Can't Love You {Sequel to "Not Sherlock Holmes"}

Chapter Twenty-Two

Veronica's POV

I sit the Doctor down in one of the newly popped up tents, and Benedict and Martin join me. I don't wait for Ian.

"Alright, Doctor. You need to tell us everything that you know about these Lumaros." He nods once.

"Of course. Good place to start; understand your enemy." He stands. Apparently he thinks better as he paces the small tent, while the rest of us remain seated on the ground.

"Lumaros... I haven't dealt with them in quite a while. They're very irritating. They live in the center of planets - don't ask me why. I guess they just like it there." Martin raises his hand uncertainly. "You have a question?" Martin clears his throat.

"Ah, yes, umm - how do they live down there?" The Doctor waves off the question.

"Now's not the time to get into specifics. Just know that they are very strong and very dangerous."

"Yes, yes, we've seen that, Doctor," I say impatiently. "What we need to know is how they work and how we must defeat them." The Doctor shakes his head.

"That's the thing: see, they're very powerful. And they're pure evil. Truly, they just want to watch the world burn. There's nothing in it for them. I think they're just extreme pyromaniacs or something-"

"So, they don't actually have a reason for all of this?" Benedict asks, his face contorted. The Doctor shakes his head.

"They do it because they think it's fun. They love to kill, and they love war."

"Why did they run when they saw your spaceship?" I ask, remembering the way the Soldiers reacted.

"Well I am the Doctor!" He says it likes it's completely obvious.

"I think you keep forgetting that we don't really know who you are," Benedict pipes in helpfully. The Doctor deflates.

"Yes, it's taking some getting used to. Most of the time, my reputation precedes me. I'm used to having a companion, you know-"

"That's lovely," Martin begins. "But really, we just want to know how to survive."

"Well, see, you have no weapons. You have no shelter. You really have nothing to your advantage..." The Doctor gazes off into the distance.

"Yeah, see, that's very helpful, Doctor, thank you very much." I almost stomp out of the tent, but the Doctor stops me.

"Oh! I always hate it when I overlook the obvious solution!" He runs out of the tent. We follow uncertainly.

"Doctor?" Benedict creeps toward him as the Doctor beams at his spaceship.

"I forget that the TARDIS is so readily at my disposal. I can easily fly her out of here, get us some weapons and come back!" I stare at him.

"Couldn't you just as easily fly all of us out of here or something? Or go back in time and make sure the Lumaros never exist?" The Doctor shrugs.

"It makes more sense to do that, or course. But, you know, wibbly wobbly, timey wimey..." he trails off.

"I don't follow..."

"Trust me, that's not the route you want to go. I'll get into the TARDIS, and I'll be right back." Benedict lays a hand on the Doctor's shoulder.

"Doctor, that's fine and all, but can you make sure you don't come back 10 years too late?" The Doctor glowers.

"I'm not a complete fool, you know! I must really turn into quite a dummy in my next regeneration." The Doctor shakes his head. "I'll have to make sure that doesn't happen."

He steps into the TARDIS, but holds the door open behind him.

"Really, you all don't have to be worried! I'll be... right back." He closes the door, and this is followed by the now familiar sound of wheezing. And then the spaceship is gone.

We stand around and wait for a few moments, expecting the TARDIS to reappear any moment.

But we can only wait for so long.

Martin huffs.

"We're doomed."