"So, how do I look?" Katy grinned, holding her arms out, that were weighed down by the slightly oversized bright orange spacesuit she now wore.
It was exactly the same as the Doctor's, even to the smallest detail. She had a feeling he had made it for her especially. And that thought caused the grin on her face to widen just a little. The Doctor glanced over at her, as she noticed his smile appeared a little too tight. She could read him better than most by now, and she could sense the pain almost radiating off him. But as always, he masked it and carried on.
"You look..." The Doctor trailed off, his eyes growing out of focus for a moment, lost in the throes of a memory. With an almost violent blink, he came back, and reached for the spare helmet lying atop the TARDIS console. "Beautiful," He finished, in a sad tone.
"Well, you scrub up pretty well too," She replied, as he passed her the helmet.
"Ready?" He asked, as she gave a firm nod, tucking the helmet under her arm.
In the blink of an eye, he had leaned down to press a chaste kiss to her lips, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. He then placed his helmet over his head, twisting it into place, and made his way toward the TARDIS doors. Katy took a few moments to acknowledge that at this point in his regeneration, little kisses must have become the norm for them.
"I've made the Doctor domestic. Huh," Katy mumbled to herself, with a satisfied smile as she slotted her helmet over her head, causing her ears to pop due to the pressure change.
She rushed over to his side, just in time for him to push the doors open, as a red hue lit up Katy's face. It took her eyes a second to adjust to the brightness of her surroundings, but once they had, she couldn't stop the way her jaw dropped open.
"The Red Planet," The Doctor announced, beaming from ear to ear as he stepped out onto the rocky terrain.
"Now that...is a view," Katy stated, as her eyes snapped up to see the sky was filled with a mixture of yellows and reds, morphing together to create colours she had never seen.
The Doctor turned to her, noticing her gaze had turned to the sky, remembering a time when he would do the same on his home world. Always looking upwards. He could feel his hearts tighten for a moment at the look of wonderment on his face. With a disbelieving shake of her head, Katy turned her gaze to the vast canyons and volcanoes, all buried in red dust. She even spotted dry lakebeds in the distance, making her wonder what century they had landed in. She turned to ask the Doctor the question when she realised instead of looking at the incredible landscape in front of them, he still hadn't taken his eyes off her.
"No humans here yet?" Katy inquired.
"Nope. Mars, untouched by humans. Not a bad date, huh?" The Doctor exclaimed, with a cocky smirk.
"Well, the night's still young. I haven't made up my mind yet," Katy teased, as he reached out to grab her hand.
"C'mon, time to explore," He said, pulling her toward a nearby canyon.
"You know, last time you wore this spacesuit, we were taking on the Devil. I shouldn't be expecting any satanic entities today, right?" Katy mentioned, making the Doctor snort.
"Not today. Today, is just for you and me," The Doctor insisted, as they made it to the canyon's edge.
"...And whoever built that," Katy added, gesturing down to the large base hidden inside the canyon.
It was a vast structure, made up of a central dome, with modular walkways spreading out to five smaller complexes. A massive Rocketship was laid out on a shuttle bay, appearing to have been there for some time. But there was no sign of a colony of humans.
"Ah, I may have got the date slightly wrong," The Doctor stated.
"By how many centuries?" Katy mocked, nudging him with her elbow.
"Still, right planet," The Doctor argued, as Katy shook her head, fondly.
"You're lucky you have your looks," Katy snorted.
All of a sudden, the Doctor felt something pressed against his back, before a robotic voice spoke up, ordering him to rotate. He noticed Katy tense up beside him, readying herself for a fight. With a sharp shake of his head, the Doctor gave her the signal to wait as he twisted around to face their assailant.
"You are under arrest, for trespassing," The robotic voice continued.
Katy's forehead wrinkled as she looked down at a dirty-looking, white robot whose limbs sparked and jittered with every movement. It held a tiny gun in its clenched fist, its face made up of a singular eyepiece that zoomed in on them.
"Gadget-gadget," The robot exclaimed, as the Doctor and Katy shared an unimpressed look.
They had brought to what appeared to be the control centre of the main dome, filled with computers and supplies. A group of humans stared at them in disbelief, clearly wondering how the pair had more or less appeared out of thin air. A bad feeling began to grow in Katy's gut as she looked around the room. She could swear the small group of humans shouldn't have been there in that time.
"Why do all our dates end up with our lives being threatened?" Katy whispered to the Doctor, who had just finished shuffling out of his spacesuit.
"Well, no one's threatened us yet—" The Doctor began, as one of the older humans raised what appeared to be a laser gun level with his face.
"You were saying?" Katy muttered, through pursed lips.
"State your names, ranks, and intention," She ordered, the steadiness of her hand holding the gun telling Katy that the woman was prepared to pull the trigger.
"The Doctor. The Nurse," The Doctor started, pointing to himself and then to Katy, whose forehead wrinkled, wondering if that was a title she had given herself in the future. "Doctor. Nurse," He continued, mulling over what to say their reason for trespassing was. "A date?"
Katy winced at the confusion that was etched over the woman's face, most likely wondering if the pair had become so oxygen deprived and that was why they were babbling nonsense. Before the Doctor had the chance to say another word, a man with shoulder-length black hair, dressed in all green came rushing through the door, his eyes almost popping out of his skull.
"What the hell? People. A man and a woman on Mars. How?" He gaped, his eyes darting over them.
"Oh, we were just...in the neighbourhood?" Katy exclaimed, not being able to think of a better excuse.
"They were wearing these things. I have never seen anything like it," A blonde woman, with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, frowned, holding up Katy's discarded spacesuit.
"What did Mission Control say?"
"They're out of range for ten hours with the solar flares," The blonde woman retorted.
"If we could cut the chat, everyone," The woman with the gun insisted, not appreciating the fact her teammate had just announced they had no way of calling for help.
"Actually, chat's second on my list, the first being gun pointed at my head. Which then puts my head second and chat third, I think. Gun, head, chat, yeah. I hate lists. But you could hurt someone with that thing. Just put it down," The Doctor ranted, as Katy gave him a look.
"Doc, rambling again," Katy muttered, as he gave a quick nod, clamping his mouth shut.
"Why should I trust you?" The older woman insisted.
"Because the alternative is shooting us, and if you wanted to do that, we'd both be dead on the floor already," Katy theorised, as the woman, who Katy reckoned was their leader, slowly began to lower her gun.
"Keep Gadget covering them," She advised, as they glanced at a younger man tied up in some sort of contraption, mechanical gloves covering his hands.
"Oh right, so you control that thing. Auto-glove response."
"You got it. To the right...and to the left," The man said, as the robot moved in time with his movements.
"It's a bit flimsy," The Doctor pointed out, making the robot's creator pout.
"Gadget gadget," The robot murmured, as the Doctor refrained from rolling his eyes.
"Does it have to keep saying that?" The Doctor sighed.
"I think it's funny."
"Okay, getting back on track! What are you lot doing here?" Katy questioned.
"Right, yes. So, I'm the Doctor, this is Katy, and you are?" The Doctor nodded, and received blank looks.
"Oh, come on. We're the first off-world colonists in history. Everyone on planet Earth knows who we are," The leader explained, as Katy froze in place.
Her knowledge on Mars might have been rusty, but their leader was right. Everyone knew about the first Mars colonists. And more importantly, their death. Somehow, the Doctor had managed to land them slap bang in the middle of one of the most important moments in human history. The effects of the crews' deaths were felt for hundreds of years, they completely changed space travel for humans.
They were a fixed point in time.
"Bowie Base One. Number one. Founded July 1st, 2058. Established Bowie Base One in the Gusev Crater. You've been here how long?" The Doctor exclaimed.
"Seventeen months," Their leader replied, as Katy's eyes widened.
"2059. It's 2059, right now. You're Captain Adelaide Brooke. And Ed. You're Deputy Edward Gold. Tarak Ital, MD. Nurse Yuri Kerenski. Senior Technician Steffi Ehrlich. Junior Technician Roman Groom. Geologist Mia Bennett...you're only twenty-seven years old," The Doctor sighed, reeling off the crews' names.
Katy knew that the Doctor knew more than perhaps anyone in the universe, but...he didn't appear as surprised as she would have expected about where they had ended up. Mia seemed unnerved by the way the Doctor had focused in on her. Or perhaps it was the sadness in his tone when he spoke that truly concerned her.
"What's the date, today? What is it? Tell me the exact date," Katy spoke up, with a sense of urgency.
"November 21st, 2059," Adelaide answered, watching as Katy audibly gulped.
It was today. The crew died on that day. Katy's eyes darted to the Doctor, noticing he still wore the same determined expression on his face that he had in the TARDIS. But there was a coldness in his eyes that she hadn't recognised before, and it caused a question to appear in her mind.
Did the Doctor bring them there on purpose?
"You know what? It's, uh...it's getting late. We should get going, right Doctor?" Katy pushed, noticing how he wouldn't meet her eyes.
"Hold on, there's the other two. Margaret Cain and Andrew Stone," The Doctor pointed out.
"Well, I'm sure they're very busy. TARDIS, now," Katy hissed, in a low tone, grabbing his arm and hauling him toward the airlock.
"Maggie, if you want to meet the only new human being that you're going to see in the next five years, better come take a look," Ed announced, opening the comms to the biodome, and waiting for a response.
Instead of a voice, an unearthly roar reverberated over the comms, unlike anything had ever heard before. A chill went down her spine as the noise continued, as even the Captain, who had before seemed unshakeable, stumbled back a step. Whatever killed the crew, it was already starting.
"What was that?" Mia gaped.
"Doctor, we have to go," Katy all but pleaded, but he still wouldn't look at her.
"This is Central. Biodome report immediately," Ed ordered over the comms, but was met with only silence.
"Show me the Biodome," Adelaide snapped, rushing over to the control desk, as Ed brought up the live CCTV.
"Internal cameras are down," Ed murmured, as nothing but interference came up on the CCTV.
"Show me the exterior," Adelaide advised, as she was just in time to witness the lights going out in the dome. Someone was trying to leave them in the dark, and Captain Adelaide would be dammed if she let them. "I'm going over. Doctor, Katy, with me."
"Yeah, no thanks," Katy huffed.
"Take theirspacesuits, lock them up. This started as soon as you arrived, so you're not going anywhere except with me."
"Do they not have horror movies anymore in 2059? You hear some demonic roar coming from one side of the base...you run in the other direction!" Katy argued, as Adelaide cocked her head to one side.
"I could handcuff you if you'd feel more comfortable," Adelaide stated, as Katy pursed her lips.
"I'm flattered, Adelaide, but I'm already taken," Katy retorted, sarcastically.
The tunnel leading to the biodome was only illuminated by a few dim lights above their heads, meaning shadows surrounded them, only unnerving Katy further. The Captain had ordered that Tarak, the base's doctor accompany them, in case anyone was injured. But Katy imagined what they would find would be far worse than Adelaide could imagine.
They shouldn't have been there. One wrong move, and they could alter the path humans would take for hundreds if not thousands of years. And the Doctor hardly seemed to care.
"This is a fixed point in time. Why did you bring us here?" Katy asked, in a low tone.
"I told you, I got the date a bit wrong," The Doctor replied, as she raised her hand out in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.
"Bullshit. Why are you lying to me?" Katy insisted, as the Doctor let out a long sigh.
"I'm just...testing a theory. If things get too dangerous, I'll bring the TARDIS to us, and we fly away again."
"Well, one day that old girl isn't gonna' be able to save us. You know that, right?" Katy argued, as the Doctor's brow furrowed, knowing she was right.
"Gadget gadget," The robot muttered, as it passed the pair, it's mechanical wheels sparking as it moved.
"You two, keep up!" Adelaide exclaimed, shining her torch on the pair, who rushed forward. "What's so important about Mia's age? You said she's only twenty-seven. Why does it matter? What did you mean?" Adelaide inquired, finding it curious.
"She's young. Too young to..." The Doctor trailed off, glancing at Katy for a moment, knowing she herself was only twenty-five.
"To what?"
"Oh, I just open my mouth and words come out. They don't make much sense," The Doctor shrugged.
"Telling me," Tarak scoffed, as the Doctor turned to give him an awry smirk.
"Thank you, Doctor," He retorted, tone full of sarcasm.
"Any time, Doctor," Tarak mumbled, as Katy couldn't help but laugh.
"I like him," Katy stated, gesturing back to Tarak, as the Doctor simply rolled his eyes.
But then it hit her. Tarak would be dead before the day was done. The Captain too. The base would be destroyed. She was walking with ghosts. Her brow furrowed as she wondered whether that was how the Doctor felt being with her now.
"I've read all that stuff about you, Captain Adelaide. But one thing they never said. Was it worth it, the mission?" The Doctor questioned.
"We've got excellent results from the soil analysis," Adelaide replied, as the Doctor shook his head.
"No, but all of it. Because they say you sacrificed everything. Devoted your whole life to get here."
"...It's been chaos back home. Forty long years. The climate, the ozone, the oil apocalypse. We almost reached extinction. Then to fly above that, to stand on a world with no smoke, where the only straight line is the sunlight? Yes. It's worth it," Adelaide confessed, with a slight smile.
Her expression was infectious, as a bright grin broke onto the Doctor's face, staring at her with fondness. She was just as he had been expecting. The best of humanity.
"Ah. That's the Adelaide Brooke I always wanted to meet. The woman with starlight in her soul," He exclaimed, in a giddy tone.
Katy shook her head as she listened to their conversation, wondering whether that was the reason the Doctor had brought them there. Did he want to save them? To bring them back home? She supposed she couldn't fault him for wanting to do something good, but he still should have known better. There was no saving some people.
"What's that?" Adelaide spoke up, her torchlight illuminating a body on the ground.
"It's Maggie!" Adelaide gaped, noticing a few drops of blood by the woman's head.
Despite knowing she shouldn't get involved, Katy was sprinting forward with Tarak to reach the unconscious woman, her nursing instincts kicking in. She was just about to reach out to touch the woman when the Doctor's hand clamped down on her shoulder.
"Don't touch her!" The Doctor warned, to Katy, more than anyone else.
"I know the procedure," Tarak snapped, pulling a pair of gloves on, and gently turning Maggie onto her side. "Maggie, can you hear me? It's Tarak. Maggie?" He continued, in a softer tone, his features etched with concern.
"It's okay, she's still breathing," Katy exclaimed, grabbing a pair of gloves from Tarak's pack, and helping to stabilise Maggie's neck. She listened intently to the unconscious woman's heartbeat, noticing her pulse was far too slow. "Pulse is way too slow."
"How'd you know?" Tarak frowned, aware she hadn't felt for a vein.
"Just trust me, okay? She needs a medpack," Kari advised, as Tarak nodded slowly, pulling out his communication device.
"Yuri, I've got Margaret Cain, head trauma. Your nurse colleague's telling me to bring you down here."
"Doctors...so egotistical," Katy snorted, glancing up at the Doctor with an amused smile, but he didn't appear to share her humour.
"Wonder how she got out here," The Doctor murmured, watching Maggie closely.
"She was attacked, ran away. Must have collapsed before she got back to the central," Tarak theorised.
"Maybe..." The Doctor trailed off, as they heard the door open at the other end of the tunnel.
"But one of your team is still in there, right? Andy?" Katy stated, as Adelaide nodded.
"No one else is with you two?" Adelaide inquired, still suspicious of the pair.
"We travel alone," The Doctor retorted, firmly, as two of the other crewmates rushed over to them, carrying a stretcher.
"Don't touch her. Use the gloves!" The Doctor pushed, when he saw them getting too close.
"Do what he says. Get her to Sickbay. Put her in isolation," Tarak ordered.
"We're going on to the Biodome. Tarak, with me. Yuri can take care of her. Ed, go back. Gadget, stand guard. Keep an eye on this area," Adelaide commanded, having a strategy planned out in seconds.
"Captain, you're going to need me. Andy is the only other crew member out here, and if that wasn't an accident, then he's gone wild," Ed pointed out.
"You've deserted your post. Consider that an official warning. Now get back to work," Adelaide snapped, as tension filled the space between the pair. The bitterness in her tone told Katy that there was a history between Adelaide and Ed, but she decided not to bring it up. They had far bigger problems. "Doctor, Katy...with me."
Goosebumps rose over Katy's skin as they entered the airlock to the biodome, and it wasn't because of the pressure change. She had a feeling they were walking into the belly of the beast. The Doctor spotted how she tensed up, and reached out to place his hand on the small of her back. She shot him a grateful smile as his hand continued rubbing her back gently.
"Captain, that sound we heard from the Biodome. I've run it through diagnostics. According to the computer, it's, it's Andy. It registers as the voice print of Andy Stone," Steffi announced over comms, confirming everyone's worst fears.
"Understood. Double check, thanks," Adelaide murmured, before placing the comms device back on her belt.
"Air pressure stabilised."
It was deathly quiet as their entered the dome, only emergency lighting illuminating their way. Katy listened out, trying to hear footsteps or perhaps a voice, with her advanced hearing. But strangely all she could hear was dripping. The Doctor raced over to the nearest terminal, pulling out his sonic screwdriver, wanting to give them some light.
"Andrew? Andrew Stone? It's Captain Brooke. Andy, report. I need to see you. Where are you?" Adelaide called out, as Katy reached for her shoulder.
"Captain, you saw what this guy did to Maggie...maybe don't announce our location," Katy warned, as the Doctor managed to turn the lights back on.
"There you go," He mumbled, gazing around at the biodome that was filled with vegetation.
The plants were thriving, plenty growing far above their heads. Enough to keep the crew alive for years to come. Katy noticed a robin flying over their heads, silent apart from the flap of its wings. She had a bad feeling it was running from something.
"What's that device?" Adelaide frowned, as the Doctor stuffed his sonic screwdriver back into his pocket.
"Screwdriver."
"Are you the Doctor or the janitor?" Adelaide scoffed.
"I don't know. Sounds like me. The maintenance man of the universe," The Doctor grinned, but Katy was too tense to be amused.
"You stay with me. Don't step out of my sight. Tarak, go to External Door South. Make sure it's intact. Take her with you," Adelaide ordered, gesturing to Katy behind her.
"Katy stays with me," The Doctor retorted, with a steel gaze.
"So, you both can continue whispering amongst yourselves and figure a way to overpower me? I don't think," Adelaide told him, as he marched forward, coming to loom over her.
"She goes where I go. That's the end of it," He muttered, in a low tone, eyebrows high and challenging.
"Doctor."
Reluctantly, he turned to face Katy, knowing all too well that his resolve would crumble the moment their eyes met. But he had to protect her. That was his job. Even if she didn't always appreciate it.
"Come on, you know we can't let this guy go running off on his own. He's a doctor, remember? I bet he's a right idiot," Katy said, in a slightly teasing tone, as the Doctor felt his lips twitch into a barely there smile, still avoiding her eyes.
"Hey!" Tarak huffed.
"I'll be back before you know it. Just keep out of trouble, alright?" Katy exclaimed, coming to stand in front of him, and placing one of her hands on his chest.
"Ten minutes," The Doctor insisted, as she nodded.
Spurred on by his actions back in the TARDIS, Katy stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a firm kiss to his lips, as the Doctor's eyes fluttered shut. He kissed her back, reaching out to cup her cheek, not wanting the kiss to end. It wasn't until Tarak let out a loud huff, and his footsteps could be heard walking away, that Katy finally pulled away. With a smug smirk, she rushed after him, as the Doctor watched her go with half-lidded eyes, and parted lips.
"Doctor?" Adelaide exclaimed, unable to keep the amusement out of her voice, as he blinked a few times, coming out of his trance.
"Right. Yes. Lead the way," He nodded, running a hand through his spiky hair.
"So, did you guys purposely make this place creepy, or is that just part of its charm?" Katy questioned, as her eyes darted around, the vegetation swaying making it look like shadows were moving all amongst them.
"If you're that scared, go back to your Doctor," Tarak advised, as she scoffed.
"I'm not the one shaking," She stated, gesturing to the way the torchlight was jerking with every tremble of his hand.
"It's cold," He retorted, as she hummed in response.
"So, we're about a hundred and forty million miles away from your home...what are you running from?" Katy asked, watching as Tarak's footsteps faltered. He shot her a look which she interpreted as a warning to change the subject. "I talk when I'm nervous. A bad habit I picked up from the Doctor. But sure, if you find tense silence comforting, we can keep up with that."
"...Why do you think I'm running?" Tarak frowned, as they turned a corner.
"It's another thing you've got in common with my Doctor. The look. You're avoiding something. And seems to me you travelled to a whole new planet to get away from it," She explained, as Tarak let out a small sigh.
"You and him...this really was a date?" Tarak inquired, dismissing her words.
"Yep."
"And that's something you two do? Travel through space and...date?" Tarak gaped, as she mulled it over.
"Well...I'm not sure, if we're exactly...you know, dating. Why, did it seem like we were?" Katy pushed, making Tarak snort.
"With the way that guy looks at you? Yeah, you're dating," Tarak pointed out, as a smile spread over Katy's lips.
She had always thought that it was only the Doctor's next regeneration that truly had romantic feelings for her. This version of him always seemed to be mourning Rose, too lost in his own grief to even look twice at her. But she supposed he did seem older now. How much time had passed since he lost Rose?
"We can check the North Door is locked from this terminal," Tarak advised, as he reached out to touch the computer keyboard, noticing it was covered in water.
"You got a leak or something?" Katy frowned, as he wiped the water away with his gloved hands.
"Dammit, water's messed up the system," Tarik sighed, as Katy gestured for him to move before she crouched down and opened up the circuit board.
"I've got this. I'm good with computers. If I can magnetise the resistors, might be able to trip the system," Katy told him, as she began tugging at the wiring, making new connections.
"You know, with the way you and that Doctor speak...I'd almost think you weren't human," Tarak announced, noticing how her shoulders grew rigid.
He shone his torch on her face, as she glanced up at him, raising an eyebrow. Tarak's jaw dropped open as she got back to work, a light appearing on the computer screen. She stood up, as Tarak tried to force words to come out of his mouth.
"You're...you're a Martian?" He guessed, as she burst out laughing.
"Ew. No. No, I'm from a race called the Krillitanes. And the Doctor's a Time Lord."
"Time Lord? I was making jabs at a...a Lord of Time?" Tarak frowned, his mind starting to shut down.
"He's really not that impressive," She snorted, beginning to restart the computer system.
"I'm talking to an alien," Tarak mumbled to himself, as Katy scanned through the files on the computer.
"Your camera's in here have motion sensors?" Katy inquired, as Tarak slowly nodded.
"Yeah. If you just enter the code...here," He said, typing out a long string of words onto the computer as the CCTV came back up on the screen.
"Nothing. Doesn't make any sense. Where is he?" Katy sighed, turning around when she noticed how quiet Tarak had become.
"You good, mate?" She questioned, noticing he had zoned out.
"Just never thought I'd actually meet an alien out here. But, wait...you two must have come here in a ship, right? The Doctor could take us back home?" Tarak figured, as Katy tried to mask the grimace on her face.
She couldn't promise that. She shouldn't have even been helping. Tarak was going to die. She had to let that happen...didn't she?
"Maybe," She shrugged, flicking through the CCTV feeds, still looking for Andy.
"Right. Yeah, bad idea probably. Doubt my dad would like me running off with a man again" Tarak admitted, bitterly.
"It's your dad, then? He's the one you're running away from?" Katy guessed, as Tarak gave her a sad smile.
"I became a doctor for him. Spent my entire youth doing anything I could to make him proud. Got promotion after promotion. And then I met someone. And none of that mattered anymore," Tarak sighed, as Katy reached out to place her hand on his shoulders, trying to think of something comforting.
"Parents suck."
"I came all the way here to try to clean our family name. But he probably doesn't even care," Tarak continued.
"And this guy you ran off with? He still waiting for you?" Katy replied, as Tarak slowly shook his head.
"I couldn't even hold his hand in public. It was destroying him. I was destroying him," Tarak explained.
"You let him go?" Katy figured.
"I should have a long time ago. Some people just are meant to be, you know?" Tarak pointed out, as Katy's mind went to her own relationship with the Doctor.
A sensor then picked up movement, the screen flashing up on the screen, but it wasn't Andy that had tripped it. The Doctor and Adelaide had come to an abrupt halt, speaking on her communication device, worried looks on both their faces. But they were too far away for even Katy's ears to pick up the conversation fully, only hearing muffled voices.
"Still not scared?" Tarak questioned.
"What?" She frowned, as he gestured down to her hand.
"I tap my fingers too when I'm scared."
Her eyes darted down to where her fingers were involuntarily tapping against the keyboard. Over and over again. The same beat, that was now echoing in her head.
In a rhythm of four.
She sucked in a sharp breath, staggering back a step and clutching her hand tight to her chest. She had heard the drumbeat before in her mind, but she had never shown it outwardly. She hadn't even realised her hand was moving. Was that how it started for the Master?
"You okay?" Tarak questioned, as she tried to calm her panicked breathing.
"We need to go. Right now," She told him, as he grabbed his medical case and the pair turned to walk in the direction they had come.
A sharp gasp left her lips as she found a man was standing there, with his back to them, completely motionless. There was something terrifying about the fact that they couldn't see his face. Tarak shone his torch on who she assumed was Andy, revealing he was drenched in water. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed water was quite literally pouring down his fingertips. She glanced above his head, but there was no sign the water was coming from anyone but Andy. Was that the dripping sound she had heard earlier?
"Andy?" Tarak called out, stepping closer to the drenched man.
"Tarak, don't!" Katy hissed, grabbing his arm to stop him from getting any further.
"He could be having a vacant seizure, or worse."
"Or he's gone bloody rabid! We need Adelaide and more importantly her gun," Katy argued, but Tarak wasn't listening.
"He's my friend. And I'm his doctor," Tarak retorted, ripping his arm away from her grip.
"Tarak—" She cut herself off, when she saw Andy stretching his shoulders, the first movement he had made.
"Andrew. Look at me," Tarak insisted, taking a step closer, as Katy held her breath.
Perhaps it was some long-hidden instinct, but the moment she noticed Andy's feet move, Katy threw herself to the ground, hiding in the shrubbery. She barely missed being struck with the spray of water that flew off Andy's hands. Tarak wasn't so lucky. She was frozen with fear as Tarak collapsed to his knees and started convulsing uncontrollably. He then fell onto his back from his kneeling position, his spine making a horrible cracking sound, as his eyes turned a milky white. Water began to appear from nowhere on his face, as the realisation hit Katy.
It was the water.
With a gulp, she looked down at her gloved hands, droplets of water still evident on the fabric. With a panicked cry, she tugged them off her wrists and threw them to her side. Beginning to shake, she watched as Andy staggered forward, seemingly unaware of her presence, stopping in front of Tarak who was still in the throes of a seizure. As quietly as she could, Katy began to crawl backwards through the shrubbery, feeling barely able to breathe. Her eyes widened as Tarak suddenly shot bolt upright, staring up at Andy with his cold white eyes. The other man reached down to place his hand on Tarak's scalp, as water began to pour out of his fingertips.
And then his eyes snapped down to meet hers.
Katy's legs were moving before her mind had the chance to catch up, as she practically threw herself out of the shrubbery and began hurtling down the path. In the next second, she was colliding with someone's chest, looking up to see the Doctor holding onto her arms.
"What's wrong? What happened?" The Doctor questioned, as Katy dared to look back.
Andy was still standing there, his hand clutching Tarak's head,his eyes on the three of them. His lips were cracked, black lines coming off from his lips all the way down to his chin. Katy's legs begged her to start moving again as Andy's lips turned up into a sinister smile.
"Step away from him!" Adelaide ordered, holding up her laser gun.
"I can help, I promise. I can help. Just leave that man alone," The Doctor added, as Katy's hand shot out to lower Adelaide's gun.
"Don't. If you shoot him, his blood could get on you and then you'll end up like..." Katy trailed off, her heart clenching as Andy moved his hand away from Tarak, who turned to them with a blank expression.
Everything that made Tarak him, was gone in a split second. There was nothing left but his body. Whatever the water was, it had eaten him from the inside out. Destroying everything in its path. Reaching back for the Doctor's hand, Katy readied herself to run again.
"Doctor, we have to go. Now," Katy hissed, as he squeezed her hand, tightly.
Without another word, the three set off in a sprint, with Katy tugging the Doctor forward so sharply he thought his shoulder might dislocate. They raced through the forest that surrounded them, with Adelaide at the front, appearing to know a shortcut to the door. Katy peered around one last time, wishing she hadn't. Andy let out a snarl as their eyes connected, water pouring from his mouth at an even faster rate.
"Set the seals on maximum!" The Doctor exclaimed, as the three finally reached the airlock, with Katy opening up the hatch.
They rushed in, just before Andy held his hand out and shot at them with a spray of water, making sure to soak the door completely. He only stopped when he realised it wasn't getting past the seal, likely having an unlimited supply of water.
"What is it?" Adelaide questioned, as Andy marched forward, his dead eyes glancing around the frame, a surprising amount of intelligence behind them.
"I don't know. But it spreads through the water," Katy warned, as Adelaide immediately went onto comms.
"Keep surveillance on Maggie until I get back. And close down all water supplies. All pipes and outlets. Don't consume anything. Have you got that, everyone? That's an order. Don't drink the water. Don't even touch it. Not one drop," Adelaide announced, as Andy sprung forward, placing his hands on the hatch.
Katy felt her anger spike, as Andy's mouth opened into something like a grin, almost as if he was mocking them. She marched forward, shaking with a mixture of fear and fury, as she pointed at the creature.
"You're gonna' fucking pay for what you did, you hear me? I'll fucking kill you myself," Katy spat out, slamming her hands down on the airlock hatch, glad to see Andy flinched, just a little.
"Are you sure threatening them is a good idea?" Adelaide hissed.
"No. But it makes me feel better," Katy huffed, as the Doctor took a step closer to the hatch window.
"Can you talk? Human beings are sixty percent water, which makes them the perfect host."
"What for?" Adelaide inquired, not liking what the Doctor was suggesting.
"Let's theorise about that back at the central dome," Katy suggested, watching as Tarak went to stand beside Andy.
She wasted no time in wrenching the door open to the tunnel, gesturing for the pair to follow her. Just as she went to close it behind them, she noticed how sparks were coming off from the computer terminal.
"This thing's airtight, yeah?" Katy gulped.
"And therefore watertight," Adelaide answered, backing up quickly.
"It depends how clever the water is," The Doctor stated, as the computer flashed up with a warning. He was then grabbing Katy's hand, a panicked expression on his face. "Run!" He yelled, as they set off once more.
Katy glanced behind her, noticing that Andy and Tarak had already made it into the airlock. She and the Doctor sped forward, but Adelaide was lagging behind. She was only human, after all. Tugging on the Doctor's hand, Katy gestured for him to slow down, when he noticed a familiar robot in the distance.
"Doctor, we haven't got time," Adelaide panted, when the Doctor came to an abrupt halt, pulling out his screwdriver.
"You can't keep running. We need a lift," The Doctor answered, using his device to take control of the robot's mainframe.
Removing the stabiliser from above the robot's wheels, he then twisted around to usher Adelaide onto the back of the robot. Her eyes darted around, seeing her former colleagues were closing in on them.
"That thing goes at two miles an hour!" Adelaide exclaimed, as Katy rolled her eyes.
"Excuse me for this, Captain," She muttered, before grabbing Adelaide by the waist and shoving her onto the robot before she had a second to argue.
"You grab me like that again? I'll shoot you," Adelaide huffed, shrugging Katy's hands off her.
"Flirt," Katy smirked.
"Gadget gadget," The robot mumbled, recognising the weight shifting behind him, as the Doctor stepped on behind Adelaide.
Katy jumped on behind him, threading her arms around his waist, and holding on for dear life. She expected the robot was about to send them hurtling forward. The Doctor certainly didn't seem to mind the way she was gripping onto his suit jacket.
"Hold on tight," The Doctor warned, using his sonic screwdriver to cause a fireball to propel them forward.
"Gadget gadget!" The Doctor mocked, as they zoomed forward, leaving burning tyre marks behind them from the sheer speed.
Katy's hands clutched onto the fabric of his suit even tighter, as the wind had her almost falling backwards. Her hair flew past her shoulders, as the heat from the robot's exhaust burnt at the back of her heels, but in a matter of seconds, she could already see the other end of the tunnel. A wave of dizziness came over her as they came to a sudden halt and with shaky feet they jumped off the robot.
"The Central Dome airlocks have got Hardinger seals. There's no way they can get in," Adelaide told them, as they raced inside.
"Come on. Come on!" The Doctor called back, gesturing for the robot to follow them.
"I thought you hated robots," Adelaide scoffed, as the robot wheeled forward at a snail's pace.
"I do."
"He has a very complicated relationship with a lot of species," Katy added, just as the robot made it into the airlock and she slammed the hatch closed just in time.
"We're safe. It's hermetically sealed. They can't get in," Adelaide tried to reassure them, as Andy and Tarak stopped just outside the hatch, regarding them closely.
"Oh, well now you've just jinxed us," Katy complained, with a shake of her head, starting to open the other side of the hatch, reckoning they needed a headstart.
"Water is patient, Adelaide. Water just waits. It wears down the clifftops, the mountains, the whole of the world. Water always wins. Come on," He insisted, noticing that Katy had already pushed the hatch door open.
"Biodome Tunnel is out of bounds. Andy and Tarak are infected," Adelaide announced into her comms, thinking it best to make sure her orders were clear. She then turned her attention to Katy, who was rushing ahead. "I need you to go back to the central dome," Adelaide exclaimed, as Katy turned to her with a frown.
"What? Why?" Katy asked, even more surprised when Adelaide held her laser gun out.
"Because we have an unknown infection. And as far as I can tell, none of us in this room are infected. I can't say the same for the rest of my crew," Adelaide explained, gesturing for her to take the gun.
"Then we'll both go," The Doctor suggested, as Katy took the gun from her hand.
"No. I need you with me in the medical biodome. And that wasn't a suggestion, Doctor. That was an order. I am still in charge of this base and you will respect my authority. The reason I'm sending your girlfriend instead of you is because if one of my crew is infected...I don't doubt that she will pull the trigger," Adelaide continued, with a challenging look.
"Don't question what I am willing to do, Adelaide. You won't like the answer," The Doctor snapped, his eyes burning with fury, until he felt Katy reaching for his arm.
"Doctor, I've got this, okay? And she's right. If they are infected...God knows what they're gonna' do. Once I make it back to the central dome, I'll radio in, alright?" Katy argued, but he still didn't seem convinced.
"If anything happens to her, I want you to know that I will...hold you fully responsible," The Doctor muttered, his words seeming more of a threat than anything else.
"Understood," Adelaide nodded, before she turned on her heel to their new destination.
"Hey, what is going on with you today? You're not acting like yourself," Katy stated, moving her hand down to intertwine their fingers.
"I just...I need this to go right. I need this," He told her, leaving Katy further confused.
"I don't understand."
"You will. I'll see you soon," The Doctor replied, leaning down to press a quick kiss to her forehead before rushing off after the captain.
Katy began her walk back to the central dome, through the winding smaller tunnels that connected the airlock. She was just debating whether she had taken a wrong turn when she heard it. A whistle. She stopped dead in her tracks, listening closer. There it was again. Turning back, she set off down a new corner, as the whistling got louder. What she saw next was enough to have her heart momentarily stop pumping.
It was the man in the trench coat.
It had been months since she had last seen him. She had begun to think he was just a hallucination, but there he was. Leaning against one of the white walls, hands in his pockets, staring up at the ceiling, like he was waiting for her.
"It's you," She gaped, as fear clawed away at her.
"I really thought that might have been it back there. That today, just might be the day..." The man trailed off, with a sigh.
She got a clear look at his face this time, and was surprised by what she saw. He appeared so ordinary. Like any random man, she would bump into in the street. Perhaps the only odd thing was just how pale his face was. She listened closely, her eyes snapping up to his when she realised she couldn't hear his heartbeat.
"What day?" She questioned, as his only response was a smirk to grow on his lips.
"Who are you?" She insisted, raising her laser gun toward his head.
He clapped his hands together suddenly, the loudness causing Katy to flinch, almost dropping the gun from her hands. He then began laughing. An ugly, mocking laugh that caused her to tense up further.
"What the fuck are you doing here? Tell me!" She shouted, shooting at the ground by his feet, as his laughter instantly came to a stop.
"I'm waiting," He smiled, the expression not meeting his eyes.
She gripped the gun tighter in her hand as he strolled toward her, and she noticed something odd about his face. It seemed almost elasticated. Like a mask, that was slowly slipping from his skull. She could swear she could see where the skin had folded up under his neck. Why would someone dress up in the disguise of a human?
"Waiting for what?" She asked, though she wasn't sure she wanted the answer.
The lights above him started flickering then, creating shadows on his face, as Katy squinted to be able to keep her eyes on him. He stopped right in front of her, his breath smelling like ash and something she didn't want to dwell on. His pupils were so dilated they almost completely swallowed his dark brown irises. For the second time that day, Katy felt her legs begging her to run.
"I'm waiting for you to jump," He smirked.
A cry left her lips as the lights in the tunnel suddenly went out, sending her into complete darkness. She staggered backwards, her eyes darting around, trying to make out any movement in the blackness that surrounded her. Just as she could swear she felt someone breathing down her neck, the lights switched back on and she found...no one.
The man had vanished again. If he had ever been there in the first place. Was it all in her head?
"This date is not going well," She muttered.