Astro x Dr. Who story!

[Tetsuwan Penguin]

Forward into the past

IX.

The Doctor walked back and forth inside the Tardis control room. He alternated between peering into the eyepiece of the time telescope, the outside viewer, and all of the various time pieces in the tardis.

“The timing on this is going to be quite critical!” he muttered out loud. “And I'm going to need your help on this Astro, or we are all doomed!”

“What's going on?” Jo Grant demanded. “You've never kept secrets from me like this before.”

“Yes, I suppose it's high time that I filled both of you in.” The doctor said. “As I said before, disturbing the time line can cause unwanted side effects. It seems that this paradox Astro and I have created has opened a doorway to a parallel time line, one in which the Earth is invaded by an enemy I've fought with many times before.”

“But that isn't what you told us was going to happen!” Astro blurted out.

“It didn't happen because I prevented it.” The doctor smirked. “And so I shall, or rather Astro will. Only I think I'm going to let their scout ship land, right here in the park”

“Why?” Jo Grant asked.

“Because I'm going to let them take Tobo as a hostage, never to return.” The doctor laughed. “And his father will witness it!”

“You can't mean that!” Astro cried out.

“Actually, our invaders will be taking someone who looks like Tobo hostage.” The doctor corrected himself. “Someone who is able to defend himself quite well.”

“I get it!” Astro said. “Time for me to put that wig back on and change into Tobo's clothes!”


“They're here!” The doctor cried out, taking his eyes off of the telescope. “Now where is that damn boy and his father? Astro, I may need you to go fetch them, wait, never mind here they come.”

Tobio and Dr. Tenma were walking through the park and approached the tardis. The doctor opened the door a crack and yelled out “Come here Tobio. I require your assistance.”

“What is that strange blue box in the middle of the park?” Dr. Tenma asked.

“That's what I wanted to show you, dad!” Tobio said. “I stumbled into it the night I got back late walking home though the park, remember? I met this strange man who claimed he knew the future.”

“Nonsense.” Tenma answered.

“Wait here.” Tobio said. “I think he's going to give me the proof.” As the boy walked into the tardis the doors closed behind him as the Doctor activated a switch on the control panel.

“I've just powered up a status field.” The doctor explained. “Astro, it's all up to you now. Step outside and try and convince Tobo's father that you are his son.”

Astro walked outside of the tardis. Just as he emerged the blue box disappeared behind him.

“What are you doing?” Tobio demanded pounding on the door to the tardis.

“Saving your life.” the doctor told him. “Take a look outside.”


Dr. Tenma watched his son disappear into the tardis, and almost immediately re-emerge just as the strange blue box vaporized behind him.

“He's leaving,” 'Tobio' told his father.

Suddenly dark clouds appeared in the sky and a large saucer shaped craft descended from them. Astro ran towards the strange craft while Dr. Tenma yelled for him to come back. The saucer ship landed and its doors opened. Several robot like creatures emerged brandishing ray guns. Tenma watched helplessly as 'Tobio' was carried into the flying saucer by the Cybermen.

The strange blue box suddenly re-appeared between where Tenma stood and the saucer. Seeing the Doctor's craft the Cybermen quickly took off. The tardis then vanished again. Tenma just stood there with his mouth hanging open. Tobio was gone, abducted by an army of alien robots. He stood in the park looking up for many minutes. Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light in the night sky in the general direction where the UFO had departed. Tenma slowly walked aimlessly home in shock. He eventually returned home, determined to recreate his lost son as a super robot that could fight off the alien menace, should they ever return.


Astro stood in the middle the group of cybermen. He pulled the wig off of his head, ripped off his clothes, and wiped the makeup from his face.

“OK you weird robots, I hope you can see that I'm not human.” he scowled at them. “If I were you, I'd let me go and never come back to Earth again.

“Are you in league with the Doctor?” One of the cybermen asked.

“I guess you could say that.” Astro replied.

“Then we will have to destroy you!” The mob replied brandishing their ray guns.

Astro leaped out of the way as several of the weapons discharged. He smashed his way through the side of the ship into space, and then returned to punch another hole in the side of the craft, this time near its power source. The flying saucer exploded into thousands of pieces, and the blast could be seen in the night sky on Earth.

As he floated in space, the tardis materialized in front of him. The doctor opened the door for him and Astro stepped inside.

“Well done!” the doctor said, patting Astro on the back. He noticed the questioning look on the boy robot's face. “I'm guessing you don't understand how I could open the door to the tardis in the vacuum of space.” he laughed. “The ship is surrounded by a quantum field which acts as a sort of air lock. It let you pass through, but held the atmosphere inside of my ship.”

“Very clever.” Astro said.

“What about me?” Tobio asked.

“How would you like to see the future?” The doctor asked. “Or perhaps maybe the past?
There is a great deal that I can show you, and a great deal that you could learn.”

“You see Tobio,” Jo Grant said, “right now your father believes that you were abducted by those nasty Cybermen, and he saw their ship explode right after they took off.”

“So he thinks I'm dead.” Tobio sighed.

“I'm afraid so, my boy.” The doctor said. “In his grief, realizing that the Earth could be in danger from beings from outer space, he will now create a robot to replace you. A robot
with tremendous powers that will save the Earth many times again and again.”

Astro blushed at the doctor's words. “He means me.” Astro replied.

“And now Astro,” the doctor said, “It's time I returned you back to your rightful place in time. The time line has been healed, and it is safe for you to return.” The doctor then turned to Tobio, “As for you my boy, you will be my companion for a while in my travels. Eventually, I will be able to return you to Earth, and you will even be able to be reunited with your father without creating a time paradox.”

“How is that?” Astro asked.

“If I return Tobio back to Earth at a point in time where you already exist, there will be no paradox.” The doctor explained. “Of course, he will have to remain with me until he catches up in time to the point where we return him. In other words,”

“I have to grow up.” Tobio said.

“Exactly.” The doctor explained.

The doctor then set the tardis controls to the exact point in time where Astro had departed from. Almost instantly the time machine materialized a block away from the Ministry of Science building.

“It's been my pleasure meeting you, Astro.” The doctor said.

“Mine as well.” added Jo Grant.

“This is amazing.” Astro said. “I sorta kinda knew the story of my creation, and I always felt guilty that someone had to die for me to exist. That isn't true anymore.”

“Yes, sometimes I do manage to slightly change history.” The doctor said. “The important events still occur, everything still fits, but little details get cleaned up. I like happy endings, don't you?

“Goodbye, Astro.” Tobio said. “I hope we can meet again, maybe in ten years or so.”

“I'd like that.”Astro said.

Jo Grant gave Astro a hug, and the doctor shook his hand. Astro and Tobio exchanged nuggies. Astro then left the tardis and watched as the light on top of the blue box began to wink, and the time machine slowly faded from view.

“Guess it's time I headed home. Mom and Dad are probably worried about me,” he thought as he took off and flew home.

The End