17 The Ship

by Iamthe13thDoctor

17th story featuring my O.C., Nita. Timothy Elder joins the team to investigate a bio ship detected near a star about to go supernova. As the team investigates, the Sontarans threaten the TARDIS and the creature, Schirron, and Elder boards it with Ace. As the star is about to explode, Schirron sends Ace back to the TARDIS and the two ships out of the system. But what about Elder?

1. Prologue

Prologue

The TARDIS was preparing detailed atmospheric charts of the Hayashi system. Although tedious, this endeavour was the first step toward planet colonization.

The Doctor, Nita and Ace were in the console room. Ace reacted to something on the console panel. "The sensors report that the HMS Monitor is closing on an intercept course at high warp."

"That's odd… I wasn't notified of a rendezvous."

"They seem to be in an awful hurry. Doctor, we're being hailed on a secured channel by Master Chief DeSoto."

"On screen."

On the main viewer they could see DeSoto in the Monitor's Ready Room. "Sorry to sneak up on you like that, Doctor…"

"Avery, why didn't you inform us…"

"…Out here, you never know who's listening. Keeps you on your toes, anyway. Hey, Nita, you getting soft on that luxury liner?"

Nita grinned. The Doctor was still puzzled. "So, old friend. How are you?"

"Ah, you know, they send you Time-Lord types out here to the far reaches. Me, I'm hauling my butt back and forth between starbases…"

He smiled to Nita and Ace. DeSoto's put-on griping is an old song going back to when he and the Doctor worked together many years before.

"But not today."

"Nope. UNIT's got a new request for you. This is top priority. They need the fastest ship in the galaxy… and the best people. That's you."

"If time is so important, why didn't they transmit the request by subspace?"

"They're worried about Sontaran eavesdropping on this one. And we've got a passenger for you. Hard so send by subspace.

"What sort of passenger?"

"Mission specialist. He'll bring your request aboard with him. Name's Timothy Elder."

Nita was startled. "Elder? You mean Timothy Elder as in the Gharusa Prime disaster?"

"The same." DeSoto sighed. "What can I say? Your request is to cooperate fully with him."

Ace was clearly distressed at the discussion of Elder.

"Best of luck, folks," DeSoto continued. "Monitor out."

"Professor, the Monitor is slowing to impulse."

The Doctor looked dubiously at the others, both of whom clearly knew the name Elder. "Ace, come with me…"

"Yes, let me come with you to greet Timothy…"

"You know him?"

"I do… He was at my high school in Perivale when I went to school there."

"Ah, I see. He was a school-mate then."

"No, Professor. He was older than me, but he had to drop out due to mental health issues…"