Storm: Time Jump

Tooth and Claw 3

"Biology, zoology." Rose was reading. "There might be something on wolves in here-" "Hold on, what about this? A book on mistletoe." The Doctor murmured, flipping through it before tossing it with a disappointed sigh. Sir Robert muttered as he read: "Some form of explosive."

They were all flipping through various books, Teresa more intent on finding the one that had the information on the falling star. She glanced up when the Doctor murmured: "Ooh..." He quickly moved to put the book he'd been examining on the nearby desk and they all joined him as he said: "Look what your old dad found."

He pointed to the illustration and Teresa leaned in to see the familiar illustration as the Doctor said thoughtfully: "Something fell to Earth." "A spaceship?" Rose checked, and Sir Robert corrected: "A shooting star."

He leaned in to read: "'In the year of our Lord 1540, under the reign of King James the Fifth, an almighty fire did burn in the pit.' That's the Glen of Saint Catherine just by the monastery." He realized, and Rose murmured confusedly: "But that's over three hundred years ago. What's it been waiting for?"

The Doctor murmured darkly: "Maybe just a single cell survived. Adapting slowly down the generations, it survived through the humans, host after host after host." "But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert asked puzzled. Teresa nudged Rose, and the girl gasped.

"That's what it wants." Rose realized and the men turned to her. Rose explained to them: "It said so. The, the 'Empire of the Wolf'." "Imagine it." The Doctor said darkly. "The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam, leaving history devastated in its wake."

"Sir Robert." Queen Victoria called sharply, and the man quickly went to his Queen as the Doctor peered back down at the book. The Queen began: "If I am to die here-" "Don't say that, Your Majesty." Sir Robert interrupted, ready to dispute but the Queen was firm as she pressed on: "I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me."

Sir Robert bowed his head in understanding, but the Queen went on: "But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself." She reached into her bag as she spoke and the Doctor looked over.

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor pointed out and Teresa winced. Queen Victoria retorted: "Thank you for your opinion, but there is nothing more valuable than this." She carefully pulled out a fine white diamond the size of her fist, showing it them.

The Doctor's eyes widened and his mouth fell open, while Rose asked in awe: "Is that the Koh-I-Noor?" "Oh, yes." The Doctor murmured as the pair walked closer. He added in that same wondering tone: "The greatest diamond in the world."

"Given to me as the spoils of war." Queen Victoria explained as Teresa also moved to join them. The Queen looked down at it as she murmured pensively: "Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die."

"Well, that's true of anything if you own it long enough." The Doctor pointed out, and then he asked: "Can I...?" He gestured at the diamond, and the Queen hesitated before she let him take it. He examined it closely, peering over the brim of his glasses as he murmured: "That is so beautiful."

"How much is that worth?" Rose asked in wonder and the Doctor replied quietly: "They say the wages of the entire planet for a whole week." Rose snorted and she joked: "Good job my mum's not here. She'd be fighting the wolf off with her bare hands for that thing."

"And she'd win." The Doctor added, making Rose chuckle. Teresa smiled a little, glad they were back on friendly terms, while Sir Robert asked tensely: "Where is the wolf? I don't trust this silence." He walked off to the doors, listening against them as the Doctor looked at the Queen again.