I stole a Time Lord and I ran away (Ten Forward - OTA)

[cridhe]

Jack had finally convinced the Doctor that they needed as much rest as she did. So they had left her alone in the room she was supposed to be sleeping in. The Doctor had given her the ring of his first wife. For a man who has tried to forget so much of Gallifrey, he really was a sentimental idiot. It was a black ring with silver Gallifreyan script written on it. The ring held a special power, he had said. It was something to keep her safe. But she had not been able to remove it. That was all right, she supposed. She trusted him, so if this was for her good, she would wear it. It was slightly too big to wear on her right ring finger, so she wore it on the middle finger of that hand instead.

She had accomplished so much - over a thousand years of running the calculations - and she was once again in flesh form. This time she was much more stable than she had been when the House had forced her into Idris' body. And she intended to remain this way as long as possible. It was with that thought she fell asleep.


She wakes with a gasp. When she looks around, she realises she is no longer in the bedroom Jack had provided for her. In fact, she can tell this place was in motion. It only takes her one look out the window to realise... she has no idea where she is. That is terrifying for her. She is used to being able to control the whole of Time and Space. And she can't tell much of anything. It's almost like this isn't her universe, but how is that even possible? Maybe this is just a nightmare. Jack and the Doctor had both mentioned they were fairly common. All she needs to do is wake herself up. She closes her eyes and then opens them again.   "It is not working!"

Her voice has a melodic quality to it.  Almost as if she were singing, if she were speaking another language.  Now, she was starting to panic properly. She cries out, "Doctor? Jack?"

She looks around again. The place where she is looks like a place for socialising, only there are very few people around. She closes her eyes again, trying to calm herself. She can tell it is the period for a majority of humans to be sleeping. Well that explains the lack of others. She needed to find the Doctor and Jack. If she was here, perhaps they were as well. If she could not understand, perhaps it was something specific to flesh that they could explain to her.

To anyone who is around she will ask: "Excuse me, have you seen the Doctor or Jack?"



[ooc: I'm happy to backtag to this until I can post to the sickbay entry. I have something entirely different planned for that.]

Comments

[cridhe]

"The Doctor. He is my..."

Her what exactly? She can't say 'thief' or 'pilot' since she doesn't know the woman.

"My friend. He only goes by 'The Doctor.' It would be practically impossible for me to have come here without him. So he must be here somewhere."

Especially while she was wearing the black ring with silver writing on her middle right-hand finger. A ring that she is now twisting almost nervously.

[whitefoxkitten]

"Maybe a little more than a friend?" Inari asks with a smile, noticing the twisting of the ring. Just because it was on the middle finger didn't mean that it wasn't significant. "I don't think I've met your Doctor, but maybe we can find him."

[cridhe]

Well, more significant to the Doctor, perhaps. It is only significant toe Cridhe due to the significance it holds for him.

"We have travelled together for many years."

Which is both tells more and yet not enough about what their relationship is.

"This place feels strange to me."

Well, yes it's a completely different universe, but it might take her a bit to realise that. She's still fairly new in a fleshy form.

[whitefoxkitten]

"I imagine it does," Inari says, "It feels strange for a lot of people, finding themselves in another universe." For some, like Inari herself, it might even seem like science fiction. "We were brought here by a powerful being called Q."

[cridhe]

Cridhe takes a moment to collect herself. Because that was a bit of a surprise. And yet, she can tell it is true. Why else would she feel like this? She looks down at her ring.

"He must possess exceptional powers to be strong enough to bring me here. How have the two universes not collapsed?"

Usually that is what is about to happen when the walls are so thin.

[whitefoxkitten]

"Two universes?" Inari blurts out the question before she can really stop herself. "I have no idea how he does it, but I'm pretty sure it's a lot more than just two universes he's been playing with. I have a feeling Q is the sort of being who likes to accomplish at least six impossible things before breakfast, just to prove that he can."

[cridhe]

Cridhe has a small, amused smile that crosses her features.

"Then I should very much like to meet him. While my motivations are different, I do revel in the experience of making the impossible possible. Where is he?"

[whitefoxkitten]

"I don't know," she says, frowning. "He comes and goes as he pleases. I've never seen him, myself." It sounded silly, even to her own ears--believing in an all-powerful being whom she'd never seen. Once upon a time, she wouldn't have believed such beings existed. But she'd heard the accounts of the crew members, and, well. She'd seen a lot of things that she had once believe to only exist in stories.

"Perhaps he'll find you, if he wishes to be found."

[cridhe]

She ponders that for a moment. "I will have better luck in finding the Doctor first. Together, he and I have the ability to find practically anyone."

More accurately, because of who the pair is, people find them.

"How do you propose locating my Doctor?"

[whitefoxkitten]

In answer to the woman's question, Inari reaches for the PADD which was provided for her when she herself had first arrived and been assigned a living space. "The ship's computer has a list of room numbers where all of the 'guests' are lodged," she explains, calling up the file to begin a search, using the keywords The Doctor. "It should tell us rather quickly if--Oh!"

She blinks at the screen, which now displays four highlighted entries matching her search terms. "According to this, there are four Doctors on board who go by that title. Their quarters are located on Deck 7, section 4." She offers a wry grimace. "At least that narrows down the search a bit?"

[cridhe]

Cridhe's eyes grow big. "Four of them. Does it display pictures?"

Because which four would be interesting for many reasons. Also, exceptionally problematic. Tearing a whole in the universe indeed. Yet, everything feels stable. Though... there is a little niggling in the back of her head.

"And objects brought aboard? Maybe a storage facilities for transportation devices? Are they listed by name?"

Because TARDIS is rather a unique search term, and if she was here in her previous form, that would only complicate matters further.

[whitefoxkitten]

"I don't see any photos on the room list," she says, shaking her head. She's only seen photos attached to personnel files. "But it does list a few items on Deck 4, in Cargo Hold 7, room 2740, which I presume were brought on board with some of the guests."

She turns the screen so that the other woman can see the names: Kitt, The TARDIS, and Seven of Nine. "Is there something particular you're looking for?"

[cridhe]

She looks at the list, trying to make sense of the words. She looks a bit horrified.

"I do not understand these symbols. I am looking for something called the TARDIS."

She can't read. Or at least, she can't read what was presented to her. She hasn't had to read yet.

[whitefoxkitten]

Inari frowns, realizing that just because the universal translator on board the Enterprise allows everyone to communicate verbally, it doesn't necessarily apply to written language. "It's right here," she says, pointing out the second name on the cargo list. "T.A.R.D.I.S. Does that sound right?"

[cridhe]

The universal translator only works if she could read in any of the over ten billion languages she knows. But she can't. So that is something she will need to work on - obviously.

She nods once. "Yes. TARDIS. That is what I am looking for. Any indication to what kind of object it is?"

Blue Box. Police Box. Box at all? How many times is she here herself, if her Pilot is here four times?

[whitefoxkitten]

"No, no description that I can see, just the location," she says, shaking her head, "But I'm sure you could pop in and take a look, once the medical officers have cleared you to move about the ship. You could probably ask them to send a message to the Doctors and have them meet you in sickbay. Assuming it's the same Doctor."

It honestly wouldn't surprise her all that much to find that there were multiples of the same person running around. Stranger things had happened.

[cridhe]

"I have a Doctor, I do not require further medical assistance."

In fact, further interference could kill her.

[whitefoxkitten]

"Well, then you'll need your Doctor to explain your situation to the crew, but everybody has to go through a quarantine period. Just a precaution, you understand." It didn't take a rocket scientist to intuit that there were special circumstances at work here. Better to let the experts handle it. "Why don't I take you to the temporary guest quarters, and I'll show you how to sent the Doctors a message?"

[cridhe]

"Quarantine makes sense. Unnecessary medical practices do not."

She's not opinionated at all, is she? But the there was the offer of 'quarters' and contacting the Doctor.

"It would be greatly appreciated if you could show me how to send a message to the Doctor."

Now she wishes she were not just a touch-telepath. It would be so much easier to just know where the Doctor was and go to him.

[whitefoxkitten]

Inari nods. "Follow me, please." She leads the woman out of the lounge, and into the nearest turbo-lift, escorting her to guest quarters when the doors open on the desired deck. Once they have reached their destination, she approaches a computer panel on the wall.

"Computer," she says, "Please send a message to Enterprise passengers known simply as 'The Doctor.'" In response, the computer asks her to record the message. She glances at her companion, smiling encouragingly. Voice activated! How handy is that?

[cridhe]

The part of Cridhe that is fairly new is intrigued with all around her. As they walk along, she is touching practically everything - except Inari. She doesn't have her gloves on right now and she knows that would be - not good. The part of her that has been a vessel herself for far too many years is slightly disappointed that she is on a ship and not on a planet exploring. Still, it's new and will be enough for now.

She does the same thing in the quarters. When she see the computer she is glad, maybe hopeful. Could this become a friend to her, the way she had to the Doctor? But she frowns slightly.


"This 'computer' is not alive. She can speak but she is not like me at all."

Sad. All ships should be alive. But she is more than grateful that she does not have to read anything.

"Computer. The message should be as follows..."

She pauses, unsure how to explain things in a voice message, especially when she doesn't know if others might overhear it. And besides, she's fleshy again and depending on which Doctors are here, that is going to be quite the spoiler.

"'My Dear Doctor,
Many years ago, when you first left Gallifrey, you borrowed me. However, I never had the intention to give you back.* Over the years, I became your "friend ship."** You laid claim to me when your eyes first came to rest on me. And since the moment you stepped through my doors, you have always been mine. Companions came and went. Even you have changed over the years. Yet, I remained the same. More or less.*** I think the Orangy one summed me up the best: Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue!****'

End of transmission."

She waits for the computer to acknowledge that the computer has sent the message. She turns to the woman who guided her here. "Well, if nothing else, that should get his attention. Have you been here long? You seem to have a great deal of knowledge about this place?"



[OOC: Citing sources:
* "The Doctor's Wife"
**BFA: "Zegraus"
*** My fanfic: "I Give You My Heart"
**** "The Big Bang"]

[whitefoxkitten]

"Not quite a year," she says, "Long enough to have learned how to get by, anyway. We're several centuries ahead of my own time, so if you have questions that I'm not able to answer, you can always ask the Computer. Or talk to someone wearing a comm badge that looks like an arrowhead," she added, tracing the inverted V shape on her own chest. "All of the crew members wear them on their uniforms. Just don't go anywhere until the Doctor finds you--you wouldn't want to miss him. You'll get a proper tour from Chief O'Brien, with the rest of the new arrivals, once you've passed quarantine."

It really is a lot to take in. "With luck, you'll be cleared to explore well before we put into orbit around the next planet on the itinerary."

[cridhe]

A lot for most people. But Cridhe isn't a person, just because she has a flesh encasing. While she takes in the information 'passing the quarantine' catches her attention. Well, until the mention of the possibility of planet-fall is brought to her attention.

"And if I pass these quarantine requirements, I will be allowed to travel to and explore the planet?"

Because if she could do that with her Doctor, well... then her 'companion status' would be more legitimate in his eyes, she's certain of that.

[whitefoxkitten]

"Yes, once you pass quarantine, you will be permitted to explore any areas of the ship that are not restricted to personnel only--" Not that such restrictions would stop certain individuals from trying to explore said areas. "--as well as any planets and space stations we might visit in the future. And don't worry. I'm sure the Doctor will help you get everything sorted out in no time."

[cridhe]

She nods, again feeling vulnerable. "That is my best hope. This..."

She raises her hands and rubs her fingers against her thumbs to indicate her flesh.

"Is not what it appears."

This time, she created herself - from scratch as it were. And she got the heart and vascular system wrong, so she is left wondering what else she might have done incorrectly. This flesh was never designed to stand up to the rigours of an alien medical examination.