Sorry for the slow update, my internet went funny for a few days! But thank you to everyone who has read, favourited, followed and reviewed! :D
Zara, dressed in a white tank top, a black pair of jeans and matching trainers, walked round the console, flying The TARDIS smoothly, watching as The Doctor soniced Martha's phone.
"There we go!" The Doctor cheered, walking over to Martha. "Universal Roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again." He grinned, throwing it to Martha, who caught it one handed. She opened it up and looked at the screen in awe as it read 'Universal Roaming Activated' across the screen.
"No way!" Martha gasped as The Doctor returned to the console, about to press a button when Zara whacked his hand away, shaking her head at him. The Doctor silently nodded, stepping back from the console, knowing not to argue with Zara about flying The TARDIS as he'd learnt... she actually could fly her better than he could. "But it's... too mad! You're telling me I can call anyone, anywhere in Space and Time on my mobile?!"
"Long as you know the area code." The Doctor nodded. Martha looked up at him stunned and Zara smiled over at her. "Frequent Fliers' privilege." Martha smiled back at him. "Go on. Try it." Martha began to dial when Zara frowned at the scanner, pulling a handbreak, jolting The TARDIS and sending The Doctor and Martha to the floor as she clutched one hand to the console, the other to the scanner.
"Distress signal! Locking on!" Zara called as The Doctor and Martha pulled themselves to their feet and she pulled a switch. "Might be a bit of..." Another jolt filled the room, sending The Doctor and Martha flying again when The TARDIS stopped, still. "… Turbulence. Sorry!" The Doctor jumped back up, running towards the doors.
"Come on Martha, Zara!" He called over his shoulder. "Let's take a look!"
Zara laughed at him enthusiasm, helping Martha to her feet. The two shared an amused look and ran after him. The Doctor opened the door leaned out, glancing around the glowing red, boiling hot, engine room.
"Whoa!" He exclaimed, stepping out of The TARDIS. "Now that is hot!"
"Whoa!" Martha gasped as Zara breathed out sharply, wiping a hand over her face. "It's like a sauna in here!" She took off her jacket, throwing it back into The TARDIS.
"Venting systems." The Doctor nodded, looking over at some equipment, nodding Zara over.
Zara moved over, glancing at the equipment, "Working at full pelt. Trying to cool down…" She nodded.
"Uh, where-ever it is we are. Well! If you can't stand the heat…" They walked over towards a heavy-duty door and opened it up, the three of them walking through. "Well, that's better…" They looked around the ship corridor as three people, two men and a woman - Captain McDonnell, came running towards them from the opposite direction, all of them sweaty and hot.
"Oi! You two!" One of the men, Riley, shouted.
"Get out of there!" McDonnell cried.
Riley pointed at the door, "Seal that door! Now!" He and the other man pushed past them, quickly sealing the door as The Doctor watched them, confused.
"Who are you? What are you doing on my ship?"
"Are you police?"
"Why would we be police?" The Doctor frowned.
"We got your distress signal." Martha explained.
"If this is a ship, why can't I hear any engines?" Zara asked.
McDonnell sighed angrily, "It went dead four minutes ago."
The second man, Scannell, spoke up, "So maybe we should stop chatting and get to engineering." He turned to McDonnell. "Captain."
"Secure closure active." The computer announced.
A loud clang went off behind McDonnell and she span round, "What?!" She gasped, everyone watching over her shoulder.
"The ship's gone mad." Scannell muttered.
They watched as another woman, Erina, ran down the corridor, door slamming shut behind her as she ran, "Who activated secure closure? I nearly got locked in to area 27." She called as the closest door slammed shut, locking them into area 29. She looked at The Doctor, Zara and Martha with a frown, "Who are you?"
"He's the Doctor, she's Zara and I'm Martha." Martha said quickly. "Hello." She began to walk forward.
"Impact projection: 42 minutes."The computer announced.
Martha headed over to a small window, gold light shining in.
"We'll get out of this." McDonnell nodded. "I promise."
"Doctor…" Martha began shakily. "Zara..."
The Doctor frowned, "Forty-two minutes 'til what?" He asked.
Martha squashed her face up against the window, "Doctor, Zara!" Martha almost screamed. "Look."
The Doctor and Zara ran over to the window, looking out at a burning sun, the spaceship hurtling towards it.
"I think..." Zara began calmly. "Forty – two minutes until we crash into the sun."
...
The Doctor ran back from the window, over to McDonnell and grabbed her arm in a panic.
"How many crew members on board?" He asked quickly.
"Seven, including us." McDonnell replied.
"We transport cargo across the galaxy." Scannell nodded. "Everything's automated. We just keep the ship…"
The Doctor ran back towards the door they came out from, "Call the others, I'll get you out!" He went to open the door and the crew members rushed to stop him.
"What's he doing?!" Riley cried.
"No! Don't!" McDonnell shouted.
The Doctor yanked open the door and a wave of heat and steam thrust him backwards, knocking him off his feet. Martha and Zara bolted over and pulled him to his feet as he looked up, the crew members gathering round him as Erina, dressed in breathing apparatus, shut the door.
"But my ship's in there!" The Doctor cried.
"In the vent chamber?" Riley asked. Erina pulled off the breathing apparatus, standing by the door, reading off the gauges.
"It's our lifeboat!"
"It's lava." Scannell corrected.
"The temperature's going mad in there!" Erina called over her shoulder, looking at the flickering gauges. "Up 3000 degrees in ten seconds, and still rising."
"Channelling the air." Riley said. "The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's gonna get."
"We're stuck here." Martha stated.
"So?" Zara asked. "We fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the Sun! Simple! Engineering down here, is it?!" She turned and ran down a corridor, The Doctor following, shouting over her shoulder, "I'm good with engines!"
...
Zara and The Doctor, followed by McDonnell, Martha and the rest of the crew ran down a set of stairs. Zara stopped, glancing around the room, wires strewn everywhere, panels sparking, the whole room, sabotaged.
"Blimey!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Do you always leave things in such a mess?"
"Oh my god!" McDonnell gasped.
"What the hell happened?!" Scannell asked.
They continued down the stairs and walked over to a completely wrecked engine with wires, springs and casing all over the place, steaming. They walked around the engine, observing the damage.
"Oh, it's wrecked." Riley muttered.
"Pretty efficiently too." Zara nodded as The Doctor wandered over to a computer terminal attached to the wreckage. "Someone knew what they were doing."
McDonnell glanced around the room, "Where's Korwin? Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?"
"No." Scannell replied.
Martha eyed the engine, "You mean someone did this on purpose?"
McDonnell ran over to the intercom, pressing the button, "Korwin? Ashton? Where are you?" She called with no response. "Korwin, can you answer?!" With again, no answe, she turned away from the intercom. "Where the hell is he? He should be up here!"
Zara peered over The Doctor's shoulder, as the crew rushed about behind them, trying to find Korwin and repair the ship.
The Doctor put his glasses on, grinning, "Oh! We're in the Torajji system!"
"Oh a lovely place!" Zara grinned, watching the system of planets on the screen. "You're a long way from home, Martha. Half a universe away." They turned away from the terminal.
"Yeah. Feels it." Martha muttered sarcastically.
"And, you're still using energy scoops for fusion?" Zara asked McDonnell. "Hasn't that been outlawed yet?"
The crew looked at each other guilitly.
"We're due to upgrade next docking." McDonnell said quickly, walking away from them. "Scannell, engine report."
Scannell walked over to the computer terminal, scanning as everyone looked anxiously over his shoulder and the terminal beeped several times, "No response." He gulped, running over to the wrecked engine.
"What?!"
He began to examine pieces of wire from the wreck, "They're burnt out. The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back online."
"Oh come on!" Zara exclaimed, looking at them all. "Auxiliary engines! Every craft's got auxiliaries!"
McDonnell shook her head, "We don't have access from here. The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship."
"Yeah, with 29 password sealed doors between us and them." Scannell added. "You'll never get there in time."
"Can't you override the doors?" Martha asked.
"No. Sealed closure means what it says. They're all dead-lock sealed."
"So a sonic screwdriver's no use…" Zara and The Doctor muttered together.
"Nothing's any use. We've got no engines, no time, and no chance."
"Oh listen to you!" Zara exclaimed. "Defeated before you've even started! Where's your Dunkirk spirit?!" She turned to McDonnell. "Who's got the door passwords?"
"They're randomly generated." Riley interrupted. "Reckon I know most of 'em. Sorry. Riley Vashti."
"Then what're you waiting for Riley Vashti, get on it." The Doctor said.
"Well, it's a two-person job," He said, fetching a huge backpack and a huge magnetic clamp. "One, it takes to answer the questions, and the other to carry this." He put the backpack on. "The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh captain?"
"Reliable and simple, just like you, eh Riley?" McDonnell countered.
"Try and be helpful, get abuse. Nice!"
Martha took the clamp from him, "I'll help you. Make myself useful."
"It's remotely controlled by computer panel. That's why it needs two." Riley replied, turning and heading off.
"Oi." The Doctor called after Martha. She turned back and looked at him and Zara. "Be careful."
Martha smiled at them, "You too." She turned and followed after Riley.
"McDonnell?" A male voice came over the intercom. "It's Ashton."
McDonnell ran over to the intercom, bashing it, "Where are you? Is Korwin with you?" She asked desperately.
"Get up to the med-centre NOW!"
McDonnell turned and bolted, The Doctor and Zara following after her.
...
The three of them ran into the med bay to find a man and a woman, Ashton and Abi, holding down a thrashing Korwin inside a stasis chamber.
"Korwin!" McDonnell gasped. "What's happened?! Is he OK?!"
The Doctor and Zara ran to the foot of the bed as Korwin thrashed about, "Oh God! Help me! It's burning me!" He shouted.
"How long's he been like this?!" Zara asked.
"Ashton just brought him in." Abi replied. The Doctor took out the sonic, scanning Korwin as McDonnell watched, panicking.
"What are you doing?!" McDonnell gasped.
Korwin let out a shriek of pain.
"Sonic impulse?" The Doctor suggested. Zara glared back at him, shaking her head. "No? Ok."
"Don't be so stupid, that's my husband!" McDonnell shrieked, pushing past Ashton to the head of the bed, grabbing her husband's hand.
"And he's just sabotaged our ship!" Ashton snapped.
She looked up at him, "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!"
"I saw it happen, Captain."
The Doctor put the sonic away turning to Korwin, "Korwin? Korwin, open your eyes for me a second."
"I can't!" Korwin groaned.
"Yeah, course you can. Go on."
"Don't make me look at you! Please!"
Zara grabbed a sedative gun off the tray, "Alright, alright, alright. Just relax." She said soothingly, turning to Abi. "Sedative?"
"Yes." Abi nodded.
Zara pressed the gun against Korwin's neck, administering the sedative. Korwin gave out a shout, falling silent and still. Zara sighed, putting the gun on the tray as The Doctor perched on the bed, crossing his arms.
"Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings…" Zara said, nodding at the stasis chamber. "Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature." Abi looked at her questioningly before rushing off.
"And, just for fun, run a bio-scan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail." The Doctor added.
Abi glanced round from what she was doing, "Just doing them now."
"Oh, you're good." The Doctor grinned. "Anyone else presenting these symptoms?"
"Not so far."
"Well, that's something."
McDonnell looked down at Korwin, scared, "Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?!" She cried.
"Some sort of infection." Zara said calmly. "We'll know more after the test results."
"Now, Allons-y, back downstairs." The Doctor said. "Ay! See about those engines. Go." Ashton turned and left, McDonnell remaining still. "Ay! Go." She looked at him, reluctant, before following out after Ashton. "Call us if there's news!" The Doctor called, him and Zara running out of the med bay. "Any questions?"
"Yeah." Abi scoffed. "Who are you?"
The Doctor and Zara stuck their heads back through the plastic sheet covering the doorway, "I'm the Doctor and this is Zara Saxon!" Zara grinned at Abi before pulling The Doctor off.
...
Zara pressed the comm, calling in to the med bay, "Abi, how's Korwin doing?" She called. "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 you know."
She pressed another button on the comm, "Martha? Riley? How're you doing?" She called.
"Area twenty-nine, at the door to twenty-eight!" Martha replied.
"You've gotta move faster!" The Doctor called, standing behind Zara, fiddling with the engine, his glasses perched on his nose.
"We're doing our best!"
"Find the next number in the sequence: 313, 331, 367… what?" Riley called.
"You said the crew knew all the answers." Martha said, scared.
"The crew's changed since we set the questions."
"You're joking…"
"379!" The Doctor said.
"What?!"
"It's a sequence of happy primes. 379." Zara explained quickly.
"Happy what?"
"Just enter it!"
"Are you sure?" Riley asked. "We only get one chance!"
Zara groaned loudly, sharing a look with The Doctor before turning back to the comm, "Any number which reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits and you continue iterating until it yields one is a happy number." She began quickly. "Any number that doesn't, isn't. A happy prime is a number which is both happy and prime, now type it in!" She turned to McDonnell who climbed down a ladder and shot The Doctor and Zara a dirty look. "I dunno, talk about dumbing down! Don't they teach recreational mathematics any more?"
"We're through!" Martha called.
"Keep moving. Fast as you can." The Doctor called before taking off his glasses. "And, Martha, be careful." He continued softly. "There may be something else on board this ship."
"Any time you wanna unnerve me, feel free!"
"Will do, thanks." He called. Zara smirked, switching off the comm and heading over to The Doctor.
"Impact in 30. 50." The computer announced.
...
The Doctor picked up a piece of broken equipment, observing it carefully, the crew member and Zara standing around them.
"We need a backup in case they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time." Zara called. "Come on! Think! Resources, what have we got?!"
Martha's voice came over the intercom, "Doctor, Zara?" She called.
"What is it now?" The Doctor called.
"Who had the most number ones, Elvis, or the Beatles. That's pre-download."
"Elvis."
"No! The Beatles!" Zara called. "No! Wait! Um… um…"
The Doctor groaned, slapping the back of his head, "Argh! What was that remix? Um… I don't know! We're a bit busy!"
"Fine." Martha groaned. "I'll ask someone else!"
"Now, where was I? Here comes the sun."
"No, resources." Zara said, raising an eyebrow at him. The Doctor nodded, shooting her an apologetic look. "So, the power's still working, the generator's going." She continued. "If we can harness that.. ah!" She jumped on her toes, gaining an idea.
"Use the generator to jump-start the ship." McDonnell finished, realising.
"Exactly! At the very least, it'll buy us some more time."
"Genius." The Doctor grinned.
Zara let out a small laugh, "Idiot."
"That… is brilliant." McDonnell said.
"I know!" The Doctor laughed. "See! Tiny glimmer of hope!"
"If it works." Scannell pointed out.
"Oh, believe me. You're gonna make it work." McDonnell said.
Scannell walked over, dejected as Ashton, The Doctor and Zara smiled at her.
"That told him!" Zara giggled.
"Impact in 29.46." The computer called.
...
"Impact in 28.50." The computer announced.
"Doctor, Zara, these readings are starting to scare me." Abi called through the comm.
Zara moved over to the comm, pressing the button, "What d'you mean?" She asked.
"Well," The Doctor and the rest of the crew looked up, listening. "Korwin's body's changing! His whole biological make-up, it… it's impossible." There was a sudden bang in the background. "This is med-centre." She began, panicked. "Urgent assistance requested. Urgent assistance!"
Zara ran off, The Doctor chasing after her, "Stay here!" He called over his shoulder. "Keep working!" McDonnell stopped, running after them.
...
The three of them ran down the hallway towards the med-centre, when The Doctor suddenly slowed down, noticing Scannell had followed after them.
"Captain?!" Scannell called.
"I told you to stay in engineering!" The Doctor snapped.
"I only take orders form one person round here."
The Doctor stared back at him, "Oh, is he always this cheery?" He muttered.
Suddenly, screams filled the air. Everyone froze, looking around. Zara grabbed The Doctor's hand and they bolted towards the med centre, McDonnell and Scannell following.
"Doctor, Zara, what were those screams?" Martha called through the comm.
"Concentrate on those doors!" Zara shouted as they ran. "You've gotta keep moving forward!"
...
"Impact in 27.06." The computer called.
The four of them bolted into the med centre, looking round to find the room completely empty.
McDonnell looked over at the stasis chamber, "Korwin's gone…" She gulped.
Scannell turned round, stopping in his tracks, "Oh my God…" He muttered. The Doctor, Zara and McDonnell followed his gaze to a charred, black shape on the wall, the silhouette of a person with one hand in the air and The Doctor made his way slowly towards it. "Tell me that's not Lerner."
"Yeah, I think that's Abi." Zara breathed.
The Doctor ran his fingers round the outline of the silhouette.,, "Endothermic vaporisation. I've never seen one this ferocious." He stared ahead, distant. "Burn with me."
"That's what we heard Korwin say." Scannell frowned.
"What?! D'you think… no way!" McDonnell gasped. "Scannell, tell him! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporise people! He's human!"
Zara glanced down at the floor, noticing something. She picked up the x-rays and bioscan results off the floor, "His bioscan results… internal temperature, one hundred degrees!" She stated. "Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen!" She glanced over at McDonnell. "Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed!"
McDonnell snapped the results from her, "The test results are wrong!"
The Doctor frowned, looking over at Zara, "But what is it though?" He asked her. "Parasite? Mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body. But how did it get inside him?!" Zara looked back at him with a sigh, shrugging.
"Stop talking like he's some kind of experiment!"
"Where's the ship been? Have you made planet-fall recently?" The Doctor asked. McDonnell stared back at him, blank. "Docked with any other vessels? Any kind of external contact at all?"
"What is this? An interrogation?!"
"We've got to stop him before he kills again."
"We're just… a cargo ship."
She turned away, looking distraught and Scannell tried to comfort her.
"Doctor, Zara, if you give her a minute…" Scannell began.
McDonnell turned back, recovering quickly, "I'm fine. I need to warn the crew." The Doctor moved over to Zara and the two of them looked over the rests as McDonnell turned to the intercom. "Everybody listen to me! Something has infected Korwin. We think…" As she paused The Doctor and Zara looked up. "He killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"
"Understood Captain." Ashton replied.
...
"Impact in 24.51." The computer reported.
The Doctor and Zara poured over the bioscans, staring intently as McDonnell sat on the bed of the stasis chamber, Scannell standing close by.
"Is the infection permanent?" McDonnell asked softly. "Can you cure him?"
The Doctor looked up at her, thinking for a moment before looking to Zara. She breathed in sharply, looking over at McDonnell
"I dunno." Zara said softly.
"Don't lie to me, Zara. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest. So I don't want false hope."
Zara sighed sadly, shaking her head, "The parasite's too aggressive. Your husband's gone. There's no way back. Sorry."
McDonnell nodded, "Thank you." She said quietly.
The Doctor suddenly sprung into life, walking towards McDonnell, "Are you… certain nothing happened to provoke this? Nobody's working on anything secret, 'cause it's vital that you tell me."
"I know every inch of this ship." She sighed. "I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing."
The Doctor stared at her harshly, "Then why is this thing so interested in you?"
"I wish I knew…"
"Doctor, Zara, we're through to area 17."
Zara pressed the button on the comm, "Keep going. you've got to get to area one and reboot those engines." She called. "I trust you, Martha Jones, don't worry!"
...
"Heat shield failing. At twenty percent." The computer called.
...
"Doctor, Zara!" Martha's screams came through the comm. "We're stuck in an escape pod off the area seventeen airlock." The Doctor and Zara, running down a corridor, stopped in their tracks, sharing a horrified look. "One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've gotta help us!"
They ran into engineering, The Doctor looking at something, McDonnell and Scannell watching him.
"Why is this happening?" McDonnell asked.
The Doctor whipped off his glasses, "Stay here! I mean it this time!" He turned and ran off, Zara chasing him. "Jump start those engines!"
...
"If we!" Zara began breathlessly as the two of them sprinted through the doors opened by Riley and Martha. "Don't reach her! I'm going to! Kill you!"
"You're! Gonna kill me?!" The Doctor replied. "I'm! Gonna kill! Me!"
The two of them ran into area 17, looking over at Ashton, wearing an orange metal mask over his face, pressing on the keypad.
"That's enough!" The Doctor shouted and Ashton turned round to look at them. "What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me!"
Ashton stared back at them for a moment before turning back, putting his fist through the keypad.
"Come on. Let's see you." Zara called. Ashton turned, advancing towards her when The Doctor stepped in front, the two men almost nose to nose.
"I wanna know what you really are…" The Doctor muttered.
Ashton lifted his hand to his visor, about to lift it, when he suddenly became overcome, dropping to his knees, doubling over and backing away. After a few seconds he suddenly stood upright, advancing towards The Doctor and Zara, but instead of attacking, pushing past them and out of area 17.
Zara stood, a little stunned at his action as The Doctor scooted over to the comm.
"McDonnell!" He called. "Ashton's heading in your direction! He's been infected, just like Korwin!"
"Korwin's dead, Doctor, Zara." Scannell replied.
"Airlock decompression completed. Jettisoning pod." The computer announced.
The Doctor and Zara looked up, remembering, and skidded over to the airlock door, looking at the escape pod a few feet away, floating off, Martha by the window, tapping his name, mouthing 'Doctor! Zara!'
"I'll save you!" The Doctor shouted.
Zara stared out at Martha, tears in her eyes, "Save her." Zara gulped. "Save her."
"I'll save you!" He shouted once more before turning to Zara, taking her by the shoulders and lowering himself down slightly so they were at the same level, eye to eye. "I'll get her back, I promise. Trust me."
"Trust you?" She asked solemnly. "You need her."
"I need the both of you!" He exclaimed, placing one of his hands on her cheek. "I will get us all out of here, do you understand?" He gulped, her teary green eyes staring back at him.
"Ok." She eventually nodded.
"Impact in 17.05." The computer called.
"If I die getting her out-"
"I know, you'll regenerate." Zara nodded nervously.
"But if I don't regenerate-"
"Don't say that-"
"If I don't, you know how to fly The TARDIS. Get yourself Martha safe and out of here." He turned to the comm, pressing the button. "Scannell! I need a spacesuit in area 17, now!"
"What for?" Scannell replied.
"Just get down here!" The Doctor yelled angrily before stalking over to the airlock door.
He couldn't do it. He couldn't lose Martha. He couldn't fail Zara, not now, not ever. He could just feel the anger bubbling inside him over this... this, human! Some human girl. She was just something else completely. Someone he should have never met. He could feel it, in his blood, in his soul, in the vortex... they were never meant to meet. Time was changing all around them as they stood there. A new born baby was never meant to be left in the burning fires of New New York. The Doctor was meant to save Martha Jones from the gridlock and carry on, with the Daleks, then Lazarus, before she finally travelled with him in The TARDIS. Zara should have never been in the senate for 24 years. She should have never stepped foot inside The TARDIS. The future and the past, the whole of time and space and reality was changing... and he was scared. Who the bloody hell was she?
...
"You're insane." Zara commented, taking the helmet from Scannell and putting it on him, securing it onto his orange space suit. She looked him up and down, glancing at the airlock, then back to him.
"Yep!" The Doctor agreed.
"I can't let you do this." Scannell said.
"You're wasting your breath, Scannell. You're not gonna stop me."
"You wanna open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun. No-one can survive that!"
Zara let out a little laugh, "Oh, just you watch." She sighed. "If anyone can do it, it's him."
"You open that airlock, it's suicide. This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."
"If I can breach the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetise the pod." The Doctor said sharply. "Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines."
"Doctor, will you listen! They're too far away, it's too late!"
The Doctor looked at him sternly, "I'm not gonna lose her." He pushed past him and up to the airlock door, which slid open, and walked inside. The door shut behind him and he stood in the small room between the interior and exterior doors, sun blazing through the window.
"Decompression, initiating." The computer announced, the air beginning to leave the atmosphere around The Doctor. "Impact in 12. 55." The Doctor watched carefully, waiting for the door to open as all the air left the room. "Impact in 11.15." He walked forward towards the exterior airlock door. "Heat shield failing. At ten percent."
He pressed a button on the keypad and the door slid open. He recoiled slightly from the heat and brightness of the sun and grabbed hold of the frame, beginning to clamber out onto the outer hull of the ship. Clinging on tightly, nearly being swept away, he swung out a hand, trying to get to one of the two buttons on the outside of the ship. He hissed, stretching out, trying to reach them.
"Come on!" He shouted in anger through gritted teeth. He managed to hit the right button and exclaimed, "Go on my son!" He began to reach further out, to a box to the right of the buttons when Zara's voice came over the comm.
"Doctor!" She called nervously. "How're you doing? Come on, please!"
Do it for her. Do it for her. Do it for her. He seemed to whisper to himself in his mind. He had to do it for her. He let out one stretch, grabbing the handle and yanking the cover off the box. He pulled at the lever inside it, letting out a scream of pain and strength. He began to struggle back inside the airlock, watching as the pod slowly pulled itself back. He clambered to his knees, looking over the airlock out at the sun. He stared at it, confused and frightened.
"It's alive…" He whispered. "It's alive?..." His eyes widened with realisation. "It's alive!"
"Doctor, close the airlock now!" Scannell called through the comms when McDonnell ran through, carrying the clamp. "That pod's gonna smash into him!" He called to her.
McDonnell gave him the clamp, "Stay here!" She ordered, running back the way she came.
"Impact in. 8. 57." The computer reported. "Airlock recompression completed."
The Doctor fell out of the airlock and into the corridor, Zara catching him as he began to fall face flat. Martha and Riley clambered out of the escape pod, rushing over to The Doctor.
"Doctor! Doctor!" Zara shouted at him.
"Doctor! Are you OK?" Martha asked, flipping him onto his back so he could sit up. He opened his eyes, a bright golden light blinding looking up at them.
"Stay away from me!" He groaned angrily, closing his eyes again and writhing in pain. Martha quickly jumped up, grabbing Zara and pulling her away, McDonnell appearing behind them.
"What's happened?" She asked.
"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!" The Doctor snapped.
McDonnell stared back at him, shocked, before immediately sobering, pointing everyone away, "Riley! Get down to area 10 and help Scannell with the doors. Go!"
Riley nodded, turning and leaving.
"You mined that sun!" The Doctor shouted. "Stripped its surface for cheap fuel! You should have scanned for life!"
"I don't understand."
"Doctor, what are you talking about?!" Martha asked, panicking.
Zara glanced back at the airlock door before looking back at The Doctor sadly, "That sun is alive!" She breathed. "A living organism!"
The Doctor nodded through the pain, "They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel, and now it's screaming!" He groaned.
"What do you mean?" McDonnell panicked. "How can a sun be alive? Why's he saying that?!"
"Because it's living in me."
"Oh my god…"
"Humans! You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry!" He screamed out in agony. "You should have scanned!"
"It takes too long! We'd be caught! Fusion scoops are illegal."
"We've got to freeze him." Zara said quickly, dropping to his side, trying to pull him up.
"What?!" Martha asked, dropping down on his other side, helping her pull him up.
"Stasis chamber. We gotta keep him below minus 200. Freeze it out of him!" She explained quickly as they heaved him to his feet as he screamed out. Martha looked over at McDonnell in disgust as The Doctor whimpered, scared. "It'll use him to kill us if we don't! The closer we get to the sun, the stronger it gets! Med-centre! Quickly! Quickly!"
Martha looked over at McDonnell "Help us!" Martha screamed at her.
McDonnell nodded, quickly leading them towards the med centre.
"Impact in, 7.30." The computer announced.
...
The four of them broke through the plastic into the med centre, The Doctor screaming. Martha ran towards the stasis chamber, grabbing the instruction manual.
"I can do it!" Martha muttered.
The Doctor squeezed Zara's arm, then felt around for Martha, "Martha, where are you?!"
"It's alright! I'm here!" She cried, running back over and grabbing his arm again. "It's me! Here I am!" She glanced over at Zara. "Stasis chamber, minus 200, yeah?" Zara nodded back at her and the two of them lifted him onto the stasis chamber bed as McDonnell watched, stunned.
"No, you don't know how this equipment works!" McDonnell said. "You'll kill him! Nobody can survive those temperatures!"
"He's not human!" Zara called. "He can survive anything, this one."
"Let me help you then!"
Martha glared over her shoulder at her, "You've done enough damage." She snapped.
Zara grabbed The Doctor's hand as Martha turned back to the manual, "Ten seconds." Zara said. "That's all he'll be able to take. No more!"
The Doctor screamed, "Martha!"
"Yeah?" She asked.
"It's burning me up. I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it," His voice turned dark all of a sudden, "I could kill you. I could kill you all." Martha and Zara shared a look as his voice changed to a child, frightened and in pain, "I'm scared! I'm so scared!"
"Just… stay calm. You saved me, now I return the favour. Just… just believe in me."
"It's bloody killing me! Then what'll happen?!"
"That's enough!" Zara snapped, squeezing his hand. "I've got you!"
"There's this process. This… this thing… that happens… if I'm about to die."
"Shhh… quiet now." Martha soothed. "Cause that is not gonna happen."
"Explain!" The Doctor groaned. "Zara, explain the regeneration!"
"When Time Lords die, they do this thing." Zara explained quickly. "They change their whole body, they look completely different, they change all together." She looked down at The Doctor. "But that's not going to happen, ok?"
"You ready?" Martha called over.
"No!" The Doctor shouted.
Zara quickly let go of his hand and Martha pushed at a lever, sliding The Doctor back into the stasis chamber. She quickly typed '200' in and pressed a button, starting the process. The Doctor began to scream non stop and Martha and Zara winced, looking at the readout, watching the temperature inside the machine rapidly dropping.
"Heat shields failing. At five percent." The computer announced.
Suddenly, the stasis chamber hit minutes 70 degrees, before shutting off. Zara, Martha and McDonnell stared at each other in shock as The Doctor let out a whimper.
"No! Martha, Zara you can't stop it! Not yet!" He cried.
"What's happened?!" Martha asked.
McDonnell moved over to a terminal screen, "Power's been cut in engineering." She said.
"But who's down there?"
"Leave it to me." She turned and ran from the room as The Doctor let out a round of screams.
"Impact in 4.47."
Martha began to fiddle with the buttons, trying to reboot the stasis chamber as Zara watched angrily.
"Come on! You're defrosting." Martha groaned.
"Martha there's nothing we can do." Zara sighed angrily. "The power is gone-" She let out a loud groan, running a hand through her hair.
"Martha, Zara! Listen!" The Doctor called. The two women peered over, inside the chamber as The Doctor thrashed about, his eyes tightly shut. "I've only got a moment. You've gotta go!"
"No way!" Martha replied.
"Zara knows what to do!"
"Get to the front, vent the engines, get rid of the sun particles in the fuel." Zara laughed nervously. "Yep, I know. But still-"
"We not leaving you!" Martha finished.
"You've got to!" The Doctor groaned. "Give back what they took!"
Zara grabbed Martha's hand, gently pulling her away, "We'll be back for you." Zara promised. "I swear." Martha breathed in sharply, squeezing Zara's hand and the two of them ran off.
"Impact in 4.08." The computer announced.
...
"Impact in 3.43." The computer called, Martha and Zara running to the front of the ship, passing through area 21.
...
"Impact in 2.17. Survival element protection. Zero percent."
The two of them ran through area 4 when The Doctor's voice came over the comm.
"Martha, Zara!"
The two of them stopped, "Doctor... What are you doing?" Zara asked.
"I can't fight it. Give it back or…" He groaned, his voice turning dark. "Burn with me. Burn with me, Martha! Burn with me Zara!"
"Impact in 1.21."
"Keep going!" Zara called, running off with Martha following.
...
"Impact in 1.06." The computer reported as they ran towards area 1.
"Nearly there!" Zara breathed.
The two of them ran into area 1, "Vent the engines. Dump the fuel." Zara said immediately.
Riley and Scannell looked back at her questioningly.
"What?" Scannell frowned.
"You've got sun particles in the fuel. Get rid of them." They both stared back at her.
"Do it. Now!" Martha ordered. The two men sprung into action, bounding over to two identical walls either side of the room, turning dials, dumping the fuel. "Come on Doctor, hold on." She whispered, squeezing Zara's hand.
One of them pulled the final dial, causing the ship to lurch, sending them flying about. Zara watched the screen with a breath of relief, watching the fuel leak out. She turned suddenly and ran out of the room, stumbling slightly as the ship lurched. The lurching became more violent and Martha, not noticing Zara disappearing, flew to the floor.
"There!" Scannell called. "How're we gonna fly?!"
As the countdown hit zero, the computer gave a final message, "Impact averted. Impact averted."
Riley looked up from the floor, breathing heavily and Martha looked around, pulling her herself into a sitting position as Scannell pulled himself onto his feet.
"We're clear!" Riley laughed, shocked. "We've got just enough reserves." Scannell and Riley grinned, hugging each other when Martha looked around again.
"Where's Zara?" She whispered, pulling herself to her feet and running off.
...
Zara bolted down the hallway, watching The Doctor pull himself to his feet, looking exhausted. He looked up at her with a sigh of relief and she threw herself at him. He picked her up, wrapping her legs around him, hugging her tightly.
"Genius." He mumbled.
"Idiot!" She replied. She pulled back, placing a brief kiss to him lips before hugging him again. The Doctor blinked, looking over her shoulder, stunned, as Martha came running down the hallway. Zara let go of him as Martha ran over. The Doctor pulled her into a hug, lifting her clean off the ground, and the two shared a giggle of happiness.
...
Zara and The Doctor leant against the front of The TARDIS, Martha brushing a hand against the side of the blue box, as Scannell and Riley looked at it in awe.
"This is never your ship!" Scannell gasped.
"Compact! Eh!" The Doctor grinned.
"And another good word, robust!" Zara added. "Barely a scorch mark on her."
Martha turned back from The TARDIS, glancing between the boys and The Doctor and Zara, "We can't just leave them drifting with no fuel."
"We've sent out an official mayday." Riley nodded. "The authorities will pick us up soon enough."
"Though how we explain what happened…" Scannell muttered.
The Doctor opened the door, "Just tell them. That sun needs care and protection, just like any other living thing." He told them. Scannell nodded and The Doctor stepped inside The TARDIS. Martha and Zara moved to follow when Riley grabbed hold of Martha, making both women look back.
"So… uh, you're off then." Riley said, Martha nodding back at him. "No chance I'll see you again?"
"Not really. It was nice… not dying with you." Martha said, and they both gave a small laugh. "I reckon you'll find someone worth believing in."
"I think I already did."
Zara smirked as Martha stared for a second, before kissing him. Zara let out a small laugh, her and Scannell watching.
Martha pulled back, looking him up and down, "Well done. Very hot."
Zara laughed, grabbing Martha's hand and pulling her into The TARDIS. She walked up to the console as Martha shut the door.
"So!" Martha called, following Zara. "Didn't really need you in the end, did we?!" The Doctor stared back at them, sad and distant. "Sorry. How're you doing?"
"Now! What do you say?" The Doctor asked, returning to his usual self. "Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Cuhlhan? Fancy it?"
Martha stared at him sadly, "Whatever you like." She said softly.
The Doctor looked over at Zara, who stood behind Martha, as she mouthed 'Don't keep it all inside' at him.
The Doctor smiled, shaking his head, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a TARDIS key on a chain, "By the way, you'll be needing this."
"Really?!"
"Frequent Flier's Privilege." He slowly fed it into her hand, smiling at her. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." He gave her a weak smile, turning back to the console. "Oh no! Mum!" She gasped.
The Doctor and Zara watched, amused, as Martha pulled out her phone and dialled, holding it to her ear.
The phone clicked, "Hello?" Francine answered.
"Me again!"
"Three calls in one day." Francine replied sarcastically.
"Sorry about earlier. Over emotional, mad day!"
"What are you doing tonight? Why don't you come round? I'll make something nice and we can catch up."
"Yeah! Tonight. Do my best. Um, just remind me, what day is it again?"
"Election day."
"Right. Course. I'll be round for tea. Roughly."
"And what about…"
"Anyway, gotta go!" Martha interrupted. "See you later! Love you!" She hung up, smiling, before turning and running up the stairs, into The TARDIS corridors.
Zara sighed happily, turning and leaning against the railings, looking over at The TARDIS doors fondly. The Doctor reached into his pocket, pulling out another key on a chain. He undone the clip, walked over to her and put it around her neck. Zara looked down at the key with a smile as he done the clip back up. Zara turned round, smiling at him.
"What are you so happy about?" The Doctor asked.
"Nothing." She laughed.
"Is it because you kissed me?" He teased.
She let out a small laugh, "It was friendly dear," She replied, tapping him lightly on the cheek with her palm. "Don't flatter yourself." She gently pushed past him, walking off in the direction of one of the hallways, The Doctor gently smirking at the floor.