Doctor Who_ Deep Blue - Mark Morris [9]
Indeed, the Doctor infuriated Tegan as much as Turlough did, albeit for different reasons. In his fifth incarnation he was a baffling mix of contrasting characteristics. He was brilliant and feckless, knowledgeable and naive, resourceful and disorganised, thoughtful and compulsive.
„How many years out are we?‟ she asked, addressing the Doctor and making an effort not to sound exasperated.
He glanced up at her, narrowing his eyes as if to judge her mood. „Oh, only a few. Ten or so. Twelve at the most.‟
„Forwards or backwards?‟
„Backwards.‟
„Well, that‟s OK then.‟ She spread her arms to better display the bright print dress she was wearing. „I‟ll be a trend setter.‟
„Hmm,‟ said the Doctor non-committally and, straightening up from the console, took a rolled-up object from the pocket of his knee-length, cream-coloured coat. He gave a practised flick of the wrist and was suddenly holding a white panama hat in his hand which he placed on his head with a casually stylish movement. „Everyone ready?‟ he asked, all at once full of childlike eagerness.
Tegan couldn‟t help but respond to his mood with a smile, but Turlough merely raised his eyebrows and said with the trace of an indulgent sigh, „Ready, Doctor.‟
The Doctor operated a lever and with a hum of power the TARDIS‟s double doors smoothly opened. Tegan turned to face them, feeling a little quiver of excitement and apprehension. She wondered what the Doctor‟s surprise would entail. He‟d said they all needed cheering up after the terrible events they had witnessed on Sea Base Four in the Earth‟s future. The Doctor had told his companions nothing else except that the surprise would take place on Tegan‟s present-day Earth.
„Shall we?‟ the Doctor said cheerfully and swept out of the TARDIS, the tails of his coat flapping behind him. Tegan glanced at Turlough, saw the expression of complicity he was offering her, and strode determinedly after the Doctor.
She emerged blinking into the sunlight that streamed into her eyes. Sounds filled her ears - gaudy music, excited chatter, delighted screams - and deliciously familiar smells kicked her taste buds into instant life: candyfloss, frying onions, fish and chips.
„It‟s a fun-fair,‟ she exclaimed delightedly as the glare of the sun faded and was replaced by the bright, shifting primary colours of revolving carousel horses and lurching dodgem cars, stalls offering pink teddy bears as prizes, the House of Fun with its unseen perils and pitfalls.
They had materialised between two quiet stalls, apparently unseen, as if the TARDIS had deliberately picked its moment.
Even the grinding cacophony of the time machine‟s ancient engines appeared to have gone unheard, drowned out by the sound of Slade blaring from a swooping, spinning ride in the shape of a gigantic spider some twenty yards away.
The Doctor was standing with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his striped trousers, beaming round at the scene like a satisfied proprietor from beneath the brim of his panama hat.
„It‟s the seventies, all right,‟ Tegan shouted, walking up to him and gesturing at the long-haired men with their wide-collared shirts and outrageously flared jeans, the girls with their denim caps and platform shoes.
Unseen by Tegan, Turlough had sidled up behind her.
„What is this place, Doctor?‟ he shouted, making Tegan jump.
„Tayborough Sands pleasure beach,‟ the Doctor replied. „As I recall, there‟s a particularly fine toffee-apple stall beside the Waltzer.‟
„Pleasure beach?‟ echoed Turlough incredulously. „You mean people come here to have fun?‟
„Of course they do!‟ exclaimed Tegan. „And that‟s exactly what we‟re going to do. Right, Doctor?‟
The Doctor grinned in reply.
„But it‟s so vulgar...‟ complained Turlough.
„Just go with it,‟ replied Tegan and grabbed his arm. „Come on, I‟ve got some money. I‟ll stand you a ride on the roller coaster.‟
„Roller coaster?‟ said Turlough doubtfully. „What‟s that?‟
„You mean you don‟t know?‟ She glanced at the Doctor, a wicked glint in her eye, „Boy, are you in for a treat. Come on.‟
She