The Time Lord hurried into the TARDIS who gave a worried ping.

"She's injured and unconscious! You want me to just abandon her, after I just killed what might have been the only family she'd ever have?"

The TARDIS gave a somber shudder this time and the man rolled his eyes.

The Doctor placed the girl on the MedBay table and took out a scanner and ran it along her body making note of what he found. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"Basically humanoid in appearance." He muttered to himself and looked more at the data. "Genetic makeup I've never seen before." He read more from the device while placing it over her neck. "No vocal cords?" He asked himself. "How then does she communicate? Ah I see, telepathy is off the charts." He nodded but was unsure if she could ever live a full life. When he checked her blood it came back *undetermined*. "So we can't even make a judgment on years lived. Wonder how old she 'really' is?" The Doctor sat down on the stool beside the table.

(Perhaps I can try to communicate with her?)

The Doctor thought about it and nodded back to his TARDIS.

"Yeah, maybe you can get better results than I can."

Subject 246 found herself once more within the darkness. This time the darkness was not as oppressive as it normally felt and it felt like a normal dark cycle.

*Hello?* 246 questioned when she felt a presence nearby.

(Hello young cub. I am the TARDIS.)

*Who or 'what' is a TARDIS?*

(My Thief's granddaughter named me that many years ago. Susan was her name, I rather miss the dear girl. It stands for Time And Relative Dimension In Space. TARDIS.)

*Were you the one that sounded like they needed a tune-up?*

The TARDIS chuffed indignantly at the words of the younger humanoid creature.

(I cannot help it if my Thief cannot figure out where my brakes are located.)

*Oh our Master often spoke of machines that were not taken care of properly.*

(Do you have a moniker?)

*What is that?*

(A name, or identification?)

*I was always identified as Test Subject 246*

The TARDIS became almost sad that a creature would not even have a name.

(Will you become conscious at some point?)

*Oh, I'm not awake? That would explain why it fells like a Dark Cycle.*

(What is a Dark Cycle?) The TARDIS asked concerned.

*Master Zuni made us run the gauntlet once in the Dark Cycle. Things come out during that cycle. It wasn't fun, we lost 17 other subjects during that Cycle. Master Zuni decided after that event to train us during the Light Cycle.*

The TARDIS figured out what the girl was saying now. They were trained night and day, but there were dangerous things that came out during the night and 17 children were killed.

(Perhaps you should regain consciousness and discuss this further with my Thief?)

*Is Thief their moniker?*

(No, he is called The Doctor. It's a long story as to why I call him my thief.)

*Okay I will see if I can awaken.*