Hi there! Dave-El here welcoming you to the blog powered by negatively charged ions, I'm So Glad My Suffering Amuses You. This post is appearing on a Sunday which down around these here parts is Doctor Who Day.
As is my want for the last few weeks, I'm posting episodes of a fan fiction script for Doctor Who. To peruse the epic sweep of the three previous installments, please click here and
here and here.
Let's do the disclaimer again...
And now, this week's installment.
Lifetime Companion
by David Long
Episode Four
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Scene opens: a large, dimly lit room with long rows of beds. Next to one of the beds is a desk lit by the blue glow of a laptop screen. We see the face of a middle aged black woman. It's Claire Parker. Sitting at the desk, we can see the face of her son Toby in the glow. He's older than we saw him last episode.
Claire: I hope they're at least feeding you well enough.
Toby: It's army food, Mom, but yeah, well enough I guess. You need to stop worrying.
Claire: I'm your mother, Toby. Worry goes with the job. Especially with you all the way over in Whateveritstan.
Toby: It's Turmeszistan and my tour is about up soon.
Claire: It won't be soon enough for me. Your next birthday, I want you back in my kitchen for a proper meal.
Toby: I think I can make that happen.
Claire: By the way, I saw Ellie today.
Toby: Yeah.
Claire: She misses you, Toby.
Toby: Uh-huh.
Claire: And...
Toby says nothing.
Claire: And you say "I miss her, too".
Toby: Mom, she needs to move on. We both do.
Claire: Well, you know what I think.
Toby: Yeah, that we're being...
Toby and Claire: Damned fools.
Claire: Well, I won't say no more about it.
Toby: Until the next phone call, anyway.
Claire: Until the next phone call.
Toby: Mom, are you taking your meds like you should?
Claire: Of course I am.
Toby: I just worry about you.
Claire: Well, you shouldn't worry.
Toby: I'm your son. It's part of the job.
Claire: Well, tell that trouble-making friend of yours I said hello.
Toby: I'll give Jamal your love.
Claire: I said hello.
The lights come up in the barracks. There's a female officer standing in the doorway.
Toby: Right. I gotta go, mom.
Claire: Love you, Toby.
Toby: Love you, Mom.
Toby closes the tablet, immediately stands at attention and salutes.
Toby: Capt. Stewart.
Capt. Stewart: At ease, Sgt. Parker.
Toby: Captain, any word...?
Capt. Stewart: We've located Corporal White.
Toby: Jamal! Where...?
Capt. Stewart: It's not good, Sergeant.
Scene change: a command central buzzing with a flurry of activity and a cacophony of voices. Standing at one flat screen monitor is Sgt. Toby Parker and Capt. Stewart. Sitting at a computer console in front of the screen is a female soldier with head phones. Her badge IDs her as Sgt. Simmons. On screen is grainy footage of a heavily armed hooded man speaking in a foreign language. As the hooded figure speaks, Simmons at the console translates.
Simmons: "On the first day, we made our demands. You did not listen and the first infidel was condemned to hell. On the 2nd day, we repeated our demands. You did not listen and the 2nd infidel was cast into hell. Today is the 3rd day. If you do not release our glorious leader El-Hakib, this third and final infidel will be escorted through the gates of hell."
The hooded figure steps aside. A man in army fatigues is kneeling with his hands bound behind his back.
Toby: Jamal! Oh God...
The hooded figure continues to talk and the soldier continues to translate.
Simmons: "And then we shall rise up as a mighty sword of God and take back El-Hakib ourselves. You cannot defy the Prophets of the Blood Red Sun."
The image glitches and begins to replay.
Simmons: And the message repeats.
Toby: How long...?
Capt. Stewart: The message began streaming within the last hour.
Toby: Do we know where they are?
Capt. Stewart: Sgt. Simmons?
Simmons manipulates the computer controls and a topographical map appears on the monitor.
Simmons: Drone recognizance places the transmission in Grid 4 Sector B12, the Harzikan Valley.
Toby: Well, that's a hell of a hiding place.
Capt. Stewart: You're familiar with the area, Sergeant?
Toby: Chopper I was on once took enemy fire from that valley. Ridiculously well fortified.
Capt. Stewart: Indeed. The Prophets of the Blood Red Sun have far too many forces hidden in too many places. Our men would be slaughtered in an assault and Corporal White would still be killed.
Toby: Perhaps a smaller force...?
Capt. Stewart: Still too risky.
Toby: How about one man?
Capt. Stewart looks at Toby incredulously.
Capt. Stewart: You?
Toby: Yes!
Capt. Stewart: No!
Toby: Sir! Corporal White...Jamal...he's my friend. Has been since we were 11 years old. After 12 years, I can't give up on him now.
Capt. Stewart: Sgt. Parker, I have no doubt to your skills to get into that god forsaken valley and pass those terrorist fighters but there's no way you're getting back out with the corporal in tow. He's likely very injured. If you go in there, it's a one way trip.
Toby: But...
Capt. Stewart: A suicide mission, Sgt. Parker! I will not permit it!
Toby: Ma'am!
Capt. Stewart: That is my final word on that, Sergeant!
Capt. Stewart turns and walks away.
Simmons: I'm sorry, sir. But the captain's...
Toby: Yeah. Yeah, I know.
Simmons nods and walks away. Toby leans forward and pushes a button on the computer keyboard. The image on the monitor reverts back to a screen shot of the hooded terrorist with a captive Jamal in the background.
Toby (to himself): Yesterday was my birthday. And somebody still owes me a present. Jamal, old buddy...
Toby presses another key and the screen goes black.
Toby: I'm coming to get you.
Scene change: Night time, lit by a canopy of stars and a half moon. A jumbled terrain of trees, brush, rocks. The ground alternates between sharp drops and steep climbs. Into this cluttered mass of mountainous nature, we see Toby in camouflage fatigues making his way, furtively and quickly.
He stops short as he sees two combatants on patrol. He hides until they pass then he continues on his way.
We see a time lapse passage of the sky as night gives way to the first grey hints of dawn. Back on the ground, Toby has stealthily made his way to the camp.
Toby (whispers): OK, Jamal, where are they hiding you?
Then Toby spots a wire enclosure surrounded by 4 armed men. Inside the enclosure is a man lying on the ground.
Toby (whispers): OK, not good.
Toby casts a worried look to the sky as pale sunlight filters through the trees.
Toby (whispers): Running out of time.
Cut to: the wire enclosure, Jamal lying on the ground with his hands behind him. He does not look good, clearly the victim of beatings and torture.
Suddenly, an explosion. From the other side of the camp. Immediately, the 4 guards are focused on the explosion which is followed by a 2nd and a 3rd. The guards and other members of the camp rush towards the direction of the blasts.
Behind them, we see Toby in his hiding place throwing a grenade which triggers a 4th explosion. With all the terrorists focused on this crisis, Toby leaps from his hiding place into the wire enclosure to Jamal's side.
Toby: Jamal!
Jamal (very groggy): I don wanna go ta school today.
Toby cuts the bonds on Jamal's wrists.
Toby: Get it together, buddy!
Jamal: Toby?
Toby: C'mon!
Toby helps Jamal up but Jamal is very unsteady on his feet. Still, they manage to stumble back towards the edge of the camp where Toby was hiding earlier.
However at that moment, one of the terrorists notices the pair, shouts in a foreign language and opens fire with a machine gun. Toby pushes Jamal and himself down out of the line of fire at barely the last moment as they scamper and crawl into the brush.
Jamal grimaces in pain.
Toby: Jamal?!
Jamal: I'm...ugh...I've been better.
Angry voices and running feet indicate that Toby and Jamal's hiding place is being surrounded.
Jamal: I hope...the rest of the squad...comes through....
Toby: Uh, Jamal....
Jamal: Oh, you're.....argh....kidding me. It's just you?
Toby: What can I say? Nobody likes you.
Abruptly pushing aside brush, the terrorists have exposed Toby and Jamal's position. Guns are aimed at the two men as angry shouts prod the two to hesitantly move to the center of the camp. Jamal is having trouble walking so Toby has his arm around him to help him.
One of the terrorists steps out from the rest, the leader of the group.
Terrorist leader says something unintelligible but the tone is clearly mocking.
Jamal: What's he saying?
Toby: Too bad Simmons isn't here to translate.
Jamal: Too bad...we are here.
Terrorist leader snaps angrily. He draws out a large machete.
Toby: That's not good.
Jamal: You don't say.
Terrorist leader approaches Toby and Jamal, holding out the machete so the tip comes uncomfortable close to Jamal's neck, then Toby's.
Terrorist leader's voice is lower but still rumbles with rage. Then he whirls around, brandishing his machete in the air as rants towards his terrorist army.
Toby: By the way, my mom sends her love.
Jamal: Like hell. Your mom said "hi".
Terrorist leader continues his speech as the gathered army cheers in support.
Terrorist leader: El hakim fusqstafa al-alarim El-Kabib or the the rivers will run red with the blood of our infidel enemies. The Prophets of the Blood Red Sun will slaughter the unrighteous and...
Jamal: W...wait, am I....understanding...?
Toby: Yes, you....
Suddenly the air is filled with an unearthly sound.
VWORP!
VWORP!
VWORP!
The terrorists looks about in alarm and then their collective attention is focused on Toby and Jamal. Above their heads is a glowing light and below that light is a solidifying blue image.
Terrorist leader (shouting): Demons of air and darkness! Stop them! FIRE!
At this point, the TARDIS has phased in enough that bullets bounce off its blue box shell as it fully materializes, hiding Toby and Jamal from view.
Scene change: TARDIS console room, Toby is laying Jamal gently on the floor while the Doctor hurries from the console to the two men. Jamal is wide eyed with shock.
Jamal: Wh...?
The Doctor: Toby, what in universe are you doing?
Jamal: Wh...?
Toby: Doctor, my friend needs help!
Jamal: Wh...?
The Doctor pulls on his sonic glasses and touches the side. A trilling noise is heard.
The Doctor: Who is this?
Jamal: Wh...? Wh...?
Toby: My friend, Jamal. I met him after you took me to Mars that first time.
Jamal: Wh...? Wh...? What?
Cut away for a moment to the Doctor's view through the sonic sunglasses, ultraviolet imaging of Jamal's body with digital read outs.
The Doctor: Multiple lacerations, contusions, internal bleeding, cracked and broken bones.
Jamal: What...what is this? Wh...where....?
The Doctor: Not to mention acute anxiety.
Jamal: Where am I? Toby!
Toby: Jamal, you need to calm down. We're going to get you taken care of.
Jamal: But....but the terrorists. What happened....?
The Doctor takes off his sun glasses and returns to the console.
The Doctor: The terrorists are no longer your concern.
The Doctor pulls down the console lever.
Scene change: outside, one of the terrorists lifts a rocket launcher to his shoulder while the leader shouts.
Terrorist leader: Now, you fool! Fire! Fire NOW!
The terrorist squeezes the trigger and a rocket missile propels forward while at that exact same moment....
VWORP!
VWORP!
VWORP!
The TARDIS fades from view as the rocket flies through the now empty space where the blue box once stood.
Terrorist leader: No! NO! Not our weapons storage!!!
The rocket flies on to strike a structure at the other side of the camp which goes up in a massive explosion as the various terrorists are tossed about by the force of the blast.
Scene change: a hospital waiting room where we see Toby pacing with a cell phone to his ear.
Toby: No, mom! Seriously, I'm fine. You and your premonitions, really. No, Jamal's fine too. Nothing to worry about.
Capt. Stewart and Sgt. Simmons enter the room from the other side.
Toby: Look, Mom, I gotta go. Yeah. Mom? If you see Ellie, tell her....tell her I said "hi". Love you too, mom.
Toby puts away his phone as Stewart and Simmons approach.
Toby: Capt. Stewart, what's the word....?
Capt. Stewart: It seems Corporal White's run of good luck continues. The doctors report that he should make a full recovery from his injuries.
Toby: That's good news, sir.
Capt. Stewart: Miraculous news if you ask me. Almost as miraculous as the corporal's delivery from those Prophets of the Blood Red Sun. You wouldn't happen to know...
Toby: I wouldn't know anything about that.
Capt. Stewart: You weren't in your quarters last night.
Toby: Er, that was because...uh, I was....
Simmons: He was with me, sir.
Capt. Stewart: Really? All night?
Simmons: Yes, sir. All night.
Simmons turns towards Toby.
Simmons: And you left without saying goodbye!
Simmons slaps Toby and storms off.
Toby: Uh...
Capt. Stewart: Ahem! Well, that is...that. Sgt. Parker, you know we have rules about....well, you know...fraternizing within the troops.
Toby (rubbing his jaw): I'll...er, not let that happen. Uh, again?
Capt. Stewart: Very well, then. Carry on. So to speak.
The captain walks off as Toby turns to see standing several feet away the form of the Doctor. Toby walks over to the Doctor who has a particularly stern expression.
Toby: Doctor...
The Doctor: Toby. We need to talk.
Scene change: interior of the TARDIS as the Doctor and Toby enter. The Doctor is keeping his back to Toby.
Toby: If I didn't say it before, thank you for saving Jamal and I from...
The Doctor: No. Shut up.
Toby: Huh? What?
The Doctor: I said, shut up!
Toby: What the hell, Doctor! What're...
The Doctor turns around quickly to face Toby and his face is contorted with anger.
The Doctor: What... the... HELL was that about? That stupid stunt!
Toby: Stupid? Listen...
The Doctor: No, you listen! What you did was stupid, irresponsible, dangerous and, just for good measure, let's toss in an extra helping of stupid!
Toby: Stupid? My best friend was in danger! I needed to save him!
The Doctor: By putting yourself in danger? That's a stupid plan!
Toby: You were part of the plan!
The Doctor: What?!
Toby: Yesterday was my birthday! You always come to see me on the day after!
The Doctor: What? Are you a complete pudding brain?!?! You put your life at risk because you figured I would swoop in and save your life? THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS, TOBY!
Toby and the Doctor stand silently facing each other. Then, Toby breaks the silence.
Toby (quietly): That not... how this... works....
Toby covers his face with his hands as he turns away from the Doctor. Then, very abruptly he whirls back around to face the Doctor once more.
Toby (shouting): I. DON'T KNOW. WHAT. THIS. IS!!!
The Doctor (taken aback): Toby...
Toby: No! Some weird thing, some alien thing, you tell mom and me, got to me when I was 8 years old! Every year since then you keeping coming around to make sure I'm OK. Really, Doctor? Is that really what it is? Is that ALL it is?
The Doctor: Toby...
Toby: I don't think so, Doctor! You're hiding something! You're keeping secrets, from my mom, from me! Well, enough is enough! I'm a grown man now and I want answers! I WANT TO KNOW WHY YOU SHOW UP IN MY LIFE EVERY DAMN YEAR!!!
Toby's body is quivering rage as he faces the Doctor. The Doctor sighs.
The Doctor: You're right.
The Doctor turns away from Toby and approaches the consoles. He types on a keypad as he talks.
The Doctor: I have not been completely forthcoming with you or your mother.
A monitor screens comes up with the graphic we saw at the end of last episode, a row of photos at the top and a graph at the bottom. Except the row of Toby Parker's head photos is longer than before. The arrow at the bottom continues its downward trajectory.
The Doctor: It's time, Toby, way past time...
The Doctor turns the monitor as Toby cautiously approaches the console.
The Doctor: For you to know the truth.
Scene change: bright sunshine coming through a window. Our view expands to show a hospital room. Jamal is lying in a bed. Sitting in a chair nearby is Toby. Jamal stirs groggily from sleep.
Jamal (mumbles): But dad, I don't want to go...
Jamal's eyes widen as he looks about the room and he sees Toby who is leaning towards the bed.
Toby: Hey, sleepyhead. You think you gonna just lie around and sleep all day?
Jamal: Toby? I....I'm...
Toby: It's OK, Jamal. You're in hospital. You took a lot of damage but the doctors here say you'll be on the mend soon enough.
Jamal: You....you save my life, boss. That...that....ow!
Toby: Here, let me help.
Toby gets up to help Jamal adjust to a sitting position.
Jamal: You remember that time you lost all of my Spider-man comics?
Toby: Uh, yeah?
Jamal: Now we're even.
Toby: Just about.
Jamal: Toby? Who....who was that man?
Toby steps back from the bed.
Jamal: What was....what was that place?
Toby laughs nervously and sighs.
Jamal: Toby?
Toby: Jamal, you are... my best friend. And I've kept things from you.
Jamal: Kept things...?
Toby: Secrets, Jamal. Big secrets that I have not shared with you.
Toby sits back down by Jamal's bed.
Toby: That ends today. It all started...
Toby stops and takes a deep breath.
Toby: It all started when I was eight years old...
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Next episode....
The Chronovirus reappears and its now a weapon in the hands of the warrior race known as the Mire as they seek worlds to conquer and, while they're at it, vengeance against the Doctor.
Our saga continues with Lifetime Companion - Episode Five.
In TWO weeks.
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More new blog posts are on the way so I hope you come back around. Until then, remember to be good to one another.
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