Stella by Starlight Pt 2

by thesituation016

PT: 2 "Love is the voice under all silences, the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun, more last than star..." Stella and the Doctor are starting the new leg of their journey together, dating and with the progression of time who knows what will happen. ON INDEFINITE HIATUS

1. Chapter 1

"You sank the Titanic?!" Stella snapped in panic.

"I did not." The Doctor said, greatly offended.

"Oh that's brilliant." Stella threw her jacket off and returned to the console adjusting the controls. The Tardis walls reformed, pushing the ship back outside.

"How'd you know how to do that?" The Doctor asked.

"I've been watching you." Stella replied, then shot him a wink making the Doctor grin. "And not just for the aesthetical view, I took notes."

"You are brilliant." The Doctor complimented her.

"I know." Stella replied with a grin.

The Tardis materialized inside the ship, next to a board detailing a list of shipping companies as the fog horn sounded again. People in Edwardian dress are enjoying a champagne buffet. A band plays a slow version of Jingle Bells. Around the room are golden skinned statues of male angels. One moves as the Doctor walks past having left Stella in the TARDIS to scope things out while she fixed the shielding. Then he spots a small red-skinned alien in a dinner jacket, and goes to a window.

"Right." The Doctor breathed out.

"Attention all passengers. The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol Three, also known as Earth. Population, Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas."

"What?" Stella jumped slightly as the Doctor rushed back into the TARDIS and told her what was going on outside.

"Come on, we got a party to crash." He said with an excited smile as he pulled her along to the wardrobe.

The Doctor picked out a nice dinner jacket and bow tie as Stella pulled out a beautiful royal blue colored satin dress. It had a draped neckline and was draped down to her lower back as well with a thin silver chain spanning her shoulders connecting the two sides. The dress had a small train and there was a slit up the dress on the right side that ended just above her knee.

She wore a pair of silver toeless heels, a pair of pearl studs in her ears, and a silver and pearl bracelet on her left wrist and in a concealed pocket she had the resin daisy which the Doctor had returned to her ticked away, liking it to always be on her person one way or another. She curled her hair once again leaving it loose, perfectly framing her face, and then added some light touches of make-up that had a soft light blue and silver shimmer to it.

"You ready yet?" The Doctor called out and Stella stepped out from behind the screen on hand on her hip, the other hanging casually resting against the screen. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up as his eyes looked her up and down taking in the daring slit and draped neckline.

"Yeah, how do I look?" Stella asked as she sauntered forward and did a little spin so her could see it all.

"You…ah…and….wow…." He said with a smile as he walked up to her pulling her into a heart melting kiss which she gladly returned. She was glad that she went with the backless dress as she felt the Doctor's finger tips grazing along her spine causing her to shiver. Slowly they pulled a part and the Doctor held out his arm. "May I escort you to the ball?"

"I'd be honored." Stella replied taking his arm and she gasped as they stepped out on the ship, the Doctor watching happily as she looked around at the festive party taking place in the extravagant room.

"Not bad for a first date eh?" The Doctor grinned.

"Not bad at all Doctor." Stella grinned back before a recording of a bald man with a thin moustache sitting behind a desk caught their attention momentarily.

"Max Capricorn Cruise liners. The fastest, the farthest, the best. And I should know because my name is Max." His gold tooth glints in the light as the screen returned to the logo.

"Do you think his tooth really does that?" Stella asked the Doctor as they walked along.

"I don't know." The Doctor said with a shrug.

"Merry Christmas." A steward said passing by as the female singer starts to croon winter wonderland.

"Merry Christmas." The Doctor and Stella replied. Couples were dancing to the music smiling brightly, as the Doctor and Stella mingled, passing a man on his mobile phone.

"It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my phone. Now do as I say and sell." Slade talked into his phone loudly as they passed as the Doctor and Stella went up to one of the angels.

"What are they?" Stella asked the Doctor quietly.

"Let's find out." The Doctor whispered back. "Evening, passenger fifty seven and fifty six, I have a terrible memory and she's not much better." Stella shot him a look. "Remind me. You would be?"

"Information. Heavenly Host supplying tourist information." The host said.

"Good, so, tell me, because I'm an idiot, where are we from?" The Doctor asked.

"Information. The Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures." The Host replied.

"Titanic. Who thought of the name?" Stella asked, wondering what kind of moron would pick such an ill-fated name for a ship.

"Information. It was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth." The Host replied.

"Did they tell you why it was famous?" Stella asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Information. All designations are chosen by Mister Max Capricorn, president of Max, Max, Max…" The Host twitches and its voice pitch rises causing the Doctor and Stella to take an initial step back. The Steward who was nearby noticed the disturbance and hurried over to sort it out.

"I don't think it's supposed to do that." Stella commented as they eyed the machine.

"Ooo, bit of a glitch." The Doctor agreed about to go for his sonic, but the steward arrived to soon.

"It's all right, sir, we can handle this." The Steward said as two more officers arrive and they switch off the Host before carrying it away. "Software problem, that's all. Leave it with us, sir. Merry Christmas. That's another one down. What's going on with these things?"

"That was odd." Stella commented as the Doctor nodded as they started around the room again. Stella heard the faint buzz of the Doctor's sonic and looked to him questioningly, the host had been taken away so what was he up to?

"What…?" Stella started to ask then 'Stella by Starlight' started to play much to the confusion of the singer and small band, but they went along with it seeing no point in stopping. Stella smiled up at the Doctor who winked back at her with a cheeky grin. "You're so sweet."

"May I have this dance?" The Doctor asked.

"I'd love to." Stella said as the Doctor swept her out onto the floor.

The Doctor twirled her around and brought her closer to him with a soft smile which she returned, his fingers once again ghosting over her back as Stella brought up her hands to the nape of his neck, gently playing with the hair there. The Doctor started to sing along with the lyrics causing Stella to blush ducking her head while he grinned. The Doctor used their joined hands to tilt her chin gently back up so their gazes were once again meeting while they moved easily weaving through the other dancers until the song ended softly and they walked off the dance floor smiling arm in arm.

"That was wonderful." Stella beamed up at the Doctor.

"Anything for my starlight." The Doctor replied making Stella's smile widen at the pet name. Suddenly Slade the man with the phone bumped into the little waitress, making her drop her tray of drinks, glass to shattering everywhere.

"For Tov's sake, look where you're going. This jacket's a genuine Earth antique." Slade snapped at her.

"I'm sorry, sir." Astrid replied quickly.

"You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart. Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn's going down the drain." Slade left in a huff.

"What a rude man." Stella snapped as she walked over and stooped down to help the server. The Doctor smiled at Stella's reaction to the situation and followed her lead. "You ok?"

"I'm fine ma'am." Astrid said.

"Careful. There we go." The Doctor said as he scooped up some of the glass.

"Thank you, sir, I can manage." Astrid said with a blush.

"Never said you couldn't, I'm the Doctor, by the way." The Doctor said. "And this is Stella Quinn."

"Astrid, Astrid Peth." Astrid replied.

"Nice to meet you, Astrid Peth. Merry Christmas." The Doctor said with a smile.

"Yes, Merry Christmas." Stella said as well.

"Merry Christmas, sir, ma'am." Astrid replied as if she was really touched by their holiday greeting.

"Just Doctor, not sir." The Doctor corrected her.

"And I'm just Stella." Stella added.

"You enjoying the cruise?" Astrid asked kindly.

"Yeah yes, but I always have a wonderful time." Stella said with a smile as the Doctor smiled back.

"Are the two of you on your honeymoon?" Astrid asked making both Stella and the Doctor start.

"Oh no, just a date." The Doctor replied with a blush, glancing at Stella who had a matching blush along her cheeks as well. "We just like to travel a bit, a romantic getaway."

"Oh. It must be great to travel." Astrid said with a smile.

"Yeah, but what about you? Long way from home, Planet Sto." The Doctor commented.

"Doesn't feel that different. I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here and I'm still waiting on tables." Astrid said looking around the full room then started to walk off with the Doctor and Stella following hand in hand.

"No shore leave?" The Doctor asked.

"We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars and I always dreamt of. It sounds daft." Astrid said shaking her head.

"No it doesn't." Stella said seriously making Astrid smile a little.

"You dreamt of another sky. New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life. Why stand still when there're all that life out there?" The Doctor said wistfully.

"So, you travel a lot?" Astrid asked.

"All the time. Just for fun." Stella said brightly.

"Well, that's the plan. Never quite works." The Doctor trailed off.

"Must be rich, though." Astrid commented.

"Haven't got a penny. Stowaway." The Doctor said quietly so no one would hear.

"Kidding." Astrid said.

"Seriously." The Doctor said as Stella nodded, though she had more than enough money. She never liked the idea of being stranded and it came in handy when you're traveling companion was not as financially wise as you were.

"No." Astrid said.

"Oh, yeah." Stella said.

"How did you get on board?" Astrid asked,

"Accident. I've got this, sort of, ship thing. I was just rebuilding her. Left the defenses down. Bumped into the Titanic. Here we are. Bit of a party. I thought, why not?" The Doctor explained then took Stella's hand in his. "Great idea for a first date I thought."

"I should report you both." Astrid said looking at the two of them.

"Go on then." The Doctor said as Stella smiled making no move to stop her either.

"I'll get you some drinks on the house." Astrid said with a smile and walked off.

"I like her." Stella commented as the Doctor nodded and they started to mingle again. The Doctor even took Stella for another quick twirl around the dance floor as 'Baby its Cold Outside' was sung.

"Have I mentioned how much I like this dress?" The Doctor asked as he moved his fingers along her spine, following the circuit markings making her shiver. Although they could not be seen thanks to her ring due to the prejudice towards cyborgs of this time period and people, they could still be felt and the Doctor was taking advantage of that fact.

"No, but I was getting the message anyway." Stella smiled with a contented hum, but it turned into a frown when she looked over at another table, a bunch of toffs were laughing at a large woman in a purple cowboy outfit and her equally well padded companion. The Doctor followed her line of sight and also formed a small frown at the rudeness he was witnessing. "No matter what universe, dimension or time there always has to be people like them."

"How about we go say hi." The Doctor said with a mischievous grin leading her over to the tables with the cowboy attired couple.

"Just ignore them." Morvin said to his wife Foon.

"Something's tickled them." The Doctor said glancing over to the laughing table as he pulled out a seat for Stella.

"They told us it was fancy dress. Very funny, I'm sure." Foon said glaring at the table.

"I think you both look smashing." Stella said with a sincere smile, taking in their purple sequence cowboy costumes.

"Thank you." Foon blushed with a large smile, already liking the sweet girl.

"They're just picking on us because we haven't paid. We won our tickets in a competition." Morvin said happily.

"Really? How lucky. How'd you win?" Stella asked.

"I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in By the Light of the Asteroid. Did you ever watch By the Light of the Asteroid?" Foon asked.

"Is that the one with the twins?" The Doctor asked with a laugh.

"That's it. Oh, it's marvelous." Foon said with a smile, laughing as well.

"Oh don't get me started, I got stuck on a marathon once for days, couldn't seem to tear myself away." Stella said waving her hand with a chuckle.

"But we're not good enough for that lot. They think we should be in steerage." Morvin said bitterly, frowning at the toffs who were still laughing..

"Well, can't have that, can we?" The Doctor commented and with his back towards the toffs, the Doctor aimed his sonic screwdriver at the champagne bottle in the bucket on their table. The cork popped out, spraying their expensive clothes with alcohol, drenching them and making them all run to get away.

"Did you do that?" Foon said as they all laughed at the comic scene before them.

"Maybe." The Doctor said with a smile as he sat down next to Stella.

"We like you." Foon said.

"We do. I'm Morvin Van Hoff. This is my good woman, Foon." Morvin said laughing.

"Foon. Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is my lovely Stella Quinn." The Doctor introduced them.

"Nice to meet both of you." Stella said politely.

"Oh, I'm going to need a Doctor, time I've finished with that buffet. Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings." Foon said as she picked up another wing from a plate stacked high with them.

"Attention please, shore leave tickets Red Six Seven now activated, red Six Seven."

"Red Six Seven, that's us. Are you Red Six Seven?" Foon asked.

"Might as well be." The Doctor replied.

"Come on, then. We're going to Earth." Morvin said. They walked over to a man in a tweed suit is holding up a sign.

"Red Six Seven. Red Six Seven. This way, fast as you can." Copper called out.

"I got you both that drink." Astrid said as she walked up to them with a tray carrying two glasses.

"And I got you a treat. Come on." The Doctor said taking her tray and setting it to the side.

"Red Six Seven departing shortly." Copper said. The Doctor walks up and shows him the psychic paper.

"Red Six Seven plus two." The Doctor said.

"Quickly, sir, please, and take three teleport bracelets if you would." Copper said.

"I'll get the sack." Astrid whispered as the Doctor slipped the bracelet on her wrist and Stella's as well.

"Brand new sky." The Doctor prompted.

"Come on Astrid, you only live once, why not make the most of it." Stella said with a smile.

"To repeat, I am Mister Copper, the ship's historian, and I shall be taking you to old London town in the country of UK, ruled over by good King Wenceslas. Now, human beings worship the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary." Copper said as the Doctor and Stella exchanged confused looks before focusing back on the elderly man. "And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with the country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner like savages."

"Wait, what?" Stella said in confusion.

"Excuse me. Sorry, sorry, but, er, where did you get all this from?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics. Now, stand by." Copper said as the little red alien runs up.

"And me! And me! Red Six Seven." Bannakaffalatta said waving his ticket.

"Well, take a bracelet, please, sir." Copper said handing his a bracelet.

"But, er, hold on, hold on. What was your name?" The Doctor asked the red man.

"Bannakaffalatta." He replied.

"Okay, Bannakaffalatta. But it's Christmas Eve down there. Late night shopping, tons of people. He's like a talking conker. No offence, but you'll cause a riot because the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties and…" They were all transported.

-0-

They were teleported to what should have been a busy street in London considering the time of year, but it was completely deserted. There was no one in sight and the like of people caused for an eerie silence all around.

"Oh." The Doctor said.

"This is…weird." Stella commented.

"Now, spending money. I have a credit card in Earth currency if you want to by trinkets, or stockings, or the local delicacy, which is known as beef. But don't stray too far, it could be dangerous. Any day now they start boxing." Mr. Copper said.

"Very good." Bannakaffalatta said and rushed off.

"It should be full. It should be busy." The Doctor said as he looked around.

"Something's wrong." Stella said looking up at him.

"But it's beautiful." Astrid breathed out.

"Really? Do you think so? It's just a street. The pyramids are beautiful, and New Zealand…" The Doctor listed off.

"But it's a different planet. I'm standing on a different planet. There's concrete and shops. Alien shops. Real alien shops! Look, no stars in the sky." Astrid said as she looked up in wonder at the sky. "And it smells. It stinks! Oh, this is amazing." Astrid turned back to them with a wide smile. "Thank you!"

"Yeah? Come on then, let's have a look." The Doctor said leading the girls down the street coming next to a news stand that was a billboard for The Examiner, headline - London Deserted. The proprietor had a Union Flag behind him and was an elderly chap with blue eyes and white hair under a knit cap that matched his beard. "Hello, there. Sorry, obvious question, but where's everybody gone?"

"Oh ho, scared!" Wilf answered.

"Scared of what?" Stella asked looking around.

"Where've you been living? London at Christmas? Not safe, is it." Wilf replied bluntly.

"Why?" The Doctor asked, his face scrunched up in confusion.

"Well, it's them, up above." Wilf gestured up to the sky. "Look, Christmas before last we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on a roof." Wilf explained, listing off the terrifying Christmas events that had befallen the city. "And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames."

"This place is amazing." Astrid said in wonder.

"And this year, Lord knows what. So, everybody's scarpered. Gone to the country. All except me and Her Majesty." Wilf said proudly as he stood straight.

"Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she'll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there's nothing to fear." Said the anchor man on TV.

"God bless her. We stand vigil." Wilf said with a salute.

"Well, between you and me, I think her Majesty's got it right. Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about..." The Doctor said right before they all vanished.

"Then again." Wilf said wide eyed.

-0-

They reappeared back in the ballroom, the Doctor frowning in agitation at being cut off while he had been speaking, something he never liked when it occurred.

"I was in mid-sentence." The Doctor said in an agitated voice.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. A bit of a problem. If I could have your bracelets." Copper said as they all handed over their bracelets. The Steward walked over to them briskly and Astrid hid behind the Doctor and Stella, both of them moving closer as to keep her hidden

"Apologies, ladies and gentlemen, and Bannakaffalatta. We seem to have suffered a slight power fluctuation. If you'd like to return to the festivities. And on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners, free drinks will be provided." The Steward said with a tight smile, pacifying the tour group.

"Thank you." Foon said as they walked away with the rest of the group.

"That was the best. The best!" Astrid gushed once the steward was gone, then she too got back to work.

"What sort of power fluctuation?" The Doctor asked, but no one answered him.

"Looks like we'll have to find the answers for ourselves." Stella said sharing a smirk with the Doctor.

-0-

'You shouldn't be here. What's your tale? I ought to throw you to the whale. He just smiled and said, come here, let's dance. He said, borrow or steal, I'll find a way to be with my lover upon Christmas Day. And I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground. This Christmas I'll see you. I'll be around.'

"And I should know because my name is Max. The fastest, the furthest, the best. My name is Max." The picture played over and over again as the Doctor and Rhea walked over.

The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to unfasten the frame and get at the electronics behind it. He changes the image to ship's status as Stella walks over to a nearby window gazing out.

"The shields are off-line." The Doctor said.

"Doctor, look outside." Stella said grabbing the Doctor and pointing out the window. The Doctor looks out of the nearby porthole to see the three fireballs heading their way. He quickly went back to the picture and started to mess with the wires again.

"Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the Captain. You've got a meteoroid storm coming in West zero by north two." The Doctor said urgently.

"Who is this?" The Captain demanded.

"Never mind that, your shields are down. Check your scanners, Captain. You've got meteoroids coming in and now shielding." The Doctor shouted into the comm.

"You have no authorization. You will clear the comms at once." The Captain said angrily.

"Yeah? Just look starboard!" The Doctor pressed. Stella looked over from the window to see the steward coming toward them. She pulled on the Doctors sleeve and pointed to the oncoming Steward.

"We've got company." Stella said in a sotto voice.

"Come with me, sir, ma'am." The Steward said as Stella and the Doctor were escorted off deck.

"You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down." The Doctor shouted as they were dragged along.

"Listen to him, he's trying to save your lives." Stella yelled. Stella grabbed one of the men and flipped them over her shoulder then kicked the other one in the leg freeing the Doctor. He quickly darted over to the band stand while Stella held the stewards off.

'Be with my lover on next Christmas Day, and I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground.' The music was cut off by the Doctor who snatched the microphone stand from the singer.

"Everyone, listen to me! This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb…" A Host put its hand over the Doctor's mouth silencing him as it dragged him off.

"Look out the windows!" Stella shouted as she too was taken hold of by the host and pulled away with the Doctor.

"Them friend." Bannakafalatta said as he ran after them. Slade looked out the windows and saw the meteoroids headed straight for them much to his horror as he turned racing after the Steward.

"If you don't believe me, check the shields yourself." The Doctor shouted as they were led down the underbelly of the ship.

"Sir, I can vouch for them!" Astrid said as she, Foon and Morvin followed them.

"Look, Steward, they've just had a bit too much to drink." Morvin tried.

"Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports have gone down." Mr. Copper said coming up to them.

"Not now!" The Steward snapped.

"The shields are down. We are going to get hit." The Doctor continued to rant.

"You're all idiots." Stella yelled in frustration.

"Oi! Steward! I'm telling you, the shields are down!" Slade called out as he ran up to them.

"Listen to him. Listen to him!" The Doctor said, but the first fireball impacted the Titanic dead center. The rippling effect was immediate and fires as well as panic were prevalent. The ship rocked back and forth violently sending everything everywhere before finally settling down.

"Please, stay calm." The Steward called out as everyone recovered from the bombardment, but the silence was just a brief pause. The other two meteors hit in the fore and aft of the ship causing an explosion that sent the Doctor, Stella, and Astrid flying as well as the rest of the passengers and staff of the ill named ship, then everything went quiet again, apart from people whimpering and those trying to get to their loved ones.

"It's all right, sweetheart." Morvin said rushing to Foon's side.

"Shush. It's stopping." The Doctor said as he helped Stella and Astrid to their feet. "You two all right?"

"I think so." Astrid said nodding.

"Stella?" The Doctor questioned in concern looking Stella over.

"Bent and bruised, but nothing broken." Stella said popping her back with a satisfied sigh.

"Bad name for a ship." The Doctor said taking Stella's hand in his, entwining their fingers together. "Either that or this suit is really unlucky."

"Er, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta. I must apologize on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision." The steward said trying to keep them all calm.

"Small?" Morvin scoffed.

"Do you know how much I paid for my ticket?" Slade snapped.

"If I could have silence, ladies, gentlemen. Please. Quiet! Thank you. I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience, but first I would point out that we're very much alive." The Steward said evenly, his eyes hard.

"Doctor." Stella said letting go of the Doctor's hand as she kneeled down next to Mr. Copper who had a cut on his head helping him to sit up.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked kneeling down next to Stella as she took out a handkerchief, the Doctor briefly wondering where she had had it causing his ears to go red with the thought he came up with, and she dabbed it gently against the cut.

"She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship. If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the situation." The Chief Steward goes to a nearby hatch. The Doctor looked up just in time to see what he was going to do.

"Don't open it!" The Doctor shouted, but it was too late. The Chief Steward was sucked out into space so suddenly that if you blinked you would have missed it. Everybody held onto the nearest fixed object as tightly as they could so as not to be sucked out like the steward while the Doctor soniced a control panel that was flashing Vacuum Breach changing it to Oxygen Shield.

"Oxygen shield stabilized." Everyone slowly let go of what they were holding onto, scared out of their wits as what was happening to them.

"Everyone all right? Astrid?" The Doctor asked. "Stella?"

"Yeah." Astrid and Stella replied.

"Foon? Morvin? Mister Copper? Bannakaffalatta?" The Doctor called out.

"Yes." Bannakaffalatta said as well as the others.

"You, what was your name?" The Doctor asked Slade.

"Rickston Slade." He replied.

"You all right?" The Doctor asked.

"No thanks to that idiot." Slade replied gesturing to where the Steward had been sucked out.

"The steward just died." Astrid said, horrified at his lack of heart.

"Then he's a dead idiot." Slade snapped, uncaring.

"You heartless little…" Stella started to say angrily having had enough, but the Doctor took her hand squeezing it gently.

"All right, calm down. Just stay still, all of you. Hold on." The Doctor said, soothing rubbing circled on the back of her hand. She took a deep breath casting Slade one last dirty look before she calmed down.

"What happened? How come the shields were down?" Astrid asked.

"I don't think it was an accident." The Doctor said as they looked out of the hatchway and the hole in the side of the ship to the floating debris and dead bodies. Stella put a hand to her mouth still gripping the Doctor's hand as they took in the terrible sight before them.

"So many." Stella breathed out, her mind flashing back to the dead fellow captives laying in their cells around her, that same blank stare, it was a nightmare that would never leave her.

"How many dead?" Astrid asked.

"We're alive. Just focus on that. I will get you out of here, Astrid, I promise." The Doctor took notice of Stella's paled features and shaking hands knowing she was once again thrust into her past. The Doctor took hold of both of her hands forcing her to face him while rubbing the back of her hands with his thumbs. "Look at me love. I promise, ok?"

"I know you will, of course you will…." Stella nodded taking in another breath to calm her nerved, then smiled. "…with my help of course."

"Of course, wouldn't have it any other way." The Doctor smiled kissing her forehead. "Now, if we can get to Reception, I've got a spaceship tucked away." Stella's eye caught a familiar blue box just out of the corner of her eye and turned to confirm her fear. "We can all get on board and…"

"Doctor." Stella cut the Doctor off and pointed outside.

"Oh." The Doctor said when he spotted what Stella was pointing at.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Astrid asked looking out as well.

"That's my ship over there." The Doctor said looking to his beloved box.

"Where?" Astrid asked looking for a ship, but not seeing one.

"There. That box. That little blue box." Stella said feeling a horrible turn in her stomach as it got further and further away.

"That's a spaceship?" Astrid asked looking over the small box.

"Oi, don't knock it." The Doctor said, offended.

"It's a bit small." Astrid commented.

"A bit distant." Stella pointed out.

"Trouble is, once it's set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest center of gravity, and that would be the Earth." The Doctor said as the TARDIS proceeded to land on Earth.

"It seemed like such a good idea at the time I'm sure." Stella commented patting the Doctor on the arm as he stared after the Tardis. "We should see if we can find more survivors."

"Right, where are the comms?" The Doctor looked around.

"Over here." Astrid led him over, the Doctor quickly getting them up and running while Stella took care of the injured.

"Deck twenty two to the bridge. Deck twenty two to the bridge. Is there anyone there?" The Doctor called out into the comm.

"This is the bridge." Frame replied.

"Oh hello, sailor. Good to hear you. What's the situation up there?" The Doctor asked.

"We've got air. The oxygen field is holding, but the Captain, he's dead. He did it. I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try." Frame said desperately.

"All right. Just stay calm. Tell me your name. What's your name?" The Doctor asked.

"Midshipman Frame." Frame answered.

"Nice to meet you, sir. What's the state of the engines?" The Doctor asked as he watched Stella tend to any wounds that she could.

"They're er…hold on." Frame said then grunted out in pain. "Oh!"

"Have you been injured?" The Doctor asked.

"I'm all right. Oh, my Vot." Frame muttered to himself. "They're cycling down."

"That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah." Frame answered.

"The moment they're gone we lose orbit." The Doctor said.

"The planet." Frame breathed out.

"Oh, yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth. Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core." The Doctor ordered.

"This is never going to work." Frame said.

"Trust me, it'll keep the engines going until I can get to the bridge." The Doctor said and turned back to the others.

"We're going to die." Foon said.

"Are you saying someone's done this on purpose?" Mr. Copper asked.

"We are. We're going to die." Foon wailed.

"We're just a cruise ship." Astrid said fearfully.

"Okay, okay. Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush." The Doctor tried to get them to calm down, but it wasn't working until a piecing whistle split through the air. Everyone stopped talking and looked at Stella who had whistled.

"Everyone stay calm and listen to the Doctor." Stella said then gestured for the Doctor to continue.

"Right, thanks love, first things first. One. We are going to climb through this ship. B…No…Two…We're going to reach the bridge…Three…Or C… We're going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low four, or D, or that little iv in brackets they use in footnotes, why?" The Doctor said and started to walk away with Stella. "Right then, follow me."

"Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge and who the hell are you anyway?" Slade demanded causing the Doctor to turn on his heel facing them.

"I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm nine hundred and three years old and I'm the man who's going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?" The Doctor asked eyeing Slade.

"No." Slade answered.

"In that case, allons-y!" The Doctor said and started down the hall in determination, Stella's hand in his. He glanced over and saw the smile she was wearing, odd given the situation. "What?"

"Nothing, just think it's very dashing when you give those short speeches like that." Stella replied with a shrug.

"Dashing eh? I like the sound of that." The Doctor grinned a bit smugly making Stella shake her head with an amused laugh.

-0-

They moved through many of the ships corridors, but found no other living passengers as they went, everything was in disarray around them' debris littering the ground all around them, a mix of décor and pieces of the ship making for a dangerous walk about.

"Careful. Follow me." The Doctor slowly pushed open a metal door that lead to a staircase with littered with even more debris and dangerous sparking cables.

"Rather ironic when this is very much in the spirit of Christmas. It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric." Mr. Cooper said.

"Actually, that's not true. Christmas is a time of, of peace and thanksgiving and…what am I on about? My Christmases are always like this." The Doctor said as they all made their way through. The Doctor finds a Host under some metal plates. "We've got a Host. Strength of ten. If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble."

"We can do robotics. Both of us." Morvin said gesturing to Foon and himself.

"We work on the milk market back on Sto. It's all robot staff." Foon explained.

"See if you can get it working." The Doctor leads the rest of them further up. "Let's have a look."

"It's blocked." Astrid pointed out.

"So what do we do?" Slade asked.

"We shift it." Stella said as she started to pick up debris and move it with Astrid's help.

"That's the attitude." The Doctor said. "Rickston, Mister Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta. Look, can I just call you Banna? It's going to save a lot of time."

"No. Bannakaffalatta." Bannakaffalatta said.

"All right then, Bannakaffalatta. There's a gap in the middle. See if you can get through." The Doctor said.

"Easy. Good." Bannakafalatta said and made his way through the gap. Suddenly the ship shifted violently again and more debris fell.

"This whole thing could come crashing down any minute." Slade wailed out.

"Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get that message?" The Doctor asked.

"No. What message?" Slade asked in confusion.

"Shut up!" The Doctor snapped.

"Bannakaffalatta made it." Bannakaffalatta said.

"I'm small enough, I can get through." Astrid said and made her way through.

"Careful." The Doctor said.

"I'm fine." Astrid said.

"Thing is, how are Mister and Mrs. Fatso going to get through that gap?" Slade said condescendingly.

"We make the gap bigger. So start." Stella snapped shoving a big greasy piece of debris into his hands.

"Hey!" He shouted looking down at the greasy mess on his hands and clothes.

"Suck it up." Stella said as she made the hole bigger. The Doctor looked over at her smiling. "What? He was pissing me off."

The Doctor said nothing shaking his head and helping them with the debris, but Foon heard the comment.

"Hey, hey. Come on, sweetheart. Don't listen to him." Morvin said comfortingly as tears gathered in Foons eyes.

"No, but it's my entire fault, though. The tickets." Foon said brokenly.

"We won them fair and square." Morvin said as he worked on the host.

"I know. I never told you. I dialed the competition line five thousand times." Foon confessed looking at Morvin worriedly. "That's five thousand credits. I might as well have paid for the tickets. I've been hiding the phone bill for months now."

"Five thousand credits? You spent five thousand credits?" Morvin said the started to laugh quietly.

"Don't hate me." Foon said. Morvin started to laugh even harder. "What's so funny?"

"Five thousand?" Morvin said still laughing.

"We'll never pay that off." Foon said.

"I know. I'll have to work twenty years, you mad, bloody woman." Morvin said still laughing.

"You're not cross?" Foon asked in amazement.

"Does it matter? Look at us. You drive me barmy. I don't half love you, Mrs. Van Hoff. Come here." Morvin said and kissed Foon lovingly.

"That is so sweet." Stella commented.

"What happened? Did they find a doughnut?" Slade remarked. Stella gave him a look then hauled off and punched him in the arm. Slade yelped in pain and jumped back.

"You hit me!" Slade snapped.

"Just be glad I didn't hit you as hard as I could or your arm would be shattered." Stella said with a glare.

"I can clear it from this side. Just tell me if it starts moving." Astrid said as she went to move debris, but saw Bannakaffalatta laying on the ground breathing hard. "Bannakaffalatta, what's wrong?"

"Shush." He said as she kneeled down next to him.

"What is it?" Astrid pressed.

"Can't say." He replied.

"Are you hurt?" Astrid asked in concern.

"Ashamed." He said looking down.

"Of what?" Astrid asked.

"Poor Bannakaffalatta." He said as he pulled up his shirt to reveal a chest of metal.

"You're a cyborg." Astrid breathed out.

"Had accident long ago. Secret." Bannakaffalatta said his concern apparent.

"No, but everything's changed now. Cyborgs are getting equal rights. They passed a law back on Sto. You can even get married." Astrid said encouragingly.

"Marry you?" He asked.

"Well, you can buy me a drink first." Astrid said with a smile. "Come on. Let's recharge you. Just stay there for a bit."

"Tell no one." He said.

"I promise." Astrid replied.

"What's going on up there?" The Doctor asked.

"I think Bannakaffalatta and I just got engaged." Astrid replied.

"Mazel Tov." Stella called up then looked over to the Doctor with a laugh. "Some girls have all the luck."

"Oh I'm sure there's someone out there for you." The Doctor said flirtatiously kissing her cheek.

"Yep, and he is one lucky son of a gun." Stella quipped. "I am quite the catch."

"And humble as well, a fine talent to find in a woman." The Doctor said jokingly.

"Oi." Stella said on mock indignation.

"Almost done!" Morvin called up.

"Good, good, good. Mister Frame, how's things?" The Doctor said into the comm.

"Doctor, I've got life signs all over the ship but they're going out one by one." Frame answered.

"Well that can't be good." Stella muttered.

"What is it? Are they losing air?" The Doctor asked.

"No. One of them said it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host." Frame said.

"Morvin, Foon?!" Stella called down in a panic.

"It's working!" Morvin said.

"Kill."

"Turn it off!" The Doctor said as he and Stella ran down to them, but the Host has Morvin by the throat while Foon is trying to shut it off.

"I can't, Doctor!" Foon yelled.

"Kill. Kill. Kill."

"Go!" The Doctor yelled. The Host has Morvin by the throat. The Doctor gets out the sonic screwdriver. "Double deadlock!"

"Move." Stella said as she grabbed a piece of sharp broken pipe and shoved it into the Hosts arm causing it to let go of Morvin.

"Quickly, go upstairs!" The Doctor said as he herded them along.

"Run, darling, run!" Foon called out.

"Information. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill."

"Foon! Foon!" Morvin called out.

"Rickston, get them through!" Copper ordered.

"No chance." Slade gets through the gap.

"Rickston!" Copper shouted.

"I'll never get through there." Foon said shaking her head.

"Yes, you can." Stella said encouragingly. "Mr. Copper you go first and find something to make the hole bigger on the other side."

"Right." Copper said as he darted through the hole. He located a large piece of pipe and used it to widen the hole. The Host swung at the Doctor, but missed when Stella grabbed him by the back of his jacket and pulled him back away from the host.

"Kill. Kill."

"It's the Host, they've gone berserk." The Doctor yelled. "Are you safe up there?"

"Kill. Kill. Kill." Host arrived at the entrance to the bridge. Frame got to the door control and it slammed shut, trapping a Host's hand.

"Now I'm stuck!" Foon said as she struggled to get through.

"Come on, you can do it!" Astrid said as the debris shifts.

"It's going to collapse." Copper levers the debris up with a metal bar and Foon got through scrambling up on to her feet. "Rickston, vot damn it, help me."

"No way." Slade said just a Foon make it through.

"Stella, love, you go next." The Doctor said, Stella hesitated, but knowing the Doctor wouldn't go until she did she quickly scrambled through the hole at the Doctor's silent urging. Seeing the situation she helped Copper with the bar, but the pile of debris was large and heavy even for her.

"Morvin, get through!" The Doctor ordered.

"Kill, Kill, Kill."

"Doctor, he's stuck!" Astrid said as she tried to move more debris.

"Slade, let me say this in the nicest way I can." Stella said as she struggled with the bar, layers of collapsed debris adding to the weight. "GET YOUR BUTT OVER HERE BEFORE I KICK IT UP BETWEEN YOUR SHOULDER BLADES!" Slade quickly scrambled over and did as he was told helping Astrid and Copper remove more debris while Stella held it in place. "One two THREE!"

"Kill. Kill. Kill."

"Mister van Hoff, I know we've only just met, but you'll have to excuse me." The Doctor pushes at Morvin's ample behind and he pops through the hole.

"That's it. We've got you." Stella called out. "Doctor, come on, get through."

"Information override!" The Doctor said causing the Host to stop.

"Seriously!" Stella snapped.

"You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!" The Doctor ordered.

"We can't hold it!" Stella screamed.

"Information. Deck thirty one."

"Thank you." The Doctor said then scrambled through the hole. "Thank you. Let go!"

They let the bar go and the debris smashed down on the Host's head like a rock slide as well as blocking the path.

"If we're done talking with the homicidal angels I think we should keep moving." Stella shot the Doctor a look.

"I needed the information." The Doctor said taking her hand in his placing a quick kiss to her forehead as they made their way into another part of the maintenance area of the ship and spot a trolley of sandwiches nearby.

"Morvin, look. Food." Foon said.

"Oh great. Someone's happy." Slade said sarcastically.

"Don't have any then." Morvin said following Foon over to the cart. Stella shook her head and sat down on a block of something as the Doctor talked to Frame over the Comm.

"Mister Frame, are you still there?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes, sir, but I've got Host outside. I've sealed the door." Frame said.

"They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?" The Doctor asked.

"That's not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in. I'm sealed off. Even if you can fix the Titanic you can't get to the bridge." Frame said.

"Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time." The Doctor said. "What's on deck thirty one?"

"Er, that's down below. It's nothing. It's just the Host storage deck. That's where we keep the robots." Frame answered.

"Well, what's that? Do you see that panel? Black. It's registering nothing. No power, no heat, no light." The Doctor said.

"I've never seen it before." Frame said.

"One hundred percent shielded." The Doctor said. "What's down there?"

"I'll try intensifying the scanner." Frame said.

"Let me know if you find anything. And keep those engines going." The Doctor said and he walked over and plopped down next to Stella wrapping his arm around her pulling her close. "How are you doing?"

"Oh pretty good despite the circumstances." Stella said with a shrug as she leaned into the Doctor's side.

"Saved you some. You might be a Time King and a Time Queen from Gaddabee but you need to eat." Astrid said interrupting them, handing the Doctor and Stella some food. "You to, eat up."

"Yeah, thanks." The Doctor said.

"Thank you." Stella said taking the food. "But actually I'm an eight hundred and seventy four year old human cyborg."

"Really? You're a cyborg?" Astrid looked at her in surprise.

"Yep." Stella said twisting her ring showing off her blue lines.

"And you're not ashamed of it?" Astrid asked hesitantly.

"No, not in the least." Stella said with a shrug.

"Oh right, Sto, they're just starting to pass equal right laws for cyborgs." The Doctor said in realization.

"Yeah, it's kind of why I avoided this time period in that sector of the Universe." Stella said with a sigh.

"You look good for nine hundred and three and eight hundred and seventy four." Astrid commented gaining their attention.

"You should see me in the mornings." The Doctor replied.

"Okay." Astrid said. The Doctor got this look on his face like a lost puppy making Stella snort and laugh. The Doctor gave her a look as Astrid started to laugh as well.

"I'm sorry love, but your face." Stella said gasping for breath. "You looked like a deer caught in the headlights."

"Doctor, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day." Mr. Copper commented when Stella and Astrid had calmed down.

"So it is. Merry Christmas." The Doctor said.

"This Christmas thing, what's it all about?" Astrid asked.

"Long story. I should know, I was there. I got the last room." The Doctor commented.

"But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them? They could send up a rocket or something." Mr. Copper said.

"They don't have spaceships." The Doctor replied.

"No, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles." Mr. Copper said.

"Space Shuttles and they're not advanced enough to do us any good." Stella said shaking her head, ignoring the looks she was getting now that her cyborg appearance was showing; mainly she was ignoring the disdainful looks she was getting from Slade. Whether it was from being a cyborg or the way they bitted head she wasn't sure nor did she really care.

"Mister Copper, this degree in Earthonomics, where's it from?" The Doctor asked as he eyed the elderly man.

"Honestly?" Mr. Copper said.

"Just between us." Stella said leaning forward.

"Mrs. Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners." He replied sheepishly.

"You, you lied to the company to get the job?" Astrid gasped.

"I wasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic." Mr. Copper said wistfully.

"Hmm. I suppose it is, yeah." The Doctor contemplated.

"How come you know it so well?" Astrid asked.

"I was sort of, a few years ago, I was sort of made, well, sort of homeless, and, er, there was the Earth." The Doctor said evasively.

"I am from Earth." Stella said when Astrid looked to her. "But circumstances changed and now here I am, part machine and traveling the universe."

"The thing is, if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations." Mr. Copper said as they looked to him. "Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. I won't survive ten years."

"I'm sure…" Stella started to comfort him when suddenly there was a loud bang erupting not too far away from them, a repetitive banging to be exact.

"A Host! Move! Come on!" The Doctor called out as everyone scrambled to their feet making a run for it. The Doctor lead them through the next bulkhead to catwalk and a narrow fallen beam forming walkway across a massive empty space in the middle of the ship.

"Is that the only way across?" Slade said in shock.

"On the other hand, it is a way across." Stella pointed out.

"The engines are open." Astrid said looking down at the rotating inferno.

"Nuclear storm drive. As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls." The Doctor said, already trying to think of a way to keep it going.

"But that thing, it'll never take our weight." Morvin said as he held Foon's hand.

"You're going last, mate." Slade said snidely. Without even looking Stella hauled off and punched him in the arm again a little harder than before making him yelp in pain. He rubbed his very much bruised arm, but wisely said nothing knowing it was no use and she would just hit him again.

"It's nitrofin metal. It's stronger than it looks." The Doctor said pulling Stella away from Slade.

"All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should…" Morvin stepped forward and the metal under his foot gave way causing him to fall towards the engine furnace.

"Morvin!" Foon screamed out.

"I told you. I told you!" Slade said panicking.

"Just shut up. Shut up!" Stella snapped as tears gathered in her eyes. Astrid quickly went to Foon's side and held her as she screamed and cried trying to sooth her.

"Bring him back! Can't you bring him back? Bring him back, Doctor!" Foon screamed desperately.

"I can't. I'm sorry, I can't." The Doctor said brokenly.

"You promised me." Foon yelled tearfully.

"I know. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The Doctor replied looking like he was about to cry himself, Stella gripping his hand tightly in hers. She couldn't tell him that it wasn't his fault or that everything was going to go right from now on, but she could be there for him. He gripped her hand back, shaking slightly.

"Doctor, I rather think that those things have got our scent." Mr. Copper said as the sounds of the host coming for them reached their ears.

"I'm not waiting." Slade said and darted onto the beam.

"Careful. Take it slowly!" The Doctor said as the ship shook and Slade fell onto the beam.

"Oh, Vot help me." Slade pleaded as he clung to the beam.

"You're okay. A step at a time. Come on, you can do it." The Doctor encouraged as he got back up.

"Kill. Kill. Kill."

"They're getting nearer." Mr. Copper said, the host coming closer to their location.

"Seal us in." The Doctor called out.

"You're leaving us trapped, wouldn't you say?" Mr. Copper pointed out.

"Never say trapped, just inconveniently circumstanced." The Doctor corrected.

"Oh." Mr. Copper said as the Doctor soniced the bulkhead controls.

"I'm okay." Slade called out as he started across again.

"Maybe he's all right. Maybe, maybe there's a gravity curve down there or something. I don't know. Maybe he's just unconscious." Foon said pleadingly.

"I'm sorry, Foon. He's gone." Astrid said softly. Foon sobbed in Astrid's arms as Slade made it to the other side.

"Yes. Oh. yes! Who's good!" Slade cheered.

"Bannakaffalatta, you go next." The Doctor said.

"Bannakaffalatta small." He replied and started to dart across.

"Slowly!" The Doctor called out as the Host were hammering on the bulkhead door.

"They've found us." Mr. Copper said.

"Astrid, get across right now." The Doctor ordered. "Stella, you to."

"What about you?" Stella asked as Astrid stepped onto the beam.

"Just do it. Go on." The Doctor said. Stella let out a frustrated noise as she ripped off part of her dress up so that it now is reached above her knees. The Doctor starred down at her long legs as she threw the excess piece of fabric to the side then noticed the Doctor's gaze.

"Enjoying the view?" Stella asked with a small smirk making the Doctor blush.

"I…uh…Mister Copper, we can't wait." The Doctor stuttered out not answering her.

"No, but we…" Copper said.

"Don't argue. Foon, you've got to get across right now." The Doctor said as Stella helped Copper up then followed.

"What for? What am I going to do without him?" Foon said not moving.

"Doctor? The door's locked!" Slade called out.

"Just think. What would he want, eh?" The Doctor tried.

"He don't want nothing. He's dead." Foon yelled.

"Doctor, I can't open the door. We need the whirling key thing of yours." Slade yelled again.

"I can't leave her." The Doctor yelled back.

"She'll get us all killed if we can't get out." Slade snapped.

"Mrs. Van Hoff, I am coming back for you. All right?" The Doctor follows the other four across the rickety bridge.

"Too many people!" Bannakaffalatta said.

"Oi! Don't get spiky with me. Keep going." The Doctor said. Bannakaffalatta gets across the weakest bit in the middle, followed by Astrid.

"It's going to fall." Astrid yelled.

"It's just settling. Keep going." The Doctor yelled, but then the Host went quiet, an eerie silence left in their wake.

"They've stopped." Astrid said in relief.

"Gone away?" Bannakaffalatta said.

"Why would they give up?" The Doctor said in confusion.

"Never mind that. Keep coming." Slade yelled.

"Where have they gone? Where are the Host?" The Doctor continued to puzzle.

"More than likely found another way in." Stella said looking around.

"I'm afraid we've forgotten the traditions of Christmas. That angels have wings!" Mr. Copper said pointing up as the Host glide down and surround them.

"Information. Kill." The Host remove their haloes.

"Arm yourself, all of you." The Doctor ordered. Everyone on the bridge grabs a bit of pipe and uses it as a bat to send the haloes flying, but one cuts the Doctor's arm and another injures Copper's side.

"I can't." Astrid said dropping her pipe.

Stella looked back just as a halo shot at her, she barely moved out of the way as it whizzed by slicing her cheek. She reached up touching her cheek lightly feeling her anger shoot through her as she saw the blue blood on her fingertips.

Stella saw the halos coming toward her and in a feat of astounding speed she knocked all of them back with her pipe at the hosts embedding them in their chests while keeping perfect balance on the beam, but only managed to critically wound one that fell into the engine. The remaining Hosts retrieved their halo's and got ready to fire again advancing closer as Stella raised her pipe ready to defend again.

"Bannakaffalatta stop. Bannakaffalatta proud. Bannakaffalatta cyborg!" He lifts his shirt and sends out an energy pulse. It short-circuits the Host, sending them plummeting down into the engine core, except one that landed on the catwalk behind the Doctor.

"Ow!" Stella's legs buckled as the pulse went through her as well, the Doctor grabbing her holding her up.

"Stella?!" The Doctor called out as he grabbed her before she fell holding her to his chest. Stella blinked a few times trying to get rid of the dizziness.

"What…" Stella started to say as the Doctor wrapped his arm around her holding her up.

"Electromagnetic pulse took out the robotics and it hit you to, you'll be fine, just a little dizzy." The Doctor assured her before turning to Bannakaffalatta who had collapsed to the ground. "Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant!"

"He's used all his power." Astrid said as she kneeled down next to him.

"Did good?" He asked looking up at Astrid.

"You saved our lives." Astrid said tearfully.

"Bannakaffalatta happy." He said smiling.

"We can recharge you. Get you to a power point and just plug you in." Astrid said desperately.

"Too late." Bannakaffalatta said.

"Doctor, quick, I can give him some of my…" Stella tried breathlessly, but the Doctor shook his head.

"You're not compatible." The Doctor shook his head tightening his hold around her. Stella turned burying her face in his chest.

"No, but you got to get me that drink, remember?" Astrid said as tears streamed down her face.

"Pretty girl." Bannakaffalatta died in Astrid's arms. Astrid started to fasten his shirt as she cried silently, but Copper reached for a component in the center of his chest.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me." Mr. Copper said as he pulled something from Bannakaffalatta's chest.

"Leave him alone." Astrid snapped.

"It's the EMP transmitter. He'd want us to use it. I used to sell these things. They'd always give me a bed for the night in the cyborg caravans. They're good people." Mr. Copper said truthfully. "But if we can recharge it, we can use it as a weapon against the rest of the Host. Bannakaffalatta might have saved us all."

"Do you think? Try telling him that." Slade said pointing to the beam. The Host that landed behind the Doctor was moving, recovering from the EMP. The Doctor pulled Stella behind him as she clutched his arm, still feeling the effects of the EMP.

"Information. Reboot."

"Use the EMP!" Slade yelled.

"It's dead. It's dead." Copper said as he tried to activate it with no success.

"It's got to have emergency." Astrid said.

"No, no, no. Hold on. Override loophole." The Doctor said as the Host advanced. "Security protocol ten. Six six six. Er, twenty one, four, five, six, seven, eight. I don't know, forty two? Er, one!"

"Information. State request."

"Good. Right. You've been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?" The Doctor asked.

"Information. No witnesses."

"But this ship's going to fall on the Earth and kill everyone." The Doctor said. "The human race have nothing to do with the Titanic, so that contravenes your orders, yes?"

"Information. Incorrect."

"But why do you want to destroy the Earth?" Stella asked from behind the Doctor.

"Information. It is the plan."

"What plan?" The Doctor asked.

"Information. Protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used."

"Well, you could have warned me." The Doctor snapped.

"Information. Now you will die." The Host raises its halo, it is lassoed from behind.

"You're coming with me." Foon jumps over the side, dragging the Host after her.

"No!" The Doctor and Stella shouted as Foon fell into the engine. The Doctor starred down at where Foon had disappeared, Stella gripping the edge of the beam which bent in her grip.

"No more." The Doctor said clenching his teeth then picked Stella up carrying her the rest of the way across the make shift bridge to the others. Stella wrapped her arms around his neck holding onto him as tight as she could trying to comfort him as well as herself.

He sat her down once they reached the other side pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before he moved onto the door leading them out of the engine room, making sure to keep Stella's hand in his.

"Right. Get yourself up to Reception One. Once you're there, Mister Copper, you've got staff access to the computer. Try to find a way of transmitting an SOS. Helen, Astrid, you're in charge of this." The Doctor gave Astrid the EMP transmitter. "Once it's powered up, it'll take out a Host within fifty yards but then it needs sixty seconds to recharge. Got it? Rickston, take this." The Doctor hands the sonic screwdriver to Slade. "I've preset it. Just hold down that button, it'll open doors. Do not lose it! You got that? Now go and open the next door. Go on, go!"

"All right!" Slade said. The Doctor handed a first aid kit to Copper.

"Mister Copper, you're going to need this. I need you fighting fit. Astrid, where's the power points?" The Doctor asked.

"Under the comms." Astrid answered and plugged in the EMP transmitter.

"See, when it's ready, that blue light comes on there." The Doctor said.

"You're talking as if you're not coming with us." Stella said eyeing the Doctor.

"There's something down on deck thirty one. I'm going to find out what it is." The Doctor said not meeting her gaze.

"What if you meet a Host?" Astrid asked.

"Well, then I'll just have some fun." The Doctor said.

"Sounds like you do this kind of thing all the time." Astrid commented.

"Not by choice. All I do is travel. That's what I am. Just a traveler, me and Stella. Imagine it. No tax, no bills, no boss. Just the open sky." The Doctor said wistfully.

"I'm sort of unemployed now. I was thinking the blue box is kind of small, but I could squeeze in it, like a stowaway." Astrid said with a smile.

"It's not always safe." The Doctor commented.

"So you need someone to take care of you. I've got no one back on Sto. No family, just me. So what do you think? Can I come with you?" Astrid asked then looked to Stella. "I mean if it's alright with you to."

"I vote yes, but It's up to the Doctor." Stella said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'd like that to. Yes." The Doctor said smiling as well then went over to the comm. "Mister Frame, you still with us?"

"It's the engines, sir. Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've got only eight minutes left." Frame said.

"Don't worry, I'll get there." The Doctor said.

"But the bridge is sealed off." Frame said.

"Yeah, yeah, working on it. I'll get there, Mister Frame, somehow." The Doctor said. "All charged up? Mister Copper, look after her. Astrid, look after him, Stella look after them. Rickston, er, look after yourself. And I'll see you again, I promise."

"Hold on! There's an old tradition on Planet Sto." Astrid said hurriedly.

"I have really got to go." The Doctor said urgently.

"Just wait a minute." Astrid takes the first aid box from Copper, stands on it, grabs the Doctor's lapels and pulls him in for a kiss. When she pulls back the Doctor is looking at her in that same deer in the headlights look.

"Yeah, that's a, ahem, very old tradition, yeah." The Doctor said wide eyed as Stella bit her lip to stop her laughter.

"See you later." Astrid said.

"Oh, yes!" The Doctor with a nod before grabbing Stella's hand pulling her away from the group a bit. "Stella, quick word."

"What…" Stella was cut off by the Doctor giving her a deep kiss. Stella was left breathless as she felt his lips move against her causing a special warmth to fill her whole body.

"Much better." The Doctor breathed out when they pulled apart. "I better get going, be safe love."

Stella watched in worry as the started to walk away then turned and ran back to the others.

"I am so sorry, I didn't even think, I didn't mean to offend you by kissing him." Astrid apologized quicly, wanting to smack herself. She knew they were together, it was obvious, but the Doctor was just so dashing and she couldn't resist.

"What? Oh no, I'm not mad or anything, just never do it again…ever." Stella said sternly and Astrid nodded quickly. "Good, Astrid take care of everyone, I'm going with the Doctor."

"But…" Astrid started to say, but Stella cut her off.

"Please Astrid, he can't be alone and you know this ship better than I do. Please." Stella said looking into Astrid's eyes.

"Ok, take care of yourself and him." Astrid said.

"Thank you." Stella said and rushed after the Doctor.

"I thought I told you to stay with the others." The Doctor commented as she came up next to him.

"Yes, yes you did, but I ignored you as you can plainly see." Stella said as she clasped her hand behind her back.

"I always knew you were a stubborn one." The Doctor said in fake exasperation.

"That's why you love me so much." Stella smarted off with a grin.

"Yeah." The Doctor smiled wrapping his arm around her kissing her forehead as they entered the kitchen only for two hosts to come through the door in front of them. They quickly turned around only for two more to come up behind them. The Doctor grabbed a large sauté pan for a weapon as Stella grabbed a tea kettle.

"Well that's just not fair." Stella grumbled at her lack of proper weaponry as she stood back to back with the Doctor.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Security protocol one. Do you hear me? One. One! Okay, that gives me three questions. Three questions to save my life, am I right?" The Doctor asked and Stella face palmed.

"Information. Correct."

"No, that wasn't one of them. I didn't mean it. That's not fair. Can I start again?" The Doctor asked.

"Information. No."

"Doctor." Stella snapped as she hit him on his back.

"No! No, no, no, no. That wasn't a question either." The Doctor said as Stella shot him a look. "Blimey. One question left. One question."

"Make it good." Stella said nervously.

"Right, so, you've been given orders to kill the survivors but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not us. We're not passengers. We're not staff. Go on, scan us. You must have bio-records" The Doctor said. "No such persons on board. We don't exist, therefore you can't kill us. Therefore, We're stowaways, and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on deck thirty one. Final question. Am I right?"

"Information. Correct."

"Brilliant. Take me to your leader." The Doctor said then leaned over to Stella. "I've always wanted to say that."

"I'm so happy for you." Stella rolled her eyes, but couldn't contain her smile as they Doctor looped her arm through his.

-0-

They were taken deep into the ship to the part that had been blacked out, it looked like a warehouse packed to the ceiling with tech and over the edge a bit away you could look down into the storm drive engines.

"Wow. Now that is what you call a fixer upper." The Doctor commented as he and Stella looked around the Host repair shop hand in hand.

"An interior decorator would do wonders for this place." Stella agreed.

"Come on then, Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours. Who is it?" The Doctor asked and a Host opens a pair of doors. "Oh, that's clever. That's an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in there. Sit through a supernova."

"Or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves on board like this and I should know, because…" Stella trailed off as a large device with small wheels came out, it was nothing more than a head attached to the machinery.

"My name is Max." His gold tooth glints.

"It really does that." The Doctor said looking to Stella.

"Who the hell is this?" Max demanded.

"I'm the Doctor and this is Stella Quinn." The Doctor smiled. "Hello."

"Information. Stowaway." A host said.

"Well…" The Doctor replied.

"Kill them." Max ordered.

"Oh, no, no, no. Wait, but you can't. Not now. Come on, Max. You've given me so much good material like, how to get ahead in business." The Doctor joked looking to Stella who just shook her in amusement more at him than at the joke then looked back to Max. "See? Head? Head in business? No?"

"Oh, ho, ho, the office joker. I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years." Max commented.

"I can't think why." Stella said clearly seeing the reason why.

"A hundred and seventy six years of running the company have taken their toll." Max told them.

"Yeah but, nice wheels." The Doctor said looking over the high tech wheel chair.

"Have you considered a new paint job, maybe some flames? Chrome? A pair of fuzzy dice?" Stella asked casually. "Spiff up your ride a bit."

"No, a life support system, in a society that despises cyborgs." Max said with a frown.

"Racists." Stella deadpanned.

"Exactly." Max agreed looking over Stella's own cybernetic appearances as well as generally just having a good ogle. The Doctor wrapped his arm around Stella pulling her closer. "I've had to hide away for years, running the company by hologram." Max said then turned to a host. "Host, situation report."

"Information. Titanic is still in orbit." The Host replied.

"Let me see. We should have crashed by now. What's gone wrong? The engines are still running! They should have stopped!" Max complained.

"When they do, the Earth gets roasted." The Doctor said turning serious. "I don't understand. What's the Earth got to do with it?"

"This interview is terminated." Max snapped.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait." The Doctor followed him pulling Stella along as Max wheeled away. "I can work it out. It's like a task. I'm your apprentice. Just watch me. So, business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh, yes! No. Yes. The business isn't failing, it's failed. Past tense."

"My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back." Max ground out.

"If you had a back." Stella smarted off.

"So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors just in case anyone's rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value." The Doctor said quickly distracting Max from what Stella had said. "Oh, but that's not enough. No. Because if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out."

"And the whole board thrown in jail for mass murder." Max preened.

"While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber." Stella bit out.

"I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico Two, where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of metal." Max sent a lecherous look at Stella with a sleazy grin, his tooth glinting again.

"I think I just threw up in my mouth a little." Stella said with a disgusted look, placing a hand over her mouth, the Doctor pulling her behind him a bit out of Max's direct line of sight.

"So that's the plan. A retirement plan. Two thousand people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered, and why? Because Max Capricorn is a loser." The Doctor sneered.

"I never lose." Max growled.

"You can't even sink the Titanic." The Doctor scoffed.

"Oh, but I can, Doctor. I can cancel the engines from here." Max grinned then the ship jerked as it began to lose altitude.

"You can't do this!" Stella snapped.

"Host, hold them." Max ordered and they were both grabbed. "Not so clever now, Doctor. A shame we couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted and you my dear, such a waist of a pretty little thing. Time for me to retire. The Titanic is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh. Oh, Host. Kill them."

"Mister Capricorn!" Astrid called out from the fork lift. "I resign."

"No." Stella called out as Astrid gunned it towards Capricorn.

"Astrid, don't!" The Doctor shouted as she got the forks under Capricorn's life support and the two machines began to battle each other, the fork lift completely lifting Max off the ground and powered them both forward toward the guard rail, to fall into the engines. Stella twisted out of the clutches of one of the hosts using her free hand to grip its arm ripping it out of the robot using his to beat back the other Host freeing her. Astrid looked to the Doctor and Stella before she drove Max back. A Host threw its halo, which glanced off Astrid's cab. "He's cut the brake line!"

"Astrid!" Stella called out as she ran forward jumping at Astrid just before the lift reached the edge, both of them falling to the ground skidding along straight over the edge with Capricorn.

"No!" The Host released the Doctor allowing him to run forward to the edge peering down. Stella clung to a pipe with one hand the other holding onto Astrid. The Doctor reached down helping Astrid up then Stella who he held at arm's length. "Never do that again, do you hear me, never!"

"You know I can't promise that no more than you can promise me that you'll never put yourself in harm's way to save a life." Stella said softly and the Doctor let out a sigh knowing she was right. He pulled her close holding her against him.

"You saved my life, thank you." Astrid said hugging Stella when the Doctor let go.

"You were going to do the same for us." Stella hugged her back.

"Titanic falling. Voyage terminated. Voyage terminated." The Computer said breaking the moment turning it serious again.

"Astrid, go find Slade and Copper." The Doctor ordered and Astrid nodded running off to do so.

The Doctor walked through a shower of debris holding Stella's hand, both of them solemn, then snapped his fingers. Two Host took his arms while Stella wrapped her arms around his neck and flew them upwards, arms punching forward smashing through into the bridge.

"Deadlock broken." The Computer said as the Doctor and Stella clambered into the bridge.

"Ah, Midshipman Frame. At last." The Doctor said cheerfully.

"Oh that looks painful, better let me have a look." Stella said as she walked over to Frame helping him to sit down so she could take care of his wound untucking his shirt and rolling it up revealing the deep gash.

"Er, but, but the Host…" Frame said as Stella grabbed a medical kit and started to dress his wound.

"Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that's me." The Doctor said.

"Set up Frame, need to wrap your stomach." Stella said as she proceeded to do so cutting off the bandage. "That should hold you."

"There's nothing we can do. There's no power. The ship's going to fall." Frame said despondently.

"Titanic falling." The Computer seemed to confirm.

"What's your first name?" Stella asked Frame.

"Alonso." Frame replied.

"Titanic falling." The computer said,

"You're kidding me." The Doctor breathed out.

"What?" Frame asked.

"That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso. Whoa!" The Doctor said with a wild smile.

The Doctor spun the ship's wheel as alarms sounded when they entered the upper atmosphere, then start to burn on entry. Once into the cloud layer, the Doctor turned on a scanner with his foot to see that their impact area is in west Central London. He grabs the comms.

"Oh. Hello, yes. Could you get me Buckingham Palace?" The Doctor asked into the comm. "Listen to me. Security code seven seven one. Now get out of there!"

"I think it's time for some jiggery pokery." Stella said as she started to work the console ripping out wires and re attaching others using her holographic tools, the tips of her fingers glowing as she produced them.

"That one to that one, right there." The Doctor pointed out as he pulled on the wheel.

"Ok, got it." Stella said doing as he told her then smiled disbursing her tools. "That should do it."

"Engines active. Engines active."

The Doctor pulled back on the wheel, trying to get her nose up missing the Palace by inches and flying up into the sky. As the ship levels off, everyone starts to laugh with relief.

"Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive along with Stella's Jiggery Pokery. Unsinkable, that's us." The Doctor smiled as they cheered.

"Just like Molly Brown." Stella added clapping her hands.

"We made it." Frame breathed out.

"Not all of us." The Doctor frowned thinking of the Van Hoffs, Bannakaffalatta, and many of the others who lost their lives on the ship. Stella stood up taking the Doctor's hand in his sharing in his grief, both of them supporting the other.

-0-

They all made their way back to the ballroom where the others were waiting for them now that the ship was back in a safe orbit.

"The engines have stabilized. We're holding steady till we get help, and I've sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes." Frame informed them all. "And they're digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story."

"They'll want to talk to all of us, I suppose." Copper said in a resigned voice.

"I'd have thought so, yeah." Frame nodded.

"I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light." Copper said with a weak smile.

"I hate those." Stella commented with a wince.

"Still, it's my own fault, and ten years in jail is better than dying." Copper went on with a tired sigh.

"Doctor, Stella, I never said thank you." Slade said hugging the Doctor, but was wise enough to read Stella's glare and not try to hug her. "The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?" Slade's vone rings and he walks away. "Salvain. Those shares. I want them triple bonded and locked."

"Of all the people to survive, he's not the one you would have chosen, is he?" Astrid commented as she walked over to them with Mr. Copper, but the Doctor and Stella remain stone faced.

"But if you could choose, decide who lives and who dies that would make you a monster." Copper added and Astrid nodded in agreement. Stella reached over taking hold of four teleport bracelets handing two to the Doctor who passes the last one over to Copper and the other to Astrid.

"Mister Copper, Astrid, I think you each deserve one of these." The Doctor said as they all put on the bracelets, the last thing they saw was a salute from Frame.

-0-

The Doctor and Stella walked with their arms looped across the grass to the Tardis with Astrid and Copper in the snow. Not far away London at night was all lit up making for a pretty picture against the starry snow filled night.

"So, Great Britain is part of Europey, and just across the British Channel, you've got Great France and Great Germany." Copper said looking to them for confirmation.

"No, no, it's just, it's just France and Germany. Only Britain is Great." The Doctor said with a smile.

"Oh, and they're all at war with the continent of Ham Erica." Copper tried.

"It's called America, and you could argue that one." Stella told him as she scratched the back of her head.

"There she is. Survive anything." The Doctor patted the TARDIS.

"You know, between you and me, I don't even think this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere." Copper said looking up as the falling flakes.

"Yeah. One of these days it might snow for real." The Doctor said also looking up along with Stella.

"So, I, I suppose you'll be off." Astrid said with a sigh.

"The open sky." Stella nodded.

"And, what about me?" Copper asked. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Give me that credit card." The Doctor said.

"It's just petty cash. Spending money. It's all done by computer." Copper said handing over the card. "I didn't really know the currency, so I thought a million might cover it."

"A million? Pounds?" The Doctor questioned.

"That enough for trinkets?" Copper questioned back.

"Mister Copper, a million pounds is worth fifty million credits." Stella said, wide eyed.

"How much?" Copper asked in shock.

"Fifty million and fifty six." The Doctor said.

"I've got money." Copper breathed out.

"Yes, you have." The Doctor nodded with a smile.

"Oh, my word. Oh, my Vot! Oh, my goodness me. Yee ha!" Copper cheered as the Doctor and Stella watched, both smiling.

"It's all yours. Planet Earth. Now, that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though." The Doctor cautioned.

"I will, I will. Oh, I will." Copper said still giddy.

"No interfering. I don't want any trouble." The Doctor said sternly.

"Just, just have a nice life." Stella said.

"But I can have a house. A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and….Oh, Doctor, I will made you proud. And I can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and plates, and…" Copper happily.

"So Astrid, ready to go?" Stella looked to the young girl.

"Actually I think I'll stay here with Mr. Copper, if that's ok." Astrid said looking to the old man.

"I would be happy to have you my dear." Mr. Copper beamed, still excited about the prospect of a real home.

"But I thought…" The Doctor trailed off.

"I know, but what we all went through made me think that I just want a home, a place to settle down." Astrid shifted her feet. "And I wouldn't feel right leaving Mr. Copper on his own."

"Well, if that's what you want." Stella hugged Astrid. "Have a great life."

"I will." Astrid smiled before hugging the Doctor as well. "Thank you both, for everything."

"Bye Doctor, Stella." Mr. Copper smiled as he and Astrid began to make their way into the city.

"Er, where are you going?" The Doctor called out.

"Well, I've no idea." Copper answered happily as Astrid shrugged un-knowingly as well.

"No, me neither." The Doctor said.

"Merry Christmas, Mister Copper, Astrid." Stella called out before going into the Tardis along with the Doctor and it dematerializes.

-0-

The Doctor was working the console moving around talking rapidly about this and that, Stella only half listening. She stretched cracking her back as she went through her recalibration cycle, making sure everything was in order after the EMP that went through her systems, but an annoying twitch was giving her a bit of trouble. She let out an annoyed growl as she ran a subroutine to try and find the source.

"Mind if I take a look?" The Doctor asked slipping on his glasses.

"Of course not." Stella replied as she un zipped the back of her dress holding the front up to keep her modesty while allowing him access to her back port. She heard him take out his sonic as he sat down running it over her back, the sound that accompanied it filling the room. Then she felt her back panels sliding open as the Doctor took a look. He found some wires that seemed a bit singed and started repairing them, his work causing Stella to shiver slightly. "This doesn't bother you, does it?"

"What?" The Doctor asked as he finished up.

"Me being part Home Depot." Stella replied self-consciously. The Doctor paused for a moment as her back closed back up. He zipped her dress back up then took her by the shoulders turning her around to face him.

"Stella, there is nothing about you that bothers me." The Doctor said cupping her face. "You are a caring smart beautiful woman, that's all I see."

"Has anyone ever told you how incredibly sweet you are?" Stella smiled with a faint blush.

"Well, one or two…" The Doctor shrugged playfully giving her an eskimo kiss making her giggle. "Now, where to next?"

"Second star to the right and straight on till morning." Stella replied.

"Good answer." Doctor grinned, and then worked the controls sending them off.