TTV Series Episode 12: Crystal Ball

Madame Rene looked up from her crystal ball as Hadrius Andes entered her tent. He remained in the doorway for a second, and she nodded at him. He ran at her, and with a swift movement of her hand she blasted him off his feet.

“You know why I have come,” Hadrius snarled, climbing off the floor.
“I do,” Madame Rene replied. “But you are on a fool’s errand. You cannot stop me, or the Doctor. When the Death Collectors hear you have failed to dispose of me, they will not act, and Crystal will be safe.”
“We shall see about that,” Hadrius growled.
“Be thankful that I have no destroyed your object,” Madame Rene said. “Now, leave.”

He left the tent, and disappeared. Madame Rene returned to her crystal ball, hoping to see what was about to occur.

***

Crystal Harris screamed as the TARDIS console exploded into sparks. The Doctor staggered to the door, and opened it. He peered out, and looked back at Crystal.

“It’s alright,” he said. “We aren’t at the Death Collectors realm.”
“Thank God,” Crystal sighed with relief. “Where are we then?”
“Some sort of empty viewing gallery, or prison,” the Doctor replied. “Come and take a look.”

Crystal left the TARDIS, and closed the door behind her. Directly in front of her was a large sheet of glass, and behind it, was a small room with bare walls and a sink.

“Either that’s a bad piece of modern art or someone was locked up there,” she noted.
“Exactly,” the Doctor smiled. “But we should enjoy ourselves while we’re here – we’ve been really careful lately.”
“If the Death Collectors and Inner Circle just died, it would be so much simpler.”

The Doctor laughed and muttered an agreement. As he spoke, the TARDIS seemed to melt away. Crystal gasped in horror as it completely vanished.

“It’s a trap,” the Doctor muttered.
“Yes, I’m afraid it is,” a voice from the shadows said.

Crystal whipped around as a Death Collector emerged. He was bigger than the others, clearly a leader. The Doctor waited for more Death Collectors, but none appeared.

“You’re the Inquisitor,” the Doctor realised.
“Hello,” the Inquisitor said, smiling slightly.
“Where’s the rest of the Death Collectors?” Crystal asked.
“Unfortunately, they are too frightened of Madame Rene to join me,” the Inquisitor sighed. “But I will deal with them later.”

He raised a hand, and a door appeared in the glass wall. The Doctor felt himself step towards it, and enter the room behind the glass. Crystal followed, also moving automatically. The Inquisitor followed, and the glass door changed back into solid glass.

“Sit,” the Inquisitor ordered.

The Doctor and Crystal sat down, and finally felt able to move of their own accord once more. The Inquisitor remained standing, directly opposite them, watching them.

“Please,” the Doctor begged. “Let us go, we haven’t done anything to you.”
“Crystal Harris is an immortal,” the Inquisitor spat. “And I’d like to know how you never seem to die either…”
“Let’s start with me,” the Doctor said. “How about you send Crystal back to the TARDIS for a nice cup of tea, and we talk?”
“She stays,” the Inquisitor replied. “Now, you were about to tell me about yourself…?”
“Oh, me,” the Doctor frowned. “I’m an immortal too… I was having a shower and I slipped over the rubber duck that was sitting beside the shampoo.”

The Inquisitor looked at Crystal as she snorted. Looking up from the floor, Crystal nodded.

“He did,” she agreed. “It was very painful I heard.”
“It was!” the Doctor protested.
“It’s a shame I don’t believe you, isn’t it?” the Inquisitor asked. “You are a Time Lord, and you are the immortal, Crystal Harris. How did it happen?”
“I was run over by a car,” Crystal shrugged. “And the Doctor was across the road. He picked me up and took me into the TARDIS, and we travelled the universe.”
“But that’s not all, is it?” the Inquisitor said. “There’s something the Doctor hasn’t told you.”

The Inquisitor forced Crystal to stand up, and the pair disappeared. The Doctor climbed out of his seat and sighed. He tried the doors, but it was of no use – they were locked.

“What the…?”

Crystal blinked, and looked around her. She was standing next to the Inquisitor on one of the only patches of grass in the estate where she used to live. Little kids used to pee on the grass, until Chelsea started yelling at them.

“How did you do that?” she gasped. “I’m back home! Where’s the Doctor?”
“We’ll return to him soon enough,” the Inquisitor replied. “Now, watch yourself leave your house.”

Sure enough, the front door of Crystal’s house soon opened, and a girl with dyed red hair stepped out. She began crossing the road, when time froze. The Inquisitor grabbed Crystal’s arm, and she felt as if something was washing over her.

“What just happened?” she asked.
“Time has frozen,” the Inquisitor replied. “Watch, there!”

He pointed to Madame Rene, who was making her way through the rising pool of mist. Behind her, a car swept forwards in slow motion, before ploughing into Crystal, sending her body flying across the road with an almost intentional grace. Madame Rene disappeared, and the Doctor ran over to Crystal’s body. Beside the Inquisitor, the immortal Crystal watched, horrified, as the Doctor pulled her old immortal self into the TARDIS.

“Let’s go back,” the Inquisitor said.

He grabbed her arm, and suddenly they were facing the Doctor in the room behind the glass. The Doctor went to hug her, but Crystal shied away.

“When were you gonna tell me that Madame Rene killed me?” she asked. “I… I’ve made a decision, Doctor. I don’t want to travel with you anymore.”

Behind her, a triumphant Inquisitor raised his hand, and reached out for her. His hand wrapped around her neck, and lifted her off the ground. As he began to squeeze, Crystal felt the Doctor fading away, and the Doomsworld becoming clearer and clearer.

“Goodbye Crystal Harris, it’s the end!”

To Be Continued