Activated a protocol that will make him a Time Lord!

The script read, from what Steve could now tell, 'Emergency Pilot Procedure', alternating between that and swirling to read 'Resume contact with scanner to complete emergency procedure'. Well, if it was an emergency... Steve let himself fantasise that maybe the Doctor was real, and in trouble, and he could help. After all, was it so crazy? He was in a real TARDIS! Setting his hand on the pad, he felt it tingle a bit, but the real concern he was pushing aside was in his temples. They were aching, like he had a migraine.

The screen let out a beep and reconfigured. 'Capsule has experienced catastrophic dimensional relocation. Scans have shown there are no Time Lords in this universe to reactive capsule. Emergency pilot procedure allows for one last resort transformation of a compatible species to Time Lord'. Steve's jaw dropped. He was... he was going to be a Time Lord? It was like all of his wildest dreams had come true, even if his eye was twitching. Oh my god, had that orange glow done something to him?

His mouth felt dry. "Wh-what's happening to me?" The screen didn't answer, the text sitting for a while before passing to its next message. It was seemingly still following a predetermined program. 'Time Lord biological functions imparted, neural net providing basic necessary knowledge of Time Lord society and piloting of capsule. To activate in non-time-travel-active species, must initiate regeneration into first Time Lord incarnation'.

Steve's mouth felt even dryer at that. "Re-regenerate? Like... I become a different guy?" Sure, he knew that's what part of the deal was, but... he'd just got it? Why did he have to regenerate immediately? Why couldn't he enjoy it as Steve McKenzie? Of course, he knew that the level of information needed wasn't the only barrier, although the neural net had exceeded the human brain capacity even with its most basic levels of information, comparatively speaking. A working capsule, or TARDIS, needed a Time Lord, not necessarily to operate the controls but simply to bond with one so it was able to even function. But as his brain accesses that information, he brought his hand up to his face, groaning as another sharp spike of pain shot through his skull. "OK! OK! Shit! Uh... do I at least get a say in what I regenerate into?"

Curiously, the screen did answer the question. Although he supposed it did last time. With a yelp, he accessed that it worked not by direct verbal or telepathic instruction, but by picking up on intended questions to present one of a pre-selected range of responses programmed by an engineer. 'Regeneration is random process, influenced by internal genetics as well as by environment individual has been immersed in recently.' Well, at least that was Earth, so nothing crazy would happen.

Eyes widening, Steve noticed his hand was glowing orange. It was starting. _'Stand back from console now' wasn't even necessary, he was stumbling back, staring at his hands. As the glow brightened, the central console's tube began to glow too, as the TARDIS powered on. Something in the tube began to jump up and down, a grinding, crunching noise emanating from the console as the screen flickered from 'Jump to safe location'_ to a screen displaying what he know recognised as a chronometer.

It felt like a fire burning in him, competing with the fire in his head. There was a thu-thud, and Steve clutched at his chest, feeling a second heartbeat kicking in. As it began to beat, the TARDIS continued powering up, clanking in the backrooms as rooms decided to exist again, having given it up a while back to conserve power. Golden light crept up the veins of his chest to spider up his neck, the surge of energy making Steve stand legs wide, arms apart, eyes screwed shut. Ohgodohfuckohshit. As he panicked, the bond between him and the TARDIS grew and grew until the regenerative energy reached the required level. The heart of the TARDIS began to scan Steve, assisting him in regenerating smoothly as his head shot back, a plume of orange energy shooting upwards as the ship finished dematerialising. It spiralled off into the time vortex as Steve's body began to reshape, to land in a wholly new place as a wholly new man.