Travel Plans

A list had begun to compile in the Doctor's head. Places not to take Jenny. It ticked by as he ran.

Anywhere where they didn't appreciate questions. Jenny asked a lot of questions. She had spent her first day with him inquiring. She went a good bit beyond forthright. And she did have to walk up to the most alarming individuals.

Anywhere they had any sort of rules about concealed weapons. She always had something on her somewhere. He'd learned that yesterday, when she managed to produce a knife from a bathing suit, neatly slicing open the melon they'd been served. How she fit it, where she fit it, he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Victorian England. She'd cause a scandal, being that she couldn't pull off demure for more than a nanosecond.

Sixteenth-century anywhere. She would never accept being treated as lower because she happened to be a girl. Not that he blamed her, but….

The Middle East, any time before 2200. Same reason.

And that was just Earth. His trainers slapped against the granite flagstones as he ran. They'd been running for a mile, literally. Almost three kilometers. Surely the guards were getting tired.

"Father! Down here!"

He skidded into the alley way, barreling after his daughter. Why, why had he brought her to a planet where all females were supposed to be covered? She asked so many questions before they stepped out, why hadn't she listened when he said she should wear a scarf? And why did she have to punch the city guard who tried to arrest her? He could have explained that they were tourists, everything would have been fine, but no, she'd lashed out instead. Four days, four days they'd been traveling, and the second planet he takes her to she gets them in a fight.

Kalakaran. Women on that planet were supposed to be silent. Um, no, not likely.

Geurra Nine. Women warriors were prized on that planet, and she'd get snapped up by a fighting order in no time. She'd love that.

Kalonian Ru. Bad idea all round.

There was a passageway. There was the TARDIS. There was Jenny, waiting at the door, holding a fighting stance. Her face was perfectly blank, pale as marble. Why is she just standing there?!

He shot his ship a mental command, unlocking the doors.

"Jenny, get inside! Now!"

She whirled, pushed against the door. A javelin zipped by on his left. The next one-he anticipated it, jumping in mid sprint. It whizzed underneath him. He threw himself through the door. Closed it. Locked it. Safe!

Chests heaving, father and daughter leaned with their backs to the door.

"That was…" Jenny gasped, "that was…"

Terrifying. Really, really not necessary. And-

"Great!"

"Great?!" Gasping, the Doctor turned his head, staring at Jenny. She was grinning, breathing between her teeth. "Did you say 'great'?!"

"Yeah! That…was…so great. I haven't run like that in…. months!"

"Great?!"

Jenny glanced up at him, her grin fading a bit at the look on her father's face.

"Did I do something…wrong?"

"Yes! Jenny, by attacking...you made a simple situation both difficult and…dangerous! You could have got us… stuck in jail or…speared through! New rule, okay? Talk first, strike last! Wait until after we try talking! Okay?"

Jenny nodded. "Yes, sir." She opened her mouth-but whatever she was about to say was cut off as the door rattled behind her. Something heavy had just hit it. Her eyes widened.

"We need to-"

Her father stepped away from the door, walking up the ramp. "No worries. Not much can get through those doors. Now, where to take you. Where to take you. Come up here and hold these three controls. Something non-life-threatening…"

All right. New list. Where to take Jenny. She loved to exercise, he knew that much. Where could she do that safely.

Woman Wept? Boring.

Rome? Not going back there for at least another twenty years.

Asheshen? Maybe a little later, after she'd learned a bit of mental control.

Pictures flipped past in his mind as he absently flicked another switch. Then the image hit him like a bolt.

"Ah! Marathon on Hasl Nine! Up for more running, Jenny? There's this race, three miles through some of the most beautiful countryside you'll ever see, with their three moons shining down on you, and at the end you jump into this absolutely amazing lake. Sound all right?"

"What's a marathon for?" Jenny asked, keeping an eye on the door as she moved up the ramp. Her father glanced around the time rotor at her.

"For? Not everything has to be for something. People do a lot of things for the experience of it. 'S why I travel. You run a marathon to feel the wind in your face, feel your body in motion, see what it can handle. It's for the pure beauty of it. You're running for the finish line, and it's fun because for once you're not running away from anything. Interested?"

Jenny smiled, tentatively.

"You want to?"

The Doctor grinned widely. "Why not? You do. I'm up for a bit of exercise. Hold those three buttons I showed you, and we can go."

The smile blossomed into a grin that lit Jenny's face.

"Okay!"

"And Jenny?"

"Mm?"

"Don't hit anyone why'll we're there, thanks."