4 Calling Birds

On Cosmercias- shoppers from all over the galaxy browsed from stall to stall underneath the soft, warm violet sky of the planet. Each stall packed to the brim with the widest selection of intergalactic presents imaginable- gift wrapped with a bow: from Cryon ornaments, to Xeraphinian chocolate or Draconian wine. The planet’s Scarlet Moon coated the market-planet in a silky glow, the overpowering aroma of alien delicacies swam in the air and a symphony of the guttural dialects of the alien shoppers rang in the air...accompanied by the incoming familiar wheezing of the TARDIS.
The Police Box materialized in the center of the bustling market planet. Sarah Jane skipped out with a look of pure excitement, shortly followed by the Doctor confidently strutting out- with a face of uncontainable boredom. Finally, out dawdled Harry Sullivan- looking confused.
“I don’t have a clue what you were on about Doctor- this place doesn't look dull at alll!” Sarah exclaimed, spinning around to view the sensual overload.  “Besides, I’m getting tired of socks for Christmas.”
“What’s wrong with socks?” Murmured Harry, looking like a deer in the headlights.
“I can hardly choose what to get people for Christmas from my local supermarket- but a whole planet dedicated to Christmas shopping?” He shuddered. “Worse than a Dalek.”
“Don’t be so daft Harry this isn’t a just a Christmas market planet. Believe it or not, not every planet in the galaxy has the same fixation on celebrating someone else’s birthday by rewarding themselves with confectionary and killing a pine tree. No, Cosmercias is dedicated to a whole range of festivities all over the cosmos- Christmas, Vervoidian Independence day- you name it. The only thing they all have in common is that they want your money.” The Doctor rattled off, looking uninterested in the concept.
“But as much as it pains me I do concur with you Harry.” The Doctor continued whilst getting a good luck at the busy shoppers before turning to Sarah, looking exasperated. “All of time and space; any war, any person, any mystery, any planet, anywhere yet you insist on Christmas shopping Sarah? The TARDIS is not a trans-dimensional Christmas grotto.”
“C’mon Doctor, Christmas only comes around once a year.” Sarah implored.
“Sarah we are standing next to a time-machine. I’ll leave it up to you to deduce how inane that statement is.” The Doctor replied.
Sarah Jane Smith crossed her arms and looked at the Doctor and Harry curtly. “Perhaps you can both wait in the TARDIS with each other then?”
The Doctor and Harry exchanged a quick, horrified glance before shaking their heads.
“Very well. Let’s meet back at the TARDIS within an hour.” The Doctor began, looking down to adjust his scarf for the biting frosty air. “I presume you have the necessary credits on your cards, the TARDIS translation circuit should allow you to understand everyone clearly enough, keep your wits about you- scarce though they may be, and if you happen to see...”
But as the Doctor began to ramble, the harmonious singing of a blackbird began to fill Sarah’s ears. She peered around to find the source of the noise- turning to see a delicate blackbird fluttering the air. The Doctor’s ramblings began to fade into mumblings in the back of her mind. The irresistible impulse to follow the bird found her straying away from the Doctor and Harry.
“Uh, Doctor-” Harry began gesturing to the Doctor to look at Sarah- but a similar sing-song of the blackbird filled his ears also. “Nuh- no...must...” Harry winced, but within moments the singing ushered any doubts to sleep as he began to follow another blackbird in the opposite direction.
“...and one more thing.” The Doctor started to finish, rummaging around his pockets. “There are rumors about Cosmercias- that the planet toys with the mind, entices you in- no wonder they built a market on it. So be weary you two-”
The Doctor looked up to see Sarah and Harry had already left. From left to right, all he could see was the waves upon waves of intergalactic shoppers.
“Sarah? Harry?” He called out to no avail. He let out a sigh. “Typical.”
Some distance of him was another blackbird, fluttering the air; it’s singing faint but enticing. The Doctor piqued his head in curiosity...and began to follow it.
In another direction Sarah continued to follow the singing bird in a bizarre trance; she knew it was stupid and reckless- but the bird’s soothing song lulled away these doubts and only enticed her through the crowds regardless.  But almost as though being awoke from a dream the singing abruptly stopped.
Startled, she turned around to see the blackbird perched on the roof of a cosy-looking market stall. An elderly lady sat there with a in a fuzzy Christmas jumper and rosy cheeks.
“Hello Sarah.” The lady beamed. “Would you like to see what we have on stock for you?”
The rational side of Sarah’s brain was waving every red flag under the sun, but the lady emitted a reassuring vibe that clouded her better judgements.
“Oh erm, I would but I’m not really sure what I’m looking for.” Sarah stuttered.
“That’s no problem. Because I do.” The lady smiled sweetly. She pulled out a small toy kaleidoscope- still a star patterned bright baby blue colour but with clear ware and tear from years of use. Sarah recognized it immediately.
“Tha-that’s impossible. I lost this when I was a child...” She stuttered in disbelief as the lady handed the kaleidoscope over to her. Sarah clutched it as nostalgia washed over her. The familiar space patterns on the inside- even the smell: There was no doubt it was the same from all those years ago.
“That’s what we specialize in.” The lady at the shop began. “Lost things. Mementos, souvenirs, toys- anything you yearn to be with again can be brought back.”
“Oh erm, how much do you want for-” Sarah reached for her purse.
“And it doesn’t just have to be toys either.” The lady interrupted.
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked. The doubt had festered into an underlying feeling of dread sitting in her stomach like a heavy seed- but still she found herself intrigued like a moth to a flame.
The lady pulled out a photograph of a handsome young man with short brownish hair with an arm around a dark haired girl. A grainy worn photo, but Sarah knew who they were without even a second glance. Her heart sank.
Eddie and Barbara Jane-Smith.
“We can bring them back, Sarah. If you stay with me.” The lady said coldly.
Sarah put her hand on the photo longingly, as the bird song began to fill her ears once more. She knew the danger of any such endeavor- how timelines would be torn to shreds and the fabric of time that she had the honor to witness would be irreversibly damaged. The perverse nature of such a notion- of necromancy- were not lost on here. But as the song filled her ears reason was drowned out and longing took its place.
Could she...?
Meanwhile in the opposite end of the market, Harry was trailing aimlessly after the blackbirds song. The singing stopped as he reached a stall seating a pinstripe suited man of a stern demeanor and frosty grey hair. Inexplicably, despite never having seen this stern looking man before, Harry felt an immediate deference to him, and approached the stall.
“Mr Sullivan?” The stern looking man inquired in a gravelly, commanding voice. Harry nodded and found himself standing upright, like a soldier called to attention.
The man got out a clipboard and began to flip through notes.
“Yes we have some of your information Mr Sullivan.” The man began. “Service to the Royal Navy and UNIT as a Military Surgeon. You have quite the prestigious record Mr Sullivan, we could use a man of your capabilities.”
“I beg your pardon?” Harry asked in a dazed state. After some time travelling with the Doctor- having someone praise his capabilities had become a foreign concept.
“I’m a representative of the United Galaxies: the highest intergalactic diplomacy organization in this universe. We’ve set up shop in numerous high activity planets scouring for recruits, and you fit the bill. Job’s yours- you just need to sign here.”
The man placed down a piece of paper with a blank dotted line before Harry and a pen whilst glaring expectantly at him with his steely blue eyes. Harry tried to make out the fine print, but it all seemed blurry. Of course it was a ruse- it made no sense Harry thought...yet the familiar sound of the blackbirds song seemed to lock his feet by the stand and lock his mind outside reason.
“Well as erm- flattered as I am I think I need to head back to my friends. I think they’ll be missing me.” Harry tried to utter.
“Will they?” The man inquired- the words cutting Harry like a knife. “Do you really believe that?”
The bird-song grew louder- and Harry’s trembling fingers moved toward the pen...
In an opposite end of the park the Doctor pushing through the aimless shoppers- trailing after the calling bird with his characteristic curiosity. Following and following until...
“Roll up, roll up! You there with the outrageously long scarf and Chesire cat grin!”
The Doctor stopped in his tracks and turned over to his left. A man sat behind a stall, throwing and catching a baseball with a mischievous grin. He noticed the bird perched on top of the stall.
The Doctor looked around briefly. “Oh I’m sorry were you referring to me?” The Doctor grinned.
“A funny man eh?” The man at the stall said as the Doctor neared the stall. “Well Doctor- have a game on me.”
He handed the Doctor the baseball and pointed to some tins balanced together in a pyramid shape.
“Knock ‘em all down in one throw, and you win the prize.” The man explained.
“Ah well I’m very relieved you enlightened me to the elaborate ruleset of this truly complex contest.” The Doctor said, examining the ball. “But please if you could spare any more of this encyclopedic insight just so I can fully appreciate these gargantuan stakes- what exactly is the prize, if I do so achieve this momentous achievement?”
“What would you like it to be?” The man smirked. “I suppose this game is a little dull for you Doctor, you know, given that there are no planets, entire species or the very fabric of space and time at risk. But if you win this game Doctor- you can have all of that. Forever- for as long as you want.”
The birdsong began to ring, and the Doctor squinted at the man at the stall.
“Imagine it: an entire world at your own command. Any challenge- any enemy- any threat: an entire playground for you to show-off in forever and ever. I mean let’s face it Doctor- knocking over a few cans? Not that much different from saving a planet for you these days. It’s all a bit easy, isn’t it? A bit routine? Why not push yourself? Go on, have a crack.” The man continued.
The song got louder as the Doctor clutched the ball.
“I’d be alone.” The Doctor murmured. “My friends are still out here.”
“Really- exiled from your own planet and running around with two infants.” The man chortled. “You might aswell already be alone! Besides, look at where these so called ‘friends’ have taken you- Christmas shopping? Anyway I think those two may have gone their separate ways now. No baggage. No distractions, no niceties... so go on. Throw it.”
The birdsong was now drowning out all other noises. The Doctor grabbed the ball- aimed it...
“...but, just one more thing, if I may?” The Doctor asked- baseball still in hand. “How do you know so much about me? I don’t recall telling you my name, or that I had company- I presume a little birdy may have told you?”
The man frowned.
“You see I’d heard the rumors of tricks with the mind and disappearances on Cosmercias- it's why I bothered to go in the first place. But you see I was always very curious to see if my hunch was correct- and getting a good look at you I’m pleased to discover I was. Multiple life-forms, tricks, traps, a fixation on games and recruiting others to play them? Who else could you be? Besides, you see you look perfectly boring, but the eyes are a dead-giveaway. You’ve got old, old eyes. Trust me- takes them to know them.”
The man gave a sinister smile.
“The Celestial Toymaker.” The Doctor nodded. “I suppose Cosmercias is a perfect fit to lure in some more playthings for your twisted game. But I’m afraid I’ll have to be declining your offer- yet again. You see I don’t need to confine myself to your little play-box to seek adventure- adventure can be found everywhere you go if you look hard enough. And anyway- what would be the point of experiencing these things without the friends there with you?
The Toymaker just laughed.
“They’ve already taken the bait Doctor.” The Toymaker sneered. “Funny how the most basic of temptations can send loyalty packing. Believe it or not you might not be quite as marvelous as you believe.”
“You’re very probably right on that last part.” The Doctor replied. “But if I know one thing- it's humanity. I know that the bonds of friendship and the beauty of the universe beat the smoke and mirrors of a tempting con any day of the week- even Christmas. I also know- that if Sarah and Harry have resisted your games then your mental link will have been weakened- so can the physical link can be broken by even the slightest of connections.”
The Toymaker frowned.
“Merry Christmas!”
The Doctor threw the ball directly at the Toymaker- who disappeared as soon as it hit him. The birdsongs stopped.
The Doctor turned around, and saw Sarah and Harry running up behind him. He couldn’t resist that iconic grin spreading across his face.
“I knew it, I knew it! The Toymaker’s games may work on the weaker willed but not you two- not humanity. As I say- indomitable! Absolutely indomitable!” The Doctor bellowed, embracing them both to their surprise. “I presume he attempted to to tempt you both also- what did he use?”
“Just uhh- a paperwork job. Wasn’t tempted for a minute.” Harry smiled. “What about you Sarah?”
Sarah went to start- but hesitated. “Ah nothing really. Pried on nostalgia- just a trick. Anyway, what could be better than Christmas with you two?” She smiled sweetly.
“Do you really want me to answer that?” The Doctor grinned. “Let’s leave this capitalist crater. I imagine the Toymaker has fled by now but do remind me to alert the authorities regardless in the TARDIS.” The Doctor declared as they all headed back toward the TARDIS. But then he stopped.
“But there’s one thing I don’t quite understand- a relatively new experience for me.” The Doctor continued. “You see the Toymaker thinks himself funny, you see. Christmas planet- tries to lure us in with calling birds. You know, like the song?’
“Oh yeah!” Sarah realized. “Four calling birds!”
“Exactly, but where’s the fourth?” The Doctor frowned. “One for you, one for Harry, one for me...three! Where’s the fourth bird?”
“Um, Doctor?” Harry tapped the Doctor on the shoulder. “Is that... K-9 over by a stand? What does it say... ‘Build your own...female robotic companion...?”
“What? K-9 get back here! Bad dog!”
THE END