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Susan eyes widened in awe as before them thousands of people mingled on dozens of different levels, totally unaware of the newly arrived strangers.
The Doctor turned and looked back at the ship. 'Oh my word!' he announced, holding a finger to his mouth and tittering. "Look Susan."
'Oh it’s one of those portable loos!'
'Quite so. Ha ha! I better make sure its well and truly locked we wouldn’t want any uninvited visits would we?'
Susan’s joyful face turned its attention back to their new surroundings.
'Look at all these people.' she gushed, as the Doctor locked the door of the ship
'Yes, this appears to be some kind of space port.' he said, returning to her side and re-hooking the ship’s key to a thin silver chain around his neck and placing it beneath his shirt.
'How you doin’ folks?' came a nasally voice to their right. 'Fancy a trip on the Zo-lan In-ter-pla-net-tar-y Crui-ser?'
Susan quickly looked at her Grandfather in hope. 'That sounds exciting.' she said, squeezing his arm.
'Young man, I do not.' huffed the Doctor, as Susan’s expectant face dropped. 'And what’s more,' he continued,
'I would appreciate not being snuck up on like that!'
'O-kay, o-kay sor-ry folks, have a nice day won’t ya.' Susan watched the bi-pedal, multi-coloured humanoid slouch off in search of other custom.
'Grandfather!' she protested at his rudeness.
'What?' he stuttered. 'Oh sorry my dear. Forgive my harshness won’t you?'
'You did say we were going to have fun.'
'Yes, yes I did, of course. Let’s go exploring shall we?'
Susan gave a swift enthusiastic nod and her smile instantly returned.
The pair strolled forward into the crowd. They were indeed on a space station and not just any space station it was the largest in the Milky Way, so large that it had acquired the moniker of ‘Planet 10’ situated as it was between the dwarf planets Pluto and Makemake.
Planet 10 was a place where every form of known life refuelled, traded, gambled, hustled, ate and met. The station had four thousand levels, with up to twenty or so docking arms on every level. It was a masterpiece 51st Century architecture and engineering.
They wandered further and the greasy aroma of fried food caught their attention.
'That smells good.' said Susan.
'Yes, it does.' agreed the Doctor.
As they rounded the corner they saw a stall called Planet 10 Burgers.
'Are you hungry?' asked the Doctor, seeing that there was no queue.
'Rather.'
'Wonderful, this will make a change from our usual meals.' he said, referring to the TARDIS’s food dispenser that lacked the colour and substance of fresh cooked food, no matter how unhealthily it was.
'Hey guys, what can I get ya?' asked the overweight proprietor of the burger stall.
'Erm.' began the Doctor, staring at the extensive menu.
'Special’s today are the Triple Cheese and Chilli spice burgers.'
'Susan?'
'I’m not sure.'
'Come along, come along, the gentleman is waiting.'
Susan looked all around her. Everywhere people, sounds and sights.
'Susan, Susan…' repeated the Doctor.
Susan felt herself moving forward and merging with the crowds.
'Go on, have this on the house, OAP special.' said the man, passing the Doctor a burger wrapped in a napkin.
'OAP? Oh, thank you.' muttered the Doctor, concerned at Susan’s behaviour.
'She’ll be back Pops.' The Doctor at being called ‘Pops’ turned and looked at the man and he, seeing The Doctor’s fractious glance, quickly focused his attention to his next customer.
'Pops indeed,' scowled the Doctor, biting into his burger sending sauce shooting out from the other end and dropping onto his cloak.
Susan was in awe of it all. She walked in a daze, her eyes desperately trying to take in everything around her. Suddenly a leaflet was pushed under her nose. She looked up.
 
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space rats from planet 10 page2
