Stranded

Prologue

Nyssa decided, as she could not sleep to rise up out of her bed, and as the TARDIS heat system had packed up again she wrapped herself in a nice robe that Tegan had found once when she was cold.  Tegan - how could the Doctor actually be so dismissive of her was beyond Nyssa.  Without Tegan around to worry about the little details the Doctor had become slack.  Smiling as she remembered seeing Tegan dance the … Charleston, that was it … yes, so sweet! Almost being killed aside, that was actually quite a fun little trip.  Since Adric’s death and Tegan’s departure Nyssa found herself being more drawn towards the Doctor, at times she felt he was seeing her as a young woman.  Sighing as she noticed it would have been her 19th birthday today she shook her head.  Two years time and she would have been paraded around by her proud … gulping down her tears she made her way to the Kitchen to make herself a cup of cocoa, something else that Tegan made her aware of - it stimulated her senses in ways that Nyssa was sure was unscientific.  Still, she got the cocoa and the milk and sugar and started heating the milk gently.

As the milk bubbled up she took it off the heat and started pouring it in her mug and waited a while before sipping it - wincing a little as she burnt her tongue Nyssa sighed again: Library seemed to be the best bet - she would find a nice light hearted read - that Earth author, Charles Dickens, actually interested her - according to Tegan he was one that tried his hardest to fight all sorts of injustices.  Taking her cocoa with her to the library she sipped as she walked, carefully trying not to scald her lips.  

The TARDIS seemed to be sleeping too as Nyssa could not hear her humming: “Old girl,” Nyssa sighed stroking the doors, the TARDIS seemed to purr like a cat - giggling, Nyssa kissed the frame, “I will try!” she said.  

The TARDIS sighed and Nyssa entered the library and walked the vast space to the section: Earth Fiction 1820 TO 1880 and found Charles Dickens - he wrote so many Nyssa was not sure which one to choose: Eventually she picked three, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist and Bleak House.  That should keep her busy.  Taking them to a soft leather chair she sipped her cocoa and stroked the spines of the books - her father used to do that: “Remember, Nyssa, a book is a living thing - a soul has gone into this story and leaves fragments behind - never throw a book in anger or hurt someone with it’s spine - you may shatter some of that tender heart that loved it so much!”

Nyssa used to giggle at how silly her father sounded but now she understood.  There was a brief explanation of plot: Love set against political revolution - interesting.  Oliver Twist: an orphan who resists evil adults to find his own way in the world, that sounded good: Bleak House, a legal battle that destroys an entire family - Nyssa plumped for Bleak House: Her father would have been interested in this story.  

Suddenly Nyssa heard someone shout help! That did not sound like the Doctor, the accent was completely wrong for a start.  What WAS THAT? her heart thudded in her chest as she was sure something crashed down below.  In the TARDIS? Impossible.   Getting up, laying the book aside Nyssa picked up her cocoa and was about to walk out of the Library when she felt something brush on her skin.

Ignoring it she shivered and hugged the cocoa to her lips as she tried to use the heat to keep her warm.  Temperature dropped considerably and Nyssa felt her teeth begin to chatter.   Swirls of steam rose from the mug and her hands shook as her feet burned with cold.

Where am I and how?

Walking slowly as she almost slipped she turned around: The TARDIS Library was there, but not there - like a ghost or a mirage.  Gulping Nyssa made towards the safety of the TARDIS but the moment her feet moved the vision faded.  Leaving her here in this cold place with nothing but the clothes on her back, such as they were, and a mug of cocoa.