Getting Technical

Jenny's next lesson on the TARDIS was technical. She spent all her spare time in the second library, studying blueprints and poring over a set of hologram projections she'd found in a little box stuck between the books. Every time she returned to the shelf, she seemed to find new information. Jenny drilled herself on the components and their functions. When she worked with her father, her mind ran over the action of everything they worked on. Of course, her father's TARDIS didn't match the blueprints too well. Some components were missing, some were substituted with bits and pieces of other things, and some of the workings had been rewired; they were so different from the plans that she barely recognized them. Yet she was learning all the time.

A few weeks later, she stood in front of the console, her back to the doors.

"See if I get this right."

Her father leaned back against one of the columns, smiling slightly.

"Shoot."

Jenny pointed at the first trapezoidal panel of the console. "This one houses the navigation and steering controls. Here we can set the course and push the ship in or out of the Vortex. Materialize and dematerialize."

Moving clockwise, she patted the trim of the next panel. "This one has the switch that opens and closes the doors, and here are the controls for the scanner. Oh, and here are the advanced navigational controls and the defense controls, shields and stuff."

She moved to the next panel. "Here's the communications circuits, life support and lighting controls, and all the room controls…the architectural configuration unit, I mean. This one has the computer and databanks. This next one…here's the readouts of external and internal environmental conditions, stuff like radiation, humidity, nitrogen and oxygen levels, right next to the gravitational and directional controls. And this last one gives the power status, power controls, activates the energy-absorption conduits and… brings the auxiliary power from generators and batteries, and has outlets for all the other equipment."

She circled the console again, pointing at the pedestal that supported the console.

"There's the catch that gives direct access to the Heart, there's the panels that let you into the stabilization circuits. Intake chute for the fluid links, dynamic harmonizers, force-field generators, main helmic regulator, gravimetric reroute and thrusters, fault locator, and the lubrication areas for the rotor..."

She turned, her eyes wide.

He hasn't said a word. Did I do all right?

He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Absolutely, perfectly and in all respects, brilliant! You've got it down pat!"

Jenny smiled. Crossing her arms, she cocked her head.

"So can I start driving alone now?"

The Doctor's eyebrows shot up.

"What?!"