Barcelona - Post Three

[just_the_doctor]

The light show last night had been just as brilliant as he'd remembered. All the divers -- as many as twenty at once -- weaving in and out of each other, their suits flickering through pre-programmed patterns to create images of flowers or animals as they descended lazily to the water below. He and Thirteen had even stayed through both shows just to see it again. They'd caught the last shuttle back and didn't get back to the TARDIS until well after midnight.

The results of the scan were waiting for him when they returned, and while Thirteen shuffled off to bed, the Doctor sat in the medical bay and began going through the data. He'd been right about the object being from the Time War. The construction methods and materials were perfect matches for that time period. The purpose of the thing still eluded him -- most of the circuitry was too badly degraded to ascertain its design. That was likely also why the thing had reacted as it had before, a malfunction as the last of the wiring burned itself out. He'd lain back in the diagnostic chair to think about his next move.

Which explains why, the next morning, he's still there, eyes closed, the papers draped across his chest, breathing softly in a not-quite-snore.

Comments

[numbered_doctor]

She throws herself into one of the chairs, scrubbing at her face as she catches her breath.

"What d'you suggest, then? We going to have to keep running?"

[just_the_doctor]

"Aubertines are hunters," he explains. "Extraordinary sense of smell. And they have a Vortex Manipulator, I saw it on one of their wrists. They can track us across time and space. Right across the universe. But they don't live long, and they're bound to be winding down, which is why they're so desperate to get to me. But they never got close enough to get a good look at our faces. So, we go to ground. We hide and wait for them to die."

[numbered_doctor]

"If they can smell and track us from across space and time, how do you propose we hide from them?"

[just_the_doctor]

The Doctor sighs, pulling a few levers on the console. A strange headset covered in wires descends from the upper reaches of the room.

"It's the scent of Time Lord that they're tracking. So, I have to stop being a Time Lord. I have to become human. Until they die."

[numbered_doctor]

She frowns at the contraption as it makes it's appearance, shooting the Doctor a confused look.

"And this is going to make you human?"

[just_the_doctor]

He nods. "Chameleon Arch. It can rewrite my biology. Change every single cell of my body into another species. I have it set to human." He digs around in a small box attached to the underside of the panel and pulls out a fob watch with Gallifreyan script etched on the outside. He slots this into a depression on the back of the headset.

"The watch will hold all of the Time Lord part of me. As long as it's closed, the Aubertines can't sense it. Now, I already have something of a past programmed in as a contingency, but it doesn't include anyone else. So, we need to decide how to fit you into it, and I need to quickly reprogram the arch before starting it."

[numbered_doctor]

She scrubs a hand though her hair as her mind buzzes, trying to come up with something for them to use.

"A friend, definitely," she decides after a moment. "Someone needs to keep an eye on you."

[just_the_doctor]

He considers that for a moment. "All right, I think I have an idea. Give me two hours, and then meet me back here. I'll give you the background to study, and then I'll make the change."

[numbered_doctor]

A nod.

"Sounds like a plan, then. Anything I should be doing in the meantime?"

[just_the_doctor]

He thinks. "Packing for the two of us would be a tremendous help. England, early 20th century. If you don't mind, of course."

[numbered_doctor]

"Sure, no problem."

She grins a little at him.

"Sending me back into that mess so soon?"

[just_the_doctor]

"Hadn't been my first inclination," he says, having the grace at least to look sheepish over it. "Besides, it's mostly organized by period. Well, when I say 'mostly', I mean 'generally'. Well, when I say 'generally'... eh, you'll figure it out."

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen manages a laugh as she makes her way out of the console room.

"If you don't see me in two hours, I'm trapped and you need to send a search party."

[just_the_doctor]

The Doctor holds up a hand, then ducks down to pull up one of the floor panels in the console room to rummage around in a box. He finds what he's looking for and stands back up, tossing her a ball of thread. "That should help. Worked for Theseus. He let me keep it as a souvenir."

[numbered_doctor]

She snatches the ball out of the air, turning it over in her hands as she looks it over.

"Theseus? As in, slayed the minotaur, Theseus?"

[just_the_doctor]

He looks up briefly from his keyboard. "Turns out it was actually a Zygon, but yeah."

[numbered_doctor]

She just shakes her head as she walks down the hall, calling back to him over her shoulder.

"Six degrees of separation has nothing on you."

[just_the_doctor]

"I've met Kevin Bacon, too," he calls out after her, then turns his attention fully back to the task at hand.