The Doctor pushed home the last lever, sending the TARDIS on its way into the space/time vortex. It was good to be back, he reflected with a smile.
The last few days had been rather hectic, not to mention worrying. He really would have to be more careful in the future, and the past.
Of course, he thought as he followed Peri into the depths of the TARDIS, there was no way he could have known the identity of their landing site until it was almost too late...
***
"Wow, this sure is spectacular," Peri breathed, taking in the opulence of the carpets and decoration around her.
The Doctor smiled from the TARDIS doorway. He had been taking his new companion to Queen Victoria's coronation, but they seemed to have missed by a little. Still, at least she was dressed for their surroundings.
"Come and look at this," she called.
The Doctor sighed. He turned from locking the TARDIS door to see what Peri had found. Sometimes the enthusiasm of the young could be trying, he thought.
Peri was standing at the bottom of a grand staircase, looking at a clock mounted on the wall of the landing above. The Doctor had to admit it was a beautiful piece of work. And strangely familiar.
"Where are we?" Peri asked.
The Doctor thrust his hands into the pockets of his fawn frock coat and frowned. "I'm not sure, exactly. The North Atlantic, early years of the 20th Century."
"Well, I like it," Peri decided.
The Doctor smiled again at her interest. "Fancy a stroll on deck?" he asked.
"I fancy a drink," she said, indicating a lounge where three women were sat relaxing.
The Doctor nodded. "See you later, then," he said, heading past the stairway, looking for the exit.
***
The stars were shining brightly in the crisp, clear night. The Doctor breathed in the frosty air and smiled.
His eyes drifted from the stars to the deck. Nearby was a lifebelt, clasped to the rail. Printed on it was the name of the ship. R.M.S. Titanic.
An icy hand gripped the Doctor's hearts. He knew in that instant that there was only one night in the short sailing history of this infamous ship that the TARDIS could have brought them to. The final one.
A shudder ran through the deck that could only be the fatal impact. The Doctor steadied himself and turned, intending to collect Peri and leave.
As he moved away from the rail, a fist-sized chunk of ice caught him a glancing blow on the back of the head, sending him spinning into unconsciousness.
***
Two ladies were just leaving the lounge as Peri entered. They smiled at her as they passed and she returned their smiles. She was glad the Doctor had insisted she change into period dress for Victoria's coronation.
There was just one woman left in the lounge. She was in her late forties or early fifties, with mousey brown hair and a twinkle in her eye. She greeted Peri.
"Hello, dear. I don't remember seeing you before on the trip."
"I've, er, not been well," Peri replied, thinking fast.
"Oh, dear. I hope you're feeling better now."
"Much, thanks," Peri replied, relieved that her lie had been convincing.
"I never get travel sick," the lady said. "Are you going home, dear?"
For a moment, Peri was mystified. Then she realised that the ship must be heading for America.
"Yeah, I am," she said. "Looking forward to it."
"Do forgive my manners, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Lady Margaret Grey."
"Perpugilliam Brown, Peri for short."
For a while, the two women talked about the weather and Lady Grey's home in England. Their conversation was interrupted by a shudder which ran through the ship.
"What was that?" Peri asked, worried.
"Nothing to be concerned about, my dear," Lady Grey said. "This is a very sturdy ship."
About twenty minutes later, they were interrupted again, this time by a steward.
"Could you report to the Boat Deck please? The lifeboats are being filled."
Peri frowned. "I think I should find the Doctor."
"There's no need to worry, Peri, it's just a precaution. Isn't that right, Simon?"
"That's right," Simon the steward said with a smile. "We expect to be recalling the boats in about half an hour."
Peri still looked dubious. Lady Grey patted her arm.
"They do say this ship can't sink," the Englishwoman said reassuringly.
Peri was about to say that they said that about the Titanic, but stopped herself. The Doctor had warned her about the Web of Time and how a casual remark could cause havoc with history. The Titanic disaster probably hadn't happened yet, she thought.
"Well, if you're sure," she said. "But I'm still worried about the Doctor."
"I'm sure your friend will be fine," Lady Grey said as they left the lounge.
Peri glanced over to the TARDIS, in the shadows beside the stairway, and saw something glint.
"I'll catch you up," she told Lady Grey, then went to investigate.
It was the TARDIS key, still in the lock. She sighed at the Doctor's carelessness and removed it. Didn't want anybody wandering in, she thought. For a moment she considered waiting inside for the Doctor to return, then dismissed the idea. He would probably be looking for her on the deck.
Slipping the key chain around her neck, she headed off to join Lady Grey on the Boat Deck.
***
Consciousness returned slowly. First came hearing.
"Do you think he will be alright?"
"I don't know, really. He took quite a bang on the head."
Male voices. Youngish. Next came a sense of smell. Alcohol and stale cigar smoke. Third came sight. Blurred faces, resolving slowly into two young men, one clean-shaven, the other with a neat moustache, both dressed in dinner suits and bow ties.
"Maybe we should get a doctor," said the clean-shaven man.
Finally, speech returned. "I am the Doctor," he groaned, sitting up carefully. "Look, I know this might be an obvious question, but where am I?"
"Gymnasium," the man with the moustache answered. "We brought you in here away from the ice on deck."
"Very wise," the Doctor said, tenderly feeling the lump on the back of his head. "Don't want to slip, do we?"
The Doctor knew there was something he should remember, something just out of range of his inquiring mind. But he couldn't quite grasp the thought.
"Are you sure you don't need medical attention?" the clean-shaven man asked as he helped the Doctor to his feet.
"I'm fine," he assured his rescuers, swaying slightly. "I just need to find...to find..."
What did he need to find? Or who? Yes, it was a who. He needed to find someone. Polly? No, she had left long ago, with Ben. Jo? No, she had married that Professor. Romana? No, she was still in E-Space.
"Peri!" he declared. "I need to find Peri!"
But why did he need to find her? To warn her of danger! But what danger? Damn his confused memory! Concentrate.
He needed to find Peri. There was some sort of danger. They were on a ship at sea. There was ice around.
"Of course! The iceberg!"
The two young men looked at him, mystified. "It was only a little scrape," said the one with the moustache. "The Titanic is unsinkable."
"Don't you believe it!" the Doctor told them fiercely. "Inside two hours, this ship will be lying in two halves on the sea bed. I suggest you get to the lifeboats. Quickly!"
The two men ran from the Gymnasium, probably more from fear of the Doctor than his prediction.
"Now, all I need to do is find Peri and leave," he muttered to himself, heading towards the deck.
***
"You're sure this is a good idea?" Peri asked again as she and Lady Grey stood with a group of women and children, ready to be loaded into a lifeboat.
"I'm sure it's just a precaution, as Simon said," her companion replied.
"Certainly picked a cold night for it," Peri commented, shivering.
One of the civilian men helping the crew load the boats stepped forward and handed Peri his overcoat. She accepted it gratefully.
"Thanks," she said. "But won't you be cold, now?"
"I'll survive," he said with a smile. "You can return it when the boats get back to the ship."
A thought occurred to Peri. "How will I find you?"
"Ask a steward," he said. "Ask them to direct you to Colonel Arthur Massey." Then he was gone, off to help someone else.
"Are you ready, Miss?" asked an officer.
Peri sighed. "I suppose so," she said, looking around one last time for the Doctor as she boarded the lifeboat.
***
The Doctor wasn't really surprised when Peri wasn't in the lounge where he had last seen her. He glanced over to see if she was waiting by the TARDIS, but there was nobody there.
There was a slight but noticeable slope to the floor now, as the bow of the ship started to dip beneath the waves. Knowing he didn't have long, the Doctor headed for the Boat Deck.
How was he ever going to find her among all these people, he wondered as he saw the crowds on the deck. There was only one way, he decided, and that was to ask.
Trying not to disturb the men working hard to lower the boats, he asked after his American companion. Nobody had seen her at the fist three lifeboat stations he tried. At the fourth, he had more success.
"Young American girl?" asked the man with the military bearing. "Dark hair, very pretty?"
The Doctor almost yelled with relief. "Yes, that's her. Where is she?"
"In boat number six. I gave her my overcoat, against the cold."
The Doctor groaned. His companions were always wandering off, but this took the biscuit. Still, at least she was safe. He could return to the TARDIS, set the controls for New York and be there on the quayside to collect her when the rescue ship docked.
Thanking the man, the Doctor pushed his way through the throng pouring out onto the deck, heading back to the safety of the TARDIS.
As he approached the craft he rummaged in his pockets for the key. His search grew more frantic as he couldn't find it.
Then he remembered. Peri had distracted him and he had left it in the lock. Very careless.
Only it wasn't there now. There was no key in the lock of the TARDIS. Someone must have taken it.
Thumping his fist against the locked door of the craft, he realised he was now well and truly stuck on a sinking ship.
***
"Look! The bow of the ship!"
Peri's exclamation brought gasps from the women in the lifeboat. She had been the first to notice that the ships deck was now showing a definite angle. Now they could see that the calm, icy waters of the Atlantic were starting to wash under the railings at the bow.
Even Lady Grey's faith in the liner was shaken. "But they told us Titanic was unsinkable!"
Peri almost screamed. Titanic? She had been sipping sherry in the lounge of the Titanic? Why hadn't the Doctor come and taken them away before now?
Maybe he didn't know either, the reasonable part of her mind replied. But surely he must know now. He would use the TARDIS and be waiting for her when the rescue boats reached port.
She smiled at the thought, sitting back slightly. Something cold and metallic brushed against her chest. The TARDIS key! She still had the key!
Maybe he has a spare, she thought, panic starting to rise. He must keep a spare somewhere.
If not, Peri was going to have to live out her future stranded in her past.
***
I really should start keeping a spare, the Doctor thought as he returned to the Boat Deck.
Thumping on the TARDIS door in frustration was no use, he had decided. The TARDIS was lost to him now, barring some miracle. The best thing he could do was get out on deck and help as many as he could. Then hope he could swim to a lifeboat.
The minutes passed quickly. The Doctor followed the crew from boat to boat, assisting people into lifeboats and helping to wind them down into the ever-approaching sea below. In a way, he was glad to be of use.
The angle of the deck was steepening all the time. Loose items were starting to slide towards the bow, which was now totally submerged.
As the last lifeboat hit the water and started to pull away from the stricken liner, the Doctor headed back towards the TARDIS, hope burning still, but on a low light.
Water was creeping into the lounge area, which was deserted. The TARDIS stood, solid and blue, in the shadows beside the staircase.
Quickly, the Doctor scouted the floor around the craft one more time, hoping whoever had removed the key had dropped it again. He had tried banging on the door before, but hammered with his fist one more time, just in case.
Nothing. Hearts sinking into his cricketing boots, he went out onto the deck once more.
People were milling about, unsure what to do next. Fighting against the increasing slope, the Doctor headed for the stern.
As he climbed the nearly horizontal railing, he heard a crashing sound behind him. He didn't need to turn, he knew it was the ships huge boilers, smashing their way through the lower decks. It just confirmed that the end was close.
The Doctor steadied himself, took a deep breath and dove off the stern of the Titanic, into the freezing waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
***
The lifeboat containing Peri and Lady Grey was silent as they watched with morbid fascination the final moments of the great liner.
The bow had long since disappeared into the icy embrace of the sea. The ship was tilted at a forty-five degree angle, the stern lifted clear of the water.
A collective groan ran around the boat as the ship broke in two, snapping like a dry twig between the third and fourth funnels. The forward section slipped quickly from sight. The rear part remained, tilting to a ninety degree angle. It remained there for what seemed an age, pointing heavenward like an accusing finger before finally slipping gracefully beneath the waves.
Many of the women were in tears now, having left loved ones on the deck. Lady Grey, who was travelling alone, had a look of shock on her pale face.
Peri felt hot tears rolling down her own cold cheeks. She hoped and prayed that the Doctor was safe.
***
Fortunately, the Doctor was a strong swimmer. He managed to swim clear before the Titanic sank, sucking everything close down with it.
Now, he was treading water, wondering what to do next. Even with his stronger constitution, he couldn't survive in the icy cold waters until morning. Of course, he could regenerate, but how many incarnations would he get through, waiting for rescue?
Then he spotted something in the water. It was an upturned lifeboat with a number of men stood carefully on the hull.
Deciding this was his best chance, the Doctor swam over. Willing hands reached down and grasped him, pulling him onto the boat.
He thanked the men around him, got his bearings quickly and took a position, standing carefully as the boat was in some danger of tipping, throwing them all back into the freezing sea.
As he settled in and waited for rescue, he turned his mind to what was he going to do about the TARDIS.
***
The rosy glow of dawn crept over the horizon, trying but ultimately failing to dispel the horrors of the long night.
Around the lifeboat was the flotsam of the disaster. Floating wreckage, other lifeboats and even a few small icebergs. Thankfully, the monster berg that had doomed the ship was nowhere to be seen.
As dawn became morning, hope returned. Smoke was spotted on the horizon, which resolved itself into the output of a ships funnel. Rescue was close at hand.
Despite the renewed optimism, Peri still felt numb. She didn't know what had become of the Doctor. She just hoped he had made it through the awful night.
***
"Name?"
It took a few moments for Peri to realise that the man was speaking to her. Events had moved so fast in the last twelve hours that her brain was still numb.
The name Perpugilliam wasn't that common in her own time, so it wouldn't be here either. She decided to use her mother's name.
"Elizabeth," she replied. "Miss Elizabeth Brown."
The man took a few more details then passed on to the next survivor in line.
Peri was led off deck, into the interior of the rescue ship Carpathia. She was given a blanket and a warm drink and taken to the other survivors of the terrible night.
She scanned the room, hoping to glimpse the Doctor's familiar fawn frock coat, but no luck. She did spot Lady Grey, however, who waved her over to where she was sitting.
"Looking for your friend, dear?" asked the Englishwoman.
Peri nodded. "I had hoped he'd be here already."
"Don't worry, there are more boats still to recover. He could be in any one of them."
Despite the encouragement, Peri was still concerned. Her fingers strayed to the TARDIS key, still hanging around her neck.
***
Dawn had turned to morning. Peri was out on deck, looking out for any more boats, but she couldn't see any.
She was beginning to think that the Doctor had gone down with the ship and the TARDIS, when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
Peri whirled round. There he stood, a relieved grin on his face. Overcome with emotion, Peri hugged the Doctor.
She stepped away from him and noticed his clothing for the first time. Gone was the frock coat, striped trousers and cricketing sweater. In their place was a tweed jacket, grey flannels (a little large) and a brown cardigan.
Despite herself, Peri giggled. Without his regular clothes, the Doctor just didn't look right.
He looked down at himself and smiled. "My other clothes got a little damp," he explained. Then his expression turned serious. "I'm afraid I've lost the TARDIS. We're stuck here."
Peri avoided his eyes. "I know," she replied, her hand going to her throat. She removed the chain from around her neck and handed it to him.
The Doctor's face fell and he let out a long groan. Peri expected a severe tongue lashing, but it never arrived.
"Oh, well," the Doctor sighed. "There's nothing we can do about it now. What's done is done. We'll just have to make the best of it." He gave her an encouraging smile. "Brave heart, Peri."
***
"The salt water has ruined this," the Doctor said mournfully, inspecting his frock coat with a critical eye.
"Don't you have any others?" Peri asked from her position, sitting cross-legged on the bed, reading the newspaper.
"They're all in the TARDIS."
"Oh," Peri replied. The pair lapsed into an uneasy silence.
It was now four days since the Titanic sank. The Doctor and Peri, along with the other survivors, had been brought to New York. Upon arrival, the Doctor had telegraphed Coutts Bank in London, where he had once had the foresight to deposit some money in case of emergency. They had arranged credit for himself and Peri, which got them hotel rooms, fresh clothes and anything else they might need.
They were currently in the Doctor's hotel room. Peri's was across the landing. They had begun a morning routine of breakfast together, then a return to the Doctor's room with the morning paper and coffee. And no mention of the TARDIS.
But now that last unwritten rule had been broken, Peri decided they might as well talk about it.
"So, what are we going to do?" she asked the Time Lord.
He dropped the frock coat onto the bed and thrust his hands into the pockets of his grey flannels.
"I don't know, Peri," he replied, exasperated. "We can't recover the TARDIS in this time. We could wait for me to turn up somewhere else in the TARDIS."
"But where?"
"Well, I'm due to arrive at the village Cranleigh, in England, in 1925."
"That's thirteen years!"
He frowned. "I know it's not an ideal solution, is it? But what else can we do?"
Silence returned to the room. The Doctor went to look out of the window, while Peri continued reading.
Minutes crawled by before Peri spotted something in the paper that caught her attention.
"Look at this!" she called across the room.
Something in her voice told the Doctor this was important. He was at her side in moments, scanning the article she indicated.
"Mystery box found," he read aloud. "New York residents were greeted by a strange sight yesterday morning. Overnight, someone had left a blue box standing on the corner of Fifth Street and Main. The box was seven feet tall, four feet wide, with double doors and frosted windows. It was crowned by a lamp and signs saying 'Police Public Call Box.
"However, police are baffled by the box, which was securely locked and gave off a faint vibration. They took it back to the 17th Precinct.
"If anybody has any information on the box, please contact the 17th Precinct."
The Doctor and Peri looked at each other.
"Could it be?" Peri whispered.
"Sounds very much like it," the Doctor confirmed.
"Could it be a trap? The Master maybe?"
"Only one way to find out. We've got to take the chance, Peri."
Smiling, she grabbed her coat. "Ready when you are!"
***
"Shouldn't we try going in the front door?" Peri asked as they crept cautiously into the rear yard of the 17th Precinct.
"Too many awkward questions," the Doctor explained. He spotted what he was looking for. "There she is!"
Peri followed his gaze. There, in a corner of the yard, stood a familiar looking blue box.
Quickly, the two of them crossed the yard. The Doctor put his hand to the side of the box, feeling the faint vibration against his palm. He smiled.
Despite the evidence of her eyes, Peri almost didn't dare to hope. "Is it?" she asked quietly.
The Doctor grinned at his companion. "Without a doubt. We've been rescued, Peri."
Before she could ask what he meant, a door banged open across the yard. They turned to see a man in old-fashioned police uniform looking at them.
"And what do you two think you're up to?"
The Doctor passed Peri the TARDIS key. "You do the honours, I'll keep him talking," he whispered.
As the girl fumbled with the lock, the Doctor addressed the policeman. "We're just reclaiming lost property, officer."
"Oh, are you now? Well, if that's true, there are forms and stuff to fill in before you can take anything."
"We just thought we would save you the paperwork," the Doctor replied. "How's it going?" he hissed over his shoulder.
Peri had finally overcome her trembling fingers. "We're in," she whispered back, slipping through the TARDIS door.
"Sorry, officer, got to go," the Doctor said, backing towards the police box.
"Just a minute, young man," the policeman said, advancing towards the Doctor, who spun round and dived through the open door of the blue box.
The officer reached the box and tried the door. It wouldn't open. He banged his fist against the outside.
"You can't get away, you know," he called. Moments later, the box emitted a raucous screeching noise and vanished from the yard, leaving a stunned policeman scratching his head in bewilderment.
***
Inside, the TARDIS was just the same, thought Peri. It was also different. Nothing she could put her finger on, but somehow it wasn't quite the same time machine she had left four days before.
The Doctor dashed in behind her and closed the doors. As he read a note stuck to the time rotor with blutack, banging could be heard from outside.
Reading carefully, the Doctor began resetting the controls. He checked them against the paper, then set the TARDIS in motion.
"What is that?" Peri asked, indicating the piece of paper.
"It's a note, to me, from me. I recognise the handwriting."
"So, where are we going?"
"Not far," the Doctor replied enigmatically, as the time rotor began to slow.
The Doctor operated the scanner control to reveal, total darkness. He fiddled with some controls and a beam of light appeared from above the picture.
"The roof light," he explained. "I've reconfigured it to searchlight mode."
The light washed over the scene outside the TARDIS. Small piece of flotsam floated past, revealing that they were underwater. Then the light picked out something ornate.
"The clock!" Peri exclaimed. It was indeed the clock from the stairway of the Titanic, the one she had drawn the Doctor's attention to.
"Hope and Glory Crowning Time. I knew I'd seen that somewhere before," the Doctor said. He turned a dial and the searchlight moved to the right, illuminating a tall, blue box.
"There she is," the Doctor grinned.
"The TARDIS? But I thought this was the TARDIS?"
"It is, Peri. Or, at least, it will be, one day." He began setting controls again, muttering to himself about forcefield parameters.
Peri didn't understand and said as much.
"It's all quite simple, Peri," the Doctor told her. "This isn't our TARDIS, that one is." He pointed to the screen. "All we have to do is reclaim it."
"But how? We're underwater. Are we going to swim?"
"No, walk. I've extended the TARDIS forcefield to envelop both versions. We don't even need to get our feet wet."
He operated the door control and steered his companion over the threshold.
"I'm confused," Peri admitted as they stepped outside.
"Well, we've just created one of the paradoxes of time. Now what happened was this..." Their voices faded as the doors closed.
***
"Can we go in now, Professor?" said a voice from behind the inner door of the TARDIS.
"I think it's safe now," replied a male voice. The door opened to admit a small man dressed in a cream jacket, checked trousers and panama hat and a young woman in jeans, t-shirt and black bomber jacket.
"So, are you going to tell me what all that was about?" asked the girl. She had just spent a boring day and a half shut in her room in the TARDIS, listening to CD's and twiddling her thumbs after the Professor's pager had gone off. He had studied the device, shaped like a pocket watch, before scribbling a quick note, setting the TARDIS in motion and bundling her out of the console room and ordering her to stay away until he gave the all clear.
"A little rescue mission," her companion replied, gesturing to the screen.
On it, she could see a tall, blonde man dressed in a tweed jacket disappearing into what appeared to be another TARDIS. Moments later, the other TARDIS vanished.
"Wicked!" the girl explained. "So, was that another you, Doctor?"
"Yes, Ace," the Doctor replied, resetting co-ordinates. "It all began two lifetimes ago. I was taking Peri to the coronation of Queen Victoria when we got a little sidetracked..."
