Untold Knowledge (Doctor Who x Genius Fem! Oc) [Book 1]

Chapter 71: The Shakespeare Code

The Tardis shook and bucked as Martha hung onto the console with a massive grin while Echo and her Doctor worked the controls. "But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, let's take the fun and mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight."

"That means he doesn't actually know." Echo interjected with clear honesty, earning her a mock glare/pout from the Time Lord.

Just then did their surroundings come to a strong halt, causing them all to fall to the floor. "Blimey. Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?" Martha asked incredulously as she got to her feet.

"Yes and before my love gets mouthy, I failed it. Now, make the most of this. I promised you one trip, and one trip only. Outside this door, brave new world." he said, gesturing for her to take the lead.

She looked at them with ambivalence, "Where are we?"

Echo then went to her side and took her hand, "Let's go find out." and went to the doors excitedly. It was something Martha loved immensely.

Walking outside, Martha was overwhelmed by the old world they were met with. Washing hung on lines below the overhanging eaves. The smell of humanity was strong, sadly. "Oh, you are kidding me. You are so kidding me. Oh, my God, we did it! We traveled in time! Where are we? No, sorry. I got to get used to this; whole new language. When are we?"

Echo then quickly pulled her out of the way from someone emptying their slop bucket from a window above. "Gardez l'eau!" they shouted without care.

"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry about that." the Doctor said, apologizing mainly to his love.

Martha shook her head, her smile still in place. "I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift A+E. But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?"

With a shrug, Echo walked closer to her Doctor. "Why not? Some changes aren't all that bad."

"Well, isn't like in the films? You step on a butterfly, you change the human race and all that?" Martha went on, not wanting to cause anything bad by simply existing.

"Tell you what then, don't step on any butterflies. What have butterflies ever done to you?" the Doctor asked with confusion.

Martha then followed them down the street as they leisurely walked forward. "What if, I don't know, what if I kill my grandfather?"

Echo looked at her with raised brows, "Are you planning to kill him?"

"Well, no."

"There we are then."

She couldn't help the onslaught of questions and curiosities that effortlessly flowed through her mind. "Am I alright, though? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?"

Echo immediately shook her head, "Nah, you're good. Noble women have always existed. Even in 1599. If anyone tries to give us trouble, they'll have to go through me. And that won't be easy, seeing as my bones are mostly adamantium at this point."

Upon hearing the unusual comment, Martha looked at the Doctor with wide, surprise filled eyes. With a prideful expression, he shrugged as though to say 'What can you do?' "We're not even human. Just walk around like you own the place. Works for us. Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England? Not so different from your time. Look over there, for example. They've got recycling." He then pointed to a man shoveling horse manure into a bucket. "Water cooler moment." Two men were talking and enjoying themselves at a water barrel.

"And the world will be consumed by flame!" a preacher announced to all those around him.

"Global warming. Oh, yes, and entertainment. Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river by Southwark, right next to-" He then got them to run along from the South end of old London Bridge, past St. Mary Ovarie- Southwark Cathedral- then were in view of a grand building like none other. "Oh, yes! The Globe Theatre! Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetradecagon. Fourteen sides. Containing the man himself."