down.
“Yes,” the now half faced waiter said.
“Yes, what?” Susan asked.
“Yes, we have a children's menu.” Arms came out of the bench and grabbed onto then. The bench began to descend to a lower level.
“This is admirable efficiency,” Susan said.
“I don't admire it,” Clara said.