A Gift For Donna
Oct. 7th, 2011 06:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lallis_follyI have always detested the narrative device wherein a character has wonderful, life-changing adventures and then forgets-- or is made to forget -- them. I especially hated it when they used it at the end of the fourth series of (the new) Doctor Who because Donna Noble is my favorite Companion (and I say that as a fan of the series since the '80s). Here's my answer to that.
This does, of course, ignore the established continuity of later seasons as well as The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood, neither of which I have seen. Yet.
A Gift For Donna
"Hello, sweetheart," Wilf said, as his granddaughter crested the hill. "Don't see you up here very often anymore."
"Sorry, Granddad, you know how it is with kids. Busy, busy, busy, all the time." Donna rested a hand on her gravid belly and blew her fringe out of her face. "I swear that hill gets steeper all the time."
"Have my chair, sweetheart."
"Naw, Granddad, I can't stay. I was just dropping Benjamin off with Mum and this package came for you. It looked important, so I thought I'd bring it up to you."
Wilf accepted the flat, curiously heavy courier envelope, hoping Donna didn't notice the excited trembling of his hands. Though motherhood had sharpened her observational skills, she still wasn't quite as she had been. Before.
"You should rest a bit before you go back down the hill," he said, as casually as he could. "Sit here, while I read this and then you can carry it back down the hill for me."
Donna smiled. "All right." She lowered herself into Wilf's lawnchair, while he moved a few paces away and opened the package.
Inside was a single sheet of paper and a golden object that looked like a piece of jewelry. He turned his attention to the letter first.
"Dear Wilfred,
In the two years since you approached us regarding the matter of your granddaughter, Jack and I have been hard at work trying to find a solution. We discussed it with Jack's team at Torchwood, and we finally decided not to approach Donna's friend Martha, even though Jack is also well-acquainted with her. Dr. Jones is a fine woman, but as a member of UNIT, she is responsible to report to her superiors, and the Doctor is well-known to UNIT. I also have friends at UNIT, but Jack and I both concur that they do not need to know about Donna; the existence of a human being with Time Lord knowledge would be too tempting for terrestrial governments. Jack, as head of Torchwood Three has much more latitude, especially as Torchwood is not really affiliated with any government. Besides, although UNIT would like to deny it, Torchwood has more access to alien technologies than they do. Between Torchwood, Mr. Smith, and my own occasional visitors from the stars, we were able to construct the enclosed device. I shall spare you the technical details, but it is our fondest hope that it will restore Donna's memories without endangering her life.
The device is meant to be worn like a MedicAlert bracelet (and if it works, I would suggest having it permanently welded around Donna's wrist). We have built a tiny perception filter into it, so only those who are aware of its existence will be able to see it, and even they will have to concentrate to do so. This will guard both the device and Donna from interference. It is possible that with her memories restored and access to Gallifreyan knowledge, Donna may be able to come up with a better solution, but this was the best we could do.
I hope it works, but if it doesn't, the failsafe that the Doctor himself put in place should keep Donna safe until the bracelet is removed. Torchwood and Mr. Smith are monitoring the device and if anything goes wrong, Jack and I will know instantly and will respond.
Good luck.
Sincerely yours,
Sarah Jane Smith"
Wilfred shook the bracelet out of the package. He took a deep breath and turned toward Donna.
"Sweetheart, I have a present for you."
This does, of course, ignore the established continuity of later seasons as well as The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood, neither of which I have seen. Yet.
"Hello, sweetheart," Wilf said, as his granddaughter crested the hill. "Don't see you up here very often anymore."
"Sorry, Granddad, you know how it is with kids. Busy, busy, busy, all the time." Donna rested a hand on her gravid belly and blew her fringe out of her face. "I swear that hill gets steeper all the time."
"Have my chair, sweetheart."
"Naw, Granddad, I can't stay. I was just dropping Benjamin off with Mum and this package came for you. It looked important, so I thought I'd bring it up to you."
Wilf accepted the flat, curiously heavy courier envelope, hoping Donna didn't notice the excited trembling of his hands. Though motherhood had sharpened her observational skills, she still wasn't quite as she had been. Before.
"You should rest a bit before you go back down the hill," he said, as casually as he could. "Sit here, while I read this and then you can carry it back down the hill for me."
Donna smiled. "All right." She lowered herself into Wilf's lawnchair, while he moved a few paces away and opened the package.
Inside was a single sheet of paper and a golden object that looked like a piece of jewelry. He turned his attention to the letter first.
"Dear Wilfred,
In the two years since you approached us regarding the matter of your granddaughter, Jack and I have been hard at work trying to find a solution. We discussed it with Jack's team at Torchwood, and we finally decided not to approach Donna's friend Martha, even though Jack is also well-acquainted with her. Dr. Jones is a fine woman, but as a member of UNIT, she is responsible to report to her superiors, and the Doctor is well-known to UNIT. I also have friends at UNIT, but Jack and I both concur that they do not need to know about Donna; the existence of a human being with Time Lord knowledge would be too tempting for terrestrial governments. Jack, as head of Torchwood Three has much more latitude, especially as Torchwood is not really affiliated with any government. Besides, although UNIT would like to deny it, Torchwood has more access to alien technologies than they do. Between Torchwood, Mr. Smith, and my own occasional visitors from the stars, we were able to construct the enclosed device. I shall spare you the technical details, but it is our fondest hope that it will restore Donna's memories without endangering her life.
The device is meant to be worn like a MedicAlert bracelet (and if it works, I would suggest having it permanently welded around Donna's wrist). We have built a tiny perception filter into it, so only those who are aware of its existence will be able to see it, and even they will have to concentrate to do so. This will guard both the device and Donna from interference. It is possible that with her memories restored and access to Gallifreyan knowledge, Donna may be able to come up with a better solution, but this was the best we could do.
I hope it works, but if it doesn't, the failsafe that the Doctor himself put in place should keep Donna safe until the bracelet is removed. Torchwood and Mr. Smith are monitoring the device and if anything goes wrong, Jack and I will know instantly and will respond.
Good luck.
Sincerely yours,
Sarah Jane Smith"
Wilfred shook the bracelet out of the package. He took a deep breath and turned toward Donna.
"Sweetheart, I have a present for you."
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no subject
Date: 2011-10-07 10:24 pm (UTC)So "Torchwood" is tied in with "Dr. Who"??
I didn't know that!
You can tell I don't get cable TV, can't you? ;)
no subject
Date: 2011-10-07 10:37 pm (UTC)The main character on TW is Captain Jack Harkness who has appeared in several DW episodes, and does, I believe, count as a Companion, since he has traveled in the TARDIS (more than once).
no subject
Date: 2011-10-10 02:59 pm (UTC)I had realized that Torchwood is an adult-oriented show, from the comments about it and the amount of fanfic and slashfic written based on it, but didn't realized it was tied in to Dr. Who.
Clearly I am behind on my own geek-ness!
no subject
Date: 2011-10-10 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-10 03:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-07 10:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-10 03:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-10-10 03:07 pm (UTC)Of course, if you're looking for the cheesy special effects, you'll be disappointed -- they have an FX budget these days.... ;-)