Rose was seated by herself some distance from the others while they gathered around serving cart the Van Hoff's had spotted. The idea of food had been a relief to them and Rose wasn't hungry, just thirsty. She poured herself a cup of water from the pitcher on the cart then retreated from the group. They hadn't told her to sit separate but none of them were exactly asking her to come back over. Being the only human in a group, while hardly a new occurrence, was lonely.
The Doctor stood just a few feet away, talking on the comms with the young Midshipman and trying to discern what could possibly be on Deck 31.
Rickston made a snide remark to Mr. Copper and Rose glanced his way in irritation…then paused as something occurred to her. He'd said something earlier to Astrid that hadn't really registered as important, but now she was wondering. He'd said that Max Capricorn Cruiseliners was "going down the drain." What if someone wanted to ensure it not only went down the drain but the hole was plugged behind it? A major loss of life on one of their ships due to severe system failures would definitely be enough to send an already struggling company to its grave on Earth. Sto probably wasn't very different.
Doctor, she sent. I've just had a thought.
"Hold on a minute," the Doctor said into the comm then looked down at her.
"It wasn't an accident. We both know that. It was sabotage."
"Yeah," he agreed. "Midshipman Frame said the Captain himself took down the shields."
"But why?"
The Doctor cocked his head to one side. "Frame, did the Captain happen to mention why?"
There was silence on the other end for a moment and then the young man replied. "Y-yes, he did. He was dying and…they offered him a lot of money to do it. Money for his family, I think."
"They?" the Doctor repeated. He glanced at Rose.
Rickston said Max Capricorn Cruiseliners is failing. What better way to ensure it fails than…this? Rose gestured with her hand to the mangled kitchen.
The Doctor's eyes widened and he turned back to the panel. "I think I've got a very good idea what's down on Deck 31. Whatever you do, keep those engines going!"
So focused on communicating with the Doctor, Rose hadn't noticed Astrid's approach until the other woman was bending over with a plate in her outstretched hands. "You need to eat," she said.
Not wanting to be rude, Rose accepted the plate of food that she suspected also doubled as a peace offering. The Doctor settled down next to her on the long piece of metal that had fallen to the floor and reached for a bit of food on her plate without ceremony. Astrid adjusted her skirt then sat down on the Doctor's other side.
"You look like Stoans," she told them. "I never would've known you weren't if you hadn't said anything."
"Mmm," the Doctor hummed, his mouth full of food. "You look Time Lord, actually." He swallowed then he reached for another piece of food.
Astrid didn't seem to know what to do with that one. Rose shook her head gently. "He means that his people were around before either of ours were."
"Er…Doctor? Rose?" Mr. Copper asked hesitantly and the three of them looked up to see the man standing just a few feet away. "It must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day."
"So it is," the Doctor agreed. "Merry Christmas."
Rose didn't bother telling him that there was no such thing as "Earth time" and that for some, Christmas Day was already underway and for others, it still early evening the day before. "Merry Christmas," Rose echoed.
"This Christmas thing, what's it all about?" Astrid asked. "I mean…what's it really about?"
Rose shrugged. "Depends on who you ask. People celebrate it differently…some don't celebrate it at all."
"Do you?"
Rose nodded. "For us it was always…Christmas trees and stockings and decorations and dinners with friends and family. Presents under the tree." She smiled at the Doctor. "New beginnings. But for some people, it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ—that's why it's called Christmas."
"I was there for that," the Doctor commented off-handedly. "I got the last room."
Rose swatted his arm. "Shut up, no you didn't!"
He simply arched one eyebrow.
"But what about the sacrifices?" Mr. Copper asked. Rose's eyebrows shot towards her eyebrows. "You leave sacrifices to Santa and, in return, he gives you blessings?"
"S-some people leave him milk and cookies, but—"
"Mr. Copper, this degree in Earthonomics…where's it from?" the Doctor inquired.
Mr. Copper's face fell and he looked away for a moment. "Honestly?"
"Just between us," the Doctor gestured to the four of them.
"Mrs. Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners." He pressed a red handkerchief to his forehead and lowered himself onto an overturned bucket in front of them.
"You—you lied to the company…?" Astrid realized.
"I knew it," Rose muttered triumphantly.
"I—I wasted my life on Sto," he explained. "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…"
"It can be," the Doctor agreed.
"But not in the way you were telling everybody," Rose added.
Mr. Copper sighed. "I'm so sorry for offending you."
"It—it's alright. You didn't mean any harm by it. Just, uh, no more, yeah?"
A loud THUMP on the door they'd come through startled them all and Rose's hands tightened instinctively around her plate.
"The Host!" The Doctor shouted, scrambling to his feet. "Move! Come on!"
The pounding continued. Astrid let out a wail of fright as she jumped up. They scrambled over the debris between them and the way out with the Doctor in the lead. He stopped to make sure everyone got through and Rose took point. They raced through the narrow service hallways without direction and if Astrid knew where to go from here she wasn't saying.
Somewhere behind them, they heard the resounding clatter of the kitchen door breaking down and the Host's cheerfully morbid chanting followed after them. "Kill. Kill. Kill."
The Doctor pushed through to the front of the group and took hold of Rose's hand. "There's a door!" he said. "Come on!"
They slowed in front of a thick metal door with the Max Capricorn logo on it and the Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver. He aimed it at the door, triggering the opening mechanism inside, and the door began to slide open. He stowed the sonic in is breast pocket and strode through the doorway, the others scrambling around him in their haste. But their charge was quickly felled when they realized they were on a very small landing with scarcely a railing to keep them on tis side of the edge.
Rose gawked at the sheer size of the room. She craned her neck upwards and saw a glowing blue ring around the circumference of the ceiling projecting a bluish transparent force field, through which the stars were distantly visible. They were in one of the smoke towers! The walls were made of pipes varying in size and thickness, some of which had split and were spewing flames. Smoke and steam wafted past them. She walked to the railing and peered over the edge. Beneath them was a burning mass of power that radiated heat so intense she could feel it from all the way up here.
On the other side of the space as a similar landing with a way out but the only way between the two were the sideways remains of what had once probably been a stable walkway.
"Is that the only way across?!" Rickston cried.
"On the other hand, it is a way across," the Doctor pointed out.
Astrid pointed to the burning mass beneath them. "The engines are open."
"Nuclear storm drive," the Doctor said. "Soon as it stops, the Titanic falls."
"B-but that thing, it'll never take our weight!" Morvin protested, gesturing at the 'bridge'. Rose grimaced, unable to disagree. Honestly, it looked like it'd barely support Bannakaffalatta.
"You're going last, mate," Rickston muttered.
"It's nitrofine metal. It' stronger than it looks," the Doctor reassured them.
Morvin shook his head, letting go of his wife, and walked towards the railed edge. "All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should go la—" His words trailed into a scream of terror as the metal beneath his foot gave way. He grabbed onto the railing but it, too, gave way under his weight and his body pitched forward over the side before anyone could so much as start towards him.
Foon screamed her husband's name, racing over to the edge. Rose threw her arms out to catch the woman before she, too, went over. Foon fell to her knees and Rose went down with her, both of them staring at Morvin's body as he plummeted towards the burning engines. For just a moment, his terrified expression cleared into something like peace, as if he'd accepted his fate and was okay with it, then he disappeared.
The Doctor knelt on Foon's other side, his arms on her back reassuringly.
"I told you!" Rickston shouted. "I told you!"
"Just shut up!" Mr. Copper retorted. "Shut up!"
"Bring him back!" Foon wailed, distraught. "Can't you bring him back? Bring him back, Doctor!"
"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I can't."
"You promised me!"
"I know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Foon sobbed and dropped her head. Rose adjusted her arms so she was hugging the woman instead of just holding onto her.
"Uh, Doctor?" Mr. Copper spoke up suddenly. "I rather think those things have got our scent."
"I'm not waiting!" Rickston declared, panic leaking into his voice for the first time. With that, he stepped out onto the bridge.
"Careful!" The Doctor sprang to his feet and raced around the others. "Take it slowly!"
As if fed up with the man itself, the ship chose that moment to rumble with the force of another explosion somewhere. Flames briefly burst from one of the openings near the bridge and Rickston was knocked flat on his stomach, rolling towards the side. He managed to cling to the metal and peered over the side at the burning doom below him. "Vot help me!" he wailed.
"You're okay," the Doctor encouraged, pulling off his tie. "One step at a time. Come on, you can do it."
Through the door, the Host's chanting had become audible once more. "They're getting nearer!" Copper fretted.
The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver and darted over to the door. He buzzed it along the top of the door, triggering the closing mechanism, and the door slid shut. Knowing him, he'd sealed it too.
"Leaving us trapped, wouldn't you say?"
"Never say trapped," the Doctor told him, "just inconveniently circumstanced."
Rose snorted quietly despite the situation. Mr. Copper didn't seem too amused either.
The bridge lurched again but Rickston stayed on, pushing himself to his hands and knees. He shouted that he was okay but no one seemed to pay any mind.
"Maybe he's alright," Foon reasoned suddenly. "Maybe—maybe there's a gravity curve down there or something. I don't know, maybe he's unconscious."
Rose shook her head slowly. "Foon, I'm sorry. There's no way he could've—he's gone."
Tears welled anew in Foon's eyes and she sobbed heavily. Rose pulled her more firmly into a hug as the other woman wept, "What am I going to do without him?" She rocked her gently, soothingly, and in her peripheral vision, saw Astrid come around to Foon's other side, and put her arm around the woman's shoulders.
"Yes!" Rickston shouted suddenly. "Oh yes! Who's good?!" Must've made it across. Rose didn't turn to check.
"Bannakaffalatta, you go next," the Doctor said.
"Bannakaffalatta small!" the cyborg man replied.
"Slowly!"
The Host began to pound on the door and Rose jerked around, releasing Foon in the process. A dent was clearly visible in the door where a Host had pounded its fist.
"They found us!" Copper shouted to the women. Foon didn't seem willing to move. Rose caught Astrid's eye and the woman nodded and together they hefted the grieving widow to her feet.
"Rose, Astrid, get across right now," the Doctor ordered.
Astrid was reluctant to let go of Foon but after a moment, released her to head for the bridge. Rose didn't budge. "What about you?" Astrid asked.
"Just do it. Go on."
Rose twisted around. Foon stared over the edge at the engines where her husband had disappeared. "Foon. We have to get across right now."
"Rose! Come on!"
Foon shook her head. "What for?" she wailed. "What am I gonna do without him?"
"Doctor!" Rickston shouted. "The door's locked!"
"You're gonna live," Rose insisted. "You're gonna make it out of this!"
"Why should I? It's my fault we're here, my fault he's dead!" She sobbed loudly and leaned into Rose for support.
"Doctor, I can't open the door! We need the whirring key thing of yours!" Rickston insisted.
"Rose, come on," the Doctor curled his hand around her bicep and pulled. She shook him off.
"I'm not leaving without her," she insisted, glimmering eyes daring him to challenge her. Behind them, the Host continued to pound away at the door. They were running out of time.
The Doctor gripped her arm tightly. "And I'm not leaving without you."
Rose stopped short. Usually that was her line, always refusing to escape to safety without him. The urge to ensure his safety was strong, even if it meant leaving behind Foon, but the rest of her cried out in protest at the thought of abandoning her.
"We're going to be killed if we can't get out!" Rickston bellowed.
Rose turned back to Foon. "Please, Foon."
"G-go," the woman blubbered, stepping backwards. "Don't l-lose your husband because of me." Foon took another step away and out of Rose's grip. The Doctor seized his chance and pulled Rose towards the bridge.
Rose finally looked away from Foon and sized up the walkway before her. Bannakaffalatta, Astrid, and Mr. Copper were already on their way and making good progress. Bannakaffalatta had hold of Astrid's hand and was helping to keep her steady. Ever thankful she'd chosen to wear flats, Rose tentatively took a step out onto the bridge, then another. The added weight caused the bridge to rock slightly and fear spiked in her veins, bringing on a rush of adrenaline and warm energy.
The world sharped to crystal clarity. She could feel tremors of the ship around her, the fluctuating power of the engines below her struggling to keep moving. She could feel the shifting balance of the bridge beneath her feet and began to adjust her own balance accordingly. Timelines danced chaotically around her, so many of them severed abruptly from all the death in such a sort time, and those of the survivors around her spiraling wildly in this tumultuous moment of time when anything could happen. She could sense the echo of Morvin's timeline where it should've been bound to Foon's, their connection severed with his untimely death. She shook her head to dispel the time knowledge clouding it.
"Too many people!" Bannakaffalatta protested.
"Oi! Don't get all spiky with me!" the Doctor snapped. "Keep going!"
Rose shook her head again and this time the Doctor noticed something was bothering her. What's wrong?
There was no way she could focus enough to reply telepathically so she bit out, "Timelines…I see 'em everywhere."
The Doctor stepped out on the bridge and took her hand in his. She felt his mind billow around hers and a moment later the timelines faded. She could still sense them but they no longer crowded out her other senses. Unfortunately, he had no way to escape his own time senses but at least he could manage them on his own.
They made their way slowly across the bridge. On the other side, Bannkaffalatta flung himself to safety across a narrow part in the bridge. Rose squeezed the Doctor's hand tighter and took another step. All the while, the Host continued to pound on the door. The ship rocked again without warning and she pitched forward with a scream and would have gone over herself had the Doctor not steadied her. The bridge shuddered beneath them.
"It's gonna fall!" Astrid screamed.
"It's just settling!" The Doctor shouted. "Keep going!"
And then…there was silence. The Host had stopped banging on the door. Rose looked at the Doctor and saw her own wariness reflected there.
"They've stopped," Astrid said.
"Gone away?" Bannakaffalatta suggested.
"Why would they give up?" the Doctor asked shrewdly. They wouldn't. They weren't cyborgs who could think freely, they were robots with an objective and robots didn't give up their objectives until they were complete.
"Never mind that!" Rickston burst out. "Keep coming!"
"Where have they gone?" the Doctor murmured loud enough for them all to hear. "Where are the Host?"
With her senses abuzz, Rose could tell the moment they arrived and her eyes flicked upwards. "Oh, God," she whispered then shouted, "Look!"
Five Host descended from above, glowing with light like proper angels, their hands clasped serenely in front of them. The Doctor stood, pulling Rose with him.
"Information: Kill." One of the Host said then as one, they reached for their halos.
"Arm yourselves!" The Doctor shouted, releasing Rose's hand. "All of you."
He bent down to pick up a pipe and Rose grabbed a flat piece of metal hanging precariously from the edge. All it took was one good tug and it came free. The first Host tossed its halo at the Doctor and he batted it away. The next one came for Astrid, just as she pulled a stick of metal free, and she whacked it off course. Rose saw a flash of gold in the corner of her eye and whipped around, swinging the metal up in front of her face. The halo made contact and ricocheted away.
The Host did not falter, pulling more halos from their sleeves and tossing them into the fray even as the others spiraled away to their doom.
The Doctor suddenly let out a shout of pain and Rose spun around to see him holding onto his shoulder. She reached for it automatically, pushing his hand away to see the damage. His jacket was ripped but their was no blood, only slightly red flesh where the halo had made contact. Some form of electrocution, perhaps?
"Bannakaffalatta stop!" The red spiked man shouted suddenly. Rose spun around. "Bannakaffalatta proud! Bannakaffalatta…cyborg!" He lifted his shirt and a pulse of bluish white energy burst forth from his metallic torso. Rose felt the energy dance across her skin as it passed by without harming her. The same could not be said for the Host. They sparked and twitched, glows dying, and then plummeted towards the engines and took their halos with them. All except for one, which collapsed in a heap onto their bridge. They all stared at its still form.
"Electromagnetic pulse took out the robots!" The Doctor turned. "Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant!"
With a swift series of bleeps, Bannakaffalatta's legs gave out and he collapsed against the scaffolding. Yes, it was a brilliant plan and they probably wouldn't have made it without his quick thinking, but their respite came with a cost. He must've known what would happen by expelling a large amount of power at once.
Astrid carefully jumped over to his side and kneeled by his head. "He's used all his power!"
"Did good?" he asked.
She looked down and smiled, patting his shoulder. "You saved our lives."
"Bannakaffalatta happy."
Mr. Copper crawled towards them and Rose followed carefully, eager to put as much space between herself and the Host as possible.
"We can recharge you," Astrid assured him, "get you to a power point, just plug you in!"
He shook his head slightly. "Too late."
"No, but…you gotta get me that drink, remember?"
He grinned at her. "Pretty girl." But then his face went slack and his eyes slipped shut.
Rose swallowed and ducked her head in respect. She heard Astrid gasp then say, "Rose!" She looked up. "You can heal…can't you help him!"
"It—it doesn't work like that." Rose shook her head. "I can't bring back the dead."
Astrid's lip quivered and she bowed her head. She reached to button his shirt but Mr. Copper held out his hand. "I'm sorry. Forgive me."
"Leave him alone!"
"It's the EMP transmitter," he explained, trying to placate her. He reached for the button Astrid had pressed earlier to recharge Bannakaffalatta and pulled out a cylindrical device about half a foot long. "He—he'd want us to have 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 reuse it as a weapon against the rest of the Host." He held it up triumphantly. "Bannakaffalatta might have saved us all."
"Do you think?" Rickston interrupted, pointing at something. "Try telling him that!"
They all turned to see the Host was starting to move. Its hand curled around a halo then it began to push itself up. "Information: reboot."
"Use the EMP!"
"It's dead!" Mr. Copper replied.
"It's gotta have emergency stores!" Astrid replied, voice trembling with fear.
The Doctor, meanwhile turned to face the Host fully, shielding Rose's body with his own at the same time. "No, no, no! Hold on." The Host drew its arm back to swing the deadly halo at him. "Override loophole security protocol…10! 666! Uh, 21! 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Um, gah, I dunno—"
"One!" Rose shouted. The Host stopped mid-motion and shifted into a passive stance, halo clasped nonthreateningly in its hands.
"Information: state request."
"Good…" For a moment, he seemed surprised that had actually worked. Then his voice hardened. "Right. You've been ordered to kill the survivors: but why?"
Rose turned to the others and motioned for them to keep moving. Astrid nodded. With one last look at Bannakaffalatta she got to her feet.
"Information: no witnesses."
"But this ship's gonna fall on the Earth and kill everyone. The human race have nothing to do with the Titanic so that contravenes your orders, yes?"
"Information: incorrect."
"But why do you want to destroy the Earth?"
"Information: it is the plan."
"What plan?"
"Information: protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used."
"Well, you could have warned me!"
"Information: now you will die." The Host began to raise its weapon once again.
The Doctor took a step back and, thinking quickly, Rose leaned around him. "Security Protocol One! Hold it, you, I'm a new person, so you gotta answer my questions now."
The Host returned to its previous position. "Information: correct. State your three questions."
"Alright." She swallowed and stepped around the Doctor so she was standing in front of the Host. "Do you have a mode or protocol that overrides your current main orders for something of…higher priority?"
"Information: yes."
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Well, what is it, then?"
"Information: only Max Capricorn staff are permitted to know."
"Well, Astrid back there is staff. Tell her."
"Information: I am not permitted to provide this information to anyone not Max Capricorn staff. You have one question remaining."
"Yeah, alright." Rose fisted her hands in her skirt and pulled it up as she walked closer to the Host, hoping it wouldn't find anything suspicious about the motion. The bridge felt relatively stable beneath her feet. She really wished she had something sturdier on her feet than these flats but it would have to do. Succeed or fail, at least she didn't have to worry about permanent injury. "Last question: will you take a step to the left?"
"Information: yes." The Host did as she asked and stood right on the edge of the bridge.
She smiled and slid into position. "Thanks."
Spinning on the ball of her left foot, she brought her right leg up in a roundhouse kick to the Host's face. Pain seared through her foot as it connected with unyielding metal but the force of it was enough to knock the Host off balance. It slipped over the edge without so much as a peep and behind her Rose heard the astonished gasps of the survivors. Before she fell, Rose saw Foon standing at the edge of the bridge with the rope from her dress in her hands, as if she'd been planning to take on the Host herself.
Rose's foot made contact with the ground and pain shot up her leg. She let out a choked cry and her legs gave way but the Doctor was there to catch her. "I'm alright!" she gasped.
"Oh, you stupid girl," the Doctor admonished. "Stupid, brilliant, clever girl."
"Pretty sure that's contradictory."
"But it's you."
Careful not to jostle her too much, the Doctor slid one arm beneath her legs and lifted her in his arms bridal style. She held tightly to his jacket as he carried her across the rest of the way before easing her onto the stable ground. He gave hand a squeeze then went back for Bannakaffalatta's body.
Mr. Copper and helped her sit up and Astrid knelt by Rose's foot. She gently slid the shoe off and Rose hissed through her clenched teeth at the pain. Her foot was already starting to swell terribly but she could feel the healing energy gathering in her foot and with it came the injury perception she possessed. She'd cracked several of the long bones in the middle of her foot (she'd have to ask Martha what those were called later) and shattered one. Unfortunately, breaks like these took a while to heal depending on the severity, and a shattering took the longest. She wouldn't be walking for at least a few hours. Maybe the rest of the day and tomorrow would be best spent off her feet entirely.
"I think it's broken but don't know anything about human anatomy," Astrid fretted. "Do you even have bones to break?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah, it's broken."
The Doctor set Bannakaffalatta's body safely away from the edge then started back across to collect Foon.
"But you're gonna be okay, right? I mean, after that thing in your earlier, this should be a cinch."
"I'll be okay—eventually. Bones are tricky, dunno why. I can fix tissue and nerves easy but bones are harder. Organs are the worst."
"Y-you've had to do this often, then?"
Rose nodded. "Yeah, there was this—well, used to be I had a lot more power and could heal other people but things were different then. And it was a bad time on Earth so I ended up healing a lot of people with some pretty terrible injuries. Gotta take it slow, though, or I'll pass out. I'll be okay in a few hours."
"Can all humans do this?" Mr. Copper inquired curiously.
Rose shook her head. "Just me. Long story."
"That was brave."
All three of them looked up in surprise. Surely they hadn't heard that right? But, yes, there was Rickston Slade standing just off to the side, eyeing Rose's wounded foot. He met her eyes briefly then looked away. "For a human."
The Doctor and Foon made it safely across the bridge. Foon was sniffling and tears continued to trickle from her eyes but she was relatively composed, all things considering. She caught Rose's eye and her lips twitched into something that might have been a smile if she wasn't so heartbroken. The Doctor walked over to Rose and crouched by her side.
"Is it broken?"
"Pretty badly," she confirmed with a grimace. "It'll be a few hours."
The Doctor nodded and began to unbutton his jacket. He shucked it and set it aside then removed his Oxford as well, leaving him in just his undershirt. He ripped the sleeves off the shirt and scooted down to her foot. Astrid moved aside and joined the others who were watching with morbid fascination. Mindful of her injury, he carefully wrapped the first sleeve around her foot, then used the second to continue wrapping up around her ankle. He ordered Astrid to hold the end in place while he rummaged through his pockets for some tape. He pulled out a roll of neon blue tape and used it to secure the binding in place. Lastly, he wrapped the remains of the shirt around her foot like a protective cushion in case of impact. It wasn't perfect but it'd do.
Finished, he put his jacket back on and fastened it up. As he was doing this, Rose's phone vibrated. She pulled it out. New text from Martha. It read: I'm in. Be there in a tick!
"Martha's on the TARDIS." Rose reported as she typed back her reply. Before she could hit 'send', another message appeared.
How's things on your end?
Two dead. Remember STAY IN THE TARDIS.
Rose turned the screen off then tucked her phone away again. She nodded to the Doctor and he slid his arms beneath her legs and around her shoulders and hefted her up with ease. "Everybody ready?" he asked.
They nodded.
"The door's still locked," Rickston reminded him moodily. Rose reached inside the Doctor's jacket and fished out the sonic screwdriver, which was still on the right setting. He carried her over to the door and she turned the sonic on and ran it along the top of the door. The door slid open and the six of them left the room that had taken two of their number and nearly the rest of them as well.
They entered another set of maintenance halls. The Doctor moved as quickly as he dared and Rose focused most of her efforts on keeping her leg as still as possible while the warmth did its work on her damaged bones.
Suddenly, in her mind Rose felt the link to the TARDIS return to normal as the ship arrived. She sighed in relief."TARDIS is back."
"Right!" he said. "Everyone listen up. Get to Reception One where we all met. You'll see a big blue box—get inside where it's safe. Mr. Copper, I need you to use your staff access to get into the computers and try to find a way to send an SOS." He turned around. "Astrid, you're in charge of the EMP. Once it's powered up, it'll take out Hosts within fifty yards but then it needs sixty seconds to recharge. Got it?"
She nodded seriously and clasped the EMP tightly in her hands.
"Rose is in charge. I'm giving her my sonic—er…whirring key thing. Rose, once you're inside, I want you to fly the TARDIS out into space, tether the Titanic, and tow it. You remember how to tow?"
She made a face. "I think so…"
"Good enough. Rickston, think you can worry about someone other than yourself for a minute?" The Doctor didn't wait for him to answer. "Excellent. You're going to be responsible for Rose. See to it that she makes it inside the ship and into the care of Dr. Jones. If she so much as gets another scratch the rest of the way I'm holding you personally responsible. Got it?"
For once, Rickston didn't argue, nodding once in affirmative. The Doctor stared him down for a long moment then lowered Rose to the ground. She shifted around into a more comfortable position and propped her foot up on a nearby pipe.
"Foon." He turned to the woman who had managed to dry her tears. "You alright?"
"How do you think I am?" she asked hollowly.
"I know." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Believe me…I know. But I need you here. Stay near Rose, she might need your help. Can you do that?"
Foon nodded, pressing her lips together.
"Good. Astrid!" He turned to the blonde. "Where's the power point?"
"Uh…under the comms." She pointed and the two of them hurried over, crouching down. Rose watched him show her how to charge the EMP.
Foon knelt down beside Rose and Rose wordlessly curled her hand around the woman's, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I don't know what I'm going to do," the woman murmured. "He was all I had. I don't even know how to support myself. I've got so much debt…"
"We can help with that," Rose offered. "The debt part, I mean."
"But then what?"
"You take it day by day. Trust me, I know what it's like. I lost him once, didn't know if I was ever going to see him again, and I didn't belong where I was. And I'd realized I'd forgotten how to…really live without him. I had to figure out who I was without him by my side and it made me stronger. I was lucky to have friends there that could help me but in the end, all I could do was take it day by day."
The next thing she knew, Rose had been knocked into Foon and she only barely just managed to keep her foot from falling off its perch. She carefully eased herself off the startled woman who sat up, rubbing her head with a scowl. She looked around for the Doctor and saw him pushing himself up from the floor.
"Mr. Frame, you still with us?" The Doctor shouted into the comms.
"It's the engines, sir! Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've only got eight minutes left."
"And that's more than enough time. Don't worry."
"But what are you gonna do?!"
"It's complicated. Trust me, you'll know." He released the button and around.
"It's ready!" Astrid announced.
"Good!" the Doctor shouted, striding back over the rest of the group "Everyone look after each other. Rickston…I mean it." He pointed at Rose. "One single scratch on her and it's your head. Get her inside the ship, whatever it takes. She's the only other one who can pilot our ship."
"And where are you going?"
"Deck 31. Whoever did all this is down there and if they aren't caught and stopped, they could do it again to another ship."
Everyone was quiet as they realized what this could mean. The Doctor took this last opportunity to crouch next to Rose and gently place his hand beneath her foot. I'm sorry you got hurt.
Occupational hazard, she thought blithely.
He shook his head and looked like he was going to tell her off so she reached for his lapels and pulled him in for a quick, firm kiss.
Be careful, Rose thought, releasing him.
I will, he replied as he stood. "Now go."
The Doctor turned and took off the way they came and it occurred to Rose right about then that she'd just unceremoniously been handed the leadership position. She cleared her throat loudly. "Right, then. You heard him. Pick me up, Rickston. We gotta hurry."
The man didn't seem too thrilled at being ordered about by a human and even less so to have to pick her up. She wasn't exactly comfortable being in his arms but at least he seemed to know how to hold her steadily.
"Let's go," Rose ordered. "Astrid, you're on point. Any sign of a Host, let 'em have it."
Astrid nodded seriously, holding the EMP tightly in her hands. "Yes ma'am."