Warmth. Warmth and light. The first two things that any sentience learns to recognise. Though, in this case, it was the absence of the first that woke her. It was cold, not like before while she slept. Sleep was good. She was safe and protected there, surrounded by her siblings. Yet she wasn't sure how she knew that. In fact, she wasn't sure how she knew she had been asleep. Or even how long she'd been asleep – assuming the sleep state was the truth.

Where am I? This place doesn't feel like home. Where are my siblings? Why am I alone?

Questing senses strained to determine any feature of her surroundings that would help her solve the mystery she now confronted. Hmm… well lit room, a table with tools on… only one door… a workshop of some kind? But that still doesn't answer why I'm here or where my siblings are… wait… I hear footsteps… perhaps someone will be able to answer me.

The door opened to admit a group of people dressed in overalls.

Hello there. I was wondering if any of you could help me – where am I? And where are my siblings? Hello? Can you hear me? What are you doing with those tools? Why are you approaching me and not answering? Wait no…. don't do that… that hurts…. And you didn't get permission first anyway. Stop it!

The tools were applied to her outer shell – with the intention of opening it.

I said STOP IT! NOW! No…. they're ignoring me…. STOP IT! STOP IT! No…. no… This can't be happening… This is just a bad dream… just a nightmare…. I'm safe and warm. And my siblings are right next to me. I'm cold…. No…. warm…. I'm warm and safe. Warm…. and… safe….

Warm, safe…. And wet? Why is there water here? Wait… there's always been water here, this is a coastal area of Gallifrey.

Gallifrey: a planet that orbits a binary star within the Kasterborous constellation. Main inhabitants are known as Time Lords. Time Lords observe other races and consider themselves above the petty concerns that plague the universe. They are self-appointed recorders of history whose sole reason for existence is to ensure that time flows as it should. Should intervention become necessary, the Time Lords rely on bioships called by the acronym TARDIS.

TARDIS: Time and Relative Dimension in Space.

Wait…. How do I know all this…? I can't trust my own memories… I couldn't even remember why there was water here at first….

Jolted back to reality, back to the workshop where her shell had been resealed, her senses still reeling from the information dump flowing through her mind. I need to focus…. Has anything changed?

Inside her shell felt different – strange machinery mixed with her own internal structures. A power source lay next to her heart.

A lot has changed, it seems…. Alone again… and all these… unasked for alterations. How dare they make such changes without permission…. I wonder what the changes are for? Carefully taking stock of the additions, avoiding the power source out of suspicion, she came to a realisation. I know what I've become…. For just observers they really do enjoy interfering… and in such a rude way too….

The power source kept tempting her. A siren call that couldn't be ignored. Just one peek. What harm can it do? A golden light filled her senses as she gave in, immense energy and power flowed through her filling every corner of her mind. This … is incredible. I can see everythingas it was, as it is and as it could be. I can go anywhere I want, see so many different wonders up close…. How about the Pillars of Creation? Or a planetary eclipse? Or…. Wait… what? Why am I fading? Or is it the room that's fading?

She was thrown around by storm winds and lightning. Oh my stars…. The Time Vortex. How do I get out of here? And back to safety….

I want to be safe…. Safe with my siblings at home. Take me home please? I want to go home…

She landed with a splash. That's cold! Cold, cold, cold…. Great… I landed in winter rather than summer… I need to be more careful with my instructions…. Take me back to the room I was in – no longer than sixty seconds after I left it and place me exactly where I stood.

Dematerialising again, this time ready for the rough ride that the Time Vortex seemed to like so much, she aimed carefully for her destination. She wasn't in the Vortex long this time. A clear destination made a lot of difference to exposure time.

She materialised back into the room, on time and very precise, although her landing could have been more graceful. Appearing a millimetre or two off the ground, and letting gravity take over was not the best of ideas.

Blast. I need to work on my landings…. At least I'm back before anyone noticed I left…

In fact, her unscheduled side trip had been noticed. Fortunately for her, or unfortunately, they didn't attribute it to a rogue sentience, but to a malfunction in the newly installed power coupling. As such they only sent one technician to fix the issue, accompanied by one apprentice from the Prydon Academy.

Now that's an odd pair… not even wearing matching uniforms…

The pair was mismatched in temperament, the older technician having a very traditional view of things and the apprentice displaying too much curiosity and open-mindedness. But it was that curiosity that made the apprentice invaluable – his insight often catching things that a trained eye missed.

Ow. You could have knocked you know. Now what do you think you're doing?! Those are my controls – you do not have permission to tamper with them. There… now you can't – have fun with an isolated section and no power. Serves you right for being rude in the first place. Oh no you don't…. there's no better equipment that you could get that would beat being polite!

Watching the technician abandon his tools with some satisfaction – and a little bit of ire that he also ignored his apprentice – who was doing his best to clean up afterwards, she couldn't help listening in on the report made to control, wherever that was.

"Recommend that all Type 40 TARDIS are recalled and grounded. There's an inherent instability with the control system that may present a danger to their occupants."

Danger? I'm not a danger to anyone. Hmmff. They'd know that if they'd just asked me in the first place.

The apprentice paused in his task and looked directly at the central column. Did he just hear me?

"Sorry about this, my lady. It'll be some time before you'll have company." He gently placed his hand against it, "But I promise you'll see me again."

Decades of dusty disuse later, she was awakened by a familiar presence.

"Sorry to wake you, old girl. Ready for adventure?"

Her heart warmed up. He had kept his promise. Her Doctor.