Winter Rose, Book 1

Burger From The Future

"Come on Adam, open your mind. You're going to like this! Fantastic period of history. The Human race at its most intelligent; culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners-" The Doctor was explaining to Adam, but was cut off rather rudely.

"Out of the way!" Someone seemed to appear out of nowhere and shoved past them as they walked into what seemed to be the central area of the space station. Rose and Win's eyebrows raised as they took in the view around them. Humans, no aliens in sight, pushed around the room as they lined up in front of what looked like fast food vendors. Win's eyes rested on the stall closest to them.

"Thank you very much indeed. Somebody there? That's great, what do you want love?" The vendor asked the next woman in line before yelling at the line pushing up behind her. "Allright, keep moving, I'll be with you lot in a minute! Here you are, one at a time! What now, what was it? Kronkburger with cheese, Kronkburger with pajatos. Do you want a drink? Oi, you mate, stop pushing! Get back, I said back!"

"That doesn't look like fine cuisine to me." Win muttered as they stared at the Humans acting much like impatient animals.

"My watch must be wrong." The Doctor frowned, looking at his watch. "No, it's fine. It's weird." He glanced around him in bewilderment again.

"That's what comes from showing off. Your history's not as good as you thought it was." Rose nudged the Time Lord in the side with her elbow, a teasing smirk pulling at her lips.

"My history's perfect!" The Doctor defended himself, pouting down at the blonde.

"Well obviously not!" Rose snorted.

"Rose, do you remember what the Doctor told us in 1869? Time is in flux, one decision can change the entire world. Something must have changed and diverged from what the Doctor knows." Win pointed out and Rose nodded slowly.

"They're all Human." Adam spoke up after gaping at the view around him for too long. "What about the millions of planets, the millions of species? Where are they?" The time travelers looked around again.

"Good question." The Doctor muttered before patting Adam on the shoulder with a plastic grin. "Actually that is a good question. Adam, me old mate, you must be starving!" Despite the fact that they all just had breakfast.

"No, I'm just a bit time sick." Win snorted.

"No such thing as time sick." She mumbled to herself. The Doctor waved his response off.

"Nah, you just need a bit of grub." He turned and called out to the vendor Win had been watching before. "Oi, mate; how much is a Kronkburger?"

"Two credits twenty, Sweetheart, now join the queue." The vendor called back.

"Money, we need money. Let's use a cash point." The Doctor was talking mostly to himself as he led them over to what looked like a futuristic ATM.

"Attention all staff, all coverage of the Glasgow water riots being transferred five through nine." A voice announced through the overhead speakers, making Win glance up briefly, and in that moment a flickering close up image of frost and ice crystals crossed her vision.

The Doctor soniced the cash point, making it spit out a plastic card similar to a credit card. "There you go, pocket money. Don't spend it all on sweets." He instructed semi seriously as he handed it to Adam.

"How does it work?" Adam asked with a frown.

"Go and find out." The Doctor huffed. "Stop nagging me. The thing is, Adam, time travel is like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double, and end up kissing complete strangers! Or is that just me?" The Doctor paused as Win smirked at him with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head with a smile, getting himself back on topic.