The descent was not as smooth as Jenny had hoped for, as the pod bounced and jolted down the throat, sending her and the Doctor slamming into the walls. The Doctor managed to grab hold of a lever, and she pulled it with all her might.
"Hold on tight, Jenny!" she shouted, as the pod's thrusters kicked in, stabilizing their descent. Jenny nodded, her hands gripping the controls with white knuckles. The darkness was absolute, save for the pod's dim emergency lights, which cast eerie shadows on the slimy walls of the creature's innards.
"How long do you reckon before we reach this thing's stomach?" asked Jenny.
"Hard to say," said the Doctor. "A being this size, it could take days for us to get there, even with us going at full speed. But then again, it might only be a few hours, depending on the creature's biology. We'll just have to be patient and see what happens."
They continued their descent into the stomach of the creature, the pod jostling and bouncing off the walls as it went deeper. The noises grew louder and more chaotic, with the sound of digestive juices sloshing about and the occasional crunch of metal or rock being ground to dust. Jenny's eyes darted around the cockpit, checking the readings on the instruments she had patched together. The pod was holding up surprisingly well, though she knew it was only a matter of time before something gave. So she continued to keep a careful eye on the scanners, instruments and fuel reserves to make sure they neither got lost or lose control of their small craft.
Despite the bumpiness of the ride, it still seemed to be fairly smooth sailing as they descended further and further down. But then a red warning light began to flash frantically on the control panel and give off a frantic beeping sound.
"Uh-oh! We've got incoming!" said Jenny, as she spotted three large objects on the scanners. "Looks like three large white blobs, coming straight for us!"
"Anti-bodies," deduced the Doctor. "The creature's immune system has identified us as a potentially dangerous germ."
The blobs grew closer, and Jenny could see that they had a certain semi-sentient look to them, as if they were not just mindless drones but actual living defenders of the creature's body.
"Looks like we've got to outsmart them, Jenny. Can you do some evasive manoeuvrers?" the Doctor asked.
Jenny nodded and began to swerve the pod through the narrowing throat, avoiding the blobs with a skill that belied her inexperience. The Doctor watched with a proud smile, her eyes shifting from the blobs to the instruments.
Unfortunately, the anti-bodies were much faster than they appeared, and within seconds, they had managed to catch up with the tiny vessel and stick themselves firmly around its metal body. Jenny quickly jabbed at the thruster controls to try and break free, but the anti-bodies had a firm grip, and they rapidly began spreading themselves around their prey.
"The hull won't take much more of this!" said Jenny gravely, as the metal cabin walls began to buckle and strain around them, and the glass of the main window began to crack from the pressure of the anti-bodies pressing against it.
Reacting fast, the Doctor pushed her way past Jenny, and began fiddling with the circuits and wires of the pod's systems. After just a few seconds of tinkering, she flipped a switch, and there came a tremendous flash. When it had passed, the anti-bodies were gone, just like that.
"There! That should keep them away for a bit," smirked the Doctor. "I managed to reconfigure the systems to generate a forcefield around the pod, and push the anti-bodies right off us."
"Smart!" beamed Jenny. "Unfortunately, we've taken a fair amount of damage from the attack, and our hull-integrity is now compromised. I hope we don't have too much further to go, cause the power systems are failing fast!"
As it luckily transpired, they had only to travel further on for just under an hour before reaching their destination. They emerged into what looked like a huge cavern, which was illuminated by the pod's emergency searchlights for all to see. It was like a huge water-filled cave, only its walls were made of flesh instead of rock, and the 'water' that covered the bottom of the cavern was in fact highly acidic stomach juices.
"Well, we're here," said Jenny, as she set the crippled pod to hover above the highly corrosive lake. "We're right in the creature's stomach."
"And look over there," said the Doctor happily, as she pointed at a familiar blue Police Box floating on its side in the acid. "The TARDIS!"
Jenny carefully glided the juddering pod over till it was as close to the TARDIS as possible, then she set the little craft to auto-pilot, before she and the Doctor opened the hatch door and peered out.
"We better get out fast," said Jenny urgently. "The pod's systems are failing fast. The whole thing could drop like a stone into this 'lake' at any moment!"
The Doctor nodded and quickly surveyed the TARDIS floating near them. "Looks like the old girl is facing with the door side up, luckily for us. Hopefully the poor thing will have repaired herself by now. We'll jump over on the count of three."
"We'll have to be careful to get this right," said Jenny. "That lake of stomach juices must be more powerful than the most powerful acid. One slip, and we're dead!"
"Yeah, exciting, isn't it? Running straight into mortal peril!" grinned the Doctor.
"Totally!" Jenny grinned back, then together, they counted:
"One... Two... THREE!"
With a leap of faith, Jenny and the Doctor jumped out of the pod, landing right on top of the the TARDIS doors just in time. Just two seconds later, the pod's engines gave a final wheeze and it dropped right into the acidic lake with a big 'sploosh', melting away in a hiss of steam and sparks, and sending waves that rocked the floating blue box and its passengers about violently.
The Doctor very nearly lost her balance, but Jenny managed to grab her hand in time and stop her from falling into the stomach's deadly soup. The stomach juices spattered around them, but luckily none of the acids landed on them. They were both breathless and grinning like maniacs.
The Doctor then quickly fished out a key from her jacket pocket and hurriedly opened the doors. Luckily the ship's auto-gravity systems were working, so when the two women entered the craft, it was like the whole control room had tilted at a ninety degree angle, enabling them to just walk in, as though the ship was not on its side at all.
"Oh... Wow!" gasped Jenny in wonder, as she took in the sight of the impossibly large room inside the small wooden box she had stepped into.
The Doctor grinned proudly. "Welcome to the TARDIS, Jenny!"
Jenny's eyes widened as she took in the anachronistic sight. The console room of her mother's ship was a blend of retro-futuristic charm and alien technology that looked like something out of a dream. The walls were adorned with roundels, each a unique pattern of concentric circles, and a hexagonal control console loomed in the centre, humming with such energy as if it were a testament to the ship's long and storied history.
"Look at that!" said the Doctor, as she happily ran an nostalgic hand over the console. "We've defaulted back to the earliest desktop theme! Haven't used this one since I wore a battered frock coat and carried a recorder around with me. Rather fun, revisiting an old classic, don't you think?"
The console room was indeed like a blast from the past, with its stark white walls adorned with round panels, reminiscent of the time when the First Doctor had been at the helm. The control console, with its transparent column, stood tall in the centre of the room, surrounded by a mess of switches and buttons that looked like a labyrinth to anyone unfamiliar with its inner workings. The Doctor moved around the console, her eyes lighting up with excitement as she began to fiddle with the controls.
She then noticed Jenny's awe-struck expression. "Ah, yeah. Forgot to mention the 'bigger on the inside than the outside bit', didn't I? Do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it! It's... Amazing!" beamed Jenny, as she looked about her surroundings in giddy enthusiasm, not quite believing what she was seeing. She had heard tales of the TARDIS, but nothing could have prepared her for this. "This place is fantastic! I mean, I heard some stories about the interior of this ship, but to actually see it all... How d'you fit all this stuff inside a small wooden box?"
"Dimensional engineering," said the Doctor, as she danced around the console and flicked various switches. "I'll try to find some time to explain it all later, but right now, we've got an oversized pest to deal with."
"Yeah, how exactly are we going to deal with this great big carnivorous planet?" asked Jenny. "You're not gonna kill it, are you? You told me how much you hate killing."
"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" said the Doctor with a look of concentration on her face, as she set the TARDIS to dematerialise. "I always look for a better option if there's one available. So, I'm gonna try something a bit clever first. Hang on tight!"
Jenny did as her mother instructed and grabbed hold of the console. The next second, the whole ship began to shake violently, as the Doctor worked frantically at the controls, and Jenny struggled not to let herself get thrown to the floor.
"What's happening?!" she shouted over the cacophony of noise.
"Just a little trick I learnt during my darkest and brightest day. Time bubble! Hold on tight, Jenny! We're going to freeze this planet in its tracks!"
The Doctor's hands danced over the TARDIS console with the grace of a pianist playing a masterpiece. The central column grew brighter, pulsing with a rhythm that seemed almost alive. Jenny felt a peculiar sensation wash over her, like the world had suddenly been dipped into treacle, thick and unyielding. The ship's shaking subsided, and outside the windows, the monstrous planet hung in the void, unmoving, frozen in mid-bite.
"What just happened?" Jenny asked in puzzlement.
"We've created a time-bubble around the planet!" the Doctor called back, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "It's like taking a snapshot of a moment and just... holding it there!"
Jenny's gaze was glued to the console, watching as the readings flickered and settled into a stable pattern. She couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the sheer power her mother wielded. The planet outside the TARDIS was now a static, silent picture, trapped in a bubble of frozen time.
"So, we're safe now?" she asked, her voice echoing slightly in the stillness.
The Doctor nodded. "Took some effort and a fair amount of power, but I've managed to erect the time bubble so it now covers the whole planet, freezing it in one nano-second of time. Sort of like suspended animation, only using time instead of ice. Not the most ideal of solutions, but now the creature will be kept alive and safely out of harm's way, and the inhabitants of the galaxy can go about their various affairs without worrying about getting eaten."
"That's a relief," said Jenny. "Though I do feel a bit sorry for the creature, being stuck like that. It wasn't actually evil, just hungry. Doesn't feel fair on it, know what I mean?"
"I do indeed," said the Doctor, placing a comforting hand on Jenny's shoulder. She couldn't help but admire her daughter's empathy, even in the face of danger. It was a trait that she had hoped to instil in all her companions, a reminder that even the most fearsome creatures had a right to exist in the vast tapestry of the universe.
The Doctor's gaze softened as she met Jenny's eyes. "You know, when you first came to me, I didn't know what to expect. But seeing you now, how you've grown into such a compassionate and clever young woman... it fills me with pride and hope."
Jenny felt a warmth spread through her. "Thanks, Mum. But we still need to think about what we're going to do with this creature. It can't just stay here forever, trapped in time like some kind of cosmic zoo exhibit!"
The Doctor nodded thoughtfully. "You're right, Jenny. But as I said, this isn't a permanent solution. It's just buying us some time to figure out a better one. Maybe someday we'll find some way to sate its hunger and be able to release it. But that's a puzzle for another day. We'll pop back every now and then to make sure it's fine. In the meantime, it won't be causing any harm to other planets and their inhabitants, which is the most important thing right now."
"I guess so," said Jenny, then she brightened up a bit as she realised what the Doctor had said. "Wait, 'we'? You mean I can come with you?"
The Doctor looked at Jenny with a twinkle in her eyes. "If that's what you want, Jenny. After all, you are my daughter, and there's so much of the universe to see, so many people to help, and so much tea to drink!"
An overjoyed Jenny gave a loud squeal of delight, before leaping forward and enveloping her parent in a big heartfelt hug.
"Oh, thank you, thank you! I'd love that, Mum!"
The Doctor chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mirth as she playfully ruffled Jenny's hair. "You know, it's going to be a while before I get used to being called 'Mum'. I've undergone some really big changes this time."
Jenny nodded in agreement.
"I know it's strange for you, but I'm just happy to finally have you back. And speaking of change, we ought to sort out some new clothes for you. These rags aren't fit to be seen!" she exclaimed, tugging gently on the frayed sleeve of the Doctor's once-elegant jacket.
"Hmm, you may have a point," admitted the Doctor, looking down at her clothing, which had gotten torn and tattered in the events leading to her latest regeneration. "Maybe there's something in the wardrobe that'll fit. After all, I've had plenty of outfits for all occasions over the years. There's got to be something in there that doesn't look like it's been through a black hole backwash!"
If Jenny had been amazed before by the size of the TARDIS's console room, she was positively speechless when the Doctor showed her the rest of the vast ship that was now her home. There were so many rooms of varying sizes, inside which were delights from the simplest to the unfathomable. There was a library, a swimming pool, a home cinema, and even something called a 'cricket pitch'. It seemed to Jenny that this TARDIS of her mother's was a whole world in itself, and their first destination, the wardrobe, felt like the interior of the largest cathedral there is, filled with racks upon racks of clothes of varying sizes, designs and colours.
While the Doctor took her sweet time choosing her new look, Jenny eagerly rummaged through the clothes, her eyes widening at the sheer variety of outfits, all of which looked like they had been picked out from various time periods and places. After a few minutes, Jenny emerged with a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. They were simple and comfortable, a stark contrast to the complex outfits that her mother had worn in the past, but she felt like it was a good fit for her new life of adventure.
The finishing touch was a kimono jacket with a vibrant pattern of colours that looked like it was pulled straight from a painting. The velour material felt like a warm embrace, and the loose fit allowed for easy movement. She let her hair down, feeling the weight of it against her shoulders, and decided to leave it like that. It was a change she hadn't anticipated, but somehow it felt right.
Pleased with her choice of new clothes, Jenny was just admiring her new appearance in a full length mirror, when the Doctor re-emerged, all decked out in her own new attire.
"How's this?" she asked, spreading her arms out in a dramatic fashion. She had chosen a red casual long sleeves open-front jacket, which she wore over a simple white top, with a blue bias cut satin midi skirt that fluttered around her legs as she moved. On her feet and lower legs were a pair of comfortable, yet surprisingly elegant heeled leather boots. The pièce de résistance was a large floral-patterned pink-shaded square satin scarf that she had wrapped around her neck in such a way that it hung down in a long necklace style, adding a touch of sophistication to her outfit.
Jenny couldn't help but laugh at the Doctor's dramatic flair. "You look... fantastic!" she exclaimed.
Walking together hand-in-hand, mother and daughter then headed back to the console room, ready to begin their new adventures together. "So where to first, Mum?"
"Well, where would you like to go first, birthday girl?" asked the Doctor. "We've the whole of time and space to explore. We're gonna see all sorts of things. It won't be quiet, it won't be calm, and it most definitely won't be safe. But I will tell you what it will be."
"What's that?"
The Doctor beamed like a 1000-watt bulb. "The trip of a lifetime. So, sweetheart, what would you like to see first?"
Jenny considered for a second. "You know what? I'd just like our first destination to be a surprise."
The Doctor beamed. "A surprise it is, daughter of mine!"
She pulled a lever on the console, and as the time rotor of the TARDIS began rising and falling enthusiastically, the Doctor's nimble fingers danced across the console with a flourish. The time machine responded with a wheezing and groaning that filled Jenny with excitement, as well as a feeling that she was truly home. The console lights flashed in a symphony of colour, and the floor beneath their feet trembled as the ancient ship readied herself for the journey ahead. The destination was set, but where or when remained a mystery, wrapped in the enigma of the Doctor's mischievous smile, and as mother and daughter each thought of the fantastic travels ahead of them, a happy Jenny said to herself:
"Best birthday ever."
Next Time: The Crystals of Kosron
I hope you have all enjoyed reading what I've published so far. This marks the end of the opening adventure in my 'Family Reunion' saga, but as I mentioned in the intro, there will be further stories to come. I've already written up the second tale, which I will begin posting in this fanfic next week, and I've started work on the third one, which I hope to start publishing at some point in the new year. For now, I shall mark this fanfic as complete, until the start of 'The Crystals of Kosron'.
Many thanks to 'Greymon Leader Batx flashpoint' and 'MayoTango131' for their encouraging reviews, as well as to all those who kindly faved and followed this story.