Author's Note: Hello again, here's a bit more of this one. Big thanks to MayFairy, Aietradaea (x2), missawesome1213 and KilinicallyInsaneKoschei (x 2) for your reviews! I'm always so happy when you guys support my little "experiments" in writing - you are terrific beyond words.
At least with these short chapter, it's easy for me to update more often! Hope you like!
CHAPTER THREE
"The TARDIS! Get to the TARDIS!" the Doctor yelled.
Amy and Rory needed no further encouragement. They were already running as fast as they could, heading back for the time machine. Behind them, there came a terrible, clicking, scuttling noise, the sound of thousands and thousands of thin metallic legs skittering over the sand, as the predatory swarm of SRMs boiled up and over the dunes in hot pursuit.
The three companions were losing their head start very, very quickly. Unlike the light, mobile SRMs, their bi-pedal humanoid bodies were not designed to travel efficiently through sand. Their feet seemed to sink deeper and deeper as they ran, the sand dragging at them, holding them back, sapping their strength with every step.
"Doctor!" Amy shrieked, her voice jagged with fear.
The Doctor looked at the TARDIS just up ahead and then glanced back over his shoulder at the fast-approaching horde of SRMs, his agile brain swiftly calculating their chances. He could hear his double heartbeat pounding in his ears. They were not going to make it. They were close now, so very close. But by the time they actually reached the TARDIS and he stopped to unlock it...
Oh, this had better work, he told himself as he ran, raising his fingers in the air and concentrating on the TARDIS. Come on, old girl, don't let me down!
SNAP! He clicked his fingers loudly and clearly, his gaze fixed on the blue-panelled doors. And for a few, tremulous seconds nothing happened.
We're dead, the Doctor thought. We are so dead!
But then the wooden doors swung inward, revealing the welcoming, warmly-lighted interior of the time machine. The sight encouraged the three fugitives to put on one last, desperate burst of speed. First Amy flung herself through the doors, closely followed by a panting Rory. The Doctor brought up the rear, wheeling around and slamming the doors shut, before engaging the dead lock, which automatically activated the ship's defence systems.
There was a huge jolt from the outside and the entire TARDIS shuddered as it was struck by the shining avalanche of silver.
The Doctor leant his back against the doors and slowly slid to the floor, his eyes closed in relief. Amy glanced up at him from where she had collapsed full-length on to the stairs leading to the console platform.
"Always...with...the...running!" she managed to choke out disapprovingly.
"Yes, well..." the Doctor replied, trying to get his heart-rate back under control. "Even I have to admit, that was a little too close for comfort."
"They...can't...get in, can they?" Rory asked worriedly. He was bent over double with his hands on his knees, sucking in great, ragged gasps of air.
"Of course not!" the Doctor said in a scornful tone, leaping to his feet again and heading up the stairs to the console. Then he added, "Well...not immediately, anyway..."
"Not immediately!" Amy echoed incredulously. "I thought you told me Genghis Khan and all his men couldn't get through those doors?"
"Genghis Khan didn't have an army of matter-converting SRMs on his side," the Doctor retorted, switching on the exterior scanner. All that could be seen on the large round screen was a silver tangle of spidery limbs. "They're all over us. We've been engulfed. Engulfed! Don't you love that word? The TARDIS has been engulfed by SRMs. It's only a matter of time before they manage to break down our defence systems."
"Can't we just de-materialise?" Rory demanded. "Just disappear and leave them behind?"
"Yes, we could do that," the Doctor nodded, glancing at him sharply. "We could do that, Rory, if we were selfish, uncaring, irresponsible people who didn't bother about what happens to the rest of the Universe. Because all it takes is for just one of those creature to escape from Exelica out into space...just one...and then what happened to this planet will happen to another and then another and then another, until the entire Universe crumbles into dust. And we wouldn't want that to happen, would we, Rory? Because we're not selfish, uncaring, irresponsible people, are we?"
"Of course not!" Rory replied, stung by the Doctor's caustic tone.
"Of course not," the Time Lord repeated. "So glad we got that ironed out. Now you need to ask me how we stop them."
"How do we stop them?" Amy asked, shooting her husband a sympathetic look.
"I have no idea," the Doctor answered cheerfully. "First we need to catch one, so I can have a closer look at it."
"We have to catch a homicidal, matter-sucking metal spider," Rory said in a resigned voice. "Naturally, I should have known."
"Not to worry," the Doctor grinned. "I have a plan."