Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 26: The Paternoster Gang

She hisses and snarls at these- these- apes? Va'stra narrows her eyes at them. They look like apes but smell different and look a lot less hairy than they used to be. These apes had killed her sisters by damaging their pod and now awoken from hibernation, in her rage, Va'stra has already killed five of them. She snarls, ready to attack the rest of them when—

"No, no, no!" A male ape and a female ape come running into view.

The male wears a stripy fabric with a cloth wrapped around his neck while the woman wears layers and layers of fabrics that Va'stra is unsure how to describe them. They seem different to the apes despite looking similar. All the same, Va'stra narrows her eyes at the unknown creatures.

The male suddenly flashes some object at the apes. "Mr John Smith of Scotland Yard and this is my assistant, Madame Davis. We'll deal with this."

The apes nod hurriedly before fleeing. Va'stra growls at the two that had interrupted.

The female, Madame Davis the male had called her, raises an eyebrow. "Now, Vastra, I know your angry but please listen to us."

Va'stra growls at this woman. Why had this female called her this and with almost familiarity?

——

They explain that those innocent tunnel workers she seeks revenge on had accidentally killed her sisters and had awoken Va'stra. They'd been constructing an "extension of the London Underground" and had no idea of Silurian hibernation.

Va'stra hadn't calmed hissing angrily at them but Kathy and the Doctor quickly argue that it isn't wise to seek revenge on these apes, humans they'd called them, as during the Silurian sleep, they'd been developing and dominating the planet. Va'stra quickly realises she's quite outnumbered and agrees to cease her attacks on the tunnel workers.

Va'stra had wanted to rejoin her people but her life ahead has been filled with too many fixed points for her to be able to rejoin them. The Doctor had expressed his understanding of not being able to be with his people, explaining the horrors he's experienced. This leaves Va'stra and the Doctor with a bitter understanding but one that helped ease the former's guilt all the same. While the Doctor stays for a short while, he leaves and it's Kathy who stays with her to help her accept her grief and start to heal as well as learning how to adjust to Victorian London.

Over the years, Kathy, as she says she prefers to be called, keeps to her word and is there to help Vastra, as she goes by now, to integrate into humanity's Victorian culture. She meets Kathy's son and daughter-in-law, the latter she begrudgingly accepts despite her being an ape. Kathy informs her that she can't go into detail about Ashildr to the Doctor until after a certain point in their timeline. Kathy had also gone into detail about the Doctor's species as well as her own background of rebirth and future knowledge.

Vastra initially spends time performing as The Sensational Scaled Siren for Henry Gordon Jago, and also performs in Jago's "Monstre Gathering".

Under Kathy's encouragement, after Vastra had found lodgings above a gin palace in Cheapside (Vastra had wanted to move in with Kathy, Carlyle and Ashildr but Kathy had argued that Vastra needs to learn to stand on her own feet but they'll be there to offer support), Vastra takes on a human called Jenny Flint as her maid. Kathy explained that Jenny had also herself been ostracised by society for who she was. Kathy had saved Jenny from being molested by a gang and being a part of a mating ritual. Kathy explains that Jenny will need shelter and protection, which she insists Vastra can provide.

Vastra reluctantly admits to herself that there's something about this ape that's actually quite appealing. This confuses her as Vastra has not previously been fond of human society. She goes to Kathy in her confusion and stress but Kathy quickly reassures her everything is alright and that she should inform Jenny, who, she insists, feels the same. To Vastra's relief, Kathy is right and the two soon develop a romantic relationship. It's not long before they marry with Kathy, Carlyle and Ashildr in attendance.