The Lunar Skies (5)

The clicking of Dawn and the Doctor's heels against the metal floor below reverberated through the corridor, making the young human glance back anxiously every few seconds. If an Ice Warrior were anywhere near them, they'd definitely be able to hear them.

The Doctor seemed less bothered. His pace was fast, eyes locked on the doors ahead, at least five steps ahead of Dawn. Nothing showed the trauma his body had gone through just five minutes earlier. It was as if he had completely healed. Dawn shook her head. So many impossible things surrounded her new friend.

Without any sense of apprehension, the Timelord put his hand over a button and the door to the cockpit slid open, revealing the leader Ice Warrior in his seat, looking out at the sky beyond. Just below sat the planet Pentas. Just in front sat the moon. It was in the same spot it had been at least twenty minutes before.

Without turning around, the Ice Warrior's gravelly voice called back, "Have the prisoners been dealt with?"

Dawn cast a sideways glance at the Doctor, feeling a lump form in her throat. She didn't know how fast her heart was beating, but it was definitely faster than it should. The brown-eyed woman wondered if the Doctor was feeling the same level of fear. She guessed so, as he bit his lip anxiously, weight shifting between feet. His hands were clenched tightly to keep them from shaking.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor forced his courage to grow. "Yes. They have been dealt with."

His impression of an Ice Warrior was dodgy, to say the least, but the creature in the seat didn't stir. Cautiously, the Doctor took a step forward, confidence growing. "May I ask what the plan is, commander?"

The leader sighed, shaking his head. In annoyance, he hissed back, "I have told you this many times, Lieutenant. We are to harness the moon and return it to our Martian sky. There, we can correct the low gravity that has always kept us from our greatest potential. Soon, we will be able to march like those on Earth. We shall be the strongest force in the galaxy."

The Doctor nodded along, bent over to hear the raspy voice clearer. As the reptile concluded his speech, he straightened himself once more, returning to his normal voice. "So, the whole universe is in danger then? Good. Now I won't feel guilty stopping you."

The Commander spun around in his seat, taking in the human and Timelord with a dropped jaw. "Guard!"

Dawn noted his hands, locked on the controls in front of him. A sly smile appeared on the girl's face. "They're in despised at the moment, I'm afraid. Please call later."

The monster gritted his teeth, letting out a growl that would've sent shivers to Dawn's spine if she wasn't having so much fun. The enemy was stuck; out of options. He had to stay with the controls to keep his prize. All of his friend's had been taken care of."

The Doctor strolled to the right panel of the console, hand hovering above a red button. "I'm assuming if I press this, the moon goes back to it's normal position?"

The Ice Warrior needn't respond. The Doctor had won. Still staring at the Commander with something like a smirk, the Doctor slammed his palm onto the button below. Instantly, the moon in front of them began shrinking into the distance, returning swiftly to it's normal place over Pentas. The Ice Warrior sat stiffly for a moment, staring out at his lost fortune. Now Dawn felt her hair raise. She and the Doctor stood on the two extremes of the room. The Ice Warrior and the TARDIS behind him sat in the middle. Both of them would have to pass their newly angered enemy to get to safety.

They shared a look before cautiously stepping away from the console, hearing the unmistakable sound of a door sliding open behind Dawn. The girl froze, eyes widening. The Doctor was the same.

Their eyes met. Brown and blue. Dawn could feel a muscled, armored arm raise behind her. Her eyes closed. Deep breath. The Doctor watched the scene unblinkingly. He was too far away to help.

As the arm came swinging to meet with her head, Dawn dropped to one knee on the floor. The fist passed directly over her hair, slamming into the wall instead. Without wasting a second, the teen rolled away from her position beneath the Ice Warrior, getting slightly closer to the center of the room. The Doctor was already fumbling in his jacket for his key. Dawn urged him on as she met him by the TARDIS. Both Ice Warriors approached slowly, threateningly.

Finally, the Doctor got the door open, pushing Dawn in first and clambering in after her, barely getting the door shut behind them as they crashed to the floor. After a few seconds, the Doctor caught his breath. "That was...impressive."

"I'm telling you, Dance Dance Revolution."

The teen jumped to her feet, holding out a hand for the Doctor. A creaking sound entered her ears, furrowing her brows. The Doctor's eyes widened, breath catching in his throat. "I didn't get to lock the door."

Slowly, the girl's hand lowered to her side. The Doctor's simple sentence brought more fear to Dawn than anything else today had. She felt the breath of the creature behind her, and the point of a gun press into her back. With its raspy voice, the leader commanded, "You will transport me whenever I ask, or the human will die."