Apocalypse Rising (Book One)

The Long Game

"The year two hundred thousand," the Apocalypse introduced Rose as they exited the TARDIS to their new destination. "We're on a spaceship . . . no, wait." She paused, listening, before shaking her head. "Sorry, no, it's a space station."

"Try that gate over there?" Rose asked, pointing.

The Apocalypse grinned as they headed for the observation window behind the gate. "Welcome to the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire," she told her. "Planet Earth at its height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion." Rose's jaw dropped at the number. "The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle."

"It's good we didn't take Adam with us," Rose managed to say. "He wouldn't be able to take this."

"He was your boyfriend," the Apocalypse sang teasingly.

"Not anymore," Rose sang back.

Both girls grinned at each other, laughing as they headed through the ship. "This is a fantastic period of history," the Apocalypse continued. "The human race at its most intelligent. That'll be culture, art, politics, and the era has got fine food, good manners - "

"Out of the way!" someone shouted at that moment.

Rose blinked and watched as several people bustled around at vending stations everywhere. She slowly looked at the Apocalypse. "Fine cuisine?" she asked.

"My watch must be wrong," the Apocalypse muttered, looking at the watch Rose realized she had never ever taken off of her wrist, a dull metallic silver with curious circular script as the face of the clock. "No, it's fine," she said, wrinkling her nose before looking around them. "It's weird."

"That's what comes of showing off," Rose teased. "Your history's not as good as you thought it was!"

"My history's perfect," she sniffed.

"Well, obviously not." Rose nodded around. "I thought you said there were millions of species. This lot is all human. So - "

"Where is everyone?" the Apocalypse finished. "Good question. Very good question." She smiled. "Rose, do you want a kronkburger?"

Rose blinked. "A what?"

The Apocalypse bounded up to a vender and smiled. "Oi, mate, how much is a kronkburger?"

"Two credits twenty, sweetheart," he replied. "Now join the queue!"

"Cash point," the Apocalypse muttered, looking around before brightening and running off for a second. Rose watched her go with a smile, watching her fiddle with the machine, and a stick was deposited in the Apocalypse's hand. She came back, waving it with a smirk. "There we go! Pocket money." She patted Rose's shoulder. "Don't spend it all on sweets."

"Do you know how it works?" Rose quizzed.

"Nope," the Apocalypse replied with a laugh. "So go and find out! Time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book. You've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double, and end up kissing complete strangers." She grinned. "Or is that just me and my husband?" she joked, and Rose laughed. The Apocalypse patted her shoulder. "Off you go. I'll be back before you know it."

Rose grinned and headed for the lines, examining the plastic stick in her hand curiously.

***

The Apocalypse watched Rose, her little sister, go and join the lines before heading towards a pair of women off to the side. "This is going to sound daft," she warned them, "but can you tell me where I am?"