002 [A Stitch in Time]

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[Susan is curled up in an armchair from the TARDIS Library. She has a bag of knitting materials on the floor next to her, a half completed stripy hat on her lap and, more importantly, a frown on her face. Rather than dwelling on some of the unpleasant thoughts that have surfaced since she arrived on the Plane, she's trying to honour a casually made - and, now she's spent some time on it, extremely foolish - promise.

Carefully, she studies the pattern book resting on the arm of the chair.

Victoria was so much better at this. She’d taught the other girl about the universe and the stars, and, in return, the Victorian girl had taught her how to knit. Susan is starting to realise that it might have been an unfair exchange...]

Oh!

[She puts down the needles and sighs.]

I prefer mathematics.

Comments

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

[Sounding thrilled] Oh, knitting.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[Why does she sound so thrilled? Susan hates it already, and she isn't even close to finishing the hat.]

Would you be able to give me some help?

[swanseer.livejournal.com]

[It's the kind of thrilled where people die if that's any consolation]

I was never very good at it.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I thought I would be. It's fairly logical. You just follow the pattern.

[She looks at the tangled wool and sighs.]

Maybe I'm missing something?

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

That's because mathematics is inherently superior.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. I just thought I'd try knitting.

It doesn't look very much like a hat...

[savagestime.livejournal.com]

The Trelunian tribe, hmm, 2932nd century, E.D.E., on the planet of Delarae in the Elestan spiral of the Wilaharka galaxy, I believe, wore hats like these all the time.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Really? [She brightens a little that. She could always pretend that it was a deliberate mess, then.] Even the colours?

[lamb_of_gold]

Knitting?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

It isn't going very well, but that's what I'm supposed to be doing.

[lamb_of_gold]

Likely better than I would.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Really? You can try, if you like. I think I have some spare needles somewhere.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

There's something I don't think I've ever heard before.

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

You've never heard about knitting? What planet are you from?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

The mathematics bit, I meant.

—why, what planet are you from?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

You probably won't have heard of it. [She pauses. Given the nature of the Plane, that was a difficult judgment to make.]

I like mathematics. It's nice and logical.

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[HATS-! I mean. Here is the Doctor catches a look at it but he smiles.] Practising?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

[She makes a terribly unsubtle attempt to slide the hat down the side of the chair and out of sight, and smiles at him.] Yes. I think I need it...

[salvagestime.livejournal.com]

[He smiles and whether he noticed the hat or not, does not mention it.] have you tried taking the logical approach? Viewing the logistics of it and the patterns?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course I have. I've quantified it all very carefully. I know exactly how it should look, but it never seems to turn out that way.

[miseardae.livejournal.com]

[curious frown] Can't much blame you. [peers at her lap] You're...making a hat?

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to make a hat. It isn't going very well.

[ofalzarius.livejournal.com]

Then why aren't you doing mathematics? [As far as Adric's concerned knitting instead of doing maths is completely illogical. :|]

[unearthlysusan.livejournal.com]

I told my grandfather I'd make him one. [Susan looks a little sheepish, as she has been wondering the same thing for a while.]

[ofalzarius.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't see why he would. You don't look as if you're very good at it. Besides, mathematics is far more interesting. [No, he isn't trying to be offensive. He doesn't even realise that it could be. :|]