I’m...I’m ok. I don’t know what that was, but I’m ok. I...I can’t read any of your minds. I think this “Target” is overlaying a wide dispersal neural grid. It’s ehy we can understand everyone but Joe. he smiles at his joke. I don’t know why I know what a wide grid neruo whatever is. Uh, did the bald man say we were in a different time? I’m s this a time machine?
"Master"exclaims K 9 as he sees the image. K 9 then attempts to diagnose Kyle, tell where the TARDIS is headed and search for clues in the TARDIS's interior.
"Yes Kyle, this is the Doctor's TARDIS, a time machine. Examination of the TARDIS's control indicates we are headed to Earth, country England, time 1970's or 1980's. Probability of rain 70%. Kyle, examination reveals you were suffering some kind of flashback, as in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."
With a look at K-9, Joe comments to Kyle. "Maybe we don't want ter go diggin' in yor 'ead. Sounds like yor travels wiv the Doctor may not 'ave been as pleasant as some. Yer may be diggin' up some bleedin' bad memories in search o' good ones."
He stumbles and almost falls to the ground as he just barely anchors himself against the lurching of the TARDIS. He stands up straight, feeling dizzy as the projection of the Doctor appears. He's grateful to recognize him this time: Grey hair, Scottish accent, and those strange sunglasses.
Among various personal things out around the main console room, Ted spots an open book on the floor next to what looks like a bucket seat from a car from the 1960s. A closer look reveals it is a very old book, hand written by Isaac Newton. Tucked inside the front cover is a piece of paper with a letterhead for St. Cedds College, Cambridge, England (dated 1954). Handwritten in ink are the words, "Doctor, I thought you might enjoy this. Isaac loaned it to me and forgot to get it back."
It is signed Professor C.
Bryce tries to turn on the external monitor :
And sees...???
Ted looks over the book, uncertain what to make of it. He was only as familiar with Isaac Newton as his schooling had made him.
"Here," he calls out to the others. "Someone else might want to take a look at this. I can't make heads or tails of it." Ted sets the book and the letter down, and seeing nothing else recognizable to him, walks over to the door to try to peer outside.
Kyle peers out the door to the outside. "Earth in the late 20th century" is not nearly specific enough.
K 9 moves to take a look at the book Ted has just put down. K 9 then look at the book, reads a little, then asks "May I request one of the biological bipeds turn the pages for me. Gently please, the book is historically important. I am not equipped with hands." Presuming somebody turns the pages, K 9 tries to establish the books significance.
"Thank you."says K 9 to the person who turned the pages, then to the group "This would appear to be an original work by Isaac Einstein, previously unknown to anyone beyond The Doctor and Professor C, whoever that may be. If genuine then it is both valuable and significant."
While looking out the door, Kyle responds to K-9. Isaac Einstein isn't...isn't a person. Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein.
"Thank you Kyle. replies K 9 after a pause "You are correct of course. I don't usually make such errors in data retrieval. I intended to refer to Albert Einstein."
Joe leans over and looks at the book in question inquisitively.
She shakes her head. "I dunno K-9. That note done say Isaac. Guess I'll see wot I can bodge up ter help find our Doctor."
With that she begins scrounging around the detritus in the control room to put together something that can detect traces of TARDIS energy.
Wait, is it Newton or Einstein? A professor who borrowed a book from Einstein in the 1950s is just a guy who knew Einstein. A professor who borrowed a book from Newton in the 1950s is either immortal, a liar, a time traveler or all theee!
The book is by Isaac Newton, who was active from about 1665 to 1725. The book is in Latin but if you want to try to read it, the TARDIS translation circuits will eventually allow you to get through it.
Bryce gets the view screen to show the outside. The TARDIS is next to a sidewalk on a very well cared for lawn near a number of two story buildings that all look to be built anytime between 1700 and the 20th century, most made of brick with many windows, columns, small towers, and courtyards.
Most of the people walking by are young people, carrying books, many with backpacks. Some are dressed very casually, with a lot of bell bottom jeans, sneakers, and t-shirts, although some where somewhat more formal looking jackets with a sweater vest and nice slacks and loafers. Some of the young men have short hair, but a good many wear their hair longer, covering their ears and collars. Young women tend to have long straight hair, many wearing mini-skirts or jeans. Mixed in with the young people are older adults, most of them wearing black robes.
Those who look outside see the same thing. From the style of dress and the level of technology seen around the square, it would appear to be in the 1970s or early 1980s. Cars are driving on the left and no one seems to be surprised to see a police box in the area.
Those who want to can rummage around the side rooms of the TARDIS and find wardrobes that contain clothes that would better match the time. The TARDIS already has made clothes consistent with the area available, including plenty of jeans, t-shirts, jackets, and such.
Kyle puts on a costume to better match the era.
[b]I guess we should head out and take a look...maybe we can find someone who has seen the "Doctor" recently...
It takes Joe about an hour to make a minor gadget. She knows that when unusual events occur during time travel, it leaves evidence in the form of various particles. Her gadget can identify the existence of such particles and give the general direction and distance.
Bryce rummages around and finds some clothes similar to what the older people are wearing under their robes, slacks and a jacket. "I'm ready when everyone else is."
K 9 moves around excitedly at the prospect of going for a walk.
Stepping out of the police box, the odd group draws a few glances but most everyone seems intent on getting somewhere and initially no one pays the group much attention. The weather is pleasant, perhaps causing some to wonder if this really is England. It would appear to be late spring, as everything is green.
"Joe, where does that gadget of yours say we should go?"
Joe scrambles around the control room grabbing seemingly random handfuls of parts. Gears and springs, wires and circuit boards, even little glowing pods from under the console itself. After some time she huddles over the collection for a time before standing and holding out a smallish box of clockwork and blinking lights. She turns a crank on the side and it begins blinking faster. A small cylinder extends from one end with a luminescent pod on the end. For now the pod shines bright.
"Right, right, this should give us some sense o' where ter start lookin' for the right good Doctor. Just follow the blinkin' light, right?"
Heading through the doors into the bright spring day the glow goes out of the sensor pod. Twisting a few knobs and giving the crank another few turns Joe turns in a circle watching the box. The pod begins to throb brighter and dimmer.
Stopping her rotation she looks up at the others and points off in a direction. "Right then, we go this way."
Ted digs through the clothing options, entirely unfamiliar with the options presented to him. Eventually, he finds the only clothes that fit him: a pair of oddly shaped jeans and a tie-dye shirt, though that term is unfamiliar to him. He keeps his coat on over the costume, but ditches his hat after noticing a distinct lack of hats on the people outside.
He follows the others outside of the TARDIS, looking around with wonder. "So this is what the future looks like," he says out loud, mostly to himself. "Everyone's hair is so... long."
It...goes back to normal, mostly.
Kyle wasn’t sure how much he should tell Ted about the future. Maybe he’d create a paradox.
So, why is it you all think that I don’t remember this Doctor character but you all do? Did he wipe my mind?
"The information regarding The Doctor stored in my data banks indicate that wiping your mind is not something he would do for moral reasons. And why would The Doctor wipe your mind when he has not done so to any of his other companions? More data is required to establish why your memories of the Doctor are missing. My apologies for not being more help sir Kyle.
Joe's device suggests a location about a mile away across several different college campuses. There are buildings and trees in the way so it will take a bit of a hike to locate. As the group starts down a sidewalk, a cute young woman squeals with delight as she sees K-9 ambling along.
"Oooohh! You've got a robot dog! That is bloody brilliant! What can he do?" She has on a pair of short pants, sandles, and a purple print blouse with her midriff exposed. Her hair is long, straight, and blonde with a colorful headband.
K 9 goes over to the young woman who has noted his presence and gently nuzzles her hand with his nose.
The young woman touches K-9's metal body, smiling with delight. "Who's a good robot? Who's a good robot? You're a good robot! Yes you are! Yes you are!"
Kyle frowned. If this was the 70s, K-9 should be a technological marvel.
Seen one before, have you?
Kyle frowned. If this was the 70s, K-9 should be a technological marvel.
K 9 soaks up the attention of the young lady with the refined sense of aesthetics. K 9 wants to speak to encourage her, but does not as this would be likely to completely destroy the group's attempt to pass as from the 1970's or 1980's.
Kyle frowned. If this was the 70s, K-9 should be a technological marvel.
K 9 soaks up the attention of the young lady with the refined sense of aesthetics. K 9 wants to speak to encourage her, but does not as this would be likely to completely destroy the group's attempt to pass as from the 1970's or 1980's.
"Where did you get 'im? I'd love to get one too!" the student asks the group. "Are you over at Trinity College Engineering?"
Kyle shakes his head. St. Cedds, actually, but we've gotten a bit turned around. Do you know the way back to campus?
"St. Cedds? Didn' know they had an engineering program. Anyway, Cedds is hidden back on the far side of town. Take Barton Way west until you get to Gough Way. Follow the signs. Have fun."
She takes another admiring look at K-9 and then heads on.
Following her directions the group soon finds themselves off the beaten track at a small cluster of buildings identified as St. Cedds College, established 1545. An informational sign boasts that it was the college attended by Isaac Newton and Samuel Coleridge.
If Joe checks her tracking gadget, she gets strong readings all around, but nothing concentrated on a particular building. There are relatively few students on the grounds.
If that teacher who gave the Doctor the Einstein book is still teaching here, he might know where the Doctor went?
"Yeah, but how many 'Professor C' 's do you think might teach here? Altho, if we started with the Physics department..." Bryce looks around for a campus map kiosk.
If he doesn't find one, he'll stop a passing student, and ask for directions to the physics building.
There is no map or directory visible from the road but it looks like if you go south through the gate, you'll head into the heart of the college. There is a cluster of buildings a little down the road to the east that seem to be part of the college.
After the group walks aways into the college, Bryce will stop a person at random and ask for directions to the physics building.
The male student Bryce asks looks a little confused, but says, "There's no physics building. Most of the science classes are in New Court, I think. I'm a drama major, myself."
He points toward an old building with several wings surrounding a court yard nearby.
"Well, shall we?" Bryce asks the group, and strides confidently in the direction the student pointed.
Ted stays silent as they encounter students, wanting to get a feel for how the people of this decade spoke before he said something out of place. So far, it seemed he was worried for nothing.
"Perhaps someone in New Court knows something more," Ted notes after the drama major takes off. He follows after Bryce. "If we can find a faculty member, they may recognize Professor C's handwriting."
Periodically checking the readings, Joe keeps out of the conversations.
As they head into the grounds she comments, "Well, the Doctor 'as been 'ere awright. This place is just crorlin' wiv traces o' time travel. 'opefully this Professor Bumble Bee can 'elp us. If we ever find 'im."
Looking around the building identified as New Court reveals it is built something like a castle, with a court yard surrounded mostly by three story classroom buildings with a wall along the front. A central building is slightly taller than the rest, with some towers and turrets. The buildings are made of a light brown stone.
Poking heads into various doors eventually rewards the group with the discovery of a directory giving office numbers. There is only one science professor whose last name starts with "C", a Dr. Stanley Caulderson, with an office on the the 2nd floor. His subject matter expertise is listed as Mathematics for Natural Science.
Kyle furrows his brow at the directory. Is that even a subject? Still, we have a lead! Let's go visit this Dr. Caulderson and see if he can help us!
Going up to the second floor, and finding the office number for Dr. C listed in the directory. If it's open, going in. If it's closed, knocking on it.
"The phrase likely refers to the mathematics taught to students of science so that they can comprehend science Mr Kyle. Affirmative to it being a lead."replies K 9 to Kyle.
The door is ajar and leads to an office with a high ceiling, lined with books. A heavy dark-wood desk dominates the center of the relatively small room. Behind the desk sits a slender man in a suit-coat with a sweater vest but no tie. He appears to be in his 40s with dark wavy hair that looks like it's just starting to go grey in places. He's leaning back in his chair staring at a blackboard stand with some numbers scrawled across it.
"Hello," he says without taking his eyes off the board. "What can I do for you?" Finally, he turns to see who is entering his office. His face registers mild surprise at seeing the motley crew walk in. He can't see K-9 from where he is sitting.
Kyle reaches out to Dr. C’s mind to see if he can read anything.
"Dr. Caulderson, please excuse the intrusion, but we were wondering if you know...The Doctor?" The way Bryce says it, you can hear the capitalizations.
Ted nods in greeting to Dr. Caulderson, but hangs back from the group. If the Doctor was in trouble, they may be targeted for looking into him and asking questions.
He decides to keep the door slightly open, watching for any unusual activity outside of the room.