Double Back

Unfulfilled Promises

Unfulfilled Promises

Suddenly the TARDIS landed with a thump.  Althadyra opened the screen to see where they had landed.  Nancy furrowed her brow.  This wasn’t Grimstone Inc.  Just an ordinary suburban house.  Why did her mother look pensive and worried?  Tegan and Turlough felt that this was rather an anticlimax; an ordinary house, after briefly standing on a planet with pink Cacti, did not hold any excitement factor for either of them.  Victor Junior, as he was now known, stood as near to Nancy as he could, edging slightly away as his eye caught The Master’s scowl.  Victor Senior noticed, smirking slightly as he found the situation ironic.  The Master had created this girl just to get back at the Doctor but had developed very fatherly emotions regarding her instead and, in some way, brought him and the Doctor closer together.  Tegan grabbed hold of her husband’s hand.  

“Oh well,” Althadyra proclaimed shrugging  her shoulders with a deep sigh.  “I guess HE knows what HE’S doing.  I did say to take me to family after all,” she turned her head so she could look at Nancy, “prepare yourself, sweetheart.  You are about to meet your grandmother!”

Gulping Nancy nodded.  The Master’s flickering spectral eyes widened: “You mean we are at …”

Nodding, Althadyra clutched onto the console unit: “Yes,” keep control, she thought, we do not want to scare my mother.   “We are in Perivale, where I grew up and where you and I first met!”

“Shame I had not met you sooner,” The Master sighed.  “I would have made sure you knew who you were.  Would not have kept it from you the way The Doctor did!” and imagine how many worlds I would have conquered if I had your loyalty and nitro-9 back then, he sighed again at the wasted opportunity.  Quickly Tegan glanced at The Master, she did not like the way his lips curled…

“He had his reasons,” Althadyra mumbled.  “Eventually, when he knew I could have emotionally taken it, he would have told me.”

The Master arched an eyebrow, as if to say that he doubted it very much.  Nancy rubbed her mother’s back: “Come on, then,” she tapped the consul unit with her other hand.  “Who knows, perhaps you have some nitro-9 left in there!”

Althadyra’s eyes lit up: “Wicked!” she purred as she stroked the TARDIS console desk.  There was something about the way she was that made everyone afraid.  Her teeth looked pointy.  The Master wished he was fleshly, for he was the only one who revelled in the way Althadyra held that cat like posture.

Squaring her shoulders, taking a deep inward and outward breath, Althadyra pressed the lever down to open the door.  “Best we do this slowly,” she said.  “Nancy and I first.  After a few moments the Turlough family can come.  Edward; Tremas.  I feel it would be awkward to explain you two to my mother so please stay in the TARDIS.”

“As you wish, my Lady!” Tremas bowed.

Sycophant, The Master growled inwardly.  “Whatever you want, darling,” Edward said out loud, looking smug that he was allowed to call her that now.

Shaking her head but blushing Althadyra also began to wish her Edward was flesh once again though she did understand and sympathise with Tremas reason not to merge with Edward.  This was probably his last chance to see his daughter Nyssa with his very own eyes.  Now she was a mother she understood Tremas.  This man was essentially a ghost inhabited by another ghost which made the spectral, real.  What she had gathered with the little nuts of information that she had been given about Nyssa she would also like to see her father’s twinkling eyes and benevolent smile again.  If only for some closure, the chance to say goodbye.

Nancy took her mother’s hand and led her out of the TARDIS … interesting, disguised itself as a postbox this time.  A car drove around the corner causing Nancy to step backwards AND push her mother back.  She had not become Gallifreyan yet!  They crossed the road and, with hearts fluttering in her belly, Nancy led her mother down the path.  The door opened before Nancy could even knock or ring the doorbell.