The Telepath's Adventures

Chapter 10

As Team Tardis sat in the Slim Bar, other customers and kitchen staff were staring. Their loud, demeaning thoughts were making Cassie grind her teeth in anger. Sometimes she hated having telepathic powers, especially when she had to listen to such backward thoughts.

"We were in Rosa Parks class in primary. Do you remember?" Yaz said fondly to Ryan and Cassie.

Cassie nodded back with a smile. It was so easy back then. "All the Year 4, 5 and 6 classes were named after inspirational people"

"She's the bus woman, right?" Ryan asked, making Cassie snort.

"You do remember what she did, " Yaz said, sharing looks with Cassie.

"Yeah, first black woman to ever drive a bus, " Ryan answered.

"Ryan, " Cassie sighed exasperatedly. She knew Ryan didn't mean anything by his ignorance of the matter. School's difficult a lot of the time. And looking at his thoughts, she knew he found it really hard.

Ryan frowned. "What?"

"Your Nan would have a fit right now. How could you have been in a class named after the woman and not know who she is?" Graham asked amusedly.

"She's American, " Ryan pointed out as an excuse.

Cassie gave him a look. "So...."

"She refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus to a white passenger, and got arrested for it. Her arrest started a boycott of the buses in Montgomery, " Yaz explained.

"Or rather, will start. Today is Wednesday, November 30th, 1955. Tomorrow, Rosa refuses to give up her seat, " Cassie said.

"And all this basically kicked off the US civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King, " Ryan said. He grinned proudly. "See, I'm not totally ignorant. I just got confused by the whole bus thing"

"Martin Luther King is a minister here in Montgomery right now," The Doctor said excitedly.

"He and Rosa knew each other?" Yaz asked.

Cassie nodded. "Yeah"

"Is it me, or has it gone very quiet in here?" Graham asked, suddenly aware of the stares.

They were approached by a scowling waitress. "We don't serve negroes"

Cassie, struck by rage, quickly stood up and reached for the woman. The Doctor grabbed Cassie by the hand and pulled her back down into her seat, shaking her head at the telepath.

"Good, cos I don't eat them, " Ryan retorted, making Cassie snort at his sass.

"Or Mexicans, " The rude woman added, glancing over at Yaz.

"Is she talking to me?" Yaz said with wide eyes.

"Another word and I'll shove this spoon up your arse," Cassie said, holding up a spoon. The woman paled, stammering out words, whilst Yaz and Ryan shared annoyed smirks.

The Doctor took the spoon out of Cassie's hand and pulled the Telepath out of the bar. "Come on"
...

The Doctor sighed as they walked on the streets. She turned to face her companions with an determined expression, after seeing what has happened, she didn't want them caught anymore in this.

"Okay, listen. I can deal with this. You guys go back to the Tardis and be safe, " The Doctor said.

"While you do what?" Cassie demanded angrily.

"Locate the source of these energy anomalies. We're one day out of a tipping point in Earth history, " The Doctor explained. She gave Cassie a pleading expression. "I don't want anything disrupting that. It's easy for me here. It's more dangerous for you. You can walk away from this"