Unto the Universe

Chapter Twenty-Four: 42: Korwin

By Lumendea

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who or any of the spinoff material, and I gain no income off of this story, just the satisfaction of playing with the characters.

….

The work was going fast by normal standards. The Doctor knew that, but it was still too slow. This was a backup plan in case Rose and Riley couldn't get through. And now they knew that something might be dwelling on the ship. The Doctor's mind was racing, trying to put the pieces together. How could the ship have scooped something up that caused all this from a sun?

It didn't seem possible on the surface of the problem, but the connection had to be there. The timing was just a little too perfect. He knew that coincidences did happen, they happened every day, but he didn't trust this one.

"This is Med-centre. Urgent assistance requested," Abi's voice cut through the sound of metallic parts being shifted. "Urgent assistance!"

"Stay here!" the Doctor barked. "Keep working!"

He heard others behind him but didn't look back. McDonnell was one of them that he was sure of, and Jack would remain with the others to keep an eye on them. Scannell maybe, he decided as Abi's panicking voice rang through the ship again. Erina, the brown-haired girl, spoke back in the comm system that they were on their way.

"Burn with me," a masculine voice growled through the comms.

Then screaming echoed through the comm system. That Doctor grimaced but kept moving. He heard shouts of worry and gasps behind him. Up ahead, the medical wing came into view, and he ran inside with a final push of his long legs. Abi was gone. The Doctor wasn't shocked at that, but he regretted it at once. Looking around the room, he tried to take it all in and understand what had happened. Crossing the ship had taken them a couple of minutes, but not that long. Yet, Abi was gone.

"Korwin's gone," McDonnell said as she burst in after him.

The Doctor's eyes spotted the black shape on the metal of the x-ray shield. Instantly recognizable was the burnt, black outline of a human figure. Abi's face flashed in the Doctor's eyes, and he immediately regretted not having Jack stay here. She hadn't been left alone. They had needed to fix the engines, but she should have been alone.

"Oh my God," Scannell hissed. The Doctor knew that the others had spotted the outline. "Tell me that's not Lerner!"

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said with as much gentleness as he could muster. Then he walked closer to the outline. "Endothermic vaporisation." The Doctor held his hand near the metal, feeling the remaining heat. "I've never seen one this vicious." He dropped his hand to turned to the others. "Burn with me."

"That's what we heard Korwin say," Scannell said.

McDonnell bristled, back straightening as she went on the defensive. The Doctor braced himself for what he knew was coming.

"What? Do you think?" McDonnell shook her head, anger, grief, and shock dancing across her features. The Doctor wished Rose was there to help calm her and comfort her. "No way. Scannell, tell him." She looked at her crewmate, but he offered no comfort or word. "Korwin is not a killer. He can't vaporise people. He's human!"

The Doctor picked up the completed bioscans and studied them with a quick glance. It wasn't good. He shouldn't have left Abi alone. "There are the bioscan results," he said, trying to keep his voice even and calm. "His internal temperature was one hundred degrees, and the oxygen in the body has been replaced by hydrogen."

"What's that mean?" Scannell asked.

"This isn't just an infection. Korwin has been overwhelmed."

"The test results are wrong," McDonnell said. The Doctor felt pity for her but saying that wouldn't make it true.

"How could it have infected him," the Doctor said to himself. "The energy scoop is a clear way to bringing something on board, but what kind of parasite or virus could live in a star." He looked over at McDonnell. "Have you been anywhere else? Is there any other source in the last week? Any contact with other vessels?"

"What is this, an interrogation?" McDonnell snapped.

"We have to stop him before he kills again. Me knowing that potential source of whatever did this to him might help me figure out how."

"We're just a cargo ship," McDonnell insisted. There were tears in her eyes now, even if she didn't let them fall.

"Doctor, if you give her a minute," Scannell asked.

"I'm fine," McDonnell said stubbornly. "I need to warn the crew." She straightened her back and moved to the intercom. "Everybody, listen to me. Something has infected Korwin." McDonnell looked over at the Doctor. "We think he killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"

With the announcement made, McDonnell took a deep breath and looked back to the Doctor. "Is the infection permanent? Can you cure him?" The Doctor hesitated. The lie was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't think it would do any good. She must have seen his hesitation. "Don't lie to me, Doctor. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest, so I don't want false hope."

"I'm sorry. Your husband is gone. The parasite is too aggressive."

McDonnell swallowed. "Thank you."

"Do you have any readings from the sun?" the Doctor asked. "I'm sorry, but that's the last point of external contact. You must have picked up something when you scooped it."

"We didn't do any scans," McDonnell admitted, looking guilty and uneasy. "It was a star. A quick scoop for fuel, and we were supposed to be on our way. I can't- what could we have picked up from it?"

"I'm not sure yet," the Doctor admitted.

…..

Riley stumbled at the announcement, and Rose exhaled a long breath. The heat was getting worse, and she wondered if the heat shields would really hold up until they went into the sun. At this rate, the countdown might not be their biggest issue. Ahead of her was the latest open door.

"Riley," she called. "We have to keep moving."

"But-"

"I heard, and I am so sorry," Rose said. She hoisted up the unlocking device. "But we have to keep moving. If we don't, then we're all dead."

She hated being so brutal. Rose's stomach turned at her own words. It was sharp and crueler than she preferred, but the words were true. There wasn't much time, and while she knew the Doctor had to be working on a backup plan, if there was a danger stalking the crew, then they needed to try everything. Thankfully, Riley nodded, inhaled, and picked up his side of the security system. Rose offered him a soft smile and led the way to the next door.

…

Jack frowned at the announcement about Abi and Korwin, stomach tightening in worry. Erina, the young woman with short brown hair, swallowed and looked at the intercom on the far wall with a pained expression. It faded a moment later as she shook herself and swallowed.

"This way," Erina told him.

He followed her deeper into the ship while she muttered to herself. Jack hadn't caught what Aston had said, but it had tipped the woman over the edge. The stress certainly wasn't helping. They reached a storage room lined by lockers, and Erina went straight for one in the middle. Jack stayed close by, looking around with a careful eye.

"I would have been fine on my own," Erina snapped. It seemed her frustration needed a target, and Jack knew better than to take it personally. "I not a damsel in distress."

"I didn't think you were," Jack said. "It's not a good idea for anyone to be alone. I would have preferred Scannell hadn't run off to medical so he could stay with Ashton, but we can only do so much." He gestured around. "And you were the one heading off for supplies."

"Fine," Erina huffed. "You can take these."

She hoisted some tools towards Jack. He took them, stashing the smaller pieces in his pockets before adjusting some of the other tools she shoved his way. They were familiar. The strange thing about humans and their technology was that the basic tools didn't change. Thousands of years in the future, people were still using screws and hammers. Somethings just worked, and it made Jack smile.

Then there was a noise. It was a small noise, but amongst the hiss of steam and the distant sounds of work in Engineering, it stood out. A slight thump. Jack tensed and turned away from Erina in time to see a figure in protective gear, wearing a helmet stalk into the room. They were moving with slow but deliberate motions.

"Erina," Jack said, keeping his voice calm. "We need to go."

"I don't need another man barking orders," Erina said. "We need to get these tools-"

"Erina!"

The man was almost to them. Erina finally turned and saw Jack staring at the visitor. She turned and looked only to gasp in surprise.

"Korwin? But, but Abi-" Erina stepped back, hitting the wall and dropping a couple of the parts she was carrying.

The man raised a hand towards his helmet. Jack remembered what had come through the intercoms. Abi hadn't had much time. Jack grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her away from the wall. She stumbled, but thankfully her flight instincts kicked into gear, and she started to run. A rush of heat behind them made Jack harshly drag her forward and throw her in front of him. She yelped, and the heat washed over his back. He heard his clothing crackling and felt the heat wash across his skin. He nearly screamed, the flesh cracking as he moved. Hissing filled his ears, and Jack caught a whiff of cooking meat that made his stomach turn.

But they reached the large doors of the section, and Jack threw the door closed behind them, keeping his back away from Erina as he caught his breath. Erina lunged forward and closed up the window hatch, and secured the door.

"That was Korwin," Erina gasped. She shook her head in shock and eyed the bulkhead. Then she began to gather up the tools that she had managed to hold onto. "It isn't everything Ashton wanted."

"It'll have to do," Jack said. He eyed the heavy metal door. "We need to move."

"Are you okay?" Erina asked. Jack glanced down at himself. His shirt, what was left of the front, fell off his body. The back part of the fabric was completely gone. Erina was already moving behind him before he could stop her. "You aren't burned," she said in shock. "I mean your shirt, but…"

"Let's be grateful for the luck and keep moving," Jack said firmly.

The brown-haired girl nodded, her eyes lingering a moment longer than the stress of the situation should have warranted. Jack was a bit pleased with that, but it wasn't the time. He nudged her back towards Engineering, and thankfully Erina got moving. Now that the shock had passed, she seemed to be remembering that they were still on a ship drifting towards the sun. They paused briefly to grab a couple of spare parts from another storage locker, but there were no more delays.

Running into Engineering, Jack was glad to see the Doctor, McDonnell, and Scannell were back and working. Ashton looked up and hurried over to grab one of the parts from Erina's hand. Under the circumstances, Jack couldn't even be irritated at the man's rudeness.

"Jack, what happened to your shirt?" the Doctor asked. Jack was grateful he didn't sound accusatory.

Ashton tossed Jack a spare shirt from a nearby locker. It was dirty, but it was better than running around half-naked on a damaged ship.

"We saw him," Jack said. He pulled on the shirt and kept his eyes on the Doctor. "Still walking around like a human, but he- it's wearing a heavy-duty mask with a small section that it can open," Jack explained. "I got us moving fast, but the heat… it was a lot."

"It's a miracle he wasn't burned," Erina added, looking at Jack in confusion and worry. "Are you sure-"

"I'm fine," Jack said. "Probably that treatment on the back," he offered, hoping she'd take the lie. There was no way he was explaining that he'd started to feel the burn, but it had healed so quickly that she hadn't seen any evidence of it. "We've got work to do."

"Tools and parts," Ashton said. "Give them to me."

Erina didn't argue, rushing the parts over to Ashton while the Doctor stepped over to join Jack. "You sure you're alright?" the Doctor asked softly.

"I feel fine," Jack said. "I felt… I felt it start to burn me. The back of my shirt was vaporized." He paused. "I heard my skin… I smelled…" Jack shivered. "Whatever Rose did, managed to keep me alive despite that thing's power, but I don't think it would stand up to me trying to fight it head-on."

"No," the Doctor agreed. "And I wasn't going to suggest that." His hand came up to rest on Jack's shoulder. "What happened to you doesn't make you the human shield, Jack," he said firmly.

Jack was much more touched by the statement than he'd been expecting or would willingly admit. Life on the TARDIS, it seemed, wasn't just domesticating the Doctor. Ashton huffed at them, grabbed some gear, and headed lower beneath the engine. Jack and Erina followed him, carrying supplies and tools while the Doctor headed for the intercom. Based on the conversation Jack heard through the system, he was checking on Rose and Riley's progress. Meanwhile, the computer counted down yet again.

…..

Another door slid open. Rose glanced at the number. Area fourteen. Sweat slid down her forehead and neck. She'd already bound her hair up in a messy knot, but it wasn't helping much. Still, there wasn't time to stop. They had to keep moving. She heard Riley huff behind her as he lifted the device into his arms. Rose was starting to hate this system.

A metallic crash behind them made Rose look back. A figure was walking towards them. They had knocked over a loose pipe that crashed against the metal floor. The figure didn't seem to have noticed, marching towards them with slow and deliberate strides. Nearby, the computer counted down once again.

"Riley, can you close the doors behind us?" Rose asked.

"Not without locking down the entire system again," Riley admitted. "That's… that's Korwin."

Pushing Riley behind her, Rose eyed the figure as it walked towards them. The figure was wearing protective gear and a helmet that covered its face. Riley started to move towards the figure, but Rose shifted to block his path. Bringing up her hand, Rose summoned her sword and kept it in front of her.

"That's close enough," she said loudly. "Stay where you are." Ashton or whatever had taken hold of him didn't listen.

"I don't understand," Riley stuttered. "Korwin, what is happening-"

"Riley, keep going," Rose ordered.

"It needs two people."

"It'll take longer," Rose explained. "But you can get through a door or two."

"I can't just leave you-"

"Riley, one of us is holding a weapon," Rose pointed out. "Move."

"Burn with me," Korwin said. His voice echoed in his mask as he started to raise his hand towards the mask flap covering his eyes.

"Stop!" Rose ordered again. She heard Riley behind her.

"There's an escape pod to the right," he offered.

"Escape pod this close to the sun?" Rose laughed darkly. "No, that won't work. Call the others."

"Burn with me," the figure said, walking closer to them.

Rose inhaled slowly. Sweat dripped down her neck, and she swallowed down her fear. Korwin wasn't stopping. She couldn't wait. Lunging forward, she swung the sword at the hand about to open the eye section of the mask. Rose didn't know what it would do, but it would be bad. She knew that much based on the fate of the woman in medbay. The blade cut through the protective gear and the arm. Riley shouted in alarm behind her.

Light and heat exploded out of the severed limb. Rose stumbled back as a roar shook the room. Korwin stepped back, turning around and walking in the opposite direction. The light lingered, bright and sharp against Rose's eyes as if she'd just stared into a sun. Closing her eyes, Rose shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Her chest was tight, and the heat… the heat was growing worse.

"Rose!" Someone- Riley, she remembered, grabbed her arms. "That was- what was that?"

"Riley?" Rose managed. She started to open her eyes, but heat burned her eyelids. Tightening them, she gasped for air and pushed Riley away.

It was inside her, clawing at her mental shields and spreading fast. The heat, pounding through her. Rose stepped away from Riley, following the heat towards the side of the ship. There, her hands found the edges of a window. Opening her eyes, she looked out into the brilliance of the sun, watching the churning energy and dance of fission across its surface.

"It's alive," Rose breathed.

"What?" Riley asked. "Rose, are you okay?"

"The star is alive," Rose explained. "And you… when you used the energy scoop, you pulled out part of it. That's what has infected Korwin." She didn't dare turn around. Rose closed her eyes, the heat and the light lingering in her gaze. There was no blackness of her eyelids, only a burning, and desperate light. "Call the Doctor, tell him what I just told you. Have Jack or one of the others come to help you get through."

"But-"

"Then take me to an intercom!" Rose snapped. "There isn't time to be scared."

Riley reached out to touch her and hissed. "You're burning up."

"Yes," Rose agreed. "Yes, I am. There isn't time, Riley. Call them or have me call them. We don't have time."

He obeyed this time, guiding Rose to the intercom and placing her hand on the button. Riley pressed it for her and awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Doctor, Captain, we're in are fourteen. Korwin found us, but Rose… she cut off his arm, and something has happened to her."

"What?" Came the Doctor's voice, and Rose almost smiled at the sound of it.

"Doctor, the sun is alive," Rose announced over the comm. She didn't bother listening to the shocking cries on the other end of the comm. "You need to dump the fuel they took back into the sun. It's infecting people, trying to get home." A surge of heat made Rose flinch in pain, and she nearly collapsed.

"Rose!"

"I'm here," Rose managed. "I'm holding it, but you have to get the fuel jettisoned. It's screaming in pain!"

"Why is she saying that?" McDonnell asked frantically.

"Because it's alive in me," Rose snapped. "It overwhelmed Korwin, trying to free itself, trying to stop the pain. I'm holding it, but you have to hurry! If this ship crashes into the sun, then it is restored! It doesn't care anymore if we live or die!"

Rose couldn't talk anymore. The burn, the heat, the pain was too much. She stumbled back until she hit the far wall. Sinking to the ground, Rose curled up into a ball, reaching for the sun flailing inside of her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "We'll fix this; we'll help you. Please stop killing. Give them some time."

There was no answer, just the rage and pain of a creature in pain—the agony. Whimpering, Rose managed one last shout to the Doctor.

"Please, Doctor, help it. I don't- I don't want to kill it like I did Cassandra."

Then she lowered her head, focusing on holding back the heat and containing the pain. She'd have to hope that the others would be enough to stop this.

…

AN: Okay, so Ashton was saved by virtue of not being alone. The sun seemed to target people alone or in pairs so I decided that it wouldn't try to take on the larger group in engineering.