Hello dear readers. She here is the Voyage of the Damned. This one ended up being a lot longer than I thought it was going to be, which took me longer to write. Anyways… here you go and enjoy!
Doctor's POV
I was about to put the shields up when horns blared and a ship crashed into the side of the TARDIS. Both Harper and I got thrown back, and I covered Harper from the rubble that was flying our way.
"What? What?" I said once everything calmed down. I moved forward picking up a life preserver and flipped it over. We both saw Titanic written on it, and at the same time said, "What?!"
I jumped up and started quickly getting the TARDIS back together. "What's going on?" Harper asked. She looked a little shaken up and had dust all over her.
"Not sure." I said as I finish. Once the TARDIS was fixed and I had landed the TARDIS on the ship, I went over to her and dusted her off. "Lets go and figure out what's going on."
Both Harper and I stepped out of the TARDIS, I quickly checked the side of the TARDIS, she was fine, and then we headed out into the main area of the ship.
A band was playing Christmas carols and everyone was in very fancy dress. "Wow, it's beautiful in here," Harper said.
She was looking all around at the Christmas decorations and I had to agree, it did look beautiful.
I pulled her forward as I walked around the room. "You're very welcome," a waitress said as she handed someone a drink. We pasted two robot angels one of which turned to me as we past. "Christmas is funny…" a small red spiked alien said.
"He is red…" Harper whispered to me and I just nodded yes and pulled her to the window.
"Right," I said as I looked out; so not the real Titanic.
"Attention all passengers," Someone said over a PA system. "The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol 3, also known as Earth; population, human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas."
Harper's POV
I walked up behind the Doctor as he watch a video on a small monitor, "Max Capricorn Cruise Liners. The fastest, the furthest, the best, and I should know because my name is Max." The video ended with Max smiling and showing off his golden tooth, which gave off a twinkle.
"A bit full of himself, isn't he?" I asked. The Doctor turned and smiled at me.
"Just a bit. Gold tooth was a little much." He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in. "You look absolutely beautiful tonight." I smiled up at him. I had been saving this red dress for a special occasion and now seemed perfect with it been Christmas and all.
"Why thank you, and I have to say you don't look so bad yourself. Although I do get a bit nervous when you wear this suit."
"Oh, come on. It's not the suit."
"So its just you then?" I laughed as he pouted. "Come on lets go look around."
"Merry Christmas, sir, ma'am." A crewmember said as we walked past.
"Merry Christmas," the Doctor replied.
We walked into the main ballroom and both of us started to smile. It was so beautiful and cheerful. "Oh just look at everything!" I said grabbing onto the Doctor's arm. He just chuckled at me and walked further into the room.
"It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my phone. Now, do as I say and sell," one passenger said on a phone that past us.
"Someone's not in the holiday spirit," I mumbled about the grumpy businessman as the Doctor pulled me over to one of the angel robots.
"Evening, passenger 57, terrible memory. Remind me, you would be?" The Doctor asked.
"Information," the robot said. "Heavenly Host supplying tourist information."
"Good, so um tell me, 'cause I'm an idiot. Where are we from?"
"Information, the Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Casivanian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures."
"Primitive?" I said a little insulted that they were calling humans primitive. I was about I said more when the Doctor asked, "Titanic, um, who thought of the name?"
"Information, it was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth."
"Did they tell you why it was famous?" I asked. Thinking that some idiot didn't do their research very well.
"Information. All designations are chosen by Mr. Max Capricorn, president of Max… Max… Max… Max… Max…"
"Ooh, a bit of a glitch," the Doctor said when the Host started to just keep repeating 'Max' over and over.
"Sorry, caps, we can handle this," a steward said coming over to us and motioning for help. Once they turned it off he turned to us and said, "Software problem, that's all. Leave it with us, sir, ma'am. Merry Christmas." As they were walking away I heard him say, "That's another one down. What's going on with these things?"
Doctor's POV
"For toff's sake!" The grumpy businessman we saw earlier said. It looked like one of the waitresses had run into him with a tray causing a glass to break and the drink to get on the man. "This jacket's a genuine Earth antique."
"I'm sorry, sir," the waitress said.
"You'll be sorry when it comes off our wages, sweetheart. Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn is going down the drain." He said as he walked away.
Harper and I quickly went over to help the waitress pick up the broken glass. "Careful, there we go."
"Thank you sir, ma'am, I can manage."
"I never said you couldn't. I'm the Doctor, by the way. And this is Harper."
"Hello," Harper said smiling brightly at her.
"Astrid, sir, ma'am. Astrid Peth."
"Nice to meet you, Astrid, Merry Christmas," Harper said.
Astrid looked up at her and smiled saying, "Merry Christmas ma'am."
"Just Harper, not ma'am and call him Doctor not sir." Harper said knowing it annoys me when people call me 'sir'.
"You enjoying the cruise?"
"Um, yeah, I suppose. I don't know," I said and Harper finished for me saying, "it's more fun when you have friends."
"So it's just you two?" Astrid asked.
"Yeah, just us. Just… used to be, but… what about you?" I asked her as we all stood back up. "Long way from home, planet Sto."
"Doesn't feel that different. Spent three years working at the Spaceport Diner. Travelled all the way here and I'm still waiting on tables."
"No shore leave?" I asked as we followed Astrid.
"We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars. I always dreamt of… sounds daft."
"You dreamt of another sky," Harper said. "New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life; why stand still when there's all that life out there?"
"So you two travel a lot?"
"All the time." I said as Harper laughed lightly beside me. "Just for fun. Well, that's the plan, never quite works."
"Must be rich, though."
Harper let out a laugh and said, "Haven't got a penny." And then I whispered, "Stowaways."
"Kidding?"
"Seriously," I said.
"No," Astrid said still not believing.
"Oh, yeah."
"How'd you get on board?"
"Accident. I've got this, sort of, ship thing. I was just rebuilding… left the defenses down. Bumped into the Titanic, here we are. A bit of a party; I thought, why not?"
"I should report you."
"Go on, then," I challenged.
"I'll get you two a drink." Astrid said and then whispered, "on the house."
Just then I noticed a group of people laughing loudly and pointing at a couple sitting a few tables over. The couple was dressed… oddly in purple cowboy shirts and didn't seem to fit in with the others. But who was I to follow the crowd.
Before I even moved I saw Harper heading towards the couple. I caught up with her quickly and we both sat down at their table as the man told the woman, "Just ignore them."
"Something's tickled them," I said.
"They told us it was fancy dress. Very funny, I'm sure," the lady said.
"They're just picking on us because we haven't paid. We won our tickets in a competition," the man said.
"I had to name the five husband of Juthy Crystal in By the Light of the Asteroid. Do you ever watch By the Light of the Asteroid?"
"Is that the one with the twins?" I asked and heard Harper laughing in my head as she asked, 'really you watch that show?'
'What? It's a good show.'
"That's it," the lady cried. "Oh, it's marvelous."
"But we're not good enough for that lot. They think we should be in steerage."
"Well, we can't have that, can we?" Harper asked looking at me smirking. I smiled and under my arm used the sonic screwdriver to cause the cork of their champagne to fly off sending champagne all over them.
"Did you do that?" The lady asked surprised.
"Maybe," I said.
"We like you."
"We do," the man agreed. "I'm Morvin Van Hoff. This is my good woman, Foon."
"Foon," I said liking the way it sounded. "Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is Harper."
"Hello, it's very nice to meet you," Harper said.
"Oh, well, I'll need a doctor by the time I finish with that buffet. Have a buffalo wing," Foon said. "They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings."
Harper giggled beside me at this as we both took a buffalo wing.
"Attention, please," Someone called over the PA system. "Shore leave tickets Red 6-7 now activated. Red 6-7."
"Red 6-7? That's us," Foon said as she and Morvin got up. "Are you Red 6-7?"
"Might as well be," I said as Harper and I got up following them.
"Come on, then. We're going to Earth," Morvin said.
"Oh, how exciting. I've always wanted to go to Earth," Harper said laughing lightly.
I laughed and said, "Well come on then. Lets go explore the primitive planet."
Harper scrunched up her nose at me but I just laughed and pulled her on to follow the Van Hoffs.
"Red 6-7? Red 6-7?" And older gentleman called holding up a red sign with 6-7 on it. "This way, fast as you can."
"I got you those drinks," Astrid said coming up to us.
"And we've got you a treat, come on," Harper said pulling her forward.
"Red 6-7, departing shortly."
"Red 6-7, plus two," I said holding up the psychic paper.
"Uh… quickly, sir, please, and take three teleport bracelets if you would," the older gentleman said.
I took three of them and gave one to both Harper and Astrid.
"Well this just doesn't go with my dress," Harper complained as she put it on.
"I'll get the sack," Astrid said worriedly.
"Brand new sky," was all I had to say before she put on the bracelet.
"To repeat," the older gentleman started. "I am Mr. Copper, the ship's historian, and I shall be taking you to old London Town in the country of UK, ruled over by Good King Wenceslas." Harper snorted out a laugh at Mr. Copper. But thankfully no one but me heard her. "Now, human beings worship the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary. And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner, like savages."
'What!?' Harper thought while trying to not laugh.
"Excuse me, sorry, sorry, but, um, where did you get all this form?" I asked.
"Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics. Now, standby…"
"And me! And me! Red 6-7," the small red spiked alien we saw earlier said as he ran into the group.
"Take a bracelet, please sir," Mr. Copper said.
"But hold on, hold on. What was your name?" I asked the alien.
"Bannakaffalatta."
"Yep that fits," Harper mumbled beside me.
"Okay, Bannakaffalatta. But its Christmas Eve down there, late-night shopping, tons of people. He's like a talking conker. No offence, but you'll cause a riot, 'cause the streets are gonna be packed with shoppers and parties and…." But before I could finish we were teleported down to Earth. And to my surprise, no one was around. "Oh."
"Now as spending money. I have a credit card in Earth currency. If you want to buy trinkets or stockings or the local delicacy, which is know as beef. But don't stray too far it could be dangerous. Any day now, they start boxing."
"Where is everyone?" Harper asked.
"It should be full. It should be busy. Something's wrong," I said.
"But it's beautiful," Astrid said looking around.
"Really? Do you think so? It's just a street. The pyramids are beautiful, and New Zealand," I said looking around.
"But it's a different planet," Astrid said. "I'm standing on a different planet! There's concrete and shops, alien shops, real alien shops! Look, no stars in the sky, and it smells. It stinks!" Astrid said loudly. "Oh, this is amazing! Thank you!"
Astrid gave Harper and I a hug and I laughed saying, "Yeah? Come on, then, let's have a look." I pulled the girls over to a small stand that an older gentleman was running. "Hello, there. Sorry, obvious question. But where's everybody gone?"
"Whoa, scared," he said.
"Scared? Scared of what?" Harper asked.
"Where have you been living? London, at Christmas, not safe is it?"
"Why?" I asked.
"Well, it's them, up above," he said pointing up. "Look, Christmas before last, we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on the roof, and then last year, that Christmas star electrocuting all over the place. Draining the Thames."
"This place is amazing," Astrid said.
"And this year, who knows what," the older man said. "So, everybody's scarpered. Gone to the country. All expect me, and Her Majesty." He stood up and pointed to the TV.
"Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she'll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London and the world that there's nothing to fear," The news reporter said.
"God bless her," he said a saluted. "We stand vigil."
"Well, between you and me, I think Her Majesty's got it right. As far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about…"
Before I could say more we were teleported back onto the ship. "I was in mid-sentence," I said loudly.
"Yes, I'm sorry about that," Mr. Copper said. "Bit of a problem. If I can have you brace…"
"Apologies, ladies and gentleman, Bannakaffalatta," the Chief Stewart said interrupting Mr. Copper. I felt Astrid hide behind Harper and I. "We seem to have suffered a power fluctuation. If you'd like to return to the festivities, and on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruise Liners, free drinks will be provided."
"That was the best. The best," Astrid said coming out from behind us before she left to go back to her job.
"What sort of power fluctuation?" I asked the Chief Stewart.
Harper's POV
I knew it was to good to be true. There was no way we could just enjoy a Christmas cruise; something just had to happen.
I could tell something was bugging the Doctor. The Chief Stewart hadn't given us any information, so the Doctor was trying to let me enjoy everything but I could tell it was nagging at him.
I looked over to a screen and saw the video of Max Capricorn. "And I should know because my name is Max."
"Oh, go on and take a look," I told him, nudging him towards it.
"What? I… no lets just… you're the best." He said kissing the top of my head before going to the screen.
I followed and heard the video say, "The fastest, the furthest, the best. My name is Max."
The Doctor pulled back the screen and flipped a switch to show a radar. 'Shields off-line' was in red on the bottom. "Doctor, what are those red dots to the side there?" I asked getting a bit worried.
"Those are not good," he said looking out the window. He quickly got to work and called the bridge. "Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the captain. You got a meteoroid storm coming in. West 0 by North 2."
"Who is this?" The captain replied back.
"Never mind that, your shields are down. Check your scanners, Captain. You got meteoroids coming in and no shielding."
"You have no authorization," the captain said. "You will clear the comms at once."
"Yeah? Just look starboard!"
"If you would come with me, sir," the Chief Steward said grabbing onto the Doctor.
I followed behind them worried about the Doctor. He kept trying to get them to listen to him, "You've got a rock storm heading for the ship and the shields are down!"
He broke away from them and ran up to the stage getting the guest attention. "Everyone listen to me. This is an emergency. Get to the life…" A Host grabbed the Doctor before he could finish. As they pulled him away he said, "Look out the windows!"
Astrid, the Van Hoffs, and Bannakaffalatta followed me as I followed the Doctor.
Once we were out of the main room the Doctor said, "If you don't believe me, then check the shields yourself."
"Sir, I can vouch for him," Astrid said.
"Steward, he's just had a bit too much to drink," Morvin said.
"Sir, something seems to have gone wrong," Mr. Copper, said. "All the teleports have gone down."
"Not now," the Chief Steward said.
"The shields are down!" I said trying to help.
"Listen to her, we are going to get hit!" The Doctor yelled.
We all followed the Steward as he pulled the Doctor away from the guest. Surprisingly the grumpy businessman come over to us saying, "Oi, Steward! I'm telling you, the shields are down."
"Listen to him," the Doctor yelled. "Listen to him!"
Suddenly the meteoroids hit the ship. We were sent flying around the hallway as more and more meteoroids made contact. We were doing our best to stay upright as the ship rocked. I grabbed Bannakaffalatta trying to help him as the Doctor helped Astrid. Fires were braking out everywhere and I could hear the screams of the other guest.
As quickly as it started, it ended. The Doctor was the first to get up.
Foon was crying and Morvin was trying to calm her down, "it's all right. It's all right, sweetheart."
"Shh!" The Doctor said quieting everyone down. "It's stopping. You are right?" The Doctor asked Astrid.
"I think so?"
He then came over to me helping me up, "alright love?"
"Never better," I said grumpily. "Bad name for a ship."
"Either that, or this suit is really unlucky," he added pulling me in for a hug.
I bent down to check on the other steward that was with us. I felt for a pulse, but there wasn't one. I looked up at the Doctor with tears in my eyes and he looked to the Chief Steward shaking his head no. When I stood back up the Doctor pulled me into another hug trying to reassure me that we will be okay.
"Everyone, ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta," the Chief Steward said getting our attention. "I must apologise on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision."
"Small?" Morvin yelled and then everyone started yelling all at once.
"If I could have silence, ladies" the Chief Steward tried with no luck so he yelled, "Quiet! Thank you. I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience. But, first, I would point out that we're very much alive."
Astrid when to have a look at Mr. Copper and call the Doctor over, "Doctor." I quickly followed going into nurse mood.
"It is, after all, a fine and sturdy ship. If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the situation."
The Chief Steward headed for a door and when the Doctor saw this he yelled, "Don't open it!" But it was too late. The door was opened and the Chief Steward was sucked out into open space. Air was being pulled from the ship causing the rest of us to struggle to hold onto anything we could. The Doctor was trying to make his way to the controls. Once there he used the sonic and reactivated the shield.
"Oxygen shield stabilized," the computer said.
"Everyone all right?" The Doctor asked, "Harper?"
"Ugh," I grumbled but the Doctor knew me and didn't worry so he said, "Astrid?"
"Yeah."
"Foon? Morvin?"
"Yeah," they both said.
"Mr. Copper? Bannakaffalatta?"
"Yes," Bannakaffalatta said.
The Doctor looked up and asked the businessman, "Yes, what was your name?"
"Rickston Slade."
"You all right?"
"Yeah, no thanks to that idiot," Rickston said.
"Oi! Be nice," I said and Astrid added, "the Steward just died."
"Then he's a dead idiot," Rickston said, and I made up my mind that I didn't like him at all.
"All right, calm down. Just stay still all of you, hold on." The Doctor went to take a look outside and Astrid and I followed along.
"What happened? How come the shields were down?" Astrid asked.
"I don't think it was an accident," the Doctor said. Astrid and I looked out and I gave an audible gasp.
The ship was completely torn apart. We were looking out to the Earth watching as derby from the ship and the guests were floating around space.
"How many dead?" Astrid asked.
"We're alive, just focus on that," the Doctor said. "I will get you out of here, Astrid. I promise. Look at me, I promise." Astrid gave a quick nod so the Doctor kept going on, "Good. Now, if we can get to reception, I've got a spaceship tucked away. We can all get on board…"
I tapped the Doctor on the shoulder to get his attention and then pointed out into space as the TARDIS floated off.
"Oh," was all the Doctor said.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Astrid said.
"That's our ship over there," I said pointing out.
"Where?"
"There, that box. That little blue box," the Doctor said before thinking, 'Our ship?'
'What she likes me more than you anyway.'
'Sure she does. I'll let you keep thinking that if you want.' He thought with a laugh.
"That's a spaceship?" Astrid asked.
"Oi, don't knock it," the Doctor said sounding offended.
"It's a bit small," Astrid commented.
"A bit distant," I said sadly. The Doctor grabbed my hand giving it a squeeze saying, "Trouble is, once it's set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity and that would be the Earth."
"We need to quit celebrating Christmas," I mumbled so only the Doctor heard me. I saw him give a smirk before going into action.
The Doctor's POV
"Deck 22 to the bridge," I called over the comms. Harper was going around making sure everyone was okay, I knew she was going into nurse mood, but I was worried about her. "Deck 22 to the bridge. Is there anyone there?"
"This is the bridge," a man called back.
"Oh, hello sailor, good to hear you. What's the situation up there?" I asked.
"We've got air, the oxygen field is holding. But the Captain, he's dead. He did it! Wasn't my fault, he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried, I did try," he said crying.
"All right, just stay calm," I told him. "Tell me your name. What's you name?"
"Midshipman Frame."
"Nice to meet you, sir. What's the state of the engines?"
"They're… hold on." Midshipman Frame let out a scream of pain.
"Have you been injured?" I asked.
"I'm all right. Oh my, they're cycling down."
"That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?" I asked. I felt Harper come up next to me; she had a worried look on her face.
"Yes," Midshipman Frame said.
"The moment they're gone, we lose orbit."
"The planet," Frame said sounding worried.
"Oh, yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm will explode, and wipe out life on Earth." Harper let out a gasp when I said that. "Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core."
"This is never going to work," Midshipman said.
"Trust me, it'll keep the engines going till I can get to the bridge."
"We're going to die," Foon said and Mr. Copper said, "Are you saying…" But Foon interrupted him, "we are. We're going to die!" Soon everyone started talking.
"Okay!" I said and they all stopped talking. "First things first. One, we're going to climb through this ship. B… no two, we're going to reach the bridge. Three or C, we're going to save the Titanic. And coming in a very low four, or D, or the little IV in brackets they use in footnotes… why? Right then, follow me."
"Hang on a minute," Rickston said. "Who put you in charge? And who the hell are you anyway?"
Harper stepped out of the way smirking knowing what I was about to say.
"I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm 903 years old, and I'm the man who's going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You have a problem with that?"
"No," Rickston said.
"In that case, allons-y!" I said grabbing Harper's hand and leading the way.
I pushed open a door leading to the stairwell. Derby from the ship was everywhere and was going to make it difficult to go up. "Careful," I said calling behind me. "Follow me."
"Rather ironic, but this is very much in the spirit of Christmas," Mr. Copper said, causing Harper to snort out a laugh as she and I moved derby out of our way. "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."
"Actually, that's not true," I said. "Christmas is a time of peace and thanksgiving and... What am I on about? My Christmases are always like this." I moved a piece of metal and stopped. "We've got a Host."
There was one of the Host laying on the stairs. "Strength of ten," Harper said looking over my shoulder. "If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble."
"We can do robotics," Morvin said. "Both of us."
"We work on the milk market back on Sto. It's all robot staff," Foon explained.
"See if you can get it working," I told them and then looked at Harper and Astrid, "Let's have a look."
We had only got up a little ways when the path was blocked. Astrid said, sounding disappointed, "It's blocked."
"So what do we do?" I asked.
"We shift it," Harper said.
I smiled up at her saying, "That's the attitude. Rickston, Mr. Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta... look, can I just call you Banna? It's going to save a lot of time."
"No! Bannakaffalatta," he said.
"All right then, Bannakaffalatta, there's a gap in the middle, see if you can get through."
"Easy, good," Bannakaffalatta said slipping through. The ship gave a huge shake sending more rubble down on us.
"This whole thing could come crashing down any minute," Rickston yelled.
"Oh, Rickston, I forgot, did you get that message?" I asked.
"No, what message?"
"Shut up!" I yelled and Harper laughed but tried to cover it up.
"Bannakaffalatte made it," we all heard.
"I'm small enough, I can get through," Astrid said.
"Careful," Harper said.
"I'm fine," she called back to us.
"The thing is, how are Mr. and Mrs. Fatso going to get through that gap?" Rickston asked.
"How's your big head going to get through?" Harper asked pushing past him to see if she could help the Van Hoffs.
"We make the gap bigger," I said angrily. "So, start."
Harper's POV
"Hey, hey, come on, sweetheart. Don't listen to him," I heard Morvin tell Foon.
"Yeah, you shouldn't listen to him. He's just a shallow lonely man," I said once I got to them.
Foon smiled at me but then frowned, "No, but it's all my fault, though. The tickets."
"We won them fair and square," Morvin simply said.
"I know. I never told you… I dialed the competition line 5,000 times. That's 5,000 credits. I might as well have paid for the tickets. I've been hiding the phone bill for months now."
I was staying quiet, I didn't know how many 5,000 credits equals on Earth, but it had to be a lot. Morvin stopped working and looked over at Foon, "5,000 credits? You spent 5,000 credits?"
"Don't hate me," Foon said but then Morvin started to laugh. Foon looked over at me and I just shrugged my shoulders not knowing why he thought it was funny. "What's so funny?"
"5,000?"
"We'll never pay that off," Foon said.
"I know," Morvin said, still laughing. "We'll have to work 20 years, you mad bloody woman." I chuckled lightly; love really does make you blind.
"You're not cross?" Foon asked.
"Does it matter? Look at us. You drive me barmy. I don't half love you. Mrs. Van Hoff, come here," Morvin said pulling Foon in for a hug and a kiss.
"Aww, you guys are so cute." I said smiling over at them.
The Doctor's POV
"What happened?" Rickston asked when we heard the Van Hoffs laughing. "Did they find a doughnut?"
I rolled my eyes at him and Astrid called, "I can clear it from this side. Just tell me if it starts moving."
After a bit of nothing changing I called back up to her asking, "What's going on up there?"
"Well, I think Bannakaffalatta and I just got engaged."
I wasn't expecting that.
"Almost done," Morvin called up to me.
"Good, good, good. Mr. Frame, how's things?" I asked calling the bridge.
"Doctor, I've got life signs all over the ship, but they're going out one by one," He said.
"What is it? Are they losing air?" I asked.
"No. Well, I'm not sure, but it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host."
I immediately turned around and looked at Harper and the Van Hoffs.
"It's working!" Morvin called. I started down to them as fast as I could.
"Kill," the Host said.
The Host grabbed a hold of Morvin's neck trying to choke him.
"Turn it off!" I yelled. Foon and Harper were both trying to turn it off.
"Kill."
"Doctor!" Foon yelled and Harper said, "How do you turn this off?"
"Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill."
"Go," I told Foon and Harper. As I used the sonic screwdriver on the Host, I saw Harper push Foon up the stairs.
"Kill. Kill. Kill."
"Hands frozen. Can't stop it. Come on! Double deadlock." I stopped using the sonic to try and pull the Host's hand away from Morvin's neck. Finally got Morvin free and told him, "Go upstairs!"
"Run, darling, run!" Foon called.
"Information. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill."
"Rickston, get them through," I yelled.
"No chance," he said before going through himself.
"Rickston!" Mr. Copper said in shock.
"I'll never get through there," Foon said.
"Yes, you can, let me clear…" Mr. Copper said.
I was trying to keep the Host busy but it was slowly backing me up the stairs.
"It's the Host. They've gone berserk. Can you cope up there?" I asked Midshipman Frame.
"No, I'm stuck!" Foon yelled. Everyone but Harper, Morvin, and myself were on the other side of the rubble.
"Come on, you can do it," Astrid told her.
"I can't."
"It's going to collapse." Finally Foon was through but Mr. Copper was still having trouble. "Rickston help me!"
I had no doubt that Rickston would not help. "No way," Rickston said conforming what I thought.
"Harper go!" I yelled up at her.
"But…" she started but I stopped her, "GO!"
Once Harper was through I yelled up once more, "Morvin, get through!"
"Ow," Morvin yelled. He was stuck in the rubble. I was right behind him trying to think of what to do.
"Doctor, he's stuck," Astrid called.
I had to push him from behind. "Mr. Van Hoff, I know we've only just met, but you'll have to excuse me."
"That's it, we've got you." Astrid said once Morvin was through.
"Doctor, come on! Get through," Harper called.
I turned to the Host before going through. "Information override. You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure."
"I can't hold it," Mr. Copper said.
"Hang on, Mr. Copper," Harper said. "Let me help."
"Information," the Host said. "Deck 31."
"Thank you." Once I was through I said, "Copper!" He let go of the rubble he was holding and it all came down on the Host.
Harper came over to me and I pulled her in for a hug. I was glad she was safe… well for now.
Harper's POV
We were still making our way through the ship when we came upon a kitchen.
"Morvin, look food." Foon said.
"Oh, great! Someone's happy," Rickston said sarcastically.
"Don't have any, then," Morvin said and I smiled at him for standing up for Foon and himself.
"Mr. Frame, you still there?" I looked over to the Doctor to see him calling the bridge again.
"Yes, sir." Mr. Frame called back. I went over to the Doctor to listen. "But I've got Host outside. I've sealed the door."
"They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?" The Doctor asked.
"That's not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use the maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in. I'm sealed off. Even if you can fix the Titanic, you can't get to the bridge."
"Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time," he said sounding just a bit tired. "What is on Deck 31?"
"Er, that's down below. There's nothing. It's just the Host storage deck. That's where we keep the robots."
"What's that? You see that panel?" The Doctor asked looking at a scan of the Titanic and seeing a black panel in Deck 31. "Black. It's registering nothing, no power, no heat, no light."
"Never seen it before," Frame said.
"100% shielded, what's down there?"
"I'll try intensifying the scanner."
"Let me know if you find anything, and keep those engines going."
"Saved you two some," Astrid said coming over to us. "You might be a Time King from Gannaby, but you still need to eat."
I laughed a little and the Doctor said, "yeah, thanks."
We sat down and Astrid said, "But you look good for 903."
"You should see me in the mornings," the Doctor said without thinking how it sounded.
"Okay," Astrid said smirking at him.
I hid a laugh thinking, 'that would be flirting Doctor. And when I'm sitting right here.'
The Doctor had a shocked look on his face and thought, 'no, no, no, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean too.'
'I know, you big goof. Just messing with you.'
Mr. Copper came over to us saying, "Doctor, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day."
"So it is," the Doctor said smiling, "Merry Christmas."
"This Christmas thing, what's it all about?" Astrid asked.
"Long story," the Doctor said. "I should know, I was there; I got the last room."
"You didn't," I said shocked.
"But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them?" Mr. Copper asked. "They could send up a rocket or something."
"They don't have spaceships," I said.
"No, I've read about it," Mr. Copper said sounding so confident. "They have shuffles. Space shuffles."
"Mr. Copper, this degree in Earthonomics, where is it from?" The Doctor asked.
"Honestly?"
"Just between us," the Doctor said.
"Mrs. Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners."
"You lied to the company?" Astrid said shocked. "To get the job?"
"I wasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road. And I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home, and Earth sounded so exotic."
"Umm, I suppose it is, yeah," the Doctor said.
"How come you know it so well?" Astrid asked.
"I was sort of… um… a few years ago, I was sort of made… well, sort of homeless, and… there was the Earth," the Doctor explained.
"And I'm from there," I said earning a surprised look from Astrid.
"The thing is if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations. Now, the minimum penalty for space-lane fraud is 10 years in jail," Mr. Copper explained. "I'm an old man. Well, I won't survive 10 years."
I put an arm around Mr. Copper's shoulders, but before I could say anything there was a bang on the doors.
"The Host!" The Doctor yelled jumping up. "Move, come on!"
The Doctor opened the door with the sonic and we ended up in the room that was a tunnel for the nuclear storm drive engines. A small beam connected one side of the room to the other. Unfortunately it didn't look very sturdy.
"Is that the only way across?" Rickston asked.
"On the other hand, it is a way across," the Doctor said.
I gulped at how far down it was. 'I really don't like heights,' I thought.
'Better than the Host,' the Doctor thought back.
"The engines are open," Astrid said looking down.
"Nuclear storm drive," the Doctor commented. "As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls."
"But that thing, it'll never take our weight," Morvin said worriedly.
"You're going last, mate," Rickston said not helping the situation.
"It nitrophine metal, it's stronger than it looks," the Doctor said.
"All the same, Rickston is right," Morvin said. "Me and Foon should…" but he was getting too close to the edge and the metal bent causing him to fall.
"Morvin!" Foon yelled while I went forward yelling, "no!"
The Doctor and I were on either side of Foon as she cried. Rickston said, "I told you! I told you!"
"Just shut up! Shut up!" Mr. Copper yelled at Rickston.
"Bring him back," Foon said. "Can't you bring him back? Bring him back, Doctor."
"I can't, I'm sorry. I can't," the Doctor told her.
"You promised me," Foon accused. I pulled her in for a hug as the Doctor said, "I know. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
"Look, I rather think that those things have got our scent," Mr. Copper said.
"I'm not waiting," Rickston said going across the beam.
"Careful!" The Doctor said. "Take it slowly!"
The ship let out a shudder and Rickston fell down, holding tightly to the beam. "Help me!"
"You're okay," the Doctor told him. "A step at a time. Come on, you can do it."
"They're getting nearer," Mr. Copper said.
"I'll seal us in," the Doctor said as he grabbed the sonic and shut the door.
"Leaving us trapped, wouldn't you say?" Mr. Copper asked.
"Never say 'trapped'," I said from where I was still next to Foon and the Doctor added, "just inconveniently circumstanced."
"Oh," was all Mr. Copper said not believing a word we said.
"I'm okay," Rickston said but no one was paying him any attention at the moment.
"Maybe he's all right," Foon said. "Maybe there's a gravity curve down there or something, I don't know. Maybe he's just unconscious."
"I'm sorry, Foon, he's gone," Astrid said. Both Astrid and I were on either side of her trying to help her. Foon started to cry harder and asked, "I can't live without him." Astrid and I pulled her in for a hug.
"Yes! Oh, yes!" Rickston cheered when he got to the other side. "Who's good?!" I rolled my eyes at him.
"Bannakaffalatta, you go next," the Doctor said.
"Bannakaffalatta is small," Bannakaffalatta said as he started across the beam.
"Slowly!" The Doctor warned.
"They've found us," Mr. Copper said as the Host started to hit the door.
"Astrid, Harper, get across right now," the Doctor, yelled. I gave Foon a sad look and then pull Astrid with me. I knew when the Doctor yelled like that there was no fighting him.
"What about you?" Astrid asked worriedly. Astrid and I started across and I gulped at the sight. Why did it have to be this high up?
"Just do it, go on. Mr. Copper we can't wait," the Doctor said pushing Mr. Copper to the beam. "Don't argue. Foon, you've got to get across right now."
"What for? What am I going to do without him?" She cried.
"Doctor," Rickston yelled across. "The door is locked."
"Just think what would he want, eh?" The Doctor asked.
"He don't want nothing, he's dead," Foon cried.
"Doctor, I can't open the door!" Rickston yelled. "We need the whirring key thing of yours."
"I can't leave her!" the Doctor yelled back.
"She'll get us all killed if we can't get out," Rickston said.
I knew this was killing the Doctor. He didn't want to lose anyone else, but then I heard him say, "Mrs. Van Hoff, I'm coming back for you. All right?"
"Too many people," Bannakaffalatta said when the Doctor got on the beam and it started to creak.
"Oi, don't get spiky with me," the Doctor said and I yelled, "Keep going."
We were only about halfway across and I was worried we wouldn't make it. Suddenly the ship gave a big shudder causing us all to fall onto the beam.
"It's going to fall," Astrid yelled.
"It's just settling, keep going," the Doctor said.
"They've stopped," I said no longer hearing the thudding from the Host.
"Gone away?" Bannakaffalatta asked.
"But why would they give up?" the Doctor asked.
"Never mind that, keep coming," Rickston said.
"Where have they gone?" I asked and then the Doctor asked, "Where are the Host?"
"Well, I'm afraid, we forgot the traditions of Christmas. That angels have wings," Mr. Copper said pointing up. And there they were, the Host, were floating up above us.
"Information," the Host said. "Kill."
"Arm yourself, all of you!" The Doctor yelled and we all grabbed some kind of metal from the beam. The Host took off their halos and started throwing them at us. We all kept hitting them back with the metal but it was becoming difficult. The Doctor screamed in pain as one hit his arm and Mr. Copper cried in pain after one hit his side. I tired to move in time but one hit my lower leg causing me to fall to my knees in pain.
Astrid was struggling also and cried, "I can't."
Then Bannakaffalatta said, "Bannakaffalatta stop. Bannakaffalatta proud. Bannakaffalatta cyborg!" He ripped open his shirt sending out a shock wave that blasted the Host and stopping the attack.
The Host all fell, with one landing behind the Doctor. "Electromagnetic pulse took out the robotics," the Doctor said. "Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant."
Bannakaffalatta feel down and Astrid immediately went to him; I looked sadly at Bannakaffalatta and Astrid as Astrid said, "He's used all his power."
"Did good?" Bannakaffalatta asked.
"You saved our lives," Astrid said.
"Bannakaffalatta happy."
"We can recharge you, get you to a power point, just plug you in." Astrid said and Mr. Copper edged his way around me and came up beside Bannakaffalatta.
"Too late," Bannakaffalatta told Astrid.
"No, but… you've got to get me that drink, remember?"
"Pretty girl," was the last thing Bannakaffalatta said before he was gone.
"I'm sorry, forgive me," Mr. Copper said as he stopped Astrid from closing Bannakaffalatta's shirt.
"Leave him alone," Astrid said.
"It's the EMP transmitter," Mr. Copper said. "He'd want us to use it. I used to sell these things. They'd always give me a bed for the night in the cyborg caravans. They're good people, but if we can recharge it, we can use it as a weapon against the rest of the Host. Bannakaffalatta might have saved us all."
"Do you think? Try telling him that," Rickston said pointing behind us.
The Host that landed on the beam was getting up and grabbing his halo. "Information. Reboot."
"Use the EMP!" Rickston shouted.
"It's dead," Mr. Copper and Astrid, yelled, "It's got to have emergency."
I was just sitting there not know what to do. The halo had cut my leg worse than I originally thought making an escape all most impossible. When the Host was standing up and heading our way the Doctor quickly said, "No, no. Hold on. Hold the line. Loophole. Security protocol 10…" when nothing happened he tried again, "666…21… 4, 5, 6, 7, 8… I don't know, 42?"
"One!" I yelled and the Host stopped and said, "Information, state request."
The Doctor looked back at me and gave me a look like 'who knew?' and I just rolled me eyes at him and motioned him to get back to work. "Good, right," he said. "You've been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?"
"Information, no witnesses."
"But this ship's going to fall on the Earth and kill everyone. The human race has got nothing to do with the Titanic so that contravenes your orders, yes?"
"Information, incorrect."
"But why do you want to destroy the Earth?" The Doctor asked.
"Information, it is the plan."
"What plan?"
"Information, the protocol grants you only 3 questions. These three questions have been used."
"Well, you could have warned me," the Doctor wined.
"Information, now you will die."
The Doctor grabbed the metal pipe again but before the Host could do anything a rope was put around it. "You're coming with me," Foon said and then she did something the surprised us all. She jumped off the beam pulling the Host with her.
The Doctor yelled "no," and tried to go forward but he wasn't quick enough. Foon was gone. I let out a sob at losing someone else.
The Doctor stood up and said, "no more," then he came to me and helped me up. We slowly made it across the beam, with a bit of difficultly as my leg was bummed up. And then worked our way further into the ship. The Doctor ended up giving me a piggy-back-ride to make us move fast.
The Doctor's POV
I set Harper down and turned to the other three, "Right, get yourself over to Reception One. Once you're there, Mr. Copper, you've got staff access to the computer. Try to find a way transmitting an SOS. Astrid, you're in charge of this," I said holding up the EMP transmitter for her to take. "Once it's powered up, it'll take out Host within 50 yards, but then it needs 60 seconds to recharge, got it? Harper, take this," I said pulling out the sonic. "I've preset it just hold down…"
"I know how to use the sonic," she said from her spot on the ground.
I handed it to her and turned to Rickston. "Rickston, help Harper to the doors. Don't let anything happen to her. You got that? Now, go open the next door. Go on! Go!"
"All right," Rickston said helping Harper up and to the door.
"Mr. Copper, I need you fighting fit," I said handing him the first aid kit. "Astrid, where's the power points?"
"Under the comms," she said and we both went to it.
"It'll beep when it's ready. That blue light comes on there," I told her holding the EMP up to the power point.
"You're talking as if you're not coming with us."
"There's something down on Deck 31," I told her. "I'm going to find out what it is."
"What if you meet a Host?" Astrid asked.
"Well, then I'll just have some fun."
"Sounds like you do this kind of thing all the time."
"Not by choice. All I do is travel. That's what Harper and I are, just travelers. Imagine it," I said knowing she would want to come. "No tax, no bills, no boss. Just the open sky."
"I'm sort of unemployed," Astrid said a little uncertainly. "I was thinking that blue box is kind of small, but I could squeeze in like a stowaway."
"It's not always safe."
"So you two need someone to take care of you. I've got no one back on Sto, no family. Just me. So what do you think? Can I come with you?"
I stopped to think about it for just a second and I heard Harper yell "Yes!" and that made my mind up, "Yeah, we'd like that, yeah." She smiled up at me but then the ship shuddered again and I got up to use the comms, "Mr. Frame, you still with us?"
"It's the engines, sir. Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've only got 8 minutes left."
"Don't worry, I'll get there," I said.
"But the bridge is sealed off," Mr. Frame said.
"Yeah, yeah, working on it. I'll get there, Mr. Frame, somehow."
I heard the beep from the EMP and said, "You charge up? Mr. Copper, look after her. Astrid, look after him. Harper look after them. Rickston, um… look after yourself. And I'll see you again, I promise."
I gave Harper a quick look and she gave me a nod thinking, 'be safe.' I gave her a nod back before running off leaving them on their own.
Harper's POV
We were making our way through the ship. It was getting easier and easier for me to go because my leg was getting better, thanks to the time vortex. I opened a door and Rickston ran in, he insisted on being the first one in, and then turned upon seeing Host saying, "Do it!"
Astrid used the EMP stopping the Host. We all cheered before we went on our way once more.
The Doctor's POV
I was working my way back through the ship as fast as I could. I ran into a kitchen only to turn to go back when I saw Host coming but when I turned more Host were block that exit too.
I picked up a pot to defend myself and as they reached for their halos I quickly said, 'Wait, wait, wait, wait! Security protocol one; do you hear me? One! One!" They all stopped and I kept going on, "Okay. That gives me three questions. Three questions to save my life, am I right?"
"Information, correct," one of the Host said.
"No," I wined not wanting that as one of my questions. "That wasn't one of them. I didn't mean it. That's not fair! Can I start again?"
"Information, no."
"No! No, no, no," I said. I had to stop asking questions. "That wasn't a question either. Blimey! One question left. One question. So, you've been given orders to kill the survivors, but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not me, I'm not a passenger, I'm not staff. Go on, scan me; you must have bio records, no such person on board. I don't exist, therefore you can't kill me, therefore I'm a stowaway. And stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority." I throw down the pot and got closer to one of the Host. "And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on Deck 31. Final question, am I right?"
"Information, correct."
"Brilliant. Take me to your leader," I said before smiling, "I've always wanted to say that."
Harper's POV
We finally made it to Reception One and Astrid quickly stopped the Host that were in there. Then she said, "Rickston, Harper, seal the doors, make the room secure. Mr. Copper, keep an eye on the Host. I need to check the computer. We need that SOS. Bridge, this is Reception One." I heard Astrid say and I became more worried.
"Who's that?" I heard Mr. Frame call back.
"Astrid Peth. I was with the Doctor. Tell me, can you divert power to the teleport system?"
"No way, I'm using everything I've got to keep the engines going."
I stopped and looked over to her. I had to stop her.
"It's just one trip. I need to get to Deck 31," Astrid said and I made my way over to her leaving Rickston with the sonic and in charge of locking the doors.
"Astrid…" I said warning her but Mr. Frame stopped me by say, "And I'm telling you no!"
"Mr. Frame, this is for the Doctor. He's gone down there on his own and I… I can't just leave him. He's done everything he can to save us. It's time we did something to help him."
After a second Midshipman Frame said, "Giving you power."
Astrid grabbed a teleport bracelet and said, "Mr. Copper, Harper, I'm going to find him."
"Astrid, stop you can't do this," I tried. "Let me go, instead."
"I don't think that's a good idea," Mr. Copper said coming up to me putting a hand on my shoulder. "You are injured." He then turned to Astrid and said, "Good luck."
"No!" I shouted as she teleported away. I went quickly, or as quickly as I could to the teleport station trying to see if there was anything I could do but it was no use, Astrid was gone. I felt a tear slide down me face as I thought about what was going to happen to her.
Doctor's POV
As we walked into Deck 31 I looked up and saw the mess that was above. "Wow. Now, that is what you call a fixer-upper. Come on, then. Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours, who is it?" Behind me a door opened and out something came. "Oh! That's clever, that an omnistate impact chamber, indestructible. You could survive anything in there. You could sit through a supernova, or a shipwreck. Only one person could have the power and the money to hide themselves on board like this. And I should know 'cause…"
"My name is Max," Max Capricorn said as he gave a smile and his golden tooth gave off its signature twinkle. But this Max was only a head and the rest was a large metal box on wheels, a life support machine.
"It really does that?" I said shocked.
"Who is this?" Max Capricorn asked.
"I'm the Doctor, hello!"
"Information, stowaway."
"Well…" I started but Max Capricorn interrupted me and said, "Kill him!"
"Oh, no, no, no, no, wait! You can't, not now, come on, Max. You'll give me so much good material, like how to get ahead in business. See, head. Head. Head in the…no?" I said, no one saying anything about my joke.
"Oh! The office joker; I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years."
"I can't think why," I said with a sigh.
"176 years of running the company have taken their toll."
"Yeah, but… nice wheels."
"No, a life support system. In a society that despises cyborgs, I've had to hide away for years. Running the company by hologram. Host, situation report."
"Information, Titanic is still in orbit."
"Let me see," Max Capricorn said rolling forward. I had to step out of the way as to not get hit by him. "Should have crashed by now. What's gone wrong? The engines are still running! They should have stopped."
"When they do, the Earth gets roasted. I don't understand," I said trying to figure out his plan. "What's the Earth got to do with it?"
"This interview is terminated." Max Capricorn said turning around to go back into the impact chamber. I run to get in front of him to stop him.
"No, no, no, no! Hold on! Hold on! Hold on! Hold on! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! I can work it out. It's like a task. I'm your apprentice just watch me. So the business is failing and you wreak the ship, so that makes things even worse. Oh, yes! No… yes. The business isn't failing; it's failed, past tense."
"My own Board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back!"
"If you had a back." I said before going on, "So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors, just in case anyone's rumbled you, and the Board find their shares halved in value. Oh, but that's not enough. No, because if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out."
"And the whole Board thrown in jail for mass murder," Max Capricorn gloated.
"While you sit there safe inside the impact chamber."
"I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins, and enough off world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico II. Where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of metal."
"So that's the plan? A retirement plan. 2,000 people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered! And why? Because Max Capricorn is a loser!"
"I never lose!"
"You can't even sink the Titanic!" I yelled.
"Oh, but I can, Doctor! I can cancel the engines from here."
Alarms started to go off and all I could think was how am I going to stop this?
Harper's POV
Mr. Copper, Rickston, and I were just sitting in Reception One, and all I could think was how useless I was at the moment. I should have gone with the Doctor and maybe I could help, but no I had to go and let Astrid go.
Suddenly the ship started to shake. "What's happening?" Rickston asked and I simply said, "nothing good."
'Come on Doctor!' I thought.
The Doctor's POV
"You can't do this!" I told Max Capricorn.
"Host, hold him!" Two Host grabbed onto my arms on either side and pulled me out of the way. "Not so clever now, Doctor. It's a shame we couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter, yet not a word wasted. Time for me to retire; the Titanic is falling the sky will burn! Let the Christmas inferno commence! Oh! Host! Kill him!"
"Mr. Capricorn," I heard Astrid yelled. I looked over to her shocked to see her down here. "I resign," she said from inside a forklift.
She started forward and I yelled, "Astrid don't!" But she didn't stop. She hooked the end of the forklift under Max Capricorn's life support machine where he couldn't go anywhere. Suddenly a Host started throwing its halo at Astrid. "He's cut the brake line!" I told her. She looked over to me and I knew then what she would do. "No!"
Then she lifted Max Capricorn's life support and started forward. I watched in horror as Max Capricorn and Astrid went over the side falling towards the engines. "Astrid!" I yelled in pain.
"Titanic falling," an electronic voice said. "Voyage terminated. Voyage terminated."
I got up and walked away from the engines. I refused to let anyone else die because of this man. The Host seemed to know what they needed to do as they came on either side of me and when I snapped my fingers they lifted me up to the bridge.
With they fist up we busted through the floor of the bridge. A man screamed as an electronic voice said, "Deadlock broken."
"Midshipman Frame, at last!" I said standing up seeing him sitting down.
"But the Host?"
"Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority. And that's me."
"There's nothing we can do. There's no power. The ships gonna fall."
"Titanic falling," the electronic voice said.
"What's you first name," I asked.
"Alonzo."
I stopped what I was doing and looked up in shock with my hands on the ships wheel, "you're kidding me."
"What?"
"That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y Alonzo!" I said before turning the ship sharply.
'Are you driving? Because this is awful.' I heard Harper think.
'Oi, stop it.' I thought back.
A beeping started to sound and I looked to see where the impact zone would be. "Aww," I said before quickly, while still trying to fly the Titanic, dialing the phone. "Hello, yes, could you get me Buckingham Palace? Listen to me, security code 771. Now get out of there!"
I was sending us down to Earth but I had a plan. "Engine active, engine active," the electronic voice said and I pulled the wheel back trying to bring us back up. We just skimmed over the top of Buckingham before going back up.
I laughed out of excitement. I wasn't sure if we were going to make it there for a second or two and now we are on our way back to space. Midshipman Frame rang the ship bell as he cheered with me.
Once we were safe again I went and sat down next to Mr. Frame. "Use the heat of re-entry to fire up a secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that's me," I said.
"We made it," he said happily.
I thought about the people who didn't and said, "Not all of us." And then thought of Astrid and I had an idea. "Teleport! She was wearing a teleport bracelet." I didn't wait for him as I ran from the room.
Harper's POV
Mr. Copper and Rickston were cheering happily as the Titanic sailed on. I stood there thinking about the Van Hoffs, Bannakaffalatta, and Astrid; they were all gone and there was nothing I could do to change it. I turned to look at the teleport station and had an idea. If I could rewire it then I may be able to save Astrid. I ran over to it and started to pull out the wiring in the underneath the system trying to make some sense of it.
"Harper! Sonic!" I heard the Doctor yell, he had the same idea as me.
I simply yelled back, "Rickston, sonic!"
He came over to me asking, "Mr. Copper, the teleports, have they got emergency settings?"
"I don't know, they should have."
"She fell," the Doctor said above me. "Mr. Copper, she fell. What's the emergency code?"
"Let me see," Mr. Copper said. Mr. Copper got to work and the Doctor got down next to me taking over.
"What are you doing?" Alonzo asked.
"We can bring her back," the Doctor said.
"If a passenger has an accident on shore leave and they're still wearing their teleport, the molecules are automatically suspended and hold in stasis. So if we can just trigger the ship's…"
The Doctor stood up and pushed a button saying, "There!" Astrid started to materialize but not completely.
"I'm falling," she said and I started to cry just seeing her.
"Only halfway there," the Doctor said turning back around to work on it some more. "Come on!"
"Keep falling."
"Feedback the molecule grid. Boast it with the restoration matrix… no, no, no, no, no! Need more phase containment."
"Doctor," Mr. Copper tired.
"No! If I can just link up the surface suspension."
"Doctor, she's gone," Mr. Copper tired again.
"I just need to override the safety… I can do this! I can do it!" He was getting more and more desperate.
"Doctor, let her go."
"I can do anything!" The Doctor screamed kicking the teleport system and I went to him and pulled him in for a hug crying silently.
"Stop me falling."
The Doctor and I walked closer to Astrid and Mr. Copper said, "There's not enough left. The system is too badly damaged. She's just atoms, Doctor, an echo with the ghost of consciousness; she's stardust."
I let the Doctor walk forward and Mr. Copper came and gave me a hug. "Astrid Peth, citizen of Sto, the woman who looked at the stars and dreamt of travelling. Now you can travel forever," the Doctor said using the sonic to open a window sending the atoms that was Astrid out into space. "You're not falling, Astrid, you're flying."
We weren't sure what to do now so we were just standing in Reception One. I was still silently crying in the Doctor's arms as Midshipman Frame came back into the room saying, "The engines have stabilized. We're holding steady till we get help and I've sent the SOS. The rescues ship should be here in 20 minutes. And they're digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story."
"They'll want to talk to all of us, I suppose," Mr. Copper asked.
"I'd have thought so, yeah," Alonzo said.
Mr. Copper came over to us and said, "I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light. It's my own fault, and 10 years in jail is better than dying."
I felt sorry for him but right now I was too sad to tell him anything. Then Rickston came over to us almost crying, "Doctor, I never said… thank you." He gave the Doctor a hug. "The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares. Transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?" His phone rang and when he picked up he walked away saying, "Those shares, I want them triple bonded and locked."
"Of all the people to survive, he's not the one you two would have chosen, is he?" Mr. Copper asked. "But, if you could choose, Doctor, if you could decide who lives and who dies, that would make you a monster."
"Mr. Copper," the Doctor said turning around picking up three teleport bracelets. "I think you deserve one of these."
Mr. Copper excitedly put it on and the Doctor turned to set the coordinates, and when we turned to look at Alonzo he gave us a salute. The Doctor gave him a smile and a wave, and with take we were gone.
The Doctor's POV
"So, Great Britain is part of Europy, and just across the British Channel you've got Great France and Great Germany?" Mr. Copper asked as we made our way to the TARDIS.
"No, no it's just France and Germany. Only Britain's 'Great'." I told him causing Harper to laugh.
"And they're all at war with the continent of Hamerica," Mr. Copper said.
"No," Harper said. "Well… sometimes. Well… not yet. We can argue that one."
"There she is," I said patting the TARDIS. "Survive anything."
"You know, between you and me, I don't even think this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic salvage entering the atmosphere," Mr. Copper said.
"Yeah, one of these days it might snow for real," I said.
"So, I suppose you'll be off," Mr. Copper said.
"The open sky," I said smiling and Harper smiled up at me.
"And what about me?"
"We travel alone," I said not wanting to endanger anyone else. "It's best that way."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Give me that credit card," Harper said. And as Mr. Copper gave it to her he said, "Well, it's just petty cash, spending money. It's all done by computer, I don't really know the currency, so I thought a million might cover it."
Both Harper and I stopped for a second. "A million?" She asked and then I added, "Pounds?"
"Is that enough for trinkets?"
Harper laughed and I said, "Mr. Copper, a million pounds is worth 50 million credits."
"How much?" Mr. Copper asked in shock.
"50 million and 56," I said exactly.
"I've got money," Mr. Copper said excitedly.
"Yes, you have," Harper said handing the card back to him.
"Oh, my word. Oh, my word! Oh, my goodness me! Yes!"
"It's all yours, planet Earth!" I told him. "Now that's a retirement paln. But just you be careful, though."
"I will. I will, oh, I will!"
"No interfering. I don't want any trouble, just… just have a nice life," I told him.
"But I can have a house, a proper house with a garden and a door! Oh, Doctor, I will make you proud." Mr. Copper said giving Harper and I a hug. "And I can have a kitchen with chairs and windows and plates!"
Mr. Copper started to walk away and Harper called, "Where are you going?"
"I've no idea!"
"No, us either," I said leading Harper into the TARDIS.
"But, Doctor!" Mr. Copper called stopping us. "I won't forget her."
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Copper," I said as we went into the TARDIS."
Harper was tired so she went off to bed. She knew me and knew I need time to think. I went to sit on the jump sit and saw Harper's jacket on it. I picked it up and moved it, but when I picked it up something feel out of the pocket. I bent down to get it and stopped.
It was a fob watch. I held me breath as I turned it over and saw circular Gallifreyan.
"What?" I asked shocked at why Harper would have this. It wasn't one of mine so how did she get it? And more importantly why didn't she tell me about it?
So…. What did you think? The Doctor has found the fob watch? What will happen with that? Don't worry I have a plan! Thank you so much for reading and please leave a review. Until next time my dear fellow Whovians!
