Inside, Ventilation chamber...
"Fair dos, though, that's a great bit of air conditioning." The Doctor looked at the fans. "Sort of nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it retro." He scanned a panel, then grinned. "Gotcha!" He pulled the panel off and jumped back when a metal spider scuttled out.
The Guardian squinted as they watched the metal spider scurry across the floor and up the wall. "What the hell is that?"
"Is it part of the retro?" Jabe wondered.
"I can't be." The Doctor shook his head. "Hold on." He aimed his sonic screwdriver, but then Jabe used a whip-like thing to lasso the spider and making it drop down right into the Guardian's hands.
"Hey!" The Guardian grinned. "Nice liana."
"Thank you." Jabe smiled. "We're not supposed to show them in public."
"Oh, don't worry. We won't tell anybody." The Doctor promised as the Guardian handed him the spider. "Now then..." He mumbled, examining the metal creature. "...Who's been bringing their pets on board?"
"What does it do?" Jabe asked.
"Sabotage..." The Guardian whispered suddenly, eyes widening before she looked up at the Doctor. "It's sabotage."
"Earth Death in ten minutes."
"The temperature is about to rocket." The Doctor stated, looking around for the exit. "Come on!"
"Earth Death in ten minutes."
•••••
Inside, Corridor...
As the Doctor, Jabe and the Guardian hurried along – they soon came to a door with smoke seeping into the corridor, a bright Sun glare coming from a small glass panel.
"Give me that." The Guardian snatched the Doctor's sonic screwdriver from him. "Hold on, get back." She ordered the blue staff that were gathering around outside the door, all of them coughing squeaky little coughs because of the smoke. The Guardian then aimed the sonic at a small panel nearby, making it beep.
"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."
"Is the Steward in there?" Jabe gasped, concerned.
"You can smell him." The Guardian said quickly, wrinkling her nose as she tossed the Doctor back his sonic screwdriver. "Come on, there's another Sun filter programmed to descend."
•••••
Inside, Viewing gallery...
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."
Daisy stirred slowly, then blinked when she saw a shield on the window beginning to lower, a piercing glare from the Sun peeking in. She gasped and sat up, then spotted Rose slumped nearby, still unconscious. "Rose!" She crawled over to her sister, shaking her desperately. "Rose Marion Tyler, get your arse up!"
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."
Rose's eyes shot open before she sat straight up. "What's going on?"
"We're about to die." Daisy said quickly before shooting to her feet and bolting for the door, trying to get it open, grunting when she found it locked. "Let us out!" She screamed as Rose ran up beside her, both of them beginning to knock on it frantically. "Let us out! Let us out!"
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending."
•••••
Inside, Corridor...
The Doctor and the Guardian ran around the corner, finding the gallery where the Sun filter was descending, the Doctor starting work on the door panel.
"Anyone in there?" The Guardian called as she knelt down and bent to try and see under the door.
"Let us out!" The Tyler sisters' muffled voices shouted.
"Oh, it would be you two, wouldn't it?" The Guardian tried not to roll her eyes before getting to her feet again and going over to the panel the Doctor was working on.
"Open the door!"
"Hold on!" The Doctor began moving quicker while the Guardian started typing on a keypad to try and help get the door open. Just what they both needed. Their first adventure with Rose and Daisy – the Guardian's first adventure with a companion of her own – and they were both about to be roasted. "Give us two ticks!"
•••••
Inside, Viewing gallery...
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."
The Tyler twins sighed in relief as the shield started going back up.
"Sun filter descending."
"Just what we need!" The Doctor's muffled voice remarked as the Sun rays hit the top of the door. "The computer's getting clever!"
"Stop mucking about!" Daisy smacked her hand against the door.
"We're not mucking about!" The Guardian's muffled voice responded this time. "The bastard's fighting back!"
"Open the door!"
"Hang on!"
When the rays hit the door and started moving down, Daisy and Rose quickly turned and ran down the stairs, flattening themselves to the floor.
"The lock's melted!" Rose shouted to be heard before grabbing Daisy's hand and holding it tightly.
"Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising."
Panting, the Tyler sisters then ran back up the steps and to the door. "The whole thing's jammed." The Doctor's voice said. "We can't open the doors."
"Just stay there!" The Guardian shouted. "Don't move!"
"And where do you expect us to go?!" Daisy huffed, smacking her hand against door again, as if emphasizing her point. "Ipswich? The Lake District? Devon?!"
"I think they get it." Rose quipped, trying not to laugh at her sister's expression.
"Earth Death in five minutes."
•••••
Inside, Manchester Suite...
"The metal machine confirms." Jabe said as the Doctor and the Guardian entered the room. "The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One."
"How's that possible?" Cassandra asked. "Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me!"
"Summon the Steward." The Moxx of Balhoon suggested.
"I'm afraid the Steward is dead." Jabe informed sadly.
"Who killed him?"
"This whole planet was sponsored by the Face of Boe." Cassandra said. "He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face!"
"You know, there's actually quite an easy way of finding out who's responsible for all this chaos." The Guardian spoke up, taking the metal spider from Jabe and showing it to everyone. "Someone has brought their little pet onboard. I think now's a good time to send him back to Master."
She then set the spider down on the floor and watched it scuttle over to Cassandra, looking up at her. But after a moment, the metal creature went over to...
"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme." Cassandra hissed. "J'accuse!"
"That's all very well, and really kind of obvious." The Doctor chimed in, strolling over. "But if you stop and think about it..." When the lead Adherent tried to hit him, the Doctor pulled off its arm. "...A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are: an idea." He then pulled a wire on the arm, making all the Adherents crumple into bundles of black cloaks. "Remote controlled droids."
"Quite a nice cover for the real troublemaker." The Guardian remarked, stepping over to the metal spider. "Got to admire their ingenuity." She then toed the spider. "Go on, sweetheart. Go home."
The little metal creature then scurried back to Cassandra, and said stretch of skin sneered. "I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed."
The Guardian smirked, raising her eyebrows. "Quite the opposite."
Cassandra rolled her eyes. "At arms!"
The Doctor snorted, stepping up next to the Guardian as the men in hospital whites raised their spray guns. "What are you gonna do, moisturize us?"
"With acid." Cassandra retorted. "Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face."
The Guardian quirked an eyebrow. "Bit stupid to sabotage a ship while you're still on it, don't you think?"
"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous."
The Doctor shook his head in disgust. "Five billions years and it still comes down to money."
"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor, Aria. Me. Not those freaky little kids of yours."
The Guardian's face was taken over by a mask as she clenched her fists at her sides. "Wafer-thin ice, Cassandra. Wafer-thin ice."
"Arrest her, the infidel!" The Moxx of Balhoon shouted.
"Oh, shut it, pixie." Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I've still got my final option."
"Earth Death in three minutes."
"And here it comes!" Cassandra grinned. "You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies, and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? 'Burn, baby, burn.'"
Jabe narrowed her eyes. "Then you'll burn with us."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Cassandra sighed. "I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate!" Just then, the Platform rocked violently, the Doctor and the Guardian being able to hear the sounds of explosions everywhere. "Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband." She giggled. "Oh, shame on me."
"Safety systems failing. Heat levels rising."
"Bye bye, darlings." Cassandra cooed as her teleport activated, her voice fading as she and her attendants were teleported away. "Bye bye, my darlings..."
"Safety systems failing. Heat levels rising."
"Reset the computer!" The Moxx of Balhoon cried.
"Only the Steward would know how." Jabe shook her head.
"No, we can do it by hand." The Doctor stated. "There must be a system restore switch. Ari, Jabe, come on. You lot," He turned to the others. "just chill."
•••••
Inside, Viewing gallery...
"Earth Death in two minutes. Earth Death in two minutes. Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical."
"Where are they?" Rose breathed as the shield began to lower more.
"They'll be back." Daisy gripped Rose's hand tightly as the two of them tried to stay as low to ground as possible. "They have to."
•••••
Inside, Ventilation chamber...
"Oh, the switch has to be there, doesn't it?" The Guardian groaned as they reached the ventilation chamber, looking past the razor sharp fans.
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."
The Doctor tried a lever nearby, and he watched the fans slow, but when he let go, they started up again. "Great."
"External temperature – five thousand degrees."
Jabe then went and held the lever down, and the Doctor looked at her. "You can't." He protested. "The heat's going to vent through this place!"
"I know." Jabe replied calmly.
"Jabe, you're made of wood." The Guardian told her, taking the lever herself. "You go. Get yourself safe, and get everyone else safe."
"Ari –" The Doctor began.
"Someone's gotta help you." The Guardian cut him off. "And I think I'm a bit more durable than Jabe would be when the heat runs through here." She glanced at the Tree woman. "No offense."
"None taken." Jabe smiled before turning to the Doctor. "Well? Stop wasting time, Time Lord." She then quickly made her way towards the exit but spared a glance back at the Guardian. "You don't see it, but you're living up to your name."
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising. Heat levels hazardous."
As Jabe fully exited the ventilation chamber, the Doctor looked at the first fan before ducking through. He then cautiously approached the next fan.
"Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical."
The Doctor looked behind him to see the Guardian still holding onto the lever, albeit sweating and breathing heavily. The Guardian swallowed hard, nodding confidently to try and reassure the Doctor (and herself, to be honest). The Doctor then turned back to the fans, then made it past the second one.
"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising."
Suddenly, there was a snap behind him. Like metal on metal. The fans started speeding up. The Doctor looked back in shock to see the Guardian laying on her back on the floor, holding her hands above her face and staring at them with wide eyes.
The Doctor closed his eyes before looking back the other way.
"Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five –"
The Doctor, with his eyes still closed, stepped calmly through the fan. Now safely on the other side, he opened his eyes.
"Four, three..."
The Doctor quickly dashed over to the switch, raising the lever when he got to it. "Raise shields!" He shouted.
"Two, one..."
•••••
Inside, Viewing gallery...
"Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair."
Rose and Daisy looked back to see the cracks in the window repairing, then their eyes widened when they saw bits and pieces of Earth floating past.
"What an adventure this turned out be." Daisy said, trying to get her racing heart to slow down.
"Yeah." Rose let out a breath before grabbing her sister's hand. "Come on, let's go back."
•••••
Inside, Ventilation chamber...
The Guardian laid on the ground, still staring up at her hands as she held them above her face. She then registered the sound of running footsteps before the Doctor dropped down next to her. "Ari?" He asked worriedly. "Ari, come on, talk to me."
The Time Lady breathed in and out a few times, and the Doctor watched as little tendrils of golden energy began to swirl around her hands.
Realizing what she was forcing herself to do, the Doctor tried to stop the Guardian, but she just jerked her hands away from him. It was only a few moments more before the golden energy dissipated to reveal the Guardian's hands were completely healed – blemish free.
"You shouldn't have done that." The Doctor said quietly. "I could've healed you."
"And how fair would that have been to you?" She retorted.
The Doctor just sighed, helping the Guardian to her feet. "Agree to disagree, as they say." He told her. "Let's go."