Slowly Shining (Book Two of The Creators Saga)

The Girl in the Fireplace

"It's a spaceship!" Mickey cheered when they exited the TARDIS. "Brilliant! I got a spaceship on my first go!"

"It's a messy spaceship," the Alchemist frowned, looking around at the mess of wires and equipment everywhere.

"It looks kind of abandoned," Rose agreed. "Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here," the Doctor shook his head, then fidgeted when the Alchemist gave him a pointed look. "Well, nothing dangerous." She raised an eyebrow. "Well, not that dangerous." She crossed her arms this time, and he cleared his throat. "You know what, I'll just have a quick scan, in case there's anything dangerous."

"Good boy," she smirked, ruffling his hair, Mickey smiling as he watched them. It was such a difference from the last time he'd seen the Alchemist with the Doctor. There was no point in denying they were obviously together, whatever that Bonding stuff was. He was just glad they weren't bickering like they had before.

"So what's the date?" Rose asked. "How far we gone?"

"About three thousand years into your future, give or take," the Doctor answered.

The Alchemist flipped a switch on the console, and the ceiling shimmered, showing the stars. "This is the fifty first century, in the Diagmar Cluster. Long way from home, you two. Two and a half galaxies away."

Rose grinned at Mickey, who gawked in shock. "Mickey Smith, meet the universe," she cheered. "See anything you like?"

"It's so realistic!" was all he managed to say.

"Dear me, had some cowboys in here," the Doctor whistled, looking around. "Got a ton of repair work going on."

"But this is the odd part," the Alchemist spoke up from where she was investigating the console. "The warp engines are going, all of them, at full capacity."

"That's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe, but we're not moving," the Doctor frowned. "So where's all that power going?"

"Where'd all the crew go?" Rose wondered.

"No life readings on board," the Alchemist reported.

"Well, we're in deep space. They didn't just nip out for a quick fag."

"No, I've checked all the smoking pods," the Doctor said before taking a sniff. "Can you smell that?"

Rose took a whiff. "Yeah, someone's cooking."

"Sunday roast, definitely," Mickey nodded.

The Alchemist pushed a button, and a door behind them opened up. She blinked when they looked into a room with a fireplace that definitely did not belong where they were. "Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship."

"Eighteenth century," the Doctor investigated, going inside. "French. Nice mantle. Not a hologram. It's not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace."

"Double sided," the Alchemist noted, crouching down on the floor, looking through the fireplace. "There's another room on the other side."

"There can't be," Rose denied, looking out of the porthole on the same wall. "That's the outer hull of the ship. Look!"

"Hello," the Alchemist greeted softly.

Rose blinked, looking back, to see a young girl had crouched on the other side, the one the Alchemist was speaking to. "Hello," the girl replied.

"What's your name?" the Doctor asked, crouching by the Alchemist.

"Reinette."

"Reinette," the Alchemist smiled. "That's a lovely name. Can you tell us where you are at the moment, Reinette?"