Incontri TenTENNANTi (Wavering Meetings)

Chapter IX I: Under Pressure

Chapter IX (I): Under Pressure

Barty trots in the direction of the Tenth Doctor.

-My Second Dark Lord and Master, does Your Lordship remember? You have something that belongs to me.- the wizard shows as much reverence as possible.

After all, his wand is at stake.

- With this attitude you will certainly not get it back, - the Doctor argues. - Then don't you think we'd better take care of our new guest first? - he likes to provoke him a bit.

It's damn fun to watch Barty's face flush white and blush at the same time. How he does, is a mystery to the Doctor.

Barty quickly turns to the newcomer, who is still looking around very confused. He glares at him, scanning him from head to toe, trying to frame him in his mind.

-You will see, uppity Muggle, the cakes you can find here are very good, not at the level of those that Winky used to prepare, but almost, - he softens for a moment, perhaps overwhelmed by a sudden nostalgia and the Doctor notices that. -But you'll have to wait a few more minutes before you get it! - he adds, with a tone that is back to being authoritarian but still kind enough.

-What did he call me? - the detective frowns, not understanding half of the words that were addressed to him, but that creepy guy also said that the cake is good.

- Let me give you some advice, cop, the less you ask the better it is! - Peter turns to him, also because the Death Eater's total attention is back to the Time Lord.

-Can you give me my wand back now, my Dark Lord? - he tries again, hopefully extending his hand towards him.

- Even a little less formal and it will be alright.- the Doctor encourages him, he is still having fun studying the magician's reactions.

-Return my wand, please, my Doct ... I mean, Doctor! - Barty tries hard, stopping at the last second from declaring himself.

-I'll tell you what, 'my Doctor', I like it. You can continue to use it. - the alien winks at him, persuasively, handing him his wand back again with a smile.

Barty doesn't know whether to be happier for getting his wand back or for what he just told him.

-Everybody, to the cake room, now! - the captain of that spaceship spurs his crew.

With all the sweets that that kind angel has persistently supplied him with, and with the TARDIS keeping that food from all kinds of spoilage, the Doctor can really boast he has a cake room for real.

The others are a bit bewildered by his way of eating. They are enchanted in looking at him, it almost seems that he hasn't eaten in a lifetime, it must be only a considerable appetite to make him act so. There can be no further reason in the way he seems to kiss the cream on his fork, before putting it in his mouth to take the rest of the piece, licking the whipped cream of the first slice of a Meringue Cake. Or in the way he stroked the dark chocolate ganache of the second slice of a Sachertorte with his finger, and then voluptuously sucked it before starting the process again. Nor in the way he wooed with his tongue, mouth and teeth the strawberries that were on the last slice, this time from a Pavlova.

However, the temperature in that room seems to have risen for everyone, except for the reason for the rising of said temperature. .

It is only at the third slice that Peter Carlisle decides to speak.

-Okay, now, seriously ... what am I doing here? Why do you all look like me? - he looks at them suspiciously and then a realisation hits him. - Ripley sent you, right? He wants to confuse me to sidetrack me, so he has hired you, making you figure as my look alikes ... yes, it must be like this ... but I don't understand how this could stop me from investigating ... - he continues his monologue, before dwelling on Kevin and Peter - But you're way too old to impersonate me, - he comments, hurting the two most narcissistic egos of the group.