The Soul Ship
Part Three
"The ship, it's alive. She's a living ship flying through time, with only one purpose: to gather knowledge. One thing I haven't figured out yet is this harvesting business."
"Their knowledge is the only thing that can sustain me. They were not meant to be harmed. Unfortunately, I do not have enough power remaining to return them to their homes."
"Of course, to some people knowledge is power but to you its life. You copy their memories, all the information they have accumulated throughout their lives and you make it a part of your consciousness. The more knowledge filling your data banks the more you can heal yourself."
"You are correct, Doctor." The Ship said as the whole room began to shake.
"What's happening? Peri was panicked.
"I do not have enough power to keep the attackers at bay, they are now boarding."
"Can you show me?" The Doctor asked pointing to a screen on a nearby console.
He and Peri watched as one of the airlocks blew opened and a number of beings dressed in silver entered the ship. One look at them and the Doctor knew they were in trouble.
"Doctor!!!" Peri shouted in fear of the images she saw on the screen.
"I know Peri, it's the Cybermen." The Doctor confirmed.
"The Cybermen, what are they doing here?" Peri wondered.
"I don't know, but I have to get out there." The Doctor said heading for a door.
"You can't leave me here?" Peri pleaded with him.
The Doctor ignored her as he attempted to open the door.
"I'm afraid I can not let you leave. You will be safer here."
"You don't understand; the Cybermen boarded you for a reason. I must find out why for your safety."
"Your Kindness is appreciated, but unnecessary. What ever actions the Cybermen take can be monitored here. When their plan is found out then I will let you go. Charging into the unknown will surely get you killed."
"She does have a point, Doctor." Peri agreed.
"I'm not use to waiting out such things. I'm a man of action."
"Otherwise known as impatient?" Peri pointed out.
The Doctor shot her a fuming glance.
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The Cybermen entered the airlock lining up into a formation. The Cyber Controller walked in front of the Cyber Scouts.
"Prepare to disable the ship for study. Immobilization of the ship can be cause by disconnecting the consciousness at two nodes." The Controller commanded.
"What if life is discovered?" One Cyber Scout asked.
"Destroy it!!!" The Controller ordered as all of the Cyber Scouts dispersed.
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"They're going to disable your link to the machinery, you'll be helpless." The Doctor tried to convince the ship.
"I will allow you to stop them. I will now open the doors." Crodin said as the ship shook and the door stayed shut.
"What happened?" Peri shouted.
"The doors have overloaded and they will not open."
"Their must be another way out of here?" The Doctor inquired.
"There is a ventilation shaft that leads to the first node." Crodin answered.
The Doctor found the shaft and pulled off the cover. He looked inside and realized he had a problem.
"Well I'll never fit through there, Peri you'll have to go."
"I don't care if your to chubby to fit through, I'm not going in there Doctor, I can't."
"I'm sorry, but it's the only way." The Doctor explained.
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Einstein and Da vinci were at each others throats. Einstein was perturbed that the man still considered him a demon. Suddenly the ship shook and the door opened. Einstein ran for the door and turned back to Da vinci.
"The door is open are you coming?" Einstein questions his cellmate.
"There is evil here. The bowels of hell have opened and will shallow us whole."
"I've had enough of you. This is not hell. I'm not sure exactly where we are but this is not hell. If you ever want to get home then leaving this room is a first step." Einstein stated as he walked out.
Leonardo Da vinci headed out the door but Einstein was nowhere in sight. He walked further down the corridor and ran into a Cyberman. Upon seeing Da vinci, the Cyberman drew his weapon and fired. Just missing him, Da vinci ran down an opposite passageway. He found a room encompassed with mirrors. The Cyberman followed him in.
"You may be able to destroy my body but the mind is much more powerful!!!" Da vinci screamed as the Cyberman shot at him.
The laser beam bounced off the mirror with Da vinci's reflection on it and hit the Cyberman in the chest killing it. Da vinci found his way out of the room and back into the passageway. He walked further and found Einstein.
"You said your name was Einstein, what is this place?" Da vinci asked.
"I think that this is in truth a spaceship." Einstein said as a group of Cybermen approached them.
"Then what are those contraptions?"
"Obviously, something very dangerous." Einstein said as the Cybermen surrounded them.
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Peri crawled through the shaft on her knees. She hated the Doctor for making her do this but she knew it was for a good reason. Coming to an intersection she reached for the communication device Crodin had supplied her with.
"Doctor, I can either go right or left, which direction?" Peri asked.
"She must turn left to reach the node." Crodin stated.
"Crodin says to turn left." The Doctor repeated waiting for his companion's response.
"Peri, are you there?" The Doctor grew concerned.
"Sorry, I'm here. It just feels like the vent is getting smaller."
"You know that's impossible, you must continue on. Once you reach the node you will have to activate the internal shields surrounding it."
"I know you don't have to tell me again!!!" Peri howled at the Doctor.
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"I have to get out there. Even if Peri succeeds, the Cybermen will have disabled the second one."
"You can not leave!!!" Crodin said with a slight bit of annoyance in her voice.
"You don't seem to understand something: At this point in time the Cybermen are few in numbers, scattered throughout the universe. If they unlock your secrets they will be united under a single sinister mind."
"That is true, Doctor."
"Then why do you insist on keeping me here?"
"You are the only one that can keep me alive?" Crodin softly said.
"You're dying." The Doctor came to a realization.
"The only thing keeping me alive is residual power. Your mind will heal me."
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"
"I can not guarantee your well being. When I harvested Newton's mind I only copied memories of knowledge. Now that my condition is so dire I require more."
"I would gladly undergo the process, the sooner you're back to full health, the sooner we can take care of the Cybermen." The Doctor understood the risks.
"You will now be harvested." Crodin said as a light engulfed the Doctor.
The light grew brighter as the Doctor began to scream in pain.
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"Immobilization of the ship is seventy-nine percent complete." A Cyber-scout said to the Controller.
"Proceed to the next node." The Cyber-Controller ordered.
"Alert, alert. A human female has been detected in the ventilation shaft." A Cyber-scout stated.
"Destroy her." The Controller commanded.
The Cyber-scouts aimed their laser weapons at the ventilation shaft and fired.
"Female destroyed. Immobilization of the ship is at ninety-nine percent."
"Once the secret of the ship's conscious is in our possession, the Cybermen will be united against the universe." The Controller said in a monotone voice.