I take some liberties with the older episodes before colour was introduced to the series. Also, I like adding additions that may or may not have happened. Some of the early episodes are difficult to find to watch or no longer exist, like some of the second Doctor's run. Please bear with me. Some things in the early Doctor who episodes did not age well at all and have been changed because the shits not cool. This chapter had been sitting finished for a while, I just needed to push past an existential crisis. I'm better now, but there's no telling if it'll happen again. Hopefully, not for another few years.
02
Nemo sat above the main console and watched as the Doctor moved around the console. He would press a random button before pulling a lever up. He muttered to himself the entire time and she was completely under the impression that he didn't know what he was doing, at least not completely. What was his reasoning behind the tinkering? The voice didn't let her know what he was doing. It seemed amused that she was so confused by his actions. She became confused even more as he left the room, going through wooden doors with glass windows.
She was alone and she moved to let her chin rest on her knees. She moved to face the cylinder before looking towards the doors. Her curiosity started to grow, and she couldn't stop herself from jumping down from the rafters and heading towards the doors. She pushed her head through them, and her mouth opened in surprise. It was a junkyard! She stepped through the rest of the door and turned to see what she had come out of. A blue wooden box, with that funny language written on it, stood amongst the junk in a proud manner. She moved around it, unable to fully understand how so many rooms were able to fit inside such a small container. Unless, the container was infinite. She brought a hand up to her mouth in thought, which could be likely. But…why did she know that? Out of everything she could know, the information of science wasn't the first thing that came to her mind that she wanted to know. She sighed quietly and headed back into the blue box. She moved through the corridors, a thoughtful frown on her face, and made her way to the library. It would be best for her to learn the strange language when she was by herself. Her frown deepened a bit as she entered the library. She took a seat, or at least the only way she could do so, and looked at the nearest book that she had been pointed to. It was made for small children, but it would help her to understand the words better. She struggled to open it, her hand passing through it at every attempt.
"Use Telekinesis," The voice suggested.
Nemo didn't know if she could, but sat back anyway and took in a deep breath. She stared at the cover of the book, focusing on the idea of it moving. Of it lifting. It shook for a few seconds before going still. She focused harder, getting nothing but a splitting headache. That was a good indication that she was still alive. She had begun to entertain the idea that she was a ghost. A part of her vehemently believed she should be, and she didn't know why. What could she have done to feel such things? She brought her hands up and tugged on the thick strands of hair on her head. The voice had informed her that she was a strawberry blonde with silver eyes, because she couldn't see her own reflection. She didn't even know what a strawberry blonde looked like. Was it a yellow blonde or was it a light red?
"Light red," The Voice answered.
Well, that cleared everything up. Nemo rubbed at her temples as her head throbbed. She seemed to have talents more suited for mental connections than telekinesis. She could float, so she was sure that she could do low level levitation. Why? Why would she need such skills? What kind of humanoid was she that her mental makeup was disposed towards psychic abilities? She didn't have any answers just more questions that were slowly piling up. Soon, she'd have to sit down and attempt to answer some of them. She got up from the chair, deciding to forgo her studying, and headed out of the library. She wanted to find a room where she wouldn't be found. Where no one would think twice upon looking at the door. A place to herself. She frowned as the voice began to lead her through the corridors, not through voice but through a connection. Her theory had been correct that she was more talented in connections. A part of her was relieved that she had been right about something. She entered the main room again and sent the console a slight frown.
"Something interesting is about to happen," The voice informed her, "something that will cause time to change."
Time. She looked to the side at the idea of time being brought into the mix. The addition of a ship that was smaller on the outside and infinite on the inside had been hard to overcome. Her frown deepened before she levitated to her spot on the rafters to watch what was going to happen. She didn't have to wait long as a woman wearing an olive-green blazer and skirt stumbled into the main room. Her eyes were wide as she looked around with her mouth slightly open. It was as though she couldn't believe her eyes, and Nemo didn't blame her one bit. If she hadn't appeared in one of the rooms and had entered through the main doors her reaction would have been identical. Susan came into the room with a surprised expression on her face and Nemo wondered where she had been hiding. When had the teenager come in?
"She came in while you were in the library," The Voice whispered to her, "you got caught up in your thoughts."
"Sorry," Nemo murmured her apology.
She winced, her tongue was heavy, and she knew that she'd have to keep talking to get everything back to normal. Yet, she didn't want to do so. It felt like she was talking to the air, even though she knew the voice could hear her. The mental connection was quicker, and she was able to get her thoughts in order. Her thoughts were like her spoken words, it worked for their communication. A slight cough pulled her from her inner monologue. The Voice had to pull her out.
"Close the door, Susan," The Doctor ordered as he caused a man wearing a wine-red suit to enter the room as well, "I believe you know these people."
"They're two of my schoolteachers," Susan said as she moved to do what he ordered, her elfin features were filled with confusion, "what are you doing here?"
"Where are we?" The older woman asked as she quickly shook her head to clear her thoughts, the man next to her seemed to have entered her previously shocked stupor.
"They must have followed you here," The Doctor grumbled at Susan as the two ignored the woman's question, "that ridiculous school, I knew something like this would happen if we stayed in one place for too long."
"But why would they follow me?" Susan questioned as she crossed her arms across her chest.
"Is this really where you live, Susan?" The woman asked, finally getting the teens attention.
"Yes," Susan confirmed.
"And what's wrong with it?" The Doctor grumpily asked.
"It's a telephone box," The man answered, finally getting her nerves back.
"Perhaps." The Doctor mysteriously commented.
Nemo looked at the people below her and felt nervous. The atmosphere around them was tense, and she could feel it from the rafters. She slowly levitated to a rafter that was higher up. Just to get away from the tense atmosphere. The Voice let out a soothing coo and she felt a bit better.
"This is your grandfather?" The woman asked, trying to ignore the atmosphere herself.
"Yes." Susan confirmed, her unease showing on her face.
"But why didn't you tell us that?" The woman softly asked, being kind to the teen.
"I don't discuss my private life with strangers," The Doctor interrupted before Susan could answer.
"It's a police telephone box, I walked all around it," The man said, his mind still focusing on the fact that the inside of the box was impossible compared to the outside, "Barbara, you saw me do it."
"You don't deserve any explanations," The Doctor said, getting frowns out of three of them, "you pushed your way in here, uninvited and unwelcomed."
Nemo sent him a frustrated glare. It didn't do anything to him, he didn't even know she was doing so, but it made her feel better. He had basically pushed two people into the box without any explanation and was making it sound like it was their fault. It didn't help that she had done what he was accusing the two of doing. She had shown up uninvited, and she was most likely unwelcomed. A part of her was thankful that he was unaware that she was there. She felt she'd start crying if he had turned his words and tone towards her.
"I think we ought to leave," Barbara stated, sending the Doctor a fierce glare.
"No, just a minute," The man said, sending her an apologetic look, "I know this is absurd, but I feel—"
"Oh dear, it's stopped again," The Doctors statement caused everyone to look at him, "I suppose that I need to recalibrate it again…It wouldn't do any good to explain anything to you, you wouldn't understand a word of it."
"I want to understand," The man's comment caused the Doctor to turn and fix him with a scrutinizing glance.
"Yes, yes, by the way, Susan," The Doctors sudden change in conversation was enough to give anyone whiplash, save for Susan, "I managed to find a replacement for the faulty filament, it's an amateur job but it should be fine."
"It's an illusion, it has to be," The man muttered to himself as he looked around the room once again, running a hand through his dark hair.
"What are you doing here?" Susan asked, trying to understand why her teachers had ended up at the box.
"See, that's what human's do," The Doctor said to Susan, and he motioned towards them with a hand, "when they don't understand something they find excuses, Illusions indeed. You are unable to fit an enormous building into one of your smaller sitting rooms, correct?"
"Yes," The man confirmed.
"You've discovered television, yes?" The Doctor pressed.
"Yes." The man seemed to be following the train of thought.
"Then, by showing an enormous building on your television screen you can do the impossible, couldn't you?" The Doctor concluded.
"Yes, but I still don't know," The man sighed.
Nemo did. She looked towards the console and a thoughtful expression started to grow on her face. A small box was able to contain a larger object. It was on the tip of her tongue, a small memory. At least, she hoped that's what it was. It felt more like an idea, something that she had heard a long time ago. Was it something she had learned? The question was when and how. Nemo shook her head before looking back down to the Doctor.
"Now quite clear, is it," The Doctor commented, "I can see by your expression that you don't understand, and I knew you wouldn't, never mind. Now then, which switch was it?"
He flipped one and a horrible screeching sound echoed through the room. Nemo grimaced at the sound and tried to pat one of the metal beams, her hand phasing through it with each pat. The voice's thief had no idea how to pilot her, did he?
"No, no, no," He muttered as he pushed up a different switch getting a better sound, "that is it. The point is not whether you understand. It's what is going to happen to you. They'll tell everybody about the ship now."
Well, Nemo knew she was safe. It was impossible to dissect something that couldn't be seen. She reclined on the rafter and continued to observe. Barbara looked ready to yell at the Doctor, she was fighting down her annoyance and anger. It was impressive and Nemo respected the woman completely. She felt as though she would have snapped already. His attitude concerning the two adults left much to be desired.
"Ship?" The man asked.
"Yes, ship," The Doctor stated, "this doesn't roll along on wheels, you know."
"You mean it moves?" Barbara asked, getting curious as to what the box could do.
"The Tardis can go anywhere," Susan piped up and Nemo looked at her in thought.
"Tardis?" Barbara questioned, "I don't understand you, Susan."
"Well, I made up the name Tardis from the initials, Time And Relative Dimensions In Space," Susan answered, "I thought you'd both understand when you saw the different dimensions inside from those outside."
"Are all of their species like this?" Nemo asked the voice, "Belittling those that don't share their intelligence."
"It is the folly of their kind," The Voice agreed, "but, they do have their moments of passion."
"I see." Nemo murmured, not truly understanding.
"Let me get this straight," The man said, "A ship that looks like a police box, standing in a junkyard, can move anywhere in time and space?"
"Yes," Susan chirped.
"Quite so," The Doctor confirmed, pulling on the lapels of his jacket.
"That's ridiculous," The man bluntly stated.
"Why won't they believe us?" Susan questioned the Doctor.
"How can we?" Barbara's question caused the teen to falter slightly.
"Now, don't go getting exasperated, Susan," The Doctor chided, "when the first moving picture was shown to their primitive minds, they all screamed in fear, thinking that the illusion of the train was going to hit them."
"You're treating us like children," The man stated, crossing his arms across his chest in anger and disbelief.
"Am I?" The Doctor asked, "The children of my civilisation would be insulted."
"Your civilisation?" The man questioned.
"Yes, my civilisation," The Doctor reiterated, "I tolerate this century, but I do not enjoy it. Have you ever thought what it's like to be wanderer in the fourth dimension? To be exiles. Susan and I are cut off from our own planet, without our friends or protection, but one day we shall get back, yes, one day."
Nemo was unsure if he was lying or not. She was more inclined to believe the voice than the old man. He had stolen the Tardis and had taken his granddaughter to the universe with him. Why lie about something like that? She believed that the two teachers would understand wanting to travel and explore more than being exiled. She supposed that the old man liked theatrics for some reason.
"It's true, every word of it is true," Susan said as she stared at her teachers, "you don't know what you've done coming in here. Grandfather, let them go now, please."
The Doctor turned away from Susan and pretended to busy himself with one of the switches. Susan moved to him and gently tugged on his arm to get his attention. She didn't want to see her teacher's hurt. She was rather fond of them. Nemo simply observed from her perch and gave a quiet sigh. There were too many possibilities for her to properly judge the man's actions.
"Look, if they don't understand then they can't, they can't hurt us at all," Susan pleaded with her grandfather, "I understand these people better than you, their minds reject things they don't understand."
Nemo let out a snort at those words. So pretentious and nothing that truly backed it up. A large dimension stuffed into a smaller container was quite easy, once the math was figured out. For them to rely on that, and for them to pretend that they were above the two teachers was a fallacy. She shook her head as those thoughts slowly died down. Her annoyance with the two most likely brought about some remnants of her true personality. Yet, she couldn't access it any further once she calmed down. Even her slight outburst was starting to vanish, to be forgotten. She truly disliked the situation she was in.
"No." The Doctor ignored his granddaughter's plea.
"He can't keep us here," The man stated.
"He is right, knees can only bend one way," Nemo muttered in thought, "just kick them and run."
No one heard her mutters, save for the voice. A slight laugh hit her senses and she smiled slightly before looking back down at the group. No, the old man wouldn't let them leave. He had a plan that she couldn't make out. Annoyance started to rise in her again before she took a deep breath and tried to relax. The atmosphere was getting to her. That and the way the two talked about the teachers.
"Susan, listen to me," Barbara said in a soft voice, "can't you see that all this is an illusion? It's a game that you and your grandfather are playing, if you like, but you can't expect us to believe it."
"It's not a game!" Susan exclaimed.
"But Susan." Barbara stated.
"It's not! Look, I love your school," Susan said, "I loved England in the twentieth century, the last five months have been the happiest of my life."
"But you are one of us, you look like us, you sound like us," Barbara pointed out.
"I was born in another time, another world," Susan stated.
"She was one of the last to be born regularly, without the need for the loom," The voice informed Nemo.
"Loom?" Nemo questioned.
"A way of reproduction that allows the genetic codes to be retained," The voice explained, "one could keep a baby in there until they were fully grown adults, which is what most of their people do."
"How…lonely," Nemo quietly commented.
It sounded like such a lonely existence. She couldn't imagine being one of the last children to be naturally born. She looked down at the metal of the rafter and wondered what her childhood had been like. Was she inquisitive like Susan? Or had she been as arrogant as the Doctor. She didn't know, and not knowing was bothering her. She shifted her position slightly and moved back down to her previous rafter, the tension had lessened a bit.
"Come on, Barbara, let's get out of here," The man said, gently grabbing Barbara's elbow.
"It's no use, you can't get out," Susan informed them, "he won't let you go."
"He closed the doors from over there, I saw him," The man agreed, "now which is it? Which control operates the door?"
"You still think it's all an illusion?" The Doctor questioned, feeling slightly miffed.
"I know that free movement through time and space is a scientific dream I don't expect to find solved in a junkyard," The man answered.
"Your arrogance is nearly as great as your ignorance," The Doctor stated.
"Oh, he's one to talk," Nemo grumbled.
"Maybe having these human's around, will humble him a bit," The Voice offered.
"Or might make him worse," Nemo countered shrugging slightly, there wasn't anything she could do or say in her current predicament.
"Will you open the door?" The man questioned, "Susan, will you help us?"
"I mustn't," Susan denied.
"Very well, then," The man muttered as he looked at the controls, "I'll have to risk it myself."
"I can't stop you," The Doctor stated as he stood back to watch.
"Don't touch it! It's live!" Susan warned.
The man jumped back as he received an electric shock from the console. The voice tittered in Nemo's mind, and she found herself smiling. It was rare that the voice was able to prank someone, she was the only one that it was able to do it to. She didn't mind, not really.
"Ian! What on earth were you thinking?" Barbara questioned as she grabbed his hand and checked it over for injury.
Nemo looked back towards the Doctor, noticing the slight amusement in his eyes. She let out a soft sigh before patting the rafter. Susan wasn't amused by the way things were playing out. She walked up to her grandfather and put her hands on her hips. He quickly became serious.
"Grandfather, let them go now, please," Susan requested.
"And by tomorrow we'll be a public spectacle, a subject for news and idle gossip," He stated, denying the request.
"They wouldn't say anything," Susan countered.
"My dear child, of course they will," He said, the patronizing tone not sitting well with Susan, "put yourself in their place. They are bound to make some sort of a complaint to the authorities, or at the very least talk to their friends. If I do let them go, we must go as well."
"No, Grandfather, we've had all this out before," Susan tried to plea.
"There's no alternative!" He was starting to snap, his temper showing itself.
"I want to stay!" Susan exclaimed.
Nemo was brought out of the conversation and gave a weary sigh. It wasn't going to work the way either of them wanted it to go. She sat up from the rafter and moved away from it. She slowly floated down to the ground and fixed her coat as she looked around. She moved between the two humans and noticed that they didn't even react to her. They were watching the grandfather and granddaughter with worry. Barbara looked close to anger and Ian seemed tired. Nemo didn't blame them one bit. It seemed annoying to be talked about as if you didn't exist. She was a little relieved when the Doctor finally relented, though the expelling of Susan from the ship seemed a bit much.
"Hold on tight," The voice whispered, "I don't know what the time vortex might do to you."
Time what? Nemo heard crashing as the room violently shook. Ian and Barbara had been thrown to the ground and let out a few groans. She shook her head and looked over towards the Doctor and Susan. They were clinging to the console and trying to keep their balance. Ian was able to make it to his feet again and he helped Barbara up. They slowly moved towards some chairs that sat near the walls of the room, and took a seat. Barbara let out a sigh of relief as Ian wiped at the sweat on his forehead.
"Is there a reason why its so bumpy?" Nemo quietly asked as she watched Susan hit the console with her hip, a wince appeared on her face.
"He has the brake on," The voice answered in amusement.
Nemo didn't even try to play off the smile on her face as she waited for the shaking to stop. It did after what seemed like an hour, but she couldn't be too sure of the time. Ian was breathing heavily, trying to calm down from a sudden panic. Barbara placed her hand on his back and was calmly looking around. She paused on Susan's form as the teenager read from a small monitor.
"The base is steady," Susan informed her grandfather as she pressed a button.
"We're on a layer of sand, with decent rock formation," He muttered as he looked at the monitor as well, "good."
"We've left 1963," Susan said, her tone sad.
"Undoubtedly, I'll be able to tell you where presently," He said as he flipped a switch before frowning, "zero? That's not right, I'm afraid this yearometer is not calculating properly. Well, the journey's finished."
"What have you done?" Barbara's question caused him to pause in his movements, his head slowly moving to the side to look at her.
"Barbara, don't believe all this nonsense," Ian said.
"Well, look at the scanner screen," Susan stated, motioning towards a panel that slowly slid up to show them the outside environment.
Nemo went back to ignoring their argument, the Doctor seemed to like pointing out that human's had issues with not understanding new things. She didn't care, a person would believe what they wanted to. She tilted her head in thought as she looked out at the environment that surrounded them. Yes, that believe was right. Life was far too short to do such things, even for someone like the Doctor. She swallowed thickly as her mind started to question what had happened to her. It hadn't been long enough for her to really think about her situation. The loss of her memories made her wonder how much of her real personality was her. A comforting sound went through her mind, and she looked up towards the console.
"Don't focus on what can't be changed, only what you can do in the present," The voice quietly comforted, "it's for the best."
"I'll try," She murmured, "so, is your yearometer really broken?"
"No, it's the right year but something changed," The voice confirmed, "I'm sure he will find out what."
Nemo was unsure of that. The Doctor didn't seem to think much of humans, judging by the fact that he was still arguing with Ian. Susan had joined in to try and play both sides to get the two of them to quiet down, but it wasn't working. It wasn't until Barbara admitted that she was more inclined to believe the Doctor and Susan that the arguing finally stopped. Nemo and the voice let out a sigh of relief before watching the group of four leave the room. Nemo wouldn't follow, she didn't know what would happen if she were to leave for an extended period. It felt cowardly, but she didn't want to vanish into nothing. She was left alone with the voice.
"So, are you the voice of the Tardis?" She quietly asked.
"I am," The Tardis confirmed, "I can tell you have quite a few questions."
"What is the time vortex exactly?" She questioned; the term felt slightly familiar to her but not overly.
"It's what allows me to travel through time and space," was the answer, "I am unsure of how you were able to appear here, but I think it was a good thing."
"I do too, I like having a friend."
Nemo felt as though the Tardis was overjoyed at hearing such a thing. All she could hear was a quiet singing filling the room. A smile appeared on her face before she got the distinct feeling of someone trying to tug her towards the corridor. She followed the feeling, knowing it came from her new friend. The corridors were long, and there were few rooms along them. She gathered that would change as the years went by and the Doctor ended up going to new places. Storage would become a necessity. She wondered if different humans would stumble into the Tardis like Ian and Barbara had, or would the Doctor kidnap them? An amused expression appeared on her face at those thoughts. She came across a door that stood out to her due to the fact it was blue, the same shade as her coat. She stepped through it and paused. It was an unfinished room, which reflected more of her than she'd liked to admit, and held a few pieces of furniture in it. One of which being a couch with a coffee table covered in books and another being a series of rope that created a hammock. It was a quiet place for her to stay while waiting for the Doctor to return to the Tardis. A place where she could study without the worry of being found out. She'd still end up staying in the library due to convenience, but she now had a place to do so privately. It was a place made for her, and she appreciated it. She sat down on the couch and looked at the children's books. Right, it was time for her to focus on learning telekinesis so she could learn a new language.
It took her a long time to get the cover to finally move. Levitation was easier, and that confused her since levitation was the act of floating herself. How was it that she struggled with levitating the cover of the book? It should've come to her with ease, but it didn't. It came with as much ease as learning the new language, which the Tardis had to remind her was English. It didn't make sense to her. No, the language she was used to didn't use these circular lettering, it used graceful quick strokes with symbols that could mean ten different things. She wasn't its biggest fan.
"Is it always this long with them?" She asked, feeling that quite a bit of time had gone by.
"No, as I said something new has begun," The Tardis responded, and Nemo gave a confused look, "you will have to wait awhile before joining the others, I'm only able to communicate and see you due to the psychic abilities you possess."
"Right, well that can't be helped," Nemo stated, shaking her head slightly, "if I gain any of my memories of what kind of species I am, you'll be the first to know."
She got a laugh for that one. She smiled slightly and stood up from the couch. She wanted to keep watch on the doors for when they returned. Even if she couldn't greet them, knowing when the Tardis was about to move was nice. It would've confused her if it had happened when she was unaware of them being around. She quickly levitated up to her rafter and stared at the door, swinging her legs in the air. She wasn't too surprised when Ian and Barbara burst through the doors followed by Susan and the Doctor.
"Come one, Doctor, get us off! Get us off!" Ian exclaimed as he shut the doors.
"Yes," The Doctor stated as he took his spot at the console and quickly pressed a few buttons.
The Tardis let out her usual noise and Nemo caught a slight grunt. She didn't know why that noise had been made, and she'd have to ask later. Now, she was watching as Susan looked at a monitor with a serious expression. They had just returned, and now they were heading out again? She didn't know much about humans, but didn't most creatures need sleep? Maybe she was wrong with that assumption. Did she need sleep? She didn't feel tired, so she supposed she didn't while she was in the situation she was in.
"We're beginning to land," Susan announced.
"Have you taken us back to our own time?" Ian asked.
"You know I can't do that," The Doctor answered, "please be reasonable."
"What?" Ian questioned.
"Please, you must take us back," Barbara stated, "you must."
"You see, this isn't operating properly," The Doctor said as he placed a hand on the console and the Tardis let out an insulted sound, "or rather, the code is still a secret. When you put in the right data then a destination can be fixed upon, but I don't have the proper data."
"You stole a vehicle that you didn't know how to drive?" Nemo questioned, even knowing that she couldn't be heard.
It was such a strange thing to do. He just up and took a vehicle and had no idea on how to drive it. The Tardis laughed at her words, and she sent the console a look of disbelief. It was matched by the one that Barbara was sending the Doctor. It was nice to see someone agreeing with her on this.
"Are you saying that you don't know how to work this thing?" Barbara asked, disbelief heavy in her voice.
"Well of course I can't," The Doctor huffed, "I'm not a miracle worker."
"You can't blame Grandfather," Susan cut in, "we left the other place too quickly, that's all."
"Did you try and take us back to our own time?" Ian questioned.
"Well, I dot you away from that other time, didn't I?" The Doctor retorted, dodging the question.
"That isn't what I asked you," Ian stated, getting annoyed with the older man.
"It's the only way I can answer you, young man," The Doctor stated, "no, now we shall see."
Nemo turned her attention towards the monitor and noticed a line of trees. She didn't recognize the type of trees. A part of her knew that could be anywhere on the planet that Barbara and Ian were from. She sent a skeptical look towards the Doctor as he said something close to what she had thought. At least he showed some intelligence she mused. They left her again, and a frown appeared on her face. It wasn't as fun being left behind when she knew that they were getting up to something exciting. She looked down at her hand, she'd have to get used to it. She sighed and levitated down from the rafters and looked at a small radiation detector. Its little black needle was pointed directly in the red zone, and she had a feeling that wasn't a good thing. She ran a hand through her hair. They'd probably be fine. The whole group of them seemed too stubborn to die if she was being honest. She shook her head and headed to the library. She had quite a bit of time on her hands to do what she pleased.