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Dr Who [Lethbridge Stewart] Andy Frankham Allen (v5.0) (epu
Content Selected Essays on Tech Cory Doctorow
Charlie Richards Carry Me 1 Fireman's Carry
Amazing Doctor Darwin Charles Sheffield
Brian Moore The Doctor's Wife (epub)
Bite My Cookies [Who Needs Chri Joyee Flynn
Doctor MC Three More Wishes Be Kind To Y
Doctor Rat William Kotzwinkle
Brewing Storm Derrick Storm T Richard Castle
Arleta Richardson [Grandma's In Grandma's Attic (epub)

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.Sound asleep.The girl put the beakers of drinks down on the table, apparently not bothered that dark liquid slopped out of them as she did so.The man who was still awake – or at least whose eyes were open – turned slightly to stare glassily at her.She stared back, and after what seemed an age he reached fumbling into his coat pocket and slapped several coins down on the table in front of him.‘Over there,’ George suggested, pointing to the farthest table.There was just one person sitting at it.Like most of the others, his head was down, but the way he tapped his long fingers on the table top suggested he was more alert than most.Fitz watched as the serving girl went over to the table.She paused, speaking quietly to the man, hiding him from Fitz’s view as he followed George.The girl moved away.George waved at the empty chairs beside the table to make the point as he asked, in loud English, ‘Do you mind if we join you?’But Fitz was standing immobile, mouth open.Time seemed to have slowed.The noise from the bar behind them faded away as the man at the table turned towards them.‘Not at all.’ The man’s English was perfect.‘Be my guests.’He stood politely, indicating that they should sit down.‘I’ve taken the liberty of ordering drinks for you already.I hope that’s all right, but I wasn’t sure quite how long you would be.’George was staring too, his expression a mirror of Fitz’s own surprise.‘Something wrong?’ the man asked, his genuine concern evident as they both continued to stare at him.‘No,’ Fitz managed to say, his mouth dry and his mind in a fog.‘Nothing’s wrong.Nothing at all, thank you.’‘Oh good,’ the Doctor said, breaking into a wide grin.‘I’m glad there’s nothing wrong.Sit down, both of you, and tell me the story so far.’* * *They were on to their third burning viscous beakerful by the time George and Fitz had finished telling the Doctor of their travels.Once he got over the surprise – surprise, not shock, he assured himself – of seeing the Doctor, Fitz was anxious to tell him all about their travels by boat and train.George was more enthusiastic about the forthcoming journey into Siberia.Every now and again he would punctuate Fitz’s narrative with comments of his own – hopes of what they might find; dreams of dinosaur bones and fossils, of curious rock strata and pumice.‘Perhaps there really is a mammoth or whatever frozen there.’‘Ah,’ the Doctor said, wagging his index finger, ‘but how many tusks will it really have?’George and Fitz both laughed, recalling the first time they had met.‘And what about you, Doctor?’ George asked.‘What have you been up to in the months since we last met? How is Miss Kapoor?’‘Months?’ The Doctor glanced at Fitz, his eyes dancing with reflected light.‘Funny, but it seems so much longer than that.’But Fitz could see more than just amusement in those eyes.In the depths.He sipped at the strong drink and returned the Doctor’s gaze.He looked older somehow, his face lined and drawn now that Fitz examined it.And his hair was all over the place – even more all over the place than usual.The Doctor’s jacket was grimy.As he reached for his own beaker, Fitz could see that the stitching at the shoulder had been torn away so that the sleeve was no longer attached to the rest of the coat.‘Been keeping busy?’ Fitz asked, keeping his tone light for George, but giving the Doctor what he hoped was meaningful and steely look.‘You know how things are.’ He drained the beaker in a single swallow, and Fitz grimaced at the thought of doing the same.‘I wonder, George…’ The Doctor was looking into his empty beaker.‘Yes, Doctor?’‘I don’t see that young lady at the moment, but I could do with another.’George looked from the Doctor to Fitz.‘Of course,’ he said slowly.‘Allow me.’ He stood up.‘I’m sure you two have things to catch up on.Please excuse me for a minute and I’ll get more drinks.’‘Thank you,’ the Doctor said quietly.So quietly that Fitz wondered if George heard, or was meant to.‘You’re a good man, George.’ He turned back to Fitz, leaning earnestly across the table.‘So, how are things really?’ he asked.‘Are you having as much fun as you seem to be?’Fitz shrugged.‘I hadn’t really thought about it,’ he confessed.He had been surprised by his own enthusiasm as he described their journey to date.‘But, yes – yes I am.’‘Good.I’m very glad.’‘And we’re only just beginning really,’ Fitz went on.‘On to Vladivostok in a few days to join up with everyone else.There’s some problem with Anderton, the guy supposed to be leading the expedition.But I gather that’s being sorted.’ He leaned forwards, eager.‘I was thinking I might keep a diary, you know – some sort of journal.’The Doctor’s expression seemed to be frozen to his face.Fitz shrugged.‘Just a thought.I found a small shop where this guy does leather‐bound notebooks.I thought I might appoint myself the expedition’s chronicler.Got to make myself useful somehow.Perhaps I’ll promise to send it to the Tsar.’The Doctor’s face twitched, and he smiled.‘The Tsar?’‘Apparently we get to be seen off by the man himself at some ceremony.It’s all to do with finishing the Trans‐Siberian Railway.’ He frowned.‘Or starting it, I’m not really sure which.’The Doctor raised an eyebrow.‘Which one will it be, I wonder?’‘Sorry?’‘Which Tsar.’Fitz laughed.‘Forgetting your history, are you? It’s Alexander III.’The Doctor nodded, smiling.‘It is at the moment.But if you’re not quick it’ll be Nikolas II.’‘Oh.’ Fitz looked round, checking they could not be overheard.‘I see.’ He grinned as a thought occurred to him.‘Perhaps I can earn brownie points by warning him not to make any plans after 1917.’The Doctor’s smile froze on his face.‘Don’t you dare,’ he said.His voice was hard‐edged and his eyes flashed.Fitz was taken aback.‘Just a joke,’ he protested.‘I wouldn’t –’‘Well don’t.’ The Doctor’s expression relaxed, but his tone was still grave.‘However much you might want to change something, you can’t.I thought you’d know that by now.’‘Yeah, yeah, I know,’ Fitz told him, miming a yawn.‘History is immutable.Whatever will happen has happened, and all that.You can never change it.You have mentioned that, actually.’‘I have?’ he seemed surprised.‘Once or twice, I believe.’‘And I said “never” did I?’Fitz shrugged.‘Because,’ the Doctor said, his mouth twitching as if he were trying not to smile at his own cleverness, ‘that’s absolutely right.Once something is scratched on to the tablets of history, you can never change it.’ He leaned forward again.‘Usually,’ he added.Before Fitz could react, he went on: ‘I wanted to ask you a favour, actually.’‘Oh?’‘Mmm.It may not make a lot of sense, but it is important.’ All hint of a smile was gone now.‘Very important [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]