ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The character of Destiny is the property of Sarah Taplin and appears with her kind permission

Self Service  Writer... James Parkin

The Lunar Restaurant on Xaviette Minor was the finest restaurant on the planet, and not only by virtue of being the only restaurant on the planet.  The latest nanotechnology allowed it to use ingredients from every corner of the universe resulting in dishes that were always fresh, exciting, tasty and nutritious.  In the evening the restaurant’s setting allowed diners to see all four of the planet’s moons, a feature that made it particularly popular with romantically inclined couples who would venture out onto the oversized patio after their meal to declare their true love.

            No such intentions were in the mind of the Doctor that evening as he dined his young companion that evening, a girl from the planet Ba’ku called Destiny.  He often popped into the Lunar when his travels took him to this part of the cosmos, sometimes alone but preferably with company.  He smiled as he remembered how his young companion’s mauve eyes had lit up when he had suggested they spend the evening at the galaxy famous restaurant.  She had heard of the Lunar, of course, but she had never visited any of the planets in the Xaviette Quadrant, not even via vidistrips.  She had spent half the afternoon in the TARDIS costume room, deciding what to wear, before spending the other half choosing what make-up she should use.  The Doctor, on the other hand, had very quickly donned the velvet smoking jacket, check trousers and frilly shirt that he had favored during his third incarnation.  They had arrived on time and the Destiny was soon enjoying a starter of Deva Lokan Vegetable and Fruitshoots Bisque.  The Doctor, meanwhile, had ordered Mondas Polkaroots Cocktail, which was more expensive than most dishes on the menu as sourcing the ingredients involved traveling back in time to a period before the planet was destroyed and avoiding capture by early incarnations of the Cybermen.  Inevitably the polkaroots were becoming increasingly scarce as more and more missions were accomplished.  It would be a sad day, mused the Doctor, when the dish became unavailable owing to this circumstance.

            The starters finished, the Doctor and Destiny ordered their main courses, both picking the Roast Spiridonian Izestia in a traditional sauce.  The Doctor consumed his meal with relish, as he told stories of his youthful experiences at the Academy, including a prank on the Time-Flight master which the victim remembered clearly to this day, over 900 years later.  As he finished his last piece of the izestia he noticed that his companion had ate less than half of her portion.

“Didn’t you like the meat?” he asked.

“The meat was fine,” replied Destiny. “I found the sauce a bit too rich.”

“Never mind,” replied the Doctor. “The puddings are absolutely first class at the Lunar.”

            The waiter came to collect their dishes as the Doctor studied the menu for dessert.  Feeling an explanation was necessary, Destiny said to the waiter as he took away her plate, “I’m sorry, I found the sauce a bit too spicy.”

“I see,” said the waiter, and with a very serious look on his face he walked away in the direction of the kitchens.

The Doctor frowned.  “You should not have said that.”

“Why not?” enquired the young Ba’kuan.

The Doctor sighed.  “They take complaints very seriously at the Lunar.  Customer satisfaction is paramount.  I think you’ll see what I mean in a minute.”

       A few moments later a man whom Destiny assumed to be the chef appeared running from the kitchen, pursued by the waiter who was hitting him over the head with a large metal ladle and shouting, “out, out, out!”  The chef reached the door and bolted through it.  The chef continued the pursuit onto the patio.  “Never debase the quality of this restaurant’s cooking again,” he shouted.

“What was all that about?” Destiny asked the Doctor.

“The chef has just got the sack.”

“Because of what I said?”

“Yes.  One complaint is enough to ensure that he will never work in catering in this part of the galaxy again.”

“I don’t believe it.  I didn’t mean to lose someone his livelihood.  Is there nothing we can do?”

“There’s something you can do.  In fact, there’s something you have to do.”

“What’s that?”

“Make desserts for everyone.”

“What?!” screamed Destiny.

“Well, you see,” explained the Doctor, “as you complained about the food it is assumed that you are implying that you could produce better dishes yourself.  Therefore you will be invited into the kitchen to act as chef for the rest of the evening.  Fortunately, everyone has had their main course so it is only the desserts left to prepare.”

“I can’t cook,” said Destiny.  “Men and boys do all the cooking on Ba’ku.  Girls aren’t taught domestic chores.  I don’t know one end of a fish slice from the other.  I shall have to refuse.”

“If you refuse I will never be able to dine here again.  And that would be a pity.”

       At that moment the waiter re-entered the restaurant and headed straight to their table and addressed Destiny.  “The Management of the Lunar Restaurant invite you to act as our chef for the remainder of the evening.”

“Excellent,” exclaimed the Doctor.  “My friend will make a first class chef for you.  Off you go, Destiny, and don’t worry, your dishes will be a delight to the taste buds.”

       Destiny looked at the Doctor and then at the waiter before slowly rising from her seat and allowing herself to be led to the kitchens, trembling at the thought of the task ahead.

      The Doctor sighed.  And I was so looking to Alzarian Riverfruit Sundae, he thought.  He left the restaurant and headed back towards the TARDIS.

  ***

In the kitchens Destiny was on the verge of crying.  The waiter had left her alone with a list of all the desserts that people had ordered.  She didn’t know what to do.  For the first time in her life she wished she had been born a boy.  But then, she reflected, she doubted that any of the males on her home planet would have been equal to the challenge considering the tools with which she was being asked to work.  Most of the ingredients and all of the utensils were completely alien to her.  Her task was quite impossible.  Way couldn’t she have kept her mouth shut about the sauce, she wondered.

       The familiar wheezing, groaning sound of the TARDIS from just outside the kitchens took her by surprise.  The TARDIS was too far away for her to hear it dematerialise from here.  The Doctor must have moved the TARDIS and materialised just outside the back of the restaurant.  Maybe he had come to rescue her.  He had, but not in the way she thought.

The back door of the restaurant opened and the Doctor walked in.  “Have you got the orders?” he asked.

Destiny picked up the list of orders, which the waiter had left for her.  “Doctor, I can’t make any of these things.”

“Don’t worry,” replied the Doctor, taking the list.  “Wheel that trolley over here, please.”  The Doctor wheeled the trolley out of the kitchen towards the TARDIS.  “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he called.

Less than three minutes later the Doctor reappeared with the trolley.  Destiny gasped.  The trolley was now laden with desserts.  “Where did you get those from?”

“From right here,” replied the Doctor, “same point in space, different point in time.   I went back to last night and borrowed a few dishes.  Fortunately, it was packed in the Lunar last night so I don’t think they’ll miss these.  Come on, let’s get them sorted out according to the orders before that waiter comes back.”

*** 

Half an hour later the Doctor and Destiny were back in the TARDIS, the Doctor busy with the controls.  He looked over at his companion.  After the interrupted dinner at the Lunar she needed a real treat.  And he knew just the thing.  “Still hungry, Destiny?” he asked.

Destiny looked up.  “Yes, I am actually.”

The Doctor smiled.  “Not surprising, really.  I didn’t get my pudding and you only ate half your main course.  I think we need to fill ourselves up a bit more.  And I know just the place.  Ever been to Grimsby?”

Destiny shook her head.  “What constellation is the planet Grimsby in?”

“It’s not a planet, it’s a town on Earth.  They serve a great terrestrial delicacy there.”  He started to set the co-ordinates.  “Come on, I’ll treat you to the finest food in England.  Something you won’t find at the Lunar or most other restaurants in the Universe.  Fish, chips and mushy peas.”

The End