Not Wednesday (Open)

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Promised Land;

Noun
A place or situation in which one expects to find great happiness
The land of Canaan (in the Bible), promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12:7)

Dropping the stick of chalk on to the table beside him, the Doctor folded his arms and looked up at what he had scrawled on his blackboard. He chewed his lip, stuck the tip of his tongue out, tapped his teeth, picked up the open book beside the chalk, scanned a page, and then let it fall back down.

“Nothing!” he announced, turning away and walking down the steps to the console. “Nothing at all. No galactic co-ordinates, no planetary or system designation…nothing except that age-old Earth reference. No such thing as the Promised Land.” With a huff of air from his cheeks, he pulled down the dematerialisation lever, leaning on the console as the spinning cylinders on top of the time rotor ticked away. He swung around one of the monitor screens and hit a few buttons to close down the window opened on it. It didn’t contain much more information than what he had on the blackboard. Nothing of significance, anyway.

As he played with the controls, flicking levers and switches, he suddenly paused and frowned. “I was talking.” He turned and looked around the empty console room. “Why was I doing that? No one else is here.” Thick eyebrows furrowing even more, he quickly moved down the steps from the main platform and poked his head into the corridor entrance at the back of the room. “Clara? You’re not lurking about anywhere, are you? If you are, don’t try making another soufflé. The accident with the gas hob was bad enough. I’m pretty sure there’s still paste in some corners.” Allowing a small smile to himself, the Doctor returned to the console. He leaned against one of the side panels that was situated by the railing and shivered. He didn’t much fancy doing the talking-to-himself thing too much. Where it got him the last time had been frightening enough, though he would never admit it. He knew there were no creatures with perfect hiding lurking about. Yet part of him still urged caution. “I really am getting old,” he sighed.

Promised Land, Promised Land…did it mean anything? Two spaceships stranded in periods well past their time, both run by some sort of robotic crew, and trying to reach the supposedly same destination. Why? What was the point? What did they hope to achieve by attempting to locate a superstition of paradise?

Did it really mean anything?

Probably not. “Wasting time again.” Throwing his hands up in the air, as if to show he was exasperated with the companion who wasn’t really with him, he resumed his work at the controls. Where would he go today…maybe he should pick up Clara first. He knew he had only dropped her off a couple of hours ago – or had it been a day? Two days? 23.0003718 hours? – but he could skip ahead to her next Wednesday. She wouldn’t mind. Hopefully she wouldn’t be distracted by whatever made her eyes go all wide. Or a shelf. Who makes an appointment with a shelf?

The Doctor moved across to another panel, about to put in new co-ordinates, but then there was a jarring impact which felt as though it caused the TARDIS to tip backwards. He was thrown into the edge of the side panel behind him as the time machine spun around. Or was he spinning? Or was the console platform in the same position but the walls around it spinning? Up, down, back and forth, into the top-right corner…he shook his head to clear it before throwing himself back on to the console. The spinning had slowed to a more manageable level, but the metal vibrated with a strong shake and loud rumbling. The Time Lord’s hands moved frantically across the panels, throwing down a row of switches and punching a square of buttons.

A few seconds later, there was a loud thump as the TARDIS halted. Her pilot slowly straightened up, backing away from the console at a snail’s pace, his feet testing the platform to make sure they didn’t fall through. When he was convinced stability had been properly restored, he let out another sigh. “What’s gotten into you, then?” he asked, looking up at the time rotor. The frown had returned. His only response to the question was a low groan.

“It’s been a while since you got that temperamental. All holidays must end, I suppose.” He flicked on the handbrake as he strode past the console towards the doors and buttoned the top button of his coat. Whatever had caused the turbulence was probably outside. Most likely. Hopefully. Or maybe his ship had wanted Clara back as well, and got caught up in the excitement of getting there to pick her up.

The Doctor quickly perished that thought as he pulled the doors open with a flourish, stepping out impressively into the bright glare of what would no doubt be a new world or time.

[Ace McShane]

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The area map was spread across a table with little figurines placed strategically on spots of the map to indicate where platoons and such where around the area. Ace studied the map keeping a careful ear out for people coming, she wasn’t necessarily not supposed to be in there at the moment but Ace had had the urge to study the map for a moment and didn’t feel like waiting till the proper channels where wake in the morning to ask.

Protocol had never really stopped Ace from doing much of anything in this regeneration. She heard some soldiers pass by outside of the war room and she quickly switched off the lamp, still able to see pretty well in the limited darkness.

Ok, so they weren’t going to keep going they were coming into the war room. “Shit.” Ace had to bail and bail quickly or get bombarded by a multitude of questions as to why she was in there at this time which quite honestly, she just didn’t feel like answering at the moment.

They’d have to come, at least half way, to the table to get a good amount of light to whatever it was they had planned to do in the room.

Ace moved as quietly as she good and crouched down low so she wouldn’t be seen.

Slowly as the soldiers entered the room and got far enough away from the door Ace slowly slipped out of the room, letting the door close noiselessly behind her.

“Well, that was easy.” Ace said softly wiping her hands together as she walked down the hall and rounded a corner.

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The bright glare actually turned out to be a hanging lamp, the only source of illumination in the rather small area, now mostly occupied by the blue police box. The Doctor quickly realised it was a cupboard. That answered the first question of where he was. Well, at least that meant his transport was hidden somewhere not many people would look. The next question was: what sort of place was he in to have a lovely, organised cupboard such as this?

He stepped up to the door and was about to push it open when he heard loud footsteps approaching. So he waited for them to pass by, hoping they weren't looking for something from the cupboard. He didn't feel like answering any questions as to why he was in there. Fortunately, the sound moved on without stopping. When it had faded completely, the Doctor nudged the door open and poked his head out, checking both ways. Then he stepped out into the corridor.

The footsteps had gone to the right, so he turned and headed the same way. That was probably where he would find something interesting if people were heading towards it. Or maybe the interesting thing was over and they were heading back to somewhere else from it, in which case he should turn left. But he'd already turned two corners so there wouldn't really be much point.

As he continued on his way, he didn't hear the footsteps again until he came up to another corner. Then they stopped and he heard what sounded like a door being opened. So they must have found the room with something interesting. Waiting for the sound of the door being closed, the Doctor made to step out from behind his cover but was brought up shortly the sudden appearance of a young woman.

"Shush," he whispered immediately, even though she hadn't said anything. He wasn't in the mood for pointless, obvious questions, such as 'What are you doing here?' But upon taking a second look at the woman, it appeared as though she was sneaking around herself. And there was something else about her. Something the Doctor wasn't sure he liked. "Shush," he repeated, looking around to check they were alone. "Now then. Who are you, and where are we?"

[Ace McShane]

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Stopping short to keep from walking into the person who just popped around the corner "Shush," Ace took a step back frowning, this man did not just tell her to shush. Looking the man up and down for a second he definitely wasn’t supposed to be here but he seemed to be sneaking around also so she didn’t feel the need to raise and alarm.

"Shush," Ace titled her head to the side a little at the second shush. Ok, now this guy was just getting on her nerves “Excuse me?” "Now then. Who are you, and where are we?" raising an eyebrow Ace moved her head back a little not liking being interrogated, or at least that’s what she felt it sounded like.

Taking a quick breath in and out her nose “We, are in a sort of military institution…and as to who I am, I could ask you the same thing, never seen you around here before.”

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If the Doctor noticed her irritation at his instant shush-ing and questioning, he didn't show it and instead just kept staring at her. At least she didn't take long to give him an answer, and didn't stumble over her words.

“We, are in a sort of military institution…and as to who I am, I could ask you the same thing, never seen you around here before.”

Military...that explained a lot. Or at least it probably would, if the Doctor had discovered things in this place before realising it was a military establishment. But it did account for the boring corridors and the sound of heavy, booted feet. And this woman...the more he peered at her, the more he got a sense of soldier. He might have been wrong, given that she still seemed to be sneaking. He hoped so.

"I'm the Doctor," he replied. He supposed it was fair to tell her that, at least. "And no, you wouldn't have. But never mind that, it's your turn now. Who are you?"

[Ace McShane]

"I'm the Doctor," Oh no, not here Ace hopped that it was just someone who’s title was The Doctor and no The Doctor though she highly doubted it “And no, you wouldn't have.” Ace studied him for a second and softly groaned a little when she finally came to the realization that nope, it was him. Pacing her hands on her hips Ace looked at the ground for a moment “You’d be surprised.”

“But never mind that, it's your turn now. Who are you?" Dropping her arms Ace smiled at The Doctor “Nope.” without another word Ace stepped around The Doctor and started back down the hallway.

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"You'd be surprised."

"I'm sorry?" But rather than answer him, the woman gave a rather brusque "Nope" and headed off past him. The Doctor stood there for a moment, frowning. Did she really just...? That wasn't how things normally went. What was she playing at? Did she know him? No, probably not. He'd never seen her before. And yet something about her was trying to grab his attention. Why had she just turned away from him?

Deciding he would very much rather get some answers, he spun on his heels and quickly caught up with her before she was out of sight. "Now, that's just a bit rude," he said, keeping the irritation out of his voice. "I would just like a name, that's all. And to be frank, it looks to me as though neither of us are supposed to be here. So why don't we help each other out, hm?" He raised an eyebrow as he kept pace with her, hoping she would give in.

[Ace McShane]

"Now, that's a bit rude," Ace kept walking but couldn't help but smile despite herself when she heard the irritation in his voice. "I would just like a name, that's all. And to be frank, it looks to me as though neither of us are supposed to be here. So why don't we help each other out, hm?" Ace didn't necessarily snap at The Doctor but there was some heat to her words.

"Because Professor, you have a tendency to go barging into something while having no idea of the delicacy of the situation." Ace stopped seeing as it seemed he wasn't gonna let it go before looking at him with her mix matched eyes, refusing to look away ":seriously one regeneration in and you have no idea who I am?:"

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He would have walked on a step or two despite her stopping. It was what she said that made him pause and turn to look at her. Properly look at her.

"Because Professor, you have a tendency to go barging into something while having no idea of the delicacy of the situation. Seriously one regeneration in and you have no idea who I am?:"

"...what did you just say?" The Doctor frowned, bending his head down slightly and leaning into her face. Only one person had ever called him by that name. Well, only one was coming to his mind right now. If there were others they didn't do it often enough to make it stick with him. But this girl...oh, he knew her and her name for him well. "Dorothy Gale McShane!" A huge grin spread across his face. "And here I thought this might end up being boring." But then as soon as it appeared, the grin faded. "No, hold on. Regeneration? You can't do that. You're human." He took a step back and pointed at her, raising an eyebrow. "Regenerating Ace. How does that work? Or is it even you? And please, no lies. I'll know if you're lying and if you are it won't be pleasant for you in the end.:

[Ace McShane]

"...what did you just say?"

Ace frowned a little and placed a finger on The Doctors chest, pushing him back a little gently when he leaned into her face.

"Dorothy Gale McShane!"

Holding her hands out to her sides Ace bowed a little “One and the same.” as much as she didn’t want to Ace couldn’t help but return the grin "No, hold on. Regeneration? You can't do that. You're human." Ace sighed a little smirking “Used to be…”

She frowned a little, annoyed when The Doctor pointed at her and asked if it was even her “Yeah, course it’s me.” “And please, no lies. I'll know if you're lying and if you are it won't be pleasant for you in the end.” rolling her eyes Ace stood up as straight as she could and continued looking at The Doctor, he was a bit taller than her so she had to look up a tiny bit “What’re you gonna do, yap me to death.