Midnight ⋆ Doctor Who²

17. The Rift

AURORA IS GOING TO THROW UP. The console is shaking in all directions and the light from the rift hurts her eyes, but shutting them would just increase nausea. So she just holds onto the Doctor as he controls the console, whooping.

"I wanna swear!" she yells to the rift. "I'm gonna swear!" The Doctor laughs harder and takes her hand in his, squeezing it.

"We've locked on to them!" the TARDIS screams to be heard. "They'll have to lower the shields when I'm close enough to phase inside."

"Can you get a message to Amy?" the Doctor screams back. "The telepathic circuits are online."

The TARDIS turns to him, hair swept by the winds. "Which one's Amy? The pretty one?"

Aurora is about to answer when a big crash sends her against the Doctor. They almost fall to the ground. She takes a deep breath as they help each other steady themselves. "I hate you."

"Ha!" He throws a lever. "No you don't."

"Hello, Pretty," the TARDIS salutes the one on the other end of the telepathic call.

"What the hell is that?" Oof, not Amy.

Aurora's eyes widen a bit at the voice, before leaning against the TARDIS to take a look. "That's not Amy."

"Don't worry," the Doctor says, leaning over her. "Telepathic messaging. Yes, that's Rory."

There's a bang that forces them to hold onto something.

"You have to go to the old control room," the TARDIS instructs them. "I'm putting the route in your head. When you get there use the purple slider on the nearest panel to lower the shields."

The Doctor squishes Aurora between them again to look. "The pretty one?"

Aurora pushes him away and gestures to the lever on the other end. "Doctor! Stop being rude, help us."

"You'll have about twelve seconds before the room goes into phase with the invading Matrix," the TARDIS goes on. "I'll send you the pass key when you get there. Good luck."

Aurora lunges for a lever as the Doctor ducks for a button, in synchronization. "How's he going to be able to take down the shields anyway?" she screams to the TARDIS. "The House is in the control room!"

"I directed him to one of the old control rooms," she yells back.

The Doctor suddenly raises his head. "There aren't any old control rooms. They were all deleted or remodeled."

"I archive them, for neatness! I've got about thirty now." That doesn't add up.

"But I've only changed the desktop, what, a dozen times?" the Doctor cries out.

Aurora dives under his arm to reach a lever he forgot. "So far, yes."

"You can't archive something that hasn't happened yet!"

"You can't!"

Aurora slaps a button down to gain their attention. "You two! Less bickering, more maneuvering!"

The TARDIS scoffs a bit. "Now you know what it's like being with you two."

The Doctor sticks out his tongue at her. He puts his arm on each side of Aurora to reach a button next to the TARDIS. "Keep going. You're doing it, you sexy thing!"

Aurora makes a fake gagging sound.

"See, you do call me that!" the TARDIS tells him. "Is it my name?"

He smiles at her. "You bet it's your name!"

Aurora pushes him back to his place. "Oh my god!"

The whole console starts to shake and they're all sent flying against the walls in a cry.