The Orphan in the TARDIS

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The next morning the Torchwood Team, the Doctor and her companions, as well as the Brigadier pile into the conference room. Sophie rushes down the stairs, swinging into the conference room herself. "I am so sorry I'm late. I was chilling with Myfanwy, the Pterodactyl, and lost track of time."

"Wait," Graham starts, "You've got a bl**dy dinosaur—

"Pterosaur," the Doctor, Ianto, and Sophie automatically correct, and they all turn and smile at each other.

"...pterosaur in here?"

"Yeah," Jack smirks, "We've got all sorts of things at Torchwood. We've got a weevil in the basement, a pterodactyl in the rafters, and a giant rift in the centre of it all."

"Yeah, well at least you don't have your best friend turned enemy locked in a vault underneath the university where you knew your best friend was going to attend," she gives the Doctor a pointed look.

The Time Lady rolls her eyes, "You do that one time and it's all that's ever brought up. Look, Missy was trying to do better, and that's what matters."

"Sure, if you say so." Sophie then turns to the device in the middle of the table, "So, what's the prognosis, Doc?"

"Bout to power it up, then we'll be sure to know."

Sophie grabs the chair next to the Doctor, as the Time Lady reaches for the device. She flips a switch on the side, before pressing a few buttons. The machine is a hodgepodge of devices. As it activates lights turn on around the base. The top of the device moves up into the air, spinning rapidly, while lights ignite underneath. The device begins to tick loudly as well.

"Is this thing going to explode?" Owen asks.

"No. Yes. Maybe. Chances are 50/50."

Each of the people push back from the table, the Doctor scooting closer to the device, the ticking moving to a whirring. About a minute later the device starts to beep, and the Sophies phone in the centre of the machine lights up, showing a blinking figure surrounded by stars. There's writing in an alien language, and the TARDIS seems to be refusing to translate. "What's it say?" Yaz asks, leaning around the Time Lady.

"It's just saying it's trajectory." The writing changes and the Doctor grabs a small notebook from within her coat, copying the text down, "That's what I'm looking for. The cause of the crash. Seems to be a malfunction in the whararfarn gear, leading to fuel loss, and ultimately a crash. Oh, the poor dear must be scared. Crashing on a planet so different from their own, not knowing anyone, or even the language."

"Can you tell where they are?" Tosh asks.

"Currently, no. But, I can contact the Huanted people, let them know of the crash and see if they might know where the alien would go."

"Okay,"Jack remarks, leaning back in his chair, "But the TARDIS is refuelling, so how do you plan on contacting these guys."

"I need your Vortex Manipulator."

Jack groans, turning his wrist over, gently unclasping the time travel device. He slides it across the table to the Time Lady, who grabs it, sonicing the back. She opens it up, revealing the wires. "Doc, c'mon, that is one of a kind. I can't replace that."

She looks up toward the Captain, before moving her eyes back to the Vortex Manipulator, pulling some of the wires out and reconnecting them on other ports. Jack simply grumbles, crossing his arms and glaring at the Time Lady. "Oh, don't worry," she says, flipping the device back over, "I'll fix it." She types something on the keypad, and a voice filters through. Sophie tries to listen to the voices, but they're indecipherable. She decides that seeing as the TARDIS is refuelling the languages aren't being translated. The Time Lady continues to converse with the aliens, much to the confusion of all the people around her.

About five minutes later the Doctor seems satisfied. She says her farewells to the aliens and turns the Vortex Manipulator back over. Carefully she rewires it, before sliding it back to Jack. "So, what'd they say?" Graham asks, leaning in.

"The pilot was on his first solo journey. The ship was older, but they had done a cursory inspection, looks like they missed something."

"Did they say anything about where he might've gone?" the Brigadier questions.

"I got a few ideas, yeah." The Doctor springs to her feet. Begrudgingly the others follow suit.

"Where are we headed?"

"Water. The closest body of water to the crash site."

Sophie sighs, "Let me guess, the Huanted people are semi-amphibious, therefore they feel more comfortable in open water."

The Doctor bops Sophie's nose, whilst grinning, "Got it in one."

The Torchwood team look at her with confusion just barely visible on their faces, "This ain't my first rodeo," she states, crossing her arms.

"There is a lake not far from where the crash happened. It's not very big, but it's worth a shot."

"Very much worth a shot, lead the way, Dr. Harper."

Owen scoffs and rolls his eyes. He stands from his seat, practically stomping on his way to the garage. The others follow him down as well. He leaps into the driver's seat of the van, everyone else piling in around him as well. The Brigadier decides that they all have the task in hand and decides to go home to his wife.

Owen starts the car, not looking like he's gonna wait for the Doctor to finish telling her friend goodbye. The Time Lady presses a kiss to the Brigadier's cheek before leaping into the Torchwood van, swinging the door shut. "Right, where're headed, Owen?" Gwen asks, leaning forward. Jack glances over to the doctor from the passenger seat, raising an eyebrow.

"There's a large swimming lake near the crash site. It's a bit cold for it to be in use, so I suspect this alien dude is hiding in there."

"Sounds like a safe enough bet," Sophie smiles, then she turns to the Doctor, "Do we need any sort of protection?" She had planned on asking if these alien were prone to attack.

Before she gets the chance, Owen says, "What are you planning on doing with this alien bugger? Sh*gging it?"

Jack reaches over and playfully smacks Owen, shaking his head,
"Young ears, Owen, watch your tongue."

"Jack, you do know I'm in University, right?"

"And yet, you're the youngest one here."

The Doctor rolls her eyes getting the conversation back on point, "To answer your question, Jackie Lyn, the Huanted aren't known to attack when approached. They are more likely to run away."

The Torchwood van pulls up alongside a small lake. Ianto doesn't wait a second to pull the van doors open. Owen is the first out, crossing his arms over his chest, "Just like I said," he nods at the lake.

The Time Lady nods, patting the doctor on the shoulder, "Thank you, Dr. Harper. Good eyes. Now, to find this alien."

Sophie smiles, "Anyone up for a swim?"

The Doctor grins at her, swinging an arm over her shoulder. "I was planning on going in. The water is too cool for you humans to be in for a long time, don't want you lot getting sick."  She slips her trenchcoat off, tossing it to Yaz. She swiftly removes her boots and socks, and her braces, setting them carefully on the ground. Jack sighs, shrugging off his great coat. He slips off his boots and socks as well, handing his coat to Ianto. He tosses his suspenders and belt on the ground. "What are you doing, Jack?" the Doctor asks.

"I'm not letting you go down there alone, Doctor. You know I'll be okay, so don't try to stop me."

She grins, "Wouldn't dream of it."

The captain rolls his eyes, tossing his shirt to Ianto, and handing his Vortex Manipulator to Sophie, "Guard this with your life."

"Sorry, Captain, but if an alien invader were to threaten to kill me if I didn't hand this to them, I'm afraid I would give it up."

"And quite right too," the Time Lady smiles at her, "We need you alive."

Jack presses a kiss to her temple, and follows the Doctor to the edge of the pond. "Ready?" she asks him.

He nods and the two jump into the water together.