This is an extra long chapter. :P Planet of the dead part one.

When the bus stops, Meta and I head out the doors. Christina follows us.

"End of the line. Call it a hunch, but I think we've gone a little bit further than Brixton."

I raise my eyebrows at him and use my most sarcastic tone. "Noooo. Really?"

Christina digs in her bag and pulls out a pair of sunglasses. "Ready for every emergency."

The look on Meta's face is hilarious. I smirk as he sonics his glasses to make them tinted.

As he puts them on, he says, "Me too."

I shake my head. "No your not. The sonic screwdriver is cheating."

Christina cuts in before he can retort. "And what are your names?"

"I'm the Doctor. This is Ryder."

"Name, not rank."

"The Doctor."

"Surname?"

This is taking to long for my tastes. "Don't you get the point? He's called the Doctor. Just te Doctor."

"That's not a name. That's a psychological condition. Wait...didn't you call him James or John or something?"

He obviously doesn't want her to know anything beyond Doctor so I don't offer her much besides the truth. "No. I call him Meta."

Before she can ask, we are distracted by the Doctor. He's kneeling in the sand, letting it run through his fingers. "Funny sort of sand, this. There's a trace of something else."

He tastes it and I cringe. So does he. "Glah. Not good."

Christina looks unamused. "Well, it wouldn't be. It's sand."

"No, it tastes like...like...Ryder, what's it taste like?"

His senses will still be able to tell him. Human plus time lord after all. But they aren't as sharp and it takes his brain longer to process it. "It'll come to you. And you won't be happy. Give it a second."

"No but it tastes like...oh. Never mind."

Christina looks confused. "What is it? What's wrong?"

The younger man cuts into the conversation now. "Hold on a minute. I saw you, mate. You had that thing, that machine. Did you make this happen?"

"Oh, humans on buses, always blaming me. Look, look, if you must know, I was tracking a hole in the fabric of reality. Call it a hobby. But it was a tiny little hole. No danger to anyone. Suddenly it gets big, and we drive right through it."

I roll my eyes. Of course he still doesn't count himself as one of us. I'll just have to remind him again. Later. The driver speaks up. "But then where is it? There's nothing. There's just sand."

"All right. You want proof? We drove through this."

Together, we both take a handful of sand and throw it at the portal which sort of shimmers. He gives me a look trying to tell me not to steal his thunder. I give him an innocent look. "What? Can't let you have all the fun."

"And that's?" Christina asks.

"A door. A door in space," Meta answers.

The driver tries to straighten it in his mind. "So what you're saying is, on the other side of that is home? We can get to London through there?"

"The bus came through, but we can't," I explain.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" With that, the Driver runs toward the portal. I forgot that he does that.

Meta tries to stop him. "No, no, don't."

"I'm going home, mate!"

"He said don't. Wait. Listen!" I rush forward to stop him. What's the point in knowing the future is I can't change it? But Meta stops me and pulls me back before I trip in after him. We hear him scream and see as his bones fade from view.

The young man's voice shakes. "He was a skeleton, man. He was bones. Just bones."

"It was the bus. Look at the damage. That was the bus protecting us. Great big box of metal," Meta clarifies.

"Rather like a Faraday cage?" Christina asks.

Another man, (Norman?) adds his own thoughts. "Like in a thunderstorm, yeah? Safest place is inside a car, because the metal conducts the lightning right through. We did it in school."

"Very good," I comment.

"But if we can only travel back inside the bus? A Faraday cage needs to be closed. That thing's been ripped wide open."

"Well, slightly different dynamics with a wormhole. There's enough metal to make it work, I think. I hope."

"Very reassuring Meta."

"Then we have to drive five tons of bus, which is currently buried in the sand, and we've got nothing but our bare hands. Correct?"

"I'd say nine and a half tons, but the point still stands, yes." Wait for it.

"Then we need to apply ourselves to the problem with discipline. Which starts with appointing a leader." Here it comes.

"Yes. At last. Thank you. So."

"Well, thank goodness you've got me. Everyone do exactly as I say. Inside the bus immediately." And it's there. I giggle at the look on his face. He just got put in his place. He needed that. Even as a human his ego is far to big.

"Is it safe in there?" (Nick?) asks.

"I don't think anything's safe any more, but if it's a choice between baking in there or roasting out here, I'd say baking is slower. Come on. All of you. Right now. And you two. The Doctor and Ryder. If that is your name."

"Yes, ma'am," we say in unison. I don't try to tell her it is my name. There would be no point.

So with Christina ushering we all head back into the bus. When we're all seated, Christina starts lecturing.

"...Point five. The crucial thing is, do not panic. Quite apart from anything else, the smell of sweat inside this thing is reaching atrocious levels. We don't need to add any more. Point six. Team identification. Names. I'm Christina. This man is apparently the Doctor and his friend Ryder."

"Hello." Meta and I wave.

"And you?" She gestures to the one I'm not sure about. "Nathan." Nathan! That's what his name was. Or rather is.

The other man introduces himself. "I'm Barclay."

The woman we sparked goes next. "Angela. Angela Whittaker."

The dark skinned man introduces himself and his wife. "My name's Louis. Everyone calls me Lou. And this is Carmen."

Christina continues. "Excellent. Memorise those names. There might be a test. Point seven. Assessment and application of knowledge. Over to you, the Doctor."

"I thought you were in charge."

"I am."

I cut in. Something about her gets on my nerves. Always did. She was cool but...I don't know. Maybe it's the steal for boredom thing. "A good leader utilises her strength. You're the brainbox."

She cuts on me and I let her. "Seems to be. So, start boxing." She gives me an assessing glance and gives a slight nod. I feel like I've passes a test of some kind.

Meta starts boxing as told. "Right. So, the wormhole. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was just an accident."

Carmen interrupts. "No, it wasn't. That thing, the doorway? Someone made it for a reason."

"How do you know?" Meta asks.

Lou answers. "She's got a gift. Ever since she was a little girl, she can just tell things. We do the lottery twice a week."

"You don't look like millionaires." Christina looks calculating.

"No, but we win ten pounds. Every week, twice a week, ten pounds. Don't tell me that's not a gift."

"Tell me, Carmen. How many fingers am I holding up?"

Meta holds a hand behind his back and I don't bother looking as Carmen tells him a couple of times.

"Very good. Low level psychic ability, exacerbated by an alien sun. What can you see, Carmen? Tell me, what's out there?"

She looks out the window with a bit of fear. "Something, something is coming. Riding on the wind, and shining."

"What is it?" He's asking me as much as he's asking her. But I stay silent.

"Death. Death is coming."

Everyone starts panicking a bit before Christina brings them ba kinder control.

"Stop whimpering, all of you."

"All right now, stop it. Everyone, stop it" Meta says.

Angels is still freaking out so I put my hand on her shoulder. "Angela, look at me. Angela? Angela? I have a question. Angela. Look at me. Just answer. Where were you going? When you got on this bus?"

"Doesn't matter now, does it?"

Metas voice joins softly. "Answer the question."

"Just home."

"And what's at home?" I ask kindly.

"Me and Mike. And Suzanne. That's my daughter. She's eighteen."

Meta picks up on what I'm doing. "Suzanne. Good. What about you?"

Barclay answers. "Don't know. Going round Tina's."

"Who's Tina? Your girlfriend?"

He smiles. "Not yet."

Meta continues asI give Barclay a fist bump. "Good boy. What about you, Nathan?"

"Bit strapped for cash. I lost my job last week. I was going to stay in and watch TV."

I grin. Nothing wrong with that. Lord knows I did it plenty of times. It's how I'm able to live here really. "Brilliant. And you two?" I point to Lou and Carmen.

"I was going to cook."

Carmen smile. "It's his turn tonight. Then I clear up."

"What's for tea?" Meta asks.

"Chops. Nice couple of chops and gravy. Nothing special."

"Oh, that's special, Lou. That is so special. Chops and gravy, mmm."

I smile with Meta. "Sounds good to me. And what about you, Christina?" I don't need to ask we since I know but it's part of the game.

"I was going so far away."

Meta sums it up. "Far away. Chops and gravy. Watching TV. Mike and Suzanne and poor old Tina."

Barclay takes offense. "Hey."

"Just think of them. Because that planet out there, all three suns, wormholes and alien sand, that planet is nothing. You hear me? Nothing, compared to all those things waiting for you. Food and home and people. Hold on to that, because we're going to get there. I promise. I'm...we...are going to get you home."

I'm glad he included me in that. I'm know that he means what he says. The alien life and planets out there mean less to him than they did before. He's got family here on Earth now. Proper family. For the first time since he decided to stay here, he looks like he's properly moving on.

Meta gets everyone on working to get the bus out of the sand so we can travel back. We put the seats on the ground like a ramp and Christina has us put some air out of the tires. Meta is impressed. I feel a bit jealous actually but that's ridiculous. Except maybe it's not. He's not fiction anymore. Am I aloud to be jealous. No. It's not like trees anything between us besides understanding and friendship.

Christina tells us to start digging.

"With what?" Barclay asks.

"With this." She pulls a spade out of her rucksack. Meta hands it too Barclay.

"Got anything else in there?" He questions.

She smiles and takes out an axe for Nathan. "Try that. It might help with the seats." He thanks her.

After a moment's confusion, Angela tries starting the bus but it sputters and coughs.

"Ooh, that doesn't sound too good."

Meta, Christina, and I all look over the smoking engine.

"Oh, never mind losing half the top deck. You know what's worse?"

"Sand. The engine's clogged up," I say grimly.

Christina looks around. "Anyone know mechanics?"

Barclay answers. "Me. I did a two week NVQ at the garage. Never finished it, but..."

"Off you go, then. Try stripping the air filter. Fast as you can. Back in two ticks."

Meta grabs my hand and starts dragging me off. That's new. Usually we only ever hold hands when we're running from something.

Christina runs after us. "Wait a minute. You're the man with all the answers. I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Easier if you left that backpack behind."

"Where I go, it goes."

"A backpack with a spade and an axe. Christina, who's going so far away, and yet scared by the sound of a siren. Who are you?"

"You can talk. Let's just say we're two equal mysteries."

I pull my hand from his. It's too hot. "You two make quite a couple."

"We don't make any sort of couple, thank you very much. Besides, you're a mystery too. You two work just as well. But come on then. Tell me. If Carmen's right, if that wormhole is not an accident, then what is it? Has someone done this on purpose?"

Both Meta and I choose to ignore the comment insulating that we could be together. Like that wouldn't make things far more complicated.

"I don't know, but every single instinct of mine is telling me to get off this planet right now."

"And do you think we can?"

"Ryder?"

I give him the confirmation he's looking for. "We'll get old. It works out."

"How do you know?"

I don't trust her. For good reason. So I just smile. "We live in hope."

"That must be nice. It's Christina de Souza. To be precise, Lady Christina de Souza."

"Ooh, that's handy, because I'm a Lord." I give a pointed look. "Well, my brother is."

"Seriously? The Lord of where?"

"It's quite a big estate."

"No, but there's something more about you. That device you were carrying, and the wormhole. Like you knew. And you, Ryder, no fear in you. Like you know what's happening. And the way you both stride around this place, like.."

"Like?" He asks.

"Like you're not quite..."

She can't find the words so Meta moves on. "Anyway, come on. Allons-y."

"Oui, mais pas si nous allons vers un cauchemar." He grins widely at her response.

"Oh, you two were made for each other."

I'm feeling uncomfortably jealous. I'm not suppose to be jealous. I need to focus.

We cross over another dune and look out over the horizon. The haziness of it makes us all uneasy. But I know what it is. Meta doesn't. Yet. "Ah, don't like the look of that."

"Storm clouds. Must be hundreds of miles away," Christina surmises.

"But getting closer," I say.

"If that's a sand storm, we'll get ripped to shreds."

"It's a storm. Who says it's sand?" They both look at me. I know Meta was already thinking the same thing but to hear me confirm doesn't bode well. So the three of us take off running.

DW DW DW DW DW DW DW DW DW DW

When we get back to the bus, Meta immediately goes for Barclays phone.

"You're hardly going to get a signal. We're on another planet." Christina looks exasperated.

Meta just sonics it. "Oh, just watch me. Right. Now, bit of hush, thank you. Got to remember the number, very important number."

We had a few run in with unit in the last couple of months so I know exactly why he's making that face. "Seven six Meta not six seven."

"Right." He redials.

We all hear the drone of a computer voice coming through. "Oh, I hate these things."

"If you keep your finger pressed on zero, you get through to a real person. I saw it on Watchdog."

"Thank you, Angela."

He pauses a moment and then says in a very serious tone. "Listen, it's the Doctor. It's me."

Another pause, longer this time. "Did you just salute?" I snicker.

"Erisa, it's about the bus. HQ said you're at the tunnel, yeah?"

He answers whatever question she had. I can't remember the entire conversation from before. It's been too long. Not even my journal is that detailed. "I'm on the bus. But apart from that, not a clue, except it's very pretty and pretty dangerous."

He answers about fatalities. I remember that. "No, and we're not going to, but I'm stuck. I haven't got the Tardis, and I need to analyse that wormhole."

"Oh, is he? We'll see about that." I smile. I knew Malcolm in Pete's world. He was very much the same. This will be good.

"He is a genius." He raises his eyes at me as he listens to the phone.

"I can hear everything you're saying." Meta looks annoyed. "Yes, I am. Hello, Malcolm."

His expression changes to remembering. "Really? What was your favourite, the giant robot?"

"Meta," I warn.

He's properly chastised. "No, no, right, hold on. Let's sort out that wormhole. Excuse me."

"Malcolm, something's not making sense here. I've got a storm and a wormhole, and I can't help thinking there's a connection. I need a complete full range analysis Of that wormhole. The whole thing."

"Fifteen what?" I try to hold in my laughter.

"You named a unit of measurement after yourself?" The look on Meta's face is priceless.

"And who's that Your dad?"

"Be nice," I say.

"Right. Fine. But before I die of old age, and I really don't want to yet, still getting used to the idea...Is there anyone else I can talk to?" I slap his arm.

"You did what?"

"Told you." Everyone else on the bus is looking nervous and confused but they say nothing.

"No. Malcolm, that's brilliant. So you can actually measure the wormhole. Okay. I admit that is genius."

"Now, run a capacity scan. I need a full report. Call me back when you've done it. And Malcolm?" He pauses. "You're my new best friend." With that he hangs up.

"Barclay, I'm holding on to this." He pockets the phone.

"Hey, you'd better bring it back."

Christina and I follow him back into the desert. He starts taking picture of the storm with the phone before handing it to me.

"Send this back to Earth. See if Malcolm can analyse the storm."

"Yes sir," I mock.

"There's something in those clouds. Something shining. Look."

"Like metal. Why would there be metal in a storm?"

"Spoilers." I hit send.

A few minutes later Christina notices the alien creature up a head. We come face to face with is and it chitters and points a weapon at us. Meta clicks and chitters back.

"That's wait. I shout wait, people usually wait."

"No they don't." He ignores me.

"You speak the language?" Christina is surprised.

"Every language." He chitters again. "That's begging for mercy."

The alien gestures with its weapon.

"That means move."

I smile insultingly. "You're learning."

The alien leads us to it's ship. Christina is thoughtful. "These fly things, they must be responsible. They brought us here."

"No, no, no, no, no. Look at the ship. It's a wreck. They crashed, just like us." Meta looks at me for confirmation and I nod.

We are lead inside and hit with a blast of cold air. Christina shivers. "Oh, but this place is freezing."

"Mmm. The hull's made of photafine steel. Turns cold when it's hot. Boiling desert outside, freezing ship inside. Since we met you, Christina, we've been through all the extremes." I'm unnecessarily pleased that he included me in that statement.

"That's how I like things, extreme." It seems to me that she's starting to flirt.

They have a translator and can understand is. Meta translates. They're called Tritovores. They think we came in the 200 to destroy them. Meta is confused until I tell him it's the number of the bus.

"Oh. No, look, I think you're making the same mistake Christina did. I'm the Doctor, by the way, this is Ryder and this is Christina. The Honourable Lady Christina. At least I hope she's honourable. We got pulled through that wormhole. The two hundred doesn't look like that normally. It's broken, just the same as you." The alien lowers it's weapon after Meta's ramble.

"What are they doing?" Christina asks.

"They believe me."

"What, as simple as that?"

"I've got a very honest face. And the translator says I'm telling the truth. Plus the face."

I scoff but he ignores me. Again. I don't like it. He's including me but not at the same time. With Christina here, I'm not his only extra set of eyes.

"Right. So, first things first. There's a very strange storm heading our way. Can you send out a probe? Oh, they've lost power. Hmm, the crash knocked the mainline crystallography out of synch. But if I can jiggle it back."

He gives the machine a good kick and it comes back to life.

"I thank you. Yes, I am. Frequently. Okey doke, let's launch that probe."

"Well aren't you the poster child of modesty."

He winks at me. I try to ignore the little flutter in my gut. We look at the screen as the image zooms into the planet.

"The Scorpion Nebula. We're on the other side of the universe. Just what you wanted. So far away. The planet of San Helios," Meta explains

"And that's us? We're on another world."

"We have been for quite a while," I tell her.

"I know, but seeing it like that..."

"It's good, isn't it?"

"Wonderful."

"The Tritovores were going to trade with San Helios. Population of one hundred billion. Plenty of waste matter for them to absorb."

"By waste matter, you mean..."

I explain so I can sound impressive. "They eat what others leave behind from their behind. It's normal to them. They are flies."

"Charming. Just remind me never to kiss them."

"San Helios City," he says grandly, showing off the screen.

"That's amazing. But you've seen this sort of thing before, haven't you?"

"Thousands of times."

"That Lordship of your brothers. The Lord of where, exactly?"

"Of Time. I come from a race of people called Time Lords."

"You're an alien?"

"Well, technically. He's really more of a half brother. My half sister is human. But being an alien means you're from somewhere else. So Ryder is technically an alien too."

"True." I have to concede that point I hadn't thought if it that way before.

"You look human."

"You look Time Lord. Anyway."

"So if that's San Helios, all we need to do is find that city. They can help us."

"I don't think it's that simple. We're in the city right now."

"But it's sand. That first image, the temples and things, what's that then, ancient history?"

The alien chitters to answer Christina's question. Meta translates.

"The image was taken last year."

"It became a desert in one year?"

"I said there was something in the sand. The city, the oceans, the mountains, the wildlife, and a hundred billion people turned to sand. All those voices in Carmen's head. She's hearing them die."

"But I've got sand in my hair. That's dead people. Oh, that's disgusting. Oh."

"Way to be compassionate your lady ship." My voice drips with sarcasm.

"Something destroyed the whole of San Helois."

"Yes, but in my hair."

"Get over it." I don't need to sneer so much but she's annoying me. And then the phone rings.