Shareen vs the Universe
42
Thanks to Violet's Bluberries and Doromakk for favouriting and following this story
The Doctor ran his sonic screwdriver over Martha's mobile while she and Shareen stood nearby watching. "There we go!" the Doctor said as he finished, "Universal Roaming, never have to worry about a signal again."
He tossed the phone back to Martha who caught it one-handed and checked the screen to see it display 'Universal Roaming activated.' "No way!" she grinned. "It's too... mad! You're telling me I can anyone, anywhere in space and time on my mobile?!"
"Long as ya know the area code." the Doctor replied, pressing buttons on the console. "Frequent flyer's privilege."
"Then where's my upgrade?" Shareen asked
"Gis' ya phone then." the Doctor said and Shareen handed him her mobile. But before the Doctor could give her phone the upgrade, the TARDIS jolted suddenly and the monitor began flashing red. "Distress signal." the Doctor said, slipping Shareen's phone into his pocket. "Locking on." With his foot, he activated a switch on the console. "Might be a bit of..." Another sudden jolt sent the trio flying. "...turbulence. Sorry!" the Doctor said to the women, rushing to the door. "Come on, you two. Let's take a look." Martha and Shareen hurried after him to find that they'd landed in what appeared to be an engine room, which was glowing red from extreme heat. "Whoa! Now that is hot!" the Doctor remarked
"Whoo! It's like a sauna in here." Martha agreed, slipping her jacket off.
"Phew! Now I know how a turkey in the oven feels." Shareen remarked, discarding her own jacket.
"Venting systems." the Doctor observed, looking at equipment. "Working at full pelt. Trying to cool down... Um. wherever it is we are. Well, if ya can't stand the heat..." He walked towards a heavy-duty door, opened it and the trio walked through into a corridor that was somewhat cooler.
"That's more like it." Shareen said
"Oi! You three!" a voice called, and the trio turned to see three people running towards them. One was a woman and the other two were men, all three looking very hot and sweaty.
"Get out of there!" the woman hollered
"Seal that door, now!" the older of the two men ordered the younger one, who slammed the door shut and locked it.
"Who are you? What're you doing on my ship?" the woman asked the three time-travellers.
"Are you police?" the young man added
"Why would we be police?" the Doctor questioned
"Do we look like coppers?" Shareen added
"We got ya distress signal." Martha explained
"If this a ship, why can't I hear any engines?" the Doctor asked
"It went dead four minutes ago." the woman replied
"So maybe we should stop chatted and get to engineering. Captain." the older man said irritably
"Secure closure active." a computer voice announced
"What?!" the woman stared
"The ship's gone mad." the older man breathed
A young woman came running up the corridor, doors slamming shut behind her. "Who activated secure closure?" she panted, "I nearly got locked into area 27." Then she noticed the three time travellers. "Who are you?"
"He's the Doctor, she's Shareen and I'm Martha. Hello." Martha replied, somewhat distracted by something out of the nearby viewport.
"Impact projection: 42 minutes. 27 seconds." the computer announced
"We'll get out of this, I promise." the Captain reassured her crew.
"Doctor, Shareen..." Martha said shakily, looking out of the viewport in horror at something outside.
Shareen went over to join Martha, while the Doctor turned to the Captain. "42 minutes till what?" he asked
"Peacock, look!" Shareen hollered
The Doctor joined the two women at the viewport and his eyes widened in horror at the sight outside. They were aboard a ship that was hurtling towards a burning sun; ala the Sun Probe rocket in Thunderbirds.
"42 minutes until we crash into the sun." the Captain said grimly
The Doctor turned away from the viewport and raced back over to the Captain. "How many crew members on board?" he asked urgently.
"Seven, including us." the Captain replied
"We transport cargo across the galaxy." the older man explained, "Everything's automated. We just keep the ship..."
"Call the others, we'll get ya out!" the Doctor interrupted, dashing back towards the door where he'd came from.
"Doctor, don't!" the Captain warned as the Doctor began to open the door, but it was too late.
The Doctor pulled the door open and was immediately knocked off his feet by an intense blast of hot air. The young woman donned a heat visor and shut the door, while Shareen and Martha helped the Doctor up. "But our ship's in there!" he said to the crew.
"In the vent chamber?" the young man asked incredulously
"It's our lifeboat." the Doctor told him
"It's lava." the older man said grimly
The young woman removed her visor and checked a gauge. "The temperature's going mad in there!" she reported, "Up 3,000 degrees in 10 seconds and still rising."
"Channelling the air." the young man nodded, "The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's gonna get."
"We're stuck here." Martha groaned
"Where's Thunderbird 3 when ya need it?" Shareen muttered
The Doctor quickly pondered the problem. "Right, we fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the sun. Simple!" he said, "Engineering down here, is it?" he asked the Captain as he ran off down the corridor.
~8~
"Impact in 40:26." the computer announced as the group arrived in the engine room.
"Blimey! D'ya always leave things in such a mess?" the Doctor remarked, taking a look around the room.
"Oh, my God!" the Captain gasped
"What the hell happened?!" the older man breathed as they all walked over to a completely wrecked engine. Wires, springs and pieces of casing were scattered all over the place, all steaming. It was such a shambles that the TARDIS console room looked spotless in comparison.
"Oh, it's wrecked." the young man groaned, surveying the totalled engines.
"Pretty efficiently too." the Doctor said grimly. "Someone knew what they were doing."
"Where's Korwin?" the Captain wandered, looking around. "Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?"
"No." the older man shook his head.
"D'ya mean someone did this purpose?" Martha asked the Doctor, who nodded grimly.
The Captain ran over to an intercom on the wall. "Korwin? Ashton? Where are you?" she asked, receiving no response. "Korwin, can you answer?" Still no answer. "Where the hell is he?" the Captain wandered, "He should be up here!"
The Doctor meanwhile was fiddling about with a computer screen that was still functioning. "Oh, we're in the Torajji system, lovely!" he remarked, "Ya a long way from home, Martha, Shareen. Half a universe away."
"Yeah, feels like it." Martha replied sarcastically
"Any ideas on how to get out of this, Peacock?" Shareen asked
The Doctor turned to the Captain. "And ya still using energy scoops for fusion?" he asked, "Hasn't that been outlawed yet?"
"We're due to upgrade next docking." the Captain replied dismissively. "Scannell, engine report." she called to the older man.
Scannell walked over to the computer terminal the Doctor was at before and performed a scan. "No response." he said grimly and ran over to the wrecked engine.
"What?!" the Captain stared
"They're burnt out." Scannell replied, examining the wires protruding from the wreckage. "The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back online."
"Oh, come on! Auxiliary engines! Every craft's got auxiliaries!" the Doctor said
"We don't have access from here." the Captain replied, "The auxiliary controls are in front of the ship."
"With 29 password-sealed doors between us and them." Scannell added gloomily, "We'll never get there in time."
"Can't you override the doors?" Martha suggested
"No. Sealed closure means what it says." Scannell told her, "They're all deadlock sealed."
"So a sonic screwdriver's no use." a disappointed Doctor said
"Can't we break the doors down?" Shareen suggested
"Those doors are solid hydrochromatised steel. Not even a proton torpedo could break them." Scannell told her defeatedly, "We've got no engines, no time, and no chance."
"Oh, listen to you! Defeated before you've even started!" the Doctor remarked, "Where's ya Dunkirk spirit?!" He turned to the Captain. "Who's got the door passwords?"
"They're randomly generated." the young man interrupted, "Reckon I know most of 'em. Sorry, Riley Vashti." he introduced himself.
"Then what're ya waiting for, Riley Vashti? Get on it." the Doctor ordered, taking charge.
"Well, it's a two-person job." Riley replied, grabbing a huge magnetic clamp off the wall behind him and a backpack too. "One to answer the questions, the other to carry this." He put the kit on his back. "The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh Captain?"
"Reliable and simple, just like you, eh Riley?" the Captain retorted
"Try and be helpful, get abuse. Nice!" Riley joked
"I'll help you." Martha said, taking some equipment from Riley. "Make myself useful."
"Me too." Shareen pipped in. "Just don't ask me to carry anything heavy cos' I've only got one good hand at the moment." She gestured to her left arm, still in a cast because of the sprain she'd suffered at the hands of Lazarus.
"It's remotely controlled by the computer panel. That's why it needs two." Riley explained, then turned and headed away from the group.
Martha and Shareen made to follow him when the Doctor called after them, "Oi, you two. Be careful."
"You too." Martha smiled, then she and Shareen turned and followed Riley away.
Just then, a male voice came over the intercom, "McDonnell, it's Ashton."
The Captain, Kath McDonnell, ran back over to the intercom panel. "Where are you? Is Korwin with you?"
"Get up the med-centre now!" Ashton urged, sounding deadly serious. So McDonnel left the intercom panel and ran off, the Doctor following her.
"Impact in 34:31." the computer announced.
~8~
In the med-centre, a man, Korwin, was thrashing about in agony on a bed next to a stasis chamber, his eyes shut tight. A balding man, Ashton, and a black women in medical scrubs, Abi, were trying to restrain him. "You've gotta stop it!" Korwin screeched in-between spasms of pain.
"Korwin, it's Abi. Open ya eyes, I need to take a look at you!" Abi encouraged
"Korwin!" McDonnel cried as she came running in, "What's happened?! Is he ok?"
"Kath, help me!" Korwin wailed, "It's burning me!"
"How long's he been like this?" the Doctor asked as he approached the foot of the bed
"Ashton just brought him in." Abi replied
The Doctor took his sonic screwdriver out and began to scan Korwin. "What're you doing?!" McDonnell demanded
"Sonic impulse." the Doctor waved her off.
"Don't get too close." Ashton warned
"Don't be so stupid, that's my husband!" McDonnel glared at him
"And he's just sabotaged our ship!" Ashton retorted
"What?!"
"He went mad. He set the ship to secure closure, then he set the heat pulse to melt the controls."
"No way! He wouldn't do that!" McDonnel protested
"I saw it happen, Captain." Ashton told her
The Doctor finished his scan of Korwin and tried to talk to him, "Korwin? Korwin, open ya eyes for me a second."
"I can't!" Korwin wailed
"Yeah, course ya can." the Doctor encouraged, "Go on."
"Don't make me look at you! Please!" Korwin begged.
"Alright, alright, alright. Just relax." the Doctor said, picking up a hypo-gun off a tray. "Sedative?" he asked Abi.
"Yes." Abi nodded, and the Doctor pressed the gun against Korwin's neck and administered the sedative. Korwin gave one final shout, then fell silent and still.
"What's wrong with him?" McDonnell asked
"Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings..." the Doctor replied, perching on the bed and crossing his arms. "Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there." he instructed Abi, "Regulate the body temperature."
Abi looked at him questioningly, but did what he said anyway.
"And just for fun, run a bio-scan an' tissue profile on a metabolic detail."
"Just doing them now." Abi replied, working on a scanner.
"Oh, you're good." the Doctor acknowledged. "Anyone else presenting these symptoms?"
"Not so far." Abi replied
"Well, that's something." the Doctor muttered thoughtfully
"Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?!" McDonnell demanded
"Some sorta infection." the Doctor replied, "We'll know more after the test results. Now, allons-y, back downstairs, eh? See about those engines. Go."
Ashton made to leave, but McDonnell stayed out, unwilling to leave her husband.
"Hey." the Doctor called to her, "Go."
McDonnell reluctantly left.
"Call us if there's news." the Doctor called to Abi as he made to follow, "Any questions?"
"Yeah, who are ya?" Abi scoffed
"I'm the Doctor." the Time Lord replied simply, then he hurried off after McDonnell and Ashton, leaving Abi alone in the med-centre. She turned to run some more tests, not noticing Korwin's twitch.
"Heat shields failing." the computer announced, "At 25%. Impact in 32:50."
~8~
Shareen, Martha and Riley reached the first locked door and Riley began typing into a keypad. "Hurry up, will you?" Martha urged him.
"Alight." Riley replied, finishing his typing. "Fix the clamp on."
Martha lifted the clamp up and attached it to the door, holding it there, then turned to see Riley typing again. "What're you typing?" she asked him
"Each door's trip code is the answer to a random question set by the crew." Riley explained, "Nine tours back, we got drunk, thought 'em up. Reckoning was if we're hijacked, we're the only ones who know all the answers."
"So you type in the right answer..."
"Sends an unlock impulse to the clamp." Riley confirmed, "But we get only one chance per door. Get it wrong, the whole system freezes."
"No pressure, then." Shareen muttered
"Ok.." Riley said to himself and shifted over to a readout screen, where the first question had appeared. "'Date of SS. Pentallian's first flight?' That's alright!" He typed in the answer to the question. "Go!" he yelled to Martha
Martha pressed a button on the clamp and the lights on top of it turned green and the door opened. "Yes!" Martha cheered
"Only 28 more to go." Riley said, running for the door
"Then let's not hang around, then." Shareen said.
~8~
The Doctor was back in the engine room talking to Abi on the intercom. "Abi, how's Korwin doing?" he asked, "Any results from the bio-scan?"
"He's under heavy sedation." Abi replied, "I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let ya know."
"Martha, Shareen, Riley, how ya doing?" the Doctor asked
"Area 29, at the door to 28." Martha replied
The Doctor checked a read-out above the panel. "You've gotta move faster!" he urged
"We're goin' as fast as we can!" Shareen retorted
"'Find the next number in the sequence: 313, 331, 367...' What?" Riley's voice said
"You said the crew knew ALL the answers." Martha reminded him
"The crew's changed since we set the questions."
"You're joking..."
"379!" the Doctor told them
"What?"
"It's a sequence of happy primes. 379."
"Happy what?"
"Just type it in!" the Doctor hollered
"Are yer sure? We only get ONE chance!" Riley pointed out
"Any number which reduces to one when ya take the sum of the square of it's digits and you continue iterating until it yields is a happy number." the Doctor told them at his trademark 100mph, "Any number that doesn't, isn't. A happy prime is a number which is both happy and prime, now type it in!" He turned to McDonnell. "I dunno, talk about dumbing down! Doesn't anyone teach recreational mathematics any more?"
McDonnell just gave him a dirty look and went back to work.
"We're through!" Martha said over the intercom
"Keep moving, fast as ya can." the Doctor urged, "And, Martha, Shareen, be careful. There may be something else on board this ship."
"Oh, great. As if we don't have enough to worry about already." Shareen grumbled
"Impact in 30:50." the computer droned on.
~8~
Martha, Shareen and Riley soon reached door 27. "Which Wallace & Gromit film won the 1994 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film: The Wrong Trousers or A Close Shave?'" Riley read out
"Ooh, I know it. It's The Wrong Trousers." Shareen told him
"Yer sure?" Riley asked her
"Yeah, I had the video when I was a kid, still got it somewhere, and it has a sticker on the case sayin' that it won the 1994 Academy Award." Shareen said
Riley typed in The Wrong Trousers as the answer, the lights on the clamp turned green and the door unlocked. "Well done, Shareen." Martha praised
"See? I'm not just a pretty face." Shareen smirked proudly
"You still have video tapes?" Riley asked her
"Just a few I couldn't bear to throw out." Shareen shrugged as they made their way through the door.
They soon reached door 26. "I can't believe our lives depend on some stupid pub quiz!" Martha grumbled, "Is that the next one?"
Riley put his head in his hands. "Oh, this is a nightmare!" he groaned, sounding downtrodden. "'Classical music. Who had the most pre-download number ones: Elvis Presley or The Beatles?' How're we supposed to know that?"
Martha turned to her friend. "Shareen?"
"I have no idea." Shareen told her, "I'm more of an 80's/90's girl. Hang on, I'll look it up..." She began to reach for her mobile when she suddenly remembered. "Oh, Peacock's got my phone. Bugger goes that plan, then."
~8~
The Doctor surveyed a wrecked piece of equipment. "We need a backup in case they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time." he decided, "Come on, think! Resources, what have we got?!"
Martha's voice came over the intercom: "Doctor?"
"What is it now?"
"Who had the most number ones: Elvis or The Beatles? That's pre-download."
"Elvis!" the Doctor answered confidently, only to second guess himself. "No! The Beatles! No! Wait! Um... um..." He slapped the back of his head, trying to rack his brains. "Argh! What was that remix? Oh, I dunno. I am a bit busy!"
"So are we!" Shareen retorted, "I'm gonna come back there an' clump you one in a minute, mate!"
"Shareen, it's alright. I've got an idea." Martha said.
The Doctor turned back to the crew. "Now, where was I? Here comes the sun. No, resources. So, the power's still workin', the generator's still going. If we can harness that... Ah!"
"Use the generators to jump-start the ship!" McDonnell realised
"Exactly!" the Doctor grinned, "At the very least it'll buy us some more time."
"That... is brilliant." McDonnell praised
"I know!" the Doctor grinned cockily, "See! Tiny glimmer of hope."
"If it works." Scannell said pessimistically
"Oh, believe me, you're gonna make it work." McDonnell told him, and Scannell went off to do as he was told.
"That told him." the Doctor said with childish glee
"Impact in 29:46." the computer announced.
~8~
Martha took out her mobile and dialled her mother's number. To her surprise, Francine answered, "Hello?"
"Mum? It's me, it's Martha. Wow!"
"Where are you?" Francine demanded, "Don't you check your messages? I've been calling you."
"Actually, bit busy." Martha cut her off, not having the time to listen to her mother's trademark ranting and moaning in this emergency. "Need you to do something for me."
"No. Listen to me. We have to talk about this Doctor."
"Mum! Please, not now! I need you to look something up on on the internet."
"Do it yourself. You've got a computer."
"OH JUST DO IT WILL YOU!" Martha bellowed, then took a calming breath. "Please."
"When did you get so rude?" Francine grumbled, "I'll tell you when. Ever since you met that man."
Martha got down to business, "I need to know who had more number ones; the Beatles or Elvis?"
"Hang one. The mouse is unplugged." Francine said, causing Martha to give a half-scream of frustration. "Ok, I'm on. What's this? Pub quiz?"
"Yeah, a pub quiz."
"Using your mobile is cheating."
"Have you found it?!"
"There's over 400,000 results." Francine told her, "Give me a minute."
"Impact in 28:50." the computer announced, reminding Martha, Shareen and Riley that time was running out.
~8~
Abi was hard at work in the med-centre, pushing buttons, checking readings and going about her business. "Doctor, these readings are starting to scare me." she said into the intercom
"What d'ya mean?" the Doctor questioned
"Well, Korwin's body's changing!" Abi replied, "His whole biological make-up, it... it's impossible!" Suddenly, she heard a banging from behind her and looked up into the convex mirror above her head to see Korwin up and about, even though he was supposedly under heavy sedation. She turned round to see Korwin standing there, his eyes still tightly shut. "This is med-centre. Urgent assistance requested." Abi said into the intercom, "Urgent assistance!"
~8~
In the engine room, the Doctor had a moment of realisation and began to hurry from the room. "Stay here! Keep working!" he called to the crew
McDonnell decided to ignore him and go after him, while the young woman, Erina, went over to an intercom panel. "Abi, they're on their way." she told Abi.
~Med-centre~
Korwin began to advance on Abi, who backed up against the wall, doing her best to remain calm. "Korwin, what's happening to you?" she asked
"Burn with me." Korwin said in a deep, growling voice that was obviously not his own. As the intercom was on, the voice could be heard all over the ship.
~Corridor~
The Doctor and McDonnell were running towards the med-centre when they saw that Scannell was following them. "I told you to stay in engineering!" the Doctor rounded on him
"I only take orders from one person round here." Scannell retorted
"Oh, is he always this cheery?" the Doctor grumbled as they continued their journey.
~Door 26~
"Elvis." Francine's voice said over the phone
"What?" Martha said, having forgotten why she'd called her mother in the first place, then remembered. "Really?" She pointed Riley over to the computer. "Elvis."
~Med-centre~
"Burn with me." Korwin growled as he continued to advance on the terrified Abi
"K.. Korwin, you're sick..." Abi whimpered
"Burn. With Me." Korwin said, now sounding absolutely menacing. He opened his eyes to reveal a blinding white light in their place.
~Door 26~
Elvis was the correct answer and the door was unlocked. "Mum, you're a star!" Martha said as she, Riley and Shareen made their way through.
"Now, we need to have a serious..." Francine began, but the rest of her sentence was drowned out by a blood-curdling scream from Abi, which was heard all over the ship. "What was that?" Francine asked, having heard the scream too.
"I've gotta go." a shaken Martha said and hung up.
Shareen hurried over to an intercom panel. "Doctor, what the hell was that?!" she questioned, "Who screamed?"
"Concentrate on those doors." the Doctor told her, "You've gotta keep movin'!"
Shareen gave an annoyed huff and joined Martha and Riley by the next door.
"Impact in 27:06." the computer announced.
~8~
The Doctor and McDonnell arrived at the med-centre, Scannell having got there before them. They all noticed that Korwin's bed was empty. "Korwin's gone..." McDonnell breathed.
Scannell turned around and abruptly stopped in his tracks. "Oh, my God." he breathed. The Doctor and McDonnell turned to look in the same direction and saw what Scannell had spotted: a scorch mark on the wall in the shape of a Human with one hand in the air. They all realised that charred shape was once Abi. "Tell me that's not Lerner." Scannell said in a shaky voice.
The Doctor walked over to the wall and ran his fingers around the outline of the shape. "Endothermic vaporisation. Horrible. "I've never seen one this ferocious." he mused, "Burn with me."
"That's what we heard Korwin say." Scannell said uncertainly
"What?!" McDonnell stared, "D'you think... no way! Scannell, tell him! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporise people! He's Human!"
"Unless something changed him." the Doctor said thoughtfully, then he noticed the bio-scan results lying on the floor and picked them up. "His bio-scan results... internal temperature; 100 degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen! Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed!"
"The test results are wrong!" McDonnell snapped, snatching the bio-scan results out of the Doctor's hand.
"But what is it though?" the Doctor muttered, "Parasite? Mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body. But how did it get inside him?!"
"Stop talkin' like he's some sort of experiment!" McDonnell shrieked
"Where's the ship been? Have ya made planet-fall recently?" the Doctor questioned, "Docked with any other vessels? Any kind of external contact at all?"
"What is this? An interrogation?!" McDonnell said indignantly
"We've got to stop him before he kills again." the Doctor told her grimly
"We're just... a cargo ship." McDonnell said defensively and turned around.
"Doctor, if yer give a minute..." Scannell said, and went to comfort his Captain.
McDonnell recovered. "I'm fine." she said to Scannell, "I need to warn the crew." She walked over to the intercom panel. "Everybody listen to me. Something has infected Korwin. We think... He killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"
"Understood, Captain." Ashton acknowledged
"Impact in 24:51." the computer droned on.
~8~
Martha, Shareen and Riley had managed to get door 25 open without incident and were now at door 24. "'In what year was the National Health Service formed: 1948 or 1963?'" Riley read out
"1948!" Martha told him
Riley typed in 1948 as the answer and the door was unlocked. "Haha! Nice one, Martha!" Shareen laughed, and she and Martha high-fived then the trio pressed on.
~8~
The Doctor, Scannell and McDonnell were still in the med-centre, with the Doctor pouring over the bioscan results, McDonnell was sat down and Scannell was stood nearby. "Is the infection permanent?" McDonnell asked, "Can you cure him?"
"I dunno." the Doctor replied seriously
"Don't lie to me, Doctor. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest. So I don't want false hope."
The parasite's too aggressive. Your husband's gone." the Doctor told her gravely, "There's no way back. Sorry."
"Thank you." McDonnell said quietly, taking it all in.
"Are you... certain nothing happened to provoke this?" the Doctor asked her, "Nobody workin' on anything secret? Cos' it's vital that you tell me."
"I know every inch of this ship." McDonnell replied firmly, "I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing."
The Doctor stared at her harshly for a moment. "Then why is this thing so interested in you?" he wandered
"I wish I knew." McDonnell sighed.
"Doctor, we're through to area 17." Martha reported over the intercom.
"Keep going." the Doctor told her, "You've gotta get to area one and reboot those engines."
"Heat shields failing." the computer reported, "At 20%."
~8~
In area 17, Riley was having trouble getting the computer terminal to work. "Come on!" he grumbled, giving the terminal a frustrated whack. "Everything on this ship's so cheap!" he complained to Martha and Shareen, then they all head a bang and looked to see where it had come from. "Who's there?" Riley called, he and the women going to investigate. As they neared the door, they saw a figure through the smoke.
"Is that Korwin?" Martha asked nervously
"No, wait a minute..." Riley said as the figure came forward. It was wearing Ashton's clothes and a welding helmet. "Oh, Ashton, what're you doing?" Riley asked.
"Burn with me." Ashton said in the same deep voice Korwin had spoken in before killing Abi.
"Well, if you wanna help..." Riley shrugged
"Burn with me! Burn with me!" Ashton droned, reaching up to lift his visor.
Realising that Ashton had been possessed, Riley and the women backed up towards a nearby door. "Move!" Martha hollered, slapping the button to open the door. Once the door was open, she, Shareen and Riley retreated into the room on the other side. Riley then punched the keypad to close the door again.
They all heaved a sigh of relief, but then saw Ashton's helmet through the door's porthole. Riley hit another button on the keypad that opened a hatch next to them, leading into an escape pod. They both scrambled inside and Riley shut the door. "What is happening on this ship?!" he panted
"Never mind that. Where's this?" Shareen asked
Before Riley could answer, the computer made an announcement, "Airlock sealed. Jettison escape pod."
Shareen paled as realisation dawned on her. "Oh, don't tell me..."
"That doesn't mean us?" a frightened Martha asked Riley, who lunged for the keypad.
"Jettison initiated." the computer announced as Riley frantically tried to prevent it.
Martha spotted a comm unit next to the keypad and spoke frantically into it, "Doctor, we're stuck in an escape pod off the area 17 airlock. One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've gotta help us!"
~8~
The Doctor, Scannell and McDonnell had been working in engineering when they heard Martha's distress call. "Why is this happening?" McDonnell groaned.
"Stay here! I mean it this time!" the Doctor said as he raced off to help his companions. "Jump start those engines!"
McDonnell and Scannell started towards the engines and saw another Human-shaped scorch mark on the wall. They realised this was Erina. "It's picking us off... one by one." McDonnell breathed.
~8~
"Tell me you can stop it." Martha said to Riley, who was frantically trying to abort the jettison.
"Jettison held." the computer announced, and the two Humans breathed sighs of relief.
"Thank you." Riley breathed, but their relief was short-lived.
"Jettison reactivated." the computer announced, causing Martha to scream and pound on the door hysterically and Shareen to yell in frustrated anguish, while Riley tapped wildly on the keypad.
"Come on..." he growled, then had an idea. "Geovinsci sequence. This'll get him." And he typed hurriedly.
"Jettison held." the computer announced, "Escape pod stabilised."
Shareen, Martha and Riley breathed sighs of relief. "You're pretty good." Martha said
"Yeah, nice one, Riley." Shareen agreed.
~8~
The Doctor burst into area 17 to find Ashton messing with the escape pod controls. "That's enough!" he growled, and Ashton turned to look at him. "What d'ya want? Why this ship? Tell me!"
Rather than answer him, Ashton just turned and slammed his fist through the keypad. "Jettison activated." the computer announced.
~8~
"He's smashed the circuit." Riley realised, "I can't stop it. I can't stop it!"
"Oh, why is everyone in this f**cking universe so determined to kill me?!" Shareen groaned
~8~
The Doctor and Ashton were now in a face-off. "Come on, let's see you." the Doctor said in his Oncoming Storm voice as Ashton advanced towards him. "I wanna know what you really are..."
Ashton lifted his hand up to raise his visor, when he suddenly doubled over in pain. "Airlock sealed." the computer announced as Ashton stood up and walked away.
Not bothering with Ashton now, the Doctor barrelled over to the intercom panel. "McDonnell, Ashton's heading in your direction. He's been infected, just like Korwin!"
"Korwin's dead, Doctor." Scannell's voice answered.
~8~
Martha hammered hopelessly on the escape pod hatch. "This thing's locked!" she hollered
"We're finished." Shareen swallowed, sitting down against the back wall in defeat.
~8~
"Airlock decompression completed." the computer announced, "Jettisoning pod."
Suddenly remembering his companions' predicament, the Doctor skidded over to the airlock door, where he could see Martha just a few feet away. She was tapping on the the glass and frantically calling his name, though he could hear nothing. "I'll save you both!" he called back.
~8~
Inside the pod, Riley was resigned to his fate. "Martha, it's too late." he sighed.
Martha ignored him and continued to shout and pound on the viewport. "Doctor!"
~8~
"I'll save you!" the Doctor shouted as the clamps disengaged and the pod began to drift away from the ship.
"Impact in 17:05." the computer announced, though no one paid any attention to it.
The Doctor strode over to the intercom panel. "Scannell, I need a spacesuit in area 17, now!" he barked.
"What for?" Scannell questioned
"Just get down here!" the Doctor snapped.
~8~
The escape pod drifted through space towards the sun. "The wonderful world of space travel." Riley sighed, "The prettier it looks, the more likely it is to kill yer."
"Like I said before, where's Thunderbird 3 when ya need it?" Shareen muttered, both she and Riley resigned to their fate.
"He'll come for us." Martha said
"Nah, it's too late." Riley shook his head, "Our heat shields will pack in any minute, then we go into free fall. We'll fall into the sun way before they have a chance to do anything."
"You don't know the Doctor." Martha told him
"Well I do." Shareen said, "And I know that even he can't make this thing magically turn round."
"He'll find a way." Martha said, more to herself, "I believe in him."
"Then you're lucky." Riley replied, "I've never found anyone worth believing in."
Martha turned to face him. "No girlfriend? Boyfriend?"
"This job doesn't lend itself to stable relationships."
"Family then?"
"My dad's dead, and I haven't seen my mum in... six years. She didn't want me to sign up for cargo tours. Things were said, and since then... al silent. She wanted to hold on to me, I know that. She's so stubborn!"
"Yeah, well, that's family." Martha replied, a quiver in her voice.
"At least your families care about you." Shareen remarked
"What about you two, anyway?" Riley asked them
"Full works. Mum, dad, dad's girlfriend. Brother, sister. No silence there. So much noise." Martha said. "Oh, God!" Tears began to fall from her eyes as she realised the gravity of their predicament. "They'll never know! I... I'll just have disappeared. And they'll always be waiting."
"Call them." Riley encouraged.
~8~
Scannell had arrived in area 17 with a red spacesuit and the Doctor had soon changed into it, ready to rescue Riley, Martha and Shareen. "I can't let yer do this." Scannell said, unhappy with the Doctor's plan.
"You're wasting ya breath, Scannell. You're not gonna stop me." the Doctor told him
"You wanna open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun. No one can survive that!" Scannell said
"Oh, just you watch." the Doctor retorted
"You open that airlock, it's suicide. This close to the sun, the shields'll barely protect you."
"If I can boost the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetise the pod." the Doctor said. "Now, while I'm out there, you've got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines."
"Doctor, will yer listen?!" an exasperated Scannell said, "They're too far away, it's too late!"
"I'm not gonna lose 'em." the Doctor said determinedly. He slipped on his helmet and walked into the airlock.
"Decompression initiating." the computer announced, "Impact in 12:55."
~8~
Martha dialled Francine's number. "Hello?" Francine's voice answered
"Me again." Martha said, "Sorry about earlier."
"Is everything alright?"
"Yeah. Course." Martha said hastily
"Martha?"
"Mum, I... you know I love you, don't ya?"
"Course I do. What's brought this on?"
"I never say it." Martha said earnestly, "Never get the time. I never think of it, and I..." Her voice broke, "I really love you. Tell dad, Leo and Tish that I love them."
"Martha, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Promise."
"Where are you?"
"Just out."
"With anyone nice?"
"Some mates."
"What mates?"
"Mum, can we not just talk?"
"Of course. What do you want to talk about?"
"I dunno, anything!" Martha replied, "What you watched on telly last night. How much ya gonna kill dad next time you see him. Anything."
"Are the Doctor and that girl with you? Are they there now?"
"Mum, just leave it." Martha said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
But Francine wouldn't just leave it. "It's a simple enough question."
"I'd better go." Martha said, "See you, mum." And she hung up and turned to Riley, who enveloped her in a comforting hug.
~8~
"Impact in 11:15." the computer announced, "Heat shields failing. At 10%."
The Doctor pressed a button on the keypad and the outer airlock door opened. He recoiled slightly from the intense heat and glare of the sun but recovered and clambered out onto the ship's hull. The vacuum tried to pull him away several times, but he held his ground and reached out to a row of buttons just to the right of the airlock. "Come on." he growled as he struggled to reach the buttons, "Go on my son!" He managed to press the right button, then reached out towards a box next to the buttons.
"Doctor! How're yer doing?" Scannell asked over the comm.
"I can't reach!" the Doctor answered, straining to reach the box. "I don't know how much longer I can last!"
"Come on! Don't give up now!" Scannell encouraged
The Doctor tried again with a will and managed to grab the handle on the box. He yanked the cover off and with one final big effort, he grabbed hold of the lever inside and slammed it down.
~8~
The escape pod suddenly jolted and the display showed 'Remagnetising'. "We're being pulled back!" Riley exclaimed in relief.
"I told you!" Martha laughed in delight, "It's the Doctor!"
""We're gonna live!" Shareen cried in relief
~8~
The Doctor climbed back inside the airlock. He straightened up and looked into the sun, it's molten surface swirling and the light reflecting intensely off his helmet. "It's alive..." he whispered with realisation, "It's alive!"
~8~
McDonnell and Scannell had reached area 10 on their quest to get the doors open. "Doctor, close that airlock now!" Scannell urged on the intercom. "That pod's gonna smash into him!" he said to McDonnell.
McDonnell gave him the clamp she was carrying. "Stay here." she told him and hurried off back to area 17.
~8~
In the airlock, the Doctor removed his helmet. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, on his knees with his eyes clamped tightly shut. At that moment, Martha, Shareen and Riley arrived, the pod having safely docked with the ship. "Doctor!" Martha gasped, rushing forward, "Are you ok?"
She got her answer when the Doctor opened his eyes slightly to reveal an intense yellow-gold light blazing in them. "What the hell?!" Shareen stared
"Stay away from me!" the Doctor warned, shutting his eyes again.
McDonnell joined them at that moment. "What's happened?" she asked
"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!" the Doctor screeched, writhing in pain.
McDonnell looked shocked, but quickly regained her composure. "Riley, get down to area 10 and help Scannell with the doors." she ordered, "Go!" And Riley hurried to do as he was told.
"You mined that sun! Stripped it's surface for cheap fuel!" the Doctor continued, "You should've scanned for life!"
"I don't understand." McDonnell frowned
"Doctor, what're you talking about?" Martha asked worriedly
"That sun is alive!" the Doctor ground out, fighting the pain. "A living organism! They scooped out it's heart, used it for fuel, an' now it's screamin'!"
"What do you mean?" McDonnell questioned. "How can a sun be alive? Why's he saying that?"
"Because it's livin' in me!" the Doctor ground out.
"Oh, my God..." McDonnell gasped, getting it now. The parasite that had infected Korwin, Ashton and the Doctor was the sun itself extracting it's revenge on the crew.
"Humans!" the Doctor growled, "You grab whatever's nearest an' bled it dry! You should've scanned!" he screamed in agony.
"It takes too long." McDonnell blustered, "We'd be caught! Fusion scoops are illegal."
"Then why d'ya have one, then?!" Shareen glared
"You've gotta freeze me, quickly!" the Doctor told the women
"What?" Martha questioned, rushing back to the Doctor's side.
"Status chamber!" the Doctor ground out, "You gotta keep me... below minus 200. Freeze it out of me! "It'll use me to kill you if ya don't! The closer we get to the sun, the stronger it gets!"
"Alright, alright, we're doin' it now." Shareen said, coming on the Doctor's other side.
"Hurry!" Martha urged, and both women half-carried, half-dragged the Doctor towards the med-centre, McDonnell trailing behind.
"Impact in 7:30." the computer warned.
~8~
The Doctor continued to scream in agony as they reached the med-centre. Martha ran forward to the stasis chamber and read the instruction manual. Shareen saw Ashton's body lying on the floor, but she didn't bother with him now: she had more important things to worry about.
"Martha, where are you?" the Doctor asked, reaching out blindly.
"It's alright! I'm here!" Martha said, running back and grabbing the Doctor. "It's me! Here I am! Stasis chamber, minus 200, yeah?" She and Shareen then heaved the Doctor onto the stasis chamber bed.
"You don't know how this equipment works." McDonnell told them, "You'll kill him! Nobody can survive those temperatures!"
"He's not Human." Martha told her, "If he says he can survive, then he can."
"Let me help you then."
"You've done enough damage!" Shareen growled, "You and your stupid ship caused this bloody mess!"
Martha meanwhile went back to working out how the chamber worked. "10 seconds." the Doctor told her, "That's all I'll be able to take. No more!" He gave another wail of pain. "Martha! Shareen!"
"Yeah?" Shareen asked
"It's burning me up, I can't control it." the Doctor told his companions, "If ya don't get rid of it, I could kill you both. I could kill you all. I'm scared! I'm so scared!" he whimpered
"Just... stay calm." Martha told him, keeping her head. "You saved us, now we're returning the favour. Just... just believe in us."
"It's burnin' though me!" the Doctor cried, "There's this process, Martha. This... this thing, that happens.. if I'm about to die."
"Yeah, that thing where ya change ya face." Shareen nodded, "I remember Rose tellin' me."
"You ready?" Martha asked the Doctor
"No!" the Doctor cried
Martha pushed a lever and the Doctor's bed slid into the stasis chamber. Martha set the temperature to minus 200 degrees and started the process. The Doctor screamed continuously as the temperature plummeted, the women watching the readout anxiously.
"Heat shields failing. At 5%." the computer warned.
The temperature reached minus 70 when suddenly, the chamber went dead. The women could only look at the blank screen in horror. "No! You can't stop it! Not yet!" the Doctor cried
"That wasn't us." Shareen told him
"What's happened?!" Martha asked McDonnell
"Power's been cut in engineering." McDonnell realised
"But who's down there?" Martha asked
"Leave it to me." McDonnell said grimly, realising that Korwin must still be alive and he had cut the power. She ran from the room to confront her infected husband.
"Impact in 4:47." the computer announced.
~8~
Shareen and Martha tried their best to get the chamber working again, but with no power from engineering, it was no good. "Come on!" Martha panted, wishing McDonnell would hurry up and get the power back. "You're defrosting." she muttered, seeing the ice crystals on the Doctor melt.
"Martha, Shareen, listen! I've only got a moment." the Doctor told both women, "You've gotta go!"
"Go where?!" Shareen asked rhetorically
"Get to the front! Vent the engines!" the Doctor hollered, "Sun particles in the fuel, get rid of them!"
"I am not leaving you!" Martha protested
"You've got to!" the Doctor urged, "Give back what they took!"
"Right, I'm on it." Shareen said and hurried away.
"You too, Martha." the Doctor hollered
"Doctor!" Martha continued to protest
"Please! Go!" the Doctor screamed
"I'll be back for you." Martha conceded and hurried off after Shareen.
"Impact in 4:08." the computer announced.
~8~
As McDonnell entered engineering, she found Korwin blocking her path. "You were right. It was my fault." she said, eyeing the lever she needed to get to. She made a move to grab the lever but Korwin reached out and she stopped. He made to open the visor on his helmet but McDonnell wisely ran for it before he could.
~8~
"Impact in 3:43." the computer announced as Martha and Shareen ran through the corridors as fast as their legs would let them.
"How long is this bloody ship?!" Shareen grumbled as they sped through area 21.
~8~
Korwin chased McDonnell into an airlock. Seeing nowhere else to run, McDonnell stood and faced her infected husband. "I didn't know. I really didn't know." she said as Korwin began to advance on her, "Korwin, please stop."
"Everyone must burn." Korwin growled as he continued his advance.
Seeing that there was no escape, McDonnell reached out and first pressed the button that closed the interior door and then the intercom button. "Riley, Scannell, I'm sorry." she said
"McDonnell!" Scannell's voice cried, "McDonnell!"
McDonnell pressed the button to open the exterior hatch and put her hands on Korwin's helmet. "I love you." she whispered
The hatch blew open and both McDonnel and Korwin were thrown out into space and certain death. Exterior airlock opened." the computer announced, "Impact in 2:17."
~8~
Martha and Shareen charged through area 10. "Nearly there." Martha panted
"Engines critical. Survival estimate projection: 0%." the computer announced
"Oh, shut up, Hal!" Shareen grumbled
~8~
The Doctor blindly fell out of the stasis chamber and slumped over the controls, crying out in pain as he tried his best to fight the sun trying to possess him.
~8~
As Martha and Shareen continued their desperate sprint through the ship, they heard the Doctor call them on the intercom, "Martha! Shareen!"
"Doctor! What're ya doing?" Martha asked as she screeched to a stop
"I can't fight it." the Doctor panted
"Just hang on, Peacock." Shareen said, "We're at area 4. Not much further to go."
"Burn with me." the Doctor growled in the deep voice that Korwin and Ashton had used, "Burn with me, girls."
The women realised that the Doctor had been taken over so they ran even faster through the ship.
"Impact in 1:21." the computer stated, "Life support systems reaching critical."
~8~
Martha charged into area 1, where Riley and Scannell had got the door open and were frantically trying to get the auxiliary engines going. "Vent the engines! Dump the fuel!" Shareen ordered breathlessly
"What?" Scannell stared
"Sun particles in the fuel. Get rid of them." Martha told them, but neither man responded. "DO IT. NOW!" she bellowed.
Riley and Scannell sprang into action. They ran to a wall and began turning valves, releasing the fuel.
"Come on, Doctor. Hold on." Martha muttered, going over to a viewport and watching a golden stream of fuel coming out of the ship.
~8~
In the med-centre, the Doctor's eyes stopped glowing as the sun left him.
~8~
As more and more fuel was released, the ship lurched, throwing the Humans around. "It's working! The auxiliaries are firing!" Scannell gasped in relief as the ship began to move away from the sun.
"Impact averted." the computer announced, "Impact averted."
"We're clear!" Riley breathed in relief, "We've got just enough reserves." And he and Scannell hugged each other.
Martha had other thoughts on her mind. "Doctor..." she breathed, and raced off back towards the med-centre, Shareen hot on her heels.
When they arrived, they found the Doctor picking himself off the floor looking slightly worse for the wear. Martha ran to him and pulled him into a hug. "Hey, Peacock, if ya don't mind me sayin', you've looked better." Shareen remarked as she watched them.
~8~
When things had calmed down, everyone met up in area 30, where the TARDIS was waiting. "This is never your ship!" Scannell said in disbelief.
"Compact, eh?" the Doctor grinned, "An' another good word, robust!" He patted the box's woodwork proudly.
"What about you two?" Shareen asked the crew, "We can't just leave ya with no fuel."
"We've sent out an official mayday." Riley assured her, "The authorities will pick us up soon enough."
"Though how we explain what happened..." Scannell began
"Just tell 'em that sun needs care and protection." the Doctor told him, opening the TARDIS door. "Just like any other living thing."
The Doctor stepped inside the TARDIS and his companions made to follow him when Riley stopped them. "So... uh, yer both off then." he said. "No chance I'll see yer again?" he asked Martha
"Not really." Martha replied, "It was nice... not dying with you." And they both gave a half-hearted laugh. "I reckon you'll find someone worth believing in."
"I think I already did." Riley replied
Unsure of what to do for a second, Martha decided and launched herself on Riley, kissing him. "Well done." she said when they broke apart, "Very hot."
Riley gave a little laugh then Martha and Shareen went inside the TARDIS. "Heh-hey, got yourself a boyfriend then, Martha." Shareen teased
"Give over." Martha laughed and they walked over to join the Doctor by the console. "So. Didn't really need you in the end, did we?" she said
However, the Doctor wasn't his usual flippant self and simply looked sad and distant.
"Sorry." Martha said, "How're you doing?"
Rather than answer her, the Doctor became business-like. "Now! What d'ya say? Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Koorhan, fancy it?"
"Whatever you like." Martha shrugged, realising that the Doctor wasn't going to open up to her and deciding to follow Shareen's advice and forget about trying to start something with the Time Lord.
"By the way, you'll be needing this." the Doctor said, producing a TARDIS key on a chain.
"Really?" Martha stared
"Frequent flyer's privilege." the Doctor smiled, dropping the key into Martha's hands. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." Martha said gratefully.
"Now that's more like it." Shareen said. "Hey, Peacock, what about that phone upgrade you were gonna give me earlier?"
The Doctor took Shareen's phone out of his jacket pocket and began sonicing it to upgrade it to Universal Roaming. Upon seeing the phone, Martha suddenly remembered something: "Oh no, mum!" She pulled out her phone and dialled Francine's number.
"Hello?" Francine answered
"Me again!" Martha said cheerfully
"Three calls in one day." Francine remarked dryly
"Sorry about earlier. Over emotional, mad day!"
"What're you doing tonight? Why don't you come round? I'll make something nice and we can catch up."
"Yeah!" Martha agreed, "Tonight. Do my best. Um, just remind me, what day is it again?"
"Election day."
"Right." Martha nodded, "Course. I'll be round for tea. Roughly."
The Doctor meanwhile finished upgrading Shareen's phone and tossed it back to her. "There ya go." he said
"Ta." Shareen nodded and dialled her grandparents' number then left the console room to talk to her grandparents in private.
Author's notes: And after a two-week break, we're back in action. Series 3's weak piston is now out of the way and we've got a run of five great episodes coming up next. This is my first post of 2023 and I hope you like it. See ya next time!