Chapter Text
The first time Sally got in the TARDIS, it disappeared without her.
The first time she flew in it, she piloted it herself using the telepathic circuits.
So it came as some surprise to find out that this was a ship which the Doctor usually piloted himself. He ran around the console, flicking switches and pulling levers and generally fiddling. The TARDIS rocked around dramatically, and Sally had to hold on to the rails to stay on her feet.
“If flying it is this dangerous then why don’t you just use the telepathic circuits every time?” asked Sally.
“That takes all the fun out of it!” said the Doctor. “Besides, you don’t want to know what I’m thinking about. And here!” He slammed down a particularly heavy lever and the TARDIS came to rest. “Right, we’ve landed. Come on!”
“And this is going to be a nice, calm outing?”
“I promise, no monsters. I specifically checked, and at no point in the history of this entire planet did anything evil ever threaten anyone.”
“And… Doctor, it’s been a long day, I’ve been up for nearly 24 hours. Can I have a nap first?”
“Erm, let me make a few adjustments…” said the Doctor. They took off again, and Sally desperately grabbed the edge of the console to keep her balance. They flailed around for several seconds as the Doctor tapped away on a machine like a typewriter. “OK, I made reservations for us and then took us forward to when they’re due. Our rooms should be ready. Let’s go.”
“Rooms? Is this… some sort of spa hotel?”
“Something like that, come on,” said the Doctor. He threw open the TARDIS doors and Sally stepped out in wonder. They were in the foyer of a giant library. Natural light streamed down from a great glass roof, illuminating floors and floors of birch bookshelves joined by a network of staircases, ladders, and lifts. There were plenty of little passages between the shelves, leading off to untold numbers of further shelves and little cubby holes for reading in snug comfort. Sally could make out a few people browsing the visible shelves or sat reading, although they all had plenty of space to themselves. And then she realised that some of them weren’t human at all. A furry creature was holding a book open with its trunk, while another one of the people seemed to be composed of a shifting swarm of ants stacked into human form.
Just in front of the TARDIS was a front desk of sorts. Even this seemed to be composed of bookshelves crammed full with hardbacks. A bell sat on top of the desk, and the Doctor gave it a ring.
There was a sound like a gust of wind up above them. Sally looked up and saw a purple speck falling towards them. It grew as it fell, and Sally realised it was a bird creature. It spread its wings as it fell, revealing an incredible wingspan, and pulled out of its dive. With a couple of almighty flaps, it began to hover, and then descended the last few metres. It stood about five foot tall, and was really dazzlingly beautiful, with glistening feathers of violet and mauve and magenta.
“Sorry about that,” it said. He, thought Sally, not it. “Welcome to Alexandria. Could I take your name, species, and preferred pronoun?”
“The Doctor, Time Lord, he/they.”
“Sally Sparrow, human, she/her.”
“Ah, yes, I see you on our system. I am Lory, Obro, she/her.” Sally felt something stir in her at that, which was curious. “I see you’re both booked into our deluxe package. Hold still for a second.” Obro raised a tiny pink arm – Sally hadn’t noticed it – picked up a small device that reminded Sally of a laser pointer. He pointed it at Sally’s forehead.
“Erm, Doctor,” said Sally.
“Brain scan. Just hold still and follow Obro’s instructions. It’s completely safe.”
“Right, Sally Sparrow,” said Obro. “Imagine you’re reading a great book.” Sally’s mind immediately went to reading Midnight’s Children under the covers by torchlight. “Imagine you’re in complete comfort.” Sally imagined sunbathing by the pool, sipping on a Pina Colada. “Imagine luxury and decadence.” Chocolate cake on a king-sized bed. “OK, now, back to books. If you could imagine a selection of your favourite titles… the times you’ve been utterly gripped… times you have felt intense emotion… feel free to consider non-fiction, too, if you wish. Great. Now, things you really don’t want to experience in your books… OK, that should be plenty for us to work with. Your room should be ready now. Doctor, I see you have visited us a considerable number of times before…”
“Do me again,” said the Doctor. “I’ve been through a lot lately. It’s probably affected my tastes.”
Obro turned the scanner onto the Doctor and ran through a very similar set of questions. “OK then,” she said. “Let me take you up to your suite.” She led the Doctor and Sally into a large circular lift behind the desk. The walls of the lift, like the rest of the building, were lined with bookshelves. Sally’s eyes were drawn to Midnight’s Children, and then Remains of the Day, The God of Small Things, The Luminaries. Then she made the connection. This was a collection of Booker Prize winners, but it extended well beyond her time. There must have been a thousand prize winners on the shelves. Sally was stunned. There was a lifetime’s worth of reading in this lift alone, and far more out in the library.
“Sorry,” said Sally, as the lift began to rise. “I’m not quite sure I’m keeping up. What was that all about?”
“Oh, was this a surprise? Here on Alexandria we have copies of every book ever written, or that ever could have been written, or ever will be written, from every civilisation on every planet in recorded history. We store most of them electronically, and they can be accessed from our website, but our curated physical collection is our real pride. Most of our visitors come to enjoy Alexandria as a monument to knowledge and wonder, but ultimately our funding comes from providing a deluxe service to patrons such as yourselves.”
They reached the top of the lift and stepped out. In front of them were two oak doors. The one on the left was engraved in gold writing with The Doctor, Time Lord, he/they, while the one on the right was engraved with Sally Sparrow, human, she/her.
“After you, Sally Sparrow,” said Obro. Sally pushed her door open onto a large room.
“Wow,” she said. It was the most magical room she had ever seen. Most of the walls were lined with bookshelves from floor to ceiling, the highest being at just the right height for Sally to reach. There was a thick, soft carpet. In one corner there was a large, steaming bath, surrounded by candles. The scent of lavender and sea salt wafted over to Sally. In another corner, a cushy armchair that Sally could already imagine herself sinking into was sat next to a roaring fireplace. On one arm balanced a large slice of chocolate cake and a tower of warm scones with cream and jam, while on the other there was a mug of hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows. And then there was the bed, a king-sized four-poster with plenty of pillows and a thick set of duvets.
“The books in this room have been curated to match your tastes and preferences. They are completely indestructible and come equipped with several features to make them easier to read. The shelf by your bed contains our very highest recommendations. There is a small tablet on your bedside table that contains a guide to the books. If you prefer, you can use it to access them as ebooks, audiobooks, or visualisations. Do you have a towel?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Rule four: always carry a towel. Immense practical and psychological value,” whispered the Doctor kindly.
“No matter,” said Obro. “The room comes equipped with a delocalised 3D printing swarm. Anything you need will be provided by the room,” she said, and a folded blue towel appeared on the bed. “You are booked in for a three-night stay. Enjoy your night.”