A Sky Without Zeppelins: Chapter Thirty-One

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                                                                     Chapter Thirty-One

During her break between classes Wednesday morning, Timothy Marrow takes Rose to meet Rebecca Hollister, the artist who is currently roommates with their friend Sarah Dunne and then leaves them alone to get to know each other a bit, promising her that both he and his motorcycle will be back to get her to her robotics lab in time. The girl is a pleasant brunette and the flat is nice. It’s bigger than the one she shares with her mother, with three bedrooms, one of which is Rebecca’s art studio.

“You’d only be required to cover a third of the rent,” the young woman tells her, “since I occupy the other two rooms. Utilities would be split in half. Sarah and I don’t have a television so if you want a hookup, you’d have to pay for that.”

She opens the door to Sarah’s room. “Sarah said you could look around,” Rebecca says. “This would be your room.”

This room, too, is slightly larger than her one at home and everything she owns would fit in here nicely with room to spare. “It’s nice,” Rose says.

“There are two bathrooms,” she says. “That door there leads to what would be yours.” She shows Rose the small kitchen with a laundry closet beside the refrigerator and then the larger living area. “And that’s that. Now you seem like a nice enough woman, Rose, but I do have some deal breakers to ask you about. I’m a quiet person and I don’t like a lot of nonsense around me. Or loud music.”

“Fair enough,” Rose says.

“Do you smoke?”

“No,” she says firmly.

“Do drugs?”

“No,” she says even more firmly.

“Drink?”

“The occasional one down the pub, but I’m a lightweight so I don’t do it often. I’m not a party-girl if that’s what you’re afraid of,” Rose says. “School has always been too important to me, and my new job at Illuminate will be even more important than that,” Rose says.

“Well, that covers the question of whether you can cover the rent or not,” she says with a laugh. “That just leaves boyfriends. Do you have one?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Rebecca sighs. “Sarah hasn’t been the most discreet of roommates and because I moved in with her and not the other way around I felt like I couldn’t really say much about Elliot being here all the time and his various states of undress. But it makes me really uncomfortable. I don’t really want to have to put up with that. I don’t mind you having him over, or even the occasional sleepover, but not every weekend.”

“Jonathon has his own flat. He’s definitely not a college party-boy,” she explains. “And if there are any sleepovers it’ll be me over there.”

“I don’t mean you can’t, Rose,” Rebecca begins.

“No, I’d rather have the privacy of being there than worrying about whether or not my roommate can hear us through the walls,” she says.

“Which I can. Sarah and Elliot, anyway,” she admits ruefully. “Could be they’re just exceptionally loud.”

“What about you?” Rose asks.

“I’m not loud,” Rebecca says.

“I didn’t mean--.” Rose stops as she catches the slight smirk and the twinkle in Rebecca’s eyes.

“I know. I don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t do drugs and don’t do guys,” Rebecca says.

“You’re a lesbian?” Rose asks uncertainly, unsure if that’s what the girl means.

“No,” Rebecca laughs. “I just…had a bad experience last year, almost made it to the altar and then everything just fell apart. I thought I ought to take some time off, let myself recover, get my head on straight again. I don’t have a boyfriend now and don’t intend on looking for one until I finish school next year. So I won’t be bringing anyone ‘round to sleep with. And on the off chance that I was to meet Mr. Wonderful, I’d be discreet. Go to his place or plan his nights over when you’re going to be at…what’d you say his name was again?”

“Jonathon.”

“When you’re at Jonathon’s. Okay, then, I think I’ve spent enough time with you, Rose, to think we’ll get along fine. The room is yours if you want it. You can move in the week after graduation. Sarah’ll be out by then.”

“Just like that?”

“I’m a good judge of character. Well, when it comes to girls, anyway.”

“I have first and last,” Rose says.

“I’d just need your portion of June and July to give to the manager upfront. And half the deposit. Just a second.” Rebecca goes to the kitchen and grabs a calculator out of a drawer. She types in some numbers and scribbles them down on a piece of paper. She hands it to Rose.

“The first number is the move in amount and the second is the normal monthly rent. It’s due on the first. I’ll be taking over the lease in July. You can co-sign if you want to, but you don’t have to. I’ll need this much,” she tapped the top number, “by June 10th.”

“You sure about this? I mean you hardly know me,” Rose says.

“The same could be said for you,” Rebecca replies.

“Well, but Timothy recommended you to me,” Rose says. “I trust his judgment.”

Rebecca breaks into a sunny smile. “Exactly. He’s the best judge of character I know. If Tim says you’re a good person, then I have no doubts we’ll get on just fine.”

And as easily as that Rose has a new place to live come June and the potential of a good new friend.




Donna Noble sets down a coffee cup on Jonathon’s desk that is twice the size of his usual. “You look a mess, space man,” she tells him bluntly.

Jonathon gratefully picks up the coffee, grimacing a bit at the heat as he gulps down a sip. “Thanks. I’m exhausted.”

“Didn’t sleep well?” she asks teasingly. “Rose keeping you up all night?”

“Rose went home before midnight,” he says not rising to her bait. “No. I…just had a weird dream. It made me think about things that I’d rather forget.”

“You want to reschedule our dinner? Mr. Lumin would understand,” Donna says with concern.

“No, no, I’ll be fine. Just need to get enough caffeine in me, that’s all. Perhaps a quick kip during lunch,” he tells her.

“When does your Rose come in today?” she asks him with a knowing grin.

“Not sure,” he says with a casual shrug that doesn’t fool Donna. She is willing to bet he knows down to the very second when Rose will arrive. “She left her available hours with you, didn’t she?”

Seeing that there’s no way he’ll be baited today, likely because he’s so thoroughly sated and happy, Donna gives in. “Yes. She should arrive around two. Do you have enough work to keep her occupied? Because if you don’t, Frank says he could use a spare appendage or two.”

“No, I’ve got plenty for her to do today. Tomorrow I’m not so sure about, yet.” He takes another sip of the still too hot coffee. “Anyway, she’s supposed to be working on her robot in her downtime.”

“Yes, but--.” Donna breaks off, clearly rethinking what she’d been about to say. “That’s right. Okay, then. Buzz me if you need anymore coffee.”

“Will do.”

Jonathon settles into the day’s work which is trying to realign the biological signature dampener to function in conjunction with the perception filter he had built for Lumin earlier in the month. Once he has the two objects working in sync with each other he’ll be able to concentrate on expanding the range it covers. Lumin had stated that he’d like it to be big enough to cover a submarine while at the same time making the submarine look like a whale or giant squid to any equipment that might be scanning it.

He pulls out the little tool that he’d created shortly after coming to Illuminate. He’s added a few functions to it as he’s had the time. He flicks on the little light and aims it into the heart of the Bio-Mask. He uses the tiny little cutter to sever even tinier wires and then the soldering feature to reattach them in a different configuration. He repeats the task on the perception filter and then with a bit more wiring he connects the two together.

It’ll need testing on something bigger than a human being to see if its radius is big enough to hide a submarine or not. He figures the changes he has made have probably not gone far enough, but that may be a question of power. He can add a more potent battery for the second round of tests.

He picks up his coffee cup and realizes it is completely empty. He buzzes Donna and asks her to get him some more. “Are you sure, Dr. Smith? You said you were going to sleep through lunch today and your lunch hour begins in ten minutes.”

“You’re right. Can you have some waiting for me at the end of the lunch hour? And something from the cafeteria?” he asks.

“Certainly. And I’ll wake you at one.”

“Thanks.” He clicks off the intercom and types up his notes detailing the changes he’s made on the computer then fires it off in an email to Lumin. After he’s done he goes back into his lab and plops down on the little cot kept on hand for the all nighters many scientists inevitably pull at Illuminate. He curls around the spare pillow, pretending it’s Rose, and is almost immediately asleep.




“Are you all right?” Rose asks the minute she walks into the laboratory and sees his drawn and tired face.

“Despite a nap, a hot meal, and two huge coffees with damaging amounts of caffeine in them, I am utterly exhausted.”

“What’s wrong?” she wants to know.

“Didn’t sleep well,” he tells her shortly. “Bad dreams.”

“I’m sorry,” she says putting a soothing hand on his shoulder. He tilts his head down until his cheek is against the backs of her fingers. “Does that happen often?” she asks sympathetically.

He shrugs. “Often enough.”

“It’s never happened when I’ve stayed over,” she says.

“No. I think you chase the nightmares away,” he replies with half his usual smile.

“You want me to stay over tonight?” she offers hesitantly, biting her lower lip.

“I want you to stay over every night,” he says firmly. “But you said the weekdays were yours and the weekends were mine. I don’t want to mess with your independence issues.”

“Issues?”

He yawns hugely. “That came out wrong. When I’m tired, I don’t self-censor sometimes.”

“You think my need for independence is an issue?” she presses.

“I think that you’re afraid of losing yourself in me, yes, but I’m not going to let that happen, Rose. Being together doesn’t mean we’re not separate individuals, and I happen to very much adore the separate individual that is Rose Tyler. And yes, if you’ll stay over tonight, I’d appreciate that,” he says.

“Okay.” She’s not sure what exactly made her offer. She wants to stick to her guns about keeping part of her life separate from his, but on the other hand every single corner of her heart wants to be there for him, soothe him into sleep and hold him all night long. Just call her Rose Tyler: Defender of Dreamland. She stifles the snort at the high and mighty title and sighs.

“I should get to work. What have you got for me to do today?” she asks.

“I just got the okay from Mr. Lumin to test the changes I’ve made in combining the Bio-Mask and the perception filter and expanding its range of influence. So we’ll be going down to the aquatic tanks and I’ll take the measurements while you copy them down and record my thoughts. It’s a bit glorified secretary, I’m afraid, but it’s all part of being a junior inventor,” he explains.

“I don’t mind,” Rose says. “I like seeing how things work. By aquatic tanks do you mean…?” Rose trails off and tilts her head upwards.

“Nope. There’s a rescue aquarium that Illuminate owns. Mr. Lumin takes in marine life that has been compromised or abused and tries to rehabilitate it and return it to the wild. There are a few that for whatever reason, can never return to the wild or do not wish to go when offered the chance,” he tells her. “We’ll be testing my device on Yumi.”

“Yumi? The whale abandoned by those illegal fishers when it was too strong to kill?” she asks in surprise. “That was years ago.”

“Yep. She ended up with us. And she doesn’t wish to be returned to the wild,” he says.

“How can you tell?”

“The Nereidians have been down to talk to her on multiple occasions. They’ve made remarkable progress on a Nereidian to whale song communication translator and Yumi is enjoying herself so much with it that she wants to stay and help with the research. She’s more intelligent than the most advanced dolphin here. I’ve only met her a few times, but…she likes me,” he tells Rose with a pleased smile of remembrance.

“Should I be jealous?” she teases with a broad smile.

“Aye, that you should be. She’s quite the flirt.” His accent takes over the few simple words and Rose feels a rather violent surge of desire for him wash through her system.

Rose pushes it down and laughs. “So where is she if she’s not up there?” Rose asks again indicating the Nereidian tanks.

“Down at sea level,” he says. “The Nereidians have a glass tube full of water that runs from their floor down to below ground level and then over to the tanks, so they can work with Yumi when no one else is down there. You and I, on the other hand, will take the lift and then the underground shuttle.”

“Underground shuttle. Just how big is this place?” Rose asks.

“You know, I still don’t know,” Jonathon says with a shrug. “Come on.” Rose follows him to the lift and Jonathon hits a random series of keys before hitting the button for the car park.

“What’s all that for?” Rose asks gesturing to the key pad.

“It prevents the lift from stopping at any other floor,” he says, “so I can do this.” He pulls her into his arms and she gives out a surprised little noise before she is suddenly kissing him back. When he lets her go he says, “Missed you.”

She smiles. “Missed you, too.” She holds onto the bar that runs around the cage for support.

When they arrive at the car park he again punches in a code and then takes a small silver key and inserts it into a lock and turns it. The lift descends a couple more floors and this time when the doors open it is into the underside of an aquarium. A very, very large aquarium. There are tracks running along the floor and Jonathon pushes a big, red button on a tall, narrow stand.

Rose hears the hiss of hydraulics from somewhere down the tracks and then the rush of something large and metal coming at them at high speed. At last she makes out the shuttle Jonathon had referred to earlier. It comes to a rather dramatic stop with a hissing of air brakes. It is open air, with twenty seats, five rows, four across. No one is driving it.

“Is it an automatic system?” Rose asks him as they scramble onboard.

“More or less,” he says. They sit in the middle of the third row and Jonathon says, “Put on your seat belt,” while at the same time fastening his own. Rose quickly obliges and then Jonathon presses a green button on the seat in front of him and the shuttle rushes forward. Rose grabs hold of his hand to steady herself at the sudden lurch.

“How fast does this thing go?” she asks, the rush of air ripping the words from her mouth, her hair flying back as if whipped by a windstorm.

He turns his head towards her. “I don’t know. Pretty fast,” he says into her ear. Rose grips his hand just a bit tighter as they hurtle forward and then after a couple of minutes the shuttle begins to slow and finally comes to a much less abrupt halt then it had at the other end. She’s hoping that’s because there are people on it and not because it is a worse stop at the other end.

Jonathon climbs down out of the shuttle and helps her step down then lets go of her hand. It’s professional time and he doesn’t have to explain that they are now back on camera. Jonathon leads her through a few corridors and then they emerge onto a docking station and the opening to a large open air tank full of sea water.

Removing a small device from his pocket Jonathon presses a single button, slots it into a nearby machine that reminds her of a ticket printer for a car park, and listens while it calls out a noise that Rose recognizes as whale song. She had had, when she was a very small child, a very floppy, square, black record that had come out of a National Geographic magazine. It had been her father’s when he was young and on his ancient record player she had played until she wore out the little record of whale song.

“It transmits underwater,” he explains. “She should come soon if she’s in the mood to talk.”

“What if she’s not?” Rose asks.

“Then we’ll try again tomorrow,” he says with a shrug.

Rose busies herself with taking her computerized clipboard out of her bag and preparing it for taking notes. The whale arrives in a blast of spray a moment later. Jonathon retrieves his device from the ‘ticket printer’ and says, “Hello, Yumi. Remember me you?”

He puts it back in the machine and another blast of whale song emerges. Yumi waits a moment and then an intricate scale of harmonics meets their ears. A metallic voice emerges from the machine. “Remember you I. What want you?”

“Experiment. No hurt. Help me, you?”

“Yumi help. What do?”

Rose listens half in amusement and half in fascination as Jonathon explains in a very basic and mangled English what he needs done. Yumi is amenable and she swims out to the center of the narrow channel and waits. Jonathon sets up his bio-mask perception filter contraption and then aims it at Yumi.

Rose gasps as half the whale seems to disappear. In its place is half a giant squid. Jonathon has Rose write down some equations and then makes a few more adjustments to his device. This time when he presses the buttons all but Yumi’s tail disappears. He reels off another string of equations which Rose dutifully writes down. A final adjustment does nothing to increase the range of the device.

“Okay, that’s all I need written down,” he says to Rose and she saves her data and turns off her clipboard.

“Done all, you,” he says into the translator and Yumi swims back up to the docking port.

“No hurt,” she says happily.

“No hurt,” he agrees. “Thanks many are.”

Yumi blows more water from her blowhole and then tilts her head in Rose’s direction. She makes a noise that doesn’t translate but that Rose is certain is inquisitive.

“Rose,” he says.

She makes a garbled noise and the machine says “Flower?”

Rose smiles and nods. “Hello, Yumi.”

“Hello. Flower friend?”

Jonathon blushes and says, “Rose, flower, mate mine, friend you.”

A series of pleased sounds emerges and again the machine can’t seem to translate. With a few more squeaks and squaws from the box, the machine translates a moment later. “Happy, yes. Lonely man. Mate find. Happy.”

Rose grins. “Guess she wasn’t quite as interested in you as you thought,” she teases. He grins.

He explains in halting, simple English that he will be back the next day after making a few more adjustments to his device. Yumi responds enthusiastically, splashing a large wave in their direction that floods the dock and soaks their shoes. They dance backwards and Yumi makes a sound of apology. They accept it and say their good-byes.

The trip back is just as quick though the shuttle does come to a gentle stop this time, so Rose assumes it is programmed to do so when there are people on board. They take off their footwear, enter the lift and this time Jonathon doesn’t use the keypad to make it back to their floor without stopping. They do receive a few odd looks at the wet shoes and socks in their hands that they carry, but no one says anything to them about it. Weird states of attire are par for the course at Illuminate most days.

Once back at his lab, Jonathon puts their shoes and socks into a miniature wind tunnel and blasts them with air so they will dry quickly. Rose reads off the measurements they took of the devices range against Yumi while Jonathon enters it into his computer and quickly composes a report that he shoots off to Lumin. Rose busies herself straightening up the lab and then securing his invention in a lock box that she sets into a divider in the cage on one wall and locks it up.

By the time she’s done, so is he, their shoes and socks are dry and it’s time to clock out. Rose heaves her school bag onto her back and the two of them make their way off the campus. Once outside the gates he takes her hand and they walk the three streets to his flat.

“There’s almost two hours before we have to meet Donna and Lumin for dinner,” Jonathon says as Rose removes her backpack and puts it on the floor next to the antique coat rack he’s picked up from somewhere when she wasn’t with him. She hangs up her coat and then takes his from him and hangs his up as well.

“Did you want to make love?” Rose asks.

“I’m tempted, believe me, and if you weren’t staying over tonight then I’d definitely say yes, but Rose, I’m knackered. Do you mind if I just take a nap?”

“’Course not,” she says. “I can study.”

“Can you do it in bed with me?” he asks almost shyly.

“I can just read if the light won’t bother you,” she says. “I have three chapters to get through tonight.”

“Thanks,” he says.

She retrieves the book she needs and follows him to the bedroom. He strips down to his boxers and then gives her a hopeful look. “Don’t suppose you want to study naked?” He blushes, but she just shrugs.

“Okay.” Methodically she strips off her clothes and crawls into the bed. She lays on her side facing the lamp with her book beside her while Jonathon cuddles up against her back and puts one arm under her pillow and the other around her waist.

“I set the alarm for 6:30. That should give me an hour,” he says against the back of her neck.

“Okay,” she says. It is only minutes before his breathing steadies and there is no response to a soft whisper of his name. She opens her book. It is a testament to her determination, that Rose manages to read all three chapters with an aroused, but out cold, Jonathon snuggled firmly against her backside.

Ch. 32:  http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/188883.html