So I already wrote a prologue for this, and then I decided to go in a completely different direction. This is the result. Enjoy!
"Dr. Greene, are you reading me? We have Dr. Rema on the frequency. The Council has urgent matters to discuss with you both. Please respond."
Dr. Leyla Greene shifted the paperwork she'd been working on all morning off to the side of her desk and pressed a button on her holophone. Instantly, a split-screen image of the ruling Council, resplendent in their traditional crimson robes and her colleague, Dr. Anwar Rema appeared before her. "Blessed Morning to you, gentlemen. What can I help you with?"
Spokesperson Rowan began quickly. "We have received word from our scouts that the Black are on the move. They are hungry and restless. It is safe to assume that they will target us once again and will not make the same mistakes. They will be stronger and more numerous and we must prepare."
Leyla felt all the blood drain from her face. Even after so many years and so many history lessons, her heart still clenched in fear simply hearing the Black's name.
"How can we be positive that the Black will attack?" Dr. Rema asked, mirroring one of the many questions that had been racing through Leyla's mind. He appeared calm, though the high-quality resolution on her new holophone showed the barely perceptible paling of his already light skin.
"General Halal seems to think it is a distinct possibility. We leave nothing to chance. Dr. Greene, are the pods ready?"
Leyla took a deep breath, calming down enough to answer. "They're…functional. There is just no way of knowing how long they will last. We are still testing the half-life of the…"
"Keep going," Rowan commanded. "Remember our motto…"
"Stay Alive," Leyla recited. "I know, sir."
"And Anwar? How are the shields?"
"We've been able to reinforce the smaller ones around the essential buildings," Anwar replied quickly, shuffling papers and folders around on his desk. "The shield around the island is still functional but it is proving…difficult…to reinforce such a large space. It will hold up as is for a short while…"
"Enough to give the citizens time to get to the pods?"
He coughed. "We…hope so, sir."
"Do more than hope, Doctor," Rowan snapped. "Stay. Alive."
"Yes, Spokesperson."
Rowan sighed. "We will be starting emergency drills with the citizens. And I want you both, as project leaders, to be well-versed in Operation Lost protocol. Should General Halal give the order, I want you to be able to follow the instructions to the letter."
Leyla swallowed. Operation Lost was the absolute last resort. If the Council was even considering it, then the situation was dire indeed.
"We have sent for an expert to help aid us along. Our fastest ship should bring him within the next seven cycles. Be advised, he is an off-worlder and may be unfamiliar with many aspects of our culture. But we have been assured he is well worth our time."
"Yes, sir," Leyla answered. "I look forward to receiving him."
"Very well. I will leave you to your duties, the Council must resume the daily schedule. Blessed morning, Dr. Greene, Dr. Rema."
"Spokesperson Rowan," the two scientists chimed simultaneously. The image of the Council blinked off, and Leyla immediately removed her glasses and pressed the heels of her hands against her brow. She could feel a dull, throbbing ache building, and the last thing she wanted to do was more research, more testing, and more equations.
"Don't hurt yourself, Leyla," Anwar scolded gently. "Such lovely, rare dark eyes should be cherished, not abused."
Leyla cracked said eyes open and managed a weak smile. She hadn't realized the image of her colleague was still transmitting. "You flatter me." Sighing, she rested her cheek in her hand and let some of weariness show. "Do you really think we can do this?"
Anwar let some of his professional façade slide and gave her a warm smile. "If anyone can, it's you, Leyla."
"Your vote of confidence is noted, Anwar," Leyla grinned back.
"Have you considered my invitation to supper this evening?"
Leyla's smile wavered a bit. "I expect you and I will be working late for the next few cycles."
He sighed. "Yes, I expect you're right. Back to my stuffy, dusty tomes."
"Me as well," Leyla sighed. "If you need anything…"
"You are on the top of my list."
"And you on mine," she added gently. "I will talk to you soon, Anwar."
He smiled at her and ended the transmission. Rejuvenated, Leyla shrugged her white coat on over her simple black skirt and blouse and headed into the lab to continue her work.
"So what you're saying is," Rose grinned at the Doctor as he danced around the TARDIS console. "You have no idea where we've ended up?"
"Absolutely no clue," the Doctor grinned back at Rose, who was draped across the jumpseat, looking relaxed. Looking as if she owned the place.
Well, the Doctor thought with a small smile. I suppose she does…sort of…
"So the planet out there," Rose gestured to the door. "Could be populated entirely by lizard creatures with really, really sharp teeth? Or maybe by sweet, cuddly woodland animals? And we're just gonna…go on out?"
"The TARDIS would never take us somewhere unsafe," the Doctor reasoned. "She absolutely adores you despite the fact that you leave your trainers where anyone can trip over them. She would put up a huge fuss if I let anything happen to you. Not worth the hassle. Now, Rose Tyler…would you care to do the honors?"
Rose beamed at him and hopped nimbly off the jumpseat. She made for the doors and cracked one open, gasping in delight at the scene it revealed. They were outside of what seemed to be a massive, walled-in city. She could just make out small vehicles hovering above the ivory and gold walls. The TARDIS itself had landed on a white-sand beach, and opposite the walls, all she could see was endless blue ocean. What appeared to be palm trees swayed gently in the warm breeze, and the sun was nearly blinding in its intensity.
"Doctor," Rose called from the door. "You should really come and see this."
The Doctor moved down the ramp to stand behind Rose, peeking out of the doors and grinning brilliantly. "Oh, but this is gorgeous! Our own little tropical paradise! I wonder where we are…" He took in a deep breath through his nose before crouching down to gather a bit of the sand. Rose gaped at him as his tongue reached out to analyze the sample. "Hmmm…seems that we are on Earth, looks to be at least a few centuries in your future judging by those lovely hovercrafts. Shall I go check the coordinates? Or do you want to be surprised?" He regarded Rose with a wag of his eyebrows and a gleefully mischievous smile.
Rose couldn't help but return his expression. His enthusiasm was catching. "Oh go on…you know you want to."
The Doctor's smile widened as he squeezed her shoulder affectionately and darted over the check the monitor. Immediately, his specs were on his nose and he was peering at the monitor as if he'd never seen it before.
"What?" he sputtered. "That's impossible!"
"Doctor?" Rose asked, moving quickly to stand next to him, even though she couldn't make heads or tails of the loopy, concentric circles of his written language. "What does it say?"
"It can't be right! There's got to be an error somewhere!" he began furiously tapping at keys and even slapped the monitor angrily a few times before the TARDIS hummed a warning note.
"What's going on, Doctor?" Rose demanded, his behavior making her feel a bit panicked. "Tell me!"
The Doctor turned to look at her, completely distressed. "Rose," he began. "Outside those doors, it is the year 7500 B.C.E. Those are flying vehicles. In the year 7500 B.C.E. And according to these coordinates, we should be floating in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!"