Bad Wolf From Space

32. Reinette

The clock was broken on the mantel.

I carefully made my way to the window. Out past the satin and lace curtain I could see the snowy skyline of 18th century Paris.

A horse sleigh's bells chimed through the night.

A small gasp came from behind me.

I stepped back making sure the moonlight fell upon my features so the little girl could recognize me.

She sat up in her bed, "It's you, mademoiselle!"

"Indeed. I'm sorry I've arrived here quite late at night but I'm afraid there's something else here that shouldn't be. I'd like to look under your bed, can I?"

Reinette began to shake but she nodded bravely.

I stepped forward and knelt at the far end of the bed.

I looked beneath and held back a squeak as I saw a Venetian mask peering from below.

"Reveal yourself," I commanded.

A hand shot out to grab me but I slid back.

"What is it?" Reinette looked at me as I looked over her shoulder.

"It's a clockwork machine. That's why it broke your clock for camouflage."

Reinette peeked, shrinking back in her bed with a gasp as she looked at the clockwork drone in Venetian mask, a rococo wig and 18th century suit.

"Why are you here?" She asked the masked clockwork.

"They have been scanning you."

"Why do they want me?"

The mask tilted down toward Reinette,

"You are like us...you are incomplete."

I stared at the robot, "Leave as you have no objective here."

It turned away from Reinette and stalked closer to me.

"Mademoiselle!"

I ducked as the drone's arm unsheathed a blade and swung toward me.

"I'll distract them." I kept backing up until my back was to the fireplace. I waited for the clockwork to raise its hand and slam down before I moved out of the way, its blade getting stuck in the mantle of the fireplace.

"When will you be back, mademoiselle?"

"When you are older I'll check in on you. My friend might be with me, is that alright?"

She nodded.

"Till next time, Reinette."

I flipped the fireplace switch and it moved around.

"Rose!" The Doctor surged forward but I pointed at the wall behind him.

"The fire retardant gun!"

The Doctor ran to the gun-like extinguisher and stopped the drone by spraying the retardant on it.

"Where did that come from?" Mickey asked.

"Here. It and others like it are what has been repairing the ship. When they ran out of normal parts, they used the crew."

"Used the crew?" Mickey wrinkled his nose.

"And Reinette?" The Doctor looked back at me brow furrowed.

I felt wistful for a moment, for an older face with big ears and a goofy grin.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, "When she's older she'll gain the title Madame De Pompadour. They are scanning her brain, they are trying to find her right age and then..."