THE MAN WHO FORGETS, doctor who [book 02]

ix. day of the byzantium crash

     Violet's fingers hover above the glass, itching to trace the circular writing. "The writing, the graffiti. Old High Gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords."

     The Doctor smiles. "There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple gods."

     "What does it say?" Amy asks, slightly more interested now that she's learning something about both the Doctor and Violet.

     ""Hello, sweetie.""

     Violet pulls one of her blasters free of its holder and adjusts the function before clicking the trigger in once, a brilliant purple flame shooting out from the muzzle, a smile bordering on insanity coming to life on her face. The Doctor grins as his wife melts the glass around the Home Box, leaving a melted ring of cooling glass as an alarm sounds and guards start chasing the odd trio back to the TARDIS.

     "Why are we doing this?" Amy asks.

     "Because someone on a spaceship twelve thousand years ago is trying to attract our attention," the Doctor explains in an ecstatic jumble of words, plugging cords and wires into the box. "Let's see if we can get the security playback working."

     The playback shows River winking at the camera.

     "The party's over, Doctor Song," a man says. "Yet still you're on board."

     "Sorry, Alistair. I needed to see what was in your vault," the bushy-haired blonde with Time Lord DNA says with a nonchalant shrug. "Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something: this ship won't reach its destination."

     "Wait till she runs. Don't make it look like an execution."

     "Triple seven five slash three four nine by ten, zero twelve slash acorn. Oh, and I could do with an air corridor."

     Violet and the Doctor quickly input the coordinates.

     "What was that?" Amy asks, thoroughly confused. "What did she say?"

     "Coordinates," the Doctor says with a smile.

     "Like I said on the dance floor," River says to Alistair. "You might want to find something to hang on to."

     Violet notes that River is standing in front of an airlock and, once the blonde blows a kiss, the door slides open a moment later, leaving Alistair and his guards hanging onto rails. River is sucked out, backwards, her sparkling black dress reflecting distant starlight and making her look like a goddess reborn from the stars themselves. The TARDIS materialises in her flight path only a few seconds after the airlock opens, Violet and the Doctor opening the door, holding out their hands and River Song sailing into the blue box. Her sudden weight sends the married trio tumbling to the TARDIS floor, the blonde woman landing mostly on top of her husband.

     "Doctor?" Amy calls in disbelief. "Violet?"

     "River?" the Doctor asks, inviting her to explain.

     River stands, dragging the Doctor and Violet up with her. "Follow that ship."

     And follow the starliner they do, no matter how the TARDIS seems to struggle following the spaceship. Violet laughs as her wife and her husband bicker back and forth the whole while, Amy holding on for dear life as they're all almost thrown away from the console, the blue box making its own beeping sounds of delight and amusement at their current predicament.

     "They've gone into warp drive," River curses. "We're losing them. Stay close."

     "I'm trying," the Doctor retorts.