The Forgotten

Chapter 7

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What Osgood hadn't expected on following their guide was to step into a lavish party, the like of which she would never have been invited to back on earth. Perhaps it was her own planet's history of pirates colouring her outlook but Osgood had expected something a little more rum and yo-ho-ho than exotic looking cocktails and gorgeous scantily clad aliens.

"It's a bit urghhh flamboyant." Osgood settled for something neutral yet she could tell from the way The Doctor rolled his eyes at her naivety that he had read her subtext.

"Pirate is the closest translation into English the Tardis could manage." The Doctor explained over the loud music, pausing as a very scantily clad serving girl approached the group with a tray of the exotic looking drinks.

Doctor accepted a glass with what looked like a tower of fruit piled into it and pulled Osgood's hand away from the one she was reaching for directing her to a safer if duller pale yellow drink. 

"Avoid the green ones unless you want to wake up with memory loss and sporting feathers." He explained with a smirk before returning to his alien cultural class 101.

"Basically the only comparable features with Earth pirates are the seizure of other people's goods by force and the obsession with wealth. The wild regions are controlled by the different clans, there are occasional skirmishes between them but over the last few centuries they have settled down into something more akin to your feudal system. Nowadays they prefer to flaunt their superiority by great feats of skill, technological, engineering, artistic..."

The Doctor trailed off pointing towards the large window that dominated the room. Through it a huge star could be seen, and creeping out from it was a stream of swirling red gas that coiled and coiled down...

"Is that a..." Osgood's mouth literally ran dry as she all but pushed her way through the crowd to all but press her face against the glass and drool against it.
"...Black hole swallowing a star." The Doctor finished smugly, his grey eyes lingering on Osgood's face and savouring the look of wonder upon it. That never got old even if he did.

"It doesn't look very safe." Kate commented even as the scientist in her marvelled at the sheer beautify and power on display. It was very humbling standing here, one Time Lord two humans and an assorted coterie of aliens against the sheer raw destructive power of the universe.

"Anti-gravity repulsors. The Cartellion pirate clan are famous for their expertise." The Doctor added taking a sip of cocktail, his thick eyebrows doing an intricate little dance of their own as The Doctor mulled over the flavour; his nose scrunching as he caught a tang of something that tasted decidedly like pear.

"And let's just say they like to show off." He added setting down his drink and turning back to the room, it was easy to make out the Pirate clan leader, he was dressed in his ceremonial best and there were several different groups vying for his attention.

If he was going to get any answers that was probably where he should start; nodding towards Lord Strax The Doctor caught Osgood's eye. Stepping forward Osgood and Kate following like little ducklings The Doctor weaved easily through the crowd, his gaze passing over it before doubling back sharply.

"no..." The Doctor muttered under his breath shaking his head stopping dead and almost causing Osgood to crash into him.

It must have just been a likeness he would have sensed Missy if she was in the room even with her formidable shields up even she couldn't hide herself entirely from another Time Lord. Only she had twice The Doctor's dratted memory reminded him awkwardly; once with the Arch-Angel network and then again with 3W...

Come to think of it The Doctor never did work out how she did it that time and that frightened him. It was seemingly childs play for The Mistress to find him whenever she wanted but The Doctor had no clue about how to go about the reverse.

"Doctor?" Osgood prompted her concern mounting as the Time Lord in question seemed to ignore her question chewing his bottom lip lost in deep thought.

Following his gaze Osgood's own fell on the back of an elegantly attired woman in a backless midnight blue jumpsuit thingy, well Osgood assumed she was female as from this angle she looked human enough. Then as if sensing someone watching she half turned and there was no mistaking those cheekbones.

"Missy." Osgood all but exclaimed in relief and began to move towards her friend but the sudden clamp of a Time Lord's hand on her arm pulled her up short. "Doctor?"

"Well she doesn't exactly look in danger to me unless we are supposed to save her from a hangover." Kate commented sarcastically as she watched The Mistress laugh uproariously at something her companion said before downing the remainder of her drink and imperiously signally a hovering waitress for another.

As if feeling the combined weight of their three stares The Mistress now actually turned around. Her blue eyes narrowed as she scanned the crowd then their gazes locked and for a moment her face showed everything; then just as quickly as it had been there it was all locked away and she returned her attention back to her drinking companion ignoring them completely.

"Well forgive me Doctor but I don't think she is pleased to see us." Kate added, trying not to let her own vindication flood into her voice and failing somewhat judging by the hurt look Osgood shot her.

"No." No it didn't, yet why just ignore them? That wasn't like The Mistress at all unless... "Something here doesn't feel right." The Doctor muttered to himself, the look in Missy's eyes, something was off and he was only a few feet away he should be able to...

Stepping forward The Doctor was stopped in his tracks as the doors opened and in trundled a large contingent of armed droids led by the sweaty official.

"Please do remain calm Ladies and Gentlebeings." He all but oozed out. "It is merely a security precaution. We simply have a gate crasher to deal with." He added as over half the heavily armed guests in the room began to reach for their own weapons.

"Doctor?" Kate all but growled under her breath as the droids spread out across the room, soon no one would be out of their firing range.

"Don't panic Kate they may not mean us at all..." The Doctor hissed his stomach knotting in concern as he allowed himself another quick glance in Missy's direction, yet unlike him the Time Lady appeared unconcerned in fact she almost appeared bored.

"Well this is exciting." Lord Strax pronounced taking over the crowd's attention; his face practically glowing with anticipation. "It seems we might have a real live Time Lord in our midst."

"Right is now the time to panic then?" Kate muttered sarcastically doing her best to remain calm even though part of her was screaming.

Dying in the line of duty was one thing, but dying so far away from home where her children would never what happened to her, where there would never be a body for them to bury...although considering what seemed to keep happening to people buried on earth a space burial might not be as bad as...

"For your safety and our security this room has been passively scanned since your arrival, call it paranoia but it does pay off on occasion, for example when a being with two hearts somehow tricks their way past my security." Lord Strax added his face twisting into something unpleasant. "Well soon to be ex-security, I do have an example to set. In fact if you turn to the window you should be able to witness his execution..."

Just as he said this a space suit floated passed the window, the person inside was quite clearly alive as they tried to scrabble for any hand hold possible but the gravitational pull of the black hole was too strong.

"Oh my god he's going to..." Osgood began before trailing off in horror.

"Swallowed up and crushed." The Doctor swallowed himself, the bitter tang of bile at the back of his throat as he watched a man die because of him, it wasn't the first time by a long shot and yet this seemed a particularly cruel and lingering death.

"Now we could ask all of you to undergo a full examination from our medical staff or I could simply start randomly executing people until I either run out or my uninvited guest steps forward." Lord Strax pronounced gleefully, reaching out and gasping one of the passing waitresses. "This little lovely for example." He added ignoring her whimpers and pleading as he raised a blaster and pressed it to the side of her head.

"Stop." The Doctor commanded stepping forward, the eyes of the room all on him now. "I'm The Doctor; I'm the one you're looking for there is no need for anyone else to be hurt."

"Doctor such a pleasure." Lord Strax greeted him warmly as if he hadn't just threatened a blood bath. "I was so hoping that you would pop in." He added teeth showing under his broad hard smile as he pushed the waitress away and advanced on his true prize.

"Yes well I've never been able to resist a party sorry for crashing without an invitation." The Time Lord quipped even as the droids advanced and surrounded him.

"Oh but Doctor you were most definitely invited in fact one might call you the guest of honour..." Lord Strax replied before turning to command his minion. "Seize his companions; keep them secure to ensure The Doctor's cooperation."

Cursing as she was seized and disarmed Kate could only glare at The Doctor as her and Osgood were led from the room.

"Now Doctor would you care to follow me I do believe we have some business to discuss?"

It was less of a question and more of a statement of fact and The Doctor could see no option other than to cooperate. Following behind Lord Strax, surrounded by a half a dozen armed droids The Doctor could only manage a quick glance back over his shoulder to look for Missy but the place where she was now was empty and The Doctor felt hearts sink. He was a silly old fool he should know better by now The Mistress wouldn't change, she was only ever out for herself and didn't care who got hurt in her silly schemes. Well he would find a way to stop this one and then they were done, Clara was right it was time to let go and move on, stop living in the past.

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