Episode 7: Be Civil Part 1

Episode 7 Be civil!


“The marching began, the guns began to fire”, We can see a musket on the floor there is a man sitting in shadow, “We stopped marching at the village of Marchet en Tomson. It was perched on a hill, so we camped below it. We stayed there for a week on the third day that wonderful girl arrived, Georgia I still love and remember her. I wish I had found her, when the civil war was over, now the great Oliver Cromwell is dead”. The man breathes heavily and dies on that seat.

THE CREDITS

“This is the year 1666”, the doctor was saying, “And I am going to show you the great fire of London”. The doctor was standing in the TARDIS with his blue suit on; the other 3 were wearing silvery clothes that they had just bought in the future. Zac had a large red lightning bolt on his.
“Step out the TARDIS Zac”, the doctor said.
“You mean we’re really in 1666”, Zac said, “In London and can we meet Samuel Peeps”.
“Who is Samuel Peeps?” Conner asked.
“The famous diary writer, his diary covers the great fire of London”, Georgia answered, “Duh!”

“Right then pop quiz”, the doctor said stepping out of the TARDIS onto a muddy road, “What date did the fire begin on?”
“September 2nd 1666”, Zac replied.
“Right!”, the doctor began, “And where did it start?”
“Pudding Lane, in a bakers shop”, Georgia answered knowingly.
“And it had absolutely nothing to do with me”, the doctor said and Conner, Zac and Georgia raised their eyebrows.
“Right then I’ll ask the next question”, Conner said, “You said we’re in London, but actually we’re in a village on a hill”. The doctor looked around, Conner was right they were in a shabby village, with a small village green, with shabby market stalls on it and the village was on a hill.

“It could be a hill in London”, the doctor suggested.
“But I can’t see London and by then it was pretty big”, Zac replied.
“Well it is slightly foggy”, the doctor began.
“Face it we’re in the middle of nowhere”, Conner said. An old lady came up to the four.
“Middle of nowhere, what cheek”, the lady said.

“Hello I’m the doctor”, the doctor said to the lady, “Where are we and when”.
“You are in the town of Marchet en Tomson”, the lady replied, “And I’m Mrs. Runny”.
“Mrs. who?” Conner asked. But Mrs. Runny ignored the question.
“And this is the year 1643”, Mrs. Runny explained.
“And we’re in France”, Georgia said patting the doctor’s arm.
“A bit off then”, the doctor said.
“But she’s speaking English”, Zac said.
“Yeah, that’s something I’ve never asked”, Conner said, “How come wherever we go they speak the same language as us?”.
“They aren’t really”, Georgia said remembering.
“The TARDIS translates for you”, the doctor explained, “Gets inside your mind”.
“But I could translate French anyway”, Zac said modestly.
“So could I”, Georgia said.

“We’re not in France”, Mrs. Runny said smirking, “This is England, and this place was named by a Frenchman”.
“Right”, the doctor said.
“Doctor look down there”, Georgia said pointing, “What’s that?” Georgia was pointing at what looked like a hundred tents, with horses grazing nearby and clothes hung up on ropes going from tent to tent. Walking around the tents were soldiers with round helmets. One of the soldiers was giving orders.

“You there, Jeroke”, Captain Placard was saying, “What do you think you are doing?”
“Sorry sir I was polishing my sword”, Private Jeroke replied.
“You don’t polish your sword unless it’s very dirty and even if it was covered in blood, then I’d keep it like that to show that I’ve killed for my country”.

“Sergeant Jones”, Captain Placard shouted turning to a tall, strong black haired man who was eating an apple.
“Yes sir”, Sergeant Jones said saluting Captain Placard.
“You will be on watch tonight”, Captain Placard ordered.
“But sir surely Private Williams was mistaken”, Sergeant Jones answered.
“I wasn’t lying”, Private Williams said, “I know what I saw; a royalist soldier in our camp, two in fact. But their heads didn’t move, I watched his eyes, they didn’t blink. They were terrifying”.
“What a load of rubbish”, Sergeant Jones laughed.
“It’s about time you started believing things Sergeant Jones”, Private Williams replied, “Or some will commit mutiny”. Private William’s walked off.
“He hasn’t been paid yet so I think we’ll believe him”, Captain Placard whispered in Sergeant Jones’ ear, “And I don’t want anymore backchat from you either”.


Meanwhile Zac replied to Georgia’s comment.
“It looks like a war camp”, Zac said, “16th century”.
“No duh we’re in the 16th century”, Conner said.
“Guess who it is though”, Mrs. Runny said, “The great one, warts an’ all”.
“Oliver Cromwell”, the doctor exclaimed in his happy way, “Let’s go meet him”.
“Doctor we’re wearing these silvery clothes and they might mistake us for royalists”, Zac said.
“You’re completely right let’s go get changed”, the doctor said.
“But I just bought these clothes”, Georgia said disappointedly, “From the 39th century”.
“Ah well I’ve been waiting to get out of these ever since I first put them on”, Conner replied. Georgia looked a little downhearted at this comment but walked back to the TARDIS. Mrs. Runny frowned and walked off to feed her chickens.


Back at the camp it was getting dark, most soldiers were in bed resting. Private William’s was from a very poor family, the family had never been rich, ever. He had a sister called Jane but she was known as Miss Williams. She was a laundress who washed all the men’s clothes along with several other girls. She was to be seen and not heard, although her brother would listen to her moans and in return she would listen to his.

“That sergeant Jones”, Private Williams said to Miss Williams, “He never believes anything I say”.
“I’m sure it’s not just you”, Miss Williams replied, “Private Bruce gets bullied a lot by Captain Placard”.
“Don’t let me start on Captain Placard”, Private Williams answered quickly, “He orders everyone about telling people about the time he killed this person and the time he killed that person or the time he was in that battle. It’s about time he died”.
“Don’t say that he gets you threw the battle dun’e”, Miss Williams said, cutting his hair, “I don’t like Cromwell or most of the men in fact, but Captain Placard he’s a real gentleman”.
“You keep away from him d’you hear”, Private Williams ordered. She looked shocked and walked off with a laundry basket as she left the tent she turned and smirked.


It was later when Georgia, the doctor, Conner and Zac arrived at the entrance to the camp in 16th century clothes. Georgia would not leave the TARDIS and had said many rude words, as she was pulled through the TARDIS doors by the doctor, Zac and Conner.. She said she looked like a peasant and she looked really unhygienic. She was now sulking at the back of the group.

As they approached the entrance a guard shouted, “Halt who goes there?”
“It is I Commander err… Marr from the 21st battalion of err… magnet town warriors”, the doctor said slowly.
“Never heard of him”, the guard replied.
“Well that’s cause it’s very secret”, the doctor replied and showed his psychic paper to the guard, “Is that good enough”.


Meanwhile in the western edge of the camp next to the hill Sergeant Jones was on guard. He saw a dark shape moving towards the camp. It was entering the camp, the sergeant ran over to where the thing had entered but saw nothing. He turned around and saw a man with a hat on. The hat had a feather in it, the clothes were smart and they were royalist. The man ran and Sergeant Jones ran after it.

Back at the Southern edge the doctor got inside with his friends.
“Are you here to see Cromwell”, the guard asked.
“Yes but…” the doctor began but was interrupted by a loud scream.

Sergeant Jones heard the scream too and it had come from nearby he saw the man again coming out from a tent, but he was sure the man had gone in the opposite direction. Jones caught a glimpse of the mans face and gasped in shock.


TO BE CONTINUED