The New Doctor! A Doctor Who Alternate History Story

Part 60 - A Teaser

There is a cemetery. A man sits on a bench, smoking a cigarette, staring at a tombstone. It's autumn, winds blow dried leaves around in capering little dust devils. The man ignores it, staring and not staring at the tombstone, watching it, the way you might watch something dull on television, expecting nothing, but having nowhere else to look.

He's older, late into middle age. There's lines on his face, the remains of scars, which show hard living. He's draped in a trench coat.

Eventually, someone sits beside him. This new man is young and old, bright blond hair, thinning slightly, his eyes are sharp, his posture genial. His wardrobe is just slightly outlandish, he wears a white suit of casual cut. He sits and waits.

"It must be strange to be the last man on Earth," he says at last.

"Not on this Earth," the man replies at length.

"But you are the last man from your Earth."

"I know what you meant."

They sit quietly for a moment.

"How did he die?" the Man in the White Suit asks, finally, looking at the tombstone.

"Trolly accident," the trench coated man says. He lights another cigarette. Takes a deep drag, lets it out slowly, watching the smoke. "I looked it up. Just an accident. Could have happened to anyone, just some random thing."

The Man in the White Suit nods.

"I figured he had to have been gone. I couldn't have taken you across otherwise."

"Is that how it works?"

Nod.

"What if he'd been alive?"

"I don't know. The Tardis wouldn't have worked. Or maybe it would have blown up. Something would have happened."

"You took a chance on me."

"A whole world was dying. I had to try and save someone."

"Thanks."

The Man in the White Suit shrugged.

"He's alive in this world," the Man said abruptly. "My son..." He gestured at the tombstone. "His son. In my world, my son died ten years ago, before it all happened. Ran afoul of the Security Directorate. Here, he's alive and well. I think that's a fair trade."

"Have you seen him?"

"What would I say to him? No. But I've looked him up. He's good, it seems. Got a career, some kind of military intelligence. Very hush hush, whatever it is.  UNIT or something."

"That's good then."

"It is. It's good."

A long pause.

"So how are you getting along. Adjusting nicely."

"No."

"No?"

The man took one more furious puff. He stared at his cigarette and then flung it angrily towards the tombstone. The name on the tombstone reads "John Benton, Sr."

"This world," he said harshly, "it's a better world. A kinder world. A world that didn't make the mistakes mine did. A world with elections and politicians and without knocks on the door in the middle of the night. A world where starvation in Africa is something to be fought, rather than something you inflict. It's a world of decency and compassion."

"I don't belong in a world like this. Over there, I tried my best. But it was a hard world, and I'm a hard man, I make no bones about it. It's just the way it is. So you ask me if I'm adjusting? No. I wake up every morning, and I know I don't belong here."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You're a decent man, Doctor, for a decent world. I wouldn't be alive, but for you. I can't really complain about that."

The Doctor nodded.

"Do you know why I'm here?"

"He's alive, isn't he," he pulled out a packet of cigarettes, shook it, reconsidered and tucked it back. "He made it through, just like we did. He survived. He and his creatures."

"Yes."

The man nodded.

"I suspected. I've seen newspaper reports of things that sounded like his creatures. Like the creatures from... from when it ended. I figured if they're here, there's a good chance he's knocking around."

"He needs to be stopped."

"I imagine he does."

"I have no right to ask..."

Commander Benton threw back his head and laughed humourlessly.

"Doctor, I've gone to bed every night praying and wishing that you would show up and ask."

"It's going to be dangerous."

"What are we waiting for?" Commander Benton asked. "I've got a score to settle. A whole world of scores."