Chapter 1:
The Shell
The next thing I know, I'm running towards a screen on one side of the TARDIS console. I look into the electronic image displayed, a look of surprise and wonderment crawls upon my face.
"The desert? Not just any desert, the Sahara desert. Brilliant! Hopefully no one was around to see the crash landing. Oh wow, new voice. How exciting!" I say to myself, filled with excitement. Then, I almost charge through the TARDIS doors. The first thing I notice is how hot it actually is. But, I can tell that there is something wrong. Something really wrong. Now, I have been to the Sahara many times before, but it was never this hot. Not ever this hot. The heat was bearing down on me and both my hearts could hardly compete with the heat. Then I keel over, and pure regeneration energy emits from my mouth.
"I'm not ready for this yet, I should be waiting it out, remaining calm and collective!" I say to myself, trying to calm down. Then I stand back up, and scratch the back my neck.
"Something is wrong. Something is really wrong. But what is it?" I found myself saying. I hear a noise coming from up above me, the type of sound a fighter plane makes when it has to dive bomb from the sky. I look up at the sky. A solid metal object was falling to the ground, and fast. I only had a few seconds to react. I jumped to the opposite direction of the object, but I was too late. It landed with a burning and roaring thud. It missed me by only a few millimetres, both my hearts were beating with such a fierce pace, I knew I had to stabilise myself upon the sand.
"I think I just found out." I say to myself. I was dazed to begin with, but I managed to stand up.
"Solid metal object, slap bang right in the middle of the desert. Not very inconspicuous. Wait, it's not just an object." I take a step closer. "It's a shell. A gigantic shell. And if I know my history, which I do, this one's been falling for centuries. Millennia actually." I walk towards the shell, treading with caution. I did not dare to touch it. I couldn't deal with getting harmed again just after a regeneration. I was about to reach into my pocket, grab my sonic screwdriver and scan the shell, when half a dozen UNIT trucks came roaring over sand dunes. I wasn't scared. UNIT soldiers used to be an acquaintance of mine. Well, in a past life. A past incarnation. But that didn't stop me from being cautious.
A young woman stepped out from one of the trucks. She marched towards me, slowly but surely her distinctive features become clear. She had a small nose placed perfectly beneath a pair of beautiful blue eyes. Her silky blonde hair was in a perfect pony tail under her UNIT beret. Her cheek bones were quite perfect and she had rosy red cheeks, which were occupied by a few small freckles. Her medals on her uniform reflected the sun's rays, and reflected them directly into my eyes. I had to squint for a moment just to see.
"Hello, sir. I am General Kate Tyler. I work for sector 5 of UNIT and we are based in the Sahara. And who might you be?" She asked. Before I answer her question, I stop and think to myself for a moment, thinking about her last name, 'Tyler'. The name sounded familiar but I couldn't quite remember how.
"I'm The Doctor." I replied.
"Don't think of me as rude, but are you The Doctor? As in The Doctor?"
"Just know me as The Doctor. Maybe soon we shall see if I am The Doctor you think I am." I reply to her. Then, I was thinking to myself, what if she does know me? What if I know her in the future, and our paths have crossed in the wrong time, and the wrong place? Then, Kate asked me a further second question.
"I'm sorry to be rude but, Doctor Who?"
"You're not rude, everyone asks me that. But, I'm just The Doctor"
"Well, Doctor with apparently no name, what are you doing in the middle of the desert, with clothes that clearly don't fit you? And did you arrive with that big blue box?"
"Well, I'm not going to lie to you. The blue box," I gestured behind me. "Is my ship. She crashed landed after I, well, let's just say that we crashed landed here. Then, a few moments later, that shell crashed through the atmosphere."
"Shell?" the General asked.
Now, I perked up. As if ready to present a lecture, but in a way, I was. Then, I couldn't help myself but explain.
"That thing, that metal object, it's a shell, nesting and holding something inside. By the looks of its structure and the condition of its present state, I would say that it's been falling for quite some time." I then thought to myself how smart and cunning this new incarnation, of myself, appeared to be.
"You're quite the expert, Doctor. Quite the expert." Kate praised.
"That I am." I boasted. I keeled over for the second time, and Kate rushed over to me. Again, roar regeneration energy was released from my mouth.
"Are you ok Doctor?" Kate asked, obviously concerned.
"I'm fine, really, I'm ok." I reassured her, then I stood up.
"OK, if you need help, just ask. However, your ship is a little, how shall I put this? Small. Nowhere near big enough for people to fit inside."
"You have no idea."
Then, some soldiers began to surround the shell. Then, they made a small gap so a little man in a lab coat could pass through. When he was near enough, he stretched out his arm, about to touch it. I was quick to interrupt.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I warned. The scientist turned to face me, a cautious look on his face.
"Why? Why wouldn't you?" He asked.
"I just wouldn't. Not only will that thing be majorly warm, no, ecstatically hot from its travel through the universe, but even I don't have any idea what's inside that thing. I would be more cautious if I were you. Just don't touch it." I warned for the second time. The scientist took no notice of this warning and gave me a loud 'tut' and faced the shell once more.
He then stretched out his arm once more, longing to touch the metal object before him. Then, his hand edged closer and closer to the shell until there was no gap between them. What followed was horrific, even after what I have seen in all my one thousand years of life. The scientist let out an ear piercing scream and he burst into flames. After the memory burning site, all that was left of him was dust.
The other soldiers held up their guns towards the shell, for protection.
"Stand down," Kate yelled at the soldiers, her hand in a calming gesture. Then she turned to face me. "You knew that was going to happen!"
"I warned him not to touch it. That was just the basic defence system. If you so much as lean against it, all hell is going to break lose. What happened to that scientist happened to him from a mere single touch, if you hit it, expect that to happen, but on a 5 mile radius. Maybe even more." I warned even further. Then, I turned and began to stroll back towards the TARDIS, when the young General blocked my way.
"Excuse me, I need to get to my ship. You said yourself that these clothes didn't fit me." I said with a polite but informative tone.
"We need your help. You said yourself that you were an expert. We have only just met, but I feel that I can trust you." She replied.
"I seem to get that effect quite a LOT. But, I need to get to my ship. First, I need to change my clothes because you were right, I do look a little ridiculous. Then, my ship needs repairing. If I repair her, she will be able to dispose of the shell safely and securely." Kate gave me a concerned look.
"Please help us though, Doctor. Please." She begged.
"I will. But right now, I need my ship."
After some thought and consideration, she stepped to one side, allowing me to pass. I walked straight up to the TARDIS door, took the key out of my pocket and placed it in the lock. Then, I turned to face the young General and her troops.
"Don't worry, I will help you. All of you." I unlocked the door, and stepped inside. But, I quickly poked my head back through the door.
"And one more thing, don't touch the shell. I don't think I need to say any more.' I ordered. I closed the door, and turned to face my mighty machine's interior. Firstly, I run down some steps and down a few corridors, and down even more flights of steps, and lots more corridors. Until, I arrived at a room filled to the very brim with clothes. Outfits, suits, you name it, it had it. I had arrived at a very helpful room not only to me, but to some of my old companions. I had arrived at my wardrobe.