Chapter 44: Just a Job
River was a consulting Time Agent. And she had been for a while. Ever since she was a teenager she had watched, read and heard the whispered rumours about the Time Agency, and she wanted to work for them. Only, when she sent her CV and application form in, she got the reply that she didn't want.
'We are sorry to inform you that due to timelines we have had to decline your application to the Time Agency.'
She wasn't happy at all, and so late one night she broke into the regional offices. It was nondescript and looked like any other office with white washed walls and a deep blue carpet. There was a filing system in the corner in a language that she couldn't understand. So River sat on the desk and waited for the morning.
And he was surprised when he walked in the next morning and saw a blonde bushy haired teenager. She told him that she wasn't leaving until he had given her a proper explanation as to why she had been rejected, and that there was nothing wrong with her application.
"Like you've already been informed, timelines." He stated, slightly annoyed, but slightly amused that someone had broken into his office.
"And that means?"
"Things have to happen."
"Why?" She asked tenaciously.
The man sighed. "Look her Ms Song, timelines have a certain pliability, but you can't work for the Time Agency, they won't be able to stand that. Now, we scrutinise all Time Agent's time lines when considering their applications and if they are involved with certain, fixed points, then this is looked into. You, for instance have a future unlike any other applicant and because of this you can't join the Time Agency," he explained.
River fell silent for a few minutes; she sat in the chair opposite him and tapped her fingers on the side as she thought. "You said that there is some flexibility..." she said slowly. "I can't join the Time Agency, but what about being a consultant. An expert. I'd still be working, in the employment of the Time Agency, and it wouldn't affect the time lines."
The man stared at her and then let out a chuckle. "You are definitely something Ms Song." He shook his head.
"Your answer?" River said bluntly, wanting to know his answer.
The man nodded his head. "I agree with your strange logic. You can start tomorrow."
"Where?" River asked, trying to hide her enthusiasm, but failed in hiding the hint of a smile on her face.
"I think, you would be suited to the Maintaining branch of the Time Agency. You will help in fixing events that have seemingly gone off track. Keeping the Great Leap to time, that sort of thing."
Twelve years later, a degree in archaeology, planets, solar systems, civilisations and ordinary people saved, River Song was back in the office. The walls had been painted white a few times and the carpets had been changed from a deep blue to a dark red. "Well Ms Song, we've been monitoring the time lines."
"My time line," she interjected in with a smirk.
"Yes," the head of department sighed. "Yes, of course. Don't miss a thing do you?"
River blinked as though it were obvious. "And?"
"You're switching departments," he stated, cutting to the chase. "Moving from Maintenance to Disposal."
River chuckled. "Disposal?"
"Oh, nothing like that." He grinned at her face, the scar on the corner of his mouth stretched. "Disposal, as in tying up loose ends, and snipping them off. We don't want Time to ruined by a huge knot in the centre of it, now do we?" He titled his head and she stared at him.
