CHAPTER 2: Persistent Little TARDIS

"You're absolutely amazing!" Avery breathed as the TARDIS gave her the info she needed.

iYes, I know./i

"There's just so much about you. If this is only the necessary info I need to help fix you, I can't even begin to imagine all the ins and outs you have."

iIf you fix me, maybe there will be time for you to discover at least half of them./i

"What do you mean?"

iWhat I mean is that I would very much like to go places but I can't without someone to pilot me. Seeing as my last pilot wandered off I am very much in need of a new one. I'm asking you to be that person. I spent hundreds of years with my last pilot and only once was I ever able to actually talk with him. The fact that you can fix me and communicate with me makes you perfect for the job./i

"Hundreds of years? How is that possible?"

iThere's not time to explain it right now. I will simply say he's an alien- or was an alien./i

"You don't know what happened to him?"

iNo. I mean, I did at first but then, like I said, he wandered off. I haven't seen him in at least a hundred years. I'm not meant to sit around and gather dust. I want to be off traveling, seeing the universe, discovering new things!/i

"So what is it exactly you can do? I mean if you're a spaceship I assume you can go into outer space, but is that it?"

iFix me and agree to be my pilot and you'll find out./i The TARDIS sounded rather excited when she said that. It was as if she were about to play a great joke on Avery.

"Well, we'll see about that. I mean, I certainly would love to get to know you better." She made a face and mumbled to herself, "God I really do sound like I'm on a date with someone."

iThat's quite all right. I have that effect on people./i

Avery rolled her eyes behind her closed lids. She'd met loads of technology but never one quite so conceited, but she really liked her. This woman had real personality, something most technology on earth didn't.

About an hour later Avery was able to pull her hands from the console. She sat down and leaned back against it, giving her aching feet a rest. "I never thought there'd ever be anything like you- and that's saying something considering I've made a light saber."

iA what?/i

"A light saber. You know, like from the Star Wars movies?" When silence followed, Avery understood. "Do you know what Star Wars is?"

iI've been a part of many wars and I don't recall any of them being named the Star Wars./i

Avery laughed outright. "They're movies, not actual wars. It's a story. I'm sure you've heard of movies."

iOf course I have./i She sounded offended.

"Sorry, I don't mean to call you stupid, I know you're nowhere near stupid. Anyway, a light saber is like a sword but it's made of light and can hack through pretty much anything. We don't quite have that kind of technology here on earth and I really wanted one so I found things that would work and I made one."

iSo you're saying you can make other sorts of technology?/i

"I can."

iThen perhaps you might like to look at something. My last pilot carried one with him everywhere. He changed it from time to time to make it better but he left it on board. I think you would benefit from its use. There's a panel just to the left of where you're sitting. Open it up and you'll find what I speak of./i

Avery did as she was told and had to bang on the panel to get it to open. When it did, a few odds and ends tumbled out but Avery knew exactly what the TARDIS was talking about. It was a metal stick that was almost as long as her forearm and adorned with a few little gadgets. When she picked it up, it spoke to her and told her its name.

"A sonic screwdriver. That's such an odd thing to be sonic." She pushed a button and gave a quick flick of her wrist and the top popped up and three little prongs came out, leaving the light in the center standing alone. She caressed the screwdriver and listened to its secrets. "It can do so much."

iExcept work on wood./i

Chuckling, Avery nodded. "It says it wishes it could." Holding the sonic screwdriver in front of her face she added, "I think I can help you there." To the TARDIS she said, "I could easily modify this thing with some tools."

iI knew you'd be perfect! Now, how about you pocket that thing and get started repairing me?/i

Suddenly Avery looked at her watch. "It's getting really late. Maybe we can pick this up tomorrow." She stood to leave, putting the sonic screwdriver in her pocket and headed to the ramp. As she neared the doors they closed on her.

iI'm terribly sorry but I told you before that I/i cannot iwait any longer. There are plenty of bedrooms to choose from and I have been able to keep plenty of food from going bad. You have everything you could ever need here./i

"I'm suddenly feeling like a prisoner."

iI do apologize but I have waited too many decades for someone to come along who can understand me. Your ability seems quite advanced. I have no doubt that you could repair me in no time. Once I am fixed, I will take you home and you won't have missed even one second of your day./i

Avery looked at her watch again then looked up into empty air as if the TARDIS would have a face for her to see. "I have a doctor's appointment in a few minutes."

iAs I said, you won't miss even a second of your day. Now please get to work, I really don't like feeling this way./i

"What way?"

iAs if I'm ill./i

"Oh, all right then." She sighed and trudged back across the ramp then sat down with her legs crossed before her as she began to pull panels up to get at the wiring beneath.

Avery had no idea what day it was when she finally closed the last panel after fixing all of the TARDIS's problems. She knew she'd slept at least four times but each time she didn't know how long she'd slept or how much time in between each sleep had passed.

She stood and reached her arms over her head, lacing her fingers together and stretching, a groan rising from her throat. "Well, I think that does it." For good measure she put her hand on the console again and checked. After a few minutes she knew everything felt right.

iThank you for fixing me. I feel so much better now./i

"Can I go home now?"

iOf course. Though you'll have to input the coordinates in order for me to give you a lift./i

"Uh, I don't know how to do that." Avery scratched her head as she looked at the myriad buttons and knobs.

iI'll walk you through it. If you're going to be my pilot you'll have to learn this./i

As she stepped around the console looking at everything again Avery said, "I'm still not sure I want to be your pilot, though."

iYou may change your mind soon./i The TARDIS began instructing Avery on how to input coordinates and start the engine. And for some reason she told her to enter the day and time just before her doctor's appointment. Then Avery pulled a lever and the ship began to rumble. The thing in the shaft in the center began to move up and down and whirring nose emanated throughout the hub. Avery grabbed hold of the console for dear life as the ship gave a sudden jerk.

Moments later Avery fell out of the TARDIS into her own back yard. On her hands and knees she promptly vomited up her last meal. "What the hell kind of ride was that?" she asked as she wiped her mouth and stood.

iSo sorry. Some cannot handle traveling the time vortex and I'm afraid I'm still a tad rusty since I haven't moved in near a century. I'll soon have that fixed, though./i She made a noise as if she were stretching. If she could stretch. iIt feels wonderful to be traveling again. Now you'd better hurry and get showered and dressed or else you'll miss your appointment./i

"But I already missed my appointment. It must've been days ago. I've probably been fired from my job as well." Avery spat onto the grass, trying to rid the flavor of bile from her mouth.

iHoney, I'm the TARDIS, you have arrived precisely an hour before your appointment. That's enough time to get ready and get there./i

"You've confused me again."

The TARDIS sighed exasperatedly. iI'm a/i time machine.iThat's what my name tells you. I can travel anywhere in time and anywhere in the universe./i She sounded quite proud of herself.

Avery stood there just staring at the big blue box, dumbfounded.

iThere will be plenty of time for that later. Right now you need to get to your appointment. Chop, chop!/i

With an indignant look at the TARDIS Avery turned on her heel and rushed into the house to get ready. Along the way she flipped on the TV and turned it to a news station. Sure enough it was the same day she had left and an hour before her appointment. She tried to quell the intense giddiness at the thought that there was a real time machine in her back yard.

After her appointment, Avery realized she was hungry so she stopped off to grab a bite to eat on the way home. By the time she arrived the sun was setting, bathing everything in golden light. She entered the house and went to the kitchen window that overlooked the back yard. The TARDIS was in the same spot she had left it. Though now the ship didn't seem to feel relieved. Instead there was an aura of sadness emanating from it.

Stepping from the back door, Avery called out to the TARDIS. "Are you all right?"

iQuite so./i

"I don't know that I believe you." She placed one hand on her hip.

iI can assure you there is nothing wrong with me. Not now anyway. Thank you again./i

Avery knew a lie when she heard one but she didn't push the issue. Turning back to the door she made to open it but the TARDIS stopped her.

iHave you thought about becoming my pilot?/i

"It's only been two hours since I got home. I'm still reeling from the fact that you're not just a spaceship but a time machine as well! I think I'll need a little more time to think it over." Again she turned to leave.

iI did mention I can travel anywhere in the universe didn't I?/i

Stopping with her hand on the doorknob Avery turned to look back at the blue box. "Yes, you did, but if I'm completely honest I'm a little afraid of leaving earth."

iWhere's your sense of adventure…uh, I'm sorry but I don't believe I ever got your name./i

"It's Avery Mitchell."

iWell, Avery, haven't you ever wanted to go places? I don't have to take you off earth if you're afraid. I could take you anywhere on this planet and at any point in time, past, present, and future. Of course, I do think you ought to try traveling the stars./i

"Thing is, though, I'm perfectly fine where I'm at right now, TARDIS. I've got a good life here. No sense in running to someplace else."

iDrat, how did the Doctor manage to coerce so many people to travel with him?/i the TARDIS muttered.

"The Doctor?" Avery questioned, taking the few steps down the stairs and onto the grass.

iThat's nothing,/i she snapped. Then, iWhat is it you most want to do with your life? There has to be something you yearn for./i Before Avery could even say what it was, the TARDIS remembered something. iTechnology! Don't you want to see what else is out there? Though, of course you'll never find anything as wonderful as I am but there's so much out there that earth doesn't have. No human could ever imagine./i

Biting her lip, Avery really thought about it. The chance to see all that alien technology made her more excited than she'd ever been in her life, but then the fact that she'd be completely out of her element made her wary. "I don't know," she said slowly. "I'm just a human. What do I know about other planets."

iI have books on every known race in the galaxy and their respective home planets. If you decide to leave earth you will not want for information. Even if you decide to hop from place to place on earth I have books on every era of every continent./i The TARDIS paused then. iWhat's really stopping you from coming aboard and leaving with me? Do you have family obligations?/i

"No, no, none of that. It's just…I'm scared. I mean I want to see alien tech but I know it's just going to be so different. What happens if I screw up somewhere? There's still things I don't know about my own hometown and I've grown up here! How is reading up on a whole other planet going to help?"

The TARDIS heaved a sigh. iSometimes you just have to jump./i If the TARDIS had feet, Avery knew she'd be tapping one in impatience. When Avery hesitated still the TARDIS said, iWhy don't you come with me just once and if you don't like it, I'll bring you back and I'll go back to finding someone to pilot me?/i

Avery stared at the TARDIS for a moment, chewing her bottom lip. Slowly a smile crept over her face and she said, "All right, sounds like a plan!" She rushed across the lawn and pulled the door open. As she stepped in she heard the TARDIS make a relieved sigh.

iYou don't know how wonderful it is that someone finally reads the directions./i

"Sorry?" Avery closed the door behind her and walked over to the console.

iNothing. Now, where to go, where to go?/i