INTERCISION (part 1)

A strange planet, a Time Lord facing regeneration. The Doctor answers a distress call, but is all as it seems?

"How many times have I needed to fix you?", The Doctor said exasperated.

Her reply was a loud, if not annoyed, swoosh echoing from deep within the metal walls and floor.

She was currently in the underbowles of the Tardis, balancing herself on a makeshift hammock seat. Coils and wires hung around her like great fat vines, as she carefully fixed various pieces into the underside of the console.

"Mind you", said The Doctor, "Two-thousand years with only one rider. I reckon you've done good.

The Tardis gave a few chirps and beeps above her.

Suddenly her beeps were immediately replaced by the sound of a loud, booming cloister bell.

"What?"

The Doctor lifted up her goggles and peered upwards past the rafters, her face scrunched up in confusion.

She didn't have time to say anymore before she was jerked off the hammock as another loud BOOM shook the Tardis. The engines roared into life as the Tardis' crystal's flared, and the central console began spark and hum.

Desperately trying to stay balanced, The Doctor crawled her way up the stairs, the Tardis shaking so much it was hard for her to stand.

"Yaz! Ryan! Graham!", she cried, suddenly remembering her friends and praying for their safety. Only then a second later she remembered that they were at home. Yaz was visiting family, Graham had also gone home to sort some business out, and Ryan had gone with him.

That meant The Doctor was off on another adventure. Alone. Without her companions this time.

Pushing herself unsteadily onto her feet she grabbed hold of the console.

"Stop it stop it stop it!", she cried. She clasped hold of the central lever, holding on with all her strength.

But the Tardis seemed out of control as The Doctor's hand was immediately thrown off, nearly throwing The Doctor to fall to the floor again. She half leaned, half sat, on the console as the entire room shook more and more and the clanging got louder and louder.

Then all at once, and with a very loud and violent thud, everything became still.

The Doctor looked up from her position and observed the damage. Thankfully there wasn't much. A few crystals were cracked although the Tardis could fix those up, and the console itself still seemed to be intact, including the biscuit dispenser. Thank goodness she chose not to have bookshelves anymore!

"What was that all about, hey?", she asked concerned.

She stroked the central crystal column gently. Something was wrong. Her girl never acted like this. Well she did, sometimes, but that didn't count her suddenly taking off and making all this noise. Something had upset her greatly.

Gingerly she got down from the console and hurried round to one of the monitors. "Where have you taken me this time girl?", she asked.

A few beeps, faster than normal, answered her, as the Doctor spun the monitor round and tried to make sense of it. On the screen flashed a planet, with information about its climate, soil, and temperature. A slightly cool planet, probably would need her coat for this one.

"Destrax", The Doctor said. The name sounded smooth on her tongue.

"There's a distress call!", she announced. She pressed the flashing icon on the screen. The Doctor took a moment to focus on what it said, then her face fell, and she took a swift step back from the console.

"No…no that's not possible. There's a Time Lord here!"

Her palms were sweating. She had spent many years thinking she had burnt her home planet, Gallifrey, to ashes in the Time War. Thankfully that had not been the case, however getting back there was not the easiest nor the most welcome party. She recalled her previous incarnation, forced to go through the Confession Dial, as an act of mockery by the Time Lords and Rassilon. She recalled the joy of seeing her people, the Gallifreyans, once more, as they stood by her - him - a high admired leader and hero.

Of course, many more things happened…including trying to save a certain friend from death…

No, she wasn't going to think about that anymore. It would only just hurt. And that event was far behind her now.

Yet there was still the dwelling fact at the back of her mind that this should still be impossible. Gallifrey was now all the way on the other side of the universe, hidden, trying to rebuild and prosper with a new-found hope. It would not be likely for a Time Lord to be anywhere else.

And yet of course, with Gallifrey now alive, it was still possible….

"Missy? Master?", The Doctor whispered her old frenemie's names.

Yes that was a possibility. Who else would it be? And yet something about a distress signal from someone like them? No that didn't sit right. Oh this was very confusing!

Mind still reeling, she turned her head to the Tardis doors. Somewhere, out there, was the answers. And more than likely danger.

A series of loud chirps and beeps brought The Doctor back to attention. She turned back and looked up at the central crystal.

"You really want me to go out there?"

She couldn't help the devilish grin that appeared on her face. Unanswered questions was scary, yes. But scary meant something unexplained, new, and exciting!

Dashing back down to the Tardis' underside (and grumbling at the mess), she grabbed her coat, threw it on with a flourish, then dashed back up the stairs. She gave the console one final pat.

"Keep the doors locked until I get back", she smiled.

Then, without looking back, she threw open the Tardis doors, and stepped outside.