Chapter I. - The Doctor and the Botanical Garden
'Oh, the North Colony!' I heard a male voice I couldn't recognize. 'I love what they did to the plants! Aren't they fantastic?!' the voice said. 'Grow plants at zero degree, how cool is that!' he cheered. I felt I had to hide and listen. How could anybody enter this dwelling without out knowing? How's that possible?!
'Sweetie, what are we looking for?' An other voice – now female – asked.
'Don't know. I was just interested in human technology in the 22nd century. You know I haven't been on the 22nd century Earth before. Ironic, isn't it?'
There wasn't an answer. The voices got nearer.
'Don't you think we'll be discovered?' the female voice asked.
'Discovered? By whom? The dwelling is hundreds of yards away and nobody's here who could hear us. C'mon, River, just a trip in a modern botanical garden!'
There was a sigh from the woman – and that was the moment when I decided to discover myself.
'So, a botanical garden, eh?' I stepped out from between the plants. The two of them turned with incredible speed and I found myself in the way of a gun and a weird sticky-like lightning mechanical thing which buzzed. I jumped back as I've got a heart attack, and a simple cry came out of my troath.
'Who are you?' the man studied me closely with the thing pointing at me. The woman lowered her gun and rolled her eyes.
'Oh Sweetie you frighten her.'
'Who are you?!' the man asked again distrustfully. I roured from the first shock and breathed.
'You frightened me out. What's that thing?' I asked pointing at the mechanical.
'Oh this?' his face lightened. 'A sonic screwdriver. Clever thing which you won't invent in three thousand years.'
I looked at him weirdly.
'Then how can you have it?' I asked him. He looked at me victorially.
'Clever, isn't it?' he smiled.
'Sweetie...' the woman began.
'Oh, right.' he turned to me. 'Sorry, we have to leave now. Quite nice arboretum, I like it. See you. Or not.'
I looked at him and pulled an eyebrow.
'So you want to leave without explanation.' I crossed my arms.
'Yes... well, quite so. River?' he grabbed her hand. She sighed.
'I think she deserves an explanation if we're broken into her laboratory.' she said.
'Laboratory?!' he asked sarcastically. I frowned.
'What's your problem with my lab?' I asked.
'Oh, nothing, it's quite nice lab which we have to leave now.'
'Not without explanation.' I stepped in his way. He clapped his hands and lowered his head. He thought.
'Right then.' he said finally. 'I'm the Doctor and this clever woman beside me is River Song, Professor of University Luna – which I think you'll base in one and a half thousand years, so I think you shouldn't know yet. So...'
'Wait. How do you know what 'we' – as you say – will do in thousands of years?' I frowned.
'It calls time travel, but if you don't let me explain it you'll never know.'
'So time travel?' I asked with disbelief.
'Yes, time travel. And space travel, which you obviously know, maybe not so high level but quite the same.'
'You travel in space?'
'Yes. Problem with that?'
'No. I always wanted to try it.' He smiled. 'But you mentioned 'you'. Ho do you mean 'you' when you speak about humanity and how did you mean 'human technology'?! Who are you? Doctor who?'
He smiled widely.
'She's paying attention, do you see?' he told the woman. She rolled her eyes. 'I like her.'
'Thanks.' I answered 'But explain it.'
'Right. You understand space travel, don't you?'
I nodded.
'Good. Then imagine you could travel thousand faster than you can now. Imagine new worlds, new lifeforms, new -and certainly more developed – sociteties.'
I nodded.
'Imagine they come to visit you first, before you can go to see them.'
I frowned. I stummered.
'You... you mean... they came here... before?' I asked.
'Yes.'
'But... How?' I asked with more disbilief.
'Oh just accept it.' said the woman.
'How couldn't we realize it?' I asked. She answered.
'Because of him.' she pointed at him. I looked confused so she began to explain.
'Every time an alien race came here to destroy your world or control it, he protected you and fought them away. That's him. Yours is his favourit planet.'
I put my look at him and gawped.
'Why? Why would you do that? I figured it out you're not from Earth, although I don't know any other alternative. So why do you protect us?'
'It's a long story and we have no time to tell it.' he said.
'You said you can travel in time – which is obviously ridiculous, but if it's true somehow, then you are not connected to time. So speak.'
'Oh you are rude!' he cried out. 'Rude but clever. And listening.'
I pulled an eyebrow.
'Go on.' I said.
'Well, we really have to hurry.' the woman said.
'Yes, she's right. But I know a compromise. You can come with us and find out it yourself.' he looked at the woman. 'She can come with us, can't she?'
She looked at me, sighed and the looked back at the man.
'Well, if you like. You mustn't travel alone and I'll leave soon. So what the hell – come with us.' she smiled at me. I frowned.
'Where?'
'Wherever you want. Spaceship, remember?'
'I thought you have something to do.'
'Yes, that's true. Then after that. Anywhere.'
'Should I leave a message for the others? For what time will we come back?'
'Time-machine.'
'I understand but how close can you bring me back?'
He grinned.
'You know you are extremely clever.'
'I think so, yes. How the hell would I be in the most current research institute of the world?' I asked, he nodded.
'True. Well, to answer your question, if I'm not going wrong, in five minuits after we left.'
'To be honest, he goes wrong lot of times.' she whispered. I frowned. 'But you got me, and the TARDIS likes to obey me.' she winked at the man.
'Hey, don't be rude!' She likes me quite as well as you.'
'Wait, what's the 'TARDIS'? Or who, if you say 'she'?
'Oh sweetheart, you'll understand it. The TARDIS is his spaceship and time-machine.'
'How does it like someone? How does it prefer someone?!'
'Oh you'll understand it later. Shall we leave now? They'll be looking for you if we don't hurry.'
And at this point I freezed. The others, I thought. They won't even know I was off.
'I have to leave a message.' I decided. 'In case of we won't return in time Or at all.'
They looked at me confused.
'How do you mean 'at all'?' he asked.
'Oh don't be naiv. I know how does it work. If someone left, there isn't a promise he will return. Not ever. I know it quite well.'
They noticed something, I knew from their eyes. As they looked at me. And then nodded. I went to find a slice of paper and a pen. I decided not to record on the computer databank – sometimes it behaved funnily... I wrote a single sentence on the paper:
I went off, sorry for being late -
be sure Charlie behaves himself.
L.
'Charlie is our computer who controls the plants' watering mechanism.' I explained. They nodded.
'So, can we leave now?' the man seemed to be impatient.
'Yep. Oh, no. Shall bring something with me? Clothes or food, anything?'
They nodded no.
'Just come. The universe is waiting for us.' he smiled. He grabbed the woman's hand and waved e to follow him. And I did. And so it began.
Chapter II. - The Doctor and TARDIS Who
They were to the cold store. We kept the seeds there. Obviously, it wasn't a real cold store, 'cause most the time it kept the temperature above the outside's. But it was a cold store, there was minus five Celsius degrees all the time.
I followed them with obvious disbelief. Why were they going to the cold store? But as a good scientist I didn't asked just watched. We arrived to the door and they stopped.
'You know that door opens with a lock?' I asked.
'Of course it does, it is a door.' he said
'I mean it opens only to us. To me and the other fourteen at the other corner of the dwelling.'
'Yes I know. But I got this.' he waved his mechanical thing.
'So what does it do actually?' I asked.
'Lot of clever things. It has one-hundred and twenty-two functions.'
'What, this thing?' I doubted.
'Oh, never insult his screwdriver, he is fancy of it.' the woman said.
'Of course I am, it's a handy thing and I've had it for six and a half century!'
'How do you mean 'six and a half century'?' I asked frowning.
'I'm thousand-one-hundred-and-sixty – why couldn't I have it for those time?' he shrugged.
'Thousand-one-hundred-and-sixty. You are kidding me or, which is more sensible, you are crazy. Sorry for that.' I turned to the woman.
'No problem, he actually is crazy. Only not that way you think yet.'
'Thanks River, it helped a lot.' he argued with her. She put her hand on her hips and he swallowed.
'Right. Get over it. Open the door. Get to the TARDIS.'
'We are waiting for you only, honey.' she said annoyed but patiently.
'You said 'get to the TARDIS'? How could your spaceship be in the cold store?!' I asked desperately.
'Wait till you see.' the woman said smiling. So I waited. The man pointed the buzzing thing on the lock and it opened.
'Hoe did you do that?!' It is locked with a voice lock, opens only for...'
'...you and the other fourteen. Yes, I heard that. I know that.' he cut me off. 'Why do you ask so much questions?!' he turned to me.
'Researcher, remember?' I shrugged.
'Yep. Good point. River,' he turned to the woman 'remember me not to choose a scientist for companion again.' She sighed.
'Right, Sweetie. Could we concentrate on the task?'
'Of course.' he said and opened the door wide.
'Ladies first.' he said. She rolled her eyes and stepped in. I followed her and the man closed the door behind us.
'Let's lock it back. We don't want to be discovered by others, do we?' she said.
'Yep.'
At that point I stared to doubt my sensible mind. I came with two total stranger who broke in my glasshouse without noticing by anyone, and now I was locked in a cold store with them. Am I insane?! I thought. But I felt no panic and it was weird. I only felt excitement and scientific enquiry. I thought it was funny.
'Good. Let's go back to the TARDIS before we froze here.' the woman said.
'What?' I asked. 'It's just -5 Celsius degreed here.'
She gave me a deadly look. He noticed it.
'Oh don't listen to her, she doesn't like cold places, she has too hot blood for it.' he flirted.
'Oh shut up.' she rolled her eyes but smiled. They changed a flirting look.
'Right. I introduce to the TARDIS... uhm, sorry, I forgot your name.'
'Maybe because you did not ask her.' she said.
'Quite right. So how can I call you, Lady Science?'
'Lilian Orwell if you wish. Prefering Lily.'
'Great name. Orwell. He was a writer, River...'
'Sweetie, I know. Wrote 1984 and Animal Farm – I am the archeologist, remember?'
'Well... Yes... Great fellow, I mean, Orwell. A bit pessimist but quite clever. I brought him to Moscow once just for inspiration for his books. We hardly could run away from the Red Army. Funny days...' he sighed nostalgically.
'You were in Moscow along the Cold War?' I frowned. 'With George Orwell?'
'Yes, as I told you.'
'Could we put on the lights? This darkness goes on my mind...' the woman said impatiently.
' 'course, Honey.' he buzzed with the so-called screwdriver and the lights lit on.
'Thank you.' she said. I freezed. Not because of the cold, I used to it in the two years. But what I saw.
'You are definitely kidding me.' I said slowly, pressing each word. A simply English police phone box from centuries before stood in my cold store.
'It's impossible.' I whispered with wide eyes. He smirked and she smiled.
'Clever, isn't it?' he said.
'You won't feeding me it's your spaceship.' I walked around the box. 'It's tiny!'
'Wait till you enter it.' she said and entered the box.
'You won't say it's bigger on the inside, would you?!' I asked with total disbilief. He grimaced.
'Well... They usually say this after they entered her, but it's quite the same. Welcome to the TARDIS!' he said and widened the door. I stepped in, and couldn't believe what I saw. It was definitely bigger on the inside. Much, much bigger. I stood still in the doorway when he stepped in and closed it behind us.
'So, what do you think?' the woman asked, as she was standing on a podium on which was a panel with buttons and arms and other (sometimes ancient article-like) weird things. It is the control panel, I thought.
'It's impossible.' I whispered. I could hardly belive I was standing in an other dimension. 'It is based on dimension-change, isn't it?' I asked as I slowly began to walk to the control panel. They changed a confused look.
'How do you know?' she asked.
'Don't know, just made a guess. It's quite clear if you think about it...' I looked around. She grimaced and began to push buttons and pull arms.
'So how did you put it in the room? There is no entrance big enough to bring it through – not to mention flying.' I asked doubtfully.
'Of course there isn't. The TARDIS doesn't fly. Well, sometimes she does, but she doesn't really like it.' he explained.
'The what is she doing?' I called it 'her'. It seemed more proper at last.
'Dematerializes and rematerializes.' he said simply. I could not say anything, just 'wow'.
'Hah!' he cried out victorially. 'You can't say anything on this, can you?' he grimaced.
'It's not a race, Sweetie. I think she knows she doesn't know everything – not like you...' she added silently.
'I never said I know everything.' he sulked.
'No, but that's what you think. Or like to think. Or show you think.'
He murmured something and pulled a yellow arm – and the whole thing began to shake.
'What happens?' I shouted frightened.
'Nothing special, just the dematerialization.' she cried. 'He doesn't like to use the stabilizer.'
'Which one is that?' I cried back.
'The blue one in front of you.' she shouted. I pushed the button and the ship got still. She smiled at me.
'What did you do?!' I heard him screaming at me. I frightened I messed something up.
'Sorry I... didn't mean...' I stummered.
'Hush.' he said as he closened to me. 'You pushed the stabilizers. They are boring-ers, little blue boring-ers.' He turned to the blond. 'Are you happy, River Song?' he asked angrily. 'You just taught her how to get boring.'
She laughed lightly as he stepped in front of her.
'You poisoned her.'
I felt confused.
'Oh really?' she asked playfully.
'Don't deny it.'
'Never.' she flirted.
'Stop it.' he said more angrily. They were close.
'Oh never.' she giggled.
'River.' he stepped one step closer so they were just inches apart. I listened carefully and amused as I understood what was going on.
'Yes, Doctor?' she asked smiling.
'Oh just shut up!' he cried out and turned back to me. She laughed lightly.
'Forget about the stabilizers. We don't use them, we don't think about them.'
'We?' I asked confused.
'Yes. Me and my companions.'
'So you have more of them?' I pulled my eyebrows.
'Don't be stupid, of course I have. Had, I mean. Lot of them. Each great person.'
'And do you have one recently? I mean I figured it out that the Professor wasn't a companion, or what. Or is she?'
'No, no companion. She's my wife.'
'Wife? Really?' I amused and shared a wink with her.
'Yes. Problem with that? To be the companion to a married man?'
'Companion? Me?' I frowned.
'Yes, of course. Why? What do you think, why would I bring you on the TARDIS?'
'How should I know? I don't know you, I don't know your purposes.' I shugged.
'From now you and I are partners. If you wish.' he made the theatricals.
'It depends on what do you offer to me. Wait – what can I offer to you? What can I offer what your wife can't?' I frowned.
'Stability.' she said simply. I frowned harder.
'Why? How? Aren't you stable enough?'
'It's not about her.' he said with a dark face. 'It's about me. I travel all the time but she can't be with me always.'
'Why?' I asked sensing sorrow in his voice.
'We have to parten to meet each other in other times. Out timelines are reverse.' she said sadly.
'I can't say I understand, but accepted.' I nodded. She nodded back and continued to press buttons and pull arms. He stood at the fence with his back to us. I felt wrong that I asked so many questions. I looked apprehensively at him, but I had no idea what to say, so I tried to cheer the athmosphere.
'So how should I call you two?' he turned and frowned. 'I can't call you the 'Doctor' and the 'Professor'. Unless you call me 'Phd'.'
'What, Phd?' he laughed. I smiled.
'You can call me River Song or simply River if you wish.' the woman said. 'But his name is actually really 'the Doctor'.'
'Don't you have forename or surname?' I amazed.
'I had, a long time ago. But not now, not anymore.' he faked a smile.
'Right.' I accepted, 'cause I felt I strayed on a moorland again. 'Then explain me something, Doctor. Who are you?'
'Oh, dangerous question.' River said. He smiled.
'I'm a Time Lord of Gallifrey in the configuration Kasterborough, and I travel in the universe to see its miracles, although most times it finishes with running for our lifes. I'm more than thousand years old and had many people around me...'
'Especially young ladies from the modern Earth...' she interrupted smiling.
'Oi! You shut up!' he cried. 'Where was I? Oh yes. So travelling. All the time and space. So, do you accept it? Would you travel with me – to see the universe?'
'And running for my life?' I said playfully. He blushed and River laughed.
'Well... Some times... Maybe... Yes.' he mumble-jumbled.
'Absolutely.' I smiled. He cheered up.
'Great' Awsome!' he said and began to take a dance around the control panel, and the TARDIS hummed satisfied.
'She likes you.' River looked around smiling.
'So that's how you know it!' I realized happily.
'Well, yes, to be honest. You'll learn her noises quite fast, I think.' she said. The TARDIS hummed once again.
'She agrees.' I laughed, and they laughed with me.