Finally, after a long wait, I am back in the game. Somehow, this story has become a stress relief in the last few days. Probably because I just spent the last few weeks trying to write my Uni essays and now I am stuck in Exam mode. Anyway, hopefully I will be able to write a bit more now.

This is the last chapter of what I have personally called 'Project Explain how Scotty became the Editor'. Therefore, the next chapter will bring the Doctor back. Also, I feel I should mention that this chapter is violent.

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Twigs and leaves were instantly crushed under his boots as Kirk ran through the bush, his sense of dread growing with every passing second. He didn't like this planet at all. Bursting through the scrubs, he skidded, only just avoiding crashing into his First Officer. Spock was kneeling at the edge of a clearing which, until recently, was their missing crew's camp. Kirk slowed and turned, managing not to fall over. Then he lent down, trying to catch his breath. After a few seconds, he found his voice.

"Ok, I'm here. What did you find?"

Spock raised a single eyebrow at his captain's behaviour before pocketing his scanner. Standing up, Spock turned to Kirk.

"If you would follow me captain." He said.

Kirk nodded as the Vulcan walked around a large tree at the edge of the clearing. Following his First Officer, he found Spock standing next to what looked like a large shrub. In silence, he watched as Spock pushed aside some of the green foliage. A flash of metal shone out from under the leaves. Kirk took a step closer as Spock continued to pull the living plant away, revealing a large metal dome.

"What the hell is that?" he asked.

Spock gave a small, almost shrug.

"It is unlike anything I have ever seen before Captain. According to my scans, the outside is some sort of metal of which I am not familiar. However, the inside appears to be organic."

Kirk glanced over at Spock.

"Organic? Are you saying there is something inside that thing?"

Again, another almost shrug. Kirk sighed and pulled out his communicator.

"Scotty, get up here. I've got something here for you to look at." Kirk paused for a few moments. Then he glanced down at his communicator.

"Mr Scott. Are you there?"

Kirk glanced over at Spock. Then he turned back to his communicator.

"Mr Sulu, can you get a trace on Mr Scott?" he asked.

"No Captain" came Sulu's reply from the Enterprise.

Kirk didn't even wait for Spock to follow him. Instead he ran back to the clearing before heading south, back to the shuttle, Spock right behind him.

After a few minutes of silent running, the two Starfleet officers arrived back at the shuttle.

"Mr Scott!" Kirk yelled, running up the ramp and almost tripping over the discarded tools. "Mr Scott, answer me!"

"Captain" Spock called from outside the shuttle.

Kirk made is way out of the shuttle as Spock pulled something out of the undergrowth. It was an emergency phaser. Kirk took the phaser from his first officer. Spock was staring at the ground. Then, the Vulcan pointed at something. Kirk blinked, finally noticing the small patch of dark, damp ground. Blood.

Grabbing his communicator out of his pocket, Kirk activated it, sending an emergency signal to the Enterprise.

"Bones! Get a team down here now. Scotty's missing and probably injured."

Kirk pocketed his communicator, worried for his friend.

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On board the Enterprise, McCoy listened to the message, his insides freezing.

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Waking up was an unpleasant experience for Scotty. The back of his head ached, a deep, consistent throb of pain which seemed to double in strength every time he blinked in the dim light. Scotty groaned, his body complaining as he moved slightly on the cold floor.

From somewhere near his head, something moved. The soft sounds of an engine met his ears. Normally, this was a comforting sound to Scotty. Often, back on Delta Vega, he had fallen asleep with that sound ringing in his ears. But this time, it was different. Scotty didn't know if it was due to the return of his recent memories or if it was the fact that the sound was of a higher pitch than normal, but something made him sit up suddenly, ignoring the flash of pain. Slowly, he scanned his surroundings. He was in a small room. The walls were lined with copper and some other metal he wasn't familiar with. The sound was right behind him now. Turning around slowly, his eyes fell on a large metal dome. The dome moved slowly towards him, a large eye like light on its top moved, as if scanning him.

Scotty climbed to his feet, stopping only when the 'thing' moved, the eye stalk moving up and down, following his movements.

"Halt!"

It was the gritty pitch of the words which made him freeze, moments before his brain registered that the thing had spoken.

Footsteps echoed in the room behind him.

"My Masters, he is perfect! My brother will be pleased."

Scotty jumped at the voice, swinging around to see the young woman from the shuttle step out of the shadows. She was smiling at him. A small, innocent smile which was made all the more frightening by the pair of electric blue eyes scanning him. Breaking away from the almost hypnotic stare, Scotty jumped to his feet, the metal dome retreating hurriedly.

"Alright, that's enough! Just what the bloody hell is going on here?" he yelled.

The young woman raised her hand in a warning, her gaze fixed on the dome. The air tingled for a few seconds, making Scotty.

Then slowly, the woman lowered her hand.

Scotty blinked.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The woman smiled again, the action causing the skin on her cheeks to stretch, leaving her looking almost inhuman.

"My name is un-pronounceable in your language. You may call me the Controller." She said.

From the shadows, a young man emerged. He was tall, pale with the same electric blue eyes and from what Scotty could tell very, very sick. Every movement seemed a huge effort for the young man as he slowly made his way over to the woman. She gestured to him.

"And this is my brother. You may call him the Editor"

Scotty watched in horror as the young man's legs gave way, sending him to the ground. The woman reached over and knelt by him, placing a hand on his chest.

"It is ok brother. It is time. A new, strong body has been found for you."

She looked up at Scotty.

"I hope you like him"

The man glanced up at Scotty and violently shuddered. Then, he lowered his head. The pale skin on his neck stretched. Underneath the flesh, a dark shadow moved.

Scotty watched, still frozen in horror as the woman pulled out a small device. She pointed it at the shadow. Scotty couldn't stop himself gagging at the smell of burning flesh as the laser cut through the layers of skin on the man's neck. Then, the laser disappeared on the woman's person. Reaching her brothers neck, the woman forced her fingers into the wound, causing a strangled whimper from the man. Pinching her finders the woman drew something small and black and alive from the wound. It was almost crab like, except for a long tail like spine on its lower back with moved violently as it fought against the woman's hold. The man dropped to the ground, sobbing. With a look of love, the woman placed the crab thing in her palm, stroking it gently as the young man gasped and tried to move.

The dome rolled slowly towards the man, appearing almost menacing in the dim light. The young man scurried backwards as the thing moved, a look of fear on his face. Then, he turned slowly, tears sliding down his pale cheek.

"Help me. Please." He whispered.

The dome lowered a metal cylinder at the man. Scotty closed his eyes, suddenly dreading the future. He reached for his badge, a motion which had always comforted him, reminding him of his duty to his ship and his friends. Because of this, he did not see the flash of light from the cylinder. However, nothing could block out the scream. Scotty gripped his badge tighter, feeling it pull away from the material of his shirt.

Slowly, Scotty opened his eyes. The young man was staring at him, his face frozen at the moment of his death. Horrified, Scotty took a step backwards, almost falling into another metal dome which had entered the room unnoticed. Catching himself, Scotty attempted to side step the thing. However, the sounds of his struggle were loud and clear. The woman's head turned. Slowly, she took a step towards him. Scotty attempted to take another step backwards, hitting the dome. The woman was getting closer. Irrationally, Scotty pushed back against the dome, trying to move it. Instead, the dome moved forward, almost like it was pushing him to meet the advancing danger.

Within seconds, the woman was on him, pushing her body against his to hold him still. Her filled hand coming down to rest on his shoulder. Scotty wriggled, trying to shake the hand off. Using her free hand, the woman grabbed his hands in a painful grip, forcing him to stay still. Scotty shuddered in fear as the crab thing climbed off her palm and onto his shirt. As soon as the creature was clear, the woman's free hand was wrapped around his neck, cutting off his air supply. Scotty gasped, trying to fight as the thing crawled to the back of his neck.

A shape pain forced a cry of surprise from Scotty as the creature cut into his flesh. Slowly, agonisingly, the creature pushed against the wound, digging through the muscle. Scotty bucked wildly, trying to get free, to get the creature off him, to do something. His pinned hand curled around his broken badge as the lack of oxygen stole his strength. And then, the pain stopped. The creature was inside him. Scotty faded into the blackness of his mind as the Editor took control.

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Ok. Just as a reminder, the Controller was that woman who was controlling the games on Satellite 5 during the Bad Wolf episodes. I always thought she had to be related to the Editor since they were both doing the same job (Keep the people ignorant) and even looked similar. And of course the Domes are Daleks. However, the crab alien is my own idea. (I haven't even thought up a name for them yet. Anyone have any ideas?) They will be explained in later chapters.