A/N: This story will serve as the Interlude between "The Cascade of Medusa" and the currently in-planning "The Slitheen & the Osiran."
Italics = Telepathy/Thoughts.
"Italics" = Gallifreyan.
Prologue
Romana and the Doctor were in deep focus at this moment in Time. For the last six hours, they had been trying, without success, to locate Ariva Lykos – a planet that was, according to the late Dalek Caan, the world which a number of Time Lords and Ladies throughout the History of Gallifrey had migrated to under the instruction of the Bad Wolf. Now, they were on the verge of giving up.
"Whoever knew finding a planet would be so difficult?" Romana sighed in frustration – this was not lost on her fellow Time Lord.
"I know what you mean," the Doctor agreed. "Looking for a lost artefact on a remote planet I could understand – that's like looking for a needle in a 13,000km-wide haystack." He spoke from experience when he said this – both he and Romana were once tasked with finding six such needles throughout Time and Space. "But looking for a lost planet would be looking for the haystack..."
"Quite," Romana said, nodding. "Then again...maybe Caan was lying?"
"He'd betrayed the Daleks at that point," the Doctor reminded her. "Caan had no reason to lie..."
"Betraying the Daleks and manipulating Time Lords are not mutually exclusive, Doctor," Romana suggested. "He had no reason to tell the truth either..."
He sighed, knowing that it was perfectly feasible that Caan could still have been lying. "Well...I'm utterly spent for ideas, right now. Let me know if you come up with anything..." With that, he dozed off, snoring loudly.
*DW*
We can never have an easy time of it, can we? Romana thought in frustration. We've checked Time and Space over and over to find Ariva Lykos...with absolutely no trace of it...
So you're giving up? A voice in her head asked in a scolding tone. That is rather unlike the woman who was so focused on finding the Key to Time...
Romana was startled. Who just waltzed into my head like they own the place?! She demanded furiously. How do you know about the Key to Time?!
You put the Core in my Console, you naughty Stray, the voice told her. I own everything that goes on inside me...
At last, it clicked inside Romana's brain. You're the Doctor's TARDIS?!
And he's our Doctor – he didn't just steal me; I stole him, with no intention of giving him back, the TARDIS told her. 'Our' because you're the one I don't mind sharing him with...
Alright, Romana spoke back through the telepathic link. So how would you suggest finding Ariva Lykos?
You proceed upon tried – but sadly, false – assumptions, the TARDIS told her. I have just spoken about how I stole the Doctor as my Thief, have I not?
The Time Lady had an epiphany. Of course! We don't have to find Ariva Lykos...because Ariva Lykos shall be the one doing the finding!
Quite...and all you and my Thief need to do is show Ariva Lykos where to find you...
*DW*
"Doctor?" Romana asked her lover, who gave a grunt to show he was listening. "Could you show me the Telepathic Transmitter Control?"
"Sure," the Doctor answered. "Why?"
"I may have found a way to get to Ariva Lykos...or as the TARDIS put it, for Ariva Lykos to find us..."