Not Just The Doctor's Companion - The Doctor {1}

Dalek

  The TARDIS stopped in a hallway. The Doctor and Jennifer stepped out. "Why did we stop?" Jennifer asked. "Don't know. Some kind of signal drawing the TARDIS off course," The Doctor said. "Where are we?" Jennifer asked. "Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground," The Doctor said. "What year is it?" Jennifer asked. "2012," The Doctor said. "So I should be 26," Jennifer said. The Doctor turned on a light. "Wow. It's a great big museum," Jennifer said. "An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship," The Doctor said.

Jennifer noticed something familiar. "That's a bit of Slitheen. That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed," Jennifer said. "Oh, look at you," The Doctor said. Jennifer walked over to The Doctor. "What is it?" Jennifer asked. "An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old," The Doctor said. "Is that where the signal's coming from?" Jennifer asked. "No, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help," The Doctor said. The alarm went off. Jennifer and The Doctor were surrounded by guards. "If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A," Jennifer said.

A woman named Diana Goddard led The Doctor and Jennifer to a room. There was a young man and an older man. The older man was holding something. "I really wouldn't hold it like that," The Doctor said. "Shut it," Diana said. "Really, though, that's wrong," The Doctor said. "Is it dangerous?" The younger man asked. "No, it just looks silly," The Doctor said. Jennifer chuckled. The older man stood up and gave The Doctor the item.

"You just need to be," The Doctor said. He strokes the item and it makes a note. "Delicate," The Doctor said. He plays several different notes. "It's a musical instrument," The older man said. "And it's a long way from home," The Doctor said. "Here, let me," The older man said and grabbed the instrument. He touch is harsher. Not nice sounds are produced. "I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision," The Doctor said. The older man made a sound. "Very good. Quite the expert," The Doctor said. "As are you," The older man said. He threw it onto the floor.

"Who exactly are you?" The older man asked. "I'm The Doctor. And who are you?" The Doctor asked. "Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake," The older man said. "Pretty much sums me up, yeah," The Doctor said. "The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplice. You're quite a collector yourself, she's gorgeous," The older man said. He winked at Jennifer. "She's going to hit you if you keep calling her like that," Jennifer said. "She's English too! Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriend," The older man said. Jennifer rolled her eyes.

"This is Mister Henry Van Statten. Mister Van Statten owns the internet," The younger man said. "No one owns the internet," Jennifer said. "And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" Henry said. "So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up," The Doctor said. "And you claim greater knowledge?" Henry said. "I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am," The Doctor said. "And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there?" Henry asked. "You tell me," The Doctor said. "The cage contains my one living specimen," Henry said.

"And what's that?" The Doctor asked. "Like you don't know," Henry said. "Show me," The Doctor said. "You want to see it? Fine. Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girl. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you do. But, tell me if it doesn't work out. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet," Henry said.

Jennifer followed the younger man, who she now knew as Adam, to another room. "Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is?" Adam said. He held up an object. Jennifer walked closer to him. "Um, a lump of metal," Jennifer said. "Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist," Adam said. "That's amazing," Jennifer said.