The Forgotten Army (22 page)

'We saved the world, Amy. People will forget, but we know that we got rid of the Forgotten Army of the Vykoids. Never let anyone take that away from you.' The Doctor paused.

'Although you will, like the Vykoids, be forgotten. Still, I’ll always know, and that's what counts. Amy Pond, there's a name - you could be a queen in a fairy tale.' The Doctor rolled the words around, speaking them grandly to the corners of the TARDIS: The mighty Amelia Pond, Saviour of New York!'

'Yeah, shut up,' Amy mumbled. She wasn't used to receiving compliments that she hadn't demanded.

The Doctor just laughed.

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Amy looked at the Doctor with interest. 'How come you find it so easy to leave? Don't you ever wonder what happened to everyone - Sam and Polly, and Oscar, and poor old Commander Strebbins.'

The Doctor skidded round the glass floor of the TARDIS.

'Nah, they'll be fine... Although I never got to show you the bar where the Governor of New Amsterdam lost the city in a bet. Bad day, I was busy on the Bronx peace talks. Well, they say they were talks, felt more like a barn dance to me. I thought I told you to stop me if I rambled?'

Amy laughed at her Doctor, still raggedy in so many ways. 'I've given up trying. You never stop talking!'

'You love it really.'

The Doctor ignored the face Amy was pulling, and pulled four levers in different directions. The vworp of the TARDIS

engines began, and the bubbles of blown glass started to groan up and down in the console.

'Next stop,' the Doctor announced, 'the Delirium Archive.

There are Magnatine Dynasty crystals so beautiful they'll make your hair go curly with delight. Or maybe with boredom... Anyway, we'll find out soon!'

On the New York street outside, Mr Germowski was surprised to see the shiny blue box parked on the pavement fade and disappear with a loud rasping,

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DOCTOR WHO

groaning sound. Still, at least he had his pitch back. He wheeled his pretzel stall into position, and hollered into the street.

'Pretzels three dollars!'

To his surprise, the weird noise returned, and the blue box shuddered back into view. It was almost as if they'd heard his shouting.

A young man with floppy hair leaned out of the blue box, with a big grin on his long face. He gave the stunned Germowski a ten dollar bill, and took three pretzels.

'Do you know, one of these saved New York earlier today?'

the man said cheerfully.

Germowski was gobsmacked, and could only stare as, with a cheery wave, the man shut the door and the blue box once more faded away.

***

Far away from Earth, a tiny Vykoid stood in a vast hall, spiky helmet in hand, facing the Committee for Unsuccessful Invasions. It was time for him to explain why he had returned from Earth empty-handed. And General Erik had only one answer to give. Two words: 'Amy Pond.'

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