Purple Vortex [II]

The Shakespeare Code Pt1:

Martha was clinging on the console of the Tardis along with Astro as the ship buckled and the Doctor and Galaxy were busy working away around the console, neither of them losing their balance.

"But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?" Martha asked the pair. "Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight." The Doctor said as the Tardis came to a stop and Martha ended up falling to the ground. "Bimey. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?"

"You do, the Doctor though failed his." Astro said as Galaxy helped Martha up. "Now, make the most of it. We promised you one trip, and one trip only. Outside this door, brave new world." The Doctor said as they walked to the doors. "Where are we?" Martha asked. "Why don't you take a look?" Galaxy suggested and Martha did and opened the doors.

They were in the middle of a city that had no sign of modernisation, instead there was washing hanging on lines between the buildings, people going about their evenings and scruffy urchins running around.

"Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it. We travelled in time." Martha gasped as she looked around, "Where are we? No, sorry. I got to get used to this whole new language. When are we?" She asked. "Mind out." The Doctor said and Astro pulled Martha back just in time to avoid getting hit by whatever the man emptied from his slop bucket. "Gardez l'eau!"

"Somewhere between the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that." Galaxy said. "I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift A&E. But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?" Martha asked them. "Of course we can. Why do you ask?" The Doctor asked. "It's like in the films. You step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race."

"Then I think you shouldn't step on any butterflies." Astro remarked with a smirk. "What if, I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?" Martha asked them. "Are you planning to?" Galaxy asked her. "No." She said. "There you go then." She said, smirking slightly. "And this is London?" Martha asked. "I think so. Round about 1599." The Doctor said.

"Oh, but hold on. Am I, all right? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?" Martha asked worried that could happen. "Why would they do that?" The Doctor asked and she and Galaxy looked at him, even she understood Martha's worry. "Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed."

"Do what I do and walk like you own the place." Galaxy told her, grinning, "Elizabethan England isn't so different to your time. There's recycling for one thing." She carried on, nodding to a man shovelling horse manure into a bucket. "Water cooler moment." The Doctor added, pointing to two men talking at a water barrel.

"And the world will be consumed by fire." A preacher said as they passed. "Global warming. Oh yes, and entertainment. Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark, right next to..." The Doctor said before running off which had the others follow.

They ran along the south end of old London Bridge, past St Mary Overie, Southwark Cathedral and soon came into the view of...

"Oh, yes, the Globe Theatre! Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetradecagon. Fourteen sides. Containing the man himself." The Doctor said. "Whoa, you don't mean. Is Shakespeare in there?" Martha asked. "Yep. Miss Jones, will you accompany us to the theatre?" Galaxy asked her.

"I will." She said and with a smile. "When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare." The Doctor told her. "Then I could get sectioned." She said and they walked toward the Globe Theatre.

-9-

The theatre had about three thousand people and they were all cheering after a performance had finished and the Doctor, Galaxy and Martha had been watching the show in the pit with the other ordinary folk.