Segment number six and we're going to war!

So let's get going.

Chapter 5: The Great Bug Battle

The buzzing of the swarm was so loud the Doctor and Martha had to cover their ears. Martha tried to move forward, but the insects swooped down and pushed her back. Some landed on her back and she swatted them away. "Doctor, the bugs!"

"I know," the Doctor grunted, batting some insects away. "They're… swarming all around us! I can't get my sonic screwdriver!"

Just then, two glowing yellow lights flashed out from the forest and an echoing voice called out, "Go on! Get out of it!"

At once, the swarm dispersed and the insects on them flew away. As Martha and the Doctor got to their feet, they saw a hovercraft arriving and heard the voice again, nearer and not so echoic. "Well, what's the matter with you two?"

The Doctor turned to meet the owner of the voice. Like the pirates on Bouken, he was dressed in a sort of diving suit but unlike them, the face was clearly visible; very reptilian, with red and blue scales and a small crest of spines on its head. On his back hung a large scuba tank that fed water to the figure through two pipes on either side of its mouth and small gills flapped on his neck.

Then the Doctor's eye fell on the creature's neck, on which hung a small piece of metal with the symbol of infinity. They had found the third data-chip!

Martha had noticed it too, because she hissed, "Doctor, he's…"

"Yes I know," he confirmed.

The figure raised one scaly eyebrow and stared at them with his wide yellow eyes. "And what are you staring at?"

"Sorry about that," the Doctor said. "Thank you for the timely arrival, Mister…?"

"Mergrass," the figure answered with a flick of his tongue. "Ulysses Mergrass."

"Right, hello, I'm the Doctor, that's Martha." The Time Lord puffed out his cheeks. "It's a good thing those bugs listened to you."

"We have an understanding," Mergrass replied curtly.

"So I noticed," Martha sighed.

Mergrass continued, "I'm here to provide their community and their queen with protection."

Just then, a loud klaxon rang out that reminded the Doctor of the sirens during the London Blitz and a loud rumbling reached their ears. "What's that?" Martha gasped.

"What they need protecting from," Mergrass replied.

The Doctor raised his head up to the sky… to see a huge fleet of dark airplanes swooping across the sky! "Hang on, those are warplanes!"

Mergrass shrugged knowingly. "Well, what did you expect in a warzone, hot air balloons?

"Warzone?!" the Doctor and Martha cried out.

As they watched, large panels slid out of the sides of the warplanes as they neared the towers.

"Sonic attack incoming!" Mergrass cried out. "I'm going to the main hive!" And he drove the hovercraft off.

"You know what?" the Doctor said with a glance at Martha. "I think that guy's got the right idea. Follow that Anuran! Allons-y!"

As they ran off after the hovercraft, the airplanes went on the attack, blasting the towers with waves of sound and sending large chunks of them tumbling down. Soon, Mergrass disappeared into the base of the tallest spire but as they got closer, a warplane blasted a nearby smaller tower, sending it toppling towards them.

"Martha, LOOK OUT!" the Doctor yelled, picking up speed. But unfortunately, Martha stumbled and before she could recover, the ruins of the tower came crashing down on top of her…

As Martha came to, she became aware of a very strong smell and as she opened her eyes, she found herself in a cave lit by glowing green lights… and the Doctor was sitting next to her, a smile on his face. "Pretty, isn't it?"

"If you like that sort of thing," Mergrass's voice replied from behind her.

She turned her head to see the reptilian alien standing next to the entrance to the cave while the giant wasps brought in several large crates from outside. Two others were struggling to lift a large bomb from inside one of the crates. She got a shock when an insect lost its grip and the bomb bashed into the side of the crates… but amazingly there wasn't an explosion.

"Careful," Mergrass yelled, running up and lifting the bomb back in the crate. "Don't touch what isn't yours… yet. The breakages must still be paid for. Besides which," he added, pulling a slim device from his pocket, "they won't activate until I give your queen this key-coder to switch everything on."

Martha then saw the Doctor hold out his hand and she gratefully took it, letting him pull her up. "There you go." Then his face became concerned. "Are you alright? See, it turns out those towers were actually made of dung, not rock. But even so…"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Martha snapped, pulling her hand back. That explains the smell.

But as she looked around at the cave, she felt her anger fade. The glowing lights had an almost calming effect and she smiled at the feeling. "It's beautiful," she breathed, "really beautiful."

"Well said, Martha Jones," a strange, nasal chirruping voice replied from the shadows.

With a gasp, Martha spun round to where the largest light was flashing… and suddenly realized she was staring at a giant, glowing abdomen. Looking up, she found herself staring at the face of a giant insect that looked like a cross between a termite and a praying mantis.

Immediately the Doctor was by her side. "Ah, right. Martha Jones, meet the Mantasphid Queen. Mantaspid Queen, ma'am, this is my friend, Martha Jones."

"Pleased to meet you," Martha stammered, "your… majesty?"

"Spot on," the Doctor whispered then aloud, "As I was saying, your majesty these alien attackers-"

"I do hope," Mergrass interrupted as he came over, "that you're not putting in a business proposition, Doctor. The bidding is already over and I've won."

"Mergrass is correct, Doctor," the Mantasphid Queen chirped. "We have our military advisor already. We do not need another."

"Oh, military advisor is it?" The Doctor turned to face the Anuran. "That's an interesting euphemism for gun running, isn't it?"

"Gun running?" Martha asked startled.

"In those crates," the Doctor explained, "Mergrass has a variety of weapons and bombs that he's selling to the Mantasphids. They're in the middle of a war and they need every edge they can get."

"But who are they at war with?" she asked.

At that moment, a swarm of Mantasphids came swooping in from the jungle and buzzed around in front of the Doctor, Martha and Mergrass. Then they flew away… revealing a huge insect-like robot with glowing eyes and two big claws.

"They've caught a pilot!" the Queen yelled. "Mergrass, they've caught a pilot!"

Martha and Mergrass were startled by this strange sight, but the Doctor took control, pushing Martha behind him for protection. "Stand well back. I want to see what you're up against."

The robot took a step back as the Doctor approached, murmuring, "Now… what are you?"

Suddenly, as if reacting to the Doctor's words, the robot raised its claws and stomped towards him, swinging them out at him!