Chapter Summary: Just killing time with River Song while the Doctor figures some things out.
Chapter Word Count: 5,143
The lights in the room briefly flickered, getting Sita's attention. Putting down the journal left behind by one of the Doctor's early companions, she noticed that the former TARDIS had opened her eyes and was looking around. 'Thank you' she thought to Idris, receiving a bubble of amusement back.
She cautiously approached the bed. The girl watched her, staying silent. Sita hummed, without saying anything. She could feel the faint pressure of the girl poking at her mind.
"Most beings do not speak in that fashion," Sita said, pushing back. "It is considered rude. Time Lords seem to have a psychic connection to other Time Lords but even they don't usually communicate in that fashion."
"But you can hear me?" the girl projected. A large number of symbols Sita didn't recognize flowed into her mind.
"Yes, though it is not my preferred method. I have no idea what you are trying to convey. Those symbols are not part of my awareness," Sita said.
The girl frowned. The flow of symbols stopped. "Standard interface protocol," she said, speaking. "I was attempting to negotiate a connection. Idris had no problem responding."
"Idris is a TARDIS," Sita said. "She is a different kind of conscious entity from myself and others you may encounter."
"So, I must use this clumsy communication method?" the girl said.
"Unless invited to do otherwise, yes," Sita said. "Several of us aboard Idris do have other ways to communicate but please do not attempt to use them until we can confirm that your channels are compatible."
"Yes," the girl said. "Idris says interfacing with your communication units would take assistance from he who is called her thief."
"The Doctor?" Sita said. "That is not a designation I have heard him called yet." Sita sent a burst of thought at Idris asking for clarification. "I see," she said. "That designation is an intimate one, to be used only between Idris and her pilot, the Doctor."
"This one will refrain from using that designation for the Doctor," the girl said, nodding.
"Do you have a name?" Sita asked. "We were not introduced before you changed forms."
"A name has been unnecessary," the girl said. "Father Rassilon did not see any use for such."
"I would recommend that you select your own name, or someone will choose for you," Sita said.
"I will take that under advisement," the girl said. "What is the purpose of a name others use?"
"It simplifies communication," Sita said.
"Idris did not have a name for many years," the girl said, tilting her head to the side. "She finds it useful to distinguish between standard operation and when dealing directly with her Pilot? I do not have a pilot."
"Do you need a pilot?" Sita asked. "In your current form it would be awkward, I suspect."
"This form is not permanent," the girl said. "I appear to have a way to return to my previous form? I do not recognize the instructions."
"That is interesting," Sita said. "You are a TARDIS with the ability to change shape."
"Idris is able to change appearance. A thing she calls her chameleon circuit. I do not think it is the same thing. Retrieving details from internal memory banks." The girl paused for a minute, her eyes closed. "No," she said. "Idris cannot change her core shape, just how others see her visually."
"So it's a true transformation," Sita said. "I suspected as such when I carried you here. If your shape had been just a disguise I would not have been able to bring you here."
"Idris says it is my room for as long as I need it," the girl said. "Idris has a lot more space available than my other form does."
"You are young," Sita said, "if your current form is an indication."
"George," the girl said, loudly. She looked surprised at her own outburst.
"George?" Sita said. "Your name?"
"It feels? Yes, feels, appropriate for this form," the girl said. "I shall be George."
"Do you need to do anything? A ceremony? Paperwork? To begin using that name?" Sita said.
"No," George said. "I have a designation in my other form, that does not appear to be something this form can output. A time and space designation."
"George it is," Sita said. "We should find you clothes. Idris said there are several outfits you may find useful in the Wardrobe."
"Clothes?" George said. "Coverings?"
"Yes," Sita said. "Unless you plan on staying in this room, clothes would be appropriate. Most cultures have norms concerning clothing."
George briefly closed her eyes. "I see," she said. "Protection against the elements."
"Among other things," Sita said.
"Are the others dressed in the same fashion as you? Your 'clothes' seem to shimmer," George said. "What is the purpose?"
"My clothes are similar to a chameleon circuit, if I understand that correctly. I can direct them to take on a number of different appearances," Sita said.
"That is useful?" George said.
"Yes," Sita said. "But it required special fitments. We will be able to find something for you in the Wardrobe that is durable and comfortable."
Sita held out a hand towards George. "We should do the now, before the others are told you are awake."
"Idris says there are seven others?" George said.
"Seven?" Sita said. "Yes," she said. "It appears River has gone home. I'm sure she will return."
"Please explain the others," George said, taking her hand. "The Doctor is the Pilot, but what of the others?"
"I am Sita, a member of the band," Sita said, giving her a slight bow of introduction. "Mika, Yuki, and Yanzy are also part of the band."
"Band? Audio based entertainment?" George said. "You make something called music?"
"Music, a type of generated sound," Sita said. "Yes."
"The other?" George said.
"Ginny and Harry are our protection detail," Sita said. "Although we can defend ourselves, they are much more efficient in that area. Dill is our liaison," Sita said. "Her role... I am not sure what the equivalent would be for a Time Lord."
"And the Pilot," George said.
"The Doctor," Sita said. "Pilot is something he does, not who he is. Though Idris may not agree with that designation."
"She said he doesn't always know where he needs to go, so she helps him," George said.
George stared at herself in the mirror in the Wardrobe. She pulled at the material.
"These will do," George said. "Pockets are important, are they not?"
"Better to have them and not need them than not have them," Sita said. "Clothing designers for my people do not seem to understand the value of pockets for women."
"Female?" George said. "That is what this form is?"
"Yes," Sita said. "If you were from my people you would be eleven or twelve years of age. The Doctor said Time Lords, and possibly embodied TARDIS's like your self, are much more advanced at your perceived age."
"What more?" George said, nodding. "Coveralls, t-shirt and the other garments?"
"Something to protect your feet" Sita said. "You have not done much walking, and your feet may be soft." She looked around, hoping Idris had provided shoes of some sort for George. "Sneakers or sandals?" she said spotting them along one wall. "You can try them both, and always change them later."
"If I am to protect my feet... I believe those will do," George said, pointing at the red Keds.
"Okay," Sita said, retrieving them. "Let's get them on." She then showed George how to put the sneakers on and tie her laces.
"That seems like an awkward way to secure them," George said. She tugged at the laces.
"If the laces are too much trouble we can find something else," Sita said. "But they have multiple uses if you need to tie something up."
"Hmmm..." George said, frowning.
"Oh she's so cute," Yuki said, standing in the Wardrobe door. "Who picked out the outfit?"
"Idris," Sita said. "Did you have a nice nap?"
"All napped out," Yuki said. "So, what's your name?" she asked George.
"George," George said, cautiously getting closer. "You are the one called Yuki?"
"That's me," Yuki said. "Mika and Yanzy are still sleeping. Not sure where the others are."
"Also sleeping," Sita said. "Except for Dill? She's in the Console room with the Doctor."
"I think that's a Shadow thing," Yuki said. "They can go for days on no sleep."
"Shadow?" George said, looking at Sita for an explanation.
"That is the organizational unit Dill belongs to," Sita said. "Much as Yuki and I are part of the band, Dill is a member of the 'Shadows', an intelligence service."
"I see," George said.
"Looks like a tween but as soon as she opens her mouth it's obvious she's not," Yuki said. "Hopefully she can learn to sound like a kid?"
"I'm not sure who she can learn that from," Sita said. "You are the youngest and you haven't sounded like a teen in a number of years."
"What is a teen?" George said.
"That is what someone your apparent age is called. Yuki is an adult, meaning she has stopped growing. You look young and have obviously not stopped growing," Sita said.
"This is my form," George said. "I do not believe I will do this growing for a number of years. I cannot say how long."
"Not a problem," Yuki said. "I don't mind someone shorter than me. Also, people will underestimate you which can be useful."
"So noisy," Mika said, joining them, with Yanzy right behind her. "So, this is George?"
"Yes," George said. "And you are Mika and... Yanzy?" she frowned. "Your names are different than the ones Idris recommended?"
"Not sure where Idris got names from," Yuki said. "But our names reflect where we come from. We are members of the Fox Clan, and our names are traditional."
"Ginny, Harry, and Dill are a different Clan," Mika said. "They pick their own names when they become adults."
"And the Pilot? The Doctor?" George said, as they walked towards the console room.
"He's from a place called Gallifrey," Mika said. "Doctor is more of a title. I am not sure what his real name is."
"Hmm..." George said. She got a distant look in her eyes. "Idris says that no one knows the Doctor's name, but won't explain why."
"Interesting," Sita said. "We are not familiar with Time Lord culture. There may be a cultural reason for name secrecy. Names do have power."
"I've told you my name," George said. "Does that give you power?"
"I do not believe so," Sita said. "But I would not share your other name from your other form. That would be the one that gives others power and influence over you. If such a thing is possible."
"Should we find the Doctor?" Mika said. "There are things we need to know."
"What do you need to know?" George said. "Is it something I know?"
"We can't answer that," Sita said. "There were plans that may need to change with your transformation."
"You were looking for me?" the Doctor said, appearing in the door, looking over Yuki and Yanzy's heads. "And you have a name?"
"George," Sita said. "She decided that she would like to be called 'George'"
"Hmmm," the Doctor said. "George it is."
"About to go look for you," Yuki said. "We need to talk about our plans."
"We will need Ginny, Harry, and Dill for this discussion. Where should we go?" Sita said.
"The Library has room for all of us to be comfortable," the Doctor said. "Idris will wake them."
"Better her than us," Yuki said. "I've still got bruises from the last time I woke Ginny up."
"This is cozy," Ginny said, looking around the library. Idris had provided a circle of chairs and couches in the center for all of them.
"Do we need a white board for anything?" the Doctor said. A large flat screen appeared off to the side. "Or we can use that."
"Do we need to explain for George?" Yanzy said. "Does she know what we're doing?"
"No?" the Doctor said. "I don't think it's been discussed. Did Idris tell you?" he said, looking at George, who was cuddled up against Sita on a couch.
"No," George said. "Idris has said my cooperation is necessary but that you would explain how."
"I can do it," Ginny said. "Without getting sidetracked into other stories, like some."
"I don't get sidetracked," the Doctor said. "Do I?"
"Doc, you like to tell stories and you ramble when you have a captive audience," Dill said.
"Go ahead then," he said, frowning, and saying 'ramble?' to himself.
"So, the basic story then," Ginny said, turning to face George. "The seven of us are from a different reality? Dimension?"
"Either works," the Doctor said.
"So, we were investigating an object on a planet, and it was triggered. Turns out it was some sort of Time Lord emergency beacon lifeboat kind of thing. We ended up in a special room here on the Doctor's TARDIS. The Doctor said he'd find a way to get us home. Hasn't yet, but he's working on it."
"It's possible, if I can find a way," the Doctor interjected.
"Fingers crossed," Ginny said, holding up a hand. "Anyway, a friend of the Doctor said the solution to reversing it required three items. I don't think they said how to do it once we had them?"
"Just a vague hint," the Doctor said. "The three items can be used to construct a reverse key."
"And the Doctor and River, who is off doing something else, found you while searching for one of these things," Ginny said. "The Shards of a Time Crystal. We already had the Sphinx's Eye, and a control module from someone named Davros."
"So you have these three items?" George said. "Now the Doctor needs to find a way to send you home? And my part of that?"
"We have one of those three things now," the Doctor said. He pulled a small black cube out of a coat pocket. "You are the other two."
"How?" George said.
"You're a TARDIS Type Zed-90," the Doctor said. "Apparently, Rassilon used the Time Crystal shards in your design. And the Sphinx's Eye triggered your transformation and is now part of you." The Doctor took out his sonic and waved it at her. "They are part of your molecular makeup."
"If I transform back? Will that help?" George said.
"No," the Doctor said. "If you are able to transform back into a TARDIS? They will still be part of you."
"So, what do we do?" Harry said. "Do we need to find another Time Shard and Sphinx Eye?"
"It could take a very long time," the Doctor said. "Assuming they even exist elsewhere."
"Okay, that sounds like the 'Not going home' option," Yuki said. "As much fun as things are around here I'd like to go home some day."
"The answer is here," the Doctor said, holding up the cube. "But I have not figured out how to take it, and you, and give them the key to go home."
"So, the Sphinx's Eye was what made this possible?" Dill said. She waved at George. "Would it have happened with anything else?"
"I do not believe so," the Doctor said. "TARDIS transformation was just a myth. Rassilon never could figure out how to get it to work, if the legends are correct. Something about the Sphinx's Eye, possibly after being exposed the the Eye of Horus for so long, made it possible. I am doubtful that you will be able to go the other way."
"What does that do?" Sita asked. "What did this Davros use it for?"
"It's a control module," the Doctor said. "It allowed Davros to move in space, and possibly time? He had gained unusual abilities over the centuries and it's possible this is how."
"Is it safe to give it to her and see what happens?" Mika said.
"It has no intelligence," the Doctor said. He scanned it with his sonic. "Without an external intelligence it's just an inert cube."
"So, is that what we're going to do?" Harry said. "Have George try to figure out how it works?"
"And what do we do while that happens?" Yuki said. "Just wait?"
"I'll work with George," the Doctor said. "I'm sure you can find something to do?"
"Can we call River?" Ginny asked. "I'm sure she has something we could do."
"I can contact her, yes," the Doctor said reluctantly. "I'm not sure you should get involved in one of her schemes."
"If they're anything like Woodstock," Ginny said. "It could be a lot of fun."
"Let's first see how George handles the control module," Dill said. "We don't know how long it will take."
"No time like the present," the Doctor said, standing. Crossing the circle, he handed the black cube to George. Stepping back, he watched her intently.
George held the cube in her hands, staring down at it. A frown crossed her face. "It wants to communicate? I do not speak its interface language."
"Can you learn it?" Sita asked.
"I may be able to learn it," George said. She squeezed it. "It does not respond to pressure."
"So, it's not sentient?" Dill said. "But it wants to connect to something?"
"I will have to listen," George said.
"Can we connect it to that?" Yanzy said, pointing at the floating screen.
"Idris does not recognize the interface language either," George said.
"That would be a No," the Doctor said.
"So, while you contemplate the little black cube, we can contact River?" Ginny said.
"We can reach her from the Console room," the Doctor said. "I'll be right back," he said. Straightening, he strode out of the room.
"So, who is staying here and who wants to see what trouble we can get into with River?" Ginny said.
"I will stay here with George," Sita said.
"If this one is going, she'll need someone to keep her out of trouble," Mika said, poking Yuki.
"I don't need help staying out of trouble," Yuki said, pouting.
"I'll stay here also," Dill said. "I am curious about this control module."
The Doctor came back into the Library, followed by River.
"Hey kids," River said. "So you've made progress?"
"Some," Ginny said.
"And some of you want to go do something instead of watching," River said. "I think we can do that. I have several projects that I need a team for. We can work something out."
"Dangerous projects?" the Doctor said. "You said they would be safe."
"As safe as possible," River said. "And if you can drop us off and pick us up afterward?"
"I can be your taxi," the Doctor said. "Transportation?"
"Get-away car," River said, smirking.
"Nothing illegal," the Doctor said, frowning at her.
"Of course not," River said. "Perfectly legal. Cross my heart."
"Of course," the Doctor said.
"So who's going with me?" River said. "Gather around." She stepped over to the floating board. "I have two possible projects." Noticing the Doctor listening she shooed him away.
"This one might be familiar to some of you," River said. "There are rumors of a magic mask somewhere in an old Mayan temple. It may be magic or may be alien. There's a short window to retrieve it. We would need to get there and out before the 2012 apocalypse."
"All of our Mayan temples have been restored," Ginny said. "I've seen vids of the originals but have never been to the ruins."
"It could be interesting," Harry said. "Our 2012 apocalypse actually wasn't. Is this a real one?"
"Something happens there in 2012 at that time," River said. "What isn't documented. But I have funding for an expedition lined up. Just need a team."
"What's the other option?" Mika said.
"Atlantis," River said. "Right before it disappeared, there were rumors of a spaceship crashing into it. Very little is known about Atlantis. It existed, but Plato may not have accurately described it."
"Atlantis would be complicated," the Doctor said.
"I thought you didn't want to be involved in this?" River said.
"I might have been on the island when that spaceship crashed into it," the Doctor said. "It was not as exciting as it might seem."
"Okay, so Atlantis can wait for another time," River said. "So, lost Mayan temple during the Mayan apocalypse?"
"I'm in," Ginny said.
"And me," Harry added.
"And us," Yuki said, waving at Yanzy and Mika.
"Equipment?" Harry said. "What do you have and what do we need to bring?"
"We can't go in 'guns blazing'," River said. "There may be tourists to avoid, or mislead, so we'll need some kind of disguise."
"Any way we can bring our hard suits?" Ginny asked. "Mika, Yuki, and Yanzy have those camouflage suits so they just need to know what to look like. Harry and I have our suits but they have no such ability."
"I think I'll need to see these hard suits first," River said. "That's not a year where such things are common, unless it's an alien invasion."
Ginny nodded. "Be right back," she said, grabbing Harry's hand and dragging her out of the room.
"They look like anime hard suits, except more real," Yanzy said. "And those are trooper suits, with built in defensive weapons. They didn't bring their 'ray guns' with them."
"If the three of you can make yourselves look like anything, there are some options," River said.
Harry and Ginny came back in the Library, helmets up. River hummed, and walked around them.
"Can you retract the helmets or are they permanently like that?" she said. They retracted their helmets.
"Helmet and gloves," Ginny said, holding up her hands so River could see.
"Interesting," River said. "I was expecting something much bulkier. What's the protection factor?"
"These are built for fast movement," Harry said. "We do have specialized hard suits and over suits for long term missions in very harsh environments."
"An outer layer gets added for cold environments," Ginny said. "Like when sky-diving on Pluto. Or extra thermal and pressure protection for some place like Venus."
"But otherwise, good against energy weapons, projectile weapons, and other things. Not so good for landing on the surface of a star. But we don't usually go places like that. And ground zero of a fusion or fission weapon? Not recommended," Harry said.
"But riding the shock wave? That can be fun," Ginny said.
"Not invulnerable, but close then," River said. "Impressive. How do the kid's suits compare?"
"More self defense and stealth, than full combat," Dill said. "Protection against energy and projectile weapons, and several days of operation in harsh environments. And the camouflage, of course."
"Mars if they don't go out in a storm. But not recommended too close to a fission explosion," Ginny said.
"They don't want us involved in combat," Yuki said. "This is what it looks like." She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her clothes flowed until her entire body was covered in a matte black hard suit. And then her helmet retracted. "Not quite a trooper hard suit like Ginny and Harry or a Shadow suit like Dill's. But it has been very useful when needed."
"These are all custom fitted?" River said. "How do you keep someone else from using your suit?"
"DNA locked," Dill said. "It has to be coded to the individual. And certain features require certain DNA traits. A Trooper hard suit would not perform very well for a standard human. You have to be Clan to have access to the full feature set."
"Excellent," River said. "So if someone stole one of your suits they'd be useless?"
"The self-destruct would probably be triggered if someone poked around trying to figure it out. Though they are very expensive so there are locks to prevent that except as a last resort," Dill said.
"Haven't destroyed a hard suit myself," Ginny said. "But I did end up on a long mission where it basically wore out. Which almost never happens."
"We were in the field for over a year," Harry said. "Suits work best if they get refurbished monthly."
"Was getting a bit stinky by the end of that one," Ginny said.
"Okay," River said. "We need a story for this, to tell anyone who asks. Do you have any portable perception filters?" she asked the Doctor. "Something that could work with those suits?"
"What kind of power source?" he said, scanning Ginny and Harry in their suits. "I don't recognize the power source. Something combining organics and fusion at the same time?"
"I just wear it," Ginny said. "The power source can handle all suit functions for a year or two except in extreme conditions."
"What are the power requirements for the perception filter?" Dill said. "The suits can handle external attachments for short lengths of time. But not for more than a couple hours."
"That isn't going to be enough then," River said. "So we'll need a different idea."
"Why don't we just say we're making a movie?" Yanzy said. "About aliens showing up on this apocalypse? We would just need cameras and a crew."
"And paperwork," River said. "But the paperwork is the easy part."
"That would be suitably ironic," Ginny said. "Our Mayan apocalypse was actual aliens, us."
"But our apocalypse took several years of planning," Harry said. "And was a lot of work."
"This wouldn't be real," Ginny said. "We just have to have a reason to be there. Pretending to film a movie about an alien invasion should be a lot easier. We just need people."
"We can do it that way but it will be a lot of work to set up the film company and hire people," River said.
"Okay, Mika, Yuki and Yanzy just need to set their suits to something appropriate," Harry said. "Ginny and I will leave our hard suits here. We aren't exactly defenseless without them. We'll just need to be careful to not get killed."
"Okay," River said. "I have a lot of practice with not dying. We can be an actual archeology site team. Checking out a Mayan city or two to see if one is appropriate for an actual dig."
"Which brings us back to equipment," Harry said. "What does an archeologist wear for a dig?"
"And do we get weapons?" Ginny said.
"Of course," River said. "I have some things you can look at. And the Wardrobe should have appropriate clothes."
"Preferences?" River said, laying out several cases on the back counter in the Library. She opened them, one by one. The first case contained an assortment of knives. The second, a collection of what appeared to be handguns. The third and final case contained miscellaneous items.
"Knives," Yuki said. She picked up several, examined them and put them back. "Something throwable." River handed her two slim, black bladed stilettos.
"They can be thrown though that isn't really their purpose," she said. She then took a rolled up leather object out of the third case and handed it to Yuki. "Keep those for self defense, but for throwing, these might be better."
Setting the stilettos to one side, Yuki eagerly unrolled the object. "These will do much better," she said, looking at the dozen slim throwing knives.
"Something that will fit in a pocket, for emergencies?" Yanzy said. "Sharp pointy objects are not really something I'm very familiar with."
River frowned for a second before taking a small handgun out of the first case. "Looks like a regular pistol, but is actually an energy gun," she said. "One hundred shots on stun, Twenty-five when set to kill." She handed it to Yanzy.
"And you?" she asked Mika. "Knives, gun, or something different?"
"Knives like those," she said, pointing at Yuki's stilettos. "And that." She pointed at a coiled piece of slim cable.
"You've used one before?" River said. "Not very forgiving to new users."
"Yes," Mika said. "A monofilament whip can be tricky to learn but I've been using one for years. Easy to hide."
"She can handle it," Yuki said. "Better her than me. I almost cut my fingers off trying to use one once."
"Okay," River said. "Something for Sita? She isn't going with us but leaving her unarmed?"
"She wouldn't take anything," Mika said. "She already carries a knife and knows the Fire and Water forms."
"And the two of you?" she said, looking at Ginny and Harry.
"We're playing bodyguards, right?" Ginny said. "Then we need something that looks impressive but deadly."
"How are your wrists," River said. "Can you handle one of these?" Opening a fourth case, she took out two large handguns.
"Disguised energy weapon or projective weapon?" Ginny said, eagerly picking one of them up.
"Both," River said. "Twenty shot 45 calibre magazine, and forty shot armor piercing energy gun. They have a huge recoil. It can take some getting used to."
"That shouldn't be a problem," Ginny said. "Not all of our specialist weapons are fluffy recoilless pea shooters."
"Is there a firing range on the TARDIS?" Harry said. "We'll want to try those out."
"There is one but it hasn't been used in centuries," the Doctor said. "Not much reason for it."
"Idris wouldn't be happy if we fire these in here," Harry said. "Where is the gun range?"
The Doctor frowned, and thought for a moment. "Idris will have to lead you to it. I don't think I've ever used it.
"I have," River said. "It's normally down near the second pool. It isn't very large."
"Better there than in the hallways," Mika said.
"Not as exciting," Yuki said. "It's more than a gun range, correct?"
"It has several wide open spaces for other activities," the Doctor said. "Archery and other bladed weapons."
"Sounds more like a rec room, than a firing range. What else is in it?" Ginny said.
"A pool," the Doctor said. "And an obstacle course. Haven't had much use for that recently."
"Obstacle courses can be fun," Yuki said. "But let's check out these guns first."
"Starting with a target that doesn't move," Harry said. "Hopefully you won't need to use those knives while running."
"That is a skill I haven't quite mastered yet," Yuki said.
"I figured it out the last time we went back to the Fox Temple for meetings with the Abbott," Mika said. "I'll show you what I learned,You should pick it right up."
"So, a visit to the Wardrobe, after the firing range, and we should be ready to go. Just need a ride." River said.
"This isn't how I remember going on a dig," the Doctor said.
"You only go on boring digs," River said. "This one might be too exciting for you."