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Chapter 67 - Saturn

Genie, Tony and Jacob ran down the halls as fast as they could into the top observation deck. The Doctor cradled Sam in his arms as Rose and Tony walked in the room with him. The room was a large, round, glass enclosed dome. Most of the passengers were already in there, sitting at tables that were spread around. Lewis stood against the wall, holding Arla and pointing up at the view overhead of Saturn. She was smiling and nodding her head.

The children stopped dead in their tracks as they got into the room. All three of their mouths opened in shock as they looked up the sight. "Wow." They all said together.

Tony smiled as he patted The Doctor's shoulder. "Wow. Now, that's something."

Rose seemed concerned. "Aren't we a bit close?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Have to be. We're going to refuel off of it. Gobbo knows what he's doing."

Tony looked up at the planet, "Fuel, huh? What's she run off of?"

"Hydrogen. Saturn is a great place to refuel because she's 94% hydrogen." The Doctor told them.

Rose still seemed concerned. "Won't the hydrogen run out?"

"Nah! It replaces itself every seven hours. We're doing the universe a favor siphoning it off. It's not a problem. It never becomes one. Well. Not a big problem. Well. Nevermind. Children! Come here!"

Tony laughed under his breath at The Doctor. "Conversations with him are entertaining. Has he always been like this?"

Rose smiled, "Defiantly."

Legate and Logan walked into the room. Logan's eyes became huge as he saw the view. "Wow! This is amazing!"

The Doctor waved them over. "Legate! Logan! Come here."

They all stood around him as he continued to hold Sam. He knelt down in the middle of them. "Okay. That's Saturn out there. Someone, of the children, tell me something about Saturn."

Genie pointed, "It has rings Daddy."

He smiled, "Yes. So does Jupiter. What else?"

Little Tony scratched his chin. "It's a gas planet."

"Right, Comrade. What else?" The Doctor asked them.

Legate smiled, "It's made of hydrogen?"

The Doctor pointed at Legate. "Right! What are most stars made of?"

The children shook their heads.

The Doctor looked at Legate. "Tell them Legate."

Legate smiled, "Hydrogen and helium. That's why ships use them to refuel. Anytime you get a bit low, just pop by a gas giant, or a star and refuel."

Logan looked impressed. "Really? Is that pretty standard with ships?"

The Doctor nodded his head. "Yes. During this time period. As time goes on, they start to be able to produce their own power. But, that's not for hundreds of years. At the center of Saturn, children, there is a hard core. Almost as big as Earth. So, if you were to walk on Saturn, you wouldn't go completely through it. Something would stop you, but it wouldn't be for a while."

Jacob smiled, "Have you ever walked down on Saturn, Doctor John?"

The Doctor smiled at Jacob. "Sortof. I visited there many years ago, many years in the future. There was a colony there that I saw. It looks a bit odd to me now because nothing is there yet. In the future, there are even colonies that manage to live inside of the rings. It becomes a huge place that people come to take a holiday."

Genie smiled at him.

He stood up. "Alright. School's over! Now for the surprise! Who's in on this?"

Legate rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Oh, I am! I can't wait!"

The Doctor smiled as he led them over to the other side of the room. Rose couldn't figure out what he was going to show them. She caught up to him.

"What is this? I don't remember anything being up here on that other ship." She asked him.

He smiled, "I wanted a pool, but they thought I was mad. So, I got something else. You'll love it." he told her.

Jack ran over to him. "I just heard what's up here! Holy shit! I'm in that!"

Legate shook his head excitedly. "I know, right?"

They got to an opening in the glass wall that was the doorway that led into another large, cylindrical room that seemed to hang on the side of the ship. It appeared to be made completely of glass. It went up about eight stories and down eight more. They could see Saturn and the stars outside of the room.

Rose looked confused. "What is this?"

The Doctor turned around and handed her Sam. He kissed her quickly, "It's this, Rose."

He stepped backwards into the room and floated inside. The children gasped. He held his hands out and laughed, "It's a Zero Gravity room! Like a pool, but you don't get wet!"

Legate laughed as he looked at Logan. "Do this, Logan. Trust me."

Legate took a few steps back and ran at the opening of the room. He dove through the doorway and zoomed across, turning flips and summersets.

Logan smiled and shook his head. "Oh, that's wicked cool. Shall I take off my shoes, Doctor?"

The Doctor had pushed himself off of a wall. "Nah. You don't have to. This isn't glass. It's transparent metal. It can withstand a direct hit from an asteroid. How about it, Genie? Coming out?"

Logan jumped in and spun around.

Genie's eyes got huge. "I don't think so, Daddy. It looks like you are floating in space."

Jacob grabbed little Tony's hand and they jumped inside. Jack looked at Rose and smiled as he jumped in and floated away.

All of them were laughing as floated around in the room. The Doctor pushed himself back to the doorway and climbed back in the room. "Ugh. Gravity. That's tough. Rose. Want to try it?"

Rose shook her head and laughed. "Oh, I don't think so. I have the baby."

The Doctor knelt down and looked at Genie. "It's safe. Daddy wouldn't let you do something that would hurt you."

Genie gritted her teeth. "If Mr. Tony does it, then I will."

Tony looked down at her. "Then, let's go! I'll do it!"

She took his hand and they jumped into the room and floated away.

Lewis walked over holding Arla's hand. "I really didn't think Genie would do it." He told them.

The Doctor looked back in the room at everyone floating around. "You two want to try it?"

Lewis smiled, "Oh, we've done it already. We were in there all afternoon."

The Doctor smiled as he looked down at Sam, who was sleeping in Rose's arms. "Let me see him a bit, Rose."

Rose handed Sam to The Doctor, who turned and handed him to Lewis. Then he grabbed Rose in a tight embrace and fell through the doorway.

Rose screamed, "You nutter!" They both laughed as they held one another tightly and floated around. Not missing the opportunity, he kissed her quickly.

"So, how is this? Better than the pool that you never swam in on the TARDIS?" he teased her.

She held him and laughed, "Maybe Jack won't skinny dip in this."

He laughed, "Good point. Jack! Rule 3: No skinny dipping in the Zero Gravity Room!"

"Damn it!" They heard him say from someplace.

They floated around for a long time. The Doctor let Rose go and they floated off in different directions, meeting up for the occasional quick kiss. The children started an interesting game of tag in the room which everyone took part in. It was great fun for everyone. Lewis ended up handing Sam to Arla, so he could join in. He proved to be very good at maneuvering himself through the room. Legate was already showing Logan how to do it more effectively. Rose noticed.

"Is that part of the Quauhtin training?" She asked.

"Yep! I'm grateful they are teaching Logan that. It's helpful to know how to get around in zero gravity."

"Where you trained in that, too?" Rose asked him as she held onto his waist and they began to float together again.

He smiled at her. "Of course."

"Why?" Rose asked him.

He teased her. "Because everyone from Mars was!"

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