Doctor Who: Black Rain

Chapter One: Blue.

The first time I heard the sound, it didn't mean much to me. Kind of like the whistle of a strong wind down a long corridor. But soon the sound became synonymous with hope - because on that day, the day I first heard it, everything changed.

::Whoo-ooksh::

::Whoo-ooksh::

I remember it being a particularly nice day. A day to leave my long robes behind. I stood out in the courtyard taking in the sun. This planet is so much more congested than home, but on this day, on this courtyard - I was at peace. Sunlight beamed off of tall buildings like melting ice reflecting dawn's lights back home. A light breeze blew against my pale blue skin. Even the exhaust of ships from the flyway became a pleasant sensation. But what was that sound?

::Whoo-ooksh::

::Whoo-ooksh::

And at the center of the courtyard, as if out of thin air, a large blue rectangular box appeared. And out of it He appeared. An average enough looking humanoid creature. Black hair with dark brown skin, a little more smiley than the rest, and his clothes were strange to me. A grey jacket that ran odd angles and what I would later learn is called a "tie". He marched directly towards me and said in a commanding voice, "You! Blue-girl! Onion-head! Where is Onion-head? I need to speak with him now."

"Onion-head?" I questioned, taken aback by his directness.

"Yes, tiny green creature... sprouts coming out of his head... Like an onion."

I have never heard of these onions, but who was this man to be demanding council with Master Yoda. I was about to inform him of the impossibility of his request when he started again.

"Listen. I am not going to insult your intelligence and try to use Psychic Paper on a Jedi Knight. Tell Master Yoda that The Doctor needs to see him."

As he spoke, another humanoid creature stepped out of the blue box. I thought, they couldn't have both been comfortable in that tiny craft. She was a smaller humanoid of lighter skin with hair the color of fire. She also wore a funny outfit. A navy jacket that had what she later told me were "Lacrosse Sticks" crossed over each other on the front like a coat of arms. On the back of her jacket she wore the name "Crehan". She walked gracefully towards the man who calls himself "The Doctor" carrying a strange item in her hand. "Doctor! How many minutes do I set this kitchen timer for?"

"15. Thank you Erin," he replied and then he turned his head back towards me.

"Master Yoda is in the middle of a council meeting right now. He is not to be disturbed," I stated resolutely.

He contorted his face, pursing his eyes, lips, and nose all closer to each other. He then let out a large sigh.

"I am sorry sir, but a meeting with Master Yoda right now is impossible. Also, you cannot leave your ship parked there. The Jedi Temple is sacred ground, and this courtyard is one of reflection and ..."

As I spoke he ran past me up the steps of the temple. At this, his companion put her hand to her face and said, "Always with the running! Well I guess we should follow him." And that I did. I had not been on Coruscant long, and I would be damned if my reputation was to be the one who let strange medics run around as they please.

I chased after him ordering him to stop, his companion running behind me laughing. Just over that bridge and he would be at the tower that held the High Council. The Jedi Temple was made of five large silver spiral towers in the shape of a cross with the Main Tower in the center. All connected by uncovered bridges on the 15th floors. Sunlight shown off of them brilliantly as we ran from East Tower to the Main Tower. A spectacular architectural accomplishment, it was easy to regard the Jedi Temple as a holy place. Not a place to let strange dressing humanoids run free!

The padawans we passed on the bridge joined in the laughter of The Doctor's companion, thinking it was some kind of game. But as we neared the tower I thought that this man could be a threat to the members of the High Council. I readied my hand on my lightsaber as we reached the Council doors. The doors opened, and Master Gilley appeared. Tall, thin, and wielding a pair of wise-deep eyes. Just looking at Master Gilley made you believe you were closer to cracking the mysteries of the universe. He stood in front of the now opened council door. His hair many shades more grey than when he first took up the honor of Jedi Master. He said in his usual calming voice, "Master Yoda says that we are expecting a guest. Sorry for the short notice Ceranus. Thank you for escorting them to us."

I bowed my head in understanding and started to leave, when The Doctor stopped me. "Actually, if you geezers wouldn't mind, can my friend Cera stay? As you know Onion-Head, I like blue things. And I think she'll complement the color of my current companion really well."

As he said this, the red-headed humanoid rounded the corner, "How... How can you guys run like that?" She said trying to catch her breath. "All-American 2 years in a row, and you freaks make me look like bench material!"

We entered the Council chamber; Master Gilley, The Doctor, The Companion, and I. I looked around to see that of the 12 seats in the Council, 8 were taken up by their respective members while the others were present in projected forms. This was my first time in Jedi High Council room. It was much smaller than I had imagined it to be. A ring of 12 chairs facing each other. A room of off-white carpet with large windows in the rear showing a spectacular view of Coruscant's skyline.

Master Yoda spoke in a slow yet lively matter as we entered the room, "My old friend, collecting always are you!" He let out a great laugh.

"Haha! Onion-head, you've aged beautifully!"

"486 next cycle, very much I thank you. You come with a new, younger face. Not fair it is!," Master Yoda laughed, "But the reason you are here, to catch up it is not."

The Doctors expression changed, "Unfortunately not my old friend."

"Hmm. Yes. Troubling times ahead. We have been aware for some time now."

::Ding::

A sound rang out from the jacket of The Doctors Companion. She pulled out the device she earlier referred to as a kitchen timer.

"No, the answer still is my friend," Master Yoda said firmly to The Doctor. "Too dangerous a weapon it is."

Master Gilley stepped forward, "The Jedi are the most powerful force in the universe. If these... things... want to come to Coruscant, then this will be the perfect opportunity to erase this threat for good."

I had no idea what any of them were talking about. My head darted from The Doctor, to Master Gilley, and then around the room to the other members of the Council. There was a strange silence and I could feel anxiety in all of the Council Members.

Master Yoda worriedly looked at The Doctor, "To us, what happens?"

"I couldn't tell you," The Doctor said. "Everything has changed."

I heard the companion mutter under her breath. It sounded something like "Timey Wimey."

"Master Gilley, war we must be ready for," Master Yoda started. "Mobilize the troops."

The Doctor dropped his head as the council members one by one left the room. Yoda popped his head back in, "Ceranus, to his ship bring the Doctor please." And the automatic doors closed behind him.

"Come Doctor, we need to get you back to your... ship," I said, but my mind was preoccupied with what The Council had discussed. They had been spending an inordinate amount of time in meetings and had been ordering security around the temple to be tighter than usual. Many other Jedi were called from around the galaxies back to the temple in the past couple of weeks. I was busy in my own head, when the sound of my name brought me back.

"Okay. Crehan, Cera... Let's go save the Universe," The Doctor said as he made a run out of the room. I was too preoccupied with my thoughts that it wasn't until I saw a wisp of red leave the Jedi council room that I knew I was alone.

"Wait!" They were running again. Back the way they came at least. I pursued.

I caught up with them just as we came to the bridge. I could see his blue craft in the courtyard below. Though I looked down to the courtyard, it seemed everyone else was gazing upwards. I adjusted my sights to above the Temple as well. In the sky, for as far as I could see, multiple large items were breaking through the clouds into view. Upon further look I could tell that they were actually hundreds of ships landing. No, not landing. Falling. There were hundreds of ships free falling straight downward. No propulsion of any sort, no changing of angle, just falling straight downwards.

There were all kinds of ships, many common models that I knew off hand; freighters, starfighters, transports, maintenance crafts, and even a few satellites. They all seemed to be in bad shape. Some with large holes in the hull. Some just a half or a third of a ship plummeting down. And then all at once, their engines started and they propelled themselves into the city. The ships scrambled in all directions over the Coruscant skyline.

Coruscant must have previously dispatched fighters because the military was mobilized and ready. Jedi starfighters also took to the sky and began to fire on the ships. I recognized that many of the models of the plummeting ships were not outfitted with weapons to fight back. They could not have been an organized military of any sort. And even if they were, to attack Coruscant with freighters and satellites? Especially ships in the conditions that they were in. I thought about what my next move should be as I looked around. At the center of the bridge I could see Master Gilley with a group of young Jedi Knights. He was giving them orders, but I could not hear from where I stood.

I began to move past The Doctor to join their ranks. "I trust you can find your own way to your ship." And as I turned to the bridge, a large transport ship was making a direct line for Master Gilley and my fellow Knights. I don't remember what I screamed to them, it was probably nothing coherent anyway, but Master Gilley took immediate action. He was a Knight with great mastery of The Force and he used it to push all the knights safely to the other side of the bridge. He then jumped backwards gracefully in our direction, avoiding the ship as it ripped through the bridge and separated him from the knights.

Shrapnel from the collision flew in all directions. In the falling shrapnel, something was moving. Something alive. Small, fast, and dark in color - it darted between flaming pieces of the falling ship and then onto Master Gilley. Master Gilley grabbed at it, but it twisted his arms behinds his back. I ran over to cut it off of him.

Lightsaber in hand, I swung to remove the creature from his back. I heard the voice of the Doctor behind me say something but I was concentrated on saving my Master. With a flash of blue, I struck at the creature but the opposition I received was not what I had expected. Where I had expected to feel my blade pass through the creature, I instead met resistance from another lightsaber. Master Gilley's green lightsaber shone out, blocking my attack. His eyes had gone white as he stared intently at me. Master Gilley stood there with his lightsaber locked into mine. These were not the eyes of the wise man who had shown me the ways of the Jedi. These eyes were cold and alien to me. The creature on his back began, it seemed, to melt into Master Gilley. Its arms and legs draped over Master Gilley's torso like paint. Its dark head rose over my Master's head. Its long dark snout opened up to reveal black teeth. It let out a high pitched terrifying roar. "AAEEEEEEEEEEEEEK" and disappeared into my Master's body. Master Gilley jumped backwards and held his lightsaber out as if to defend against me. As if to protect the creature. But from his lips I could make out the words, "Help me."

Chapter Two: Black.