The man pointed with his right hand at Jenny’s arrow imbedded through his left shoulder.
Jenny bit her lip and nodded quite sheepishly. She began to approach the man who stopped her, gesturing with the outstretched palm of his right hand.
‘Wait there. I’ve got this.’ He said reaching back for the arrow, grasping it in his clenched hand, grimaced and slowly yanked it free from his shoulder with a painful yelp. Jenny’s face scrunched with repulsion at the squelchy sound of the arrow ripping through the man’s skin. As she looked closely at where the arrow had punctured through, she noticed a burst of bright gold light shine out from the hole it was once embedded. The man threw the arrow to one side and too observed the glowing light emanating from his wound.
‘There go – all better! No harm done.’ He said to Jenny.
He then looked up. ‘Thank you.’ He whispered as if talking to the heavens before an overwhelming look of gratitude consumed his features.
‘Who are you Star-man?’ Jenny asked.
‘Starman? I don’t look like David Bowie do I? Perhaps Jeff Bridges? That wouldn’t be too bad. Of course! You won’t recognise me will you? New face, features and all that.’ He stroked his throat and seemed puzzled. ‘Although, the voice hasn’t seemed to have changed at all. Voice box is a bit rough. Probably all that shouting. Have I been shouting? No, Screaming? Singing? I suppose both could be categorised the same as the other during Karaoke night at Dorium’s Maldovarium! WOW! Moonstones!’ The man’s attention was suddenly drawn to the two glowing pebbles on the ground and jumped up from the snow which had a clear imprint of the contours of his body melted into an icy throne. He knelt down and began to examine the larger pebbles.
Jenny stood none the wiser to the man’s jabbering but was fascinated by the way the man hadn’t flinched since pulling the arrow back through his shoulder. She edged around him as he crouched on the ground and observed the tear in his jacket which flapped over where the wound should have been. She got closer and gentle lifted back the material and apart from a blood stain around where the gash would have been, she saw nothing, not even a scar. It had completely healed.
‘Lindos!’ The man declared knowing what question was on the mind of the young woman who fired an arrow at him. The Starman stood up. ‘Or more basically, complete cellular regeneration. A very naughty regeneration too I may add. But anyway – who’s counting, eh?’ He said with a wink. He looked down at his clothing and noticed how old and battle worn it had all become. ‘Regeneration, shame it doesn’t stretch as far as clothing too. Anyway - ‘I’m the Doctor!’ he confirmed cheerfully.
Jenny seemed unconvinced at his claim and began to back away from him. The Doctor could clearly see from her reaction that she didn’t believe him but based on the circumstances, he could understand why.
‘Sorry, new face me. Look, I promise you that I am the same grumpy old man who lived in the clock tower in the middle of the town. Ask Barnable! Wait! Are you Barnable?’
Jenny still looked on blankly.
‘Anyway, if not - he’ll tell you. I have the Blue Box and everything. Walking cane here at my side? – Ooh - There’s a song there...’ he began to look around him hurriedly. ‘Where is my cane anyway? Hold on – Have you stolen my shoe?’
‘How do I know you are not one of those other things who came to attack us?’ Jenny asked wondering if she should reach for another arrow. Based on the result of the last one she fired at him, she began to wonder again if there was much point.
‘What is your name?’ He asked.
‘Jenny.’
‘Jenny...’ the Doctor said with a smile, ‘Lovely name. I had a daughter...’. The Doctor’s smile faded as did the rest of the sentence. ‘Last name?’
‘Jenny Hayd’n’
The Doctor closed his eyes to concentrate. He had met many people and seen them born, grow old and die since coming to their once little backwater planet centuries years ago.
‘Hayd’n, Hayd’n. YES! Shev’on and Areal Hayd’n, they had a daughter - Jenny! That’s you? You used to draw for me. You used to draw Bamble Cows. I used to tell you that they were more yellow than orange but you wouldn’t have it, even as a child. Your mother and father were really lovely people. Your father was a marvellous clocksmith and was able to fix this for me numerous times.’ He said pulling his pocket watch from his tatty waistcoat. The Doctor realised that a button was missing. He then realised that the watch was no longer ticking. He held it to his ear and tried to wind it.
Nothing.
The Doctor was overcome with a disappointing sadness as he stared long at it. ‘Yes, he was a good man. Your mother was a fabulous seamstress. Boy could I do with her now.’ He said referring to his current attire. He looked up at Jenny, who seemed overcome with emotion. He noticed a tear sparkle down her cheek. It made him feel slightly uncomfortable and began to wonder if he had said something wrong. He wasn’t too sure. His biology was still in the process of rewriting itself and his head was a little more muddled than usual.
‘I know, remember this...’ The Starman rose his hands above his head and started waving them manically from side to side and moved in a way which resembled a drunken rain-dance, ‘...Funky Giraffe! – Remember how cool this is?’
‘Doctor?’ Jenny said. Then ran to him and embraced him in a tight hug. ‘It is you!’ She backed away to look at him. ‘You look so much younger than you really should. Your hair, it’s grown back.’ She held the Doctor’s hands in hers. They were no longer too hot, but felt young and smooth.
The Doctor seemed puzzled.
‘Not even the slightest hint of possibly red hair or perhaps strawberry blonde then? – No?’ he Doctor asked disappointedly. It then struck him. ‘Wait, do I still have a ridiculous chin, quiff-tastic brown hair and teeny-tiny delicate and also very sensitive eyebrows?’
Jenny looked puzzled as half the words he spoke were new to her own vocabulary but the chin reference, she understood and tentatively nodded, hoping that everything else he said was vaguely accurate.
The Doctor hurriedly felt his face, running his fingers over his features like he was once trained by the Eyeless Sirens of the Moai. Based upon touch alone, they carved huge statues and placed them all over the galaxy as a monument to ward off evil. Many of which seemed to end up on a remote island on Earth.
The Doctor realised he own features were unchanged, at least not this time. He tugged on his hair. Not a wig. He began to smile. He’d got very used to being him and quite frankly, he loved it.
‘Is the town safe now?’ Jenny asked.
‘Yes, I hope. Probably a lot safer when I’m gone.’
‘You are leaving us? But this is your home now.’
The Doctor smiled and helped brush another tear from Jenny’s white cheek. ‘Am afraid so. I have my own home to find. It’s out there, waiting for me, somewhere.’
The Doctor began to feel strange. His leg went into spasm, kicking out and sending dropping to the floor. This was when the Doctor finally realised he had his leg back and the motor programmes, once long inert, where starting reengage with his nervous system. Jenny stooped down and tried to help him back to his feet. His arm jerked involuntarily and smacked himself in the head. The Doctor yelped.
‘Okay, that was a little bit girly. It’s okay. I’m fine. It’s all part of the process. I think. Not sure. Feels different this time. But look - I have my leg back!!’ He grimaced as he tried to get used to the twitch in his newly formed limb. Jenny helped haul him awkwardly upright to his feet.
He began to realise that this maybe wasn’t it. It hadn’t finished yet. He wasn’t finished yet. His regeneration was still happening. It was just trying to catch up with him. It felt strange this time, after all, it wasn’t a natural regeneration. This one was manufactured, engineered and administered like a wonder-drug. He had known his people had mastered the art of artificial regeneration at many levels, some even too unsavoury for the Master or Rassilon himself. He was grateful for them but just wished they came with a set of instructions. He liked to read, regardless of how pointless it seemed.
‘Jenny. I need to get back to the town – Quickly. Do you know the way?’
‘Of course Doctor.’ She replied confidently.
‘Of course you do.’
~~~
Jenny
and the Doctor reached the fiery remains of the town’s centre. The
Doctor barley realised he had made it back practically bare foot. His
regeneration energy radiating slight warmth subdued the relentless icy
bitterness of the planet’s surface. Glancing around the town, he noticed
many Dalek morsels scattered amongst the debris. To his relief he
didn’t see many, if any, human bodies amongst the battle torn town of
Christmas. However, he did notice the destruction and couldn’t help but
feel overwhelmingly responsible.
‘There it is Doctor. Your blue box!’ Jenny pointed
through the dense smoggy smoke. It was quite thick in the town centre
and it began to sting her eyes.
The Doctor saw the TARDIS standing right where he’d
left it. Her bright white lantern sat on top of her blue wooden
carcass, beaming clearly like a lighthouse beacon calling to him.
Calling him home.
‘Thank you Jenny. Go, find the others. Make sure
they are all safe.’ The Doctor suggested. He seemed in a weaker state
than when she first found him.
‘I can help you over...’
‘You’ve done quite enough. Thank you. Here...’
The Doctor pulled his fob watch from his waistcoat
by its gold chain and handed it to Jenny. ‘I’m sure you’ve inherited
some of your father’s skills and they are inside you somewhere. You will
get it to work I’m sure.’
‘Doctor, I cant...’
The Doctor grabbed her hand and thrust the watch into her palm. Closing her fingers around it, he holded her hand affectionately. He lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand gently. ‘Please. For me?’ He asked.
The Doctor grabbed her hand and thrust the watch into her palm. Closing her fingers around it, he holded her hand affectionately. He lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand gently. ‘Please. For me?’ He asked.