Sister Star
Chapter 3: The End of the World
Almadynis
Disclaimer: Doctor Who and all associated characters, plotlines, etc. are not mine. No matter how much I wish that I was Russell T. Davies illegitimate offspring. *sigh*
However, Astrid is mine in every way, shape, and form. *glomps* No takies!
Also, I am an American…which means my British colloquialisms come from Doctor Who and Torchwood. So forgive me please if I mess up.
I now have a lovely beta! She is peaceloverhealer101, and writes "A Love Through Time" in the DW archives. Go check it out, she is wondermous!
AN: Parts of this chapter are inspired by the fanfic 'NotRose' by NoVacancyMind. Excellent story, I recommend it highly.
Astrid's thoughts
Jack's telepathy
Astrid and Rose hit the walk of the TARDIS at a dead run and while Rose kept going, Astrid hung back, making sure that her purse was in the same place as she left it.
The Doctor clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "Right then, Rose Tyler - you tell me, where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice. What's it going to be?"
Rose glanced back at Astrid, but the brunette was smiling at her gently. "Go ahead Rose, I can choose the next trip." Besides, it's not like I don't know what this trip is going to be anyway. Though I can't really remember the next one…something about a famous author? Maybe? I'll check The Book later.
The blond faced back to the Doctor and gave a little shrug. "Forwards then."
The Doctor pressed a few buttons on the glowing console and raised an eyebrow. "How far?
Rose shook her head at that question and just picked a number at random. "One hundred years."
He pulled a lever and turns a knob. The engines lurch, began that same whooshing noise, and then stopped after a few seconds. "There you go, step outside those doors, it's the twenty-second century."
Rose gave him a disbelieving look."You're kidding!" Of all the things to say, after what we've been through in the last two hours, and she says that?
The Doctor of course was very nonchalant about it even though he had a slight teasing tone when he asked, "That's a bit boring though, do you want to go further?"
Rose grinned at him, "Fine by me!"
The Doctor starts up the engines again, rolling a wheel, pumping a thingie—very technical term—and rotated a dial. When they stop, he looks at her. "Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the New Roman Empire."
The blond grinned at him, shook her head 'no' and said teasingly, "You think you're so impressive."
He was indignant and frowned cutely. Oh god, Star. Don't fall for him. He will never look at you that way, you know that. He loves Rose. Will love Rose. Same difference. No crushing on the hot Doctor. Oh crap…I'm screwed. His voice shook Astrid out of her thoughts. "I AM so impressive!"
Rose grinned at him widely, "You wish!"
The Doctor pointed at her and he took on a stubborn tone, "Right then, you asked for it. I know exactly where to go." He rolled the wheel for a lot longer than either of the two times before and flicked a switch by where Rose was standing next to the console. "Hold on." The engines rev up and start the whooshing sound while the Doctor pumps at a lever furiously.
Astrid closed her eyes slightly, one hand on the nearby coral-like column for balance as the TARDIS hurtles through the Time Vortex. I know that eventually I will stop thinking of the Master every time I hear that noise. Lots of trips with the Doctor will do that by itself…but right now, I'm scared. I'm so scared. Twisting a lever and then hitting a bell—the type you find at hotels and such to get attention—with the pinging noise, the TARDIS stopped it's sound and they landed.
Hesitating a scant second, Rose gave the Doctor a blank look, "Where are we?" In response, the Doctor held out his arm toward the doors. Rose grinned at him widely, "What's out there?" He gestures again to find out for herself. Rose turned towards the doors, took Astrid's hand as she passed and they stepped out of the doors together.
Astrid looked behind her at her purse, the Doctor finally noticing the paranoid gesture and bent to take a look. "Don't! It's my diary. Don't read it." He rolled his eyes at the 'domestics' before following the pair.
It was a beautiful gallery of sorts. The walls were a wooden façade, the floors done in a pattern of white and light brown squares and rectangles. It was simple but gorgeous in its simplicity. It had steps leading down and Rose and Astrid watched as the Doctor did something with his screwdriver behind them. The metal paneling before them receded down to reveal a view of the Earth, the sun behind it. They were in some kind of geo-stationary orbit around their own planet. It was so beautiful; it rendered both of the girls speechless.
The Doctor's voice came from behind them, quiet and gentle, as he came down the steps to stand beside them. "You lot. You spend all your time thinking about dying. Like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible—that maybe you survive. This is the year 5.5/Apple/26. Five billion years in your future. This is the day... hold on..." He looked at his watch.
There was a brilliant light getting their attention. The sun burst out in all directions a white-blue sphere of light and fire. "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world." Oh yeah, that's cheery. He thinks being impressive is being morbid. Forgot about that.
A computer voice that sounded like a woman interrupted their contemplation of the red and white sun. "Shuttles 5 and 6 now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for 15:39, followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite."
Rose walked beside the Doctor down a corridor, Astrid tailing behind. Rose had way more questions than her friend, so didn't really think about it. "So, when it says 'guests' does that mean people?" she asked, trying to understand and wrap her mind around life with the Doctor.
Astrid decided now was a good time to chime in, "He means all kinds of people, Rose. Including aliens. Well, mostly aliens."
Rose glanced at her friend before focusing back on the Doctor, "What are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?" Both girls watched as he stopped at a door and used his sonic screwdriver to open it.
He held open the door for them as he answered, "It's not really a spaceship. More like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn."
"What for?" Rose raised an eyebrow at him, not quite sure she wanted the answer.
"Fun." They enter a large room even more beautiful than the viewing gallery. It was done in dark wood veneer and stains, with hanging chandeliers between every dark-stained pillar on the outer walls to their left and right. But the biggest feature of the room that caught your attention immediately was the 'window'. It started at the wall straight across from the door, and went from the floor to the ceiling, up and then WAS the ceiling. The whole room was built to observe whatever was outside Platform One.
The Doctor of course was seemingly unmoved by the eye-catching sight. For all I know, he's been on this platform before and has seen it. "Mind you, when I said 'the great and the good', what I mean is, the rich."
Rose kept up with him as he walked straight across the room and peered out of the full wall-ceiling-window. "But, hold on, they did this once on 'Newsround Extra' - the sun expanding - that takes hundreds of years."
He didn't disagree, but just added. One thing you can count on with the Doctor, always learning something new. "Millions. But the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there?" He pointed out of the window at tiny glints of light barely perceptible with the glare of the sun right behind the Earth. "Gravity satellites. Holding back the sun." He looked back at where Astrid had kept up with them, but she wasn't where he expected her. He glanced around and finally spotted her by the pillars, carefully examining the grain of the varnish. She was a very odd human. He was showing her the end of her planet, and she was looking at molding!
Rose attracted his attention again, "The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things."
"They did. And the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over!"
"How long has it got?"
The Doctor looked at his watch as Astrid came over to stand with them. "About half an hour. Then the planet gets roasted." He watched the brunette's face as he spoke and that was the only reason he saw the fleeting look of intense sorrow cross her face before it vanished a second later.
But before he had to store the look to analyze later since Rose was still asking questions, "Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth?"
He looked at her closely, straight into her eyes. "I'm not saving it. Time's up."
"But what about the people?"
Astrid spoke in a flat tone, emotionless, "It's empty, Rose. They've been planning this…event…for a while. No one is left."
Rose looks at her friend then back to the window, realization spreading across her face. "Just us then."
Astrid nodded her head shortly, even though Rose couldn't see it, the Doctor did and wondered if this wasn't such a good idea for a first trip after all.
"Who the hell are you?" All three of them turned around at the unidentified voice. Since the only other occupant of the room was a blue man in a dark-copper-ish robe, he had to be the source.
The Doctor of course didn't seem to mind too much, taking everything in stride. "Oh! That's nice, thanks."
The blue man was clearly someone of importance and command. That's right, he's the Steward. He's going to die in about 30 minutes…and I can't stop it. The more she saw, the more she remembered of the episode. It had been more than a year since she had seen it, but it was coming back. I never really thought about the reality of this. I have to choose who to save. God help me, but I choose Rose. If she thought about it any harder, she'd cry. Astrid knew that she couldn't cry, it would draw undesirable attention to herself.
She knew that she couldn't keep up this charade forever. Eventually, the Doctor would figure it out that she was from a time other than 2005. Eventually, he would learn that she wasn't from this dimension. Eventually, she would have to tell him how she had come here and the reasons for it. Until then though, even if it sounded petty and selfish, she didn't want to think about it. Those thoughts had been the fuel of her nightmares for a year. For now, she would wait until he brought it up. She could only wish that it would be later rather than sooner.
"But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked! They're on their way any second now!" The Steward was almost frantic.
The Doctor took pity on the poor blue man. "That's me, I'm a guest, look! I've got an invitation!" He pulled out a small simple flip wallet and flashed it at the Steward. There's the psychic paper, I wonder why he didn't use it last time. "Look, there you see? It's fine, see? 'The Doctor plus two.' I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler and Astrid. They're my plus two. Is that all right?"
"Well...obviously." The Steward simply blinked and apparently his training kicked in when he continued, "Apologies, et cetera. If you're on-board, we'd better start. Enjoy."
The Doctor nods at him and smiled hugely. After the steward walks off, the Doctor shows Rose the card he had flashed at the steward. It was completely blank. He holds up the paper to show Astrid, but the girl is watching the Steward walk away with an expression of deep fear and pain. He could tell that the girl wasn't afraid of the blue man itself, it was something else. He filed it away as another piece to the puzzle of the brunette as he spoke to Rose, "The paper's slightly psychic. Shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time."
"He's blue."
Astrid suddenly perked up at that comment, a completely different look on her face, one of outright teasing but her eyes were forcing happiness. "Are we having a state-the-obvious contest? Can I play?"
Rose's eyes went wide in horror and turned around abruptly to cover Astrid's mouth. "No! We are not getting into another of those games. Once was enough. I thought Mum would never speak to you again."
Astrid gently tugged down her hand. "Sometimes I think that would be a good thing. Your Mom is scary when she wants to be."
"Like you can talk, Bunnybear." The Doctor raised an eyebrow at this title and so Rose explained for his benefit. "We had shirts made even. '51% Bunny, 49% Bear, Don't Push It.' Most of the time she's really sweet. It's those other times that are scary. You made Mum back down once."
"That's because she was being stupid and about to do something really dangerous because she wasn't paying attention." Astrid crossed her arms defensively and glared at Rose. "I was completely justified."
Rose gave her a sweet smile and nodded. "I know. You were only looking out for us."
The Steward's voice interrupted this little domestic issue and drew their attention to the other end of the room as he spoke into a microphone. "We have in attendance, the Doctor, Astrid, and Rose Tyler. Thank you! All staff to their positions." He clapped his hands and at least a dozen little blue people in black outfits, presumably the staff, started to seemingly come out of the woodwork. The little people walked in lines out of the sliding glass doors and disappeared down the hallway. The Steward hadn't stopped talking while this was occurring. "Hurry now! Thank you, as quick as we can! Come along, come along!" The staff was finally out the doors as he continued, "And now, might I introduce the next honored guest, representing the forest of Cheem, we have Trees. Namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa."
Three beings came through the doors. Two males stood behind a female. All had bark-like skin, twigs for hair, and had brown eyes. The males were in black armor while the female had on a dress in the colors of fire that was quite flattering to her figure and emphasized her breasts.
"There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you can keep the room circulating, thank-you." The three tree people came fully into the room and began to get into the process of trying to mingle as more people came in behind them. "Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, the Moxx of Balhoon." Oh, he said solicitors didn't he? Huh, outerspace lawyers. Go figure.
A different kind of blue male, this one rather fat and pudgy, was sitting in a chair that moved for him. The Doctor smiled cheerily at the display, as Rose looks on bewildered. The Steward just kept going. "And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Mean." Wait. A recurring pattern of averages…that makes no sense whatsoever! The Doctor apparently thought so as well since he laughed softly, but he was looking at Astrid's incredulous expression.
"The inventors of Hypo-Slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you!" At this point the entrance of new aliens got a little too much for Astrid to keep track of all of them. She kinda tuned out the Steward in favor of watching the approaching tree-people.
The female tree, Jabe, approached the Doctor and frankly just ignored the two women. Either side of her, her companions are holding plant trays with little shoots in them. "The Gift of Peace." As she took a plant out and hands it to the Doctor, she keeps talking. "I bring you a cutting of my grandfather."
The Doctor was a little awed, but not much, as he took the plant gingerly and handed it to Rose. "Thank you. Yes. Gifts…erm…" He clears his throat and starts feeling his jacket for something, patting down his pocket as Jabe looks at him expectantly. Finding nothing,he opens his mouth to say something when a soft voice behind the Doctor speaks, "I've got them, Doctor. Remember? You gave them to me for safe keeping."
He twists around to see Astrid, a small smile on her face, holding out her hand. In her palm sat three twists of Smarties candy. "Yes, thank you Astrid." He goes along with her comment as he takes the flavored sugar from her and turns to then hand them to Jabe. Rose began to giggle softly.
"Hush up, you." Astrid said playfully to her friend. "Just be glad I have enough."
"How much are you carrying that you can give one to everybody here?" Astrid blushed scarlet and Rose laughed outright. "At least you won't get on a sugar high this way."
The Steward was oblivious to this exchange. "Sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe." A huge head in an equally huge jar was wheeled through the doors. Jack!
The blue man in the chair, approached the Doctor, Rose, and Astrid. "The Moxx of Balhoon." The Doctor said in a grand manner.
The Moxx's voice was a bit high in pitch but it was at a soft volume as he spoke. "My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily saliva." He spit accurately into Rose's left eye while the Doctor laughed as he thanked the Moxx.
Astrid gave Rose a small tissue while she shoved a handful of Smarties into the Doctor's palm while simultaneously glaring at him for the nerve of laughing at her friend's expense. Rose rubbed the spit out of her eye with the handkerchief and thanked Astrid.
Next, the Adherents of the Repeated Mean approached them. Astrid watched them warily as they held out a softball sized metallic sphere. "A gift of peace in all good faith." The Doctor takes it, throws it up into the air, catches it, and hands to Rose. Astrid immediately takes it from her friend and begins to examine it. Her fingers gently run over the seams and cracks of the ball, trying to find an 'off' button. If I can turn the damn thing off, it won't kill anyone. Hopefully.
"And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and Gentlemen, and Trees and Multiforms. Consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth The Last Human."
The Doctor looked at Rose and Astrid to see their reactions. The brunette was still studying the metal ball and wasn't paying attention, running her fingers along the outside structure and Rose stared in disbelief. The sliding doors opened and what looked like a vertical trampoline made of human skin was wheeled through. It had eyes and a mouth, and wore lipstick. "The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen."
"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference! Look how thin I am." The Doctor laughed silently but heartily but Rose looked shocked. Astrid briefly glanced up, grimaced in anger and disgust, before focusing back on the metal softball. "Thin and dainty! I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me, moisturize me." One of the two men in white body suits who wheeled her in is holding a canister, which he sprays onto Cassandra. "Truly, I am the last human."
Rose slowly creeped closer for a better look as Cassandra kept talking. "My father was a Texan. My mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in the soil." Rose had walked completely around to the other side of Cassandra and in so doing discovered that the 'Lady' was completely flat. "I have come to honor them and..." Cassandra sniffled softly, "...say goodbye. Oh, no tears." One of the white bodyguards wiped her eyes. "No tears. I'm sorry. But behold! I bring gifts. From Earth itself - the last remaining ostrich egg."
One of the staff came in and displayed the egg to the room before putting it on a pedestal. "Legend says it had a wingspan of 50 feet and blew fire from its nostrils."
Rose looked a little blank as Astrid snorted from her examination. Apparently, even though she wasn't watching, she still listened."Or was that my third husband?" Rose rolled her eyes, but the Doctor laughed. Astrid had to force herself not to growl. Knowing who the bad guy is will be hard not to say anything. Not to mention, she's just a bitch in general.
"Who knows! Oh don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines!" Cassandra continues to talk to herself for a few seconds before she continues, introducing a large jukebox that is wheeled into the room by two of the staff. "And here, another rarity. According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers." Rose looked amazed. "Play on!"
One of the staff presses a button and a record falls into place. The 'iPod' started to play Tainted Love by Soft Cell. The Doctor bops around appreciatively.
Astrid asked the Doctor softly beside him, "Do you ever want to correct them? Fix archeologists mistakes?"
He looked down at her with a blank stare before he smiled gently. "They would believe me?"
She sighed and nodded, "Good point."
The Steward called out in closing. "Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in 30 minutes."
Astrid noticed that Rose had a lost, overwhelmed expression on her face. Everywhere the blond looked there are aliens, but no other humans. She rushed from the suite. Concerned, the Doctor started to follow her, but is stopped by Jabe snapping a picture.
The brunette knew that this was not the time that Rose got hurt, so she hung back. Keeping a tight hand on the metal ball, she walked over to the Face of Boe. "Hello Jack." She gave him a smile full of sadness.
Hello, my Little Star. His voice echoed in her mind, even deeper than she remembered from episodes. It's been a long time. She smiled at him as she placed one hand on the glass.
"Jack…I don't know what to do…I'm so afraid. All the time." She felt comfortable talking with him, almost like he was a big brother she could count on. "What if I can't change things? What if he comes back? I don't…"
Shhhh, sshhhh…it will be alright. I am living proof Bad Wolf happened as it was meant to. If I might give some advice? The telepathic equivalent to a bear hug enveloped her and Astrid felt encased in familial love. She nodded her assent. The Doctor will understand. Tell him the truth—all of the truth, Star. Nothing of his personal future, but the rest of it. I promise, it will be alright.
She kept her hands on his casing and laid her cheek on it as well. And I will have you know that I will have cold baths on this Platform. A mental chuckle. So you don't have to worry about Raffalo. Astrid gave a choke of laughter as tears tracked down her cheek. I never could stand to see you cry, Little Star.
Astrid was startled out of her tears when she felt the ball come online. She glanced down and said softly, bringing it up to eye level. The metal spider looked at her face with its red eye. She ran one finger along its back as if petting it and spoke in the tone she used with Julian. "Please…don't go. Stay here with me."
It 'blinked' by turning on and off its optic before climbing up her arm and settling on her shoulder. She smiled from ear to ear. "You need a name, then. How about…" she thought a moment, "James? Jimmy for short."
The newly designated Jimmy nodded frantically and she giggled.
You see? Already you have changed events. That little robot will be with you a long time, Star. You change those around you without trying. It will be alright. Trust me.
She nodded as the computer's female voice came over the speakers. "Earth Death in 20 minutes. Earth Death in 20 minutes."
You should know, Little Star, that when we first meet, you cannot tell me of Torchwood. Do not tell anyone of their personal futures.
The whole of Platform One took that moment to shake, jogging Astrid from her response. Steward came on the com system immediately, "Honored guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence."
That is your cue, Little Star. The Doctor and Rose will need you.
She gave one more pat to his glass as she nodded. "Thank you, Jack." He gave her another mental hug as she walked away.
Astrid saw the Doctor and Rose enter the room and she moved to their side as he was speaking he messed with the controls on one wall. "That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that." He fiddled with the control panel next to the entrance door when Jabe came up from behind. He turned and smiled at Astrid, grinning bigger at her new pet. He did get a bit of a bad feeing though at the thought that someone here liked her enough to give her a special gift.
For the moment though, the 'gravity pocket' was more important. "What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines - they pitched up about 30 hertz, is that dodgy or what?"
She smiled slightly with a little self-deprecation. "It's the sound of metal, it doesn't make any sense to me."
"Where's the engine room?" He frowned at her.
"I don't know... but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest's suite, I could show you. And..." Jabe gestured to Rose. "…your wife."
"She's not my wife."
"Partner?"
"No."
"Concubine?"
"Nope."
Jabe looked again at Rose. "Prostitute..."
Astrid took this moment to intercede, her tone as cold as the Arctic. "Ms. Jabe. For all intents and purposes, you have greatly insulted my sister and thus me and my household. Even if you are flirting with our escort, you do not need to be rude to us. Rose, let us leave these two to…pollinate, and go have a word with Ja—Boe."
Rose nodded, extremely insulted. As they passed, Astrid gave the Doctor a very calm stare. "I had expected more of you."
"Don't start a fight." The Doctor did get the picture though, and felt more than a faint twinge at the brunette's last comment. Still, he offered his arm to Jabe. "I'm all yours."
Astrid turned back to watch them leave. "And I want you home by midnight!"
The Doctor grinned back at the pair, confident that neither were too angry with him. For some reason he couldn't pinpoint right now, he actually cared that they think well of him.
The computer's voice came over the comm. lines, "Earth Death in 15 minutes. Earth Death in 15 minutes."
Astrid tried to keep Rose away from the Lady Cassandra, but between one moment and the next, Rose wasn't at her side. Looking around frantically, Astrid saw that Rose was just walking away from the 'bitchy trampoline' and she muttered an expressive curse under her breath.
Rose walked off. The Adherents of the Repeated Mean watching her leave through the sliding doors. Astrid gave an apologetic wave to the Moxx of Balhoon as she took off after her. But she wasn't quite fast enough. She turned the corner at a dead run, but didn't see anyone in the corridor. She would have to wait for the Doctor.
Astrid knew that the Doctor would be coming for Rose, so she stayed in the corridor, hoping to see him and Jabe. Next time, no splitting up! Why did she leave my side, I told her not to! If she dies because of stupidity, I'm finding a necromancer to bring her back so I can kill her myself!
She barely heard Britney Spears' Toxic begin to play from the Manchester Suite. Anxious to see the Doctor, Astrid let her eyes roam into every nook and cranny before getting an idea. She looked to the spider on her shoulder, "Jimmy? Can you find Rose? The blond that was with us before. Can you find her? She's in terrible danger. Please."
The spider looked at his mistress and nodded quickly, jumping to a nearby control panel and pressing buttons until he got what he wanted. With one of his front legs, he gestured quickly 'come' and began to move swiftly down the hall.
Astrid gave a shout of triumph and followed him closely. Just a few doors down, he stopped nad gestured to the closed—and locked—door. "Good job, Jimmy." She praised him. Then she heard the computer calling out the sunfilter descending and knew she was out of time.
Rose's voice drifted through the door. "Let me out!"
"Sunfilter descending."
"Rose!"
"Astrid! Open the door!" Rose's terrified voice in a panicked state shot through Astrid's heart. Rose was a sister to her in all but blood. The only family she had left. She would NOT let her die.
Thinking frantically, Astrid closed her eyes, picturing the room that Rose was in. "Rose, is that the same room we came in before?"
"Yes! Let me out!"
Astrid thought quickly, then had her answer. "There is a small shelf under the window, it doesn't go completely to the floor." She saw the Doctor come running down the corridor toward them, but didn't stop talking. "Lay down with your belly on the floor as flat as you can, right up next to the wall. It'll minimize exposure to your organs and brain. Face flat to the floor Rose!"
"Okay!"
The Doctor was kneeling, his screwdriver in hand trying desperately to open the door. "Rose in there?" At Astrid's nod, he grimaced. "Would be her."
"Open the door." Astrid hissed at him.
"Hold on. Give us two ticks."
Astrid glared at him, then looked at James. "Can you help him, Jimmy?" The little bot had been watching the whole exchange, but at her question gave a sad noise and shook its head.
"Sunfilter descending. Sunfilter descending."
Astrid gave a glance at the Doctor and spoke quietly. "Please, Doctor. She's all I have left." At this half-whispered statement, he showed a quick look of surprise. Or understanding. He knows how I feel. That's probably what Jack meant that he could understand. He's lost everyone too. A short nod and the Doctor began to redouble his efforts.
"Sunfilter rising. Sunfilter rising."
Astrid sighed with relief. "Thank you."
"Sunfilter rising... Sunfilter descending."
The Doctor spoke in a tone that might as well be a curse, "This is just what we need. The computer's getting clever."
Rose's voice carried through the door. "Will you stop mucking about!"
"I'm not mucking about, it's fighting back!"
"Face to the floor Rose! Flat as you can!" Astrid called insistently, terror cutting through her heart.
The Doctor jabbed his sonic screwdriver right inside the wires of the control panel and the buzz got louder as he tried to keep her best friend alive.
"Sunfilter rising. Sunfilter rising."
"The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there, Rose! Don't move!"
Rose's voice was sarcastic even through her terror. "Where're am I gonna go? Ipswich?"
The computer came onto the PA again, "Earth Death in 5 minutes."
Astrid was right beside the Doctor was they entered the Manchester Suite where Jabe was informing the rest of the alien guests that the spiders had infiltrated all of Platform One.
Cassandra ask, "How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me."
The Doctor came to stand beside Jabe, Astrid on his other side. "Astrid? Can I borrow Jimmy?"
The brunette gave a small nod and gently took James into her hand. "It's alright Jimmy. The Doctor is a friend."
Cassandra yelled out, "That's a spider device. Kill it!"
Astrid glared at her, the hatred in her eyes making several guests back away. "Leave. My family. Alone."
The Moxx of Balhoon put in his two cents worth. "Summon the Steward!"
"I'm afraid the Steward is dead." Jabe said sadly.
"Who killed him?" Moxx continued.
"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe! He invited us!" Cassandra called out as the Face of Bo shook his head inside his glass case. "Talk to the face! Talk to the face!"
Astrid gave a very impressive growl at the lady that shut her up quickly. "I warn you Cassandra. You won't like me when I'm angry."
James looked at his mistress from his position in the Doctor's hands. She was a little scary like this, but even the tiny robot knew that for this instance, it was okay.
As for the Doctor, he was looking at Astrid in a new light. She really was quite shy and quiet most of the time, but harm who she considered her family, and even he wasn't sure what the girl would do. At the moment, he was confident that the only reason she hadn't done something so far was because she trusted him. Time to live up to expectations. "Easy way of finding out. Someone bought a little pet on board." He grasped James by the body and gently set him on the floor. "Let's send him back to Master."
The spider immediately went to Astrid. This action made a small smile light up her face and she kneeled down. "No James, who was your master before me?" she said gently, running a finger down the metal back in a motherly gesture. "It's alright; they won't take you from me. Go ahead sweetie."
James scuttled along to Cassandra and looked up at her. Cassandra looked shifty for a moment, but the spider moved on to the feet of the Adherents of the Repeated Mean.
Lady Cassandra's voice was accusatory, "The Adherents of the Repeated Mean. J'accuse!"
"That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it..." The Adherents of the Repeated Mean tried to strike him, but he caught its arm and ripped it off. "A Repeated Mean is just an idea. And that's all they are. An idea." He ripped a wire out of the arm and all of the Adherents of the Repeated Mean crumpled into a bundle of black cloaks.
Everyone gasped while Cassandra rolled her eyes.
The Doctor kept calm as he continued, "Remote controlled droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo!" He nudged the spider gently with his foot. "Go home."
The spider ambled back over to Cassandra. "I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed."
James, having done his duty, immediately scooted back over to where Astrid was still kneeling. She held out her hand so that James could climb on and she deposited him back onto her shoulder.
She looked back up to see the Doctor and Cassandra facing off. The Ninth Doctor is very good with mocking the bad guys. "What are you going to do, moisturize me?"
"With acid. Oh, 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 as pretty face."
"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?"
"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous."
"Five billion 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. Me. Not that freaky little kid of yours." Astrid glared hotly at Cassandra for that comment.
The Moxx of Balhoon finally decided to chip in, "Arrest her!"
Cassandra was less than impressed. "Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option."
"Earth Death in 3 minutes."
Cassandra is as confident as she is stupid. "And here it comes. 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 was calm in the face of death and that made Astrid like her just a bit, even with the insult from before. "Then you'll burn with us."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but... I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders - activate."
There were a series of explosions all around the ship as James suddenly became stiff. "Jimmy?"
The Doctor spun to watch the spider on Astrid's shoulder shake and its optic glow red hot.
James, the little robot spider, really liked his new mistress. She was sweet, kind, and willing to protect him even at the cost to herself. But in his base programming was the order to obey his first mistress. The order to activate his base programming was in direct violation to his new wishes. He wanted to stay with his new mistress, and obeying his old programming would harm his new mistress. The two sets of programming could not co-exist. With a small sad chirp, the little robot gave a hiccup of smoke from his body and deactivated himself.
"Jimmy?" Astrid was frantic with worry. "Jimmy!"
Jabe laid a sympathetic arm over the girl's shoulders and squeezed. Astrid began to cry soundlessly, only a few tears leaking out.
Cassandra didn't even think the little show of bravery from one spider was enough to warrant a pause in her speech. "Force field's gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband." She giggled. "Oh, shame on me. Buh-bye, darlings! Buh-bye, my darlings..." Then she and her bodyguards blinked out of existence, presumably with the aid of a teleporter.
The computer came over the PA system again. "Heat levels rising."
The Moxx of Balhoon felt badly for the dark girl that had spoken so quietly and shyly to him before, but all of their lives were in danger and that came first. "Reset the computer!"
Jabe gave a sympathetic look at the girl, but let her go to focus once more on the matter at hand. She could comfort the brunette later, after it was assured that everyone would survive the occasion. "Only the Steward would know how."
The Doctor was now angry. "No. We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, Astrid, come on." The three of them leave the room as the Doctor calls out behind him, "You lot - just chill!"
"Earth Death in 2 minutes. Earth Death in 2 minutes."
Jabe and the Doctor ran back through the maintenance corridor, Astrid right behind.
"Heat levels - critical. Heat levels - critical."
The Doctor, Jabe, and Astrid reached the ventilation chamber. A giant room in the interior of the ship with huge ventilation fans, blades higher and wider than they were tall.
The Doctor was sarcastic as he spotted the reset lever on the far wall. "Oh. And guess where the switch is." Between the lever and them were three fans going reasonably fast.
"Heat levels - rising. Heat levels - rising."
The Doctor pulled a lever down that was beside them, grunting once with the effort, and the fans slowed down.
"External temperature - 5 thousand degrees."
As soon as the Doctor let go of the lever, the fans sped up again. As the Doctor looked hopelessly at the fans, Jabe pulled the lever down again and held it there.
"You can't. The heat's going to vent through this place." The Doctor looked at her, such an expression on his face. Astrid could only barely remember what had happened between them, it had been so long since she had seen the episode, but she could see their faces. Something had happened, something significant. And it hurt her heart to see that expression on his face.
Astrid took a deep breath and shoved Jabe gently to the side. "Go. It won't kill me." Jabe nodded and turned, but Astrid called to her, "Jabe? Thank you…for caring about Jimmy." The tree-woman nodded again and left the room. Astrid gave a glare at the Doctor. "Get going Time Lord. This lever is heavy." Oops. I called him a Time Lord. Has he told Rose yet that he's Gallifreyan? How in the heck am I supposed to remember stuff that I saw years ago?
He grins at her and ran back to the fans.
"Heat levels - rising. Heat levels - rising." Yes, thank you. I know I'm going to probably get third degree burns. Yes, I know this is a stupid idea. Thank you for reminding me. Now shut the hell up! "Heat levels - hazardous. Heat levels - hazardous." Cheeky computer.
She watched as the Doctor dodged the first fan and ran underneath it. He looked anxiously up at the next one.
"Shields malfunctioning. Shields malfunctioning."
The Doctor stood before the second fan. He looked back at Astrid who was starting to sweat and breathe heavily. Good thing I grew up in the South. I can actually take this kind of heat. Not for long, but I can. Doctor, hurry the hell up!
"Heat levels - critical. Heat levels - critical."
The Doctor dodged under the second fan. About bloody time! One to go. Come on Astrid, breathe. Hold it together.
"Heat levels - rising. Heat levels - rising."
As the Doctor stood before the third fan, Astrid started to shake slightly. She whimpers. "Hurry up!" The Doctor looks back, shocked but he gives a sharp nod. So the first time I get heat stroke will be five billion years after I thought I would, in a space station orbiting Earth while the planet is burnt to a crisp. At least it's memorable. She tried to breathe through her nose so that she would lose less moisture, but the air didn't seem to be enough.
As a child of the South, she knew the warning signs of heat stroke. And the fact that her body quit producing sweat was a huge one. Moments later, darkness took her vision and she fell to the floor.
Astrid opened her blue eyes to see the Doctor on one side and Rose on the other. The architecture of the walls and pillars put her back in the TARDIS, so she was in a medical bay. She smiled at them both gently. "Hello. Why such the long faces?" She coughed and Rose held up a glass of water for her to drink. "Thanks." She felt the tug of an IV and saw that glowing blue liquid was being pumped into her body. Whatever works.
Rose nodded and then reached out quickly to hug her. Astrid grinned and hugged her back, squeezing hard to assure her best friend that she was indeed all right. "How are you feeling?"
"It's heat stroke, Rose. I'll be good as new in a few days." Astrid smiled up at Rose before turning the grin to the Doctor.
His face was a mask of concern, pain, and surprisingly guilt. "Doctor, it's not your fault. I volunteered. It's alright." She smiled at him, but though he smiled back, it didn't reach his eyes. Astrid sighed heavily before nodding.
The Doctor pulled up a chair that had been in the corner of the medical bay of the TARDIS. "Did she die? Jabe?" Astrid breathed out, relieved, at the shake of his head. "Cassandra?" He nodded. "Damn. I wanted to deck her." He finally let out a bark of laughter and she knew he would be fine, given time. They all would.
Well, what do you think? Reviews are love!
PS-'Astrid' is Greek for 'star'.