15. More and More Trouble
"Oh, brilliant," the 10th Doctor beamed, looking at Tory. The girl just look confused. "I mean, totally wrong. Bit emergency, universe goes bang in five minutes, but, brilliant."
"I'm the Doctor. Who are you?" The 5th Doctor asked them.
"I'm Tory," Tory replied. Best to keep her true identity as a secret for him.
"Yes, you are. You are the Doctor," the 10th Doctor grinned.
"Yes, I am. I'm the Doctor."
"Oh, good for you, Doctor. Good for brilliant old you."
The 5th Doctor stares at the young lady. "Is there something wrong with him?"
"Oh, there it goes, the frowny face. I remember that one," he pointed out, still excited. "Mind you," he proceed to touch his old self's cheeks and squeezes it, "bit saggier than I ought to be. Hair's a bit greyer. That's because of me, though." He checks his console, still bragging. "The two of us together has shorted out the time differential. Should all snap back in place when we get you home. Be able to close that coat again." He touches the 5th Doctor's coat before let it go. "But never mind that. Look at you! The coat, the crickety cricket stuff, the... stick of celery. Yeah. Brave choice, celery, but fair play to you. Not a lot of men can carry off a decorative vegetable."
"Shut up!" The 5th Doctor stopped him from rambling and takes off his panama hat. "There is something very wrong with my TARDIS, and I've got to do something about it very, very quickly, and it would help, it really would help if there wasn't some skinny idiot ranting in my face about every single think that happens to be in front of him!"
Tory proceed to laugh at that last statement. Apparently, the Doctor always rude a long time ago.
"Oh. Okay," he apologized, although he smiles with Tory's laughing so loud. It's been a while since he saw her laugh. "Sorry. Doctor."
"Thank you," the 5th Doctor said, shecking the console.
"Oh, the back of my head," he muttered, looking at the 5th Doctor's head.
"What?"
"Sorry, sorry. It's not something you see every day, is it, the back of your own head. Mind you, I can see why you wear a hat. I don't want to seem vain, but could you keep that on?"
"What have you done to my TARDIS? You've changed the desktop theme, haven't you?" He glances around. "What's this one, coral?"
Tory rubbed her forehead. "Well..."
"It's worse than the leopard skin." The 5th Doctor puts on his half moon spectacles.
"Oh, and out they come, the brainy specs," the 10th Doctor added, putting his hands at his pockets. "You don't even need them. You just think they make you look a bit clever."
An alarm blaring across the TARDIS.
"That's an alert, level 5... indicating a temporal collision," Tory read from the monitor.
"It like two TARDISes have merged, but there's definitely only one TARDIS present," the 5th Doctor realized as Tory and the Doctor simply listening to his words. "It's like two time zones or more at the heart of the TARDIS. That's a paradox that could blow a hole in the space time continuum the size of..." the 10th Doctor show the monitor to the 5th Doctor, "Well, actually, the exact size of... Belgium. That's a bit undramatic, isn't it? Belgium?"
The 10th Doctor offers his sonic screwdriver. "Need this?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Oh no, of course, you liked to go hands free, didn't you," the 10th Doctor muttered, playing his sonic screwdriver, "like 'hey, I'm the Doctor. I can save the universe using a kettle and some string. And look at me, I'm wearing a vegetable.'"
The 5th Doctor look at the 10th Doctor again. "Who are you?"
"Take a look."
The man's eyes bewildered. "Oh. Oh, no."
"Oh yes."
"You're... Oh, no..."
"Here it comes. Yeah, I am."
"A fan."
Tory laughs even louder now.
"Yeah," the 10th Doctor agreed before frowning. "What?" He points his finger at her, who still laughing. "Oh, be quiet!"
"This is bad, 2 minutes to Belgium," he urged, trying to control the situation as Tory takes a deep breath afterward, her stomach still hurts from the laugh.
"What do you mean, a fan?" The 10th Doctor asked, deadpanned. "I'm not just a fan, I'm you."
"Okay, you're my biggest fan. Look, its perfectly understandable. I go zooming around space and time, saving planets, fighting monsters and being well, let's be honest, pretty sort of marvellous, so naturally now and then people notice me. Start up their little groups. That LINDA lot." He stops for a brief, looking at the 10th Doctor and Tory. "Are you two part of them? How did you get in here? Can't have you lot knowing where I live."
"Listen to me. I'm you, I'm you. I'm you with a new face," the 10th Doctor insisted, patting his own cheeks. "Check out this bone structure, Doctor, because one day you're going to be shaving it."
The cloister bell tolls. "The cloister bell!" Tory gasped.
"Right on time. That's my cue," the 10 Doctor noted.
They both start throwing control levers.
"In a minute we're going to create a black hole strong enough to swallow the entire universe!" The 5th Doctor warned.
"Yeah, that's my fault, actually," the 10th Doctor mentioned. "I was rebuilding the TARDIS, forgot to put the shields back up. Our TARDIS and my TARDIS, well the same TARDIS at different points in its own timestream collided and whoo, there you go, end of the universe, butterfingers. But don't worry, I know exactly how this all works out. Watch." He proceed to control some buttons. "Venting the thermobuffer, drawing the Helmic Regulator, and just to finish off, let's fry those Zeiton crystals."
The 5th Doctor holds his hands, stopping him. "You'll blow up the TARDIS."
"No, I won't. I haven't."
"Who told you that?"
"You told me that."
Tory takes that chance to pull over the lever. And then, everything turns bright.
"Supernova and black hole at the exact same instant," the 5th Doctor understood.
"The explosion cancels out the implosion," Tory mentioned.
"Pressure remains constant," the 10th Doctor finished. "It's brilliant."
"Far too brilliant." The 5th Doctor stares at him. "I've never met anyone else who could fly the TARDIS like that."
"Sorry, mate, you still haven't," the 5th Doctor said, walking around the TARDIS for checking.
"You didn't have time to work all that out. Even I couldn't do it."
"I didn't work it out. I didn't have to."
"You remembered," the 5th Doctor realized.
"Because you will remember." The 10th Doctor answered.
"You remembered being me watching you doing that. You already knew what to do... because I saw you do it."
"Wibbly wobbly..."
"Timey wimey!"
The 10th Doctor raises his hand for high five, but the 5th Doctor doesn't do it. Then, Tory heard a small alarm near her as the current Doctor rushes to her side. "Right, TARDISes are separating. Sorry, Doctor, time's up. Back to long ago. Where are you now? Nyssa and Tegan? Cybermen and Mara and Time Lords in funny hats and the Master? Oh, he just showed up again, same as ever."
"Oh no, really?" He groaned. "Does he still have that rubbish beard?"
"No, no beard this time. Well, a wife."
"Oh, I seem to be off." The 5th Doctor sighs as he slowly flickers away. "I want to stay long, asking some questions. But I guess that's not going to happen."
"You want to know if I meet her?" The 10th Doctor empathized, making Tory frowns at his sudden change. "Sorry. Haven't meet her."
The 5th Doctor soon vanishes. The 10th Doctor flips some switches and brings him back to return his hat. "You know, I love being you. Back when I first started at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important, like you do when you're young. And then I was you, and it was all dashing about and playing cricket and my voice going all squeaky when I shouted. I still do that, the voice thing. I got that from you. Oh, and the trainers, and..." He puts his spectacles on. "Snap. Because you know what, Doctor? You were my Doctor."
The 5th Doctor takes of his hat and put it back. "To days to come."
"All my love to long ago."
With that, the 5th Doctor vanishes again while leaving some messange. "Oh, Doctor, remember to put your shields up."
Tory immediately search for the button. But just as she presses the button, a ship's horn is heard and something crashes into the TARDIS, throwing them to the floor. Tory looks up to see the bow of an ocean liner has broken through the wall.
"What?!" The Doctor responded, coughs. "What?!"
He and Tory finds a life preserver that reads 'TITANIC'.
"What?!" They said in confusion, but immediately shakes that off as they get up, using various controls on the console to closes the TARDIS and pushing out the ship. Then, they materialises inside it.
They step out and looks around, seemingly in a supply closet. Tory closes the TARDIS's door as the Doctor wipes his clothes together and they step out of the room.
They soon enters a wood-panelled room decorated with potted palms and Christmas decorations. People dressed in early 20th century dress and the waiters pass hors d'oeuvres and champagne. The band is playing a sedate version of Jingle Bells. The Doctor and Tory approaches two golden angels garbed in white. They move mechanically and soon the Time Lords realize they're robots. They wander to the window and look out.
"Right," the Doctor muttered.
"Attention all passengers. The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol 3, also known as Earth. Population: Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas," the Announcer shared.
"We should change our clothes, then" Tory suggested.
The duo soon enters the the dining room, now with complete new outfit for blend in. The Doctor wears the same suit during Lazarus incident, while Tory wears a violet sheath dress with black ballet flat. Her hair tied into french braid.
"Here you go," the Doctor offers her a glass of orange juice. The girl nods in thanks as they observes the passengers surround them. When they see a robotic angel again, they approach it. "Evening. Passenger 57 and 58. Terrible memory. Remind me. Uh, you would be..."
"Information. Heavenly Host supplying tourist information," it replied with smooth voice.
"Good, so, um... tell me, because I'm an idiot, where are we from?"
"Information. The Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures."
"Who thought of the name?" Tory asked.
"Information. It was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth."
The Time Lords shares a concern expression. "...Did they tell you why it was famous?"
"Information. All designations are chosen by Mister Max Capricorn, president of Max, Max, Max..." the Host twitches and its voice pitch rises, keeping repeated 'Max' word over and over.
"Ooo, bit of a glitch," the Doctor realized, ready to fix it, until a steward rushes to help.
"It's all right, Sir, Miss. We can handle this," he told them, waves to others for assistance. Two other stewards arrive and they switch off the Host before carrying it away. "Software problem, that's all. Leave it with us, Sir, Miss. Merry Christmas."
As he left, the Doctor and Tory continue to walking around. Soon, they hear a commotion of a businessman and a waitress. "For Tov's sake, look where you're going! This jacket's a genuine Earth antique!" The businessman shouted.
"I'm sorry, Sir," the waitress bowed as she kneels down to pick up broken glass.
"You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart." He walks off, on vone. "Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn is going down the drain."
The Time Lords coming to help her. "Careful. There we go," the Doctor assisted.
"Thank you, Sir, Miss. I can manage," she simply stated.
"We never said you couldn't. I'm the Doctor, by the way. This is the Historian."
"Astrid, Sir, Miss. Astrid Peth."
"Hello," Tory greeted her with shy smiles. "Merry Christmas."
"Nice to meet you, Astrid Peth. Merry Christmas," the Doctor added.
"Merry Christmas, Sir, Miss," Astrid replied, suprise by their warm words.
"Just 'Doctor' and 'Historian', not 'sir' and 'miss."
"You both enjoying the cruise?"
"Um... Yeah, I suppose. I don't know. It doesn't quite work, a cruise on your own," the Doctor admitted while Tory massages the back of her neck.
Astrid stands up. "Just you two?"
Tory nods. "Yeah... just two of us. What about you? Did you miss your home planet, Sto?"
"Doesn't feel that different. I spent 3 years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here... and I'm still waiting on tables." Astrid walks away and the Time Lords following her.
"No shore leave?" The Doctor asked.
Astrid starts to clear table by window. "We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. Never stood on another world. I used to watch the ships heading off to the stars and I always dreamt of... It sounds daft."
"You dreamt of another sky. New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life. Why stand still when there're all that life out there?"
"... yeah." Astrid looks a bit dazzled before focus back. "So... you two travel a lot?"
"All the time. Just for fun. Well, that's the plan. Never quite works. Must be rich, though. Haven't got a penny." The Doctor then whispering, "Stowaways."
Astrid looks at them. "Kidding."
"Seriously."
"No!"
"Oh, yeah."
She giggles. "How did you get on board?"
"Accident. We've got this, sort of, ship thing. We were just rebuilding her. Left the defences down, bumped into the Titanic. Here we are. Bit of a party, I thought 'Why not?'"
"I should report you."
"Go on then."
"I'll get you a drink..." she leans closer to them, "on the house."
Then, she walks away, leaving the Time Lords in amusement over Astrid Peth.
As the singer singing Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, the Doctor and Tory saw a married couple with purple western-outfit sitting and eating a basket of chicken wings with manner, while some cruel peoples just laugh at the couple. Tory cannot help to remember a story the Doctor told her back in 1969, how her mother just proceed to ate a meal during their traveled at Victorian Era without a fork or a simple knife for cutting meals.
"Just ignore them," the husband assured his wife.
The duo slide in to join them. "Something's tickled them," the Doctor muttered.
"They told us it was fancy dress. Very funny, I'm sure," the wife remarked.
"They're just pickin' on us because we haven't paid," the husband commented. "We won our tickets in a competition."
"I had to name the 5 husbands of Joofie Crystalle in By the Light of the Asteroid. Did you ever watch..."
"Is that the one with the twins?" Tory guessed, remembered watching that movie with Martha after dealing with the Sun infection.
"That's it. Oh, it's marvelous," the wife mused.
"Probably not good enough for that lot." He motions to laughing crowd. "They think we should be in steerage."
The Doctor reaches into pocket, a mischievous stares can be seen over his eyes. "Can't have that, can we?" He holds the sonic screwdriver at his side and aims behind him. The champagne on the table pops its cork, spraying all over those at the table. Tory cannot help herself to smirked as she let some of the champagne got into their hair, using bits of her power.
The couple hooting. "Did... Did you do that?" The wife asked.
"Maybe," Tory replied as the Doctor puts his sonic screwdriver away.
"We like you two."
"We do." The husband reaches out his hand to the Doctor and Tory. "I'm Morvin van Hoff." He shakes hands. "This is my good woman, Foon."
The Doctor and Tory shake Foon's hand. "Foon. Hello, I'm the Doctor. This is the Historian."
"Ooh, I'm gonna need a Doctor by the time I'm finished with this buffet," Foon admitted. "Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo, so many wings."
The Doctor takes a buffalo wing, offers some to Tory, which she rejects it. She doesn't like it, after all.
"Attention please. Shore leave tickets Red 6-7 now activated. Red 6-7."
Foon takes out ticket. "Red 6-7. That's us." She immediately stands up. "Are you Red 6-7?"
"Might as well be," the Doctor hoped.
"Come on." Morvin puts arm around Foon. "We're going to Earth."
The Doctor stands up. But Tory didn't, still eating some beverages she took before. "Don't wanna?"
She shook her head. "Thanks, but I prefer to stay here. You can go. Take Astrid with you, she might live it."
"All right," the Doctor said, although his hearts ache that Tory acts distant. He still didn't get use to this new her. But he tries his best to help and understanding this new her. "Be back soon."
Not long afterward, the Doctor comes back and informing her about a situation regarding a power fluctuation, which definitely needs a proper investigation as the singer sings another song Tory never heard before.
They glance at a framed screen showing a video loop of Max Capricorn. "... and I should know because my name is Max." The Doctor puts on his glasses and takes out his screwdriver ans uses it on the frame. "The fastest, the furthest, the best... my name is Max." The Doctor and Tory open the frame and change some settings until the screen shows the Titanic and her immediate surroundings. They see the shields are offline.
Tory peers out the window and sees the meteors approaching. "Doctor," she pats his shoulder to let him know what she sees.
The Doctor immediately talks over comm.. "Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the captain. You've got a meteoroid storm coming in West 0 by North 2."
"Who is this?"
"Never mind that. Your shields are down. Check your scanners, Captain. You've got meteoroids coming in and now shielding!"
"You have no authorization. You will clear the comms at once."
"Yeah? Just look starboard!" Two stewards come to escort the Doctor and Tory out of reception. "You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down!"
Tory uses a brute force of her power by shoving those two stewards away and release the Doctor. He and Tory run to the stage where the band is playing, takes away the microphone and saying, "Everyone, listen to me! This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb..."
A host covers the Doctor's mouth and pulls him away. Tory intend to shove that robot away, but two stewards before already hold her from interfering.
"EVERYONE, LOOK AT THE WINDOW!" She yelled as loud as possible, hoping this will alarm everyone inside.
"If you don't believe me, check the shields yourself!" The Doctor insisted, dragging out by some stewards.
"Sir, I can vouch for him!" Astrid noted, rushing to them.
"Look, Steward, he's just had a bit too much to drink," Morvin accounted.
"Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports are down," an older man Tory never know mentioned.
"Not now!" The steward said.
Tory cannot let this happen. She releases another brute force, making the stewards knocks over, shocking everyone around. But Tory barely paying that attention as she lost her balance and fall down. Astrid and the Doctor soon help her to get up, but that didn't last long as the stewards dragging them again. It seems like her power didn't reach a maximal power to knock them for long time.
The stewards are taking the Time Lords through maintenance corridors. Others follow them as well. "The shields are down, we are going to get hit!" The Doctor insisted.
"Oi! Steward! I'm telling you the shields are down!" The businessman before yelled.
"Please listen to him!" Tory begged, head hurts. "Just listen!"
And then, the ship sparkles as it began to shakes violently, making everyone throughout the ship is thrown to the floor. Tory barely can hold herself as she fall down, touching the floor beneath, and concentrate her power, trying to control the ship. But it's not as simple as she though. The ship is huge, and the Time Lady cannot control every part of the Titanic. She needs more power. And she's already starts to worn out by using it to hold the ship from the meteorite's impact.
The Doctor is the first to stand after get throws by the impact. He shushes everyone and listens. "It's stopping," he whispered and helping Tory and Astrid to stand up. "You two all right?"
"I think so," Astrid replied.
"Bad name for a ship. Either that or this suit is really unlucky." The Doctor realizes how tired Tory looks. "Historian?"
"I'm... fine," she replied with hard breath. "Just... tired..."
"You tried to control the ship, that's not gonna work. It's too much for you to handle it."
"I must... tried."
The Doctor shook his head. "Just don't, okay? You already worn out. Uses more..." he bites his lips, doesn't want to think about it. So, to distract himself, he examine one of the stewards, but can only sighs after knowing the man is dead. Max Capricorn's voice can be heard.
"My name is Max. My name is Max. My name is Max."
"Ev... Everyone... Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta, I must apologize on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision," the steward informed.
"Small?" Marvin asked.
"You know how much I paid for my ticket?" The businessman demanded.
"If I could have silence, ladies, gentlemen..." They ignore him and continue arguing. Tory's head throbbing by each words they yell. "Quiet!" He shouted. "Thank you. I... I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience. But first I would point out that we are very much alive."
"Are you all right?" Tory asked the elder man and helps dab the cut on his head.
"She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship. If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the... the situation." He tries to open a hatch.
"Don't open it!" The Doctor yelled.
But he opens the hatch and get sucked out into space by the vacuum before Tory can uses her power. So she uses it at herself and everyone that grabs hold of any piping near them. The Doctor goes over to the comm. and uses the sonic screwdriver on the computer to replace the shield. "Oxygen shield stabilized."
"Everyone all right?" The Doctor asked all of them as Tory panting from using more power. He checks her condition, worry. "Astrid?"
"Yeah."
"Foon? Morvin? Mr. Copper? Bannakaffalatta?"
"Yes," Bannakaffalatta replied.
"You, what was your name?"
"Ah, Rickston Slade," the businessman replied.
"You all right?"
"No thanks to that idiot."
"The steward just died," Astrid reminded him.
"Then he's a dead idiot."
Astrid gasps and takes a step towards Rickston, but the Doctor stops her. "All right, calm down. Just stay still, all of you. Hold on."
He walks to hatch opening as Tory approachs him. The young girl looks out into space and sees bodies among the flotsam and jetsam, floating above Earth. "Oh, goodness," Tory muttered, feeling sick.
"We're alive, just focus on that," he assured her. "I will get you out of here, Historian. I promise. Look at me. I promise."
Tory slowly nods.
"Good. Now," he looks around, "if we can get to reception, I've got a spaceship tucked away. We can all get on board..." he looks outside and mouthing, "Oh."
Tory follows his eyes and steps back.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Astrid asked, looking at them with confusion.
"That's our spaceship over there."
"Where?"
"There, that box. That little blue box," the Doctor pointed out the TARDIS that floats in space.
"That's a spaceship?"
"Oi, don't knock it."
"It's a bit small."
"A bit distant. Trouble is, once it's set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity and that would be... the Earth." The Doctor walks into a comm. device and speaks. "Deck 22 to the bridge. Deck 22 to the bridge. Is there anyone there?"
"This is the bridge," a young man voice answered.
"Oh hello, sailor. Good to hear you. What's the situation up there?"
"We've got air. The oxygen field is holding. But the captain... He's dead. He did it. I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try."
"All right. Just stay calm. Tell me your name. What's your name?"
"Midshipman Frame."
"Nice to meet you, Sir. What's the state of the engines?"
"They're um... Hold on." Both Time Lords can heard his groans.
"Are you okay?" Tory asked
"Have you been injured?" The Doctor added.
"I'm all right. Oh my Vot. They're cycling down."
"That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?"
"Yeah."
"The moment they're gone, we lose orbit."
"The planet."
"Oh yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth. Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core."
"This is never going to work."
"Trust me, it'll keep the engines going until I can get to the bridge." The Doctor switches off the comms and faces the others.
"We're going to die!" Foon shrieked.
"Are you saying someone's done this on purpose?" Mr. Copper asked.
"We're just a cruise ship!" Astrid insisted.
"Okay, okay. Tch, tch," the Doctor shush them off. "First things first. 1, we're going to climb through this ship. B... no... 2, we're going to reach the bridge. 3 or C: we're going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low 4 or D or that little 'iv' in brackets they use in footnotes... why. Right then, follow me."
"Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge and who the hell are you anyway?" Rickston dared.
"I'm the Doctor and this is the Historian. We're a Time Lord. We're from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm 903 years old while she's 113 years old and we're the one who's gonna save your lives and all 6 billion of the people on the planet below," the Doctor announced, shocking them all. "You got a problem with that?"
"No."
"In that case, allons-y!"
The Doctor slowly pushes open a metal door that leads into a stairwell littered with debris and sparking cables. "Careful. Follow me." He goes ahead, clearing the way. Tory follows then Astrid, Mr. Copper, Rickston, and the Van Hoffs.
"Rather ironic when this is very much in the spirit of Christmas. It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric," Mr. Copper mentioned.
"Actually, that's not true. Christmas is a time of-of peace and thanksgiving and..."
"Actually... Christmas is always like this," Tory interjected, remembering how often they got into trouble in Christmas. The Sycorax, the Empress of Racnoss, and now this. But soon, she closes her mouth, realizing her mistake for mentioning their previous adventures on Christmas.
The Doctor uncovers a dormant host. "We've got a Host. Strength of ten. If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble."
"We can do robotics, both of us," Morvin shared.
"We worked on the milk market back on Sto. It's all robot staff," Foon vouched.
"See if you can get it working," he told the couple and look at Tory and Astrid. "Let's have a look."
Everyone except Morvin and Foom climbs the stairs and fine their path blocked by wreckage. "It's blocked," Astrid noted.
"So what do we do?"
"We shift it."
"That's the attitude. Rickston, Mr. Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta... look, can I just call you Banna? It's gonna save a lot of time."
"No! Bannakaffalatta!"
"All right then, Bannakaffalatta, there's a gap in the middle. See if you can get through."
"Easy. Good." He squeezes through opening as the ship lurches again, sending loose debris falling in them. Tory touches the wall nearby, trying to stop the falling despite the Doctor's protest.
"This whole thing could come crashing down any minute!" Rickston complained.
"Oh, Rickston, I forgot," the Doctor recalled. "Did you get our message?"
"No. What message?"
"Shut up!"
"Bannakaffalatta made it," Bannakaffalatta informed.
"I'm small enough, I can get through," Astrid said, makes her way through the hole.
"Be careful," Tory called.
"I'm fine."
"Thing is, how are Mr. and Mrs. Fatso gonna get through this gap?" Rickston asked.
"We make the gap bigger," the Doctor simply answered, dislike his annoying attitude.
"I can work with that," Tory said, held up her hands, ready to create a big hole.
But the Doctor soon stop her. "Don't. You already exhausted enough. The more you use, the more tired you get."
"I'll be fine," Tory insisted as she slowly make the hole bigger by her gravity force, despite her head keep throbbing.
"I can clear it from this side," Astrid informed. "Just tell me if it starts moving."
After a while, nothing happen, but Tory can faintly heard Astrid and Bannakaffalata conversation. "Is everything all right?"
"Yeah! It's just... I think Bannakaffalatta and I just got engaged."
"Almost done!" Marvin informed.
"Good, good, good." The Doctor runs into comm.. "Mr. Frame, how's things?"
"Doctor, I've got life signs all over the ship but they're going out one by one."
"What is it? Are they losing air?"
"No. One of them said it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host."
That makes Tory snaps into the Host below as it functions back. Tory immediately leaps down and grab the Host as it takes Morvin by the throat while repeating, "Kill. Kill. Kill." She uses her gravity energy to crushes the Host until it stops moving. Everyone, except the Doctor, just stunned as they notice Tory's irires glowing purple when she crushes the Host.
The Doctor rushes below and grab Tory's body as she fainted out. "Okay, go upstairs!"
"Run, darling, run!" Foon yelled.
"Foon! Foon!" Morvin shouted.
"Rickston! Get them through!" The Doctor told him.
"No chance!" Rickston just goes through the narrow opening himself.
"Rickston!" Mr. Copper addressed as he let Foon enters the narrow opening that Tory had made bigger before.
The Doctor, still carrying Tory, runs up to the comm.. "It's the Host! They've gone berserk! Are you safe up there?"
A second Host is right behind the Doctor. So he rushes up while ordering, "Information override! You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!"
"Information. Deck 31."
"Thank you," he said, chasing the others as Tory, who starts to awake, uses her power to crush the second Host's head by lifting a nearby debris before losing conscious again.
"Doctor, what's wrong with her?" Morvin asked, concern.
"She's using her power too often," the Doctor answered, scanning her body using his sonic screwdriver for check-up as they keep walking. "Her body cannot sustain the frequency. Uses more, she will suffer a long fatigue and exhaustion that can lead into her death."
Astrid gasped and Foon shook her head, now more worry.
"But she will get better, right Doctor?" Mr. Copper asked.
"She should be. Just take some rest, and she'll be fine," he informed. "Come on. Let's keep going."
Note: The 5th Doctor & the 10th Doctor mentioning 'her'. Who is 'her' and why the 5th Doctor asking his future self if he met her?
Also, I hope this (and next one) can make anyone see more clearly what kind of girl Tory's now, while still maintaining some of her old personality. I admitted, it's quite hard to balance it off, but I hope I can make sense of it.
The Time Lord Oracle: Thank you! Their meeting at The End of Time will be something I'm looking forward to.
Frostspiderman: Yep. That story that Andred read to Tory is indeed the circumstances of the event at The Pandorica Opens. I think it would be great to putting it before we get into Series 5 (which is book 4)