To Be a Time Lord

Chapter 2 - The Impossible Astronaut

The Impossible Astronaut, part 2 -

"So! Canton Everett Delaware the third. Who's he?", the Doctor spoke up.

They brought him up on the monitor and River read aloud, "Ex FBI. Got kicked out."

"Why?", he asked.

River shrugged, "Six weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting."

"Yeah, 1969. Who's President?", the Doctor asked.

"Richard Nixon", the Oracle muttered from where she leaned against the railing.

River confirmed, "Richard Milhous Nixon. Vietnam, Watergate. There's some good stuff, too."

"Not enough", the Doctor disagreed.

"Hippy", River accused.

"Archaeologist", he grumbled back.

They turned the scanner back off and the Doctor started to move about the console again, "Okay, since I don't know what I'm getting into this time, for once I'm being discreet. I'm putting the engines on silent."

He pulled a lever and there was a loud, metallic screeching noise until Astrid put the lever back and flipped another switch. The Doctor came back around and glanced between the three women he knew could fly the Tardis, "Did you do something?"

"No", all three of them said. Astrid continued, "Just watching."

"Putting the outer shield on invisible. I haven't done this in a while. Big drain on the power", he disregarded the conversation.

"You can turn the Tardis invisible?", Rory asked.

"Ha", he flipped a switch and the lights around them grew brighter, making them squint.

"So close", the Oracle whispered and reversed his actions, adding different ones instead.

"Did you touch something?", the Doctor squinted at her.

"Just admiring your skills, love", she nodded with raised eyebrows.

"Good. You might learn something", he commented, making his daughter snort in amusement but she quit when he glared at her, "Okay. Now I can't check the scanner. It doesn't work when we're cloaked. Just give us a mo", he hit the scanner before running out, Amy and Rory tried to follow, "Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa. You lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth. Let's take it slow."

He stepped out into the Oval Office and before the door fell shut they caught one last glance at him trying to be inconspicuous. The last thing they heard was a ringing phone on a recording. The next thing that happened was a jolt.

"He just bumped into the Tardis", River said.

"As he does", the Oracle added, "Every time."

Then, the two moved to the console. River moved the scanner around as the Oracle fiddled with the controls.

"He said the scanner wouldn't work", Rory reminded them.

"I know", the women looked at each other with a smile, "Bless!"

The scanner switched on and they saw several Secret Service people pushing the Doctor to the floor, "Stop that! Argh! Oh! Oracle, have you got the scanner working yet?"

"Oh, I hate him", River groaned.

The Oracle chuckled as the Doctor shouted, "No, you don't!"

"Get the President out of here", they heard someone call in the back.