Part 1
For anyone looking, the sight of an old blue police box drifting slowly through space was rare indeed. As the strange small box moved, space around it seemed to bend. For such a small and unimposing box, it contained amazing surprises.
The darkened room beckoned the figure to enter, not by ordinary means but through a higher sense; one of danger. The figure was dressed very much like that of an old style music hall entertainer, wearing a dark blue jacket, a jumper having a pattern of questions marks, a white shirt and tartan trousers. The Seventh incarnation of the Timelord known as the Doctor, moved cautiously into the old Tardis control room, noting the soft sound in the background.
"Strange, very strange. I've not heard that sound for quite a while. I suppose I've to check things myself, no one else around."
The Seventh Doctor moved around the main control panels, checking various systems muttering, aware of the cloister bell's deep chime. A set of symbols on one screen stopped the Seventh Doctor in his tracks. He stared at the Tardis main door, part of which was beginning to become transparent; the vortex of space could be clearly seen. Quickly the Seventh Doctor moved, hitting a switch on the console activating a force field just before a hole appeared in the door, causing a minor explosion. The creases in his brow deepened as the Seventh Doctor continued to view the displays on the screen. Promptly he turned and headed out of the control room along a dimly lit corridor, stopping at a partly open door. Looking in at the dusty old room, he began to talk to himself.
"I think it’s time." The Seventh Doctor gazed at the panel.
"To return you for repairs." The tall white haired man suddenly stopped. His clothes gave the appearance of a dandy, dressed in an elegant black jacket, white ruffled shirt and smart black trousers. Around his shoulders was draped a long black cloak. The Third Doctor had stopped at the doorway causing his dark haired female companion to walk into him. In her mid 40‘s, Sarah Jane Smith had travelled many times with the Doctor but this was supposed to be something special. The Third Doctor had appeared as usual, out of nowhere, and had almost ordered her into the Tardis. Sarah Jane had time to grab a leather jacket before the familiar sounds began.
"Fine anniversary trip this turns out to be. I would have thought you'd have been given a new Tardis by now" said Sarah. "What's wrong with it this time Doctor?"
"Wait a minute, what am I doing here?" The Third Doctor continued talking, more to himself than anyone else.
"You went into a trance, looked at the door and suddenly said follow me, then promptly headed down the corridor, and stopped outside this room. Oh this room." Sarah Jane peered into a dusty Victorian styled chamber.
The Third Doctor regained his senses before Sarah Jane could probe him further about the old room.
"The door! Of course! Did I set the barrier before we left? Sarah Jane come inside at once and don't argue." The Third Doctor pressed a series of buttons, the result of which increased the light, and the control room to buzz.
"That's better. Now the force field's in place, we'll be safe here for the time being. Now about those repairs." The Third Doctor seemed to have regained his normal composure.
"Where are we going to take the Tardis for repairs then? You can't very well take it down to the local garage." Sarah Jane smiled at the Third Doctor.
"Wait and see, I'll need to check some controls first." He replied. With that, the Third Doctor began to quickly check various control panels becoming more worried by what he found. After one last check the Third Doctor moved to a roundel, opened it and pressed his hand against a pad. Sarah Jane turned at the sound of a door creaking open from across the room not seen before.
"Well, Sarah Jane the problem is that something or someone is attempting to alter time. At least that's what the scanners tell me." The Third Doctor was still fiddling inside the roundel.
"Oh you haven't broken that Blonlitchavity rule have you Doctor? Doctor?" Sarah Jane was now becoming quite concerned.
"Blinovitch limitation effect, no. However I am outside my time stream and the Tardis, being a multi dimensional ship, is still being used by my other selves." The Tardis shuddered slightly as the Third Doctor moved away from the roundel.
"Hang on old girl". he said, patting the wall.
"I'll try Doctor." Said Sarah Jane, not noticing what he had done.
"Not you Sarah Jane, I was talking to the Tardis." The Third Doctor moved across the room to look through doorway that had just opened.
"Oh, thank you." She replied.
"Now let me finish. You see the Tardis is connected to a computer on my home planet, Gallifrey, called the Matrix. It monitors time and relationships between all Timelords and their Tardis', no matter where they happen to be." he explained.
"I still don't think I'll ever get use to time travel Doctor." Replied Sarah Jane, leaning back against one of the rails.
"Wait here, I won't be too long. Have to consult with some people I may know." The Third Doctor's voice echoed as he disappeared down the dimly lit corridor leaving Sarah Jane to ponder the future. The Third Doctor emerged in a small dimly lit room, which had a control panel looking out into the dark.
"No-one else here yet, time I called them." The Third Doctor placed his hands onto two black pads and closes his eyes.
An attractive dark-haired petite young woman in her mid 20‘s walked down a corridor of the Tardis, running her hand along its white walls.
"Where are you now Doctor?" inquired the figure.
"In here." The reply came from a room further down the corridor.
Nyssa entered a large room, which resembled a library, with books everywhere, and saw a tall youngish man dressed in cricket whites. The Fifth Doctor was sitting on stool next to a large wooden lectern, shaped like an eagle with its wings unfolded.
"Is there a problem Nyssa? I'm just trying to study this chapter before we have to leave." The Fifth Doctor said without looking up.
"Oh nothing really. With the Tardis landed I hoped we could go and investigate. After all you did say this trip was for my benefit. On Terminus, after you had gone, I never thought you'd return. It's so good of you to visit me again, but are we really allowed do this?" asked Nyssa browsing along a dusty line of books.
"Yes, well it's best we don't go into that, just think of this as a holiday and where better to be, than The Eye of Orion." replied the Fifth Doctor.
"It's one of the few places I can relax and know the Master isn't around to cause trouble." He looked up to see Nyssa staring blankly into the room.
"Sorry Nyssa I sometimes forget events too quickly".
"It's not your fault Doctor, I don't think I will ever forget what he has done..." Nyssa's voice trailed off as she thought of her lost home and family.
"Wait, I'll show you what the Eye of Orion looks like, it's here somewhere. Ah there it is, watch." The Fifth Doctor opened the head of the Eagle to reveal a small control panel. After pressing several of the controls a holographic image of the outside world appeared. The image showed a place very much like parts of Earth, with wide open green spaces, yet with strange granite boulders dotted around.
"There you are, that's what it's like right now, raining just like on Earth." The Doctor paused, "Now I come to mention it, England for that matter during the cricket season. Sorry Nyssa I'm wandering again."
"What are you reading anyway Doctor?" Nyssa tried to change the subject and be inquisitive.
"Transdimensional Mechanics and Their Relationship With The Theory of Time Travel in An Infinite Universe, volume 27." Nyssa just looked at the Doctor waiting for more. "Well you did ask!" replied the Fifth Doctor.
"Are there any books on the history of Gallifrey?" Nyssa was staring deep into the holographic image.
"Yes, over there on the far wall I think." The Fifth Doctor became engrossed in his book again and pointed back at the doorway rather than the wall. Nyssa smiled, and walked towards the wall of books. One of the books made Nyssa stop, her curiosity took over as she took the strange book from the shelf.
"Doctor, is cricket on Gallifrey the same as on Earth?"
The Fifth Doctor looked up from his studies, frowning ever so slightly.
"Bring that over here." he replied. Nyssa walked back across the room eager to hear the full story. The Fifth Doctor took hold of the book, it's cover worn and battered, and found an inscription inside.
To the Doctor.
A splendid 400 not out.
W.G. Grace.
“Well I knew I hadn’t left this behind!" The Fifth Doctor began to read his old cricket scores unaware of what Nyssa was now looking at.
"Doctor I think you should look at the picture" Nyssa's voice sounded worried.
"What has the rain stopped or...Oh. now why is he back again? Unless…..."
The image had gained a new feature, that of a white haired man dressed like a dandy wearing a long black cloak. In his right hand was dangling a gold gentleman's pocket watch attached to a gold chain. The Fifth Doctor dropped his book and started to move toward the door stopping for a brief moment to close his eyes.
"Quickly Nyssa follow me and do exactly as I tell you!" the Fifth Doctor shouted half out of the door. Nyssa ran to keep up with him, not wishing to lose herself in the maze of corridors. The Fifth Doctor reached the control room only to find part of the Tardis' main door was losing its form. Moving with speed, he pressed various buttons on the consoles, while checking screens all the time. Nyssa arrived sensing that the Fifth Doctor had lost his normal calm and was desperate to change the situation.
"Nyssa, stay in the doorway, don't come any further!" The Fifth Doctor pressed two more buttons and then began to retreat.
"Doctor, the doors, look they're, they're…….." Nyssa could hardly believe what she was seeing.
"Yes Nyssa I know, I've put a transduction field across the console room, so we should be safe. Now follow me quickly." the Fifth Doctor looked very worried as they moved to another door in the corridor.
"But what's happening to it?" Nyssa wished the Doctor would stop for a moment and explain.
"Something's eating the fabric of the Tardis, causing it to dissolve. Come on in here". The Fifth Doctor led Nyssa into a wood panelled room with a central console and began to check one of the screens.
"There, that seems to have halted it for a while, now I must get to the others. Nyssa I want you to stay here and monitor the screen, if it gets any worse press this button." The Fifth Doctor pointed at a blue button on one of the panels.
"Doctor, who was that man in the holograph in the library?"
"No time to explain now, I've got to get to the MANTA ". The Fifth Doctor was making for another door that had just opened.
"The MANTA?" Nyssa watched the Fifth Doctor disappear through the doorway, wondering what they were venturing into.
The Seventh Doctor turned as he heard a sound behind him.
"Ah! My time to visit is almost near, it's time I found that room."
As the Seventh Doctor left the control room, the ghostly figure of a white haired old man appeared in the control room. He was dressed in black frock-coat, wing-collared shirt, black tie, cream and brown checked trousers. The man known as the First Doctor was clawing the air around him, trying to say something to the Seventh Doctor, his face in pain before his body suddenly fragmented into nothing.
.......
