Post by Fitz Kreiner on Jun 12, 2008 21:56:01 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.”
“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.”