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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:49:46 GMT
He was running, his heavy robes slowing him down. He had to reach his ship before they caught him and they were in hot pursuit. Hot pursuit. He almost laughed at the phrase. The sun was beating down on him, his forehead soaked in sweat. Rounding the corner he skidded to a halt. He was lost. Not lost in terms of he couldn’t find his ship, he was lost in the terms that he didn’t know which planet he was on, or even where he would go next. He had to get back to his ship, find his way home somehow and repair his ship. They were close. He could hear them now. Catching his breath, he ran again. He could see his ship now, but chancing a glance back over his shoulder showed him they were closer than he feared.
*
“Hey there, mama, it’s the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove. Ba ba ba badda ba ba badda badda ba ba.”
“Look, must you.” The Doctor put his sonic screwdriver down and got out from underneath the console. “I appreciate you’re probably still in that holiday mood, but we are trying to work here.”
Tom looked through the central column at the Time Lord as he got to his feet. He still had one hand raised, the other flat against the edge of the console where he’d been tapping along as he sang. “Sorry.” He said, putting his hands behind his back. “Although I don’t see why you’re tinkering about down there again. We got to Florana ok.” Rounding the console, Tom stood beside the Doctor and activated the scanner control, reaching up to the square box that contained the scanner screen and turned one of the dials on the case. The image faded into reams of letters and numbers. “Fault locater indicates nothing wrong.” He said turning back to the Doctor his arms folded.
The Doctor looked at his young companion and dropped to the floor. “As much as I trust the old girl to tell me what’s wrong, I can tell with my own instincts that there’s something not working quite right with her.” Packing some of the wiring back into the stem of the console, the Doctor looked out at Tom. “And it’s ‘Hey, hey mama, said the way you move’.” He corrected.
“Hmm, Tom muttered and walked back round the console to where he had been stood originally. A small panel had been raised up and exposed the dematerialisation circuit. “You still think that all that popping about on Earth affected her?”
“Anchoring herself to a divergent time line and then protecting herself and several people some yards away while the timelines righted themselves would have taken a toll on her.” Closing the inspection hatch, the Doctor got to his feet again. “Everything there seems ok.”
“I told you.” Tom pointed to the scanner. “According to the fault locator-”
“I can feel it. A certain pull in her.” The Doctor replied.
“And two weeks tinkering on Florana produced?” Tom asked, reaching into the console and carefully removing the dematerialisation circuit. As he examined it, he looked up at the Doctor, awaiting an answer.
“It wasn’t two weeks full.”
“You still ducked out of the volleyball games halfway through, each time.” Tom looked back to the circuit in his hand, carefully removing a cover to access the internal workings inside. “Hmm, maybe you should be looking at this rather than me.” He said, passing the circuit over to the Doctor.
“Perhaps. Dematerialisation circuits are rather complex. Would you keep a check on things?” Pulling his jewellers eye glass out of his pocket, the Doctor took the circuit from Tom and carried it over to the breakfast bar in the kitchen alcove. Clearing a space on the worktop with a sweep of his arm, the Doctor sat down on a stool and examined the circuit.
Turning back to the console, Tom walked round to the flight panel. “Might as well check that we’re not in any major shipping lanes.” He said, thinking aloud.
“Already done,” The Doctor said from the kitchen nook, without looking up. “It’s not the first time I’ve conducted repairs on the old girl whilst in space.”
Tom sighed and flicked several switches, looking up at the scanner. The image showed nothing but empty space. Double checking it against the readings on the console, he saw that the TARDIS was indeed suspended in space, in the backwaters of the Isop galaxy, light years from the nearest space lane. “Well, you’ve certainly parked us a long way out.”
“I think I’ve got it.” The Doctor said, still not looking up. “Could you start packing that stuff away and we’ll be on our way soon.”
Tom looked down at the tools strewn across the dais on which the console sat. Several pieces of circuitry, wiring and things he couldn’t put a name to sat about where the Doctor had been working. “None of this stuff is needed or anything important is it?”
“I wouldn’t have thought so.” The Doctor replied, reaching across and picking up a cup of something and sipping it, still probing inside the circuit with a small probe.
“Hey hey, mama, said the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove. Ba ba ba badda ba ba badda badda ba ba.” Crouching down, Tom started collecting the varying pieces strewn over the floor.
“Oh, oh, child, way you shake that thing, gonna make you burn, gonna make you sting.” Jess sang from the doorway.
“What?” Tifa asked from behind her, stepping into the console room and looking at the clutter about.
“Led Zeppelin. Didn’t realise you had such good taste, Tom!” Jess teased. “Blimey, leave you two alone in here for five minutes and look at the mess.”
“Blame the Doctor.” Tom said, getting to his feet as Jess and Tifa walked over.
“I’m almost done.” The Doctor said from the breakfast bar. “Slight fluctuations in the dematerialisation circuit. Not big enough for the fault locator to pick up.” He added, looking up at Tom. “I told you I could feel it.”
“What’s that?” Tifa asked, pointing at the scanner. “Something outside, heading towards us.”
Tom rounded the console and looked up at the scanner screen. “It’s coming quick.” He said, looking back down at the console. “Erm, Doctor. You might want to come see this.” He said, noting the readings.
“What is it?” The Doctor asked, rounding on the scanner. On seeing the image, his eyes widened. “We’ve got to move, now!” He shouted, turning for the console and colliding with Tom. “Tom, quick, re-engage the TARDIS shields, we need to dematerialise immediately.”
“Doctor-” Tom started.
“There’s no time to argue, quickly.” The Doctor rushed to the console and started throwing switches.
“Doctor, you’ve disengaged the demat controls so you could remove the circuit, remember? You’ve just been tinkering with it.”
The Doctor paused and looked up. “Oh.” He said simply, his face falling. “Well, in that case, everyone hold on to something.”
“What is it?” Jess asked, gripping onto one of the wooden struts that went to the top of the console column.
“Trouble with a capital ‘T’.” The Doctor replied, gripping the edge of the console. “Some sort of phased spatial rift.”
“Not a parallel world or something, is it?” Jess asked, noticing that the TARDIS was now starting to tremble.
“Oh no. That would be easy.” The Doctor said, staring at the scanner. “Hold tight, here it comes.”
Jess looked up at the scanner screen, worried. “This is all we need, after a nice holiday.”
Tifa, gripping another of the wooded struts, looked across at her and nodded.
“I’ll have you know, I’m a Time Lord, I’ve impeccable taste!” Tom shouted, from where he was gripping the console, flashing a cheeky grin at Jess.
About to throw an equally cheeky reply, a sudden jolt and blinding flash wiped the good humour from her mind. Throwing her hands to her eyes, Jess felt that she was falling, reaching out for the support strut again. Reaching out, she found she was trying to grip thin air. Blinking her eyes rapidly, trying to clear the bright glare, Jess looked about. Either the glare had affected her eyes, or the console room was now a bright white in colour. Looking for the console, Jess reached out, as she tried to steady herself.
“Wha-?” She began looking towards the Doctor, stopping when she saw the Doctor wasn’t there.
Standing where the Doctor had stood, she saw a complete stranger. Dizziness and nausea almost overwhelming her she tried to focus. He was wearing scuffed brown shoes and grey trousers, what looked like a diamond patterned woollen cardigan and a red coat. A long multicoloured woollen scarf reached up from the floor, looped round his neck and back to the floor. He had a green felt hat crammed over a mass of dark curly hair and bright piercing blue eyes. Smiling a toothy grin, he pulled a hand out of his pocket and thrust a paper bag towards her.
“Hello. Would you like a Jelly Baby?” The Doctor asked.
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:50:22 GMT
“Wha-?” Jess tried again, before the dizziness overcame her and she found herself falling backwards. She was vaguely aware of someone catching her and a vaguely familiar face before she blacked out.
“I say, Doctor. She’s fainted.” Harry said, as he gently lowered Jess to the floor.
The Doctor was instantly crouching down beside Harry; Jelly Babies back in his pocket. Reaching out he grabbed hold of her wrist and checked her pulse, before gently lifting Jess’s eyelids and checking her eyes.
“Harry, she’s fainted.” He said.
Harry rolled his eyes behind the Doctors back. He should be used to it now, he thought. “Who the devil is she, anyway?” He asked, looking down at Jess.
The Doctor turned and looked over Harry's shoulder. “Harry, where’s Sarah?”
Harry stiffened and looked behind him. Sarah was nowhere to be seen. “I don’t understand, the old girl was right behind me, then there was this flash and she appeared.”
“Hmm, interesting.” The Doctor said, standing up and crossing to the console. “I think the Brigadier is going to have to wait for a bit.”
Harry shrugged off his jacket and rolled it up, putting it under Jess’s head. “I say, you don’t think it’s those Time Lord chappies again do you? Like how they took us to Skaro instead of Nerva?”
“Oh no. This is something very different, Harry.” The Doctor pulled his hat from his head and pushed it into an already bulging pocket. “This is something that has managed to penetrate the TARDIS defences and pluck Sarah out from us and deposit this young girl here.”
“I wonder who she is.” Harry said again, rubbing the back of his neck before looking up at the Doctor. “Rather attractive sort. I say, she’s not an alien, is she?”
“No, no. Pulse rate, retina pattern, she’s human as you.” The Doctor said not looking up from the console. “Ah-hah.” He said slowly, looking up. “Harry, I think I’ve found it.” Reaching across the console, the Doctor activated the scanner.
Harry walked over to the Doctor and looked at the large screen on the far wall. “What is that?” He asked looking at the image. “Some sort of space rip?”
The Doctor turned to Harry, a large grin on his face. “You really are improving, Harry.”
“Am I really?” Harry ginned back.
“Oh yes, still all my influence, of course.” The Doctor said returning to the console.
Sighing, Harry walked round the console to where Jess was laying and crouched down beside her, lifting her arm to check her pulse.
*
Tom blinked, throwing his hands up to protect his eyes from the bright flash. He felt a wave of dizziness pass through him and he reached out to steady himself at the console. Almost falling forwards, it seemed to him as though the console was further away than it had been. He didn’t remember taking any steps backwards.
Opening his eyes, he saw the console and reached out for it to steady himself. Pausing he looked again. The console room was no longer wood effect, and the room seemed to be cluttered with various archaic and eclectic artefacts.
“Who are you? How did you get in my ship, my TARDIS?”
Tom turned at the sound of the voice, feeling the dizziness wash over him again. Standing before him was an old man, with white hair. He was dressed in a similar Edwardian style to the Doctor; black frock coat, waistcoat, starched wing collar shirt. His eyes widened when he realised that he was looking at the Doctor in another incarnation. A Doctor who didn’t recognise him. An earlier incarnation. Thinking fast, Tom drew his mind into himself as the Doctor, his Doctor, had taught him. He remembered the Doctor not knowing he was a Time Lord when they met, so he had to conceal that from this Doctor.
“Well, young man? Who are you, hmm?” The Doctor repeated.
Not sure what to say, Tom let the dizziness overcome him and fell to the floor.
Watching him fall, the Doctor hurried over and got to one knee and examined him. “Mr Taylor.” He shouted. “Steven my boy, where are you?”
“Here I am Doctor.” Steven said as he dashed through from the living quarters, stopping when he saw Toms figure lying on the floor. “Who’s that?” He asked pointing.
“Exactly what I want to know my boy, hm?”
“Where the devil did he come from?” Steven asked, crouching down opposite the Doctor.
“Now how should I know, young man? Hm?” The Doctor snapped. “Now help me get him in that chair over there.”
“That one?” Steven asked, pointing to an ornate looking chair.
“The Magnetic Chair. Yes.” The Doctor said “We can keep him in there until we know who he is and where he’s from.”
“Oof.” Steven panted as he sat Tom into the chair. “Not exactly easy. How does this chair thing work?”
“From the console.” The Doctor said, walking over to the switch. “Now, where’s the child?”
“Dodo?” Steven asked, looking round. “I don’t know. I think she was putting her Wild West clothes in the wardrobe room.”
“Well would you go and find her, make sure that she’s alright and there are no other strangers in the ship.”
“Right ho Doc.” Steven paused, mid step. “Tor.” He added.
“Now, where did you come from young man?” The Doctor muttered as he pottered about the console.
Opening his eyes slightly, Tom looked at the Doctors back as he walked about the console. He had to gather his thoughts and figure out what was happening. This was a younger Doctor than his, and yet he looked so much older. Tom was brought out of his thoughts by a shout from the other man in the TARDIS, making him close his eyes.
“Nope, can’t find her anywhere, Doctor.” Steven said, walking back into the console room.
“Well, that’s ridiculous. She must be about somewhere.” The Doctor paused. “Unless this young man had something to do with it.”
“You mean he’s kidnapped Dodo?” Steven asked, looking at Tom, sat immobile in the chair.
“Either that or some powerful force has reached into the TARDIS and taken Dodo and dropped this young man here.” The Doctor walked round the console checking the dials. “And something that powerful should be easy to find.”
Walking round the console, Steven stood and looked at Tom. “I hope she’s alright.”
“Me too, my boy, me too.” The Doctor said. “You know as well as me how erratic the TARDIS can be, but if we’re lucky, we can find where she went, and where this young man came from.”
“From here.” Tom said, opening his eyes.
“I beg your pardon.” The Doctor said turning.
“You’re the Doctor, aren’t you?” Tom asked. “One of his earlier incarnations?”
“And how do you know that, sir, hmm?”
“Because I travel with you. Well, will do. Your eighth self.” Tom replied.
“One of what?” Steven asked, clearly confused.
The Doctor stepped back from the console and gripped his lapels, thoughtfully stroking them with his thumbs. “What did, erm, how do you know I’m the Doctor, young man?”
“I’ve seen your picture.” Tom replied. “And I’ve spoken to you about yourself.” Trying to get up, Tom found that he couldn’t move. “Look, there’s no need to distrust me. You trust me when I travel with you.”
“Doctor.” Steven whispered, beckoning the Doctor over. “How do you know we can trust him? What’s he on about?”
“My future, my boy. You forget the ship can travel through time.” The Doctor replied.
“But he could by lying. There’s something going on here.”
“Quite right, quite right.” The Doctor said, turning back to Tom. “What have you done with Dodo?”
“I don’t know what you’re on about.” Tom said.
“The child, the young girl who was travelling with us.” The Doctor said, stepping towards Tom and looking into his face.
“Look, I don’t know what happened either. You said something about there being a phased spatial rift, there was a bright flash and I ended up here.” Tom replied.
“A flash? I remember a flash.” Steven said. “I thought it was just you doing something in here.” He added, turning to face the Doctor.
“Hmm? Yes, well it wasn’t me, was it Mr. Taylor?” The Doctor snapped turning back to the console. “It looks like I was right, wasn’t it, hm? Something must have reached into my TARDIS and taken young Dodo and left you here, young man.”
“It’s Tom. Tom Rowan.” Tom said, helpfully, getting ignored by the Doctor and Steven as they looked over the console. “Oh well. Thankfully you mellowed with age.”
“So this thing that reached into the TARDIS?” Steven asked.
“Well, it’s very powerful and must be very dangerous for something to get inside my ship.” The Doctor said almost brushing Steven out of the way. “We need to track it if we’re to get Dodo back.”
“Ahem!” Tom coughed rather loudly.
Turning, the Doctor walked over to him. “If I let you go, young man, do you promise to keep out of my way and stop bothering me as I work, hmm?”
“Anything you say.” Tom said.
“Good, good. I don’t think you quite realise just how serious this is.” The Doctor said walking back to the console. “For something to reach into the TARDIS and swap you for Dodo, it has to have a phenomenally dangerous power, something that if we’re not careful, could pull the ship inside out and scatter us through space as burnt, radioactive cinders.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:50:55 GMT
“A touch melodramatic too.” Tom said, as he found he could now move. Standing up, he looked over at Steven. “Tom Rowan.” He smiled, offering his hand.
“Steven, Steven Taylor.” Steven replied, shaking Toms’ hand. Noticing the other mans gaze, he picked up the small stuffed panda toy from the coffee table. “And this is Hi-Fi, my mascot.”
Tom smiled. “Known him long?”
“Long enough.” Steven said. “At least to know how grumpy he can get.” He added with a whisper.
“Well, thankfully, he mellows with age.” Tom whispered back. “Yours is certainly grumpier than mine.”
“I must say, I don’t quite understand.” Steven said, turning to face Tom.
Thinking, Tom stroked his beard thoughtfully. “I don’t quite know how to explain it, unless you already know about the Doctors regenerations?”
“His what?” Steven asked, loud enough to cause the Doctor to turn round.
“Do you mind, Mr. Taylor.” He snapped. “I am trying to track something that is very dangerous and it is a fiddle, erm, a difficult thing to do, even if the instruments were fully functioning.” Pausing, the Doctor took a step forwards. “I think what Mr. Rowan means, is that when this old body of mine wears out, I can get myself a new one. It’s a biological process I wouldn’t expect you to understand. Now, will you please stop bothering me?”
“Yes, Doctor.” Steven said, as if he were a small boy admonished by a headmaster.
Tom smiled and then caught the look on the Doctors face. “You too, young man.” The Doctor said, before turning back to the console.
“Don’t worry; he’ll be alright in a few minutes.” Steven said, laying a friendly hand on Toms shoulder. “Fancy a drink, or something to eat?”
“I wouldn’t say no.” Tom said following as Steven lead the way to the food machine, in the living quarters.
*
Tifa felt dizzy. Dizzier than she’d ever felt before. She screwed her eyes tight as the blinding flash had engulfed all she could see. She found herself retching as nausea washed over her before slowly subsiding. Forcing her eyes open, she tried to look about. Something seemed different. The console room seemed different. It seemed as though it was now a large dome, and the support strut she had been holding onto was no longer wood. Crying out, she stumbled backwards.
“What?”
She didn’t recognise the voice. It was male and definitely not Tom or the Doctor.
“Wha-?” She started, stumbling as another dizzy wave washed over her.
“What?” The voice said again.
Looking round, Tifa tried to locate where the voice was coming from. “Who-?” She turned and saw a man stood by the console. But something was wrong. The console no longer had a wood effect; it seemed to be growing from the floor, with similar material to the support struts. A green light was emanating from the console and column.
“Where-?” She asked, stepping towards the man. He was young with his brown hair brushed up. He was wearing a brown pin stripe suit and black rimmed glasses.
“What?!” He said again stepping towards her, before a look of recognition spread across his face followed by a large grin. “Tifa?”
“How-?” Tifa started before falling forwards onto the floor.
Crossing the floor in a few long strides, the Doctor was soon crouching down beside Tifa’s fallen body. “Oh, yes. Brilliant.” He grinned, after checking that she had no injuries. Looking round, he grabbed his long fawn overcoat from where he had thrown it over one of the rails that surrounded the console. Rolling it up, he placed it under Tifa’s head.
Standing up, the Doctor scratched the back of his head.”Now when was it, when you were with me, does this happen?” He said aloud to the empty console room. He looked round and exhaled loudly. “This is a lot better when I’ve someone to bounce things off.” He said again, as he turned to the console. “Think, Doctor, think.” He muttered running his hands through his hair. “Oh yes, of course!” He turned as if addressing an imaginary person in the console room. “Jess, Tom and Tifa! Now where had we just come from? Oh, why can’t I remember this?”
Pausing, the Doctor looked down at Tifa, unconscious on the floor. “Think back.” He muttered to himself. “When did I meet Jess? 1999? The Cybermen, Tom, the Master, Daleks, Tifa.” The Doctor paused and ran round the console. “Florana, yes.” Grabbing the scanner as he dashed round, he started throwing switches. “Phased spatial rift, of course. So, we’d left Florana two days before. Tom and I were fixing the console.” Pausing as the TARDIS lurched; the Doctor reached below the console and pulled out one of the hammers he kept underneath for emergencies. “Come on, behave.” He said through clenched teeth as he hit the console with it.
With a shudder, the TARDIS steadied herself and the Doctor slung the hammer over his shoulder. “Now, this is the dangerous bit.” He said aloud to the console. “Crossing back and going into my own time stream.” He paused and looked to his side. “What? Oh, It means I’m going to meet my past-” He trailed off sadly. “After this, Doctor, you really need company.”
A chiming from the console attracted his attention, drawing him out of his introspection. Looking down, the Doctor saw a small light flashing on the console. “The time path detector?” His genuine surprise causing him to say it aloud. “Unless, I’m already on my tail.” He added aloud as a groan from the floor attracted his attention. Rounding the console, he crouched down next to Tifa.
Opening her eyes, Tifa focussed on the strange face looking down at her, grinning. Widening her eyes in shock, she tried to scramble away.
“It’s alright, it’s alright.” The Doctor said, holding his hands out. “It’s me, it’s the Doctor.”
“You aren’t the Doctor.” She said, backing away from him.
“Yes, yes I am.” The Doctor said. “Remember; Telris, you, Tom and Jess on the run from the Daleks? The new Dalek machines they were making me build?”
“But, you cannot be the Doctor. You look nothing like him.” Tifa replied, looking the strange man up and down.
“I’ve regenerated, twice since we travelled together.” The Doctor replied. “Look around, this is the TARDIS. You’ve just been projected from when you were with me, to now.”
Cautiously, Tifa looked about her. She could see elements of the TARDIS she knew about her, even if the walls, floor, console and support struts all looked drastically different. “Doctor?”
“Tifa.” The Doctor grinned helping her to her feet.
“What’s happened?” She asked. “Why am I here?”
“I’m not sure,” The Doctor confessed. “I don’t remember it very well. A lot has happened to me since this. What I remember, we were hit by a phased spatial rift after we left Florana, and somehow it splintered you, Jess and Tom through time and space.”
“Tom and Jess, will they be ok?” Tifa asked, watching as the Doctor dashed about the console.
“Oh, yes. Tom, yes, and Jess will be fine.” He replied, pausing and looking distant. “Now, can you keep an eye on that little light there?” The Doctor said, manoeuvring Tifa to a place on the console. “It’s the Time Curve Indicator. It shows that someone in another time ship is following us.”
“Who is?” Tifa asked.
“That’s what I’m trying to find out. It could be me.”
“You? But you’re here.” Tifa said, clearly confused.
“Another me, from the past, following me. Or someone or something else.” The Doctor pumped furiously at one of the controls as the TARDIS seemed to sway under the influence of the Doctors actions. “Either way, it could be dangerous. The same TARDIS on the same time curve but in different points in its own history? If the two collide,” The Doctor clapped his hands together loudly.
“Bang?” Tifa asked.
“Big bang.” The Doctor said. “Could rip a hole in the universe the size of Belgium.”
Tifa looked blankly at the Doctor, not knowing what Belgium was. “And if it’s something else?”
“Well, if it’s something else, that’s almost impossible. I wouldn’t like to think of the consequences it would have to the time vortex.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:51:36 GMT
Bracing himself for the turbulence he knew would come from the spatial rift and its wake, the Doctor gripped the edge of the console, his knuckles white. He could feel the vibrations deep within his own body before they manifested themselves in the TARDIS herself. He could feel it all the way down to his symbiotic nuclei.
“Hang on, old girl, hang on.” He muttered through gritted teeth.
The trembling was now shaking the TARDIS, threatening to throw him from his feet. Gripping the console tighter, the Doctor reached out for gravitational stabiliser just as he was almost blinded by a brilliant white flash, which seemed to explode from all around him. Putting a hand to his eyes, the Doctor almost fell backwards as the TARDIS trembled violently before becoming still.
Taking his hands off the console, he rubbed his eyes, trying to rid them of the glare of the flash. “Jess? Tom? Tifa? Is everybody ok?” The Doctor opened his eyes and looked about in shock. Jess, Tom and Tifa had all vanished. Instead, two young women were stood in the console room, looking very disorientated and rather pale. It took the Doctor several seconds before his surprise brought their names to his tongue.
“Sarah Jane?! Dodo?!” His eyes wide in shock, the Doctor took a step towards his former companions who had suddenly become manifest in the console room. His step became a run as they crumpled into heaps on the floor. Quickly checking their pulses, the Doctor allowed himself a small smile. They were alright, just unconscious. Picking Sarah up in his arms he carried her over to one of the sofas on the edge of the console room. Returning to Dodo, he carried her to the other sofa and laid her down on it.
“Now then.” He said crossing back to the console. “Let’s see what’s going on here. You two should be with me and me, not me.” Humming to himself, the Doctor started checking the instruments before looking across at the breakfast bar, and the dematerialisation circuit that sat on it. “Best pop you back, just in case I come across another space nasty.”
Crossing the console room, the Doctor picked up the circuit and replaced the cover that Tom had removed. Looking across at the sleeping forms of Sarah and Dodo, he crossed back to the console and reconnected the circuit.
Pausing, the Doctor looked at Sarah, and then Dodo. “If you’re both with me and me, then maybe Jess and the others are with me as well.” Grinning to himself, the Doctor dashed round the console and threw the dematerialisation control. “Well done Doctor.” He smiled to himself. “Just got to track the rift and see where the temporal variations go. And if they go to me, I wouldn’t be in the least surprised. Quite clever Doctor, good thinking.”
Looking up into the glass column, the Doctor watched the crystal rods inside moved up and down, interlacing with each other, the column pulsing with its blue light. “Now, why can’t I remember this happening to me already?” He muttered to himself as he watched the column. A flashing light on the console detracted his attention from the column. “Time Curve Indicator.” He muttered, looking back up at the column.
Several seconds passed before the Doctor reacted as though he had been slapped. “The Time Curve indicator!” He cried, dashing round the console. “Now, is it me, or not.” He muttered to himself as he checked the readings. Without looking up, he reached to the chain that dangled from the bottom of the scanner and grabbed it, pulling the scanner round to where he was working. “There’s definitely someone on the same curve, but whom?” He muttered. “Come on, old girl, tell me who it is, can’t you get a reading?” The Doctor twisted another dial and flicked several switches on the scanner.
A groan from one of the two sofas attracted the Doctors attention for a moment, as Dodo moved her head before falling still again. Turning back, the Doctor delicately turned one of the dials on the scanner. “Come on old girl, you should be able to recognise yourself, if it is you.”
A flashing light on the console attracted the Doctors attention away from the scanner. Looking at it, his eyes widened in surprise; it was the communications panel. Someone was sending him a message. When he had redesigned the TARDIS console room after the Daleks ruined the other one, he had almost relegated the communications controls to the secondary console room. Had Sarah and Dodo not just materialised out of nowhere in the TARDIS, he would have queried the fact that he was receiving a message. However, in this circumstance, he had a very good idea.
Activating the communications control, he turned to the scanner and reaching out, tuned into the frequency the message was coming in on. Hitting the side of the scanner with his balled fist, the picture finally came through, drizzled with static. As bad as the picture was, the Doctor was able to make out the image of the person on the other end.
“Oh no, not you again.” He said.
“Oh yes!” The Doctor replied, grinning down from the static. “Although,” He breathed out loudly through his teeth, “I almost forgot what I looked like for a moment, with the flowing hair, and velvet coats. Quite Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen.”
“Look, if you’ve called me up just to be rude.” The Doctor said, looking up at his older self. “You must be aware of the danger of the situation we’re on.”
“Oh, absolutely.” The Doctor grinned back. “First of all, this is very important.”
“What could be more important that the situation we’re now in?” The Doctor replied. “I do hope I’m not losing it in my old age.”
“Now who’s being rude?” The Doctor replied, looking down from the scanner. “Now, I don’t remember this happening very well, but do you have Sarah-Jane with you?”
The Doctor looked over towards Sarah, unconscious on the sofa. “Yes. How odd that I still don’t remember this happening when I’m you.”
“Yes, yes, most odd, now listen; before we try and sort this mess out, I met her not so long ago and she didn’t remember us as you, so you’re going to have to sedate her.”
“Oh, yes. I can see that being an issue.” The Doctor said. “Hold on then, I’ll just sort that.”
“It’s ok, keep talking, I can still hear you. Now, Tifa has appeared here, with me. I was alone before that, so we don’t have to worry about messing about finding anyone I may have been travelling with. Can you still hear me?” The Doctors voice came through the speakers on the console.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” The Doctor replied, now crouching beside Sarah with the first aid kit. Picking a syringe and phial out, he rolled her sleeve up. “Sorry about this, Sarah-Jane.”
“Right,” The Doctors future self’s voice came from the speakers. “I’m having a bit of trouble getting the TARDIS to cross back into its own time stream, so I might have to rely on you to help me with it.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” The Doctor said, as he pulled the sedative into the syringe before rubbing Sarah’s arm with a cotton wool ball. “I don’t know what the other uses are up to at the moment. Not heard from us have you?”
“Not a peep.” The voice from the speakers paused. “I’m feeling rather left out all the way out here. As far as I know, I’m the latest of us.”
“Well, you will be from your point of view, Doctor.” The Doctor said, placing the syringe in a plastic disposable tub. “From my point of view, I was the latest. I always knew you and the other future incarnations of me were going to be out there at some point. You know, for once I’d like to get through a body without meeting myself.”
“You did, once.”
“Please, don’t tell me any more of my future. Everything after Florana, keep to myself.” The Doctor said, getting to his feet and walking back to the console. Several seconds of checking dials, he became aware of the silence coming from his other self. Looking up at the screen, he saw the image was still there, yet his future self was wearing a rather pained expression. “Look, whatever it is you’re not telling me, it’s for the best, we know that.” He said looking up at the screen. “You know you can’t tell me because you would surely remember hearing what it is as me being told from you as you are.”
“No wonder meeting yourself is frowned upon.” The Doctor finally replied, “All these interpersonal pronouns being swapped about.”
“I have had the one idea for getting you here.” The Doctor said, looking up at the scanner again. “But it’s a dangerous one.”
“No.” The Doctor shook his head slowly. “Not-?”
Grimly, the Doctor nodded at his future self.
“Doctor, what are you talking about?” Tifa’s voice came from the scanner.
“Time Ram.” Both Doctors said at the same time.
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:51:53 GMT
“Will you-?” The Doctor said, looking up at his future self on the scanner.
“Later.” He said. “Sending this message back to you is taking a lot of energy, I don’t kno-” The sound died in a hiss of static.
The Doctor glanced back up to the picture. The image was slowly being taken over by static, until it had gone completely. In frustration, the Doctor slammed the edge of the console with his fist. “My only link to me.” He sighed before stopping and looking up. “Of course!”
Turning back to the console, a look of triumph on his face, the Doctor almost danced round the console as he twisted dials and threw switches. “If it started from here, then it will branch out from me, now. Of course! How could I have been so slow?” The Doctor paused, looking from Sarah to Dodo, still unconscious. “Talking to yourself again, Doctor? This time only the one of you. So it would seem, Doctor. Terrible habit. First sign of madness they say.”
The Doctor was stopped in his self rambling by a groan coming from Dodo. “Doctor?”
“Yes, its ok, I’m here.” He said softly, dashing over.
Opening her eyes, Dodo looked up at the stranger looking down at her, smiling. “Wh- who are you?”
“It’s me, it’s the Doctor.”
“You’re not the Doctor. Steven! Steven where are you?” Dodo cried out, trying to back away from the stranger crouched before her.
“Dodo, Dodo, Dodo. Calm down.” The Doctor said. “I know I don’t look like I did, but I can promise you it’s me. Remember, the Refusians? Toymaker? Wyatt Earp and Johnny Ringo in the old West? I was a lot older and grumpier, white hair.”
Dodo stared at the strange man. He was dressed in a similar old fashioned style to the Doctor, but he was much younger, and looked totally different. “You can’t be the Doctor, you look nothing like him. What have you done with him? And Steven?”
“Dodo, I am the Doctor. I’ve just regenerated a few times since we last met.” The Doctor paused. “I know it’s not easy to understand, but something has happened that has pulled you through time to me here, and sent another of my friends back to your version of me.”
“Why should I trust you?” Dodo said, pushing herself to a sitting position on the sofa.
“Why did you trust me on the Ark on the way to Refusis II?” The Doctor replied, getting to his feet. “I can’t make you trust me, but I am the only way to get you back to my first self.”
Cautiously getting to her feet Dodo followed the Doctor to the console “So if you’re the Doctor, how come you don’t look like him?”
“It’s called regeneration.” The Doctor smiled down at Dodo. “Basically, it just renews my body when I’m on the verge of death, gives me a new lease of life.”
“And who’s she then?”
The Doctor looked back to Dodo. She was pointing towards the prone body of Sarah lying across the other sofa in the console room. “Sarah Jane Smith. She also travelled with me, after you.”
“Oh.” Dodo turned round and looked at the Doctor, who was busy again at the console. Gingerly she reached out to touch the wooden surface of the console, readying to draw her hand back, almost anticipating the Doctor turning round and snapping. Surprisingly, the Doctor continued with what he was doing, seemingly ignoring her. “What are you doing?” She asked after what seemed like many silent minutes.
“Trying to trace the spatial rift that caused this mess. It hit me now, and branched out from here, somehow bringing both you and Sarah back here to me.” The Doctor turned to face Dodo, a grin on his face. “But of course, as you were with me,” Pausing, the Doctor ran round the console and grabbed Dodo by the shoulders. “Tell me, what had just happened, before you woke up here? Where had we just come from?”
Taken slightly aback by the Doctors actions, Dodo stammered before stepping backwards from his grip. “You don’t act like the Doctor.” She said.
“Dodo, please, this is very important. What had just happened?”
“Well, uhm,” She stammered, running a hand through her short cropped hair. “The Wild West. I was just putting mine and Stevens clothes back in the wardrobe when there was this bright flash. Then I woke up and you were looking over me.”
“A-ha!” The Doctor cried, making Dodo jump, before rushing back to the console. “Tombstone, Arizona, the twenty sixth of October eighteen eighty one! Dodo, you are brilliant, thank you.”
Dumbstruck, Dodo watched the bizarre young man, claiming to be the Doctor as he dashed about the console, humming to himself, flicking switches and twisting dials.
*
The Doctor was stood still, his hands deep into his pockets, as he stared at the scanner screen thinking. Emerging from deeper inside the TARDIS, Harry loudly dumped some blankets on the floor.
“It’s a good job we’ve never needed these in an emergency,” He said, straightening up. “They were jolly far away from the control room.” Looking across, he saw the Doctor hadn’t moved an inch since he had left. Sighing to himself, he picked up one of the blankets and unfolded it, covering Jess with it.
“I’m terribly sorry, Harry, I was just thinking.” The Doctor said, rounding the console to stand over Harry and Jess. “There must be a way of tracing the energy that took Sarah and deposited her here.” The Doctor nodded down to Jess. “Perhaps if we knew where she came from, that might be able to give me more of an idea.” Pausing, the Doctor slapped the side of his face with his hand. “Ah! Of course, it’s so simple. If she was travelling with me, it would simply be a matter of checking the readings from the moment she appeared and tracing them back to their source. It should be a two way transfer, if it took Sarah.”
A groan from the floor grabbed Harry and the Doctors attention. Crouching back down beside Jess, Harry gently stroked her hair. “It’s OK old thing.” He said as her eyes slowly fluttered open and focussed on him.
“Harry?” The barely audible question was definitely one of surprise.
Astonished, Harry looked up at the Doctor, who was looking down at them both. “She seems to know you, Harry.” He said as he crouched down beside her, opposite Harry.
“Doctor?”
The mention of his name made the Doctor look back up at Harry, eyes wide.
“She recognises you, too.” Harry replied.
“Well it’s possible.” The Doctor said, “After all, I’ve not had this body long.”
“Easy, easy old thing.” Harry said suddenly, helping Jess as she struggled up to a sitting position.
“Well, you seem to hold us at a disadvantage.” The Doctor smiled at Jess as she focussed on him. “You know us, but we don’t know you.”
“My name’s Jess.” Breathing deeply, Jess tried to clear her head and start thinking. She’d somehow recognised Harry. It was definitely his voice and looking at him, she could see the resemblance to the man she knew about twenty five years into this man’s future.
“That’s because we’ve not met yet.” Jess said before pausing. “But we just have. Well, for you. I think.”
The Doctor smiled as he stood back up. “Temporal mechanics.” He said, turning back to the console. “You were travelling with me?”
“Yes. But you look a lot different.” Jess said as Harry helped her to her feet, a look of concern on his face. “Younger.”
“What about me?” Harry asked.
“You shouldn’t know too much about your own future, Harry.” The Doctor said, looking round from the console.
“But what about-?” Harry started before being cut off by a fast response from the Doctor.
“It’s different for Time Lords, especially in situations like this.”
“Don’t worry.” Jess smiled, attempting to stand on her own now. “We’ve just met you on Earth. “I’m not allowed to talk to you about what happens, but you’re looking well.”
“Well, that’s good, at least.” Harry beamed.
Jess smiled at him. He had seemed very old fashioned when she had first met him, yet here, twenty five years before they would meet for the first time, from her point of view, he seemed to have a very different charm.
“Do you know what’s happening?”
Having said the same thing at exactly the same time Jess and Harry looked at one another and laughed.
“It’s not exactly a laughing matter.”
The tone of the Doctors voice caused Harry and Jess’s faces to fall into worry. Together they walked over to where the Doctor was standing at the console. The Doctor was looking at an image he had pulled up to the scanner screen. It showed a faded line travelling from a strong white spot to a pulsing wave. Two more faded lines were emanating from the wave and going off the screen.
“What is it?” Harry asked.
“That wave is the cause of the trouble and those lines are the energy traces that deposited you here, Jess.” The Doctor paused and looked at her, his face deadly serious.
“Then can’t we track it and get me back?”
“That’s the problem,” The Doctor replied, pausing dramatically. “The lines are fading because the energy residue is fading. If was can’t get back to the source before the lines fade, we could lose them forever.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:52:58 GMT
“That wave,” Jess asked, looking at the screen. “Is that the phased Space rift thing that hit the TARDIS. I mean, my TARDIS. I mean, the TARDIS I was in. Well, it was this one, but-” Jess trailed off, confusing herself. “Oh, I don’t know, this is too confusing.”
“Indeed.” The Doctor said. “If I were me, I’d try tracing the time shifts to their sources, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m already tracking it.”
Jess and Harry looked at each other before looking at the Doctor and then back to each other, not understanding a word the Time Lord was saying.
“That wave will indicate the source. There are the three spatial-temporal paths emanating out, one of which coming to us, so that must mean that there are three more of me involved in this. That’s me, the me you were travelling with Jess, and another two.”
“Three lines coming out from the TARDIS I came from?” Jess asked.
“Hmm.” The Doctor said, turning back to the console, his attention seemingly grabbed by a small light flashing.
“Three lines.” Jess said again. “Three of us.”
“I say, you don’t think that something will happen to us here?” Harry asked.
“No, I meant there were three of us travelling with the Doctor. Me, Tifa and Tom.” Jess turned to face the Doctor. “Those other lines could mean that Tifa and Tom were pulled out of time too.”
“Unless it was me, in which case, things could be even worse. Whatever, I think we’re about to find something else out.”
Harry and Jess looked on confused as the Doctor continued working at the console, seemingly not wanting to elaborate. Pulling himself to his full height, the Doctor reached out to the console. Staring at the screen he twisted a dial and grinned.
“Ah, there you are my dear fellow. Oh, good grief, a dandy, a clown and now a bohemian!”
Harry and Jess spun at the sound of the voice. The scanner image showed the console room of another TARDIS. No, not another TARDIS, the same TARDIS. A grandfatherly figure stood centre screen, proudly gripping the lapels of his black frock coat.
“So good to see me again.” The Doctor grinned at the screen.
“Yes, well let’s not dilly dally about here young man, we both know the trouble that we’re in, hmm?”
“Quite, quite. I don’t need to tell me twice.” The Doctor said. “I’m going to assume that you’ve had a disappearance from your ranks. Who am I with now?”
“Young Steven and Dodo.” The Old man replied from the screen.
“I’m getting lost with all these pronouns being thrown about.” Harry muttered to Jess.
“You know who that is?” Jess asked rhetorically. “It’s the Doctor.”
Harry looked at the old man on the screen and back to the Doctor stood at the console. He couldn’t see any resemblance in either of them, bar the piercing look in their eyes. He remembered something the Brigadier had said to him while the Doctor was lying unconscious in the sickbay back in UNIT HQ about him being able to completely change his face.
“Steven! Hello.”
The Doctors cry of recognition caused Harry and Jess to jump and look back at the screen. There were a further two figures behind the Doctor. Jess didn’t recognise one of them but the other was familiar. The dark features of his goatee beard, pointed sideburns contrasting against his bright blue eyes.
“Tom!” She cried stepping forwards.
“Hello Jess. Looking well. Everything alright?” Tom smiled back before spotting the other occupants of the console room. “Harry, hello. Doctor.”
“Do you mind, Mr. Rowan.” The Doctor almost snapped, turning back to Tom. Jess almost found herself sblack personing as Tom reacted like a scolded schoolboy. “Now young man, we need to get ourselves together to sort this muddle out, hmm?”
“Quite quite.” The Doctor replied, looking back at himself. “I was in the process of tracing the temporal wakes, but they’re fading and it won’t be too long before they’re gone completely.”
“Indeed young man, that’s why we mustn’t dilly dally about. Now, young Mr. Rowan here has told me that he was travelling with our eighth self.” From the screen, Tom leisurely saluted with two fingers as his name was mentioned. “Now from what I’ve managed to get from the ships readings, one of the wakes leaving the wave was one way only which would mean that someone was deposited but no one was picked up from that location.”
“That would make sense.” The Doctor replied.
“Yes yes, quite.” The Doctor on the screen waved his had absently. “Now my boy, we need to send a recall signal to the other versions of us so that we can be brought together to sort this out. I think I only managed to get through to you because you’re the closest to me. Ah, which regeneration?”
“Third, and quite probably the most well rounded and agreeable of us.” The Doctor grinned at the screen.
“Now now.” The Doctor almost snapped, glaring down from the screen. “Trying to send this message forwards to my own personal future is taking a lot of energy, I won’t be able to sustain it for very long.”
“Yes, OK. What do you suggest?” The Doctor replied almost sukily.
“Well young man. Hopefully I should be able to be more active this time, not being stuck in a time bubble. Now-”
The Doctor sprung into action like a jolt as the sound died.
“Doctor, the sound-” Harry started, having to jump back as the Doctor rushed round the console.
“I know, Harry. I know!” The Doctor shouted back. “I’m trying to get it back. Gha!” He added looking up as the image faded into static. “I’ve lost him.” He cried, hitting the console in despair.
“You said it was using a lot of energy. I mean, the other you.” Jess said, cautiously, almost backing away physically when the Doctor rounded on her.
“Of course!” He cried. “That energy will be fresher and easier to trace.” Turning back to the console at speed, the Doctor gripped the edges as he stared at the controls before his hands moved, almost like a blur, over the controls.
“Well, yours is certainly more manic than mine.” Jess whispered to Harry.
“What’s yours like? It wasn’t that old chap, was it?” Harry whispered back.
“No. He’s, erm, different. Young-looking, longer curly hair than yours. He likes his velvet coats.”
“I wonder what the others are like.” Harry mused.
“I’ve seen pictures.” Jess said. “In your office actually.”
Harry looked at her. “I get an office?”
Jess’s eyes widened when she realised that she shouldn’t be telling Harry anything about their encounter; he hadn’t experienced it yet. “Oops, I really shouldn’t say.” She said. “The Doctor’ll go mad.”
“Hmm, dangerous, but our only option.” The Doctor muttered from the console.
“What is?” Harry asked.
“Normally, I shouldn’t be allowed to meet myself. It normally only happens in the most severe emergencies. The way I just contacted myself, by transferring a signal into the TARDISes own future takes up a lot of energy. But to sort this mess out, I’m going to have to talk to my other selves.”
“We got that bit.” Jess nodded.
“Well, the only other way is for us to all land in the same place. But the TARDIS in the same place at four points in the old things life? Very dangerous and normally shouldn’t be allowed to happen.”
“How do you mean?” Harry asked.
“Think of it as four giant magnets.” The Doctor said, turning to face Harry and Jess. “In magnetics, like poles repel.”
“And the TARDIS is the same and acts like the like poles?” Jess asked.
“Very well done, that’s right.”
“So, what do we do about the repelling thing?” Harry asked.
“There is one way. A region of nulled space-time that would normally be unstable, but with the influence of four versions of the same TARDIS acting on it, it should act against the forces, balance them out and allow me to meet me.” The Doctor paused, a distant look in his wide eyes. “It’s possibly I’ve already thought of it and heading there. If not, I should still be able to send the recall signal.” He muttered, turning back to the console.
“And then we sort all this out?” Jess asked.
“Hopefully.” The Doctor looked up and grinned at Harry and Jess. “Hold tight and stand by for emergency materialisation!”
*
He sat forward in the chair he had brought into his control room and observed the screen. He had been lucky in finding his way home after reaching his ship. Arriving in stealth, he had managed to steal the desired directional unit to replace the one that had been stolen from his ship some years previously. He was now extracting his revenge.
Looking at the screen, he saw there were now four traces in relation to his target.
“Oh, ho ho. Four of you now Doctor.”
The Monk sat back and laughed.
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:53:37 GMT
The Doctor was walking round the console, his face like thunder. Tom and Steven had retreated to the far edge of the console room, watching as he grumpily jabbed at controls. The picture of his future self on the scanner had died away in a haze of static, causing the Doctors mood to nose dive.
“What do you think’s happening?” Steven whispered to Tom, who was stood, thoughtfully chewing the skin beside the nail of his right forefinger.
“I haven’t a clue.” He replied between nibbles. “But I can tell you this; whatever it is, it’s involving at least three versions of the Doctor and that can only mean trouble.”
“Ah ha ha ha! I’ve found it! I’ve found it!” The Doctor cried out gleefully, his mood returning to good as he chuckled gently to himself.
“What is it?” Tom asked cautiously, half expecting a snappy reprisal.
“The time traces my boy, the time traces. Going to two other points in my future and coming from a third.” The Doctor replied, straightening up and gripping his lapels.
“And what does that mean, exactly?” Steven asked.
Turning back to the console, the Doctor busied himself at the controls, seemingly ignoring Steven’s question. Sighing in frustration, Steven rolled his eyes and stood forward to ask his question again.
“I think what he means is that there are four of him involved; yours, mine, the one we saw on the screen and another. That and he’s found where they are. I think.” Tom said, now chewing the skin on the side of his middle finger.
Another chuckle from the pre-occupied Doctor caused Tom and Steven to look up as the old man shuffled round the console.
“Well, Mr. Rowan. It looks like we might be able to get you back to where you belong after all.” The Doctor said looking up. “I’ve isolated faint temporal traces that may be possible to track.”
“Oh well-” Tom began before getting cut off as the Doctor carried on.
“Of course, if one of my other selves gets there before hand and sends out a recall signal, then that would make things an awful lot easier, hmm, my boy?”
“Well, can’t you send the signal yourself?” Tom asked, walking over to the console, reaching to a control and getting his hand swatted away by the Doctor.
“Now now, young man. I can’t do that until we’ve landed somewhere, but even then, it would involve the ship being in the same place four times over. Have you any idea how much damage that could cause to causality, hmm?” The Doctor gabbled as he reached back to the controls. “Think of it like four magnets, each with the same charge. They repel each other. But that’s putting it in its most simple form. The temporal instability could cause terrible damage to the local dozen galaxies and local four or five millennia in both directions.”
“So, no pressure about getting it right then?” Tom asked wryly as another light on the console started to flash. “Doctor?”
Ignoring both him and the light, the Doctor muttered to himself as he continued looking at the panel he was stood before. Turning to face Steven, Tom was greeted with a shrug.
“He gets like this.” Steven said.
Turning back to the console, Tom raised his voice. “Now Doctor, I’m no expert, but isn’t this the homing beacon you were talking about?”
“Hmm? What’s that young man?” The Doctor asked as he moved over next to Tom. Not wanting to feel left out, Steven walked over and looked over the Doctors shoulder.
“This light wasn’t on before, and it’s not the time curve indicator.” Tom said. “You’ve changed the TARDIS about a bit by the time I’m with you, but isn’t that the recall signal. I remember you saying something about it not long after we’d first met.”
“I do believe you’re right young man.” The Doctor said, looking at the light. “It’s been such a long time since it’s worked I’d almost forgotten.”
“And yet you were waiting for it to activate.” Tom muttered quietly, causing Steven to smirk.
“Hmm?” The Doctor looked up. “Well of course I was expecting it, young man. I was also trying to think of a way to solve the problem of the ship being at the same place four times over. Now, do you mind?”
Tom looked at the Doctor, who brushed him aside as he pottered about the console.
*
The TARDIS landed with a shudder. Almost losing her balance, Jess grabbed out for the console to steady herself.
“Easy old thing.” Harry said, as he reached out to help steady Jess.
“Thanks.” She smiled round at Harry. “Well, you’ve plenty of time to practice these landings before I travel with you.” Jess said to the Doctor.
“Indeed. That was a touch rough Doctor.” Harry confirmed.
“Sorry about that.” The Doctor apologised. “Trying to get the TARDIS to land in this area of space wasn’t easy.” Not looking up at all, the Doctor moved about the console until a small light started flashing with a gentle chiming sound accompanying it. “There we are. Only one thing to do now.” The Doctor finally said, grinning his toothy grin.
“What’s that?” Harry asked. “And what’s that light thing for?”
“That, Harry, is the recall signal. Now we just have to wait until the others get here. Then we can get Sarah back and send you back to where you came from, Jess.” He replied looking at his two companions.
“So what’s out there?” Jess asked.
Turning back to the console, the Doctor activated the scanner screen once again. The screen cover slid unrevealing nothing but an opaque white void.
“There’s nothing there.” Jess said, expecting an exotic alien landscape.
“Nulled space.” The Doctor said. “There isn’t going to be much to look at.” As the Doctor finished speaking, the blue rectangular shape of the TARDIS appeared to the edge of the scanners image. “Now I wonder who that could be.” He grinned
“It’s the TARDIS.” Harry said quietly. “I say, it’s not a reflection of us or something is it?”
“What is there out there to reflect us?” Jess asked.
“Mmm, good point, old thing.”
“I do know the difference between my own TARDIS and a reflection, Harry.” The Doctor said, turning his head to look at Harry before turning back to the scanner and pointing. “And that is definitely my TARDIS.”
“But we’re in your TARDIS.” Harry muttered rubbing the back of his neck. “I say, this is just dashed confusing.”
“It’s one of your other selves, isn’t it?” Jess asked, realisation fast dawning.
“Exactly. Exactly.” The Doctor said his grin and eyes wide. “You know, I can see why I picked you.” He added, looking at Jess. “Now, stay here, the pair of you!” The Doctor said his mood suddenly serious. “Nulled space is very dangerous and could cause untold damage to human tissue.”
“But what about you?” Harry asked.
“I’m a Time Lord, and besides, I’ve got to go talk to myself.” He grinned as he activated the door control. “Now remember, do not, and I mean, do not, leave the TARDIS. Got that?” Looking from Harry to Jess, the Doctor pulled his felt hat out of his pocket and jammed it onto the mass of curls and strode from the TARDIS.
*
Dodo watched as the Doctor busied himself about the console. He’d briefly disappeared into an alcove of the console room that resembled a kitchen and brought her a mug of cocoa only to then continue with what he was doing about the console. Every so often, she would glance over to the sleeping form of the girl that the Doctor had called Sarah. Why he had sedated her, she didn’t know.
“Now this is interesting. Very interesting indeed.” The Doctor muttered, peering at a small screen. Reaching up, he pulled over the scanner to where he was standing and activating it, looked between it and the console as he tapped at the controls.
“What is it?” Dodo asked, coming and standing beside the Time Lord.
“Well, according to the TARDIS instruments; that little bit of unstable space that washed over us wasn’t a natural phenomenon.” The Doctor replied, putting his fingers to his lips thoughtfully. “You know, Dodo, sometimes I can really be quite dim!” He said, smacking the palm of his hand against his forehead.
“What d’ya mean?” Dodo asked, wrinkling her nose at the Doctor, really not sure how to react to his behaviour. He was so different to her Doctor, the Doctor.
“If it is artificial in source,” The Doctor started, speaking rapidly, “then technically I should be able to track it and match its temporal frequency, and that should allow me to get back in touch with me, as well as me and me a lot easier than if it were a natural phenomenon. Although, why someone would want to disguise a temporal wave like that as a natural phenomenon, I do not-” Slowly, and looking up, the Doctor trailed off, before turning to face Dodo, his face deadly serious.
“You know, I really was right about being a bit dim.” He said. “Of course, if someone were disguising something to appear natural there’s only one reason for that, isn’t there?”
Dodo continued to stare at the Doctor. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that he’d lost her some time ago. He was far more manic than she was used to and couldn’t keep up with the speed of his summarising.
“Oh come on, Dodo. Why would you dig a hole and then cover it with branches and leaves? It’s a trap.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:54:19 GMT
“A trap? But who would want to trap the TARDIS, and why?”
“Oh,” The Doctor straightened up and rubbed the back of his neck. “I can give you a very long list for whom. Why, again, it would be quite lengthy. However, once you ask who has the capability, well, that narrows it down quite a bit.”
“Ok. Who has the capability?”
The Doctor turned to look back at the console, tapping furiously at one small section of controls. “That’s somewhat more complicated. They’d need to have the level of technology to penetrate a TARDIS. Not just once, but somehow four times. The Daleks may be able to manage it once, but not to this scale.” The Doctor paused and turned round and grabbed Dodo by the shoulders, causing her to cry out slightly in surprise. “This is important. I can’t ask Sarah because I’ve sedated her, but talk to me, what have we just gone through together?”
Dodo, stammered, unsure of what to say. “Well, I woke up and to be honest, I’ve not really followed a lot of what you’re saying.”
The Doctor closed his eyes and screwed his face up, dropping his head, before slowly opening his eyes and looking back up at Dodo. “No, I meant when you were with me, the me with the white hair. What had happened before Tombstone?”
“Erm, there was the Toymaker, and the Monoids. Well, that was it really.” Dodo managed after a few seconds.
“Toymaker.” The Doctor mused as he turned back to the console and checked the readouts.
“Hey, you’re not thinking it’s him again, are you?” Dodo asked, rounding the console to look at the Doctor. “‘Cause I really don’t fancy playing all them games again.” Dodo stopped and looked at the Doctor. He was seemingly ignoring her, concentrating closely on a small section of the console.
“Hmm, sorry. What was that?” He asked, looking back up at her.
“The Toymaker?!” Dodo almost shouted back at the Doctor. “This isn’t him again, is it?”
“Oh, no. No no no no no.” The Doctor replied, looking back down to the console. “This really isn’t his style at all. If it were the Toymaker, or any of the other Great Old Ones they really wouldn’t have bothered with this charade.”
Dodo just stared at the Doctor as he stopped talking and returned his concentration fully to the console. “Well? What’s going on here?” She asked.
“Hmm, oh, I thought I told you?” The Doctor looked up. “Well, that leaves only one viable option still open.” Trailing off, the Doctor leaned closer to the console. “Now that really is odd.” He muttered.
“Doctor, you’re not making any sense at all!” Dodo cried, exasperated and fed up of trying to get through to the Time Lord.
“There’s another trace on the Time Curve Indicator and a recall signal has been sent.” The Doctor muttered. “Now this is odd. The recall signal is clearly being sent by one of my other selves as the readings match those of the TARDIS, but the readings on the Time Curve Indicator are different. That means we have someone or something else on our tail.
“Doctor!” Dodo virtually shouted standing in his way. “Will you please tell me what is happening, you lost me ages ago.”
The Doctor stopped, lightly bobbing on his feet as if anxious to continue dashing about the console. “Whoever has set this trap has caused my TARDIS, the one you’re now in, to splinter my friends throughout time and has ensnared three of my other selves. My friends, I’m hoping, are with me at other points in my life, just as you and Sarah Jane have been transported here. To work this out, the four of me are going to have to get together to try and sort this mess out. That’s what the recall signal is for.” The Doctor paused and looked at Dodo. “Still with me?”
“Erm-” She began.
“Good. Now, the trace on the time curve indicator shows that someone is following us. The last time it was my future self, but the power needed to stay was too great and he lost the trace. The readings have been stored in the TARDIS data banks, but the readings for this trace don’t match those of my TARDIS, indicating that this is someone else.” The Doctor paused and looked at the scanner screen again. “Someone else with another TARDIS.”
“But who’d have another TARDIS?” Dodo asked. She had grasped the fact that they were being followed, but all the talk of other selves had lost her.
“Now that is an incredibly long list. Any one of my people. But who would be after setting a trap like that. There are only a few that I can think of, and one of them I’d have thought would have had his fill of me for a while.” The Doctor mused, staring into the scanner. “But the question is; which do we deal with first?” Turning, the Doctor looked at Dodo, a twinkle in his eye.
“Doctor!” Dodo said.
“Yes, of course. You’re right.” The Doctor said, crossing to the flight controls. “Time to meet myself.”
*
Closing the TARDIS doors behind him, the Doctor threw one end of his scarf over his shoulder and looked about the pale void. Another version of his TARDIS stood nearby. Whether it was his first incarnation or another, he didn’t know yet. The sound of the door opening gave him his answer.
*
The central column ceased its movement as the Doctor checked the TARDIS instruments. “Well, this is where the recall signal is coming from.” He said.
“Where are we?” Steven asked.
“Hmm? Oh, it’s a region of spulled, erm, nulled space. And it’s likely to be unstable, held together by the forces acted on it by the TARDIS being here in several points of its timeline.” The Doctor replied.
“So, what do we do now?” Tom asked. “Go out there and face all this head on, or do we opt for a more subtle plan?”
“You, young man, and you Mr. Taylor are going to stay here.” The Doctor said. “Like I said, nulled space can be very unstable, so I will be going out alone.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Doctor?” Steven asked.
“Quite sure, my boy, quite sure.” The Doctor said, picking up his walking stick and walking to the now open door. Pausing at the doors, he looked back at Steven and Tom. “Whatever you may see on the scanner screen, stay in the ship.” Turning back, he walked from the TARDIS.
Stepping out of the TARDIS and closing the door behind him, he saw that one of his other selves was already there; the bohemian. He was stood, his hands deep in his pockets, scarf wrapped about his neck and a green felt hat crammed over his dark curls.
“Hello again.” He waved.
“Now then, young man.” The Doctor said, walking over. “What’s all this about, hm?”
“I don’t know.” The Fourth Doctor said, as the wheezing and groaning heralded the arrival of the TARDIS for the third time.
*
“Now.” The Doctor said, opening the door and rounding on Dodo. “You should probably stay here. Nulled space isn’t the most stable of regions at the best of times.”
“But-” Dodo began before getting silenced by the Doctor holding his hand up.
“I’ll be back as soon as I’ve spoken to myself.” He said. “Hopefully, it will shed some light as to why I don’t remember this happening and who has engineered this elaborate charade.” The Doctor paused as he made his way to the doors and turned back to Dodo, his hand raised. “Oh yes, and allow me to get you and Sarah Jane back to your proper times and places and get Jess, Tom and Tifa back.”
Pulling his green frock coat from the hat stand as he passed, the Doctor left the TARDIS to meet his past selves.
*
A violent and deep trembling spin had taken hold of the TARDIS as the recall signal weaved through the barriers of the vortex. The centrifugal force that the TARDIS exerted had pushed the Doctor and Tifa back against the rails that surrounded part of the console as alarm bells and sirens sounded, interspersed with peals from the cloister bell. Pulling against the forces exerted against him, the Doctor fought his way to the console.
“What’s causing all this?” Tifa shouted over the clamour of sirens.
“The TARDIS is reacting against going into her own past.” The Doctor shouted back. “A lot has happened in the past few years. Stuff I shouldn’t really talk about, and stuff that’s making this not so easy.”
Tifa could feel the railings digging into her back as she fought against the pressures forcing her back. “Should it be like this?”
“There were, I mean, are strict laws governing travelling into your own time line.” The Doctor shouted as he made it to the console. “And if I can’t reconnect the TARDIS force fields and stabilise her then the forces of the vortex could rip through the console and then rip us apart.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:55:19 GMT
“But you said the TARDIS was indestructible.” Tifa shouted, struggling against the forces.
“Normally, yes.” The Doctor replied. “But if the power causes the console or column to fracture, then we won’t even know the power has escaped. But if I do this,” He yelled, throwing another switch. “Then everything will be alright.” The Doctor stood up straight as the TARDIS steadied and the cacophonic noise of the alarms and bells ceased and grinned.
Tifa staggered forwards as the forces pushing her back dissipated and she found herself fighting forwards against nothing. “Why didn’t you do that before?” she asked.
“I’ve got to say, I wasn’t expecting the TARDIS to react like that. But then the war wasn’t-” The Doctor trailed off, looking at Tifa, realising he had said too much. “So, meeting up with some of my old selves again. This is fast becoming a very bad habit.”
“What do you mean?”
“I met my fifth self a couple of days ago.” The Doctor replied, looking up at the central column, another wide grin forming on his face as it ceased moving. “Ah-ha!” He cried out bounding round the console towards the doors, stooping to pick his coat up from the floor. “Tifa, you stay here, I’ll be back in a, well, soon.” He said before opening the door.
Opening her mouth to say something, Tifa could only watch as the Doctor disappeared out of the door with a flap of his coat as he pulled it on.
*
“Ah, there you are young man! What kept you, hmm?”
The Doctor closed the TARDIS door behind him and looked to where his two earlier selves were already stood waiting. His first and fourth incarnations; just as he remembered them.
“So good to see that I’ve retained such a sense of style.” The first Doctor continued as the Doctor walked over to them. “Well, come along then, my boy, we haven’t got all day.”
“It’s also good to realise just how much I’ve mellowed with age as well.” The Doctor said, stopping face to face with his first incarnation, gripping his lapels, almost mirroring the stance of his first self.
“So, we’re still one of us short.” The fourth Doctor said somewhat grumpily at being passed over by his older self. “Any idea which of us it is? Not my replacement is it?”
“Oh, no no.” The Doctor said, turning to him. “Mine I think. Or at least he’s one or two down the line from me. Closer to me than you are. I guess that you two were able to contact each other like he and I were.”
“Quite right, my boy.” The first Doctor replied. “But there are more important matters that we need to discuss. I believe I have a travelling companion of yours, a Mr. Rowan.”
“Ah, he’s not been causing trouble I trust?”
“No, no. Quite the intelligent young man, I must say.”
“As is Jess. Clearly our influence is rubbing off on our companions more and more.” The fourth chipped in.
“Well, Dodo and Sarah Jane are safe in my TARDIS. On information from our other self, I’ve had to sedate Sarah.” The Doctor said softly, looking at his fourth self. “Apparently he met her and she didn’t remember us as me.”
The fourth Doctor flashed a glare at his future self before calming. “Well, as long as he hasn’t told us anything else about our future.”
“I’m sure he was just protecting the child, and ourselves. Hmm?” The first Doctor said, stroking his lapel and leaning on his stick.
“Well, I would suggest while we wait we could trade companions back. But the instability of this region, I wouldn’t like to think what it would do to the human body.” The Doctor said.
“Yes, good thinking my boy, hmm.” The first chuckled. “Now I wonder where the other has gotten too.”
The Doctor looked about the void where he and his past selves were stood. The three TARDISes were stood, two facing each other, the third perpendicular, anticipating the arrival of the fourth opposite to make up the square. As if anticipating its arrival, the TARDIS arrived again, in the anticipated fourth corner to a square.
“I think there is our answer.” The fourth grinned as the door opened. “Nice to see I’ll keep my impeccable timing.”
“Oh yes. Oh brilliant.” The tenth grinned as he walked towards the already gathered Doctors. “Of course, big big trouble, but brilliant.”
“When you’ve quite finished grinning like an idiot, young man.” The first snapped. “The pair of you.” He added, looking to the fourth. “Now that we’re all here, might I suggest that we put our heads together and figure out why we’re here and why.”
“Oh, the grumpy leader role, quite brilliant.” The tenth grinned attracting another glare from the first. “And as for the ‘young man’ bit, I am the eldest here.” He added pulling himself to his full height.
“Well, in that case, why don’t you use your centuries of experience to tell us what all this is about?” The fourth asked, pulling his jelly babies out of his pocket.
“Ooh, the jelly babies!” The tenth cried out, snatching the one the fourth was holding and popping it in his mouth. “Well, about all this.” He said, visibly cringing and running a hand through his hair. “You see, I don’t remember it. Well, a bit. Maybe.”
“Well, come on young, my boy. Which is it, hmm?” The first asked looking intently at the tenth.
“Well, memory is a tricky thing.” The Doctor said. “I’ve been having a little problem with it of late, post regeneration. My last three have been-” He stopped, realising what he was saying to his past selves.
“Yeah.” The tenth said, smiling at the eighth. “We all know what regeneration can do.”
“And how we can talk our way out of awkward situations and those that we’d rather not talk about.” The fourth chipped in.
“Quite, young man.” The first said. “None of us wish to or even should know too much about our own futures. It’s enough that we’re all here.”
“Yes, well, quite a lot has happened by the time you all get to me.” The tenth said. “I’m not going into it, but I’m sure I’ve had another time machine on my tail while I was in the vortex. And I don’t know if it was you or not.” He added looking to the Doctor.
“The Time Curve indicator, I’m guessing?” He said. “I’m sure we’re not the only ones who’ve had a reading on that, am I right?”
“Indeed my boy. The Time Curve indicator did show that there was another time ship on the same path as the TARDIS.” The first said.
“Ah, but did any of you trace those tails?” The Doctor said, hopping from foot to foot, the curls in his hair bouncing as he did.
“Well, my boy. It seems apparent that you’ve discovered something and are somewhat eager in wanting to tell us.” The first said.
“Well, I had two traces.” The Doctor said as his hopping from foot to foot lightened. “One was the old girl herself, most probably you.” He looked at his tenth self. “But the second, it had a TARDIS signature, but it wasn’t our TARDIS.”
“Another TARDIS?” The fourth asked, looking up, his eyes widening.
“The spatial rift that I ran into, on the outer fringes of the Isop galaxy, we’ve been there before. No such rift existed. But a quick study of its energy and properties showed it was artificial in origin.” The Doctor paused and looked about his other selves.
“You mean it was a trap, hmm?” The first asked, lifting his head high.
“Exactly. Although I’ve been wracking my brains as to whom laid the trap and why and I can’t quite place it. There’s something but it doesn’t fit.” The Doctor replied.
“The Master?” The fourth asked.
“No.” The Doctor replied at the same time as the tenth. “You met him recently as well then.”
“You could say that.” The tenth said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But there’s something about this that is so not his style at all.”
“Ah, ho ho. How right you are, Doctors. And how nice to see you again.”
The sound of the voice caused the four Doctors to spin and look in its direction. They were greeted by a translucent yet hazy blue holographic figure that stood watching them. His arms were folded, concealing his hands beneath the robes of the monk’s habit he wore. His jowled features smiling with an almost mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
“You?” The Doctor gasped.
“You foiled my plans to make a better world, stole my dimensional unit and then my directional unit and then left me at the mercy of Daleks.” The Monk said, his face becoming more serious. “It was only blind luck that got me back to Gallifrey so I could get a new directional unit for my TARDIS.”
“So that’s it! You’re after some childish act of revenge, hmm?” The first said, taking a step towards the holographic image. “Then why don’t you show yourself, hmm? Instead of hiding away in your ship and trans, erm, sending an image.”
The Monk laughed. “Oh, come now Doctor. And miss out on watching the fun. Watching you squabble. And imagine the fun that I can have when I do this.”
“Do what? You’re an amateur. Nothing but a mild inconvenience.” The fourth almost growled in a deep voice.
“Inconv-? Amateur?” The Monk stumbled over the words, his face becoming serious once again. “You forget that my TARDIS is a mark four. You never did answer me. What mark is yours, eh?” Looking at the gathered Doctors the Monk smiled again. “As I said, this could be fun.” The holographic image reached out and operated an invisible control. The nulled void was filled for an instant with a bright flash of light. The sound of the TARDIS dematerialising filled the void, causing the four Doctors to look about in confusion as the tenth and eighth faded out of being along with two versions of the TARDIS.
“What have you-?” The first began turning to where the Monks image had been. The holographic image had disappeared, leaving only the echoing sound of the Monks laughter.
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:55:54 GMT
Steven and Tom looked round in alarm as the TARDIS doors closed of their own accord and the central column began to move, accompanied by the sound of the TARDIS engines.
“We’re taking off, dematerialising.” Steven said, aghast as the image on the scanner started to fade away.
“We’re going, but we’re getting company.” Tom said, slowly and carefully, watching as a young man in a brown pinstripe suit and long fawn overcoat began to materialise in the TARDIS. He recognised him as one of the Doctors who had gathered outside. The latest of the Doctors.
Steven turned to face the figure, who was looking about and at himself, his mouth partly open, his face a mixture of surprise and wonder. “Is he, you know, one of them.”
Tom nodded, walking to stand beside Steven, taking a quick glance at the console. “He’s a Doctor. And from what I got from their little pow-wow out there, he’s the latest. The eldest.”
Materialising into solidarity, the Doctor looked down at himself and patted himself up and down before looking about him. Finally his eyes settled on Steven and Tom. “Tom! Steven! Hallo!” He cried, a huge grin spreading across his face. “Right, where are we and what’s happening?”
“Funny, that’s pretty much what we were wondering.” Tom said, watching as the Doctor dashed over to the console and gripping the edges stared hard at it.
“Doctor?” Steven asked cautiously.
“Yes? Sorry, hallo Steven.” The Doctor grinned standing up and looking at Steven with wide sparkling brown eyes.
“Out there, was that-?” Steven began.
“Yup, all me.” The Doctor grinned, pulling his coat off and throwing it over a brass lectern. “A bit complicated, I’m not surprised you’re confused, I mean, even I still get a bit confused when a couple of me turn up.” Pausing, the Doctor exhaled loudly through his teeth scratching the back of his head. “Well, we’re not meant to, but it only usually happens in emergencies. And it seems as if this is another one of those times.”
“Erm, no. I actually meant the other figure. The holographic one. Am I mad or was it the Monk again?” Steven said.
“Oh.” The Doctor said, looking down and sounding down heartened before looking back up at Steven. “Oh, yes. It strangely was. He’d somehow managed to jump a long way into the future into my version of the TARDIS.” The Doctor said, almost pathetically as he rubbed the back of his neck. “And now, he’s done something that’s put me here in the TARDIS of my first self and spun us off into time. All without leaving his TARDIS.”
“This, erm, this Monk chap,” Tom said, stepping forwards. “Is he like the Master at all or what? You seem to be making a habit of attracting other rogue Time Lords lately. Well, the version of you I’m travelling with.”
“Travelling with one as well.” The Doctor winked. “The Monk. We were friends. Well, went to the academy together. Well, studied together. He left about fifty years after I did.”
“So, what, he’s like the Master? Another evil Time Lord that must be stopped at all costs?” Tom asked.
“No. The Monk’s more a meddler, misguided rather than evil.” The Doctor said. “He’s doing this because I stole his directional unit, years ago. Remember?” He added, looking at Steven, and then continuing before he could answer. “He wants revenge, and I don’t think he anticipated on four of me getting involved. When he found the TARDIS, it was when I was with you, Tom. He created the spatial rift and sucked us in. And now,” The Doctor said, reaching round the console for a control, stabilising himself by putting a foot on the edge. “He’s thrown me off into time with you two.” Suddenly straightening up and looking over the console to Steven and Tom he put his hands out. “Not that I’ve a problem with that.” He stressed.
“So, we just need to figure out what the Monk wants, deal with him and then we can be back on our way?” Steven asked walking round to the Doctor. “You know, it’s really hard to believe that you’re him. You’re so different.”
“For the better, I hope!” Grinned the Doctor. “I wouldn’t say I’m as grumpy or bad tempered as I was.”
“You’re certainly more energetic. And younger.”
“Oh, I am so much older.” The Doctor said looking up at Steven through his eyebrows before standing up straight. “But I do have a bit more get up and go in me.” He grinned, almost dancing round the console and hitting a switch as he spun round before Steven and Tom. “So, what do you think? Improvement on the old models?”
“And I thought there were times when mine could do with a valium.” Tom muttered under his breath before speaking up. “Well, you’re certainly very energetic. Maybe we could concentrate that energy into getting us back to that nulled space and back to where we belong?”
“Yes, well, about that.” The Doctor said rubbing the back of his neck.
“You can’t can you?” Steven said.
“Well, not unless I activate the recall signal again. Well, when I say I, I mean one of my other selves. That is, if the Monk hasn’t sent them out through time as well.” The Doctor replied. “Although, maybe that’s all part of his ‘revenge’. Maybe he meant to get us all together and then separate us.” The Doctor paused and looked at the scanner.
“Well, either way.” Tom said, walking round and leaning on the console. “We need to get us all back together again so we can deal with this guy. All we seem to be doing is dragging our feet here going round and round chatting.”
“That’s not so easy. Surely you’ve spotted how random the TARDIS can be.” Steven said before turning to face the Doctor. “Unless you’ve got better at controlling it in your old age?”
“Oi, you!” The Doctor smiled. “Less of the lip, eh? I’ve worked on the TARDIS systems a lot over the years. But now, it’s back to its old state. Well, I say old state, I’m not back in my old TARDIS. Just might take a bit of,” The Doctor paused as he looked up at the central column as it ceased moving. “...time.” He finished, almost pathetically before looking up at Steven and Tom.
“Landed?” Tom smiled.
“Well, it’ll give us a chance to work some things out. Maybe we’re back there. Allons-y!” The Doctor grinned, operating the door control and grabbing his coat.
*
“Doctor, about that dinner at the palace; her majes-” The Brigadier paused and looked up from the file. The corner of the lab where the TARDIS had stood was now empty “Yes. Well, I’ll tell them you’ll be a little late.” Closing the file, the Brigadier turned on his heel to walk out of the lab, when a familiar noise stopped him in his tracks. A wheezing, groaning sound rose from nowhere in the corner of the lab as the Brigadier turned, a smile on his lips as the TARDIS rematerialised.
“Another quick trip, or did you forget your toothbrush?” He asked with a wry smile as the Police Box regained solidarity.
After several seconds, the door opened. The Brigadier was taken aback by the figure that emerged looking around. It was a young man wearing a brown pinstripe suit, long coat, dark blue shirt and tie and what looked like plimsolls. The Brigadier was about to open his mouth to address the stranger when they locked eyes. A glimmer of recognition flashed through his brain as a huge grin spread over the figures face.
“Alistair! Hello big fella!” He cried dashing over and embracing the Brigadier in a hug.
“Ahm.” The Brigadier managed, taken aback by the strangers’ behaviour.
“Cor, it’s like ‘This Is Your Life’! Don’t tell me, Benton is going to pop out with a tray of his famous coffee?” The Doctor grinned stepping back. “Now, don’t tell me, the man you’ve just arrested believing to be the Master was the Spanish ambassador. No? Someone’s stolen a high tech piece of new technology? Government scientists have gone missing?”
“Ah.” The Brigadier stammered again. “You’ve done it again, haven’t you, Doctor?”
“Ooh, a couple of times since we last met, Alistair, and since you last saw me, lots of times.”
“I see.” The Brigadier said slowly. “I think.”
Watching, the Brigadier saw two other men emerge from the TARDIS. One wearing a dark blue turtle neck jumper and dark trousers, the second wearing blue jeans and a white shirt, with long hair tied back and a small trimmed goatee beard. Noticing the Brigadiers eyes move, the Doctor smiled.
“I don’t think you’ve met Steven and Tom. Steven, Tom this is my best friend, Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart.” The Doctor grinned.
“And may I ask what you’ve done with Miss Smith and young Sullivan?” The Brigadier asked, looking at the open door of the TARDIS.
“Oh, they’re still with me, and me as well I think.” The Doctor said throwing his arm around the Brigadiers shoulder and leading him away from the TARDIS and towards the workbench. “Don’t worry about it. Complicated timey wimey stuff. You see, Tom and Steven there shouldn’t be with me me, but the first and eighth mes’.
“Eight of you?” The Brigadier said astounded. “Good grief.”
“Yes, well, ten actually.” The Doctor said, quietly. “But keep it quiet for the time being, eh? At this point in my life you’re with my,” The Doctor paused as he tilted down the file the Brigadier was holding, “Fourth self and the giant Robot? Brilliant! No, not brilliant. Unless, we’ve dealt with it already?”
“Just earlier this afternoon.” The Brigadier replied. “I was actually coming to inform you about the dinner at the Palace.”
“Oh that. That’s the last thing on my minds at the moment, Alistair. The thing is, this fella called the Monk has decided to take some revenge on me for something I did and it’s messed up all the wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff that’s caused Tom and myself to be in the wrong TARDIS and the wrong TARDIS to be in the wrong time zone.” The Doctor paused and stared at the Brigadier who was clearly confused. “Anyway, I can see you’re not with me, but we need to work to sort this out otherwise Tom and myself may never get back to where we’re supposed to be, which will just unravel my whole time line in ways I just don’t want to think about.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:56:28 GMT
“This isn’t one of these threats to the universe thing, like that Omega chap, is it?” The Brigadier sighed. “Because that took some explaining away.”
The Doctor laughed. “No, this shouldn’t have to involve you, or any of UNIT. I’ll just need to try and work at getting myselves back together again and each of us back to where we belong. We’ll be out of your hair in no time.” He smiled, clapping the Brigadier on the back before turning to Steven and Tom. “Right, Steven, will you get me the astral map from the TARDIS? And Tom, erm, clear that bench of everything that we don’t need to make a directional temporal beacon.”
Nodding, the two men turned to carry out the tasks the Doctor had just given them as the Doctor turned and started opening and rummaging through cupboards. Slightly bemused, the Brigadier watched on.
“Right, well, I’ll get Benton to lay on some coffee.” He muttered almost feebly, turning on his heel and leaving the lab.
*
Jess and Harry flung themselves at the console for something to hang on to as the TARDIS seemingly lurched as the central column started to rise and fall and the unmistakeable sound of the TARDIS engines started deep in the bowels of the time ship.
“I say, what the devil’s happening?” Harry cried out as his feet slipped from under him, causing him to bang his chin on the console.
“I don’t know.” Jess managed to reply as a flash of light from the central column caused her to shield her eyes.
“The Monk’s done something inside his TARDIS that’s shot us back out through time.”
Harry and Jess looked up as the velvet coated figure dashed about the console, his hands darting over the controls, almost blurs, the curls on his head bobbing as he looked about as he worked.
“Although, at the moment, I’m just trying to work out whether I’m the only one of the four of us has been displaced and where, if anywhere this TARDIS is going.” The Doctor said before looking up. “Good to see you again Jess. You too Harry.” He beamed. “I see certain things are starting to fall into place here.”
“What things?” Harry asked as the Doctor returned his attention to the console.
“I think he means what recently happened to us, thats in your future.
“Ah, right ho.” Harry said, ducking out of the way as the Doctor dashed passed, his attention still fixed on the consol. “He’s yours I take it then?”
“I’m nobodies.” The Doctor said, looking up abruptly. “Now I wonder if I can track the source of the holo-image back to the Monks’ TARDIS.”
“Monk?” Jess asked.
“Hmm.” The Doctor confirmed.
“Don’t tell me we’re up against a time travelling version of the Spanish Inquisition.”
The Doctor paused and looked up at Jess, an eyebrow raised in curiosity.
“Well, no one expects the Spanish Inquisition!” Jess chuckled looking at the deadpan faces of Harry and the Doctor. “Y’know, Monty Python? ‘Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition’!” She said in her best Michael Palin voice. “Monk? Weren’t the Inquisition monks and priests and that?”
“Oh, that Ministry of Silly Walks lot?” Harry chuckled. “So what, is he some part of an intergalactic inquisition thingy?”
“I think we’re confusing pop culture with reality again.” The Doctor said. “The Monk is a Time Lord, and out after some revenge which has kind of ensnared four of me.”
“Why a monk?” Jess asked.
“I don’t quite know. When I first met him outside of Gallifrey, it was 1066 and he was trying to destroy a Viking fleet so that Harold won the Battle of Hastings as opposed to William the Conqueror.” The Doctor explained as he set back about the console. “He’d set up base in a monastery and set himself up as a monk. Why he’s keeping up the Monk act, is anyone’s guess. Maybe he has set himself up with some intergalactic religion. There are several that dress in monk’s habits.”
“You know all the best people.” Jess teased, gently elbowing the Doctor in the ribs.
“I’m friends with all the best people.” The Doctor said smiling down at Jess and then to Harry. “I just happen to know some rogue sorts.” The Doctor trailed off and stared up into space. “Now if he’s trying to get revenge for my stealing his directional unit, what would be an appropriate act of revenge? I just need to try and get inside his mind.” He muttered to himself.
“He still talks to himself then?” Harry chuckled quietly to Jess.
“Oh yes.” Jess smiled. “Hang on!” She suddenly cried out. “Doctor, this directional unit, what is it?”
“Hmm? Oh, it’s a component that gives directional control over the TARDIS and when it’s functioning properly can direct you to anywhere and any when.” The Doctor replied. “And before you say anything, it sometimes takes the fun out of travelling if you know when and where you’re going to arrive.” He hastily added defensively.
“Well then, it’s simple.” Jess said. “You took his direction away from him, and so he’s taking direction away from you. Splitting us all up through time like this.”
“Jess, you are brilliant!” The Doctor grinned, gripping Jess’s shoulders before dashing back to the console.
“But if he’s doing this?” Harry asked. “Can we not turn it back on him?”
“Yes, somehow.” The Doctor replied. “I just need to know where and when he is and what energies he’s used to engineer this whole shebang.” The Doctor paused and looked at Jess, a confused look on his face. “Shebang? I’m starting to sound like Tom!”
Jess couldn’t help but start laughing at the look of sheer bemusement on the Doctors face. He looked like a little boy who’d just been told that Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy were all one of the same person.
“Anyway,” The Doctor said, clapping then rubbing his hands together. “If I just do this,” With a twist of his wrist, the scanner screen came back to life and the Doctor smiled back at Jess and Harry.
“Sorry, it’s a bit beyond me, I’m afraid. How about you, old thing?” Harry said looking to Jess who merely shrugged. “You’ll have to explain it to us Doctor.”
“I’ve re-traced the temporal traces coming from the nulled region of space, as this version of the TARDIS was the first there, it makes it easier. As there are only two traces coming away from that region, it stands to reason that there are two of me still there, which, if they’re getting along this time, should make things easier.”
“If they’re getting along?” Harry asked.
“Yes, well,” The Doctor said slowly, scratching his head. “My earlier selves, as headstrong as they are, had a tendency to not get along so well. They tended to bicker quite a bit. But still, I’m sure that they can resend the recall signal.”
“Bicker?” Jess asked. “But they’re you. How can you argue with yourself?”
“Oh, you’d be surprised.” The Doctor replied. “Do you really think it’d all be smooth sailing if you were to meet and older or younger version of yourself?”
“Well, erm.” Jess floundered, thinking it over.
“Yes, but surely-?” Harry stammered.
“Human lives are a lot shorter than those of a Time Lord, but even now, are the pair of you the same as you were when you were five? Or ten? Or fifteen? Change is a large part of life. Now try to imagine that on the scale of a Time Lord, someone who can live over ten times longer than the oldest a human can get. A being which can regenerate their entire body and mind.” The Doctor stopped and looked at his two friends.
Jess and Harry stopped, open mouthed and looked at each other. “Well, I suppose-” Harry began before trailing off, not really knowing where he was going.
“Quite.” The Doctor said, sensing the mood that the console room was fast in danger of going. “But don’t worry. I’ve been in worse scrapes before. We all have.”
“Always look on the bright side of life.” Jess sang softly.
“Indeed. And once this is all sorted, we can do so again.”
A soft chuckling laughter seemed to fill the console room suddenly, causing the Doctor, Jess and Harry to spin around looking for the source.
“Doctor, that light for the time track thingy is on again.” Harry said, pointing to the Time Curve Indicator, glowing away softly on the console.
Checking readings the Doctor quickly looked up at the scanner and flicked another switch. “I should have guessed it was you following me earlier.” He said.
“Who’s he talking to?” Harry whispered to Jess.
Just as she was about to answer, and hazy blue image materialised in the centre of the console room. A middle aged man wearing a monks habit, his hands enfolded in the sleeves of his robes.
“Good morning my children.” He said, almost in a mocking tone.
“Thank you. But we don’t need the monks act.” The Doctor said.
“Oh, come come Doctor.” The Monk replied. “So hostile.”
“This from the man who is doing his best to scatter aspects of my life throughout time, and why? Just because I borrowed your directional unit in order to stop a Dalek invasion?”
“Borrowed, Doctor?” The Monk queried. “Borrowing would indicate that you intended to return it. Instead, you reconfigured my Chameleon Circuit so that the Daleks would hunt me down.”
Upon hearing this, Harry and Jess turned to look inquisitively at the Doctor.
“Just to confuse them and allow me the time to escape. I had to warn the solar system. Look, shouldn’t you be having this conversation with my first self as opposed to me? After all, it was that version of me at the time.” The Doctor said.
“A Dalek time machine hunted me, Doctor. Relentlessly. You know more than anyone what they’re like. They believed that I was you. It took years for me to get back to Gallifrey and get a new Directional Unit. That allowed me to finally lose them into the singularity of a black hole. And now, it’s your turn.”
With a flicker, the hologram of the Monk disappeared and the TARDIS lurched, plunging the console room into pitch blackness.
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:57:18 GMT
Crying out, Jess found herself falling backwards in a tangle of arms and legs with who she could only assume was Harry, who cried out in pain as her foot connected with what she could only assume was a tender area.
“I say, easy old thing!” He uttered a note of pain evident in his voice.
“Sorry.” Jess managed as she struggled to separate herself and Harry. “Well, I’ll take the Master over this Monk guy. At least the Master never tried to throw us into a black hole.”
“Neither has the Monk.” The Doctors voice came steady and from the direction of the console as though nothing had happened. “Just another one of his little games.”
“Well, how about some lights, eh Doctor?” Harry said as he finally got to his feet with extensive help of the console room wall.
“I’m working on it, Harry.” The Doctor said, a small cry of delight coming from him as a small glow of light began to emanate from the central column, followed by the lights from screens and instruments on the console. The lights gave off an eerie glow and lit the Doctors face from below, making him look as though he were about to recite a ghost story as he look up through the glass of the central column to Jess and Harry, stood in the gloom near the wall.
“So what was all that about then?” Jess asked.
“Just trying to throw us off again, like he did by sending me here and from the readings I’ve gathered, my tenth self was sent off in my first selfs’ TARDIS.” The Doctor paused and looked to the walls as light began to illuminate the room from the roundels. “Ah-ha! But my first and fourth selves are still in the nulled region. That should give us some hope.”
“And what about this Monk chap?” Harry asked. “I take it that was him.”
“Oh, that was him alright.” The Doctor replied. “Projecting a holographic image of himself into the TARDIS most probably from his.”
“So can’t you do the same and find out where he is?” Harry asked.
“No, it’s not as easy as that. His TARDIS is more advanced than mine.” The Doctor said somewhat sheepishly.
“Doctor?” Jess said slowly as she edged round towards him. “Can you get an image of the Monk again? Y’know, like a still?”
Slowly, the Doctor looked at her, a look of puzzlement on his face. “Why?” He eventually said.
“I don’t know.” Jess said. “I’ve got a feeling.”
“A feeling?”
“Yeah, y’know, that something isn’t right. Something I’ve really started to pick up on since I’ve been with you.” She winked. “It was like he was hiding something.”
“Well, he is old thing.” Harry said. “Where he is, what he’s doing and why.”
“No, I meant him. Like there was something not quite right about him.” Jess explained turning to the Doctor. “Did you spot it too, or am I going mad?”
“I was more concentrating on what he was saying.” The Doctor confessed, looking at the console. “Hmm, this transmission, how odd.”
“What is it?” Jess and Harry asked at the same time, crowding round the Doctor looking at the small screen he was looking at.
“The transmission wasn’t coming from the vortex as I thought it would. It’s coming from a fixed point. A planet.” The Doctor flicked a switch and reams of data sped across the screen.
“What’s all that?” Harry asked.
“Narrowing down and triangulating. I should be able to find out where the Monk is hiding.” The Doctors eyes followed the data reams as he read aloud. “The Milky Way, The Solar System, Earth. Local dateline-” Pausing, the Doctor looked up at Harry. “Just after I left Earth with you.”
*
The Brigadier stood at the door to the lab, his arms folded as he watched the young new Doctor busy himself at the desk as the other two men dashed about as the Doctor instructed.
“Sir?”
Bentons’ voice made him start. Turning, the Brigadier saw Benton stood just outside the door holding a tray with five steaming mugs on it.
“Ah, Doctor?” The Brigadier called into the lab. “Where would you like this?”
“Oh, just over there somewhere.” The Doctor said, not looking up or pointing to anywhere.
Spotting this, Tom walked over and collected the tray from Benton, who gave him a confused look. “Long story!” Tom smiled, noting the look on his face.
“But that’s not the-“ Benton started, looking at the Doctor. “You mean he’s done it again, sir? Changed, again?”
“Apparently.” The Brigadier said as the Doctors head suddenly shot up.
Jumping off the stool, the Doctor was over to Benton in a very few strides and pumping his arm up and down. “Sergeant Benton!” He cried, a huge grin over his face. “I’d love to be able to stop and chat, but we’re only here on a fleeting visit.” With a spin, the Doctor was soon back at the workbench. “Neither Stephen, Tom or myself should be in this time zone.”
“Erm, I think I get that.” Benton said. “Oh, sir. There’s a Father Mortimer to see you.” He added as Tom returned with a mug of coffee for him and the Brigadier.
“Father? You mean a priest?” The Brigadier asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes, sir. He’s got official government identification as well.”
“Right, well; I’d best go see what the fellow wants.” The Brigadier said, clearly confused before turning and walking back towards his office.
“So, what is all this?” Benton asked, looking at Tom.
“Like I said, long story.” Tom replied as Benton took one of the mugs. “Basically, this rogue Time Lord has set a trap for the Doctor, and caught four of him and scattered us through time. Steven there is with the First, I’m with the Eighth and that’s the Tenth.”
Benton sipped his coffee and leant back against the door frame. “You know, he makes the fifth version of the Doctor I’ve met. All so different, but all so brilliant.” He said softly.
“Quite a character, each of them.” Tom agreed watching as Steven disappeared back inside the TARDIS. “The three I’ve come into contact with are all so different.”
Benton paused, coffee mug half way to his lips. “I get the feeling that there’s something about you too.” He said, squinting at Tom.
Smiling, Tom winked.
“You are, aren’t you? Another one of him?”
Toms’ laughter caused the Doctor to turn round with an inquisitive look on his face. Getting to his feet, his mouth opened to say something, the Doctor was stopped before he began by a shout from Steven in the TARDIS.
“Doctor! You might want to see this.”
Within seconds, the Doctor had disappeared through the TARDIS door, his coat flapping behind him, Tom and Benton hot on his heels. The Doctor soon skidded to a halt in the console room. Steven was stood by the console, looking up at the scanner screen.
“It’s another one of you.” Steven said, looking round as the three men appeared inside the doors.
Rounding the console, the Doctor looked up at the screen. His eighth self was looking down, Harry and Jess stood not too far behind him.
“Hello again.” The Doctor said to the screen. “I see you’re managing to send a message through again.”
“We’re in vortex and you’re not, it’s easier than when we were both travelling in vortex.” The eighth Doctor said.
“Oh, brilliant, yes of course.” The Doctor grinned as Tom and Benton approached. “I’m currently down where we left off after the giant robot affair.”
“So I see.” The eighth replied, looking down from the screen. “Good to see you’re still safe Tom. And Sergeant, no, RSM Benton!” The Doctor paused, looking round the console room. “The Brigadier?”
“We’ve already done the ‘This is Your Life’ bit.” The Doctor said “I’m trying not to stick out here; none of us belong in this time zone.”
“Yes, I know.” The Doctor said, his hands up as he looked down from the screen. “Only, we’ve had a message from the Monk while we were here. Jess spotted something, he was wearing twentieth century priest clothing under his habit. That and we’ve traced the source of his signal; it’s-”
The Doctor looked up at his past self as he spoke, realisation coming through.
“- coming from the time where we are now.” The two Doctors finished at the same time.
“Hey, Doctor.” Benton said, stepping forwards. “Priests clothing? A priest has just arrived to speak to the Brigadier. A Father Mortimer.”
The Doctor looked up at his past self of the screen, eyes widening, before he turned and sped out of the TARDIS. Tom, Benton and Steven looked at each other for a second before following the Doctor.
*
“Father Mortimer.” The Brigadier said, entering his office. “Sorry to have kept you.”
“Not at all, Brigadier.” Mortimer said, getting to his feet and shaking the Brigadiers offered hand. “I appreciate you must be busy, I apologise for dragging you away from your work.”
“Not at all, Father.” The Brigadier said, sitting down. “You’re only keeping me from the tedium of paperwork.”
Chuckling softly, Father Mortimer sat back down opposite the Brigadier. “I can sympathise my son.” He said.
“I’m sorry.” The Brigadier said, turning his head and narrowing his eyes as he looked at Mortimer. “Have we met before?”
“No, although we do have a common acquaintance. And it is he, whom I wish to talk to you about.” Mortimer said, leaning forwards.
Opening his mouth to comment on Mortimer’s somewhat cryptic comment, the Brigadier was stopped by the sound of a commotion in the corridor outside his office.
“Excuse me, Father.” The Brigadier said, getting to his feet and marching to the door. “Mr Benton! What is the meaning of this?” He bellowed as Benton and the Doctor sped round the corner, Tom and Steven close on their heels.
“Ah, Alistair. Sorry about this big fella.” The Doctor said, grabbing hold of the Brigadier as he skidded to a halt and looked through the open door into the Brigadiers office.
“Doctor, I appreciate it’s probably been a while for you since you were last here, but-” The Brigadier started, now staring at the Doctors back. The Time Lord was stood perfectly still, staring at Father Mortimer, who was on his feet, hands folded before him, staring back at the Doctor.
“Well, Doctor.” Mortimer said, spreading his hands. “You’ve found me.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:57:46 GMT
The Brigadier looked from the two Time Lords before turning to Benton, eyebrow raised as if expecting an explanation.
“That would be the guy who’s responsible for us being here.” Tom said stepping round Benton.
“Well, perhaps you could explain it a bit more, Mr?” The Brigadier said, clearly frustrated and infuriated.
“Oi, can I have a bit of quiet, please?” The Doctor asked, turning his hard back to the Brigadier and Tom.
His eyes widening, the Brigadier opened his mouth to answer back but was silenced by Tom holding his hand up. “I think it’s probably best to actually be quiet.”
“Oi.” The Doctor shouted back. “Could do with a bit of quiet here.”
“Doctor, I do think-” The Brigadier started, before being silenced by the Doctor turning round, his face almost a picture of fury.
“I said, quiet!” The Doctor yelled, slamming the door. In a fluid movement, the Time Lord had pulled his sonic screwdriver from his pocket and locked the door.
Recognising the look on his commanding officers face, Benton carefully backed slightly down the corridor, subtly gesturing Steven and Tom to do the same.
“All the confounded cheek.” The Brigadier stammered.
“Well, I don’t quite know what your relationship is,” Tom said, still stood between the Brigadier and the door. “But I’m sure he didn’t mean offence. There’s something about this Doctor that’s darker and different to the other two I’ve met. I can’t quite read what it is, it’s like he’s closed himself from me.”
“I beg your pardon?” The Brigadier asked.
“Maybe if we go back to the lab, have a sit down and the coffee and we can talk it over as far as we know them.” Tom offered.
Silently, the Brigadier thought it over for a couple of seconds before nodding in agreement. “Yes, maybe you’re right. Each one of them has been different. Splendid fellows though.” He said.
Smiling, Tom offered the Brigadier his hand. “And it’s Rowan, Tom Rowan.”
*
Putting his sonic screwdriver back in his pocket, the Doctor turned to face the Father Mortimer, his face deadly serious. “So, Father Mortimer, or is it Brother Mortimus? Or shall I just call you Monk?”
“Any will do Doctor.” The Monk replied, straightening his black jacket. “Although, you were rather rude to your friends. Was that the young Mr Taylor I spotted outside?”
“You are aware of the danger that you’ve put me in? Four times over?” The Doctor said, the anger clearly evident on his face.
“Oh come, my son.” The Monk said, folding his hands again.
“And stop with the holy man performance.” The Doctor said sliding his hands in his pockets and walking round the Monk. “Why are you carrying it on? You’ve got rid of the silly monks outfit.”
“It suits my purposes, Doctor.” The Monk replied. “You’d be surprised the influence that a man of religion can have upon the lower civilisations.”
“And what are you trying to influence now?” The Doctor asked. “The Cold War? The Three day week? The miners strikes? Stopping Margaret Thatcher becoming Prime Minister?”
“Margaret Thatcher?” The Monks eyes widened and twinkled. “Why thank you Doctor, that’s quite the idea.”
“Now don’t you get any of those ideas, you hear me?” The Doctor was suddenly leaning across the Brigadiers desk, pointing a warning finger at the Monk.
Chuckling, the Monk sat back down. “You know now how the Daleks pursued me through time and space.”
“As they have me before.” The Doctor said, darkly. “You think that’s a reason to launch a vendetta against me. Do you know what the Time Lords would do if they knew that I was here?”
“Oh, would they though, Doctor?” The Monk chuckled. “They’re such bores. You know we have more fun freelancing.”
“With one difference.” The Doctor said sitting in the Brigadiers chair and swinging his feet up onto the desk. “We can both see where and how things are supposed to go, but you use them for your own amusement and twist them to suit yourself.”
“I help people, Doctor. Just as you do.” The Monks said “I just give them the technological help that they wouldn’t otherwise have access too.”
“You meddle.” The Doctor said.
“And you don’t, Doctor?”
“We can both see what is fixed and what is in flux. I make sure that everything that is fixed happens as it should.” The Doctor countered, reaching across the desk and moving a file out of the Monks reach. “Despite what the Time Lords thought.”
“Have I touched a nerve, Doctor?” The Monk chuckled.
“Don’t.” The Doctor warned.
“A sore point, maybe?”
“Do not push me, Mortimus.” The Doctor almost shouted, getting to his feet and leaning over the desk, his face close to the Monks. “I am so old now and I do not have the time or patience for your childish games.”
“Childish games? My dear Doctor, you offend me.” The Monk said, sitting back and holding his hands up.
“You’ve sprung your trap and pulled four of me into this mess you engineered.” The Doctor said keeping his eyes fixed firmly into the Monks. “So why are you still about, eh?”
“Oh, Doctor.” The Monks face turned to a serious edge. “By no means would I want to kill you. You don’t really think I’m at the same low levels as the Master do you?”
“Then why do all this?” The Doctor asked again. “And don’t give me that revenge line again.”
“Amusement, Doctor. Will that do?” The Monk asked. “Apparently not!” He added briskly, noting the look on the Doctors face.
“I’ve told you I’m not in the mood for games, Mortimus.” The Doctor growled. “One call on this phone and I can get Alistair to have you locked away somewhere for you to spend the rest of your lives.”
“Now why would you do that?” The Monk asked. “And a man of the cloth? Who would agree to it?”
“Oh, I know Alistair and I can be very persuasive.” The Doctor said rounding the desk and leaning with his face mere inches from the Monks.
“Could you live with yourself knowing that you’d done that, Doctor?” The Monk said after a few seconds silence. “Knowing that you’d condemned me to imprisonment for life, and for what? I’ve helped this world as have you.”
“You meddle. I help.” The Doctor said, straightening up.
“You left me trapped in ten sixty-six, Doctor.” The Monk retorted. “Then stole my directional unit and left me to be hunted by Daleks.”
“How many times have you spun me that line?” The Doctor asked rhetorically. “We can go round and round here, but the point is, I shouldn’t be here and neither should you.”
“Then what do you suggest we do?” The Monk asked leaning back in the chair.
“Well, I talk to Alistair, he keeps you here while me and my other selves sort this mess out that you’ve got us all in and then, well, you leave Earth, and leave it alone.” The Doctor said, before he spun round on the spot and gripped the arms of the chair the Monk was sitting in. “Otherwise I’ll come back and make sure you leave it alone for good.”
“Well, I’m sure you’re not talking about killing me, Doctor?” The Monk asked a glimmer of uncertainty in his eye.
The Doctor held the Monks look for several long seconds, his face frozen in fury, his mind closed to the Monks probing. “No.” He said finally, looking away. “I’d never stoop to that.”
“Then how could you be assured that I’d leave Earth alone.”
“I’d turn you over to the Time Lords if I had to.” The Doctor said, keeping his back to the Monk.
“Somehow I doubt that, Doctor.”
“If not me, then another of my selves would.” The Doctor replied turning round. “Anything to stop your meddling. The events already in flux are unstable enough.”
“You will risk revealing yourself to the Time Lords?” The Monk scoffed, unbelieving. “We both know the reasons you left.”
“That was a long time ago.” The Doctor snapped. “I’ve paid for that. Several times over. I don’t think you realise just how far into my future I am from your time. I can tell you that we will at one point stand together against-”
“And you call me a meddler.” The Monk interrupted. “What my future holds, I don’t need to know, and you know that.”
“Please, I’m asking you properly.” The Doctor said, turning to face the Monk. “You’ve had your fun. Things have changed.”
Standing, the Monk looked at his wrist watch before looking back at the Doctor. “That’s enough time.” He said looking at the Doctor and smiling. “I’ll think about it.” He said as a beep sounded from his watch. “Ah, that’s my lift. Goodbye.” Waving, the Monk faded out of being.
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:58:15 GMT
The first and fourth Doctors looked on helplessly as their future selves and two versions of their TARDIS faded out of existence leaving only the echoing sound of the Monks mocking laughter. Regaining his composure, the first Doctor straightened up and looked round to his future self.
“Right, young man.” He said looking to the two remaining TARDISes. “I think you and I should find out what’s happened to our future selves, hmm?”
“You think we should take one each.” The Fourth said, more in confirmation having thought the same.
“I do indeed, my boy, I do indeed.” The first said pulling himself to his full height. “Now, I shall take this one, and I suggest you can take that.” He said pointing with his stick. “We can always use the ships communication systems to talk to each other if needs be, hmm.” Before his future self could reply, the first set off for one of the TARDISes.
Whipping his hat from his head, the fourth Doctor turned and ran to the other TARDIS, his scarf flapping and flailing behind him. Closing the door behind him, the Doctor paused and looked around the large dome shaped console room. What looked like large coral support struts ran up to the high ceiling, wires trailed down round the console and central column, which emanated a green glow. His attention soon fell to a blonde girl stood by the console, looking at him.
“Hello.” The Doctor grinned.
“You’re the Doctor.” The girl said. It was a statement as opposed to the question.
“That’s right.” The Doctor said walking up to the console. “And you are?”
“Tifa.” She replied. “You’re one of the Doctors before you met me, aren’t you?”
“Fourth.” The Doctor said, looking at the console.
“I knew. You didn’t recognise me, but the other one did.” Tifa replied.
“What has happened to you old thing?” He muttered, seemingly ignoring Tifa, his attention fixed on the console, reaching out and placing his hand flat against the central column.
“Hasn’t this happened to you then?” Tifa asked.
“Hmm, sorry?” The Doctor turned to look at Tifa, taking his hand from the column. “The TARDIS, there’s something different about her, something she’s keeping from me.” He said.
“The one of you who was here before, he said that a lot has happened that he can’t talk about.” Tifa said.
“Ah.” The Doctor said, his eyes and mouth wide and holding his hand up. “Which version of me are you with?”
“The younger one with long curly hair.” Tifa replied.
“Is this is TARDIS?”
“No, it’s the other young ones. The one in the suit with the funny hair.”
“Hmm.” The Doctor mused. “That would probably explain why the old thing is keeping things back from me.” The Doctor realised that Tifa was looking at him inquisitively. “He’s the furthest down the line, my oldest self. The TARDIS won’t tell me anything about my personal future.”
“I see.” Tifa said cautiously.
The Doctor looked to the console and then turned back to Tifa, fixing her with a wide-eyed stare. “You’re a Thal, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” Tifa smiled.
“Skaro?” The Doctor asked before holding a hand up. “No. I shouldn’t ask.” Rummaging in his pocket, the Doctor produced his bag of Jelly Babies and offered it to Tifa. “Help yourself to a Jelly Baby.” He said as he studied the readings on the scanner.
“What are you trying to do?” Tifa asked picking an orange sweet out of the bag and chewing it slowly.
“Trying to track my other selves.” The Doctor replied before hitting the console in frustration. “Gha, what have I done to the old girl over the years. She’s so unresponsive now.”
Cautiously, Tifa picked the hammer from the floor that the tenth Doctor had dropped earlier and held it to the Doctor. “The other you used this.” She said.
Taking it from her and looking at it, the Doctor threw it over his shoulder causing it to hit the far wall with a clatter. “No, not for what I need it to do. Come on old thing, don’t you recognise me?” He said stroking the panel intersection. A change in the background hum of the TARDIS caused a huge smile to spread across his face. “Ah-ha!” He grinned looking to Tifa. “I think we’ve got it, Tifa. I think we’ve got it.”
*
Dodo looked round as the TARDIS doors opened and a figure walked through. A huge grin spread across her face as she recognised the figure that entered.
“Doctor!” She cried running to him.
“Dodo.” The Doctor almost cried out as she hugged him. “Are you well, my child, hmm?”
“Confused. What’s going on?” She replied, wrinkling her nose.
Looking past Dodo, the Doctor looked round the wooden effect console room with the kitchen and library alcove. Walking forwards, the Doctor was carefully studying the console and six large and carved wooden support struts that rose from the floor and to the array at the top of the central column.
“Hmm, very nice. Very nice.” He chuckled as he walked around the console, chuckling to himself. “This must be my eighth selfs ship. How like him, hmm.” Pausing, the Doctor stopped, looking at the sofa containing the prone form of Sarah Jane. “Hmm, this must be the young Sarah Jane girl he spoke of.”
“The other man, he said he sedated her.” Dodo said before standing and looking at the Doctor. “He also said he was you.”
“Hmm, yes. What was that my dear?” The Doctor asked, turning round to look at his young companion.
“That other man, the one in the velvet coat with the long hair, he said he was you.”
“Hmm? Well, he is my child. He is another aspect of me, as I am of him.” The Doctor replied, his hand hovering over one of the panels, his fingers moving in anticipation of operating the controls. “This was the TARDIS where everything, erm, which hit the temporal rift first.” He muttered.
“What’s that?” Dodo asked, wrinkling her nose again.
“Put simply, child; this TARDIS hit the rift the Monk set up and pushed my three companions from here out into the TARDIS of my other selves and took you and the young girl there and dep, erm, placed you here, hmm.” The Doctor explained as he pottered about the console.
A groan from Sarah’s sleeping form made the Doctor and Dodo turn to face her. “Where am I? What’s happening? Doctor?” She muttered, her eyelids fluttering.
“I thought that other man said that he’d sedated her?” Dodo asked, looking up at the Doctor. “The other you. The young you. Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugged looking up at the old man hopefully.
“Yes, well. The young man did say he had. The effects are obviously wearing off, hmm?” He said before walking over to the sofa and looking down at Sarah.
*
Her vision blurring, Sarah sleepily opened her eyes. Standing over her was a figure in a dark coat and with white hair.
“Doctor?” She asked, unsure of who was stood over her.
“Can you hear me, hmm?” A stern voice replied.
“Who are you? Where am I?” She said, suddenly aware that she didn’t know where she was. It seemed like a vast wooden panelled room.
“Sarah Jane?”
Sarah focussed on the old man stood before her. He was wearing what seemed Edwardian style clothing and leaning on a walking stick. A young girl with close cropped dark hair was stood behind him looking very confused. Sarah looked at the old man again and a sudden wave of realisation washing over her.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” She asked. “You’re another regeneration aren’t you? You’re the Doctor.”
The Doctor chuckled. “Quite right my dear girl.” He smiled. “How are you feeling, hm?”
Sarah struggled herself into a sitting position and looked about. “You’ve redecorated.” She said. “Or mine has. I don’t know, it’s confusing.”
“Indeed, my dear, indeed.” The Doctor chuckled before turning and tottering back to the console.
Gingerly getting to her feet, Sarah looked round the console room, before realising the young girl was stood watching her.
“Sarah.” Sarah smiled offering her hand.
“Dodo.” Dodo replied carefully shaking Sarah’s offered hand.
“What’s happening?” Sarah asked.
“I don’t really know.” Dodo replied. “Something involving a Monk and apparently two Doctors. Or something.”
A crackling from the speakers caused the Doctor to cry out in triumph “Ah, ha ha ha.” He smiled clapping his hands together.
“Hello? Doctor? Am I there?” The voice came from the speakers.
“I know that voice!” Sarah exclaimed rushing to the console to stand next to the Doctor.
“Could you get the scanner for me, my dear?” He asked looking to Sarah who turned to look questioningly back at the Doctor. “The scanner screen.” He waved his hand in the direction of the wooden box containing the screen.
Sticking her tongue out behind the Doctors back, Sarah pulled on the small chain below the scanner screen and pulled it over towards the Doctor as an image flickered into life.
“Hello again.” The fourth Doctor grinned down from the scanner screen.
“Doctor!” Sarah grinned up at the screen.
“Hello Sarah, back up on your feet, eh?”
Sarah nodded happily at seeing her Doctor on the screen, a look of confusion crossing her face at seeing Tifa looking over the Doctors shoulder.
“Doctor, I’ve some rather important news.” The Fourth Doctor said, a stern look coming over his face.
“I’m assuming that it’s to do with that Monk fellow, hmm.” The First said.
“And us, and those two chaps who’ve been whisked off into time in our TARDISes.” The fourth said. “I’m in the eldest one of us TARDIS, and it’s tracked that mine is back in vortex and yours is back on Earth, about the time I last left.”
“Well, at least we know that our futures are safe, hmm.” The first replied.
“Ah, well not quite.” Off screen the fourth Doctor twisted a dial and the whole sounds of the Tenth Doctors console room came through the speakers, coming to the fore was the sound of the cloister bell. “I take it you can hear that.” The fourth continued. “The TARDIS has given a warning. If we don’t get our future selves back and get back to our own time streams, it will pull each the TARDIS inside out, in each four time zones.”
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Post by Fitz Kreiner on Mar 3, 2009 13:58:52 GMT
“Well then, young man, we need to put our heads together to try and figure this out and get those two other young men back into their right TARDISes.” The first Doctor said, looking up at the scanner, gripping his lapels.
“I couldn’t agree more.” The forth said, looking down. “And there’s only really one way we can do this.” Straightening up, he closed his eyes. “Contact.”
Closing his eyes as well, the first Doctor stiffened. “Contact.” He said.
“What are they doing?” Dodo asked walking round the Doctor to Sarah.
“I don’t know. Telepathic conference?” She shrugged.
“Hmm, risky, my boy, risky. We know that one of us is back on Earth, it’s possible that it could completely pass him by.” The First Doctor suddenly said, regaining his normal posture.
“What other chance do we have, eh?” The fourth suggested.
“Very true, my boy. I suggest that you start the preparations where you are and I’ll send the signal to the others, hmm?” The First Doctor reached out in preparation to turn the scanner off.
“Ah, there may be a little problem there. This TARDIS is from our farthest future and the old girl is keeping quite a lot from me. What’s she like for you?”
“Hmm?” The first Doctors face became stony as he reached out for the telepathic circuits. “The two TARDIS are communicating. You’re quite right, young man. There’s something-” The Doctor trailed off before his body stiffened.
“Gha!” The Fourth Doctor cried out in pain, feeling the effects cycle through his lives from his first body. “Sarah. Dodo.”
Reacting at the sound of their names, Sarah and Dodo dashed to the Doctor, just as his body went limp.
“Doctor!” Dodo cried, almost struggling under the dead weight of his unconscious body.
“It’s alright, Dodo.” The Fourth said from the scanner. “It was just a warning from the TARDIS. I was rather stubborn and arrogant back when I was him. He probed a little too far and the TARDIS rejected me.”
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked, looking up at the scanner from where she was knelt beside the first Doctors prone form.
“One minute, Sarah.” The Doctor replied as the scanner screen went blank.
“No! Doctor! Don’t go! What are we going to do?” Sarah cried at the screen before turning back to the body of the first Doctor, an exasperated expression on her face.
“What do we do now?” Dodo asked.
*
“You’ve just cut them off.” Tifa said, looking at the strange new Doctor. “The other one of you collapsed. They might need you.”
“I know, Tifa, I know.” The Doctor replied. “I was very arrogant at that age and I tried to probe too deep into the TARDIS’s telepathic circuits. There was something the old girl didn’t want me to know and so cut herself off and caused a telepathic kickback into myself. I can’t leave those two girls alone in this situation.” The Doctor paused as the central column started to move and the sound of the TARDIS engines started.
“What are you doing now? We can’t leave them.” Tifa said.
“I’m going to need both TARDISes and the help of you, Dodo and Sarah if I’m going to make this work. I can’t risk you running about in the environment outside, so I’m trying to shift this TARDIS into the other. It’s highly dangerous and I shouldn’t normally be allowed to do it.”
“What is it?”
“All in time.” The Doctor winced as the sound of the engines strained over the cloister bell.
*
A soft chiming sounded through the console room, causing Dodo and Sarah to look up from the body of the Doctor.
“What’s that?” Dodo asked.
“It’s the sound from the other TARDIS.” Sarah said. “The one where my Doctor was. He said it was a warning.”
“For what?”
A second sound started before Sarah could reply. A sound that was very familiar to them both.
“Are we moving?” Dodo asked, looking round, panicked.
“The column isn’t moving.” Sarah said, looking round at the console. “And he didn’t set the controls or anything.”
“But what about those two disc controls he touched?”
“No, look.” Sarah pointed to the edge of the console room.
The blue form of the TARDIS was gaining solidarity with a thump. After several long seconds, the door opened and the curly brown haired head of the Fourth Doctor poked out and looked around.
“We’ve done it, Tifa.” He grinned before spotting Dodo and Sarah crouched over the fallen form of his first incarnation.
“Doctor!” Sarah cried, jumping to her feet and running to him.
“Hello Sarah. Miss me?” He grinned.
“Oh yes.” Sarah grinned. “What’s been happening? Who’s that?”
“Sarah, this is Tifa, she will travel with me one day.”
“Hello.” Tifa smiled from the TARDIS doorway.
“Hello.” Sarah said before looking back to the Doctor. “What’s happening? That man’s you isn’t he? How come there are two of you together?”
“It only happens in emergencies.” The Doctor said, stepping round Sarah and making for the console. With a brief pause to check on his past self, the fourth Doctor stood and placed the palm of his hand flat against the glass of the central column. “Ah ha. The old thing is a bit more responsive to me now.”
“What is?” Sarah asked.
“Well, clearly, something happens to either the TARDIS or myself between the time that this TARDIS should exist and the time that TARDIS should exist.” The Doctor said, turning to face Sarah. “My first self there pried too far into my own future. We all know that we’ve obstacles to overcome, it was clear in my eldest incarnation’s eyes that I’ve seen a lot more when I come to be him than I have seen now.”
Dodo looked up to the Fourth Doctor from the first and then over to Sarah and Tifa, who was stood just behind her. Both looked equally confused.
“It’s incredibly dangerous to have one TARDIS inside another at the best of times, let alone the same TARDIS inside itself. But if I can lash the two together, I can boost a signal through to my other selves to get us all back into our right time zones.” The Doctor spoke as he rounded the console, checking instruments. Pausing at one panel, the Doctor dropped to his haunches and opened the underside of the console.
“Doctor, I don’t want to push you, but could you tell us what’s happening? You said that bell sound meant trouble.” Sarah said, leaning on the console and looking down to the Doctor.
“It is, Sarah, it is.” The Doctor said through clenched teeth. He’d now pulled the wiring from the underside of the console down and was hotwiring a red complex device into the mass of wires. “Tifa, that cable I set up in the TARDIS, bring it out, quick.”
Nodding, Tifa disappeared inside the Police Box in the middle of the console room. A few seconds later, she reappeared carrying a thick black cable and handed it over to the Doctor, who by now had his sonic screwdriver in his hand and was making adjustments to the red device.
“Now, do you remember what I showed you?” He asked, looking up at Tifa.
Nodding, Tifa replied. “Yes.”
“Good good. And remember, every three seconds.” The Doctor called after her as she disappeared inside the other TARDIS again.
Pulling a small piece of circuitry with two alternately flashing diodes, the Doctor looked up at Sarah. “Right, this is where I need you. On the panel exactly opposite is a row of switches. When you’ve found them, let me know.”
Sarah stood staring at the Doctor for a second before her mind snapped into gear and she shot round the console. “Got them.” She shouted round to the Doctor.
“Good girl.” The Doctor muttered as he tugged at a wire to get more length of it out of the console. “Dodo, the panel to Sarah’s left, there should be a dial on it; can you get that for me?”
Still crouched near the fallen body of her Doctor, Dodo looked up before she slowly got to her feet.
“Quick quick, girl.” The Doctor almost snapped.
Taken slightly aback, Dodo edged round Sarah and found the dial the Doctor was referring to.
“The small screen below it, what’s the line like?” The Doctors voice came from below the console as he wired cables together at speed.
“It’s, well, it’s not a line, its breaking up.” Dodo replied.
“Tifa, now.” The Doctor shouted towards the TARDIS as he swiftly and fluidly got to his feet and started flicking switches on the panel before him. “When I say, Sarah you flick all those switches and Dodo, twist that dial as far as you can anti-clockwise.”
Together the two girls nodded, not daring to speak and not knowing what to say if they did.
“It’s nearly built up.” Tifa’s voice came from the police box that stood in the console room. “Now!” She shouted.
“Now!” The Doctor repeated to Sarah and Dodo as he hit a row of switches.
The sound of the Cloister Bell suddenly stopped as the central column pulsed with a strong blue light and an explosion of sparks erupted from the console.
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