AN:

First story posted in a couple of years! It starts off slow, so hang on for a few chapters.

"Well Doctor, you've managed to take me to a new height of humiliation." Peri crossed her arms with her face still red. Her hair was tangled and her new dress was caked in blood and dirt.

"Hey, you're not the only one!" The Doctor was just as bad, but with his coat too bright and complex it was virtually unnoticeable. "If anything you should learn from today."

"Learn what? You're the one that started it all."

"Exactly! If you had followed what I was doing we wouldn't have been pummeled."

"Follow what you were doing? As far as I can tell, you were yelling out some conspiracy theory and using me as a shield when people began rioting."

The Doctor sighed. "Well, the Metebelis 3 isn't the most hospitable planet out there, I must admit. But you need to ignore what others think about you and do what you feel is right!"

"You're one to talk, rainbow boy." Peri groaned. "I'll be changing if you need me." She walked off, still fuming over the Doctor's little "incident" involving a so-called oncoming invasion. The results were something similar to throwing tomatoes at a mediocre performer, except with more violence.

"Come out when you're done, Peri," said the Doctor as she disappeared. "I'll find a place much friendlier for you." He hovered over the TARDIS console and typed in coordinates as if he had them memorized and practiced. With the pull of a lever and a thump on the console, the TARDIS dematerialized and they were off.

A few minutes later, right as they landed, Peri walked in wearing blue knee-length shorts and a very low-cut T-shirt. She was in a much better mood after getting cleaned up. "So where to this time?"

The Doctor double-checked the coordinates. "Lithios Caleia, a human colony."

"Let's get out there, then." Peri smiled and walked out the door right when the Doctor opened it. Her smile immediately disappeared. "Uh, Doctor, I think you messed up again."

The Doctor joined her outside and surveyed the barren land around them. "No, this is the right place. Off a couple years, perhaps, but the terrain is definitely unique to this planet."

Peri bent down and picked up a sample of dark purple and burgundy pebbles. "What kind of terrain is this, anyway? I've never seen anything like it."

"Those are minerals, Peri. This planet is filled with them. I'd say the majority of the population consists of miners."

"Well where are they? I don't see anyone around."

Peri took a few steps forward to detect any signs of life and, not looking where she was going, slid down a hill into a deep hollow. She tried to climb out, but it was too steep and there was no stable ground to hold onto. "Doctor!"

The Doctor went to the edge of the hill, which could almost be considered a mountain, and looked down at Peri. "Don't worry! I'll be right down!"

He took a stake and a line of rope out of his jacket and stuck the stake deep into the ground. Then, he tied the rope around it and hung it down so Peri could climb.

Peri reached up for the rope, but it was too high, even when she jumped. "Doctor, move it closer! I can't reach!"

The Doctor tilted the stake in hopes that it would lower the rope just enough for her to grab on, but it came loose and fell to the ground beside Peri. Seeing Peri's frustration, he decided to try something else. He slid down the hill the same way she did, but with more control, and soon stood next to her. He picked up the stake and aimed it at the top of the mountain, then threw it up. To their dismay, it just fell down again.

"Oh well," said the Doctor with an optimistic view. "There must be another way out of here."

Together, they searched the hollow – or was it a crater? – for anything that could let them out. Who knew it was so big? It must have been the size of an entire city. Peri stopped when she felt something heavier underneath the small rocks. She bent down and brushed the pebbles aside to reveal a metal plate. "Hey Doctor, come look at this."

The Doctor went over to her to see what she found. He pushed her aside and bent down to observe her discover. "It's a metal door. Magnificent job, Peri, I think you have just found a way to civilization." He smiled at her and tugged at the cold handle. "Do me a favor and help me with this."

Peri grabbed the handle with him and with their combined strength they opened the door to a ladder. Peri went down first, eager to see where this went, and the Doctor followed. They found themselves in an elevator made with plain steel and with only up and down arrows for buttons. She was disappointed with how boring it was; she was expecting something more interesting and exotic, but this turned out to be worse than the ones in shabby apartment buildings. The Doctor wasn't as let down, or didn't show it. He simply pressed the down arrow and they fell down below the surface of the planet.