A petite brunette dances around a flashing console, singing shamefully yet still singing beautifully, it has to be said she was a terrible dancer though graceful in her moves, but then again Abigail was always a living oxymoron.
"When you feel my heat, look into my eyes, it's where my demons hide, it's where my demons hide, Don't get too clo-"
"ALERT, UNIDENTIFIED SENTIENT SHIP ONBOARD" A female monotone voice blares through the tannoy,
"Sky…?" Her voice is unaffected yet still confused, she climbs down the silver steps and dashes down multiple corridors, when she arrives in the main control room, a decorated room with somewhat serious controls still bleeding through the colours. But the interior design of the ship isn't what the room is noticed for, she cautiously approaches a blue shining box, it origin clearly from earth but the reason for its appearance baffles and confuses her. Though the situation would be unnerving for a normal person she can't help but grin in glee.
"What's a police public call box?"
"Origin: Earth, used to be around in the 1960's, used for containing criminals-"
"Okay but what's it doing here? I'm not a criminal"
".."
"Much" She sighs, though still grins, remembering her many crimes.
"A police public call box is known throughout the universe, the owner is believed to be the Last of the Time Lords"
A screen appears on the wall and she leans over, having done a quick read through she approaches the box again,
"The Time Lords, th- that's impressive, but then it might not be the original yeah? Cos if it belonged... or belongs to the Time Lords then it's obviously gonna be copied…. Yeah?
"…"
She groans "Ugh give me something"
She pauses, thinking fiercely "Are there any life signs?"
"Undetectable, ship shielded"
"My God" Beginning to get irritated, she starts to pace "So lemme get this straight, we've got a shielded ship, able to bypass our security systems that may or may not be a time machine, that may or may not contain the last of the living Time Lords, am I right?"
"Confirmed" "Oka-"
A middle aged man exits the box along with a petite blonde and a stocky, yet handsome man
"I'm telling you Doc, he did not follow me!"
"And I'm telling you, you've got no evidence otherwise"
The older man seems less agitated
"Neither have you!"
"Details…"
Abi immediately backs away, confused more than scared. How the hell did they fit in there?
"Sky!"
The older man only just notices her before the three intruders are surrounded by a foggy cylindrical light, now that Abi was satisfied that she was out of harm's way she began her light interrogation.
"Right!" Catching everyone's attention she began, "Okay so introductions"
She clapped her hands in excitement and seemed to ignore their bewildered looks, "I'm Abigail but call me Abi. Who are you?"
She directed this at the blonde. "R-Rose Tyler"
She seemed a little dazed by the brunette's enthusiasm. "Nice hair, Rose"
Abi skipped over to the handsome guy, a bit more enthusiastic than normal, he answered before she asked and with a little more confidence than she was used to. "Captain Jack Harkness"
Once he added the wink she was completely intrigued by his confidence though noticing the older man's impatience for being kept last she decided to leave the "Captain" for later.
She winked back and replied. "Maybe later babe"
She then skipped along to the apparent leader of the group who seemed more that ready to greet her,
"Hi, I'm the Doctor, nice to meet you, I would shake your hand but I seemed to be contained in a…"
Clocking on to his question she answered "Containment Vortex"
"Not a normal one" Jack interjected brushing his palm on the exterior.
"I tweaked it" she stage-whispered, seeming proud.
"Tweaked a containment vortex, so not human I'm guessing?"
She shrugged dismissively "Who knows? Sky, scan them"
"Who's Sky" Rose seemed to be taking in the area better than normal human, Abi noted.
"My ship, she's sentient"
"And you called her Sky?" Rose asked disbelieving.
"Why not?"
The Doctor seemed more wary of her, "What do you mean who knows?"
The computer timed her interruption perfectly
"Scan complete, Being 1, Rose Tyler…" The ship continued with her accurate feedback until it reached the Doctor
"Being 3, Planet of Origin: Gallifrey Species: Time Lord Age: 904 Birth Name: -" "Stop!"
The Doctor's face grew more distraught as the computer continued with her knowledge and was more than relieved when Abi interrupted her when she did.
"Sky confirm you know his name"
"Confirmed"
"Can you describe it without actually saying his name?"
"The origin of his name was first discovered at the beginning of time, in the heart of the Medusa Cascade, it is said to have burned there throughout time and been there since before time. His name burns with the stars and will live on forever"
Abi turned to the Doctor's enraged face, noticing this she became cautious of him "Sound about right?"
Through clenched teeth he replied "Yep"
She nodded and turned back to the ship
"But how do you know that? No computer has that knowledge, none should"
She ran her hand through her hair, blocking out everyone.
"Okay do a masters delete, on all data concerning the Doctors real name"
"Unable to"
"Okaaayy" Drawing out the word, "Lock the files, lock everything" She goes up the steps, turning her back on everyone else, "Keep that name hidden at all costs, no one gets that info from you, understand?"
"Even you?" Some human emotion bleeding through the ships monotone voice.
Abi glanced the groups questioning looks. "Yes"
A moment passed, both Abi and the Doctors eyes locking, sharing a silent conversation
"Files master locked"
An uncontrollable sigh escaped her lips, "Good"
Attempting to neutralize the tension, Rose asked "Where are we"
"On a ship" The Doctor replied with a false cheerfulness that Abi knew she would have to deal with later,
"Yeah, I know that but where, what planet?"
Abi glanced at her "We're not on a planet, we're orbiting one, screens up"
The wall that previously showed Abi the info slid up. The group soon forgot about the unanswered questions and uncomfortable tension and just gazed at the scenery, the view showed a beautifully coloured planet seemingly floating in the dark space, with stars, effortlessly dotted around it.
"I never have the time to look at this, suppose I should" Abi sighed longingly, she glanced back at the Doctor knowing he was already staring at her, "It really is beautiful" He just nodded. "Sky, let them go"
The cylindrical light vanished and immediately the group wandered around, the Doctor more than most. But the interrogation was continued by Jack.
"So what are you doing on a ship, orbiting a planet?"
"That's a question for another day" She winked at him, he seemed to accept that but the Doctor didn't
"But why are you here and not down there?" Again they were interrupted,
"INCOMING MESSAGE FROM DASDRE"
"Put him on" Abi smiled, knowing who was calling
"Abi!"
"Mister President" She mockingly saluted as the group gathered around the projection of a youngish man
"Are you okay, I picked up a breach up there, intruders?"
"Oh it's okay, they're nice"
"Nice intruders?"
"Well, they haven't tried to kill me yet so yeah nice"
"You shouldn't prejudge, remember what happened with Leonardo Da-"
"That wasn't my fault, he had it coming, and I told him the paint wasn't safe"
She suddenly got all defensive but her smile was a setback. Jack had enough of being bewildered, as did everyone else
"What does that mean?" he exclaimed
"Oh, I see you have company, he's nice, not my type though"
"It's not like that and you know it"
"All the same, have fun" The man ended the conversation with a teasing grin before disconnecting the call. Abi giggled to herself before looking up to meet everyone's cold and questioning stares.
"Yeah okay questions, how about this, you know 21 questions right, I'll go round, when I can't or won't answer a question I'll just go onto the next person, deal?" She was met by nods.
"Right, Doctor?"
"How do you know that my name is dangerous?"
"I was raised by an all knowing ship, Jack?"
"Why were you raised by an all knowing ship?"
"Well, this is my home, I was born here, Rose?"
"Where's your family?" Abi took a moment to realise how human her question was before answering.
"Dead, Doctor?"
"How did they die?"
"Air borne disease, Jack?"
"Why didn't you die?"
"It didn't affect me, Rose?"
"Why?"
"I'm a different species, Doctor?"
"What species are you?"
"Dunno, Jack?"
"What were you and your family doing on this ship?"
"…Rose?"
"What does this ship do?"
"…Doctor?"
"Can you fly away?"
"Yes, Jack?"
"Will you?"
"No, Rose?"
"Why?"
"…."
The Doctor asked the question playing on everyone's mind, "What are you doing to the people?"
Abi just stared at his aggression as if trying to tell him without words, though the Doctor couldn't see the sadness in her eyes Rose could, and she'd be damned if she let Abi go through the Oncoming Storm façade before talking to her first.
"Where's the toilet?" Abi smiled at her as if she was waiting for the question to come up, "Down that hall, first left, second right, three doors on your left, go past the arch, around the waterfall, third door on your right"
Rose gaped at her before shaking her head, "Nope you're showin' me", without permission she lightly grabbed Abi down the hall, leaving the guys to inspect the ship.
Jack observed the Doctor's frustration, "You know she's unbelievably hot"
"Of course you would say that" He brushed him off, though Jack laughed him,
"You hate the ignorance she's put you in"
"She's hiding something, she could be hurting people so no I don't trust her"
"And yet you trust her enough to let her go off with Rose in an indefinite sized ship" Jack grinned devilishly knowing he stumped the Doctor.
"Ohh…, well okay so I know she won't hurt her, but doesn't it annoy you, she's hiding something"
"What, a girl can't have secrets?"
The Doctor shook his head, "It's more than that, it's like there's something she has to hide, behind her eyes there something deeper, I mean I should know, I was like her once"
"When?"
"The Time War, I told you about what I did so believe me I know what pain looks like and I see it in her eyes"
"She may not want you to look, you considered that?"
"Yes"
"And?"
"I wanna look, haa!" He seemed to find what he was looking for,
"Is that the ship internal security based system?"
"Yep, it's basically Sky's data, can you check the screen I'm gonna override it, find out more about our little friend"
The screen shows a variety of secure locks with some files more locked than others, but two files seem to carry the most locks, one was the Doctor's info, the other was named Abi's personal files
"Anything happening up there"
"Nah no movement, she's good at this, clever" "Clearly," the Doctor was gradually getting frustrated
"What about now?"
"Nothing"
"Ughh!"
Jack simply laughed "That's amazing, she is brilliant, that is so not human knowledge"
"I think we've established that I'm not human" Jack turned to see Abi's in a change of clothes, she was now wearing a denim jumpsuit with converses, she smiled and then giggled when the Doctor ungracefully bumped his head. Jack was still wary of her, unaware of her reaction to finding them snooping through her records, the Doctor groaned.
"Where's Rose?"
"Here! This place is massive, seriously it's bigger than your Tardis any day"
"Oi!" Abi internally laughed at their husband-wife argument, and noticed that Jack was smiling probably thinking the same thing, their eyes locked for a second before the Doctor interrupted.
"You're good with security"
She scoffed, "And yet your box was able to get past my security barriers"
"Well, I'm pretty sure you focused more on the security of your files than the security of your ship, can't think why" There was just a hint of sarcasm that Abi picked up on, she raised her eyebrows before continuing,
"Yeah, you won't be able to get through to the file, I made sure of that"
The both of them glared at each other both unaware of whether or not the other was actually serious, after what seemed like an age, Jack groaned,
"So how big is this thing?"
Taking her eyes off the Doctor to answer she replied, "No idea, but its massive, invisible and undetectable" She boasted, much to amusement of Jack and Rose.
"Do them below know about you?"
"Just the highest authorities, wouldn't want any panic, come, I wanna show you something"
Without a pause for the answers she turned and walked off, Rose and Jack hot on her heels and the Doctor almost by her side, they chatted effortlessly whilst taking in their surroundings, the group crossed paths and bridges that had no place being on a ship. It didn't take them long to get to their destination. Abi lead them to a large room, it was in a nutshell an earth apartment, with beds, kitchens, televisions, games, and all in all it was a very human area in comparison to the rest of the ship. But what made it brilliant was the lower level, it was a grand hall, with was could essentially be called a water park if it wasn't so quiet and dull.
"Blimey" Rose gaped at her surroundings
"Is this all for you?" Jack questioned, just as amazed. Abi scratched the back of her neck, "I guess so, but I never use it"
"Why?"
"I'm guessing she's not around much" The Doctor stated this simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Her wrist"
On her wrist was a vortex manipulator that seemed to be "tweaked" a bit, but for what reason none of them, even the Doctor could fathom.
"Doesn't look like my one" Jack murmured, comparing it to his one,
"I imagine it's been 'tweaked', why?"
He turned to Abi, but she gave him a sad smile before turning to Rose and Jack.
"So?"
"So what?"
"Do ya wanna stay for a bit, cos I know already, Ears over there isn't letting this go so might as well sleep in style"
The Doctor protectively covered his ear, hurt at the comment.
"I wanna stay, definitely" Rose said almost immediately, followed by Jack nodding of his head
"Explore guys, Sky will help you will almost anything,", she turned to the Doctor, "I guess you wanna talk"
