Chapter 7
I seem to be always apologizing for taking so long to update. But again sorry for the wait.
Everyone walked in silence. It was hard to know what to say after what had just happened. But the silence was broke when Jake asked everyone to stop.
"What is it," Kate asked.
"The engine room is just two doors that way," Jake said. "Luke and Zoe might be in there."
"We shouldn't stop," the Doctor cautioned.
"That's where Gandrake thought they were," Jake insisted. "It won't take long."
Bringing up the rear still holding an unconscious Emilja, Gandrake said, "If they did go anywhere on this ship, they would be there."
"We got trapped before," Jake continued, "it could have happened to them as well."
"Trapped? When?" Kate asked.
"It's a long story," Martha said, "but we should check Doctor."
"Fine, lead the way," the Doctor said to Jake.
Jake walked through and the others followed.
"They've been gone too long," the Doctor whispered to Martha.
"But they need answers," Martha replied.
"I know," the Doctor said.
Martha walked on ahead to walk beside Jake and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," was the only answer he gave.
"Jake I think you need to be ready for whatever we find, or don't find," Martha said.
Jake nodded and they continued again in silence.
With the Tardis on the other side of the ship, they still had to cross more than half the ship to get to it. It worried Martha that they hadn't yet met the Dalek and it made her feel on edge. A Dalek would never let them just leave the ship and she knew it was planning something. But what also worried her was the Doctor's silence. He wasn't talking which was odd for him. She could only assumed he was probably blaming himself for what happened but she now wasn't the time to talk it over. They just all needed to get to the safety of the Tardis.
"This is it," Jake announced as they came up to two wide doors. Jake reached out to touch the door but quickly drew his hand back swearing. "It's hot," he said looking at his hand, "really hot."
The Doctor stepped forward and examined the door with his sonic.
"It's over 1000 degrees in there," The Doctor stated. "The doors are fused together. Even if we wanted to open them, it would to be too dangerous."
"Was anyone inside?" Jake asked.
"The doors... they were locked from the inside. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry but they couldn't have survived," the Doctor replied.
Martha could see the wave of grief at the news and wished she could say something.
"I think she's waking up," Gandrake called out to everyone.
They turned to Gandrake who carefully placed Emilja down as she came awake. Martha went to check she was okay, and except for mild confusion at where they were Emilja appeared fine. Martha also noticed the Doctor and Kate talking together in hushed tones. Whatever they were discussing the Doctor wasn't happy about it.
The Doctor walked away from Kate and said, "We have to keep moving."
"But where's Oscar?" Emilja asked looking around.
"I'll handle it," Gandrake said to everyone.
"Okay but don't take too long," Kate said.
Leaving them briefly alone, Martha and the others went on ahead, whilst Gandrake explained what happened to Emilja.
Martha walked just behind the Doctor and Kate who were still in discussion.
"I know you don't approve but this is my fault and I have to make sure I did everything I could," Kate said
"You didn't cause this," the Doctor countered.
"I might as well have," Kate responded, "and it doesn't change what happened. I insisted we bring that thing on board."
"We make decisions all the time, not knowing the outcome," the Doctor said.
"But I am responsible for making the wrong decisions. They trust me, no, trusted me, and I let them down. I don't think I could ever forgive myself for this. I have to get them safely home, but I also have to deal with my guilt," Kate said.
"No one would agree to it, you know that," the Doctor said.
"It might not be down to them in the end," Kate stated.
They entered a large room and Martha remembered being guided into the room just hours before, to face three guns held by the people now around her. They crossed the room and unsurprisingly the doors refused to open.
"They are only magnetized," the Doctor said.
"Can you get it open?" Kate asked.
"Just give me a minute," the Doctor said.
Martha looked around the room, it was bigger than she remembered, and there were more entrances than she remembered. She looked towards Jake who had turned to watch Gandrake and Emilja walk in. He a glanced at Martha who forced a smile, but something drew his attention away. Before Martha could see what he was looking at she heard a familiar but threatening call ring out across the room.
"Exterminate"
Jake stepped in front of the Doctor and was hit squarely in the chest. Jake dropped to the floor silently before anyone could do or say anything.