XxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxx

Chapter 46 – The Message

The Doctor ran into the Control Room. Poltious and Lance looked surprised at him.

Lance shook his head, "I thought you went to bed."

He quickly went over to a station and ran his hand across the flat surface. A keyboard lit up. "All ships during this time have a medical emergency signal in the event a contagion gets onboard."

Poltious groaned, "I didn't think of that. If the ship has fell victim to the plague, the ship would be broadcasting a warning for us to avoid her."

Lance shrugged his shoulders, "Then why can't we receive the message?"

The Doctor continued to type. "Yeah, but ships that carry royalty do it on a coded channel specific to that ship. That way, armies wouldn't know the ruling family of a planet might be compromised. It's designed to hide until someone who they want to find it comes to look for it."

Lance nodded his head. "Yes. That would have been activated if more than eight crew members had fallen ill within twelve hours."

"Poltious, do you still have all of that information the Queen sent over?"

Poltious nodded his head. "There was nothing in there like you were talking about."

He looked at the information as he rubbed his lip and thought, "It's encoded. It happens so rarely that the Queen didn't think about that, either." He pressed a few buttons. "Yes. That's it. Has to be." He typed in a code where he sat.

He reached up and pointed at a star map above him. A light began to blink. "That's where they are. Get us over there, and send the information to the other ships."

Poltious rushed over to the controls and moved the ship. Lance pat the Doctor on the shoulder. "I'll wake Ashena. She needs to be up here." He ran out of the room.

Poltious moved the ship and looked through the main window. "Alright, this is where they are supposed to be." They were looking directly at a meteoroid in front of them.

The Doctor looked at the window. "They are. The meteoroid has them hidden. See?"

As the meteoroid spun over, Poltious saw the glimmer of silver. The grey meteoroid had masked the ship perfectly. The Doctor sat down next to him and pressed a series of buttons. "Use the codes that the Queen sent to us. We will be able to take control of the ship."

Poltious sat next to him and typed the information in frantically. "Got it."

Immediately, they begin to get information from the ship on the meteoroid. "Her shields have her completely blocked from all radars and scanners."

Poltious nodded his head. "I'll reroute the shielding. Ours is at 100%. The other ships are joining us."

"Make certain theirs is up to 100%, too. Have them flank us on either side, and put one directly behind us."

"Alright. They are getting into position. I'm bringing the main power system back online and getting a status update."

After 37.6 seconds, which seemed like an eternity, the computers on the Doctor's ship linked up with King Clagl's ship. The Doctor pressed a few buttons, "Are you getting any status of the crew?"

Poltious pressed a few buttons, "Coming in now. Life support has been suspended. There are no life signs onboard."

The Doctor looked at Poltious. "Damn."

Poltious shook his head. "We're too late."

"We couldn't have done anything for them anyway." He sat back and rubbed his face in defeat.

A voice spoke on the speaker. "Primus Doctor, sir."

He groaned, "Yes."

"We've got trouble. Looks like a Jeclaonides Ship in the area." The voice said.

The Doctor groaned. "Damn it. They've probably been cloaked waiting on us to find it." He bit his lip. "Friday. Where is Tony currently located?"

Friday spoke, "Tony and Legate are currently located in the hanger."

Poltious looked surprised, "Does Tony ever sleep?"

"Not often." He held up his hand, and spoke to Legate in his head. "Alright. He was welding something. That worked."

Rose walked into the room holding Sam. Summus and Licis were right behind her. Poltious glanced back at them. "We have a Jeclaonides Ship."

Summus swore in Quauhtin as he sat down at a station behind them. He pointed at Licis. "Go wake, Ashena."

Ashena walked in with Lance and Logan. "I'm already here. Have you found them?"

The Doctor looked up at the screen. "Yes. But…."

Poltious groaned, "They are contacting us."

The Doctor closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "Alright. I'm ready. Go ahead."

Rose watched as an extremely frightening alien filled the screen in front of them. It was dark red and looked like what Rose had always seen demons depicted as.

The Doctor asked, "Universal Translator?"

Poltious nodded, "It's on. Do you want it off?"

"Nah. Greetings! What brings you lot out here? Bit far from home, aren't you?" he said cheerfully as he looked at the screen.

The demon looking alien pointed at the screen. "You're one to talk, Andromedaen. This ship is ours."

"Yeah, says who?"

The alien was caught off guard. "Well, I say so."

"Well, I don't agree."

"Who are you to make such a proclamation?"

He smiled, "Oh, I love being on this side. No one knows me here."

"I demand to know who you are!" The demon growled.

"Oh, hell. Shut up. I'm getting to that. I'm the Doctor. And that ship is mine."

"We have every right to it."

The Doctor clicked a few buttons. "Yeah? Name five."

"What?" The demon asked, confused.

"You know what? I'm honestly busy and just sick of this chat. It's mine, so piss off." He ended the call and looked back at Ashena. Her face looked shocked.

"You told a Jeclaonides to do what?" she asked.

He stood up and walked over to her. He took her hands in his. "Princess. I'm so very sorry. There are no life signs onboard your father's ship. I've checked multiple times. There is a recording for you."

She closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. "May I see it?"

He nodded his head. "Certainly. Do you want to go in my office?"

She shook her head. "No. It has to be seen with witnesses. I know what it is."

He held her hand and pointed at Poltious. "Go on then."

Poltious played the message on the large screen in front of them. King Clagl's face filled the screen. He was covered in sweat and had very dark circles around both of his eyes.

Ashena wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek and cleared her throat. "Princess Ashena of the Andromedaens."

A female voice said, "Voice print recognized."

The message began to play. King Clagl spoke, "My dearest Ashena. I'm certain that by the time this message finds you, I'll be long since perished. I can see Doctor John's ship outside and I know you will be with him. I knew I had done the right thing sending you with him, and the Quauhtin, to Terra. I hope you have enjoyed your time there because I now have to ask you to step into the role you were born for. It's time you will take over as Queen of our beautiful world. I'm so sorry to leave you. I had planned to help you with this, and ease you into it. But, it looks as though fate would have other ideas."

"Please, do not seek vengeance for mine, or your brother's death. We stopped to refuel and were contacted by a ship in distress. We had no idea, nor did they, that they contaminated us until hours later. I'm not sure where they are, but John will know how to track them. Their ship was old and in terrible shape. I doubt it even made it close to Terra. Now, knowing what they carried, I'm grateful it didn't. And seeing John's ship out there warms my heart. I know that you are safe."

"A father wants the absolute best for his children, and I hope that one day you will forgive me for leaving you as you have barely came of age to take this position I leave in your capable hands. Remember, I wasn't much older than you were when I became King. Listen to your advisors, but remember you have the last word. Appoint other advisors if you feel that you need to. Some of them can be a bit, old fashioned. Stubborn." He chuckled.

"And please. I'll make a recording for Oen. Sit with her with it's played. She will need to hold your hand. Be there for one another. Don't try to be too strong."

"As per our customs, you are now permitted to mourn. As the daughter Ashena, who has lost her beloved brother and father. I will ask my friend, John, to please return you to our homeworld and remain to see you as you cease your mourning at the feast of my and my son's memory. I want a hell of a party that will be the thing of legend throughout the galaxy for centuries to come. I had a wonderful life and accomplished so much that I want it celebrated. It is my wish that you will accept the role of Queen during the feast. And you are also free to choose whoever you would like to be your mate. I imagine the advisors will go wild with that, but I make it law in this moment. You are a clever young woman and have no doubt gathered witnesses for this viewing. It is your decision, my beloved."

"John, I know that you are probably watching this with my daughter. I would ask you to please keep an eye on her and hers. I know you can't take her as a mate, but would request that you would continue your friendship and advise her as you would me. This will be difficult for her for a bit, but I'm sure she can do it. She will be simply amazing. I wish I would be able to see it."

"Tell my people that I go to my death knowing that I lived the life that others could only dream of. I did not take one moment for granite. I do not have one regret. I loved being King. I loved my family and my people, but above all, I was loved. I never questioned that, and I feel it is honestly the largest accomplishment of my entire life. I was loved."

"Good-bye my dearest. All of my love to you. Be happy. Be loved." He reached up and turned off the transmission.

Ashena closed her eyes tightly as tears rolled down her cheeks. She whispered, "John…"

"Yes."

She bit her lip. "I need to ask you please destroy the ship. This sickness cannot get out and hurt anyone else."

He nodded his head. "I will. Do you want Logan to take you back-"

She took a deep breath and stood up straight. "I will remain. Please. Destroy the ship."

He nodded his head as he sat back down at the station. He pressed a few buttons and looked back at her. "It's ready."

She walked next to him and held her finger over the button on the panel that blinked. She hesitated and closed her eyes tightly. He put his hand on top of hers. "We'll do it together. You shouldn't have to do this alone."

She nodded as they both pressed the button and the plasma cannon shot the ship four times causing it to explode.

Poltious looked down at the panel's readings. "It's gone."

Licis wept silently in the back of the room. Rose saw him and took his hand. He held her hand tightly as tears rolled down his face. "Farewell."

Ashena wiped her eyes as Logan walked to her and took her hand. She glanced back at him and nodded her head.

Summus turned around and looked at his panel, "And we're being fired upon."

The Doctor groaned, "Asshats. This is not the time to piss me off."

The ship rocked as it was hit.

Lance looked at the panel where he stood. "Minimal damage. Bounced off the shields. The ship behind us is powering their weapons."

The Doctor turned around. "Licis. Take the Princess, Logan, Rose and the children to my suite until further notice. Stay near the pod."

Rose looked confused, "There's a pod in our room?"

Licis was already quickly pushing them out of the door. "And we're off."

The door closed behind them. The Doctor groaned as they took another hit.

Lance looked up, "Minimal damage. No, sorry. We lost our aft sensor."

He pressed a few buttons and became very angry. "What the hell is this?" Remembering the warning he had received, he exhaled and forced himself to calm down. He reached out to Rose. 'Sweetheart. Everything is going to be alright. Feel how calm I am. I've gotten us out of worse than this.'

He felt her smile. It made his anger fade nearly completely away. 'I know you will. Feel how calm I am.'

Poltious pressed a few buttons, "You have two calls."

The Doctor pressed a button. "Yeah?"

It was Tony, "What the hell? Are you guys shooting at each other, now?"

"Noticed that, huh?"

He clicked a few buttons, "Andromedaen General. What the hell is this? Do you not have any weapons?"

"We're taking fire too, Primus Doctor. The vessel is cloaked and we're unable to see where to shoot." The voice said.

"Hear that Tony?" the Doctor asked.

Tony voice laughed through the speaker. "Oh, I've got this."

The Doctor smiled as he clicked a few buttons. The demonic looking alien appeared on the screen again. He pointed at him, "See. I was ready to talk to you after I handled what I had to do, but you had to go and shoot at me. What the hell are you thinking? I'm really trying to control my temper here, and you're simply not helping."

Poltious dropped his head and laughed under his breath.

The demon showed the Doctor his teeth. "You have destroyed our prize."

The Doctor shook his head. "You are thick, aren't you? I had already told you it was mine and you had no rights to it."

"I'll blow you out of the stars." The demon growled at him.

"Oh, I fucking dare you to try. You have no idea who you are messing with." He told him.

The speaker with the Andromedaen General called. The Doctor muted the call with the demon. "Yeah."

"We still can't see it."

"Stand-by. I've got a man on it." the Doctor said.

Just then, a small explosion lit up a spot in space off the port side of the Doctor's ship. Within a few seconds, the demon's ship appeared.

The Doctor nodded his head. "Nicely done, Tony."

"It's what I do, man. Your turn, I'm clear." Tony told him as they saw a streak of silver light fly away from the ship.

The Doctor smiled as he pressed the button on the panel. "Andromedaens, you are cleared to fire on the Jeclaonides. Do not shoot my guy in the silver personal flight suit. Copy?"

The General's voice replied, "Copy. Is that a Cyberman?"

The three ships fired at the demon's ship and it exploded in a brilliant ball of fire.

"It's not a Cyberman. No. He's a member of our crew."

Poltious nodded his head, "The Jeclaonides ship has been destroyed."

"Pod?"

Poltious looked at the screen and shook his head. "None detected."

The Doctor sighed and shook his head. "Two crews lost here. Summus, launch a beacon to other ships to avoid the area for the next two weeks. We'll send back out a probe to ensure the plague has been fully destroyed then."

Summus nodded his head and pressed some buttons at his station. "I'm on it."

The Doctor stood up, put his hands on his hips and looked back at Clagl's ship's fire. "Farewell, my dear friend. I've always hated good-byes and have run from them throughout all of my lives. I promised my Rose when I came here that I would never run again, and I'm determined to keep that promise. No matter how hard it is. I will do as you ask. I will keep an eye on your daughter and treat her as I would hope someone would treat my own if she ever found herself in this situation. Rest easy. I'll take care of this. She's on my watch now."

He turned to Poltious, "Make for certain Tony is back in. Notify the ships. Set a course for the Andromedaen homeworld. 50% power."

Poltious pressed some buttons, "We'll be there in ten hours and twelve minutes. I'll remain here."

The Doctor dropped his head and walked out of the Control Room.

XxxxxxXxxxxxxXxxxxxxx