The Orphan and Her Family

Chapter Fifty-One

Martha goes to help the guards transport some supplies to the rocket ship. Jack, Sophie, and the Doctor stay with Yana to help get the ship ready to fly. The Doctor pulls one of the wires out of the machine, and sniffs it. "Is this?"

The professor nods, "Yes, gluten extract. Binds the neutralino map together."

The Doctor plugs the wire back in, "That's food. You've built this system out of food and string and staples? Professor Yana, you're a genius."

"Says the man who made it work."

Sophie leans back against the wall, as they continue their discussion of brilliancy. She sets her bag down on the table, pulling a bottle of water out. She takes a deep sip, and rests her head against the wall, closing her eyes.

She must fall asleep, because the next thing she realizes, the Doctor's hand is on her shoulder, "Hey, Soph, are you okay?"

She blinks furiously at the light, "Hmm? Yeah, still getting over a concussion. Sorry, I'll try not to fall asleep again."

The Doctor places a hand on her cheek, "Do what you need to to heal. Are you sure you're up for this adventure?"

She nods, but almost immediately regrets it, "I'm alright, I've got drugs and water. I'll be okay."

He nods, "You let me know if you need anything, alright." He presses a kiss to her cheek.

The voice of the guard comes over the radio, interrupting their conversation, "Professor, tell the Doctor we've found his blue box."

The Time Lord jumps to her feet, "Ah!"

Jack points at the screen, where the TARDIS sits, in all her glory, "Doctor?"

The Doctor grins, "Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I may just have found you a way out."

***

The TARDIS is brought into the lab, and the Doctor ushers her toward it, "Take a few minutes, have a lie down."

"No, I can help. Just, tell me what to do."

He sighs, "Fine, go in there, and get under the console, there should be a couple cords bigger than the others, I just need you to bring them out here."

She gives him a two finger salute, and turns into the ship. She pops open one of the floor gratings, crawling under the console. Sophie quickly identifies which cords the Time Lord was speaking of, and unplug one end. She rolls them up, and drapes them over her shoulder. She climbs back out, and brushes dust off of her hair. "Got em," she informs the Doctor, dropping the ends at her feet.

He grins at her, and grabs the ends, turning on his heel, he turns to one of the machines, "Extra power. Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting?" He points at Jack after hooking up the cords, "Jack, you're in charge of the retro feeds."

The Captain nods, and moves over to the screens on the walls. At that moment, Martha and Chanto reenter the lab. She smiles when her eyes land upon the blue box, " Oh, am I glad to see that thing."

Jack doesn't even waste a second, "Connect those circuits into the spar, same as that last lot." He nods at a pile of circuits on the table. As an afterthought, and just to be cheeky, he adds, "But quicker."

Martha smiles, a hint of a laugh in her voice, "Ooo, yes, sir."

It's then that Sophie notices the professor sitting in a chair, clutching his head. The Doctor walks over and crouches in front of him, "You don't have to keep working. We can handle it."

Yana brushes the Time Lord's hand off his shoulder, and forces himself to his feet, "It's just a headache," he says, and shakes his head. "It's just, just noise inside my head, Doctor. Constant noise inside my head."