Chapter Ten: THE DOCTORS IN HEAVEN
The Doctor stood underneath an
oak tree in a field of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush. There were purple
mountains in the distance. A stream gurgled nearby. A small apatosaurus slept
under another oak tree. There was a small penguin standing near his head. The
apatosaurus bent his long neck down and nuzzled the penquin. The penquin nuzzled
the dinosaurs big head.
The Doctor smiled to himself. This place is beautiful. Weird
but beautiful!
Then he frowned, "But how did I get here?!"
The Doctor took a step forward. His feet passed right through
the flowers! "My God!" he exclaimed. "How did I do that?"
A voice spoke behind him, "Because you are incorporeal."
The Doctor swung around. Underneath the tree where he had
been just a second ago stood humanoid being. He was glowing.
"Ulp!" said The Doctor.
The fellow was middle aged, dressed in English tweeds, and he
was definitely glowing. Strange!
"Who are you?" The Doctor snapped.
The fellow smiled and said , "Behold! I am the Angel
Gabriel!"
"No you're not!" snapped The Doctor. "Gabriel would not be
carrying an umbrella."
The fellow smiled a slightly embarrassed look. "You are
right, and I don't even need it here. But if you carry one for 40 years, it is
hard to break the habit. "I'm Doctor James Datson."
"What are we doing here?" The Doctor asked.
Doctor Datson tried to explain, "We are glorified beings, and
this is a part of Heaven."
"Horse hooey!" the Doctor exclaimed.
"The English fellow was insistent, "No. It's true. This is
actually a planet called Tubal-cain's world. Tubal-cain is a glorified Caveman.
He apparently is the one that invented metal refining. When he became glorified
he invented a way to bring fictional characters to life."
The Doctor sputtered, "That is the biggest load of you know
what, I"ve ever heard! I wish my extraterrestrial friend were here to raise an
eyebrow on you! Where are we really, and what have you done with my friends?"
"We really are on Tubal-cain's world, and I've done nothing
with your friends, but Tubal-cain glorified them too. I'm supposed to take you
to meet them."
The Doctor was slightly pacified at that, but he was still
suspicious. "Can you prove any of this?"
Doctor Datson nodded, "Indeed I can. Pick your feet up. You
can float."
"Huh?" The Doctor asked. He looked down at himself. He picked
up first one foot and then the other. Sure enough, he could float! "What's going
on here?"
Doctor Datson gave The Doctor a solemn smile, "I told you the
truth, Doctor. We really are glorified beings, and I'm supposed to take you to
meet your friends. The Captain is waiting for you."
With that Doctor Datson shouldered his umbrella, and took off
straight up into the air! It reminded The Doctor of an early space machine
taking off. The Doctor quickly found he could follow Doctor Datson. He did so.
The Doctor grumbled as he went, "I'm kind of sad science is
behind all this. It would be a joy to tell my Extraterrestrial friend that
Angels really do exist."
Doctor Datson stated calmly, "Oh they do, oh they do. They
evolved on some planet somewhere some when, supposedly in a Big Bang that was
several Big Bang's before ours."
The Doctor growled, "How can an Angel evolve? Angels are
supposed to be supernatural!"
Doctor Datson shrugged. "Well they may be supernatural,
whatever that means, but they aren't ANTI natural!"
Doctor Datson darted upwards again. The Doctor kept up with
him. The Angel explained as he went, "We are headed for the singularity of a
dark hole."
"For heaven's sakes! Why?"
Doctor Datson smiled., "We need to go to the edge of
infinity."
"Oh heavens!" The Doctor blanched, "And to think there was a
time when I thought matter teleporters were dangerous enough!"
"You're immortal now," Doctor Datson
pointed out. "Nothing will ever be dangerous to you again!"
"I'm WHAT?!!!?" The Doctor exclaimed.
Doctor Datson smiled "You are immortal."
"Why?" the Doctor demanded to know. "How?"
Doctor Datson explained, "Old Boy, you got in here as you
Americans say, by the skin of your teeth. Once upon a time, you asked for Angels
and Minsters of Grace to preserve you. In the Multiverse you pretty much get
what you ask for. As for 'how,' all computer programs can be saved, even the
organically grown ones!"
The Doctor howled. "You are implying that my soul is nothing
more than a computer program?" The Doctor stared at the Englishman. He could see
that an affirmative answer was written on Doctor Datson's face.
Doctor Datson nodded, " I'm afraid so. Please get accustomed
to the idea. You are going to live
with it for eternity.
The Doctor shook his head like a dog trying to shake off
water droplets and put his hands up in surrender. "Blast it all! My
extraterrestrial friend is going to love this! I always hoped that Christ was
more than a crazy carpenter and that He would save me somehow, but I didn't
think it would be on a backup disk!"
Doctor Datson smiled.
The Doctor moaned, "And I thought I had the last word!'
Doctor Datson grinned. "You're both immortal. Neither of you
will EVER have the last word! And speaking of Extraterrestrials, here comes one.