A/N: Don't ask me how the Doctor got into this situation, as it's probably a very long story, involving several close calls with death. Inspired by a scene from The Sunmakers. Reviews welcome, constructive criticism is appreciated!
"Queen to nine-six." Said Caan, his eyestalk swiveling to study the position of the chess pieces. Clara moved the carved wooden piece to the correct square.
"That?" She asked, slightly bored with the monotonous game. The Dalek's eyestalk bobbed.
"Affirmative."
The Doctor chuckled, moving his bishop and taking Caan's queen.
"Even simple one-dimensional chess exposes the limitation of the mutant mind," He said, rising with a laugh at his victory. With the Dalek's queen taken, there was little else Caan could do.
"Bishop to queen-six." Said Caan, unfazed by the Doctor's gloating. Clara sighed, wondering how long the game would last.
"Miss?" The Dalek pressed, snapping Clara out of her daydreaming. She moved the piece in question.
"That?" She asked.
"Affirmative." Said Caan, his eyestalk swiveling to look at the Doctor. "Check, Doctor."
The Time Lord frowned, pausing in his gloating. "What?" He asked incredulously.
"Mutant mind determines mate, in six moves." Caan rasped. Clara laughed at the mutant's mockery of the Doctor's earlier statement.
"Rubbish!" The Doctor cried, sitting down again to study the chessboard. Clara noticed something on the TARDIS console, and frowned.
"Doctor—" She began, but the Time Lord cut her off.
"Clara, keep still."
"But Doctor—"
"And shut up, I'm trying to concentrate!"
Clara sighed at the oblivious Doctor. Caan's dome top swiveled towards the Time Lord.
"Your move, Doctor."
"I know it's my move, don't flash your lights at me." The Doctor snapped. He placed his piece on the appropriate square.
"Wrong square." Caan said. The Doctor glared at him.
"What?"
"Your king, Doctor. Wrong square."
"Really, you sure?"
"Affirmative."
"Doctor, can I speak now?" Clara asked. The Doctor sighed, staring at the chessboard.
"Alright, if you must. What is it?" He said. Clara pointed to the console.
"Well, the column has stopped moving."
"So?" Asked the Doctor, still distracted by the chessboard.
"It's not important?" Clara asked. The Doctor leaped up, nearly slamming into the Dalek as he skidded to the console.
"WHAT?!" He shouted. "We might've gone right through the time spiral, why didn't you tell me?"
"Well, I tried to, but you wouldn't listen!" Clara argued.
"You didn't!" The Doctor shot back.
"I did!"
"You didn't!
"I did!"
"You didn't!"
"I DID!"
"It's that confounded paint, it's always jamming things up!" The Doctor growled. "Stay calm!"