Bad Wolf Family Saga (Book 1)

The End of the World Part 1 (Edited!)

*****

"Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."

"Doctor, when it says guests, does that mean other aliens?" Daisy asks him with excitement showing through her eyes.

"Depends what you mean by aliens." He smirks at her.

"Daisy mean aliens." Lucinda tilts her head to the side like a cute puppy. "What else should she mean?"

"Well, you two should know before the others enter that they won't look like me." The Doctor suggests to his body with his hands. "They can be anything from a tree to robots to big green aliens with big eyes."

Daisy grins at the thought of meeting real life aliens that are hopefully friendly. "Will they be friendly?"

He pauses in his steps and picks up Lucinda into his arms who happily cuddles into his chest. "If you're worrying about yours and Lucinda's safety, I won't let anything happen to either of you."

"Thank you." Daisy nods at him. "But I'm thinking of Lucinda more than me."

The Doctor continues to walk but pulls Daisy closer to him. He glances at her and knows it's best to tell her what's going on and why the aliens are coming together. "It's not really a spaceship, you know. It's more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn."

Lucinda pulls back her head to look at the Doctor with confusion. "Why would you watch a planet burn?"

"Fun." He answers simply.

Daisy shakes her head. "And watching a planet burn is fun for who?"

"The rich."

"All the same." Daisy mutters. "The rich always get to laugh at the poor and now they're watching a planet burn. I bet you in a few years time back on Earth in mine and Lucinda's century, there'll be some kind of money crisis but the rich gets to laugh at us poor."

"Newsround said something about the Earth and the sun." Lucinda comments, looking at Daisy and the Doctor. "It takes years, right?"

The Doctor nods. "Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there? Gravity satellites, holding back the sun."

"The planet looks the same as ever." Daisy comments, looking at the Earth. "I thought the continents shifted and things."

"They did, and the Trust shifted them back." The Doctor agrees. "That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over."

Daisy nods. "And how long has it got until death?"

"About half an hour, and then the planet gets roasted." He answers.

"Are we just here to watch it die?" Daisy blinks at him. "Or you going to do something about it?"

"We can't save the Earth." The Doctor shakes his head. "The time is up."

"And people?" Lucinda looks at them.

He looks at Lucinda and pokes her on the nose before pulling Daisy into a hug as they look at the Earth. The Doctor blinks as he realises he's treating Lucinda like a daughter, and Daisy as his girlfriend, yet he only met them less than 72 hours ago. "The Earth is empty, sweetheart."

A loud voice interrupts their sweet moment, and Lucinda jumps a little. "Who the hell are you?"

Daisy takes Lucinda off the Doctor and places her behind their bodies to protect her after they turn to face him.

The Doctor rolls his eyes at the blue man who has gold eyes and dressed as a steward. "Oh, that's nice, thanks."

"But how did you get in?" He asks them. "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."

"That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation." The Doctor holds up the psychic paper to him. "Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor, Daisy, and Lucinda who is our plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Daisy Tyler, and her goddaughter, Lucinda. She's our plus one. Is that all right?"

"Well, obviously." The Steward replies. "Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy."

"The paper's slightly psychic." The Doctor explains to the girls as Lucinda stands between them. "It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."

"We have in attendance the Doctor, Daisy Tyler, and Lucinda." The Steward says as he stands at a podium, talking into a mic. "Thank you. All staff to their positions."

Little blue staff members walk into the room in a line.

"Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can." He continues. "Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa."

Lucinda glances up at Daisy then at the Doctor who are both happily watching the tree-like-people enter the room.

"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon. And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme. The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you. Cal Spark Plug. Mister and Mrs Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light."

The tree-like-people approach the Doctor, Lucinda, and Daisy. "The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather."

The Doctor takes the small plant off them and hands it to Lucinda after she looks at him with puppy dog eyes that no one can say no to, not even Daisy. "Thank you. Yes, gifts." He pats down his jacket but finds nothing. "Er, I give you in return, air from my lungs."

Daisy giggles behind her hand as the Doctor breathes on Jade.

Lucinda tilts her head to the side at Daisy, but the older Tyler just shakes her head and ruffles her goddaughter's hair.

Jade blinks at him with surprise. "How intimate."

"There's more where that came from." He smiles at her.

"I bet there is." Jade smirks but it vanishes after remembering the two girls beside him and how the three of them look like a small happy family and she doesn't want to make any tension between them.

"From the Silver Devastation." The Steward announces, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "The sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe."

"The Moxx of Balhoon!" The Doctor greets happily at the blue alien coming towards them.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily salivas."

Daisy's eyes drift over to the large head in a glass case that can barely enter the room without having support from the little blue staff members.

Suddenly, saliva hits Daisy on the cheek, and she snaps her eyes back to the Doctor then wipes her cheek on his leather jacket.

He playfully pokes her side. "Oi, not on my jacket!"

Lucinda laughs as she wipes the Moxx saliva off her nose.