Author's notes. This is a crossover tale completed for the Fireplace October challenge. The crossovers are Dr Who and Hyperdive. You probably haven't heard of Hyperdrive, it was a Sci-fi comedy from the BBC which was axed after two series! Oh, I have concepts like the British, the Americans and French in Space. This is not a mistake on my behalf. This was in the premise of Hyperdrive and I am been loyal to that particular fandom. Please Read and Review! Alternative title:

Dr Who and a strange period of space and time!

In a gleaming white but actually rather inexpensive Spaceship on the edge of the known Galaxy, two officers were engaged in analysis. Well, in theory. In practice the Computer did all of the analysis and the two were only called upon to act if something odd happened.

'Of all of the Spacecorps' tasks, this must be one of the most pointless,' groaned a young, bearded man in a well-fitting typical white spacesuit, designed for the corridors, portals and rooms of the Camden Lock. 'Here we are sitting and watching some computer analysis and nothing happens. I mean, what is the point of it?'

'Yes, but careful, we do have to full in a very detailed and accurate report, which, if someone looks and find any mistakes, we'll be for it!'

'Any luck we might get transferred!'

'Pay some kind of attention! Remember that the reason we are here is because of reports of an anomaly!' replied the Navigator, a bald-headed man called Vine.

His companion, Jeffers, wasn't impressed. 'An anomaly! In space! What a shock! We'll just make all that effort in compiling a report, Henderson won't even read it, he doesn't, you know, Teal might, but she won't understand the damn thing. We'll just say an interesting and curious anomaly, give it some random statistics and it'll be ignored!'

Jeffers took a swig out of a can from his pocket. He wasn't impressed by a computer saying, 'Drinking alcohol while on duty is discouraged by Spacecorps regulations.' Jeffers took out his blaster and shot the computer, which finished with an electronic 'beep!' Jeffers even took out a cigarette packet. 'Now, it's so tempting,' said he, looking at the packet.

'Oh, come on Jeffers, you smoke that it'll set of every alarm on the ship. The Captain will think it's some kind of explosion.'

'All right,' muttered Jeffers sulkily. 'I can remember the days when you could smoke and drink while circling the stars of Orion. '

As Jeffers finished, the sound of quick, approaching footsteps was heard as someone came closer. The two sighed at the appearance of First Officer York. York was short-haired, had the same uniform as the others, except his badge, which was that of Great Britain and had three stars signifying a superior officer. He had a wiry figure and the most notable aspect was a forehead and a pair of eyes that seemed like they could pop out at any given moment.

He smacked Jeffers' can away from him. 'Do you mind, that was a full can!' complained Jeffers, but York ignored him.

'You two up and pay more attention. In case you aren't aware we've just crossed into a war zone! A very dangerous area of space. US forces are close by fighting the Clostian insurgency. Fighting could start at any moment!' York stood upright and clicked his heals as though expecting an applause for his information.

'If this is a battle zone, then why is everything so calm and there is no red alert?' yawned Jeffers. As he spoke there was a loud klaxon, red lights flashed across the ship followed by the running feet of the crew. 'Oh, all right, that's a red alert. I knew that actually. Plus, I might point out that some Clostian ships are hiding behind that asteroid grouping and I don't think they'll separate us from the United States.'

York snarled and departed. Now the two where more uptight and less relaxed. 'A battle situation, now that's more like it!'

'As long as we're on the winning side,' Vine pointed out.

'Funny thing is there was something odd about that anomaly. I just took a quick glance at the instruments, it would appear that it has a configuration similar to what some say black holes have, that's weird that is something like a black hole suddenly appearing, should I mention that to the captain?'

'In the middle of a battle, I don't think so. You know what the Captain is like about focusing. Here they come, Clostian ships!'

Now then, in the sector of space through which the Camden Lock was travelling was known as South-East Galactia and was, as York rightly said, in the middle of a war. The Clostian insurgency as it was known as or the Clostian war was fought between the United States, the major Human power in the Galaxy and a small, but determined loose group of Communist/Terrorist/Islamic extremist/Clostian supremacists.

Hey, don't blame the author for the loose description, even seasoned political analysts weren't very accurate about who the enemy actually was! US troops and navy where had been in the area for many years now and a very nasty, messy guerrilla war was been fought, and although it didn't quite count as a Galactic wide war, it was still one where tens of thousands US troops and many more civilian Clostians lost their lives each year. Some readers might recognize the situation as similar to the Vietnam war once fought on earth in the Sixties and Seventies.

Just as the battle was subsiding, in one of the transport lower decks of the Lock, one of the most dangerous places to be in a battle situation, in fact, a very strange sound was heard. It was like the trumpeting and groaning of a thousand elephants and out of nowhere a blue box with the words 'Police Telephone,' on it appeared. The door slowly opened and a man in his thirties, it appeared, walked out with a young woman in her early twenties.

The man was dark-haired, some might think him attractive, wearing a rather ill-fitting suit. The girl wore jeans, a shirt and jacket. The man looked a little confused. 'Well, this doesn't look like Cardiff!'

'Could be Peckham, Doctor. Maybe we're on a satellite. Or possibly in America.'

'I would think so, Rose. Mind, the instruments did say deep space 300 light-years from Earth, but I'm sure the old girl is on the blink again. But we did detect a transdimensional matter corridor-conduser Well, a potential one. Those things can be dangerous.'

'How so, Doctor?'

'Well, if unchecked it could lead to the total destruction of the Galaxy. That's how they work. But there's no need to panic. If I find it, I can fix it. We Timelords do have the knowledge.'

'But you're right, we have to be on Earth. After all we did have an adventure in space only four months ago. Too much travelling and we'll be space sick, I think. It's all dark, though, maybe we're underground.'

'Oh, probably trapped in the London underground with some nasty alien about!' As the Doctor spoke there was a loud explosion and shaking. 'Well, that wasn't the underground,' said he, jokingly. Rose found a doorway which was shut. The Doctor opened it with a twist of his sonic screwdriver.

Rose looked up and saw stars all around. She cried, 'We're in Space,'

'A satellite orbiting Earth, naturally!' The Doctor saw a blue, white and green planet below. 'Ah, there we are, Earth'

Rose wasn't convinced, 'Doctor, that doesn't look like Earth. It's far more green and grey than the planet I recognize. Plus there seems to be three moons!'

'Oh, The Earth doesn't look the same in every era. Those moons are probably artificial! But look, we need to check out this phenomenon.' The Doctor shrugged. The two walked along the Camden Lock in some shinny corridors with windows overlooking stars, rows of closed doors and passing some crew marching on the double passing them, looking at the two suspiciously.

They were approached by York and a number of guards with some ugly weapons. 'Right, you two, halt right there! You're not members of the crew.' He moved close to the Doctor and walked up to him putting his face up to the Doctor's and demanding, 'Identification!'

'No problem.' The Doctor handed him his psychic paper a clever little device he had which caused the looker, York to see some kind of ID.

Unfortunately for the Doctor, York was a naturally suspicious type of person. 'Hmmm, a five-year old General Galactic passport. Which you haven't even bothered to update. I think the captain needs a word with you two. We don't just let anyone walk around here, especially just after a battle. Come with me!'

'Interesting, that psychic paper isn't foolproof after all!'

'No, I never said it was, totally! I hope they don't take too much time we can't afford to be delayed.' The Doctor and Rose were taken up to the bridge. It didn't really look much like a bridge on a spaceship that Rose imagined, it was much smaller, almost poky even and did look cheaply made. The walls looked like they might go with a little push. Only some of the machinery looked quite advanced. Several people were there, men and women all curiously wearing the British insignia on their spacesuits, which again seemed strange to Rose. Plus there was one strange, transparent, almost ghostly type of being.

'Here they are, sir, strangers!' snarled York to someone.

'Hmmm, well, well, I'm Commander Henderson, this is the Camden Lock, though I suppose you knew that.

'Look somewhere on Earth, there is a threat, I really should be dealing with it!' informed the Doctor, giving the Captain one of his most serious stares. So the Doctor was a little surprised when he was greeted with general laughter.

'Erm, well if that's the case, you're in the wrong place. We're nowhere near Earth in intergalactic terms. 300 Light-years away, in fact. But we are acting in Britain's interests. Out there is the planet of Saigon. Indeed, excuse me, are you all right?' Captain Henderson was surprised to see the Doctor faint right away.

'Sorry about this, you see the Doctor likes Earth. He can sometimes get a bit disorientated if he travels too far in space, ' explained Rose as she tapped the Doctor's check to wake him.

'Oh, he suffers from Earth-familiarity. An odd condition. We get that sometimes. People that always have to stay on earth because they become ill if they leave,' said a woman called Teal. She was in her middle-age and was a little on the plump, to be polite, side. But not everyone was as sympathetic as her.

'Right, a damn weirdo!' sighed Vine the Navigator.

'We still need to find out why they are here!' York reminded the Captain.

'Yes, that's true, but we are busy right now, we could be facing an assault at any moment. Take them away to the hold for interrogation purposes.'

'Then we execute or imprison them!'

'Really, York, you can be a bit blunt sometimes! We might well let them go free. Some people in the Galaxy have rights you know. Remember the European convention? These people might even be French. Imagine the fuss that would create if we executed one of their nationals.'

'Bloody French,' muttered York.

But the Doctor had now woken up and protested. 'How long will this take?'

'Could be up to nine days. We are busy!'

'No, look you can't keep me for that long. I have to deal with a problem. It's crucially important. You have a category A black hole developing. If I don't stop it in a week, the entire galaxy will be caught in an anti-matter clux. The Galaxy will be destroyed. Did I say something funny?' The Doctor was annoyed that everyone began to giggle.

'I'm sorry Doctor, but do you really expect us to take seriously the opinions of someone that spends his time on one planet and gets all scared and mentally scarred anytime he leaves it?' said Henderson a little harshly perhaps, but it could be said to be accurate. 'Take them to the intruder cells,' he pompously concluded and waved them away.

'Well, actually,' called Jeffers, but he was ignored and decided not to pursue the point.

The Doctor called desperately, 'No, no, look you have to listen to me!' to no avail.

'Earth-familiarity, I have yet to encounter one with such a condition,' said the transparent shaped figure that was female, but blurred and waved in various flickering directions, a bit like a picture on a TV set that is out of focus.

'I suppose the same must occur with other planets,' said Teal.

The figure, called Sandstorm, flickered as she spoke in a high-pitched semi-computer type voice with just a touch of her own personality. Her light fingers touched various computer consoles and her eyes widened. 'Not necessarily. This seems to be a condition that effects the Planet Earth more than any other known one according to my researched statistics! There seems to be something about the Earth!'

'Well, I suppose it is our home planet, it must count for something!' pointed out the Captain, leaning back.

'Such a shame it's so dull, though,' answered Teal.

Meanwhile, the Doctor and Rose were marched into one of the main cells. York gave them both a glare as he closed the metallic doors. The Doctor looked around. He was in a rather typical cell he had become accustomed to over the years. But this time he was in rather a hurry to get out. There simply wasn't enough time on this occasion for the interrogation he normally got. Plus, he knew he would have to adjust to space life.

'Hello!' said Rose. She had noticed that there was a companion in their cell. A young, black man with long hair, but not dreadlocked. 'Someone else in here too!'

'Dan,' the man introduced himself to them.

'Why are you here?' asked the Doctor.

'Lot of nonsense really. I was just picked up on a random search. They claimed my protest banner was breaking safety regulations. Rather laughable in view of a war costing millions of lives. Oh, I am a protester against the Cloistian war and Great Britain's collaboration in it. I also like to travel.'

'How do you manifest this protest?' asked Rose.

'Tricky one. I'm not a believer in violence even against the US and I suppose they are a democracy. Sort of. But some kind of direct action is necessary, we need to be heard. And you should see the ways in which the US breaks the rules. Another way is to sing my song!' Dan picked up a guitar which Rose noticed that the crew hadn't confiscated from him. She soon wished they had.

Dan started strumming and sang, very badly.

Oh, eastern war, eastern war,

What are you really for

Stop the planetary attack

Bring the forces back.

'Yes, well,' concluded the Doctor. He was busy setting up an electronic clock.

'What's that for?' asked Rose.

'This is a countdown. To focus my mind I have given a clock saying how long until the black hole develops beyond my aid. Seven days, six hours, twenty-five minutes and 20 seconds.'

Rose wasn't sure that a countdown was a good idea. It made her nervous!

With time against him, the Doctor was not appreciative of all the delays he was getting. Teal decided to give him a lesson in Space as she had heard that Earth-familiarity could be cured by such a method. So the Doctor had to endure her saying things like, 'Now this is what we call a Galaxy. Over here we have the Orion belt. Look at all these pretty stars and all these planets that are not called Earth. Knosos, Peladon, New Skaro and others. Such a lot of good time to be had in these with nothing to do with the home planet.'

Well, she seemed to mean well, thought the Doctor, but she was been a little patronising. The Doctor did know this. Though now he thought about it, he did seem to spend a lot of his time on the Planet. Maybe he would get over that. Neither was he that happy with the missions of the Camden Lock, not that it meant much to its senior command.

Henderson gave him an interrogation, but strangely, the Doctor managed to turn it around and was getting more information out of him than he did from the Doctor. 'So, if you're into peaceful exploration, as you claim, why do you have enough firepower to destroy a planet, why do you go to red alert at a drop of a hat, and why are you so eager to violate other nations' sovereignty?'

'Peace on our terms, Doctor. We are here on Britain's interests after all. Anyway, the nation at war isn't Britain, it's the US. They do tend to have a blast everything at first sight, then ask questions later policy. But they are our closest ally. Though some have different opinions.'

'You're pretty compliant with it, though, aren't you?'

'As I say they are our closest allies. But why am I telling you this? If you don't like it, you can always leave. You have our clearance. You're costing us too much keeping you as it it is!'

'Fine by me, but what about Dan, I think he should go to!'

'Oh, that deadbeat. Yes, at the same time as you. Fine.'

'Fine,' replied the Doctor. He thought with disappointment that the human race had taken this direction. The Doctor walked to his cell and gave Rose and Dan the good news. 'So, where are you off to now?' Rose asked Dan.

Dan leaned against the white walls of the cell. 'Not sure really. Maybe I'll go back to my commune. But I do want to travel.'

'You could come with us, we could need an extra hand and someone that knows this Galactic time,' suggested the Doctor.

'And you look like you are truthful. Very well, I will join you. Maybe you could hear a tune from me?' suggested Dan hopefully.

'Not just now!' was Rose's tactful reply. But the three went to the Doctor's square, blue box, the Tardis. Dan was amazed to find all the advanced technology inside and even more so that it seemed bigger on the inside than on the out. A neat trick was what he was thinking. The Tardis dematerialized.

'So this is the space,' explained the Doctor. The Tardis had travelled not very far, but was now at the source of the black hole's development. It was a spectacular sight. Stars many, dotted and as bright as one cannot see on a atmosphere covered planet shone. As was a greeny, blue and white planet. Plus many milky dustclouds adding to the panorama of Space. .

'Well, hopefully this shouldn't take too long. All I have to do is to analyse this situation and probably add a few ionide particles to counteract the black hole's affect. Oh, and I need to disable the Tardis' defences while I do this. But this, I hope, I can do. At least in Timelord theory, can't say I've done it myself!'

The Doctor literally opened up the Tardis' doors, revealing the dark space. The Tardis had its own atmosphere, so its inhabitants could breathe. He issued a few instructions to his companions. All seemed well. The Doctor did trip over his own instruments a few times, but Rose just sighed or laughed, he was always doing this. Amazing how someone so intelligent could be so clumsy!

Just then a voice was heard in the Tardis. 'Unidentified vessel. You are in a Category C war-zone, without clearance. Leave right now or be fired upon.' The voice had an American accent. The next minute a ship appeared, similar to the Camden Lock, but called 'The Clinton,' and having a very prominent Stars and Stripes flag upon it. Less than a minute it started firing upon the Tardis.

The Tardis' doors closed and the Doctor dived towards its console. 'I can't do this job with people firing at me,' declared he. A raybolt hit the Tardis, causing considerable damage. 'I'm going have to retreat and think of something. I don't suppose anyone knows of a nearby out of the way place to do this?'

Dan piped up, 'There is the moon Pony. It's in the same system and is a pretty regular stop-over point. There may be even one or two people that can help. I have been there sometimes.'

'Well, thank you. Because I do have to stop this. I can't have this Galaxy exploding the way in which it seems about to be. I have to try and cure it, even if it is damn near impossible with a battle zone on top of me. I don't intend to end my life in a crossover with a program which was axed after two series and in someone's entry in a challenge which probably won't even be reviewed! Come on.'

In the Tardis, the Doctor was looking at the moon Pony. 'So you tell me that you have an idea?' He looked at Dan.

'Well, possibly. At least the general theory. We might have to talk about the details over a drink. Fortunately a I know a charming little watering hole. I can use a space-bike to create a diversion for the battlecruiser, while you do your stuff. I hope it won't be too long, however, they'll get me eventually. Also, as you say, it is a battlezone, which is unhelpful.'

'Well, in that case we need supplies for it. I haven't worked on that space-bike for years. Frankly it makes me nervous. I did use it in my third and Fourth fourth generation at times.' The Doctor opened the Tardis' doors and the 3 three walked out to the Bar bar which Dan was referring to, called the Barliman.

It was certainly a large and cosmopoliton cosmopolitan place that greeted Rose. It was evening and a whole variety of species where enjoying a drink and conversation. Large hairly species, many-biped species, of various colours. There where were some which Dan said where were Clostians alongside a group of tough-looking but not necessarily very bright, US marines.

Rose said, 'I thought the US was at war with the Clostians?'

'Only some. Others are allies. Although there is always tension. Thanks very much, Doctor, I'll have some Ale,' said Dan as the Doctor ordered some drinks. The Doctor had tonic water, not been being much of a drinker and Rose had a glass of wine. Dan had a pint of frothing ale.

'I'll see what we can find out, shame we need the parts in such a hurry I won't be able to get a good deal!' said he.

As he moved away to do some negotiating, the Doctor and Rose where were in one of the Bar's bar's corners. The Doctor did have some hassle with a creature that reminded Rose of a fairy-tale Troll troll which said, 'I don't like you stranger,' but the Doctor with a flick hurled it across the bar as it attacked them.

'That's an odd looking thing,' Dan muttered to himself as he saw a strange looking object next to the bar. He did undertake some negotiating, fortunately the Doctor had a long credit line, just where he had got it from, Dan didn't know. For a time, Dan met a group of his friends and they strummed up a toneless protest song together. Well, some of the bar where were sympathetic, but after a few stares they gave up to Rose's relief.

On her way back from the toilets outside, Rose passed a rather cute looking Horse horse. She gave it a pat saying, 'Nice horsey,' and was rather surprised when it replied to her rather grumpily. 'The name's Steve!' Ah, well, a talking horse, that shouldn't have been a shock to a seasoned traveller like herself. Dan had returned to the Doctor and told him the good news about the bike parts. Then there was a sudden explosion. And a rumble. It appeared that the strange object Dan had noticed was a bomb.

Everyone ran outside for their lives. However the Doctor had, rather clumsily, got his foot jammed under a table and had to untangle it. Rose had understandably rushed outside but Dan had noticed the Doctor and had to help him free and dived out with him through a window as the entire bar exploded in balls of fire. It turned out to be a Cloistian attack upon the bar.

Many had died and more where injured. The Doctor stayed for a while to help with the injured until the medical services bought everything under control. Including, it had to be said, The Camden Lock which was obviously in the area, it was a major station after all. But the next day the Doctor had obtained the parts needed for his space bike. 'Only five to go,' he declared ominously and it would take a while to build the bike up.

To his surprise he found that the Tardis had materialized on the Camden Lock again. Dan said, 'Oh, well, we might be able to negotiate some more materials,' but the crew's reaction to the Doctor was indifferent at best.

With the exception of Jeffers. He said to the Doctor, 'I don't suppose we could have a word, there was something about that exploding black hole theory of yours that has me worried.' But at that moment there was an announcement from the bridge by Commander Henderson ordering all senior personnel to the bridge.

The Doctor and Rose sneaked onto it with them, the Doctor thinking it worthwhile to speak to Jeffers. Henderson explained, 'We are on the orbit of South Wales.'

'Ahaha, knew we'd get to Earth sooner or later,' cried the Doctor with a skip.

'That's the planet South Wales,' scowled Henderson. 'Hard to get over that Earth-familiarity, isn't it, Doctor? At least we get to visit alien planets sometimes. More than I can say for you. This is the major production of wool, mutton and lamb in the Galaxy. Population: intelligent life-forms, 150000, sheep : 40 million.'

'Oh, would that be intelligent sheep, how interesting,' interrupted Rose, anxious not to make the same mistake she had done with the horse.

'No, just normal sheep. Imported from Earth and breed over here,' explained Henderson.

'Some things never change in Earth or space,' Rose muttered to herself.

Henderson was just explaining about taking a delivery, when a ship appeared on the screen. 'Uh-oh, that looks like a Cloistian and less than friendly,'

A picture of a Cloistian captain, yellow, teethed do you mean yellow-teethed? , horned and clad in leather replaced the ship. He spoke with a snarl. 'Unwelcome British vessel. Retreat now or we will fire upon you!'

'No way, this is our planet, not yours,' replied Henderson.

'Very well, as you interrupt our business prepare to face the consequences!'

'More Closistian ships appearing, recommend red alert. Wait, other ships are entering the area. US ships our friends.' The Americans began to fire upon the Clostians. A major battle was starting to take place with the Camden lock Lock stuck in the middle. Henderson needed no second recommendation and a red alert was issued.

A shot rammed into the Camden Lock. 'Direct hit, shields down 15,' informed Jeffers.

'That wasn't from the Clostians,'

'No, York, that was from the Americans. I don't think their deliberately aiming at us it's more of a mis-hit, kind of friendly fire one might say,' explained Henderson. Ah, yes...

'Doesn't seem that friendly,' muttered Teal. Well, just because the ship wasn't directly involved in the battle didn't mean it couldn't be hit. The combatants where were concentrating on each other, but the Camden Lock was hit a few times. The shields where were down and it took a bit of a battering. In fact it came to an inch of been being destroyed and had the Cloistians choosen to, they could have destroyed it.

Jeffers had shouted, 'If they destroy us we'll take a few of them with us,' and the thought did seem to have some kind of deterrent upon the Clostians whose Captains appeared not to fire the killing blow. But it was a close run and if one of the senior command hadn't been working to capacity, the Camden Lock would have been destroyed with all hands.

After a while, the Clostians retreated to the relief of the crew, who knew the ship couldn't take much more. The Americans declared a victory though the Cloistians claimed to have hit as much as they had received. It was a little messy, typical of the entire war, really. The odd bomb had landed upon the planet, but most of it was unharmed. Before the Doctor departed, he remembered Jeffers' request and had a word with him.

'Well,' said the Doctor.

'Well, this black hole thing. I find it disturbing. I have noticed some strange galactic phenomena as well. It can't be explained away by this war. There are signs which could be that of a black hole been created.'

'You mean you believe me?'

'Yes. And I think you'd better take me along. You might need me.'

'Hold on, this act of bravery doesn't seem like you!'

'Maybe not, but I am not eager for the Galaxy and the human race to be destroyed either, you know. You might well need my expertise. One doesn't become rise to my position for nothing!' The Doctor wasn't convinced. He bored Jeffers with his eyes. Jeffers didn't help matters by screeching, 'Trust Smeagol. Will little Hobbits trust Smeagol?'

'Don't prat about,' said the Doctor. 'This is serious. Very well. I'll take you with us. Oh and by the way, every other species in the Galaxy is in peril as well as humanity!' Jeffers shrugged.

As Jeffers entered the Tardis he put his arm around Rose. 'Well, hello my dear,' said he, obviously finding the girl attractive. Rose considered slapping him around the face, but then he wasn't an unattractive man himself and reasonably bright, so Rose settled for a flirty shrug. It had taken Dan more than a day to fix the space-bike, it was a tricky bit of work so as the Doctor pointed out there was now only four days to go!

When the Tardis landed back near the developing black hole, the Doctor had a shock. Due to some excessive magnetism, the Tardis had landed 3 three and a half days later. So, as the Doctor showed there was only now 6 six hours before the certain destruction of the Galaxy! Plus it would take 3 threefor the Doctor to plot some form of route, it was treacherous with asteroids, magnetic pulls, spacewinds and a rather inconvenient planetary belt across it.

'So, in layman's terms, what is your plan?' asked Dan.

The Doctor felt he had to explain. 'Well, basically, when I say a Black black hole is developing, that is a rather simplistic notion. It is basically a form of a black hole. As I said before comma an anti-matter clux. You can think of it as a type of Galactic Tsunami. A space/time corridor has developed with a radioactive galaxy attracting it to yours. It's very unstable and when it reaches here, untreated anti-matter will collect and attract itself to every Star in the Galaxy, then exploding in a Galaxy-wide ball of fire and a new galaxy will be created. Unfortunately in the process as you can imagine, every planet and life will be destroyed.

'It's a totally natural phenomenon. It occurs now and again, occasionally we Timelords have intervened in the past to stop it happening, or sometimes we haven't and we just see a Galaxy go bang. Sometimes an intelligent species itself manages to cure it. One like yourselves. You know a species at your stage of development should be able to sort this yourself, you shouldn't be relying on me to do so. You have the technology.'

Dan said, 'That's probably because much of our technology is designed primarily to meet the needs of the military. War or cold war is the major driving function at the moment. Jeffers here had some idea that something was up, but simply lacked the means to do anything about it! If only we had more scientific research on Galactic matters!'

Jeffers snarled in response. 'Strange in a way because the green issue is one that in theory at least occupies the politicians minds. At least when it comes to taxing everything that moves in theory that it encourages environmentally friendly practices. But they miss something like this primarily due to military spending!' Dan sighed.

Jeffers agreed on one thing, 'We certainly do get taxed on lots of things. Politicians love the idea of green taxes!' The Doctor went away to work on his cure. Meanwhile Dan and Rose chatted about space and other matters over a nice, but nervous cup of tea.

Said Rose, 'So you travel, do you? The Doctor and I have seen many sights, we've been to space satellites in the twenty-fifth century, Victorian England and Scotand, the fifties, an underground base in America, looked at the end of the world, really, we've had some very adventurous times. '

Dan took a sip of his tea and replied, 'But you do seem to go to Earth rather a lot.'

'The Doctor seems to like it. Besides, it has been suffering a general crisis lately! Where have you been?'

'Across the Orion belt, through the crab nebula Crab Nebula, I've touched the Galactic plane, seen the ice planet of Iberia where whole Islands isalnds are made out of solid Ice ice. There is a whole lot more to the Universe universe than just Earth! I've been on top of Mount Gundabad on the mountain world of Skegness comma a mountain so big that it is 3 three miles above the clouds. Now that is travel!'

Then the Doctor returned to carry out the remainder of his plan full stop 'Right Dan, are you ready with your space-bike? I am going to enter some Ionistian into the flux. Fortunately that is a common enough fuel which I use in the Tardis. But it will take a few minutes. This will be touch and go. We have to travel manually to the flux's' core and that could take three hours.'

As it happened it took three. A cloud of space-dust from the Planetary planetary belt, no comma blew the Tardis off course. The Doctor couldn't risk going into the space/time corridor because he didn't know where the Tardis would end up, it might be days too late. So, it was with one hour to go that Rose looked upon the eerily, glowing and clearly expanding for one to see Black hole/clux. 'We have to turn off the Tardis' defences defences or we can't fire the Ironide particles,' the Doctor declared. He gave everyone, including himself an anti-space radiation and oxygen pill so the four could survive in space for a while, and Dan left on his space-bike.

One hour to go and it took half of that to even get to the flux's core. Dan in the meantime was on his Space-bike space-bike and driving it. A Space-bike space-bike was just like a normal bike but capable of interstellar travel. In fact, this particular one was capable of travelling up to 10000 miles per hour. Pretty fast! But Dan pushed up to where he was sure he was in the sensors of the USS Clinton.

For a little while nothing happened. But Dan was pretty sure that was because those on the Clinton weren't sure what to do. Dan tried a few wheelies and stared at where he was sure the Bridge bridge was. In fact it was all he could do not to put his hands beside his ears and wave at them! But then came the predictable response, the Clinton fired at him.

Well, Dan hoped he had got their attention and rode his bike in a zig-zag fashion, avoiding, just the firing.

The Doctor had to switch of the Tardis's defences as above. This was because, he said, he had to flood Ionide into space as the Tardis went to ensure it went covered, the black hole/clux. 'Although if we don't get their there in time it will be a hopeless effort,' said he as the Tardis travelled onwards.

Ten minutes to go. Rose didn't think the Tardis would make it. It was fortunate that Jeffers was their there as they did need him in the time-constraints. Also The the Doctor needed Rose. Five minutes now, no way thought Rose, bye-bye Galaxy.

Sixty seconds, 60, 59, 58. 'We're here, release the Ionides,' ordered the Doctor and black, gassy material oozed from the Tardis. Rose still didn't think it would be enough. She could clearly she the radiation from the black hole increasing. 30, 29, 28, they where were too late! Surely the cure which the Doctor was inputting was too slow! 15, 14, 13, no, the Doctor declared, 'That's it! We have successfully pumped Ionide into the crux.'

Indeed the Doctor was right. Thanks to a number of factors comma he with his friends had managed, just, to save the Galaxy! He radioed through to Dan that it was safe for Dan to return to the Tardis which he did just in time to avoid the Clinton's fire, but Dan's diversion had worked.

Later, the Doctor dematerialized the Tardis inside the Camden Lock. 'Congratulations, Doc, you've saved the Galaxy,' said Jeffers, which was true.

'A shame that no-one will know,' commented Rose.

'Oh, they'll know all right. Think I'll go through something like that and no-one will know about it? I'll make sure they do,' said Jeffers and he was right about that, within a few months the tale came out, much to the amazement of many, but to the subtle ones in the Galaxy, the story was known.

'Just make sure you tell the full story. Don't want you taking all the credit. I will tell the tale too, and people won't believe it's all down to you,' threatened Dan. Jeffers gave a bit of a shrug and the Doctor's role became known in a slightly different way.

The Doctor offered to Dan, 'Dan you have proved a fine and worthwhile companion. You could come with me if you like. I can travel in time, you know!'

To Rose's disappointment Dan answered, 'Sorry Doctor I don't think I will,'

'Why not, Dan?'

'Well, you do seem to go to Earth a lot. Sorry, but I don't want to spend my years travelling back and forth over the Earth's timezones. I'll leave that to you. I intend to travel outside the Rim. Rumour has it that there are many civilizations and unexplored, at least by us, worlds out there. That's where I intend to go!'

The Doctor didn't make the offer to Jeffers! But he said a fond farewell to them both, leaving Dan in charge of the Space-bike space-bike.

The Doctor and Rose both returned to the Tardis. 'Well, that was interesting,' said the Doctor. 'I wonder what's next, where do you fancy going?' As the Doctor spoke there was a sound of an alert in the large control room of the Tardis and the Doctor said, almost in relief, 'Oh, thank God, it appears that the Daleks have been spotted. In modern day Cardiff. Well, here we come!'

The End