‘We’re going to show them that Hulton College boys are made of old English stuff! The stuff that built the Empire, the stuff that doesn’t back down to threats and bullying! Who’s with me?’

A great cheer came from the boys, who ran to cluster around their form masters, the Captains saluting quickly to Rocastle as they snapped to attention.

‘Right!’ Rocastle called, his stare fixing on the masses of cheering children before him. ‘Let’s break out the weapons and fight!’

‘Doctor!’ Bernice shouted.

He turned, annoyed, from staring after Joan where she’d gone to aid the bursar.

‘What?’

‘Who!’ Benny growled, and grabbed him by the collar, yanking him off behind the curtains at the back of the stage. ‘That’s the question. Come here, git!’ He vanished as Rocastle turned to look for him, the boys of Farrar house clustering around the Head.

Alexander realized that they were all looking at him and shrugged. ‘I think he just… popped out for a moment.’

August slapped down the end of Aphasia’s gun. ‘What was that about? That was a human, not a gargoyle!’

‘He was showing me his handkerchief.’

‘He was holding out a white flag, a sign of surrender amongst human colonists. You shooting him’ll make them a bit tardier in sending out the Pod, don’t you think? Well, don’t you?’

‘Yeah…’ Aphasia scuffed her shoes on the gravel.

‘Just don’t do it again.’

Smith and Bernice stumbled through a door that led to a theatrical storeroom behind the stage, the little teacher trying to wrestle out of Bernice’s grasp. ‘What are you doing?’ he shouted. ‘I have to get my House in order!’

‘I’ll say!’ Benny slammed the door and advanced on him, prodding him in the chest.

‘Gallifrey! The Hoothi! Ace! Come on!’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about!’

‘You’re the only person who can turn this situation around. You! The Doctor!’

‘Why do you keep using my title?’ Smith spread his hands in frustration. ‘Why do you think I’m somebody I’m not?’

‘Because you’re the Doctor, a Time Lord, somebody not of this planet. You created John Smith, like a character in a book. Here, look at this!’ He’d half turned away in disbelief as she fumbled for the history unit and thrust it into his hands. ‘This is technology beyond this time period, right? And what about that umbrella, where did you find that?’

Smith glanced at the unit and shook his head. ‘Very impressive, very advanced, but what does it prove? Bernice, you’re my niece, my brother’s daughter. I remember him, I remember his wedding, I remember hearing about you being born! Where is there room for all this⁠ — Oh, why am I listening to you!’ He waved his arms and pushed her aside, heading back for the stage. ‘Pull yourself together,’ he told her, before hopping out of the door.