The Doctor and The Nightingale {1}

the girl in the fireplace 4.1

The Tardis materialized on some spaceship in the future. Everyone stepped out of the Tardis. Mickey's eyes lit up when he saw where they were. "It's a spaceship" He mused in amazement. "Brilliant! I got a spaceship on my first go"

There were lots of bits and pieces of equipment scattered about. "It looks kind of abandoned" Rose commented. "Anyone on board?"

"Nah, nothing here" The Doctor assured. "Well, nothing dangerous. Well, not that dangerous. You know what, I'll just have a quick scan, in case there's anything dangerous"

Rose walked up beside Nova. "What's the date? How far have we gone?"

"About three thousand years into your future, give or take" Nova answered. She found a light switch. She flipped it and all the lights turned on. Part of the ceiling was just window, revealing the stars. "Fifty first century. Diagmar Cluster, you're a long way from home, Mickey. Two and a half galaxies"

"Mickey Smith," Rose started. She and Tate crowded around him. The Doctor and Nova stayed together, looking at little bits and bobbles. "Meet the universe. See anything you like?"

"It's pretty amazing, right?" Tate said.

"It's so realistic!" Mickey said as he stared out a window.

"Dear me, had some cowboys in here" The Doctor remarked. "Got a ton of repair work going on. Now that's odd. Look at that" He referred to a screen that showed a blueprint of the ship. "All the warp engines are going. Full capacity. There's enough power running through this ship to punch a hole in the universe, but we're not moving. So where's all that power going?"

"Where's all the crew in this place?" Tate wondered, his head turning in every direction.

"Good question. No life readings on board"

"Well, we're in deep space. They didn't just nip out for a quick fag" Rose said.

"No, I've checked all the smoking pods" The Doctor paused when he noticed an aroma. "Can you smell that?"

"Yeah, someone's cooking"

"Sunday roast, definitely" Mickey added.

Nova pressed a button on the console which opened a door behind them. The door revealed a paneled wall and an ornate fireplace with a clock on the mantelpiece. "Well, there's something you don't see in your average spaceship" Nova said. She stepped closer to the fireplace. "Eighteenth century. French. Nice mantle" She took out her sonic screwdriver and scanned the fireplace. "Not a hologram. It's not even a reproduction. This actually is an eighteenth century French fireplace. Double sided. There's another room through there" She crouched down and looked through the fireplace.

Rose looked out a porthole that was on the same wall. "There can't be. That's the outer hull of the ship. Look"

"Hello" Nova greeted the young girl who was kneeling on the other side of the fireplace.

"Hello" the young girl greeted back.

"What's your name?"

"Reinette"

"Reinette, that's a lovely name. Can you tell me where you are at the moment, Reinette?"

"In my bedroom"

"And where's your bedroom? Where do you live, Reinette?"

"Paris, of course"

"Paris, right"

"Mademoiselle, what are you doing in my fireplace?"

"Oh, it's just a routine fire check. Can you tell me what year it is?"