A strange blue box appears from out of nowhere.  It’s none of Aeon’s business but…

“Time is one event after another.  Each one subtle and unique with their own charms.  I try to make the present as perfect as I can so that people will look back and be happy with what has been.”

 - Chairman Trevor Goodchild.

Romana looked around at the strange world they had arrived on.  The streets seemed well kept but deserted.  “This is lovely.”  She announced finally.  “I like the houses, they’re so abstract.”

The Doctor looked up from under his wide brimmed hat and smiled.  “Jelly baby?”  He offered the white paper bag of sweets to his companion.

“Yes please.”  Romana smiled and took a yellow one.  “Delicious.”  She pronounced.  “Where’s K-9?”

“He’s sulking in his kennel.  I told him that you were my very best friend.”

“Poor K-9.”  Romana frowned.  “I wonder what’s over there?”

Aeon Flux, part time fashion model and part time double agent, watched the two strangely dressed people explore the streets of Monica.  She glanced sideways and saw one of Trevor’s agents, Victor; he was taking pictures of the strangers.  Before she could act Victor spotted her and leapt down into a car and sped off towards the wall that divided Monica and Bregna. Instead of the border guns opening fire upon it, a small portal irised open, like a camera shutter, and the car drove through it.

“And you say they arrived here in a blue box?”  Trevor Goodchild asked Victor.

“Yes boss.  It just sort of faded into being, there was a blue light flashing on top of it.”

“Interesting.”  Trevor sat down on his long backed chair and thought.

“What shall we do boss?”  Victor asked the boss.

“I think we should invite these exceptional individuals around for supper.  See to the invitations yourself.”

The Doctor and Romana took turns at playing skipping stones, Romana threw her stone and it landed on the five.  She began her move when suddenly brilliant headlights dazzled her and she lost her balance.

Aeon watched from the shadows as Victor emerged from the car and picked the woman up and pushed her in the car.  Aeon bit her bottom lip in anger at such brutish behaviour.  The man followed inside the car at gunpoint.  He tried offering Victor something but it was knocked out of his hand to the floor.  Once the car was gone Aeon jumped down and landed by the object.  She could see that it was a paper bag of coloured sweets.  Popping on in her mouth she sucked on a jelly baby.  “Lovely.”  She whispered before putting the rest in one of the small pouches on her belt.

“Tea?”  Trevor asked his two guests.

“Yes please.”  Romana responded.  “Two lumps, no sugar.”

“One lump and two sugars for me.”  The Doctor added, a toothy gin on his face.

Trevor poured the tea into the cups and handed them to his guests.  “Now you are the Doctor and Romana according to the report.”

“Usually.”  The Doctor replied.  “We do swap names from time to time, just to keep things interesting.”

“What’s an identity between friends?”  Romana agreed.

“You’re not from Bregna and I’m sure you’re not Monican either.”  Trevor persevered, so where do you come from?”

“Here and there.”  The Doctor stated.

“There and here.”  Romana explained.  “We’re travellers, home is that small blue box we call the TARDIS.”

“That was jolly well explained.”  The Doctor congratulated the young Time Lady.

“Thank you Doctor.”  Romana smiled when suddenly the roof exploded and an almost-dressed woman lumped down into the room.

“Let them go Trevor.”  Aeon demanded.

“Aeon, how nice of you to drop by.  Tea?”  Trevor held up the teapot.

Aeon fired a single round at the teapot and it shattered.

Romana caught the Doctor as he fainted.  “Now look at what you’ve done.”  She snapped.

Aeon tied a thin metal cord around the two strangers and hoisted them towards the roof.  “This way.”  She urged them towards a black painted helicopter.

They landed inside a plaza near the TARDIS, the border guns had fired at them but the helicopter was reinforced against the lead slugs.

“Get back in your strange machine and leave.  You’re lucky; Trevor usually isn’t so kind towards his obsessions.  Trust me, I know that from first hand experience.”

“I like your outfit.”  Romana exclaimed.  “Don’t you get a terrible chill in the winter though?”

“Not really.”  Aeon casually commented.  “I usually wear a coat.  Now hurry up and get inside before it’s too late.”  Aeon pointed to the Breen helicopters that swarmed over the now deactivate section of wall.

“Sir, we’ve spotted one of the targets fleeing the area.”  Victor reported to the Chairman.

“Excellent, take her alive.”  Trevor ordered.  The TARDIS dematerialised.  “The other one’s gone.”

Trevor found Romana sitting back in his office drinking a cup of tea.  “This tea is quite extraordinary.”

Trevor gasped in shock; it was Aeon’s voice!  He spun the chair around to see Aeon dressed in Romana’s clothes and wearing a blonde wig.

“Hello Trevor.”  Aeon said.  “Care for a cup of tea?”

Romana found the Doctor had recovered and was checking the controls.  “How are you feeling?”  She asked.

“I’ve had better days.”  The Doctor admitted.  “We’re back in the TARDIS.  Did you set these controls?”

“Yes.  Are they ok?”

“Better than ok, they’re perfect.  Right on course for Brighton beach.”

“Do you like my new outfit?”  Romana removed her long pink coat to reveal Aeon’s skimpy leather outfit.  “We had to trade clothes so that she could distract those soldiers.  I was afraid some of them might get hurt.”

“I need a cup of tea.”  The Doctor confessed.  “And an Abby Crunch biscuit!”

Romana was horrified.  “I’ll go and change then if that’s how you feel.”

“Wear something with stripes on it.”  The Doctor called out after his companion as she left the console room.  “Time Ladies today.”  He tutted, before grinning to himself.