As the Doctor bolted into his old companion's room, he allowed himself to smile briefly
as memories of Nyssa flooded his mind. He could picture her face in immense detail, even though
it had been a week since she had decided to leave the TARDIS crew. He cleared his mind and looked
round for the 'trouble' Turlough had mentioned.
He stood face to face with what Turlough had correctly described as a 'mirror portal'.
However, a thin mist obscured any view he may have seen. A sound from behind him made him whip
round. The door was closing itself- then disappeared from sight, melding perfectly with the wall.
"Just like on Terminus," he murmured to himself. A new sound from where the portal hung,
suspended in the air, made him turn back to face the mirror. The mist was clearing, and a vague
facial outline was appearing. The Doctor screwed up his eyes to see the face in more detail as it
drifted eerily toward the front on the mirror. But as it got nearer, the Doctor didn't need a
better view. He knew who he was looking at.
"My first form, as it were," he said under his breath, although there was no one
else to hear him. The image was as sharp as it would ever be now, its white hair sticking out as
usual, its dark eyes staring almost blankly into the room, the wrinkles around its eyes more
predominant than usual. The Doctor took a slightly reverent step forwards towards what was
ultimately himself. The mirror face of the first ever face of the Doctor stared back at him, as
though studying a lab specimen through a microscope. At last, it spoke.
"Hmm. I never thought I'd ever understand cricket."
The Doctor only smiled. What could you say to your previous form that wouldn't be
offensive to yourself? Silence seemed the best answer. But apparently, it didn't suit the
mirror-Doctor.
"Meek and silent, am I? Well, I guess a change is good every now and again," it remarked.
"Ah, no. I was wondering what to say," the Doctor replied.
"Oh- another wonderer. Still, as the saying goes, you can't win them all."
The Doctor frowned. He was more or less arguing with himself. It defied all logic- yet, stranger
things were now happening, as the face began to distort and change. A mane of brown curls
replaced the wispy strands of white, and penetrating blue eyes replaced the emotionless grey.
Even the voice sounded more.... more alive. The blue eyes danced in their sockets as the new face
spoke.
"Ah- a good sporting man! That's what I like to see, a man with priorities. I take it
you're the newest regeneration of me?" it said, the voice full of confidence and spark, the eyes
practically shining with a childish eagerness. It was quite a contrast, and the Doctor could only
stand and stare for a few seconds. Then he remembered how he used to be... his last form had been
vivacious, outgoing and more than slightly insane. At least he made good conversation.
"Yes, you are quite correct. I am the new you, as it were," replied the Doctor, a little
less uncertainly. The mirror-Doctor smiled.
"And how are my assistants?"
The Doctor looked towards the pale floor. How do you explain to yourself that not
everyone was alright, or even alive?
"I'm afraid Adric is dead. He died in an explosion trying to save Earth. The cybermen
were around, you know how they are." The Doctor spoke quickly, trying to surpress the sadness in
his voice. The mirror-Doctor nodded gravely, then brightened with a new glimmer of hope.
"That sounds like Adric- always ready to do what had to be done. I always liked the lad.
But what of Nyssa and Tegan? Surely they're still getting on like a house on fire?"
The Doctor managed a half-smile.
"Tegan's still as...how did the Brigadier put it...spirited as always. But Nyssa left us
to help others."
He paused as the mirror-Doctor's face fell. Obviously Nyssa had had more contact with
the Doctor, being more logical-minded than the feisty Australian air stewardess- but the same
expression would be expected if it had been Tegan who had left... wouldn't it? The Doctor continued.
"She stayed on the Terminus ship to help cure Lazars disease. It was her own decision,
Tegan and I had nothing to do with it."
"No, I understand that," said the mirror-Doctor, a little distractedly. "Well, she's
doing some good, I suppose."
Suddenly, the mirror-Doctor's face flickered like a TV with a bad reception. A banging
from where the door had been alerted the Doctor to the fact that there was still a problem with
the console, and that Tegan and Turlough were locked outside. He turned questioningly back to
where the mirror-Doctor was beginning to fade, and quickened his voice.
"Listen, there's something gone wrong with the TARDIS, I wondered if you could tell me
what it is?"
The mirror-Doctor chuckled. "Not again. Well, you're the Doctor now- I'm sure you can
sort it out."
Completely puzzled by this piece of useless information, the Doctor shook his head and
tried again as the level of banging from behind the invisible door increased.
"Why are you here? Surely the council on Gallifrey wouldn't allow you to visit me for
idle chat about companions?"
"We're not here to check up on you- we're here to warn you." Even the mirror-Doctor's
voice was fading into the distance. "Opposites always attract, you know....."
A bright light filled the room for a few seconds as the portal collapsed. As the Doctor
uncovered his eyes, he heard Tegan and Turlough tumble into through the door- it had obviously
re-materialised as the portal collapsed. Both his companions were out of breath, but Tegan's
harsh accent was comforting.
"Doctor? What's going on in here, Turlough and I couldn't find the door!"
"No, I'm not surprised."
"What?"
"Never mind. Right, let's see what's wrong with the console."
As he strode out, Tegan looked questioningly at Turlough. Turlough simply shrugged.
Tegan sighed and rolled her eyes. Yet again, the Doctor had managed to baffle his companions.
Turlough motioned to follow the Doctor, and Tegan nodded in agreement, both too confused and
exhausted to try speaking.
As Turlough went out, a shining light from the back wall caught Tegan's eye. She turned
back- and gasped. Nyssa was smiling at her shocked expression, the same warm friendliness as she
had always had.
"You still don't get on with him, do you?" she asked, an air of laughter in her voice.
"Which one- Turlough or the Doctor?" retorted Tegan, rolling her eyes again.
And for the first time since her friend had left the TARDIS, Tegan Jovanka smiled.
-__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Well? This is my first attempt at a dr. who fic, so I'm not afraid of honest people telling me
where I could improve on it. If anyone failed to get the 'opposites always attract, you know'
line, send me an e-mail or a review and I'll gladly explain my confusing logic!
Timetravelgirl (a.k.a serenity princess)
30/10/02
as memories of Nyssa flooded his mind. He could picture her face in immense detail, even though
it had been a week since she had decided to leave the TARDIS crew. He cleared his mind and looked
round for the 'trouble' Turlough had mentioned.
He stood face to face with what Turlough had correctly described as a 'mirror portal'.
However, a thin mist obscured any view he may have seen. A sound from behind him made him whip
round. The door was closing itself- then disappeared from sight, melding perfectly with the wall.
"Just like on Terminus," he murmured to himself. A new sound from where the portal hung,
suspended in the air, made him turn back to face the mirror. The mist was clearing, and a vague
facial outline was appearing. The Doctor screwed up his eyes to see the face in more detail as it
drifted eerily toward the front on the mirror. But as it got nearer, the Doctor didn't need a
better view. He knew who he was looking at.
"My first form, as it were," he said under his breath, although there was no one
else to hear him. The image was as sharp as it would ever be now, its white hair sticking out as
usual, its dark eyes staring almost blankly into the room, the wrinkles around its eyes more
predominant than usual. The Doctor took a slightly reverent step forwards towards what was
ultimately himself. The mirror face of the first ever face of the Doctor stared back at him, as
though studying a lab specimen through a microscope. At last, it spoke.
"Hmm. I never thought I'd ever understand cricket."
The Doctor only smiled. What could you say to your previous form that wouldn't be
offensive to yourself? Silence seemed the best answer. But apparently, it didn't suit the
mirror-Doctor.
"Meek and silent, am I? Well, I guess a change is good every now and again," it remarked.
"Ah, no. I was wondering what to say," the Doctor replied.
"Oh- another wonderer. Still, as the saying goes, you can't win them all."
The Doctor frowned. He was more or less arguing with himself. It defied all logic- yet, stranger
things were now happening, as the face began to distort and change. A mane of brown curls
replaced the wispy strands of white, and penetrating blue eyes replaced the emotionless grey.
Even the voice sounded more.... more alive. The blue eyes danced in their sockets as the new face
spoke.
"Ah- a good sporting man! That's what I like to see, a man with priorities. I take it
you're the newest regeneration of me?" it said, the voice full of confidence and spark, the eyes
practically shining with a childish eagerness. It was quite a contrast, and the Doctor could only
stand and stare for a few seconds. Then he remembered how he used to be... his last form had been
vivacious, outgoing and more than slightly insane. At least he made good conversation.
"Yes, you are quite correct. I am the new you, as it were," replied the Doctor, a little
less uncertainly. The mirror-Doctor smiled.
"And how are my assistants?"
The Doctor looked towards the pale floor. How do you explain to yourself that not
everyone was alright, or even alive?
"I'm afraid Adric is dead. He died in an explosion trying to save Earth. The cybermen
were around, you know how they are." The Doctor spoke quickly, trying to surpress the sadness in
his voice. The mirror-Doctor nodded gravely, then brightened with a new glimmer of hope.
"That sounds like Adric- always ready to do what had to be done. I always liked the lad.
But what of Nyssa and Tegan? Surely they're still getting on like a house on fire?"
The Doctor managed a half-smile.
"Tegan's still as...how did the Brigadier put it...spirited as always. But Nyssa left us
to help others."
He paused as the mirror-Doctor's face fell. Obviously Nyssa had had more contact with
the Doctor, being more logical-minded than the feisty Australian air stewardess- but the same
expression would be expected if it had been Tegan who had left... wouldn't it? The Doctor continued.
"She stayed on the Terminus ship to help cure Lazars disease. It was her own decision,
Tegan and I had nothing to do with it."
"No, I understand that," said the mirror-Doctor, a little distractedly. "Well, she's
doing some good, I suppose."
Suddenly, the mirror-Doctor's face flickered like a TV with a bad reception. A banging
from where the door had been alerted the Doctor to the fact that there was still a problem with
the console, and that Tegan and Turlough were locked outside. He turned questioningly back to
where the mirror-Doctor was beginning to fade, and quickened his voice.
"Listen, there's something gone wrong with the TARDIS, I wondered if you could tell me
what it is?"
The mirror-Doctor chuckled. "Not again. Well, you're the Doctor now- I'm sure you can
sort it out."
Completely puzzled by this piece of useless information, the Doctor shook his head and
tried again as the level of banging from behind the invisible door increased.
"Why are you here? Surely the council on Gallifrey wouldn't allow you to visit me for
idle chat about companions?"
"We're not here to check up on you- we're here to warn you." Even the mirror-Doctor's
voice was fading into the distance. "Opposites always attract, you know....."
A bright light filled the room for a few seconds as the portal collapsed. As the Doctor
uncovered his eyes, he heard Tegan and Turlough tumble into through the door- it had obviously
re-materialised as the portal collapsed. Both his companions were out of breath, but Tegan's
harsh accent was comforting.
"Doctor? What's going on in here, Turlough and I couldn't find the door!"
"No, I'm not surprised."
"What?"
"Never mind. Right, let's see what's wrong with the console."
As he strode out, Tegan looked questioningly at Turlough. Turlough simply shrugged.
Tegan sighed and rolled her eyes. Yet again, the Doctor had managed to baffle his companions.
Turlough motioned to follow the Doctor, and Tegan nodded in agreement, both too confused and
exhausted to try speaking.
As Turlough went out, a shining light from the back wall caught Tegan's eye. She turned
back- and gasped. Nyssa was smiling at her shocked expression, the same warm friendliness as she
had always had.
"You still don't get on with him, do you?" she asked, an air of laughter in her voice.
"Which one- Turlough or the Doctor?" retorted Tegan, rolling her eyes again.
And for the first time since her friend had left the TARDIS, Tegan Jovanka smiled.
-__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Well? This is my first attempt at a dr. who fic, so I'm not afraid of honest people telling me
where I could improve on it. If anyone failed to get the 'opposites always attract, you know'
line, send me an e-mail or a review and I'll gladly explain my confusing logic!
Timetravelgirl (a.k.a serenity princess)
30/10/02