Donna Noble was close to snapping. Today had started off fine; they’d landed on what the Doctor called Comet G/4561, designated in the 34th century. Not long after, he’d bumped into an old friend of his, Professor Whatshername, who said she needed his assistance and he’d only be a minute. Luckily, Comet G/4561 was home to the galaxy’s best (and largest) coffee shop and being in need of a jolt of caffeine (and a break from academic chatter over iced vs. frappe lattes), she decided to investigate it on her own.
“Three credit discs” the android taking her order announced.
“I’ve been trying to tell you, I don’t have any credit discs!” exclaimed Donna for the umpteenth time. “I left my bag in the ladies’ and all I want is a coffee, you stupid—”
Suddenly, Donna felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a young woman who hadn’t been in the queue a moment before. She was blonde, probably no older than twenty, and dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and trainers.
“Here,” said the newcomer in a noticeable northern accent, tossing a flat round object to the android. “‘S on me. Wanted to kick this thing last night too. Wouldn’t give me extra sugar. By the way, hiya! I’m Lucie.”
“Donna Noble,” Donna replied as coffee surged from the android into the small cup in her hand. “And thanks. How long have you been on this Comet G/whatever?”
Lucie pushed a few buttons on the android, hoping this time her order was right. “Me and my friend got here last night. Knowing him, he’s probably forgotten me or got distracted by now.”
Donna snorted. “Sounds like a friend of mine. We travel a lot. But sometimes he can be the biggest pain ever.”
“Are you and him…?” Lucie began, putting a lid on her own cup and headed for a nearby table.
“What? No! We’re just friends. “ Donna answered, almost emphatically. “What about you and yours?”
She followed Lucie to the table.
“Me and the Doctor?” Lucie asked, “Nah. We’re mates. “
Donna nearly dropped her coffee onto her top. “Sorry, did you just say the Doctor?”
Lucie handed her some napkins. “Yeah. Why? You met him?”
For the next hour, the two of them sat at the table; laughing, polishing off two coffees each and half a plate of scones, and swapping stories over the places they’d been or things they’d seen; from Daleks to volcanoes, giant spiders to Cybermen and everything in between. Lucie called her Doctor “a right ponce” while Donna’s was “a lunatic with the air of a primary school teacher.” The two companions had become fast friends.
Suddenly, there was a noise from another corner of the coffee shop. Two men had just entered, one with curly hair and dressed like he stepped out of a costume party, the other wearing pinstripes and spiked hair, and they seemed to be in a heated argument.
Donna and Lucie both gaped.
“Donna!” one of the men called, running over towards their table. “There you are! So, shall we go? I’ve been talking to myself for awhile.”
“Yeah, all right Spaceman.” she said, getting up. “Thanks for the coffee, Lucie. My turn to pay next time?”
“Yeah, cheers.” replied Lucie as she and her Doctor headed for the door.
“Three credit discs” the android taking her order announced.
“I’ve been trying to tell you, I don’t have any credit discs!” exclaimed Donna for the umpteenth time. “I left my bag in the ladies’ and all I want is a coffee, you stupid—”
Suddenly, Donna felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a young woman who hadn’t been in the queue a moment before. She was blonde, probably no older than twenty, and dressed in a T-shirt, jeans, and trainers.
“Here,” said the newcomer in a noticeable northern accent, tossing a flat round object to the android. “‘S on me. Wanted to kick this thing last night too. Wouldn’t give me extra sugar. By the way, hiya! I’m Lucie.”
“Donna Noble,” Donna replied as coffee surged from the android into the small cup in her hand. “And thanks. How long have you been on this Comet G/whatever?”
Lucie pushed a few buttons on the android, hoping this time her order was right. “Me and my friend got here last night. Knowing him, he’s probably forgotten me or got distracted by now.”
Donna snorted. “Sounds like a friend of mine. We travel a lot. But sometimes he can be the biggest pain ever.”
“Are you and him…?” Lucie began, putting a lid on her own cup and headed for a nearby table.
“What? No! We’re just friends. “ Donna answered, almost emphatically. “What about you and yours?”
She followed Lucie to the table.
“Me and the Doctor?” Lucie asked, “Nah. We’re mates. “
Donna nearly dropped her coffee onto her top. “Sorry, did you just say the Doctor?”
Lucie handed her some napkins. “Yeah. Why? You met him?”
For the next hour, the two of them sat at the table; laughing, polishing off two coffees each and half a plate of scones, and swapping stories over the places they’d been or things they’d seen; from Daleks to volcanoes, giant spiders to Cybermen and everything in between. Lucie called her Doctor “a right ponce” while Donna’s was “a lunatic with the air of a primary school teacher.” The two companions had become fast friends.
Suddenly, there was a noise from another corner of the coffee shop. Two men had just entered, one with curly hair and dressed like he stepped out of a costume party, the other wearing pinstripes and spiked hair, and they seemed to be in a heated argument.
Donna and Lucie both gaped.
“Donna!” one of the men called, running over towards their table. “There you are! So, shall we go? I’ve been talking to myself for awhile.”
“Yeah, all right Spaceman.” she said, getting up. “Thanks for the coffee, Lucie. My turn to pay next time?”
“Yeah, cheers.” replied Lucie as she and her Doctor headed for the door.