Doctor Who-Steamworks

"If I could create an ideal world, it would be an England with the fire of the Elizabethans, the correct taste of the Georgians, and the refinement and pure ideals of the Victorians." – H. P. Lovecraft

Steam Works: The Tenth Doctor and Stephanie.

Sally Rodgers was running. Her blonde ponytail stretched out behind her as her black steel-toed boots thudded along the old London cobblestones. Her yellow overalls reflected in the oil lamps that stretched along the main streets. Her grey salt and pepper hat barely clinging to her head accompanied by the frosty puffs of air coming out of her mouth.

Arriving at a main cross of streets, Sally bent over to collect her breath. She rubbed her hips ease the pain of her tool belt banging against them. The heavy wrenches and slots were doing a number on her already bruised hip bones.

Standing up, Sally glanced in each direction trying to find the person who called for help on the public tube phone. It had been Helga, a homeless person, and a friend of Sally's late Mother. Helga had sounded frantic on the tube, crying out in the end that the Top Hats had found her. Helga always said that if the Top Hats ever came looking, it was the fire for you. Sally tried to comfort Helga but eventually had to hang up and run to her.

Now, standing Helga's corner, Sally could only see the grey darkness and rats that populated this part of old London. After a few minutes, she found Helga's makeshift home, a few pieces of pseudo plywood from the coast. Pulling the ripped curtain away, Sally could see the signs of a struggle. Helga's small mattress was pulled aside and most of her meager belongings were dumped over.

Sally put a hand to her mouth and stifled a sob. Helga was not just an old woman but a friend of a family that no longer existed for Sally. She felt another link to her childhood break away.

As she sat there, the evening lightning shafts burst into the sky from points around London. Usually, a magnificent sight, Sally at this moment couldn't care less. As the beams of light shot to the sky, Sally wiped tears from her eyes thinking of the times Helga held her as a kid, telling her that things would be OK even though the orphanage was a hell hole. Helga was like a beacon of light in that darkness. And in the end, it was Helga who helped Sally get a job with the Steam kids working the networks throughout London.

Helga was a wonderful woman working through life with whatever she could get her hands on. Sally knew that her end wasn't reflective of who she was. It was just because she was an old homeless woman. A woman who wouldn't be missed. Missed by most but not Sally.

Sally stood up and with teary eyes looked out at the London skyline now framed with the lightning shafts. The sight held no beauty for her but only a lighted tribute to an old friend.

She was about to turn away and head back to her station hub when she heard a small whooshing noise. Puzzled, Sally walked out in the alleyway towards the dead end. The whooshing noise became louder. Suddenly Sally saw a small white blinking light appear out of nowhere. It was followed by a tall blue police box.

After a few seconds, the entire box flashed into existence. Sally was dumbstruck by the sight. She was further dumbstruck when the front door opened and a tall skinny man in a brown striped suit stepped out. He was followed by a young woman with red hair and dressed similarly to herself. The tall brown-suited man upon seeing Sally asked.

"Oi there. Could you tell me where this is?"

Sally looked back at the man with a confused look and answered. "Well, Sir, this is London."

The man looked back at his female friend and said.

"I thought so. Well, Stephanie, this is London. Unfortunately, not our London."