The Doctor stood alone in the TARDIS, head bowed as he fought to recall more of the mysterious girl named Clara, piecing more of her together from the hollow spaces in his memory.
Suddenly his TARDIS lurched under him.
As he staggered to catch his balance, the ship lurched the other direction, followed by the lights going out.
The TARDIS steadied itself in the darkness. The Doctor stood alone in the darkness, wary but unafraid.
As abruptly as the lights had vanished they returned, allowing The Doctor to notice one very important detail; the door was gone, replaced with a blank wall.
A hum activated behind him, and The Doctor turned to see a hologram of Aeon Torn appear in the air.
The hologram smiled. "Hello Doctor. Shall we play a game?"
"What have you done to my TARDIS?" The Doctor demanded.
The hologram shrugged. "I'm not sure. The Associate explained it, but most of the physics were too hard for me to understand. In essence, I've hijacked your ship. I control everything that can be controlled."
"The Associate? He's part of all this?"
The hologram nodded. "Took every scrap of favor I owed him after rescuing your friend, but yes. I am here at his request."
The Doctor glared. "Whatever you're planning, forget it. I have had a very, very bad week."
The hologram cocked his head to one side. "Sorry to say it, but the week's not over. The favor I was asked for was to tear your TARDIS apart from the inside."
The room went deathly silent.
The hologram continued after a pause. "I see that that got your attention. To counter your next point, yes, it will take a long time, but I can do it. You can't leave here before I'm done, and you can't stop me because you won't kill me and nothing else will put me down."
"I will find a way."
"Doubtful. I am quite determined. Now, let's get started. I think I'll start with the primary power storage. You're welcome to try to stop me. It'll be interesting to match wits with someone my age. Goodbye."
The hologram flickered out, leaving The Doctor standing alone in the console room.
For a moment he didn't move, but when he did it was with feverish speed.
Snatching up his sonic screwdriver, The Doctor bolted out of the room as fast as he could run.
Behind him in the empty room, nothing moved for a long moment. Then a faint shimmer in the air, hardly visible, began to move after The Doctor.
The Doctor ran through the stilled corridors of his TARDIS, Aeon's voice echoing around him.
"Well, well. It seems we have a contestant in these games. A foe worthy of my vast intellect. Let the games begin, and may the best human win!"
"I'm not human." The Doctor snapped in mid-run. "Seems a bit one-sided."
Aeon's chuckles echoed through the room. "Perhaps it would be." He said. "But that presumes that I am human. I never said that. You did. I was human. How I am something...other. Something...immortal."
"I seem to run into a lot of those."
Aeon chuckled again. "Yes, Captain Jack and Lady Me. I've met them. Me is curious. Jack's an idle observer. As for me, I am something else entirely. You've never faced anyone like me before. And on that note, when I say run, run" The hall behind The Doctor began to fill with thick smoke. "Run!"
The Doctor ran, racing through the choking smoke as he hurried to reach the power storage room before Aeon. Behind him, the smoke distorted, almost as if someone else was forcing their way through.