Chapter One -
The TARDIS hung there in the vortex, between space and void, life and death, spinning in a motion that gave it the look of being totally at home, with its blue light flashing rhythmically on top. Inside a sound of laughter came from down one of the long narrow passageways, and was echoing off the walls in the main control room. Suddenly a light started flashing. A single red light flashing on then off, on then off, in a sort of rhythm warning in some greatly understated way of what huge dangers were to come. The laughter died down slightly at the same time as getting slightly louder, as Rose and the Doctor waltzed into the control room dressed up as pirates, with hooks, and even a stuffed parrot on the doctor's shoulder.
"Now I promised you a real pirate and that what you'll get. Right now where were we..."
The doctor stopped in mid sentence.
"Hello there…!"
He had caught sight of this one insignificant flashing light and wondering what it meant tapped the screen on the console repeatedly trying to get the reading he needed. Rose just stood back and let him work his magic. She had never really understood the console; it seemed to change every time she saw it, just showing the gadgets or parts that were needed at that time. Even now as she looked at it she could have sworn there was never a fluorescent green light bulb shaped thing there before.
After what felt like minutes he exclaimed "Aha!" in his usual Einstein impression and started bouncing round the console, one just had to wonder how he always seemed to have so much energy even when he never seemed to sleep. He stopped for a moment in thought, then started again even more manically. It was such a strange sight that Rose just had to butt in and find out what all the excitement was about, after all she wasn't about to let herself be left out.
"Ok, ok what is it, its just a small light, what is the problem with one small light, its probably just telling you a batteries running low or summin'."
"No, no it's much worse than that. I'm afraid we're going to have to make a detour. We won't be seeing your pirates today I'm afraid."
Rose didn't look too worried after all she was used to this by now and after all what's the point of adventure if you're going to turn it down at the first chance.
"Just give me a mo. to change!" She said about to head of down the corridor they came in by.
"Erm, I'm sorry even more bad news, there's no time for that, its urgent, no time for you to change. We'll just have to go as we are!!"
Rose looked the doctor, then herself, up and down and said,
"At least we'll make a big impression on all we meet."
"I'm not so sure about that!"
Rose gave a confused look but was not surprised when he only grinned back at her. She did all she could not to laugh again but failed and they both burst out laughing again. This is why she loved this life.