Chapter Two written by Andie J. P. Frankham

Alf span round, encumbered as she was by her wedding dress. Her eyes were wide with a rage that the Doctor had not seen in a long while. ‘That was Bradley, wasn’t it?’ She blasted the words at the Doctor accusingly.

The Doctor rushed over to the smashed lava lamp and pulled a small device out of his coat pocket. He ran the device across the remaining liquid time sitting at the bottom of the lamp. The device let out a loud buzz like an annoyed wasp and the remnants of liquid time vanished. The Doctor held the device up and beamed at it. He turned back to Alf and the wedding party who had come to see what was going on.

‘Sorry to have to leave you all in the lurch like this, but Alf and I need to go!’ The Doctor grabbed Alf by the arm to lead her away.

She snapped her arm from the Doctor’s grip and remained where she was. ‘Go? Go where? We need to find Nick. What happened to him?’

The Doctor nodded his head. ‘Exactly, Alf, we need to find Nick.’ He held the device aloft once more. ‘Inside here I have the remains of the liquid time from the lava lamp. We should be able to use it to track Nick wherever he has been taken.’

‘I don’t get it, Doctor. What the hell has happened?’

‘It’s simple. Somehow Bradley has used the liquid time to travel here, to kidnap Nick. Probably finish off what he started on Earth in 1986.’ The Doctor pointed towards his shop. ‘We have the best time travel device in the universe in there. Tracking Nick should not prove a problem. Shall we?’

Alf did not offer an answer; instead she set off towards the shop seemingly oblivious to the dress she was still wearing. The Doctor glanced at Vorkuuthh. The Draconian bowed his scaled head and offered the Doctor the salute of a nobleman. The Doctor returned it and followed Alf to the shop. As he came to the door he stopped and glanced back at Senate Square. He frowned, unable to escape the feeling that he was seeing Alpha Centauri for the last time. He shook away his sombre mood and entered the shop.

Vorkuuthh was talking to Vlaash, trying to explain what was going on, when he, like all the others, was distracted by a strange sound coming from inside the shop. It was a sound quite unlike any he had heard before. An odd…




… Wheezing and groaning sound filled the large room, causing the table and chairs to vibrate on the floor. Cutlery rattled on top of the table, and plates crashed together. A short plump woman with black hair looked up from the table she was busy setting. She was dressed in a black skirt and top, over which she wore a white apron. On top of her shoulder length hair she was a white chef’s hat. Her eyebrows knotted together as the sound grew louder, but her face soon softened as a blue police box materialised in the corner of the mess hall.

‘Hello, Doctor,’ she said happily. ‘Took you long enough.’




The little mirror stopped its spin and the Doctor flicked a switch on the wooden console. He turned to look at the scanner as the shutters opened to reveal the canteen outside.

‘What’s she staring at?’ Alf asked, pointing at the plump woman on the screen.

‘Us, most probably.’ The Doctor narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to the scanner. A smile slowly spread across his lips. ‘Aha!’ he exclaimed.

Alf blinked. ‘Aha what?’

The Doctor pointed a chubby finger at the screen. ‘Do you recognise that emblem, Alf?’

Alf looked. The circular emblem did indeed look familiar. She had seen it before, but where she could not say. Then it came to her. On the London Underground in 1986. ‘UNIT? What is UNIT, Doctor? Some sort of military organisation?’

‘Top of the class, Alf. UNIT is exactly that. The United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. I’ve met them twice before. Now then when was it?’ The Doctor placed a finger to his lips and pondered the question.

Alf looked down at her dress and felt a deep aching in her heart. She wanted Nick by her side now. ‘Can we just get a move on? Nick is out there somewhere with that vicious little bastard and we need to find him.’

The Doctor clicked his fingers. ‘1970! Yes, I helped UNIT deal with an attempted Cybermen invasion. UNIT was led by Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.’ He drummed his fingers on his hairy chin. ‘I wonder if he is still in charge? He was still in charge when I was last there. Mind you, I didn’t stay around long enough to find out why I was there, was far more interested in just resuming my travels. It was to be a new beginning for me.’

‘Yeah, well when you’re good and ready, Doctor. After all I’m sure Bradley will wait for us to find him.’

The Doctor scowled at Alf’s sarcasm, but his face softened when he noticed the pain in her eyes. He placed a large hand on her shoulder. ‘You’re right. Let’s go and find Nick.’




The door of the police box opened and the Doctor stepped out, placing a black fedora on top of his full brown hair. He glanced around the mess hall. It was empty. He looked back at Alf who stood on the threshold between the dimensions of the TARDIS and those of Earth, and beckoned her out. No sooner had Alf stepped out behind the Doctor, than the plump woman they had seen on the scanner walked into the mess hall carrying a black cat. The woman was smiling broadly, barely hidden excitement in her eyes.

‘Welcome, welcome! It’s so good to have you here, isn’t it, Missy?’ she said and stroked the cat on its head. The cat began purring.

The Doctor smiled. ‘Yes, and I expect it is really nice to be here again, only right now me and my friend really can’t stop to…’

The woman shook her head. ‘Not the bit of it. All of us at UNIT have awaited your return.’ She chuckled. ‘Never thought it would be in my canteen, though. That ought to put a few cats amongst the pigeons with Bobby’s boys.’ She freed one hand and held it out to the Doctor. ‘Pleased to meet you, by the way. I’m Ruby.’

The Doctor shook Ruby’s hand. ‘A pleasure I’m sure.’ He doffed his hat. ‘I’m the Doctor, and this is my young friend Alf.’ He indicated Alf, who stood by the TARDIS glaring at him. He screwed his face up and shrugged, silently asking her, “What can I do?” while placing the hat back on his head.

‘Lovely to meet you both.’ Ruby glanced at the TARDIS. ‘I’ve heard about your time machine, too. Looks a lot smaller than I expected.’

‘Appearances can be deceptive, you know.’

‘Oh, I know,’ Ruby said, with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Now, can I offer you a sandwich while I go and get the Brigadier?’

The Doctor beamed. He had not eaten since just after the wedding. ‘Yes, a sandwich would be very welcome.’

‘Goody.’ Ruby indicated the display cabinet on the counter beside the TARDIS. ‘Well, you just help yourself and I’ll be in the back putting a call through to the Brigadier.’

‘Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart?’ the Doctor enquired hopefully.

‘Oh no, dear, Brigadier Robert Kowlard. Now, then, I need to make that call.’ With that, cat still in arm, Ruby walked past the counter and into the kitchens beyond.

Once Ruby was gone the Doctor rubbed his hands together gleefully and made for the food counter. Alf stepped from her place by the TARDIS and stood between the Doctor and the food. ‘Sod the food, Doctor,’ she said. ‘Nick.’

‘Hmm.’ The Doctor nodded. ‘Yes, you’re quite right.’ He stepped around her before Alf could attempt to block his way again. He picked up a couple of sandwiches and held one out to Alf. ‘This could take a while so food would be a capital idea.’

Alf shook her head. ‘I’m not hungry, Doctor.’

The Doctor took a bite in to the bread. ‘Very well. Come on, let’s sneak out while she’s busy shall we?’