Chapter 06
The End of the World pt. 2
Disclaimers: Considering I'm not a famous millionaire and would rather exist in one of the fictional worlds I'd say it's a sure bet I don't own the realms used to create this fan fiction! At least I still have my wonderful dreams to escape in! Please R&R!
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Observation gallery (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
{Open POV}
Once in the observation gallery the Doctor want straight to the panel by the door with his sonic in hand and began scanning it. "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listened to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what?" The Doctor rapidly commented.
"It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me." Jabe replied slightly bewildered.
"Where's the engine room?" The Doctor asked.
"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you, your wife and your companion?" Jabe offered and it was now Prue's turn to be bewildered as her train of thought came to a screeching halt.
"Prue's my companion but Rose's not my wife." The Doctor answered simply.
"Partner?" Was Jabe's next guess.
"No." The Doctor replied instantly.
"Concubine?" Jabe guessed and Prue's mind went blank trying to figure out where this conversation was even happening.
"Nope." The slightly amused grin on the Doctor's face only served to further distract Prue from intervening on Rose's behalf.
"Prostitute?" Jabe guessed next causing Prue to look at her wide eyed while Rose finally snapped.
"On the river Styx, I do not want to know why you would even think that," Prue muttered in shock as Rose blurted out harshly.
"Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind? Tell you what, you two go and pollinate. Prue just do whatever I'm going to catch up with family aside from you. Quick word with Michael Jackson." Rose said before stormed over to Lady Cassandra.
"Don't start a fight." The Doctor called out after her before turning to Jabe and Prue, offering an arm to each of them.
"Well then, ladies I'm all yours." The Doctor said cheekily before leading the way out of the Observation gallery.
"And I want you both home by midnight," Rose called out from behind them.
"'Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes.'"
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Maintenance duct (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
"Who's in charge of Platform One? Is there a Captain or what?" The Doctor asked as he entered the maintenance duct pulling Prue after him having once again snagged her hand making her wonder if this was going to be a common happening.
"There's just the Steward and the staff. All the rest is controlled by the metal mind." Jabe offered as an explanation.
"You mean the computer? But who controls that?" The Doctor asked stopping to look back at Jabe and Prue frowned lightly as she too glanced at Jabe.
"The Corporation. They move Platform One from one artistic event to another." Jabe replied.
"But there's no one from the Corporation on board," Prue asked unknowingly asking the same question as the Doctor had been about to ask.
"They're not needed. This facility is purely automatic. It's the height of the Alpha class. Nothing can go wrong." She explained and Prue fought not to scoff at that.
"Unsinkable?" The Doctor asked in an offhand manner.
"If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate." Jabe replied.
"You're telling me. I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable. I ended up clinging to an iceberg. It wasn't half cold. So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble there's no one to help us out?" The Doctor explained and Prue mouthed "Titanic" with a questioning look which he responded to with a 'not now' kind of look so she let it drop.
"I'm afraid not," Jabe replied with a short pause.
"Fantastic." The Doctor commented before heading off again.
"I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?" Jabe exclaimed and Prue glanced back at her when she asked this.
"It's probably best we don't what going on inside that head of his." Prue offered simply.
"So, tell me, Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this?" The Doctor asked, blatantly ignoring his companions previous comment about him.
"Respect for the Earth," Jabe replied and Demeter flashed in Prue's mind for a second time.
"Oh, come on. Everyone on this platform's worth zillions." The Doctor countered.
"Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions." Jabe offered instead.
"In case your share prices drop? I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land." The Doctor commented and Prue sighed through her nose.
"All the same, we respect the Earth as family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is only one. I'm another. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below, and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest." Jabe replied and Prue shot her a smile.
"Excuse me." The Doctor ordered before finally releasing Prue's hand and pulling out his sonic. Using his sonic he scanned a door panel trying to hack into it.
"And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left. I scanned you earlier. The metal machine had trouble identifying your species. It refused to admit your existence. And even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just wanted to say how sorry I am." Jabe said quietly her voice taking on a sad tone as she put her hand on his arm and with teary eyes Prue latched onto his side in a half hug as he put his hand on top of hers. When the Doctor looked over at her Prue saw a tear drop fall from his eye. Prue then brushed away her own quickly just as the Doctor glanced down at her before turning his attention back to the panel. He managed to get the door open.
{End of Open POV}
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Engine room (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
{Prue's POV}
"Is it me, or is it a bit nippy?" The Doctor asked glancing back at Jabe and me.
"Wouldn't know, I'm not affected by the cold like everyone else," I replied with a shrug.
"Fair do's, though, that's a great bit of air conditioning. Sort of nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it retro." The Doctor stated as he scanned a panel with his sonic. "Gotcha!" and pulled off the panel.
I jumped back with a small scream as a metal spider scuttled out and up the wall. Ever since those damn spiders in the forbidden forest when I was Charlie I have been afraid of all spiders.
"What the hell's that?" The Doctor exclaimed as his head followed its movements.
"Is it part of the retro?" Jabe asked and shot a concerned glance at my outburst.
"Spiders" I managed to reply with a shudder the memory of Aragog's demon spawn still in my head.
"I don't think so. Hold on." The Doctor replied and aimed his Sonic at it testing different strengths when Jabe lassoed it.
"Hey, nice liana." "Impressive" The Doctor and I commented and the Doctor caught the evil thing in his hand.
"Thank you. We're not supposed to show them in public." Jabe responded sounding apologetic for some reason.
"Don't worry, Prue and I won't tell anybody. Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board?" The Doctor stated and studied the demon…I mean robot spider.
"What does it do?" Jabe curiously questioned.
"Sabotage!" The Doctor exclaimed briefly. His head shot up as the computer announced "'Earth Death in ten minutes.'"
"And the temperature's about to rocket. Come on." With A glance at Jabe and I, he once again snagged my hand before taking off. I sighed in exasperation but followed at his will.
"'Earth Death in ten minutes.'"
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Outside the Stewards office (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
I started gagging the instant the smoke in the corridor entered my nose. I knew that stench anywhere and it made my ill every time. I stripped off my waistcoat and clamped it over my nose and tried to keep my breaths shallow and short.
"Hold on. Get back." The Doctor ordered using his sonic on the panel next to the door.
"'Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.'"
"Is the Steward in there?!" Jabe asked face masked in alarm. I nearly ended up retching when I tried to answer and grimaced when the Doctor answered.
"You can smell him. Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend." He replied and grabbed my free hand before running off with me trying to keep my nose and mouth covered as I ran away from the stench of burning corpse.
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Outside gallery 15 (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
"'Sun filter descending.'" I skidded to a halt behind the Doctor as he began hacking the panel in front of us.
"Anyone in there?" The Doctor called out loudly through the door.
It was Rose's panicking voice that responded. "Let me out!"
"Oh, well, it would be you." The Doctor replied and I just managed not to slap him upside the head Gibbs style.
"Rose get away from the door. Get down to the lowest part of the room and preferably out of line with the window yeah?" I hollered to Rose.
"Alright Prue but open the door Doctor!" Rose hollered back and I heard her footsteps lead away from the door.
"Wow, she actually did as I said," I remarked out loud.
"Hold on. Give us two ticks." The Doctor stated as he continued using his sonic.
"'Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."'
I was about to try kicking down the door when the Doctor finally managed to override the system and the computer announced. "'Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.'" Only to switch back a tick later the "'Sun filter descending.'" Making my heart skip a few beats.
"Just what we need." The Doctor exclaimed in annoyance. "The computer's getting clever."
"Stop mucking about!" Rose's somewhat muffled holler called out."
"I'm not mucking about. It's fighting back." The Doctor responded.
"The computer has been corrupted, Rose." I hollered as to explain.
"Open the door!" Rose demanded and I began to pace behind the Doctor.
"I know!" The Doctor hollered back still working.
"'Sun filter descending. Sun filter...'" Thrusting his arm inside the open panel the sonic caused something to crack and I nearly cried when the computer announced the sun filters being raised.
"The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there! Don't move!" The Doctor called through the door.
"Where are am I going to go, Ipswich?" Rose remarked sarcastically.
"'Earth Death in five minutes.'" The Doctor turned to say something to me but stopped when I narrowed my eyes with determination, so instead, he grabbed my hand YET AGAIN and ran off.
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Observation Gallery (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
"The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One." Jabe stated the assembled guests.
"How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturise me, moisturise me." Lady Cassandra exclaimed and I glared at her feeling the deception pouring off her.
"Summon the Steward," Moxx ordered outright.
"I'm afraid the Steward is dead," I spoke up first.
"Who killed him?" Moxx asked panicking a bit I think.
"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face.
"There's a straightforward way of finding out, isn't there Doctor?" I asked as I continued to watch Cassandra out of the corner of my eye.
"It is; you see someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master." The Doctor stated and put the spider down and nudged it off with his foot. It scuttled off to Cassandra and scanned her and I bit back a growl when she used her eyes to gesture to the black robed figure and the spider obeyed.
"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!" Cassandra exclaimed and the Doctor had to grab a hold of my upper arm to stop me from lunging at her. The stern look on his face demanded no arguments and I stood still. "That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it," He said as he walked over to the Adherants and their leader tried to take a swing at him and the Doctor pulled the arm off. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." The Doctor stated and pulled one of the wires hanging out cause the robed figures to collapse.
"Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home." He gave the spider a nudge, and it returned to Cassandra.
"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms!" Cassandra snapped rudely and her aides raised their spray guns aiming them at us.
"What are you going to do, moisturise me?" The Doctor asked mockingly.
"With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax-free, past every code wall. I'm not just as pretty face." She Cassandra said laying out her evil plan.
"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?" The Doctor demanded disbelief in his voice.
"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous." Cassandra replied like she was only discussing the weather.
"Five billion years and it still comes down to money." I spat out angrily.
"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not those freaky little kids of yours." Cassandra snapped and glared daggers at me.
"Arrest her, the infidel!" Moxx ordered demandingly.
"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option." Cassandra snapped.
"'Earth Death in three minutes.'" "And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn."
"Then you'll burn with us." Jabe pointed out.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders activate. Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me." "'Safety systems failing."' "Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings." Cassandra called out as she and her attendants beamed out.
"'Heat levels rising.'"
"Reset the computer," Moxx commanded as it were obvious.
"Only the Steward would know how." Jabe responded regretfully.
"No. We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, Prue, come on. You lot, just chill." The Doctor ordered and ran off towards the maintenance duct from earlier.
"'Heat rising.'"
{End of Prue's POV}
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Engine room (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
{Open POV}
"'Heat levels critical.'"
"Oh. And guess where the switch is." The Doctor proclaimed and Prue spotted it on the other side of the room passed the three razor sharp fans.
"Of course, that's where they would put it," Prue muttered.
"'Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising.'"
The Doctor pulled a breaker lever and the fans slow down a little, but it reset as soon as he lets go of it the fans spinning even faster. "'External temperature five thousand degrees.'"
An idea popped into her head and Prue turned to Jabe, "Grab the lever and I'll help hold it down in just a sec, ok?" Getting a nod of acceptance Prue leapt at the Doctor throwing her arms around his neck before leaning in to kiss his cheek. The Doctor, however, had turned his face towards Prue causing her to kiss him right on the lips. Pulling away slowly Prue whispered into his ear, "Be safe." Letting go she strode beside Jabe and added her weight to hold down the lever.
Cottoning on our plan the Doctor exclaimed, "You can't. The heat's going to vent through this place."
"I know and I am sure Prue knows as well," Jabe replied.
"Jabe, you're made of wood and the metal will burn Prue!"
"Then stop wasting time, Time Lord," Jabe ordered, naming his species.
"'Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising.'"
"'Heat levels hazardous.'" The computer announced as the Doctor made it past the first fan Prue turned her head to Jabe.
"Jabe the Doctor is right you're made of wood and when heat hits it peak you will burn. Don't argue with me just let me do this and for the love of Lady Demeter hydrate, find a bath or something before you become a living torch." Prue ordered in a harsh whispered and Jabe studied her eyes before letting go of the lever and stepping away.
"You will make it through this I can see your will to survive burning in your eyes," Jabe stated before hurrying out of the engine room. Prue gritted her teeth and leaned more of her weight on the lever as the metal began to overheat and the skin on her hands began to burn.
"'Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical.'"
The Doctor looked back and nearly paused before he ran past the second fan
"'Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising.'"
"Thanks for stating the obvious." Prue managed to grit out between her clenched jaw as pain shot up her arms. The burning increased and Prue's skin began to crack and bleed making her head swim and tiny black dots dance across her vision. I leaned more of my weight onto my arms even as a cry of intense pain exploded out of me. "'Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five...'" Prue saw the Doctor finally walk past the last fan and nearly cried as he dashed over to the reset breaker and flipped it calling out, "Raise shields!"
Prue had sunk to her knees as the Doctor made his way back through the fans. A scream of pain tore out of her as the Doctor pried her badly damaged hands from the lever. Tears began falling down her cheeks as the Doctor wrapped Prue's hands in a pair of handkerchiefs he'd dug out of his pockets. Seeing the agony Prue was in the Doctor gently kissed her brow and he lifted her in his arms, whispering, "Sleep." Knocking Prue out cold.
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Observation Gallery (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
The Doctor was silently seething with fury as he carried Prue back to the observation gallery glancing down at her tear stained face.
Once he entered the observation gallery he headed over to where Jabe stood with her escorts. "Would one of you mind holding her for just a moment I'm going to need my hands-free." The Doctor requested shortly and one of the Male trees stepped forwards and shifted Prue into his arms and Jabe studied her bandaged hands in worry. They were stained with blood and you could see the charred skin the makeshift bandages hadn't quite covered.
Rose enters and headed to the Doctor, thankfully not able to see her sister's state. "You, all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby." The Doctor lectured and smashed open the alleged ostrich egg to reveal a small device. "Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed." He finished and twisted the nob sharply.
"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces." Wittered Cassandra as she was beamed back in. "Oh!"
"The last human." The Doctor stated sarcastically.
"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club." Cassandra uttered, plainly grasping at straws.
'People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them. You tried to have one of my companion murdered and another is severely injured." The Doctor responded
"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter..."
"And creak?" The Doctor inquired cutting her off.
"And what?" Cassandra asked slightly distracted.
"Creak. You're creaking." The Doctor pointed flatly.
"What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!" Cassandra cried out.
"You raised the temperature." The Doctor informed her redundantly.
"Have pity! Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything." Cassandra said now begging as her skin dried and began to shrink in its frame.
Rose stepped up next to the Doctor not looking away from Cassandra. "Help her."
"Everything has its time and everything dies." The Doctor supplied, refusing to help though he mentally apologized to Prue, he would save Prue.
"I'm too young!" Cassandra managed to force out before she exploded.
Walking over to the Trees the Doctor silently shifted Prue back into his arms and nodded sharply at the Male tree who returned the gesture and left with the other Trees.
"Doctor, what happened to Prue?" Rose cried out alarmed when she saw her sister's hands.
"She was hurt working to help save the day." The Doctor said glancing from Rose down to Prue who was still asleep from the Doctors manipulation.
Soon only Rose, Prue and the Doctor were left, Rose and the Doctor looking at the asteroids that were once the Earth as they float past the red giant Sun.
"The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just..."
"Come with me." The Doctor stated gently cradling Prue in his arms as he led Rose back to the Tardis.
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) Inside the Tardis (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
As if sensing the Doctor's urgency, the first door off of the console room opened to reveal the med bay. The Doctor carefully laid Prue on the nearest cot as the Tardis hummed with worry making all the things the Doctor would need appear next to him.
"You're going to be able to heal my sister, right Doctor?" Rose asked uncertainly shifted on her feet.
"I am certainly going to try but if you have a weak stomach I suggest moving to the console room. Her hands are badly damaged.
"I'll stay, I am the older sister after all," Rose replied and sat on a chair near Prue.
As the Doctor removed the makeshift bandages Rose shuddered at the level of damage but kept quiet as the Doctor began to work. Watching damaged flesh being replaced by new healthy cells gave Rose an idea. "Would what you're doing work on the scar on her left forearm. I know she'd never ask for herself, so I'm asking cos I know how much it bothers her."
"I was going to anyway," The Doctor countered and removed the compression band before treating the scar tissue, which due to its age took a moment longer than her hands. "Speaking of your sister who is Chris?" The Doctor asked forcing himself to sound nonchalant.
"Oh, did she mention him," Rose inquired and when the Doctor nodded she explained. "He's sort like a surrogate boyfriend for her. You see about three years ago there was a boy in her class who wouldn't take no for an answer. It came to a head when he cornered her one day and tried to force himself on her. Chris happened to be close by and heard Prue screaming, he didn't even hesitate from coming to her rescue. After that Chris assigned himself as her unofficial bodyguard, telling everyone they were a couple with Prue's permission of course. There no actual romance between them if that's what you're worried about, Chris is gay and only loves Prue like a younger sister. Prue hasn't even had her first kiss yet." Rose explained, causing the Doctor to pause in shock, recalling Prue's earlier kiss. Quickly applying bandages soaked in a solution that would strengthen the fragile new skin he grabbed Rose's hand, eager to change the subject. As the Doctor had been tending to Prue he had completely missed the mischievous glint in Rose Tyler's eyes as she guessed why the Doctor had reacted the way he had.
The Doctor, now eager to change topics grabbed Rose's hand and tugged her from her chair, "Right then, Rose Tyler let's let Prue sleep and you come with me." The Doctor ordered before leading her to the console room, setting the coronates and sending the Tardis into the vortex.
(-_-) (-_-) (-_-) London (-_-) (-_-) (-_-)
Stepping outside the Tardis a baby was crying, a man was laughing. The Doctor and Rose stood in the middle of teeming people going about their daily lives.
"Big Issue! Big Issue!" A man holding some paper called out.
"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky." The Doctor stated before his gaze turned pensive. "My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before it's time." The Doctor explained to Rose his voice filled with melancholy.
"What happened?" Rose asked softly, studying the Doctors face.
"There was a war and we lost." Was his response.
"A war with who?" Rose paused and cleared her throat slightly when he remained silent. "What about your people?"
"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else."
"There's me and there's Prue too." Rose offered hopefully.
"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want you and Prue to go home?" The Doctor asked seriously.
"I don't know. I want," Rose admitted and paused and began sniffing the air. "Oh, can you smell chips?"
"Yeah." The Doctor replied and chuckled. "Yeah."
"I want chips," Rose stated still smelling the air around them.
"Me too." The Doctor replied with a large grin
"Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is and a take away for Prue, and you can pay," Rose ordered airily.
"No money." The Doctor answered in the same fashion.
"What sort of date are you, should I warn Prue? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me and you can remind me to get some for Prue. We've only got five billion years till the shops close."
{End of Open POV}
Author Notes: R&R Pretty Please?
Date Finished and Edited: 9/2/2017
Date Uploaded: 9/4/2017