[personal profile] locker_monster
Title: Wanderers in the Fourth Dimension (1/1)
Rating: G
Word Count: 498
Characters: Susan, One
Timeline: Pre-"An Unearthly Child"
Summary: The TARDIS breaks down, stranding Susan and the Doctor in the Time Vortex.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to the BBC.
A/N: Entry for [livejournal.com profile] who_contest's "Down" challenge.

The time rotor ground to a halt with a high pitched squeal. The lights inside the column continued to wink on and off, but the other components refused to spin. Susan looked on as her grandfather flicked a few of the switches on the console but there was no response. The Type 40 he had, as he put it, borrowed, was functional but old. This wasn't the first fault to slow them down.

He finally tsked. "It's the helmic regulator again. It must be repaired this instant. Stay here. I need my repair kit. And don't touch any of the settings. I finally have the coordinates set for Hebetes."

Susan watched her grandfather leave the control room. When he was out of sight, she let out a sigh. She had heard of Hebetes. It was a planet with no living inhabitants besides the local flora and fauna. It was the last place she wanted to visit.

"I want to explore," she said softly. It was part of the reason she had left Gallifrey with her grandfather. How could she learn anything about the universe if they only visited dull planets?

The engines still hummed in the background, but the usual whoosh as they tore through the Time Vortex was absent. It was far too quiet.

"We learned about Type 40s in school." Susan spoke to break up the silence. "It was a prototype time capsule, not meant to travel much beyond the testing phase. It wasn't even known as a TARDIS."

Time and Relative Dimension in Space. It described the ship so perfectly. "My class and I came up with that. T-A-R-D-I-S. The designers liked it when they heard about it." Now everyone called them TARDISes without knowing that a group of students had coined the name.

A deep clang suddenly resonated within the console and the time rotor began to rise and fall again. The motion was far from smooth, but they were moving.

Had the ship fixed itself?

The time rotor slowed to a stop. Out of habit, Susan flicked the switch to turn on the scanner. She expected to see endless forestation on the screen.

"What have you done?" Her grandfather returned to the control room and he immediately noticed the image on the scanner. "Did you change the coordinates?"

Susan stared up at the bustling market displayed on the scanner. That was not Hebetes. "No, Grandfather, I didn't touch anything."

Her grandfather harrumphed disapprovingly. "Navigation must be faulty, too. I'll need your help with the repairs."

"Oh, Grandfather, must we do that now? There's so much to see outside."

He seemed ready to dismiss the notion but his expression soon softened. "Yes, there's no harm in a brief, educational visit. Come, child, there's much you can learn at an intergalactic market."

Susan barely contained her sudden burst of joy. As they exited the ship, she had to wonder if the TARDIS had landed here on purpose, but it was a question for another time.

Date: 2016-03-23 02:02 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com
Ohh, perfect!! First Doctor and Susan...at the Market Place. Eeeee!! One of the first places they visited - (as mentioned by the Eleventh) and it is more perfect that I could have ever envisioned. Officially my headcanon. Thank you...

*HUGS*

Date: 2016-03-24 01:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] locker-monster.livejournal.com
Aw, thank you. Yeah, this was very much influenced by Eleven's line in "The Rings of Akhaten". The Doctor and Susan travelled to so many places before they met Ian and Barbara.

Date: 2016-03-23 11:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pony-express.livejournal.com
Aww such a lovely fic! :D

Date: 2016-03-24 01:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] locker-monster.livejournal.com
Thank you! I've never written for Susan before but it's always a fun experience tackling characters you're not familiar with.

Date: 2016-04-05 04:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pony-express.livejournal.com
You're welcome! :D Sometimes I'm too chicken too try though. . . But well done you for being so brave and challenging yourself to write new characters! :D

Date: 2016-03-25 12:38 am (UTC)
eve11: (dw_TARDIS_triangles)
From: [personal profile] eve11
Aw, this round is spoiling us for TARDIS stories for sure. I love the idea that Susan whispered to the TARDIS and ignited her desire to explore as well :D

Date: 2016-03-25 08:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] locker-monster.livejournal.com
I love the idea that Susan whispered to the TARDIS and ignited her desire to explore as well.

The TARDIS recognized that Susan had more sense than the Doctor. ;-) But in all seriousness, I like to think that the TARDIS looked after Susan as well. They all wanted to get away from the stuffiness of Gallifrey.

Aw, this round is spoiling us for TARDIS stories for sure.

You know, I didn't even notice, but now that you mention it, yeah, a lot of the entries do feature the old girl. :-)

Date: 2016-03-28 02:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dancingdragon3.livejournal.com
Great missing scene! I always like seeing the TARDIS do what she wants, when she wants. And I really like what you did here with Susan. This makes me want to watch those old episodes. Darn Netflix/BBCA.

Cheers!

Date: 2016-03-28 10:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] locker-monster.livejournal.com
Thank you! The TARDIS is very independent, but I think she saw a kindred spirit in Susan in that moment.

Does anyone stream/air episodes of Classic Who? You'd think it would be on Netflix; it's the perfect show to binge watch.

Date: 2016-04-03 11:09 pm (UTC)
ext_13288: pre-raphealite (drwho-tardis)
From: [identity profile] paynesgrey.livejournal.com
Oh, a very lovely early moment! Wonderful job!

Date: 2016-04-04 03:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] locker-monster.livejournal.com
Thank you! It's always fun to explore moments that would have happened before the show.

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