Here be Dragons-Prologue
A string of Galifreyan curses escaped the Doctor, not for the first time that morning, and the wheezing and clanking finally quieted. There was a great shake, and a crash, sending tools and occupants crashing to the floor.
Again.
Then nothing.
"Blast!"
Rose quirked an eyebrow at the Doctor as she picked herself up off the floor.
The doctor gave her his best "Nothing to see here, move along now" smile.
"It seems we've had a bit of mechanical trouble. Nothing to worry about, but we'll need to land here for a bit while I sort the old girl out."
He grinned and gave the TARDIS a loving little pat on the console, than began digging about under a floor panel for bits.
Rose sighed.
"Alright then, where's here?"
"Haven't a clue" said the feet now sticking out from under the console.
Having by now learned the basics, Rose could see from the display panel on the console, that the atmosphere outside was breathable, and temperature was mild.
She stood and stared at the feet for a few minutes more, and they muttered a few more curses. Some she recognized, some she didn't.
"Right then."
Rose grabbed her hoodie off the hat rack in the corner. She couldn't be expected to just stand here and stare at a pair of feet. If the number of bits scattered about on the floor were any indication, she'd at least have time to take a walk.
Outside, she took in the view.
Gravel crunched under her feet, and the dry desert air whipped her hair into her face. Absently she tied a ponytail around itself and pulled the knot tight. Judging from the deepening light, it was around sunset, wherever they were. Checking to make sure she had her TARDIS key in her pocket, Rose began to walk. Overhead, something circled, unnoticed.
It was almost full dark when Rose stumbled across the first chasm. Stumbled was not exactly the correct term. In the growing dusk it had looked like no more than a shadow on the ground. "Fell into" was a lot more correct. One minute she had bent to examine a small lizard-like creature sitting on a rock. It was no larger than her finger, and a warm rust colour.
"Aren't you cute." She said to no one in particular, bending down for a closer look. At that very moment the creature did something that looked for all the world like a hiccup, and a little jet of flame shot from its mouth. The smell of sulpher was unmistakable. Unhurt, but startled, Rose jumped back.
Into nothing.
Having found herself the better part of 6 yards down in a very narrow and very long crack in the earth, with one foot on a shelf of rock in front of her, and the other stretching into nothingness under her, Rose clung to the cave walls for dear life. Looking over her shoulder, she saw only blackness below, and sky above. Beneath her, she could here the sound of gravel, disturbed by her fall still ricocheting off the walls far below.
With strength she hadn't realized she even possessed, she dug in her fingernails, and feeling as if all of her weight were on her fingers, managed the twist and pull and haul herself forward onto the ledge in front of her. Fingers bleeding, and shoulders screaming from the effort. Rose took stock. Maybe four feet across at its widest point, the chasm walls were a sheer drop. There was no rubble to climb and no handholds to pull herself out on. Forced to guess in the almost complete darkness, Rose would have estimated she was about 16 feet below the top lip of the crevice. Damn. Even for a gymnast there would be no climbing out from here. She wasn't certain she could anyway. Her arms felt like lead.
"Nice going, shopgirl" Rose muttered to herself, as she took stock.
Then she did what any sensible human being would do in the same situation.
Screamed for help.
And screamed.
And screamed.
It got darker. Rose could clearly see stars overhead now, but little light made it down into the crevice. None actually. She couldn't see her hand in front of her face. She checked. Knowing that inside the TARDIS wrapped up in what he'd called "the subtle science of jiggery pokery" the Doctor would be utterly preoccupied for hours, perhaps days even, and totally unable to hear her now that she was hoarse from trying. Rose pondered a moment, then reached out her hand and touched cool rock. Carefully feeling her way along the wall, and checking each step as she went to ensure there was earth underfoot, she began to pick her way along the path that stretched before her, invisible save for the slash of night sky overhead. Now and again, she would hear another hiccup, and there would be a brief spark in the darkness. She tried not to think about lizards.
