The new Ben Chatham spin off advenure: "REBIRTH"

OK folks, here is the long awaited new Ben Chatham spin off adventure.

"REBIRTH": Part 1

It is late. Ben Chatham sits quietly in the corner of the Mermaid Wine Bar in Cambridge. All around him is the hum of background voices and Leona Lewis plays softly on the bar stereo. Ben holds onto a half empty glass of Rioja, his soft golden hair flopped down over his dark, mysterious eyes. The rain pours down on a nearby window and a driving wind howls outside the bar as people hurry home through the wet Cambridge streets. Sitting near to Ben is Katie Ryan, looking bemused:
"Well this evening isn't exactly the most fun I've ever had Ben. I thought you'd at least show some interest in my new project. Excavating the earthworks of Huxtable Hillfort is a major comission and should tell us much about the iron age."
Ben flicks his hair back from his smooth, pale face:
"Look I'm pleased for you ok" he sharply remarks.
"Well you don't sound it Ben. There was a time when you'd be enthused by any major new archaeological project. Now you just sit there feeling sorry for yourself and staring into a glass. You always were a bit like this but now its all the time. Well I'm from the pull yourself together school of counselling. Why don't we go home together and I cheer you up between the sheets?"
"Oh just go away Katie. I've had enough of your voice tonight frankly. Go and phone someone who gives a damn" Ben replies, knocking back the rioja.
Katie stands up sharply:
"Oh well just stew in your own self-absorbtion then Ben. Do you really want to end up as some sad old poof? Because thats where it always ends. Alternatively you could have the love of a good woman who is A* between the sheets and looks like a model". Katie thrusts her chest out.
"Go home Katie" Ben wearily sighs. "I lack the energy to argue with you tonight. I wish to be alone".
Katie grabs her handbag and storms out. Ben ushers over the waiter, Barry Tuck (played by Johnny Vegas):
"Another rioja please."
"I see the bird has buggered off. Her with the gorgeous jugs. Why ain't you in there tonight? I'd be straight in like a ferret down a rabbithole".
Took licks his lips and Ben ignores him, picking up his copy of the Daily Telegraph.

Shortly afterwards, Kyle Scott enters the bar, looking for Ben, a frown of concern on his brow. He walks over to the corner and sees Ben slumped over the table, his head in his hands.
"Ere Ben, you ok?"
Ben lifts his head up:
"Oh what the hell do you want? Can't I get any peace?"
"You like left your phone at home an' its been ringin'. You've 'ad a call from the Doc."
"Its the Doctor Kyle, not the Doc. Please refrain from such lowbrow colloquialisms. Anyway I don't care. Go away and watch 'Shameless' or whatever other rubbish you like."
Kyle is worried by Ben's lack of concern:
"I don't know whats up with you Ben. You always answer the Doctor."
Ben looks up angrily, his eyes watering:
"Look Kyle, my life is a complete mess. I've got no relationship as I keep being knifed in the back and everything is the same old dreary routine. Look at me: I'm young, attractive and intelligent and yet I'm going nowhere. And Operation Delta hasn't had a case in months. I'm surrounded by mediocrity Kyle. Look at this place for instance: full of dreary unthinking people living out their unimaginitive lives. And the music: karaoke reality tv rubbish. I asked the woman at the bar to play some Bowie earlier and she laughed at me."
Kyle offers Ben the phone:
"All the more reason to call the Doctor ain't it. Perk you up a bit."
Ben grabs the phone and slats it across the table:
"I don't need perking up Kyle. Now why don't you go away and drink some stella in the street so you get an asbo."
Kyle kooks hurt;
"There ain't no reasoning when you're like this Ben."

Kyle leaves, however his concern for Ben leads him to impulsively take up the phone and text the Doctor with a message, outlining Ben's state of mind and asking for help. Shortly afterwards a blue police box materialises near to Magdeline College, opposite the bar. The Doctor emerges and walks up to Kyle:
"Hi Kyle. Hows you? Anyway enough of this banter, we must shake Ben out of his despondency at once. The future of the earth may be at stake....."

............. to be continued.

sparacus wrote:Ben ignores him, picking up his copy of the Daily Telegraph.

A man after my own heart.

sparacus wrote:"Another rioja please."
"I see the bird has buggered off. Her with the gorgeous jugs. Why ain't you in there tonight? I'd be straight in like a ferret down a rabbithole".

still got it...

Ok here is part two of this modern better than 'The Waters of Mars' adventure:

"REBIRTH": Part 2

The Doctor and Kyle enter the Mermaid Wine Bar and find Ben slumped over the table again. The Doctor puts his arm on Ben's shoulder:
"Hi Ben. Whats up?"
Ben looks up languidly, his mind numbed with red wine:
"I'm starved of mirth Doctor. I may have to go home and slash my wrists."
In the background, the sound of the Smiths' 'Asleep' plays:
"I finally got them to play some decent music after giving that vacuous girl a tenner."
The Doctor and Kyle are concerned:
"You are at a low ebb Ben" the Doctor exclaims. "We'll get you home, however first I have something to show you in the TARDIS".
The Doctor ushers Kyle to help him lift Ben and carry him out of the bar and across the rain drenched street into the TARDIS. Once inside, the Doctor sits Ben down and attaches a strange device to his head.
"What's that like?" Kyle asks.
"This Kyle is a Janxenian Impurity Extractor. It was a gift from them when I visited Janxus not long ago. It removes all recently consumed toxins from the body instantly leaving no damaging effects and repairing any problems. This will sober Ben up. Neat little device."
"So it like means that if ya gets well tanked up and ratarsed then you just slap this on and no 'arm done?"
"Precisely. Unfortunately the Janxenans now spend most of their time blind drunk, knowing they've a get out device."

The Doctor switches it on and Ben shakes a little before coming round:
"What.... how did I get here? What is going on" Ben asks.
"You were well frazzled in the Mermaid Ben. The Doc's sobered you up" Kyle replies.
The Doctor frowns:
"There is no time to lose Ben. I've an important case for you."
The Doctor presses a button & a projector screen comes down and the Doctor begins a powerpoint:
"That building is the St Ignatious Orphanage' in Surrey. Its run by the Roman Catholic Church and as you can see it is well funded and set in leafy grounds. Several members of the board of trustees have been found dead recently. One in a housefire, two in a car crash and one at the bottom of beachy head."
The Doctor shows images of the bodies.
"Any signs of foul play apart from the obvious coincidence?" Ben asks.
"No, however what they did find was evidence of high radiation levels in the bodies. I was intrigued and so I took a look in. Ben, that radiation includes Xanxon rays. These are only produced by Bolan technology, which is not found on earth. I want you to investigate this. Someone is using alien technology."

Ben ponders for a moment:
"What about you, will you help."
"I can't at the mo. I'm comitted to go to Hexos 3 to negotiate a marriage between Prince Hazzoxan and a Tholian princess. The Tholians are the most beautiful humanoids in the galaxy. This could bring to an end centuries of war. The brief involves me staring at hundreds of nubile naked young women picking out the best one for the Prince."
"Ere thats a stimulating job" Kyle exclaims.
"It is indeed Kyle. It raises important things. Which is why I have to leave. I delegate this matter on earth to you Ben".
Ben sighs.



...................... to be continued.

Hold on, is Johnny Vegas playing a waiter who just happens to be called Barry Took, or is he playing the former Points Of View presenter who appears to have started a career as a waiter?

And if the Doctor has removed all the toxic impurities from Chatham, why is there anything left?

sparacus wrote:Shortly afterwards a blue police box materialises near to Magdeline College.

Do you mean Magdalene spara? This seems to be a terrible error to be made by a man of your calibre.

sparacus wrote:Ok here is part two of this modern better than 'The Waters of Mars' adventure

No. Really sorry but - no!

"So it like means that if ya gets well tanked up and ratarsed then you just slap this on and no 'arm done?"

Have you tried pitching this to Doc Filth?

These are only produced by Bolan technology, which is not found on earth. I want you to investigate this. Someone is using alien technology."

Perhaps Ben could use a Metal Guru Detector.

It raises important things.

sparacus wrote:"I'm comitted to go to Hexos 3 to negotiate a marriage between Prince Hazzoxan and a Tholian princess. The Tholians are the most beautiful humanoids in the galaxy. This could bring to an end centuries of war. The brief involves me staring at hundreds of nubile naked young women picking out the best one for the Prince."

Good to see that his impending death is not troubling the Doctor.

Hmm. On the one hand, lines such as "'I may have to go home and slash my wrists'" combine the lucid insight of Chekhov with the defiant, mordant comedy of Beckett, encapsulating the existential despair that is so prominent a feature of the human condition. On the other hand, this fan-fic lacks the neo-Shakespearean grandeur of Orchids in June, where piercing moments of revelation are embedded in the text like grains of gold in stone, epitomised by the mellifluous yet stark honesty of epigrammatic lines such as "Any hole's a goal."

OK, here is the next part of this major new story folks:

"REBIRTH" Part 3


Ben is driving to Surrey with Kyle in his rare vintage car. The wind is blowing through his lush, golden hair as the sound of Klaus Nomi's 'The Cold Song' emenates from the stereo that Ben has instaulled within the vehicle. Ben is explaining to Kyle the cultural significance of Nomi's work:
"Nomi's albums brilliantly fuse operatic stylings with futurism. He appeared television with David Bowie in 1979, performing backing vocals on 'The Man Who Sold the World'."
Kyle stares at his mobile:
"I'd rather we stuck somethin' else on" he grumbles.
"You're a lost cause where music is concerned" Ben replies.


Eventually they reach the St Ignatious orphanage and drive in. Ben has phoned ahead and he is immediately met by two boys of about 17 years of age who are waiting at the entrance.
"Are you Mr Chatham?", one of them asks.
"Yes, and this is Kyle Scott who is part of my team" Ben replies.
"We are Declan and Julian. We are here to escort you inside. Please accompany us MrChatham. We will take you to see Father Donaghue, the chairman of the trustees. We are intrigued as to why your organisation has an interest in our establishment."
Ben is slightly irritated:
"That is something that I only want to discuss with staff, not with you youngsters."
The boys snigger to themselves and show Ben the way to the Chairman's office. Inside is a very elderly man with white hair, dressed in a priest's gown. There is a picture of the Pope on the wall.
"Hello, I am Father Patrick Donaghue. Welcome to St Ignatious. What can I help you with my son?"
Ben frowns:
"I understand that four of your fellow trustees have died recently in odd circumstances" Ben probes.
"Oh no no no. Nothing odd at all. It was a series of accidents. The good Lord works in mysterious ways. Would you like a glass of irish whisky?"
Kyle looks bemused:
"The kids ere seem rather odd like. A bit formal."
"They're just well brought up Kyle. The staff here clearly maintain proper standards" Ben comments.
"Quite right. Our poor waifs and strays are brought up in the spirit of God's holy church. I don't see why it should interest an organisation such as yours" Donaghue comments.
"We have reason to believe that alien technology is involved in their deaths."
Donaghue frowns:
"There are no aliens my son. The good Lord created this earth with the Holy Father as head of his church. You are decieved by the devil."

Later, Ben & Kyle are leaving the building when a young girl of eight or nine runs up to him:
"Please sir... please go to the hospital. Please see Mary. Mary O' Brien. She ain't the real Mary....".
The girl then runs away. Ben frowns:
"I think we should do as she suggests Kyle. Things are not right here. Donaghue was evasive."
As they leave, Ben turns round and sees the two boys Declan & Julian staring coldly at him. One of them speaks:
"I would strongly suggest that you do not meddle in things that don't concern you Mr Chatham."
"What do you mean by that?" Ben asks. The boys smirk and walk off.

............. to be continued.

sparacus wrote:The boys smirk and walk off.

............. to be continued.

As a cliffhanger, that rates up there with the very worst of them.

OK readers, here is the next part of this adventure. The plot darkens.......


"REBIRTH" Part 4

In the St Margaret Hospital Surrey, a young girl is screaming and writhing:
"Burning.... burning.... fire... I'm burning. Somebody help....."
Mary O'Brien is being sedated by the nurses for her own safety.
"She's been like this for two days Doctor. Poor little mite. We just don't understand it. The orphanage says that she's never been in any fire. She was brought in here because she collapsed at school" a middle-aged portly nurse says.
The Doctor frowns:
"Hmmmm. Keep her heavily sedated or she'll harm herself. I suspect acute psychic breakdown, possibly caused by long buried childhood memories resurfacing. What did the orphanage say about her background?"
"Father unknown. Mother was a prostitute who was jailed for manslaughter after shoving a fork into one of her client's eyes. The orphanage took Mary in."
"Hmmm. Possibly the child witnessed this incident," the Doctor muses.

Meanwhile Ben and Kyle are driving to the hospital. Ben is listening to Valentin Silvestrov's fourth symphony on the car stereo:
"Sivestrov is one of the finest modern composers to emenate from the Ukraine Kyle. The fourth symphony has a single movement structure, parts of which remind one of the drowning scene in Berg's 'Wozzeck'."
Kyle frowns:
"Its a bit 'ard to listen to. Monotonous like."
"I am trying to advance your cultural tastes here Kyle. I'm not out to belittle you or anything; I am well aware that I had the benefit of my father's musical background, wheras you grew up with no such benefits. You need to be introduced to culture that is a tad higher than the likes of Eminem and similar rubbish that you listen to."
They arrive at the hospital and park the car outside. Ben grimaces at having to pay £10 just to park for an hour:
"These hospital parking charges are a disgrace" he complains.
Inside the building, Ben is shown into the Doctor's office.
"I'm so pleased to meet you Mr Chatham" the Doctor comments:
"I'm Doctor Cuthbertson. I have of course heard of Operation Delta, having worked on exclusive medical tasks for UNIT in the past. I understand that you are interested in Mary O'Brien?"
"Yes, can we see her? I have reason to believe that she might not be the real Mary" Ben explains.
"Well she's sedated at the moment. Frankly I think that the child is having a psychotic paranoid breakdown. She keeps saying that she's on fire and screaming. Yet she has no high temperature."
Just then the phone rings and Doctor Cuthbertson answers it. After listening he looks across at Ben:
"Looks like we might be about to get some answers. The child's natural mother has arrived and is causing a commotion at reception. It seems she was released on parole two months ago. She was doing time for manslaughter."

At reception an obese woman with cropped hair and dock martin boots on is shouting at staff:
"I wanna see my kid and I wanna see her now. I'm her mother and I wanna know what they've bin doin' to her".
The receptionist is stoney faced:
"You cannot see her. Your manner is aggressive and I do not think that you should be admitted. I've called security."
"Now look here you hard-faced cow. Either I see my f*** kid or I'll knock your teeth down your skinny little throat."
Just then Ben, Kyle and Doctor Cuthbertson arrive:
"Excuse me madam, what is the problem?" The Doctor asks. The mother grabs his head and forces it onto the reception desk:
"I wanna see my kid, ok?"
Ben is annoyed:
"This is outrageous. You need to calm down and let us talk to you properly."
The mother grabs a pair of scissors and lunges at Ben. He steps back however he loses his balance and falls backwards. The mother leaps onto him, pinning him down and raises the scissors, pointing them at Ben's eye....................


.................. to be continued.

I'm sort of getting confused, what with you referring to Dr Cuthbertson as 'the Doctor'.

OK, here is the much awaited next part of this major Doctor Who spin off story:

"REBIRTH": Part 5

The crazed Mrs O'Brien raises the scissors and points them at Ben's eye. However just in the nick of time, Kyle leaps over and grabs her hand, forcing her to drop the scissors. She pulls herself free and runs for the door, turning round menacingly:
"You ain't seen the last of me yet. I'm gonna come back and get my kid then I'll knife the ****ing lot of ya".She then stomps out of the hospital and makes off on a motorbike.
"Well she was helpful... not. Nice work though Kyle", Ben exclaims, "anyway, lets go and see the girl now".
Ben pushes past Doctor Cuthbertson and two vacuous nurses who are discussing the X factor and into the private room where Mary O'Brien is being kept. The child has emerged from her sedation and is writhing around, her arms flailing:
"Burning, burning... pain... pain.... " the girl shouts.
"What is wrong with you? Explain to us?" Ben states firmly, however the girl keeps screaming as if in agony. Doctor Cuthbertson arrives and gives her another injection of sedative:
"This girl is too ill for you to interrogate her like this" he snarls at Ben.
"You are obstructing my investigation Cuthbertson", Ben retorts, "Come Kyle, it is time to pay another visit to that orphanage.
As they are leaving, Ben notices a young nurse seducing a junior Doctor in a side room:
"You should be doing your job not on the job" Ben comments.

Later Ben & Kyle are driving back to the St Ignatious orphanage:
"Lets question that priest again Kyle. That girl was clearly disturbed and traumatised. Maybe one of the priests has interfered with her or she has witnessed a murder" Ben states.
"Ere ain't you jumpin to conclusions a bit there Ben? She may just 'av been in a fire when younger" Kyle responds.
"Maybe Kyle, however we were told that she wasn't the real Mary O'Brien. Something has clearly disturbed her recently."
Arriving at the orphanage, they are met by the teenagers Declan and Julian at the main entrance:
"You cannot enter and see Father Donaghue for he has vacated the premesis", Declan states.
"Well where is he?" Ben asks.
"He and the other trustees are on a fishing trip on Hexford Waters this afternoon" Julian states. The boys then giggle, wink at Ben and strut off.
"I don't like this at all Kyle. Theres something fishy about those boys" Ben states.

Ben and Kyle drive to Hexford Waters, stopping at the Post Office to ask for directions. Ben is playing Bowie's "Sense of Doubt" on the car stereo:
"You need to gain a full appreciation of Bowie's Berlin period" he explains to Kyle as the car reaches the side of the lake. In the distance they can see a fishing boat. However as they get out of the car there is a flash and a loud explosion as the boat disintegrates................


................... to be continued.