by Doctor Who
Martha let the Doctor lead her to the centre of the ballroom, the passengers and pirates and crew all around them. The Doctor took Martha’s left hand in his, put his right hand on her waist. Realising what he meant to do, she put her hand to his shoulder, so close to him she could feel the buttons of his suit against her chest, so close she could feel his hearts beating.
‘But what if they want to stay?’ she asked him, looking around at the various friends they had made and those she’d not even got to know.
‘Then they stay,’ said the Doctor. ‘But they have to choose.’
From the Brilliant’s speakers, a new pop song began. It took a moment for Martha to realise what it was, by which time she and the Doctor had already started dancing.
‘Grace Kelly!’ she laughed.
‘The song,’ the Doctor nodded, wheeling her around the floor. ‘Got it off your iPod. Thought you wouldn’t mind. Good old Mika.’
Following the Doctor and Martha’s lead, others joined the dance floor: Jocelyn and Dashiel; Thomas and Captain Florence; Mrs Wingsworth and one of the mouthless men; Archibald and both Kitty Rose and Zuzia. Martha could see the same look on all their faces; the same determination to enjoy themselves, the same terror and confusion as they tried to make their choices.
Martha looked away quickly, torn on their behalf. She kept her mind on the music and not treading on the Doctor’s toes. At least she didn’t have to make that choice herself, she thought. But really she already had, a long time ago. And one day he’d take her back to her 167
own time, and she’d have to choose again. . .
She hung on to the Doctor and let him lead.
The party aboard the Brilliant would go on for ever. Yet for those who would choose the one chance to escape, the last dance had begun.
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Acknowledgement
Thanks to Justin and Gary for thinking of me in the first place, and to all those people who listened to my odd ideas and answered my odd questions. Special mention to the experts Scott Andrews, Simon Belcher, Debbie Challis, Richard Flowers, Tim Guerrier, Tom Guerrier, Danny Kodicek, Joseph Lidster, Amanda Lindsay, Nicholas Pegg, Steve Tribe and Alex Wilcock. The best bits are probably theirs.
Thanks also to my pals at Big Finish for all they’ve let me get away with recently.
And lastly thanks to my nephews, Luke and Joseph, to whom the badger-faced pirates owe something of a debt.
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Document Outline
Front Cover
Contents
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Acknowledgement
Back Cover
