"Get up to the med-centre, now!" Ashton shouted through the intercom.
McDonnell raced out of the room. The Doctor flew after her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him. He flew past Martha and Riley, just beginning to get set up to open the doors. The Doctor flew into the medical room and let go of McDonnell. He flew to the foot of the bed, on which Korwin lay thrashing wildly.
"Korwin! What's happened?! Is he okay?!" McDonnell fretted.
"Urgent assistance requested! Urgent assistance!" Abi shouted through the intercom, terror in her voice.
The Doctor stood in shock for a moment, and jumped into the air and flew toward the medical room. "Stay here! Keep working!" he shouted to the crew as he flew out of the room.
He realized McDonnell was trying to follow him and he stopped to bring her with him, but he saw that Scannell had also followed him.
"Captain?" Scannell called to McDonnell.
"I told you to stay in engineering!" the Doctor shouted.
"I only take orders from one person around here," Scannell said.
The Doctor was slightly stunned. "Oh, is he always this cheery?" he said sarcastically, "Look, I can't take two passengers. I can only handle one."
"It's all right, you go ahead," McDonnell said.
The Doctor nodded. He turned, jumped, and flew away. McDonnell and Scannell ran after him, but were soon left behind.
A terrified scream rang through the ship. The Doctor tried to pick up his speed.
"Doctor, what were those screams?" Martha asked over the intercom.
"Concentrate on those doors! You've gotta keep moving forward!" he shouted as he flew.
He burst through the plastic sheets in the doorway and slid to a stop on the ground. The bed where Korwin had lain was empty, and Abi was nowhere to be seen. He turned and saw a charred, black outline on the wall of a person, one hand in the air. The Doctor walked sadly toward all that remained of Abi.
Scannell and McDonnell ran into the room and immediately noticed the empty bed.
"Korwin's gone . . . ." McDonnell said. She seemed shaken.
They turned to the Doctor as he ran his fingers over the black outline.
"Tell me that's not Lerner," Scannell said.
"Endothermic vaporization. I've never seen one this ferocious," the Doctor said, "Burn with me . . . ."
The Doctor scanned a piece of equipment with his glasses on. Scannell and McDonnell watched him.
"Why is this happening?" McDonnell questioned in despair.
The Doctor took his glasses off. "Stay here! I mean it this time!" He jumped into the air. "Jumpstart those engines!" He shot through the corridors, hoping to reach Martha before the escape pod was jettisoned. He flew as fast as he could. He struggled to keep from banging into the walls. His foot caught one of the doorways. He grimaced from the pain and wobbled a little, but kept flying.
He burst into area seventeen, planted his feet on the ground, and skidded toward Ashton attempting to jettison the pod. "That's enough!"
The Doctor stretched as far as he could in the sweltering heat, but the handle was too far away. "I can't! I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last!"
"Come on! Don't give up now!" Scannell said through the Doctor's communication unit.
That little piece of encouragement was all he needed. He thought of Martha plummeting to her death. He was the only one who could save her. He stretched and reached as far as he could. He fingered the handle and managed to pull it down, opening the box. He took a breath and stretched for the lever inside the box. He stretched as hard as he could. He couldn't reach it. He screamed from the heat and the effort. His arm fell and he panted. It was physically impossible. So he had to do something physically impossible.
He lifted his toes off the ground. The force of the ship falling toward the sun blew him away, past the lever. He grabbed the edge of the box and clung to the side of the ship. He tried with all his might to push himself against the force of the ship. He pulled himself forward and grabbed the lever. He strained and pushed it down.
Martha was saved, but he couldn't celebrate yet. Now it was his own life in danger. He panted as he flew as hard as he could and pulled himself along the side of the ship. He pulled himself past the box and pushed on it with his feet. His gloves slipped on the smooth metal. He grunted and growled and cried out with the effort. He stretched his arm and finally grabbed the wall of the airlock. He pulled himself toward the room. He gave one last burst of strength and jumped inside. He collapsed on the ground, panting, completely exhausted.