DOCTOR WHO – ENTERPRISE
PART ONE – FIRST CONTACT
The Doctor reclined in his seat and sipped his glass of special reserve tawny port, turning the page of a thick novel. The Tardis hummed with a quiet comfort, the time rotor grinding with a familiar, dull tone. A moment of reflection, the Doctor thought, and one well deserved, after 11 previous incarnations of the adventurous persuasion.
The Doctor was immersed in his book – the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – the text frequently bringing a smile onto his young, yet experienced face. He turned another page and reached for his glass again, only to find that it had moved a little further across the table sat astride his battered leather chair. His eyes shifted to it, and he leant over a little to grasp it, when the Tardis shuddered and it fell to the ground with a loud crash.
He clutched the arms of his seat until the tremors passed, before standing up and glancing over the complicated central console. The readouts seemed normal, the Tardis forcefields were up and at full power, and the course was set correctly – so why the disturbance? Flicking a switch, the Doctor brought up a holographic galactic map, plotting his location within a tenth of an inch.
"Good lord." he whispered to himself.
__
"Analysis, Mr Worf?"
"The vessel is unknown to sensors, Captain. The dimensions suggest it may only be a probe."Lieutenant Worf replied, frowning at the readouts displayed to him.
"Mr Data?"
"I am familiar with the general design of the object Captain, but cannot explain its presence in space. It appears to be of Earth design, late 19th century. A police box."
"A 'police box'?"
"Indeed, it was used widely on street corners as a sort of communication between the public and the authorities. Records say they also acted as a communications line during the Cold War."
The Captain frowned and leant forward in his seat.
"So how can a late 19th century phone box end up in space?" he asked, causing a contemplative moment of silence from the bridge crew. The vessel in question continued to spin in place on the view screen, matching the ships velocity. The Captain decided to open a communications channel.
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship 'Enterprise'. You are in violation of Federation space. Identify yourself."
The viewscreen remained in static for a few seconds, before flickering into life, revealing a distorted face. The audio was no better, filled with static and undecipherable. Captain Picard ordered Data to attempt to clear up the signal.
"Captain, the vessel has very complex shielding. Its forcefield necessitates a continuous cycle of communication frequencies over the medium band at one thousand transmissions a second."
"Make it so" the Captain replied.
Data began to make the calculations, and tapped them in to the Enterprises' console, clearing the video and sound quality. The Doctor smiled warmly as he witnessed this development.
"Hello!" he began "I'm the Doctor. I appear to have been bounced off your deflector shield."
Captain Picard replied ernestly "This is the Federation Starship Enterprise. State your intentions immediately."
The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I love how you just assume I'm not trustworthy." he sighs. "I'm a Timelord from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous."
Picard glanced over at Data, who returned a bewildered look. Neither Gallifrey nor Kasterborous appeared in Federation records.
"We've never heard of either of those places, Doctor." the Captain said, moving closer to the screen. "How are we to believe you aren't a smuggler working for the Cardassians or the Ferengi?"
"The what?" the Doctor replied, his face contorted with disbelief, "Captain, I assure you, I've heard of neither of those factions, or..races. Our paths are merely crossing due to some error on one of our parts."
"Maybe so, but I'd like to talk to you face to face, Doctor." Picard said sternly, bringing himself up to full height. Commander Riker stood and joined him.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Captain" The Doctor shook his head. "It would not be a good idea at all, infact."
"Very well" Captain Picard replied "We will beam you aboard. Transporter room one, lock on to the target and beam it aboard. Vessel and occupant."
"Aye sir" came the reply.
The Doctor tried frantically to start the time rotor again but it was too late. The Tardis was being transported to the other ship, and what the Doctor may find there remained a mystery.
The transporter pad on the Enterprise glowed and began to hum, Chief O'Brien looked up and tapped a few controls, stabilising the beam. A beam of orange-yellow light fizzled into view, slithering down in numerous streaks, forming a vague shape. The process continued until the Tardis faded into the beam, its' dull blue a stark contrast to the sterile colours of the starship's interior. It hummed contently.
"O'Brien to Bridge.." the Chief signalled from his console.
"Picard here." came the reply.
"Our visitor is aboard Captain. We seem to have beamed his entire vessel here." There was an awkward silence as O'Brien tilted his head, studying the blue box stood before him. He half expected it to start talking or moving, but he shook off these ideas quickly as Picard's voice crackled over the intercom:
"Chief, is it undamaged?"
"Aye sir, though the beam was distorted somewhat by the vessel's shielding. What I am looking at is a 8 foot blue box that's humming at me."
"..I'll be right down" Picard replied, and the communications line cut out. O'Brien's attempts to conduct a scan of the Tardis from his console met with failure. Whatever was shielding the ship, he thought, was like nothing he had ever seen before. Even the Romulan cloaking device seemed inferior to this technology. His thoughts were interrupted by the transporter room door hissing open. Captain Picard, Lieutenant Worf and Commander Data appeared, and looked first at O'Brien, then the Tardis.
"Analysis, Mr Data." Picard uttered, to the side.
Data unfolded his tricorder and ran the scanning beacon from the top to the bottom of the police box. The device began to beep furiously, its lights flashing. Data held it further away from him, and it began to smoke, still beeping, at a higher frequency. The tricorder then was engulfed in a single, hot flame, and Data dropped it to the floor, where it disintegrated.
"Intriguing.." he remarked, as Picard and Worf looked in disbelief. Worf drew his phaser as a loud, angry shout was heard from within the box. The door creaked open, and a tall figure stormed out of it, slamming it shut behind him. The man was clothed in a long coat, thick boots, and a black suit, his shirt collars emblazoned with red question marks. He turned on his heel and fixed a disgusted scowl on Captain Picard. The Captain recognised him as the man he spoke to on the viewscreen.
"You!" he shouted. "You..blithering.." The faces of the men in the room hardened, and Worf tensed noticeably.
"Who the hell are you to.. use your stupid.. fwoosh thing on my ship! Do you have any idea Captain; ANY idea of with whom you are dealing? You have scrambled a Type 40 Tardis like a pair of cheap eggs, then reassembled them to make some..clumsy omelette!" The Doctor clutched at his hair, exhasperated "Shall we serve it with waffles, Captain? Draped in syrup of paradox?!"
Captain Picard looked at Data, utterly confused at the gesticulations of this strange man, only to be greeted by a look of equal confusion in return. The Doctor continued to rant, using nonsensical metaphors to relay his situation, but they fell on deaf ears. Picard nodded towards Lieutenant Worf, who fired at the Doctor at low power, causing him to stop suddenly, look up, then fall awkwardly to the floor.
"Secure him in the brig, Mr Worf. I'll question him when he calms down. Meanwhile, take this..box to the cargo bay, and call the science team to analyse it."
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