Doctor Who: Changes in Time and Space Chapter 15: The Frontier (Part 1)
Chapter 15: The Frontier
8 May 1863
Bisonville, New Mexico, Contested between the United States of America and the Confederate States of America (currently in Union hands)
The TARDIS materialised outside the town.
“The Old West,” the Doctor said.
“That’s good. Haven’t been there for a while,” Felicia said.
“I have been there recently, but in Nevada in seven years time.”
“What happened?”
“You don’t want to know!” the Doctor snapped.
‘Must have been bad,’ Felicia thought. “Let’s go.”
The Doctor exited the TARDIS, followed by Felicia. He took out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it in the direction of the town. “No indications of anachronistic technology,” he said.
“That’s good,” Felicia said.
“There was anachronistic technology in Nevada,” the Doctor added. ‘Of course, there was more to that situation than the technology,’ he mused darkly. He hoped that the situation wouldn’t be similar.
“There was? Of what sort?”
“Electrics, that’s all you need to know.”
“You sure?”
“Of course I am.”
“Let’s go then,” Felicia encouraged.
“Of course.”
Bisonville was a typical Western town, with all the services usually in such a place. The Doctor and Felicia entered the Saloon. “Best place for news,” he said.
“I guess so,” Felicia said.
The Doctor walked up to the bar. “Hello, I’m the Doctor. Are there reports of unusual events lately?”
“Depends, what do you mean by ‘unusual’?” the bartender said.
“Something fantastical,” the Doctor said.
“Nothing unusual,” the bartender said.
The Doctor looked at the other patrons. One of them twitched and made a move for it. “No, I’m not a lawman, I’m just curious as to what has been going on,” he said.
The person continued to bolt, but found Felicia blocking the entrance. “He’s telling the truth,” Felicia said.
The person moved towards a window.
“I wouldn’t do that,” the Doctor said.
“He would,” the bartender said.
“Why?” the Doctor asked.
“Seems like the type,” the bartender replied.
The person reached the window and jumped through it. Felicia jumped through it after him.
“Great!” the Doctor said.
“I wouldn’t worry, Sweetie,” one of the patrons said.
The Doctor turned. That voice was very familiar. “River?”
“The one and only, Sweetie,” Doctor River Song said.
“Of course you are here. Where there’s one out of order companion, there is another.”
“Is that any way to refer to your wife? Wait; you said out of order?” River said, she took out her diary. “You’ll refer to this as ‘Felicia’s visit’.”
“So you know her name?”
“I know her name. But I haven’t met her yet.”
“Right,” the Doctor pondered.
“I’m not the only one here,” River said.
“What?”
“Hi, Doctor,” another patron said.
“Grefeaw Kra, of course.”
“Hi!”
“And Kellie too, great! But now we need to follow Felicia,” the Doctor said.
“Yes, Sweetie.”
“We also need to compare,” the Doctor said.
“Angels in Manhattan?” River asked sadly.
“Yes.”
“Victorian Clara Oswin Oswald?”
“Yes.”
“21st Century Clara Oswin Oswald?”
“No!”
“Relax. I didn’t specify when in the century you’ll find her.”
“That’s true,” the Doctor said. He then asked River questions about events that she had experienced.
Felicia followed the person as he ran down the alley away from the saloon. She was gaining. “Give up, I will catch up. Tell me what you know.”
“No, way. I have heard of the Doctor, death follows in his tracks,” the other person said.
“That’s not what happens. Death doesn’t follow in his tracks. He stops the situations getting worse.”
“That’s what he wants you to believe.”
“Don’t worry, Felicia. I’m here,” the Doctor said. Having answered each other’s questions, he and River had followed Felicia.
“Get away, you Oncoming Storm,” the suspicious fellow said as he drew a gun from his gun belt.
“What did you call me? That’s what the Daleks used to call me.”
“They’re not the only ones.”
The Doctor sighed.
After the Doctor left, Kellie looked around the Saloon. Most of the patrons were keeping to themselves. She turned to the bartender. “What do you know of the person who ran away?” she asked.
“Nothing, really,” the bartender said as he cleaned a glass. “He only came into town a couple of months ago. He always kept to himself.”
“Did he hang around anyone?” Kellie asked.
“Only one or two, but they have left within the last week,” the bartender said.
“OK,” Kellie said, wondering what to ask next.
“There’s someone still in town though.”
“Who?” Grefeaw Kra asked.
“He keeps to himself. The only name I’ve ever heard was Alemat.”
“That sounds strange,” Grefeaw Kra remarked.
“Do you know where this Alemat is staying?” Kellie asked.
“In a boarding house on the edge of town,” the bartender replied.
“Thanks,” Grefeaw Kra said. She turned to Kellie. “We should check that out.”
“We should wait for River and the Doctor,” Kellie stated.
“We don’t need to,” Grefeaw Kra said.
Kellie sighed. “I’ll stay here,” she said.
After getting the directions from the bartender, Grefeaw Kra left the saloon and quickly entered a nearby alley...
“They’re not the only ones,” the suspicious fellow said.
The Doctor sighed.
“What are you up to?” Felicia asked.
“Not answering you. Not if you travel with him.”
“This is getting nowhere!” Felicia said.
“Then, I’ll take you to the Sherriff,” the Doctor decided.
“I still won’t say anything!”
Ten minutes later, there was a commotion in the Sherriff’s office.
“Has this man done anything wrong?” the Sherriff asked.
“Nothing,” Felicia admitted.
“I thought you could ask him what he’s doing in this town,” the Doctor said.
“Has he done anything wrong?” the Sherriff asked again.
“Nothing we know of,” River said.
“You’re free to go,” the Sherriff said to the person.
“Good bye!” the man said as he left the Sherriff’s office.
The Doctor turned to the Sherriff. “Any strange occurrences happening here.”
“Depends on what you mean by ‘strange’. We have had Southern spies, but not recently.”
“No, things that seem fantastical,” the Doctor clarified.
“I’ve heard rumors, but nothing substantive,” the Sherriff said.
“Thanks for your time,” Felicia said.
“However, do not drag in residents of this town without a reason again!” the Sherriff said.
“I will find a reason,” the Doctor said.
“It would have to be good,” the Sherrif rejoined, as the Doctor turned.
“Come, let’s investigate this town,” the Doctor said to River and Felicia.
...First Person - Grefew Kra...
I arrived at the boarding house on the edge of town, and entered the building. I then started searching the building in a methodical manner...
After twenty minutes, I found a room which contained things that were out of place. ‘If only the Doctor was here,’ I thought. ‘He would make sense of it.’ I took out my mini-tablet and took some images...
...Back to Third Person...
The Doctor, Felicia and River returned to the Saloon. “Kellie is still here, but Grefrew Kra isn’t,” the Doctor noted.
“Grefrew Kra is quite resourceful,” River said.
“I know. Sometimes too resourceful,” the Doctor added.
“Doctor?” Felicia asked.
“Get’s into trouble.”
“Like a lot of others, I imagine,” Felicia said.
The Doctor paused, and looked at Felicia. “She has you there,” River said.
The Doctor pointed to the bar, where Kellie was waiting. “Right, let’s fill Kellie in.”
“So this is Felicia?” Kellie asked as Felicia sat down.
“That’s me,” Felicia answered.
“How did you get here again?” Kellie asked.
“Anomalies in the TARDIS,” the Doctor answered.
“She normally travels with a later Doctor,” River added.
“Right,” Kellie said.
“And now, I can’t find her, or her other companions,” Felicia said.
“Doesn’t it seem strange that the Doctor usually finds his companions in Britain?” Kellie asked.
“I guess that has been where he’s been the most needed,” Felicia said.
“The stories seem to gravitate around there, I agree, but there are also other stories from other parts of Europe, here in America and in various parts of Asia.”
“I’m sure there are stories from elsewhere too.”
“There are but they don’t become obvious until after this point in time.”
“Right.”
“Enough of that digression, why do you think most companions are ‘Brits’.”
“I have no idea, sure I’m from East Anglia,” Felicia said, she lowered her voice so that the Doctor wouldn’t hear what she said next. “...And one of the next Doctor’s companions is, or will be, from Devon, as an example, but he also has non-British companions. One of my fellow companions is from Iceland, and one of the next Doc’s is from a planet called Tyria.”
“Very few aren’t from Britain, most are.”
“I have to think about it,” Felicia said.
Felicia was still pondering Kellie’s hypothesis when Grefew Kra re-entered the Saloon. ‘I guess something’s been found,’ she thought, unsure of what pronoun to use for Grefew Kra...
“Doctor,” Grefew Kra said.
“What have you found?” he asked.
Grefew Kra gave their mini-tablet to the Doctor, after ensuring that the screen was showing the images taken earlier in the boarding house. “Interesting. These definitely show that there are anachronistic objects in that boarding house.”
“Anachronistic objects? What kind?” Felicia asked.
“Electronics,” Grefew Kra answered.
“Anything else?” Felicia asked.
“Teddy bears,” Grefew Kra answered.
“Teddy bears?” Felicia pondered. That seemed innocuous, but she knew that they wouldn’t be until after the first Roosevelt’s Presidency of the United States.
“Not that strange,” Grefew Kra said.
“Not at all.”
“There are some things that aren’t so innocuous,” the Doctor said.
“There are?” Felicia asked.
“Yes. I found several copies of Mao’s Little Red Book. If that got out, it could seriously alter the timeline,” the Doctor said.
The others all agreed with that assessment. “We need to investigate further,” Kellie said.
“Of course,” the Doctor said. “But very carefully.”
“Since when are you careful?” River asked.