Among The Stars

The Fires of Pompeii (Part 2)

"Excuse me! It's Quintus right?" Lorelai asked as she ran over to Caecilius' son who was lounging on a couch and drinking again. "This Lucius Petrus Dextrus. Where does he live?"

"It has nothing to do with me." He stated as he leaned his head back.

"Let's try again." The Doctor said as walked towards him. "This Lucius Petrus Dextrus." He reached down and produced a coin from behind Quintus' ear. The young adult immediately sat up with interest. "Where does he live?"

~~~

Quintus carried a burning torch as he led the Doctor and his daughter down the dark streets of Pompeii. "Don't tell my dad." He pleaded as he stopped at building.

"As long as you don't tell mine." The Doctor said as he leaped onto some boxes and opened up a window. He climbed him and helped Lorelai up before a holding a hand out to the young man. "Hand me that torch."

Quintis watched as the two disappeared inside the villa and looked down the street before deciding to follow them and climb through the window.

The Doctor had handed the torch to Lorelai so he could pull down a curtain to reveal a wall of large marble tiles with different designs.

"The liar." Quintus whispered when he walked over to them and saw it. "He told my father it was the only one."

"Well," The Doctor drawled out as he put his glasses on. "Plenty of marble merchants in this town. Tell them all the same thing, get all the components from different places, so no one can see what you're building."

"Which is what?" Lorelai asked.

"The future, Doctor." A new voice spoke up and they spun around to see Lucius standing in the doorway of the room with two guards. "We are building the future, as dictated by the gods."

~~~

"Put this one there." The Doctor muttered as he rearrange the marble tiles.

"This one here." Lorelai groaned out as she lifted another heavy tile into a different place.

Doctor looked at the tile on top. "Er, keep that one upside-down, and what have you got?"

"Enlighten me." Lucius frowned at them.

"What, the soothsayer doesn't know?" Lorelai couldn't help but pick on him. His comment earlier had annoyed her. "Only the men folk have the compactly for true perception." She mocked and stared at the wall of marble. "It's and energy converter."

He glared at her. "An energy converter of what?"

"We don't know." The Doctor smirked. "Isn't that brilliant? I love not knowing. Keeps me on my toes. It must be awful being a prophet, waking up every morning, 'Is it raining? Yes, it is, I said so.' Takes all the fun out of life. But who designed this, Lucius, hmm? Who gave you these instructions?"

"I think you've babbled enough."

"Lucius, really, tell me. Honestly, I'm on your side. I can help."

"You insult the gods." Lucius practically spat. "There can be only one sentence. At arms!" The two guards drew their swords and stepped further into the room.

"Oh, morituri te salutant." The Doctor muttered as he put his glasses away and pulled his daughter behind him.

"Celtic prayers won't help you now."

"But it was him, sir. He made me do it." Quintis pleaded. "Mister Dextrus, please don't."

"Come on now, Quintus, dignity in death." The Doctor told him and looked back to Lucius. "I respect your victory, Lucius. Shake on it?" He held out his hand but Lucius just stared at him. "Come on. Dying man's wish?"