Undercurrents (short story)

Undercurrents was the third short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: A Day in the Life. It was written by Gary Merchant. It featured the Second Doctor, Jamie McCrimmon and Zoe Heriot.

Summary
In a panic, Zoe runs to Jamie's bedroom and informs him that the Doctor is missing. They search throughout the TARDIS, but find no sign of him. He just disappeared from his laboratory.

They are startled to hear knocking on the TARDIS door, as they are travelling in the Vortex. Thinking it might be the Doctor, they use the TARDIS force field to protect themselves and open the door. It is not the Doctor, but a stranger. They bring him inside.

The stranger, whose name is Vorac, tells them he is a Time Rider, a species that travels the time winds of the Vortex. He has been separated from his pack.

Zoe trusts him, but Jamie is suspicious that Vorac appeared just as the Doctor disappeared. Jamie attacks Vorac, but stops before killing him. Vorac is getting weaker the longer he is away from the Vortex.

Jamie slowly begins to trust Vorac, and Vorac asks for their help getting him back where he belongs. Jamie comes up with a plan.

Jamie and Vorac don spacesuits and go outside. They tie heavy ropes around the TARDIS and ride the time winds while Zoe flies the TARDIS, attempting to find Vorac's people. Jamie loses hold of the ropes but is rescued by Vorac.

They find Vorac's people and he goes to them, thanking Jamie and Zoe. Inside the TARDIS, Jamie and Zoe watch as the Doctor slowly appears out of nowhere. Jamie and Zoe, relieved to see their friend again, don't tell him about their adventure. The Doctor, meanwhile, doesn't tell them where he's been — the code of the Time Riders requires that when one of them is lost, there must be an exchange until he is returned.

Characters

 * Second Doctor
 * Jamie McCrimmon
 * Zoe Heriot
 * Vorac

Worldbuilding

 * Zoe reads the TARDIS manual.
 * Zoe attempts a time ram between the TARDIS and the Vortex.

Continuity

 * Jamie and Vorac wear the same spacesuits that the Doctor and his friends wore on the Moon. (TV: The Moonbase)
 * Jamie recalls when Victoria left the TARDIS. (TV: Fury from the Deep)
 * Jamie remembers the last time the TARDIS doors were opened during flight. (TV: The Enemy of the World)