The Arts in Space (comic story): Difference between revisions

Deciding she wants to travel to the future, the Doctor suggests the [[Pentaquoteque Gallery]] of [[Ouloumos]]. Landing on the planet, Gabby is amazed by the alien landscape of a sea of [[star]]s, [[sky aqueduct]]s, and the subtle differences from [[Earth]]: the animals, the birdsong, the sand, the grass. She can barely understand how the Doctor can take it all in without even noticing.

The two look around the Pentaquoteque Gallery, where the Doctor shows her a variety of different art pieces, including 3D art, whispering paintings and self-creating portraits. The Doctor finds one piece especially interesting: a block transfer sculpture created through precise calculation and song (quantum form harmonics) by the artist [[Zhe Ikiyuyu]] through only her mind. Surprised to find an empty room supposed to be filled with their sculptures, the Doctor and Gabby visit the museum [[Curator (The Arts in Space)|curator]]. She explains that a century beforehand, facing criticism, Zhe had withdrawn her works and exiled herself to her private retreat on the planet's [[Zhe's moon|moon]], which can be accessed by a [[Space elevator|glass elevator]]. Her moon had been a creative retreat where she hosted parties to artists, writers and students (and also the Doctor), however she has not been visited in recent decades, besides an [[Art dealer (The Arts in Space)|art dealer]] who was pushed away.

Reminiscing happily with the elevator's robotic pilot, [[Vernon (The Arts in Space)|Vernon]], the Doctor and Gabby enter the elevator up to her retreat. Gabby is in awe of the view of her house. Gabby is slightly disappointed with the expansive sculpture garden fronting the house, however the Doctor explains that it is the basis of art across the universe. The Doctor explains that Zhe found such beauty in any form - humanoid and alien — that she used body augmentation to change between [[gender]]s and forms.

Suddenly, the sculptures become anthropomorphic and attack, but the Doctor grabs her hand and run into the penthouse, unlocking the gates with the [[sonic screwdriver]]. The Doctor is surprised, as matter manipulation is too complex for Zhe. The Doctor and Gabby are greeted by Zhe's male form, which confuses the Doctor, approaching what appears to be a statue of Zhe, meditating. His form splits, with his male from with the Doctor and her female form suddenly in another room with Gabby. She calls herself the "[[The Apprentice (The Arts in Space)|ultimate apprentice]]", shifting into a monstrous two-headed male and female form that disturbs Gabby; she runs and shouts for the Doctor.  

The Doctor is unsettled, finding Zhe's personality false to her character. He grows scissor hands and attempts to attack the Doctor, but he ducks and runs into a room filled with clocks. Zhe is offended by Gabby's dislike of the sculptures, and calls the Doctor a critic, not an artist. The Doctor escapes onto the balcony and observes Gabby fighting Zhe at ground level. Gabby runs back into the house, but as the Doctor tries to run back inside he reconfigures the layout, throwing the Doctor down an infinite stairwell.