The Last Remnants
Featuring the Fourth Doctor and June Seymour
Professor Maria De Souza had found something remarkable. It had washed up in the latest intake of artefacts that had been uncovered in the local ruins. It had amazed her ever since she had seen it. But that was what life was like in the San Juan Research Centre. Life underwater was always thrilling.
She was now rapidly pacing towards Captain Edward Solomon's office because she needed to show him what she had found. It had begun to whisper to her as well. Telling her that she was special. Remarkable. Amazing. Perhaps it could see the future. There was one thing, however, that she was aware of. This was something definite, something clearly obvious from the behaviour of the object.
It wasn't human.
In a tall blue box that flew through the Time Vortex, June Seymour was reading. More specifically, she was reading tomorrow's copy of The Times and had begun to fill out the crossword, with a blue biro.
"5 across," she read, "blue bird flying across lava and flame. 5 letters."
"Phoenix." the Doctor's voice boomed from the open door, leading into the vast depths of the TARDIS.
"What?"
"It's a phoenix."
The Doctor emerged, wearing a white shirt, brown waistcoat and grey trousers with tall brown pirate boots. He had brown curly hair on his head and a beakish nose and a smile that could brighten any situation.
"What happened to your scarf and all of your other clothes?" June wondered, noticing the missing scarf that the Doctor usually wore.
"They're being washed by the TARDIS drycleaner. I'll be in this get-up for today but thankfully I didn't forget my sonic screwdriver." he replied, taking out his sonic screwdriver from his trouser pocket and activating it for a few seconds.
"I like your scarf. You look like a Victorian pirate in that get-up."
Before the Doctor could reply, the TARDIS began to materialise, wheezing and groaning into existence. The Doctor headed over to the console and examined the instruments.
"It appears that we've landed in a research centre under the sea." he said, walking over to the door leading out of the TARDIS, "Come on, let's see why the TARDIS brought us here."
The Doctor and June stepped out of the TARDIS and instantly noticed Maria, rushing to Captain Solomon's office.
"Hello there," the Doctor said to Maria, "you look shocked."
"I am. Who are you?" Maria replied, stopping to chat.
"I'm the Doctor and this is June. We're just travellers hoping to help out and we would love it if you could show us what's shocked you."
She sighed and walked back to her lab and the Doctor and June followed her.
Captain Solomon had already made it Maria's lab and noticed what was on the table: it was an ancient skeleton that had been slightly eroded by the sea. The skeleton looked alien and Captain Solomon knew how to deal with alien objects. He remembered one Christmas when dozens of people were standing on high rooftops. People had talked about how aliens had been behind it. That was why he had joined UNIT. But then, several years later, he left. Things turned ugly.
"Captain Solomon, what are you doing here?" Maria asked, entering her lab with the Doctor and June.
"I came to find you. You called me to ask if I wanted to see what you found." he replied, acting as if everything was normal.
"Captain Solomon, I think something's wrong here." the Doctor said, "Show me what you've found on that table."
Captain Solomon led the Doctor and June to the table and Maria stood opposite the three of them.
"And you found this buried in the depths of the ocean?" June asked Maria, looking away from the skeleton.
"Yes. We also found a tomb ship and that's in the hangar." Maria replied.
"Didn't you think that you should leave the alien skeleton alone? If it can cause this much chaos, you should be worried."
"Exactly." the Doctor agreed, scanning the skeleton with his sonic screwdriver, "This skeleton is giving off bizarre energy readings. I think this skeleton isn't a skeleton."
And then the skeleton stood up.
The Doctor, June and Captain Solomon backed away from the table as the skeleton advanced towards Maria.
"Kyjikis shall rise!" the skeleton repeated in its quiet voice, as it bonded with Maria's body and glowed a bright green. Maria then stood up and smiled at the Doctor, June and Captain Solomon.
"This body feels worn out but it will do for now." she said, walking over to the doors and picking up a fire extinguisher. She then walked out and slammed the fire extinguisher into a button that said "EMERGENCY LOCK", which made the doors slam shut and click into place. The Doctor immediately set about undoing the lock while June gazed about the lab for anything they could use. The lab had a window looking into the sea, as well as three oxygen canisters and three helmets that were in for repair.
"Doctor, I've had an idea." June said, realising that she had thought of the perfect way out.
Maria had made it to the control centre, where Josh Harkingdon was surprised to see her there.
"Maria, you should be in your lab." Josh said, as Maria walked over to him. She placed her hand on his head and glowing green energy flowed straight into his mind. Kyjikis's mind flowed from her body to his and Maria collapsed to the floor, absolutely dead. Josh then began to input the activation codes for the nuclear missiles that were stored within the base. Kyjikis smiled happily to himself, knowing that he had chosen a good, strong body. That other body was useless, filled with scientific nonsense. Kyjikis was a man of action, a criminal and a scoundrel. He needed to survive and make sure no pesky humans disturbed his plans. Thank goodness his ship was nearby.
The Doctor, June and Captain Solomon swam straight into the airlock, having dived out of the lab and into the ocean. The water slowly cleared and the doors opened and the three of them entered the base, removing their underwater gear.
"Captain, where do you think Maria will be heading?" June asked, throwing her visor and oxygen tank away.
"June, I think Maria will have headed to the control room, because I know underwater bases and there's one thing they all have in common. Am I right Captain?" the Doctor asked him. The Captain took a few moments to think about this and realised what he meant.
"You're right." he confirmed, heading to the right, "This way."
Josh had inputted the codes. There were now five minutes between him and the Earth's destruction. He was running back to the hangar when he encountered the Doctor, June and Captain Solomon.
"Kyjikis, stop this now!" the Doctor barked at him.
"I won't stop. This planet was lovely and quiet so I'm going to give it a reward for accommodating me. The missiles are primed and ready. You won't stop it." Kyjikis said, using Josh's vocal chords like the driver of a car would use the car's steering wheel.
"June, Solomon, go and deal with the missiles." the Doctor instructed, handing June his sonic screwdriver, "I'll deal with Kyjikis."
June and Solomon ran past Kyjikis and Kyjikis didn't move to harm them.
The Doctor and Kyjikis were now alone.
"So, I presume you're going to your ship in the hangar?" the Doctor deduced, "Why do you want to kill these humans?"
"Humans ruin my plans. They always do. I want revenge for what humans have done to me."
"But humans are just so wonderful. They invented music and art and such fine food. They didn't do anything to you: you're just immoral."
"I simply want survival. Is that too much to ask?"
"It's a pity that I'll have to stop you."
June and Captain Solomon were now trying to stop the missiles from being set off. Captain Solomon was rewiring cables within the computer while June was zapping the sonic screwdriver at the main computer, hoping that something good would happen.
"Solomon, redirect the missiles." June ordered, having had a thought.
"Are you sure?" he asked, wondering if she was mad.
"Definitely. Redirect two of them to the hangar and evacuate all the workers currently working in the hangar."
Captain Solomon looked at her and realised what she was thinking.
"I can see why he brings you along."
The Doctor and Kyjikis heard the announcement from June immediately.
"What is happening with the hangar? Answer me!" Kyjikis roared, as the Doctor set off for the hangar, with a wide grin on his face.
He reached the hangar in a matter of moments and, once everyone was out, fumbled around for his sonic screwdriver. He then remembered that he had given his sonic screwdriver to June and slammed the "EMERGENCY LOCK" button, making the doors slam shut and lock in place.
"This is unacceptable!" Kyjikis screamed, "I must access my ship!"
The Doctor could hear the sound of the approaching missiles and knew what was about to happen.
"Everyone run!" he cried, making for the TARDIS and entering the small blue police box, having sealed off the doors leading to the section of the base where the hangar was once everyone had left.
The hangar, with the ship inside, exploded with a loud bang and the rubble floated up to the surface as well as a load of fizzing. June and Captain Solomon emerged from the control centre and noticed the Doctor stepping out of the TARDIS.
"Doctor, did you like my plan?" June asked, hoping that he was alright.
"Oh, that was clever. Where's Kyjikis?" he wondered, glancing around him.
Kyjikis had made his way to the airlock and had found the damaged visors that the Doctor had worn earlier.
"Kyjikis, I've locked the airlock." the Doctor said, having subtly arrived with June and Captain Solomon, "It's over."
"No. It isn't over." Kyjikis protested, "At least let this body be mine. The mind inside it is completely and utterly dead."
"You can't. Give some respect to that poor man." June protested.
"I'm a criminal. I never give people respect." Kyjikis said, his mind streaming out of Josh's eyes and into the air. Thinking on his feet, the Doctor took out a jelly baby and the green mist of Kyjikis's mind flowed into it. He then sealed the jelly baby in a small metal box which clicked into position.
"I think it's time for us to go June. I need to seal this in the TARDIS vaults." the Doctor said, "Goodbye Captain Solomon."
The Doctor and June walked off, back to the TARDIS.
THE END