infinitum tenens (The Sentry Reports Book 2)

New Earth

The Emissary looked up from her book as Rose bounced into the TARDIS. She dropped her pack on the floor and practically skipped up to the console.

"You're awfully excited," the Emissary remarked as she stood and approached the console. Rose grinned at her, tongue-in-teeth.

"Can't help it," she laughed as the Time Lords started to send them off. "So where are we going?"

The Doctor grinned as he flipped the final switch. "Further than we've ever gone before."
~~~
Rose was the first one out the doors when they landed. She stopped a few feet away, staring in awe at the massive city across the river. Above her head, flying cars zipped by. The Time Lords stopped on either side of her.

"Welcome to the year 5 billion and twenty three," the Emissary said.

"We're in the galaxy M87," the Doctor picked up, "and this? This is New Earth."

"That's just.." Rose trailed off. "That's just..."

"Not bad," the Doctor finished for her. "Not bad at all."

"That's amazing," she corrected. She bounced in place a little. "I'll never get used to this. Never. Different ground beneath my feet, different sky." She inhaled deeply. "What's that smell?"

The Emissary took a breath. "Apple grass," she answered.

Rose blinked. "Apple grass."

"Yes," the Emissary confirmed, inhaling deeper, enjoying the crisp apple scent.

"It's beautiful. Oh, I love this," Rose gushed. She grinned, looking between the two Time Lords. "Can I just say, traveling with you two, I love it."

"Us, too," the Doctor answered, smiling. "Come on." He started to walk away, taking the Emissary's hand as he went.

A few minutes later, Rose and the Doctor were sitting on his coat, the Emissary laying in the grass at their feet.

"So the year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted," the Doctor was explaining.

"That was our first trip," Rose remembered. He grinned.

"We had chips," he agreed. "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, big revival movement, but then they find this place." He gestured around them. "Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in."

"What's the city called?" Rose asked.

"New New York," the Emissary answered. Rose looked down at her, eyebrows raised.

"Oh, come on," she snorted disbelievingly.

"It's true," the Emissary insisted, sitting up to face Rose properly. "City of New New York." She tilted her head, considering. "Well, technically, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, which would make it—"

"New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York," the Doctor rattled off. Both girls just stared at him in amusement. He blinked. "What?"

"How long have you been waiting to say that?" The Emissary asked.

"Since we got here," he admitted, grinning.

"You're so different," Rose mused as she stared at him.

"New new Doctor," he quipped.

Rose stood, brushing off her pants. "Well, can we go visit New New York, so good they named it twice?"

"Well," the Doctor said as he stood up, offering a hand to the Emissary and pulling her to her feet. "I thought we might go there first."

He waved a hand at a set of skyscrapers on their side of the river. The Emissary looked up and blinked at the green crescent moon on the sides of the buildings.