A/N: Happy New Year everyone! Thank you to those who read this story in 2024, and for all the comments that I've received! I hope this story continues to hold your interest coming into 2025. I have so many ideas for this fic, and with the Sound of Drums/Last of the Timelords chapters soon approaching, you won't want to miss it!
Katy had never really understood what it meant to be paralysed with fear. Her family had always taught her there was only one reaction to be had when it came to fight or flight. She didn't scare easy. But in that moment, realising once and for all, that the man that had been haunting her for months wasn't just in her head…she couldn't move. Blood pounded in her skull, drums echoing in the back of her mind. She hadn't even realised Midshipman Frame had begun to speak again.
"I saw him this morning. Just out of the corner of my eye and then again in the dining room, the elevator…he's following me. What do you want?" Frame's panicked rambling grew louder, pulling Katy's attention back to him.
"Frame, are you still there?" Katy exclaimed, hearing nothing but static for a few moments.
"He's just…looking at me. Right through me…" Frame's terrified voice trailed off.
She knew exactly what the officer meant. There was nothing behind the man's eyes. No emotion, just cold calculations. Like he knew exactly what she would do even before she did. Shaking the thoughts away, she tried to bring herself back to the presence, knowing she couldn't afford to spiral.
"Then look away. Listen to me. He is not there. It's in your head, Frame," Katy insisted, though she now knew lies were falling from her tongue.
"No. No, this is—" Frame began, when she cut him off, slamming her palm down on the comm button.
"It doesn't matter. All that matters is keeping this ship going. We all have jobs to do, Midshipman. Are you gonna' do yours?" She pushed, earning a moment of tense silence.
She was worried that he might have turned off the comms, or the trench coat man had silenced him. She remembered what had happened to the tour guide on the Ood's planet, the pure fear in her eyes before he had touched her. If he killed Frame, they would have no chance of escaping the destruction of the Titanic. But then there was a pained cry from the receiver, causing her to look down at the screen, watching as a map was pulled up of the interior of the ship.
"Make your way to staircase five. It's the most direct route," Frame told her.
"Hang in there," Katy mumbled.
Clap.
The noise came from right by her ear, loud enough to have her flinching, her heart threatening to jump from her chest. She whipped around, unsurprised to see the Man in the Trench Coat standing so close that the disturbing ash smell once again filled the air. She clenched her jaw as he started clapping again, his hands flying dangerously close to her face. She stepped back, scrunching her eyes shut, hoping that he would disappear.
"You really are becoming a thorn in my side, Katy," He informed her, as she forced a sneer onto her face.
"Sorry," She huffed, tone laced with sarcasm.
"Not yet, but you will be," He smirked, as she went to push past him, but just as she suspected, he appeared to know this was coming and had already stepped out of her way. "Oh, don't run away!" He mocked, but she refused to turn around.
With a scowl on her face, she marched toward the staircase doors, able to hear voices echoing from inside. Swinging the door open, her face contorted when she found the Trench Coat Man waiting for her, sitting on the bottom step, an eyebrow raised. With an angry shake of her head, she continued her trek up the stairs.
"It's what you do best, isn't it? Running away? No wonder you and that precious Doctor or yours get along so well," He called after her, as she attempted to keep her face impassive. She knew he was trying to rile her up, but to what end? "Wouldn't want to get left behind again," He stated, now suddenly appearing in front of her again, his hands in his coat pockets.
She almost stumbled backwards down the stairs, having to grip onto the railing to keep herself steady. There was no flash of energy or telltale sign of a teleport. He was just...there. Katy winced at the thought of how many times he could have been watching her and she simply hadn't noticed. Just how long had he been following her?
"How come Frame can see you now too? Bored of me already?" Katy inquired, watching as the man's lips pulled back into a sneer.
"He's just an appetiser, really. But you…I'm taking my time with you, Katy," He exclaimed, noticing the flash of fear in her eyes. The staircase lurched to the side a moment later, the interior of the ship beginning to tilt just as the Titanic once had. "Go on then. Can't have you dying here, where would the fun be in that?" He mocked, and in the blink of an eye, she found herself alone again.
Once she reached the top of the staircase, she reunited with the group, finding Foon and Morvin attempting to fix one of the Host. She made an immediate beeline for the Doctor, relieved to find that apart from some dust covering his black suit, and messy hair, he appeared unharmed. He was attempting to shift debris that was blocking their route when he noticed her trudging up the stairs.
"Hey, where were you?" The Doctor frowned, as she kept her gaze down.
She opened her mouth, ready to tell the truth, but as the ship began to tilt further, causing more ash to rain down on them, she clamped her lips shut. They could only handle one problem at a time.
"...Just chatting to the Midshipman. How's it going up here?" She inquired, as he held out his hand, which she took instantly, allowing him to haul her up to where the doorway was blocked.
"Bannakaffalatta and Astrid made it through. Need to shift these pipes before the rest of us can follow," The Doctor advised, as she reached up and pulled away one of the metal pipes with ease, chucking it down the stairwell.
Mr Copper watched in amazement as she tugged at more of the debris, barely having to strain her muscles to do so, confusion etched over his features. The Doctor simply grinned.
"I'm sorry, my dear, but exactly how strong are you?" Mr Copper gaped, as she moved a piece of concrete away with one hand.
"Pretty damn strong," Katy shrugged, as they heard laughter from below, where Foon and Morvin were still attempting to revive the Host.
"What happened? Did they find a doughnut?" Slade mocked, as Katy whipped around, ready to shove the man down the stairs when the Doctor interrupted.
"Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get that message?" The Doctor questioned, as Katy crossed her arms over her chest.
"No. What message?"
"Shut up!" The Doctor retorted, making Katy grin.
"I think you should be able to fit through now, don't you?" Mr Copper suggested, as Katy pushed a metal grate aside.
"And what about me?" Slade scoffed, pushing himself past the elderly man.
With a roll of her eyes, Katy turned to the computer panel to her right, anxious that her stalker hadn't appeared again. This likely meant that his interest had turned back to Midshipman Frame. Flipping a few buttons, brought up the comms, frowning when she found the line was busy.
"Frame, do you have us on hold?" Katy scoffed, stiffening when she heard a sharp scream in the background.
"I've got life signs all over the ship but they're going out one by one," He answered, as the Doctor rushed to her side.
"What is it? Are they losing air?" The Doctor guessed.
"No. One of them said it was the Host. It's something to do with the Host!" Frame warned, as the pair simultaneously twisted around, their eyes landing on the Van Hoffs just as the Host they had fixed resumed function.
Suddenly, the Host's hand shot out and grabbed Morvin by the neck, chanting the words 'kill' over and over. The Doctor took off in a sprint toward them, with Katy quick on his heels, as Foon screamed for help.
"Go!" The Doctor insisted, ushering Foon out of the way, worried the Host would attack her next. He whipped out his sonic screwdriver, attempting to fry the robotic attacker but it was no use. "Won't deadlock!" The Doctor groaned, as Katy reached out to grab the Host's wrist.
"Well...double deadlock this!" Katy muttered, giving a sharp tug, pulling one of the Host's arms away from its shoulder socket.
"Run, darling, run!" Foon called down to them, as Morvin started hobbling up the stairs.
"Ah, not my best plan…" Katy trailed off, finding the dismembered arm in her hand, its fingers outstretched, attempting to grab her.
With a hard throw, she sent the limb colliding with the wall, as the Host stood to its feet, minus an arm. The Doctor's arm was suddenly around her waist, tugging her up the stairs, as she watched the dismembered arm beginning to crawl toward them.
"Like the Autons all over again," The Doctor huffed in her ear, keeping his vice-like grip around her, glancing up to see how far the others had gotten.
"Information: kill, kill, kill," The Host exclaimed, as Katy rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, I kinda' got that," She muttered, kicking out at the robot, who stumbled back a few steps but managed to stay upright.
"Rickston! Get them through!" The Doctor called upwards, as the man in question, leaned against the railing to scowl at them.
"Not a chance!" He retorted, quick to push himself through the narrow opening before anyone could stop him.
"God, I really hate that guy," Katy stated, ducking just in time as the Host swung its arm out.
Her eyes widened when she saw it had managed to break the metal railing that its hand had hit instead. Looking back at the Doctor, he gave a firm nod, as they both started racing up the stairs. The Host's hand had continued crawling up after them, using its fingers to jump up each step. Just as they were passing the computer panel, Katy realised that the Host would likely make their way to the Bridge next.
"Frame, it's the Host! They've gone berserk! Are you safe up there?" Katy questioned, pressing the comm button, when she felt something grab her ankle.
"Fuck...off!" She cried, looking down to see the Host's hand attempting to crush her ankle.
With a few hard stomps of her foot, she was able to break the robotic hand under her heel. She kicked the remainder of the gloved electronics down the stairs, finding the Host was now only a few metres away. The Doctor reached for her hand, pulling her upwards until they made it to the blockage, just as Foon was forcing her way through. The structure creaked, as a metal grate slid down, almost taking off Foon's head as she crawled through.
"It's going to collapse!" Mr Copper exclaimed, grabbing a metal pole to lever the falling metal grate. He looked to Rickston, as Astrid attempted to push up against the metal grate with only her hands. "Rickston, Vot damn it, help me!" Mr Copper begged.
"No way," Rickston retorted, already looking for an exit for himself.
"Katy, get through," The Doctor insisted, ushering her toward the gap.
"No. Not without you—" Katy started, as he reached for her shoulders.
"And I appreciate the sentiment, but you're stronger than all of them combined. Keep it steady," He explained, as she gave a reluctant nod.
It only took her a few seconds to drop to her knees and scrabble through the debris, cutting her palm on a piece of glass as she did so. Astrid's hands were grabbing her, helping haul her to her feet. Morvin was next to crawl through, only managing to get halfway before his large stomach was caught between the sliding metal.
"Mr van Hoff, I know we've only just met, but you'll have to excuse me," The Doctor murmured, before he began pushing at the man's behind.
Katy reached down to grab her shoulder and with one hard tug, the man flew forward, collapsing against the floor. Mr Copper let out a cry, his hands slipping against the metal pole he was still gripping. Katy surged forward to help him, easily being able to keep the pole steady and even push it up, allowing the gap to widen for the Doctor.
"Information override! You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!" They heard the Doctor order, as Katy let out a huff.
"You can ask questions later, hurry up!" She called through the gap.
"Information. Deck thirty-one," The Host replied after a few moments.
"Thank you," The Doctor replied, before rushing through the gap.
He instantly beelined for Katy, watching as the Host started to crawl after them. He placed his hand on Katy's arm, just as she was about to drop the pole. He knew they needed to wait for the most opportune moment.
"Let go!" He exclaimed, as the debris came falling down, smashing the Host's head into tiny golden pieces.
"...I'm starting to think that suit really is cursed."
Climbing through the wreckage of the ship, they eventually made it to one of the kitchens. Katy instantly noticed a group of chefs on the ground, blood pooled all around them, not having yet dried. The Host had butchered them. With a sigh, she made her way to a crumbled curtain on the other side of the room, before draping it over the corpses, the action noticed by the Doctor, a sad smile on his lips.
"Morvin, look. Food!" Foon gaped, looking at platters of food that hadn't been wheeled out before the disaster.
"Oh great. Someone's happy," Slade scoffed, as Morvin glared at him.
"Don't have any then," He muttered, as he and his wife rushed over to grab something to eat.
"If you've got such a problem with these people, Rickston, why don't you leave? Go on. See how fucking far you get," Katy hissed, shoving past him roughly, heading toward one of the computers.
"Frame, are you still there?" She asked, switching the screen on, the concern clear in her tone.
"Yes Ma'am, but I've got Host outside. I've sealed the door," Frame replied.
"And you're...alone in there?" She inquired, hearing Frame gulp from the other end of the comms.
"I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in," Frame stated.
"I wouldn't be so sure," Katy muttered, biting her lip as the Doctor walked over to them.
She doubted something as simple as a deadlock could stop the trench coat man. For some reason, Frame had a target on his back, just like she did. If she could figure out their connection, maybe she would discover why he was after them both.
"I'm sealed off. Even if you can fix the Titanic. You can't get to the bridge," Frame explained.
"Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time. What's on deck thirty-one?" The Doctor questioned, as Katy saw Astrid ushering her over to the food table.
Her stomach was rumbling as she approached, the adrenaline slightly fading and leaving hunger and thirst in its wake. Grabbing a nearby bottle of wine, Katy brought the lid to her lips and started gulping it down, not noticing how Astrid's jaw had gone slack. Wiping at her mouth and the lid, she passed the wine toward Astrid, who gave a small laugh.
"You're a little odd, you know. You both are," Astrid pointed out, as Katy grabbed a cake with a strange green topping.
"Yep, that's us," She grinned, devouring the cupcake in seconds.
"I don't mind odd," Astrid shrugged, as Katy regarded her closely.
"We're all probably minutes from dying and you seem...calm. What gives?" Katy asked, grabbing another cake.
"Honestly? This is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to me. It's awful but..." Astrid trailed off, not sure what the right word was.
"You feel alive for the first time since you can remember?" Katy guessed.
"It's always like this with you two?" Astrid inquired.
"I don't think I've had a quiet day since I've met him," Katy admitted, with a slight grin.
"No wonder you fell in love with him," Astrid replied, as Katy suddenly choked on her mouthful of food.
"...I better get him something. He gets cranky when his blood sugar's low," Katy mumbled, grabbing a plate and pouring a large helping of food on top.
"Let me know if you find anything. And keep those engines going," The Doctor instructed Frame, as the Katy thrust the plate under his nose.
"Ah, nibbles," He grinned, happily taking the plate from her.
"So, are we gonna' talk about it?" Katy inquired, as the pair went to sit on a few overturned crates.
"Talk about what?" The Doctor frowned, taking a bite of his food.
"Why you're so on edge today? You jumped out of your skin when you heard those glasses smashing earlier. And you just...I don't know, don't seem yourself," Katy continued, reaching out to brush some ash out of his messy brown hair. Her brow furrowed as she noticed he flinched away from her touch, his eyes suddenly blown wide. "Case and point."
"It's nothing," He told her.
"C'mon, I'm supposed to be the emotionally unavailable one in this relationship. You've barely smiled all day," Katy insisted.
"I have," He retorted, as she raised an eyebrow.
"Not a real Doctor smile. I miss them," Katy confessed, as he looked down at his plate, running a hand through his dirty hair.
"It's just been a...a long year," He muttered.
"That bad, huh?" She huffed, as his bloodshot eyes snapped up to hers. She could tell something was eating away at him. He put on a good show, but everything that day had been a performance to hide how he was really feeling. "I spoke to Martha earlier. She seemed pretty shocked to get a call from me," Katy blurted out, as his expression darkened.
"We're not travelling together anymore."
"But you two were so good together. I mean, after Rose—" Katy started, as the Doctor hung his head low, a sad laugh leaving his lips.
"Is that it? You're missing Rose?" Katy guessed, as he shook his head.
"No. I just realised...I was glad she's gone. She left before..." He trailed off, with a bitter tone.
"Before?" Katy pushed, not understanding his words. It didn't take her long to put two and two together when she noticed the saddened expression he wore. It was about her death. It always was. "Before I died?" Katy exclaimed, seeing how the Doctor winced at her bluntness.
"Don't," He murmured, with a clenched jaw.
"You can't run from this Doctor. How long has it been? Month? Weeks? My death is catching up with us both—" Katy started, when he cut her off.
"You were gone a long time before then, Katy. And I am never going to accept that," He retorted, anger burning in his eyes.
"So, you look good for nine hundred and three," Astrid's bubbly voice interjected, but neither of them turned to look at her. Astrid could feel the tension coming off the pair, realising she had interrupted something she shouldn't have. She was about to make a hasty exit when Mr Copper came to stand beside her.
"Doctor, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day," Mr Copper exclaimed, with a smile, that no one else shared.
"Almost a new year," Astrid added, as the pair finally took their eyes off each other.
"Yeah," He nodded, hoping he never had to spend another day in 2007.
"But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them? They could send up a rocket or something," Mr Copper suggested.
"They don't have spaceships," The Doctor frowned.
"No, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles."
"Mister Copper, this degree in Earthonomics, where's it from?" The Doctor questioned, as the old man sighed, coming to sit beside him.
"Mrs Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners," He confessed, as Katy's eyebrows shot up.
"Well, I think you need your money back, mate," She scoffed.
"Iwasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic," He explained, as the Doctor's lips twitched.
"Isuppose it is, yeah," He agreed.
"How come you know it so well?" Astrid inquired.
"I was sort of, a few years ago, I was made, well, sort of homeless, and, er, there was the Earth. And Katy she was a refugee. Earth is where we met," The Doctor informed them, his anger and bitterness quickly slipping away.
"They're a pretty accepting bunch. Well, most of them," Katy shrugged.
"The thing is, if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations. Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. I won't survive ten years," Mr Copper went on, as Katy felt a slither of sympathy for the elderly man, knowing he would likely be proven right.
A sudden bang had them whipping around to see a dent in the metal wall behind them. They had been found and the Host were attempting to make a new route to them. Stuffing one more cake in her mouth, Katy was quick to usher the group away from the wall.
"Bloody hell, they're determined, aren't they?" Katy huffed, gulping down the sugary treat.
The Doctor led them through the next corridor to the ship's engines, where a fallen beam had formed a walkway across a massive empty space in the middle of the ship, overlooking the malfunctioning power source below. The heat coming from the engines burnt her face, causing a fine sheen of sweat to grow on her brow in seconds.
"Is that the only way across?" Slade asked.
"On the other hand, it is a way across," The Doctor pointed out, as Katy groaned.
"Doctor, I hate heights. Like really, really hate heights," She winced, as he reached down to take her hand.
"I'm not going to let go, okay?" He exclaimed, squeezing her hand, as she shot him a grateful smile. He peered below, the steam from the engines becoming painful after just a moment. "Nuclear storm drive. As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls."
"But that thing, it'll never take our weight," Morvin argued.
"You're going last, mate," Rickston scoffed.
"It's nitrofin metal. It's stronger than it looks," The Doctor stated, more to Katy than anyone else.
"All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should—" Morvin's warning was cut off as the metal under his foot gave away due to the extreme heat from the engine and he went tumbling forward.
Despite her fear of their vast height, Katy was the first to rush forward, but even she was too slow. She watched as Morvin continued falling, his screams echoing until he hit the engines and disappeared. Vaporised in a split second. Foon cried out for him, collapsing to her knees, as the rest watched on in horror. It was startling how quickly the man had died, and it was a stark reminder of their mortality.
"I told you. I told you!" Slade yelled, as Katy gave him an angry look.
"Just shut up!" Mr Copper spat out, as the Doctor crouched down to put his arms around Foon.
"Bring him back! Can't you bring him back? Bring him back, Doctor!" Foon begged.
"I can't. I'm sorry, I can't," The Doctor replied, with a pained expression.
"You promised me!"
"I know. I'm sorry," The Doctor sighed, as she fell into a fit of sobs.
"Doctor, I rather think that those things have got our scent," Mr Copper exclaimed, hearing the Host's footsteps in the background.
"I'm not waiting," Slade muttered, setting off over the rickety platform.
"Careful. Take it slowly!" The Doctor insisted, pulling apart his bowtie so it hung loosely around his neck.
He couldn't keep doing this. Losing people. He wasn't sure how much of it he could take. Katy's hand was then on his shoulder, pulling him toward the doors they had walked through and sealing them inside. They could hear Slade whimpering as he crawled over the beam, now halfway.
"You're leaving us rather trapped, wouldn't you say?" Mr Copper huffed.
"Never say trapped, just inconveniently circumstanced," The Doctor retorted, sharing a smirk with Katy.
Over the next few minutes, the Doctor ushered the group onto the makeshift walkway, praying the metal was as strong as he hoped. It was only Foon and Katy who remained behind, with the Host banging on the locked door. It wouldn't be long until they made it through, as Katy noticed how the metal had begun to split.
Foon, you've got to get across right now. C'mon, I will drag you if I have to," Katy stated, hauling the older woman to her feet.
"What for? What am I going to do without him?" Foon sobbed, her cheeks stained with tears.
"Just think. What would he want, eh?" The Doctor suggested.
"He don't want nothing. He's dead! You don't understand," Foon cried, as the Doctor's eyes softened, reaching for her shoulders.
"I do. Trust me, I do. But just think, if he were here, if he could see you..." The Doctor trailed off, his eyes snapping to Katy's for just a moment. The pain in his eyes was almost too much for her to bear. "You keep going. For them," The Doctor insisted, as Foon shook her head, still lost in her grief.
"Doctor, I can't open the door. We need the whirling key thing of yours!" Slade yelled, as the Doctor reached inside his jacket and quickly passed the sonic screwdriver to Katy.
"Go. They need you," The Doctor told her.
"You said you weren't gonna' let go," Katy insisted, holding her hand out to him. His eyes darted between the two women, knowing he truly only had one choice. "We'll come back for her."
Reluctantly, he took Katy's hand and led them over to the walkway. The second she placed her foot on the metal, she could hear how it creaked. She swallowed thickly, as the Doctor tightened his hold on her hand, keeping her close as the pair began to catch up with the others. The bridge dipped after one heavy step from the Doctor, as Katy reached with her other hand to grip the back of his jacket.
"It's going to fall!" Astrid yelped.
"It's just settling. Keep going!" The Doctor advised, as Katy kept her vice-like grip on the back of his suit.
"Careful," A familiar voice hissed right behind her, as Katy staggered forward, colliding with the Doctor's back.
He twisted around to face her, finding her eyes closed tight, and her grip on his hand enough to turn his skin white. She looked terrified. He knew what they were doing was dangerous, but the fear on her face was caused by more than just that. He had a feeling she was hiding things from him again, but with all his secrets, he could hardly blame her.
"Are you alright?" He asked, earning a quick nod, as he led them forward, now halfway.
"All you do to him is lie. A coward, through and through," The trench coat man mocked, as Katy did her best to ignore him.
Putting one foot in front of the other, she kept close on the Doctor's heel. But she could still sense the man behind her, his warm breath on her neck making her skin crawl. Quick, shallow breaths left her lips as she tried to quell her panic and avoid glancing down at the vast drop below.
"My foot. Dammit, it's stuck," Astrid cried, as Mr Copper rushed forward to assist her.
The blonde's high-heeled boot had become trapped under one of the metal pipes on the walkway, and she couldn't get free no matter how hard she tugged. And no one else could pass her either. The Doctor glanced around, clearly wanting to race over and help. With a slight nod from Katy, he did so, leaving her to continue tiptoeing after him. She had almost made it to the hunched group when a hand was suddenly clamped over her wrist.
"Time to fall," The trench coat man grinned, as she twisted around to face him, just as the ship lurched to the side.
With a cry, Katy lost her footing and went stumbling over the edge. Her hands flailed around in a panic, managing to grasp a copper pipe at the very last moment, hanging on to it with all her strength. The pipe bent with the weight of her, as she heard the Doctor shout her name, and the sound of rushing footsteps. Her eyes darted up to see the trench coat man crouched down in front of her, a smug grin on his face.
"Take my hand," He exclaimed, offering his arm to her, as she felt her body beginning to burn from the steam coming off the engines.
"No!" She panted, her hands began to slip with sweat.
She would rather die than take whatever he was offering, that she was certain was more than just a helping hand. She could see his face tense, clearly irritated by her refusal.
"The Host! They have wings!" Mr Copper's panicked warning had her glancing upwards to find a group of the robots floating down, somehow being able to hover in the air.
"Information. Kill!" The Host announced, removing their haloes, as Katy's eyes widened.
"Katy!" The Doctor screamed, watching as one of the haloes went flying toward her.
She tensed, waiting for the pain to come as the halo sliced into her body...but nothing happened. She opened her eyes, glancing behind her shoulder to see the halo had been stopped in mid-air, a hand clasped around the weapon. Her mouth went slack as the trench coat man chucked the halo away, now nothing more than a useless hunk of a metal.
"I decide when you die, Katy," He told her, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Katy let out a shaky gasp, her eyes darting around to see he was truly gone. The Host continued their onsalught, with their halo weapons injuring both Mr Copper and the Doctor. She could do nothing but watch. She grit her teeth, feeling the wound on her palm reopening, and blood spilling out, only causing her grip to slip further.
"Bannakaffalatta stop. Bannakaffalatta proud. Bannakaffalatta cyborg!" The small red man cried, before opening his shirt and sending out an energy pulse.
It short circuited the Host, sending them plummeting down into the engine core one by one. A pair of feet were suddenly coming into view then as Katy looked up to see Foon, with rope in her hand. She was dangling metres below the walkway now, having slipped further down the pipe, and further than anyone could reach her. But the rope that was now dangling in front of her, that she could reach for. Without a second thought, Katy lunged forward to grab onto the rope, her eyes widening as Foon stepped backwards.
"No!" Katy exclaimed, realising Foon's plan a moment too late.
Still gripping onto the rope, Foon allowed herself to fall back, the gravity of the engine pulling her down quickly. This forced Katy to come flying up over the walkway, the rope burning against her hand, as she couldn't help but let go. She collapsed against the metal grate, just in time to see Foon hurtling silently into the engines. She didn't cry or scream, she almost appeared relieved. A horrified gasp left Katy's lips as she realised Foon had given her life to save hers.
Foon had died for a dead woman.
Once the Doctor had bandaged up Katy's bleeding hands, he set his next plan into action. Katy noticed he hadn't mentioned his part in the plan, guessing it was likely something stupid and dangerous. And whether he liked it or not, she'd be following him. Wiping at her dirty face, Katy knelt to begin charging the EMP transmitter they had taken from Bannakaffalatta.
"He was better than most men I've met," Astrid sighed, as she crouched down to join her.
The half cyborg had died soon after using the energy pulse. They had lost almost half the group in ten minutes, and Katy imagined more would follow. She could still see Foon's accepting expression when she fell. She didn't even scream. Katy guessed she no longer cared if she lived or died without her husband. Realising she still hadn't spoken, Katy tried to find something comforting to say to Astrid.
"He liked you," Katy stated, as Astrid nodded, slowly.
"It wasn't your fault, you know. What happened to Foon," Astrid told her.
"Someone's dead because of me. So no, Astrid, that is on me," Katy retorted, as the EMP transmitter flashed blue.
"We'd all be dead already if it wasn't for you two," Astrid began, a nervous expression on her face. It was now or never to say what she really wanted. "I'm sort of unemployed now. I was thinking the blue box is kind of small, but I could squeeze in it, like a stowaway," Astrid suggested.
"You really want to come with us after all this death you've seen?" Katy asked.
"You both need someone to take care of you. I've got no one back on Sto. No family, just me. So, what do you think? Can I come with you two?" Astrid pushed, desperately.
"Astrid, you realise me and him are sort of...a couple. You'd be third wheeling a lot," Katy pointed out.
"I don't mind being a third," Astrid shrugged, as Katy let out a surprised laugh.
"Oh. Right. That's uh...I think I'm actually speechless for once," Katy admitted, as Astrid's face fell, thinking she had said the wrong thing. She was just about to rush away, her cheeks red and flushed. "And if that doesn't earn you a place in the TARDIS, I don't know what will," Katy grinned at her, as Astrid shared her expression.
"You really mean that? Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Astrid beamed, pulling Katy into a bone-crushing hug.
"Yep. But we're gonna' have to bring the hug down a tad. Like one hug a day maximum," Katy teased, patting her on the back.
"Sorry to break up your girl time, but has anyone seen your boyfriend?" Rickston pointed out, as Katy's eyes snapped up to his.
"Oh, that son a bitch!" Katy cried, realising the Doctor had snuck off, likely in the hopes of getting her into danger.
Katy had been sprinting through the messy corridors of the Titanic for a few minutes when she heard voices echoing from the kitchens. She quietly crept forward, finding half a dozen Host closing in on the Doctor. He held a saucepan in his hands as if it would do anything against the homicidal robots. Kitchen appliances was as far as the Doctor was prepared to venture in the weapon's department.
"Wait, wait. Security protocol one. Do you hear me? One. One! Okay, that gives me three questions. Three questions to save my life, am I right?" The Doctor suggested
"Information. Correct."
"No, that wasn't one of them! I didn't mean it. That's not fair. Can I start again?" The Doctor questioned, as Katy rolled her eyes, making her way into the kitchens.
"Information. No," The Host replied, as she pushed her way past them.
"Doctor, stop talking," Katy hissed, as she went to stand by his side.
"You're supposed to be with the others," He scolded.
"When have I ever done what I'm told?" She huffed, watching his lips twitch into a smirk.
"One question , you've been given orders to kill the survivors but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not us. We're not passengers. Not staff. Go on, scan us. You must have bio-records. No such person on board. We don't exist, therefore you can't kill us. Therefore, we're stowaways, and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on deck thirty-one. Final question. Am I right?" The Doctor exclaimed, chucking the saucepan away and stepping forward to challenge the Host.
"Okay, that was kinda' hot," Katy murmured, nudging his arm.
"Information. Correct."
"Brilliant. Take us to your leader. I've always wanted to say that," He admitted, with a dorky grin.
"Eh, now you've ruined the mood," She snorted.
"Come on then, Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours. Who is it?" The Doctor questioned, as they were led into Deck thirty-one, finding it was as destroyed as the rest of the ship. Apart from one section. "Oh, that's clever. That's an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in there. Sit through a supernova. Or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves on board like this and I should know, because..." The Doctor trailed off, as a machine on wheels came out, a living head inside.
"My name is Max," The head announced, his golden tooth glinting in the light.
"I'm the Doctor. This is Katy. Hello," He greeted.
"Wow, took dieting a little too far did we?" Katy mocked, her eyes surveying the red life support machine on wheels.
"Information. Stowaway."
"Kill them," Max huffed, as the Doctor held his hands up.
"Oh, no, no, no. Wait, but you can't. Not now. Come on, Max. You've given me so much good material like, how to get ahead in business. See? Head? Head in business? No?" The Doctor questioned, turning to Katy.
"I'd give it a four out of ten," She shrugged.
"Oh, ho, ho, the office joker. I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years," Max muttered.
"I can't think why," The Doctor replied, sarcastically.
"Doc, we've got like five minutes until this place explodes. Start monologing," Katy whispered, as he nodded.
"Right,I can work it out. It's like a task. I'm your apprentice. Just watch me. So, business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh, yes! No. Yes. The business isn't failing, it's failed. Past tense," He realised.
"My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back," Max muttered.
"Theoretically speaking, clearly," Katy snorted, earning a scowl from the head.
"So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors just in case anyone's rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value. Oh, but that's not enough. No. Because if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out. While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber," The Doctor continued.
"I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico Two, where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of metal," Max grinned, making Katy grimace.
"I cannot emphasise enough...ew!" Katy winced.
"So that's the plan. A retirement plan. Two thousand people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered, and why? Because Max Capricorn is a loser," The Doctor stated, in a disgusted tone.
"I never lose."
"You can't even sink the Titanic," The Doctor scoffed, as Max rolled forward.
"Oh, but I can, Doctor. I can cancel the engines from here!" Max informed them, as alarms began blaring.
They could all feel how the Titanic began tilting over completely, pulled toward the Earth by it's gravity field. Katy instantly rushed forward to attack the man, but she didn't get very far as a laser beam of energy caught her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
"Life support in every way," Max grinned, as a Host suddenly grabbed her by the neck.
"Let her go!" The Doctor yelled, as two Host grabbed his arms, holding him in place.
"Not so clever now, Doctor. A shame we couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted. Time for me to retire. The Titanic is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh, Host. Kill them," Max smirked, as the other Host swarmed around Katy.
"Mr Capricorn!" Astrid called out, as every head turned to her. She was sat in a forklift, her hands gripping the wheel, knowing what she needed to do. "I resign," She muttered, in a shaky voice, her foot slamming down on the accelerator.
"Astrid!" Katy cried, as the blonde drove forward, manging to get the forks under Capricorn's life support as the two machines battled each other. Astrid pressed down harder against the accelerator ducking as one of the Host threw its halo, which glanced off Astrid's cab. Katy was able to elbow the Host who was holding her in the face, as it lost its grip on her, but three more of the robots quickly advanced on her.
"He's cut the brake line!" The Doctor warned, as Astrid turned to look at the pair.
It was then that Katy realised just how far Astrid was willing to go, as she used the forks to lift Capricorn completely off the ground and powered them both forward. The Doctor screamed her name, unable to do anything else as they reached the guard rail. Max's life support machine toppled over the edge, disappearing from view, as Astrid's forklift quickly followed. She closed her eyes and waited.
Astrid was still gripping onto the wheel in a death grip when she felt the forklift stop falling. She opened her eyes, finding there was only the glass of the cab stopping her from falling into the engines below. Looking upward, a grin spread over her face as she saw Katy clutching onto the rail with one hand, and the other grasping the back of the forklift.
"Anytime today would be good!" Katy exclaimed, her face contorted in pain, as she struggled to keep hold of the vehicle.
Not needing to be told twice, Astrid began climbing out of the fork lift, finding a hand was thrust in her face. The Doctor ushered for her to take his offered limb, and with a hard pull, he had her safely back on the platform as Katy let go of the vehicle, and collapsed onto her back.
"You saved her," The Doctor panted, as Katy rolled onto her side, clutching at her arm.
"Well, that's what we do, isn't it? Stop the bad guys, save some pretty girls...dislocate our shoulders in the process. Ow," Katy huffed, in a pained tone.
"I'm alive?" Astrid gaped, as the pair nodded to her.
"Looks like it. Oh no, not another hug..." Katy mumbled, as Astrid crouched down beside her, arms outstretched. But instead of embracing her, she suddenly grabbed her shoulder and gave a hard tug, as a popping sound echoed in the room. "Ouch. Thanks," Katy laughed, as Astrid patted her shoulder.
"My dad was a nurse," Astrid shrugged.
"Now. Time to save this ship," The Doctor announced, holding his hands out to both women and helping them to stand.
Katy knelt on the floor, coughing harshly as the dust around them cleared. She pulled her arms free from where the Host had been holding onto her, and glanced up to see a young man in an officer's suit gaping at her. Part two of the Doctor's insane plan had been to break through the deadlock seal at the Bridge by breaking up through the floorboards with the assistance of the Host and somehow it had worked.
"God, I am never doing that again," Katy grimaced, stumbling to her feet, as the Doctor and Astrid followed, their outfits grey with dirt and dust. "Midshipman Frame. You're looking...only half dead, that's good," Katy stated, as he blinked.
"Er, but, but the Host," He pointed out.
"Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that's..." The Doctor trailed off, turning to see the Host walking over to Katy, awaiting their next orders. She raised an eyebrow, a smug grin on his face. "My girlfriend," He said, watching her grin grow wider.
"But the ship. It's going to fall," Frame insisted.
"What's your first name?" The Doctor asked, heading over to the wheel.
"Alonso," Frame stated, as the Doctor's jaw dropped open.
"You're kidding me," He gaped.
"What?"
"That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso!" He exclaimed, turning the wheel andsending them flying down toward the Earth.
"Part three of your ridiculously stupid and dangerous plan is what exactly?" Katy asked, as Astrid rushed over to them.
"I'm gonna' heat things up," He announced, as Katy's eyes widened, before reaching out to grab the other side of the wheel.
"What are they doing?" Alonso inquired, as Astrid shrugged.
"I have no idea, but I'm helping," She replied, grabbing one handle of the wheel and helping to keep it steady.
With a shrug of disbelief, Alonso rushed over to stand by Katy's side, grabbing another handle. Alarms echoed as they entered the upper atmosphere, and started to burn on entry. They were blinded by the red haze of fire from outside the ship, and could only pray their shielding would hold. Once into the cloud layer, the Doctor turned on a scanner with his foot to see that their impact area was in west Central London. And one building in particular.
"We're are gonna' be in so much shit if we kill the Queen," Katy huffed, as the Doctor grabbed a nearby phone.
"Oh. Hello, yes. Could you get me Buckingham Palace?" The Doctor asked, as there was silence for a few moments. He started reeling off all his old UNIT code words, until he finally reached somehow who would take him seriously."Listen to me. Security code seven seven one. Now get out of there!" He ordered, slamming the phone down.
"Engine active. Engine active," The computer suddenly announced.
"Now!" The Doctor cried, as all four of them pulled back on the wheel with all their might, trying to stop them from crashing into the ground.
They managed to miss Buckingham Palace by mere inches, and pulled up into the sky, all of them cheering loudly. The group descended into somewhat of a group hug, which for once, Katy didn't complain about. The Doctor kept them steady, returning the ship to autopilot.
"Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that's me," The Doctor explained.
Alonso let out a sudden cry, before falling to his knees, clutching at his bloody shirt. Katy was by his side in an instant, helping him to lean against the bottom of the wheel. She reached behind him, glad to see there was an exit wound. But with the amount of blood loss he had suffered, it was still doubtful if he would survive. He was deathly pale, having used his last bit of strength to help them. Katy flinched when he reached out for her shoulder, his eyes wide.
"He's...he's here..." Alonso mumbled, staring in terror at something behind her.
She twisted around to find the trench coat man leaning against the wall, his head cocked to the side. His lips were turned up in a smug smile, thinking he was about to win. Katy still wasn't sure what game they were playing. But she knew he was waiting for Alonso to take his last breath. And Katy was going to make sure he waited a hell of a long time.
"Blood transfusion," She spoke up, as Alonso frowned at her.
"What?" He questioned.
"My blood mutates instantly. I can give blood to anyone and they won't react. I can save you," She insisted, rolling up her sleeve.
"Where do you keep your advanced med-gear?" Astrid asked, as Alonso gestured to one of the cupboards.
"Katy, he's lost a lot of blood," The Doctor warned, as she clenched her jaw.
"No one else is dying today."
"How'd you feel?" Katy questioned, shining a torch in Alonso's eyes, finding his pupils reacted well.
It was a few hours later and she had just finished transfusing her blood, glad to see the injured man already had more colour in his cheeks. The Doctor had given him a temporary patch up job, and Alonso's vitals were remaining steady. He would live to see another day.
"I feel...good. Really good," Alonso nodded.
"You know, apart from me, you're basically the only person in this whole universe with Krillitane antibodies. If I were you, I'd keep quiet about that. People aren't fans of my race," Katy mumbled, as he gave a firm nod.
"Do you think...think that's why I saw that man too?" Alonso inquired.
They had time to talk as she was giving her blood, and unsurprisingly, the conversation always seemed to gravitate back to the man in the trench coat. Alonso couldn't see him anymore. She hadn't either since they had left the bridge. She hoped that would be permanent.
"No. I think other people have seen him. Whatever he is," Katy grimaced.
"You think he'll come back for me?" Alonso pushed, as Katy mulled it over.
"Everyone who I've seen him follow...they've all been close to death. I think that's what the connection was. You were going to die, but now...you've got a clean bill of health, Alonso. Use it wisely," She explained, patting him on the shoulder.
"...But if that's true, why does he keep following you?" Alonso pointed out, watching how Katy's eyes turned stormy.
"See you around sometime, Midshipman Frame," She exclaimed, forcing a smile on her face, before walking away.
"Doctor, I never said thank you," Slade announced, as Katy watched him reach out to pull him into a hug, leaving Katy taken aback. For just a moment, she wondered if she had misjudged the man. "The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?" He said smugly, as the Doctor remained silent, only glaring at him.
"Slade?" Katy called out, marching up to him, the smile having fallen from her face.
The moment Rickston turned around, Katy's fist was colliding with his face, sending him flying onto his back. Pursing her lips, Katy was glad to see she appeared to have knocked the man unconscious.
"I've been wanting to do all that all fucking day," Katy huffed, as Astrid grinned at her.
"Of all the people to survive, he's not the one you would have chosen, is he?" Mr Copper sighed, coming to stand beside the Doctor. He had seen the look in the Doctor's eyes when Rickston had spoken. The unspoken rage that was there. "But if you could choose, Doctor, if you decide who lives and who dies, that would make you a monster," Mr Copper advised, as the Doctor swallowed thickly, glancing at Katy for a moment.
"Mr Copper, I think you deserve one of these. Astrid, Katy. Time to go," The Doctor suggested, as they all placed the teleport bracelets onto their wrists, apart from Astrid, who still had hers on.
"I'll follow you guys soon. Gotta' make sure my patient gets seen to. As long as I'm not long, shouldn't get pulled out of this timeline yet," Katy replied, leaning up to kiss the Doctor's cheek.
"Always a nurse," He smiled, reaching up to cup her cheek for a moment, earning a true smile from her.
Back on Earth, late that night, the three of them had finally managed to track down the TARDIS. The relief when the Doctor saw his unharmed machine was palpable. A fine sheet of snow covered the blue box, as Astrid rubbed at her cold arms. She looked up at the sky, wondering if Katy was still on the Titanic.
"You know, between you and me, I don't even thing this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere," Mr Copper suggested, impressing the Doctor.
"Yeah. One of these days it might snow for real," The Doctor murmured.
"So...can we see inside?" Astrid beamed, her eyes full of wonder.
"I travel alone. It's best that way," The Doctor answered, feeling a flash of guilt as Astrid's face fell.
"But Katy...well, she said I could come," Astrid pointed out.
"It's my ship. I decide who travels in it," He insisted, bluntly.
"We didn't make the cut?" Mr Copper questioned.
"I can't lose anyone else," The Doctor retorted, as Mr Copper's brow furrowed.
"So, you're answer is to never get close to anyone again?" Mr Copper scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, as the Doctor nodded. "For such a smart man, you do say some stupid things. Hurt is a part of life."
"I think I have a little more life experience than you, Mr Copper," The Doctor snapped.
"I had a wife, Doctor. Perhaps not as special as yours, but she was to me. And she died. I carry that with me all the time. Perhaps that's why it took me so long to start living again. But the sad fact is, no matter who dies, the world will keep spinning. We have to carry on. There's nothing else to do," Mr Copper explained, as the Doctor hung his head for a moment.
"I just...can't. I'm sorry, but I can't," The Doctor replied.
"Still, maybe one day, we'll meet again? Just without all the fire and destruction next time?" Astrid suggested, as the Doctor gave her a slight smile, before she went on her tiptoes to hug him.
"Woah, woah. Hands off, blondie," A new voice called out, as the pair pulled apart to see Katy striding toward them.
"How is he?" The Doctor inquired.
"Well, I'm not sure if the cops believed it all, but he'll be okay. C'mon, it's freezing, let's get inside," Katy insisted, waving her ring in front of the TARDIS doors as they opened for her.
"Actually...we're not coming," Mr Copper announced, making Katy frown, missing the look the Doctor shared with him.
"But...you still want to come, right, Astrid?" Katy pushed, as the blonde let out a long sigh.
"Today was amazing. It really was. But I can't do this everyday. And from what I've seen, Earth seems like an adventure in itself," Astrid shrugged, avoiding Katy's disappointed expression.
"I'll look after her. Besides, I have this credit card. A little be of petty cash. I thought a million might cover it," Mr Copper told them, as Katy's eyes almost popped out of her head.
"A million? Pounds?"
"That enough for trinkets?" Mr Copper questioned.
"A million pounds is worth fifty million credits. Fifty million and fifty six, to be exact," The Doctor went on, as Mr Copper turned to Astrid.
"Oh, my word. Oh, my Vot! Oh, my goodness me. Yee ha! Astrid, we have money!" He cheered, as they both began jumping up at down.
"It's all yours. Planet Earth. Now, that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though. No interfering. I don't want any trouble. Just, just have a nice life," The Doctor smiled, as he went to stand in the doorway of the TARDIS.
"But we can have a house. A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and. Oh, Doctor, I will made you proud. And I can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and plates!" Mr Copper laughed, as the pair started to skip away, but after a few moments, he called back to the Doctor, just as Katy had entered the console room. "But Doctor, I won't forget her. Neither of us will," Mr Copper promised, as it took the Doctor a moment to understand what he was saying.
Mr Copper knew what it was like to lose someone. And he would make sure the Doctor's loss was remembered.
"I feel like I've been run over by a truck," Katy huffed, collapsing onto the console seats, thinking there probably wasn't one inch of her skin not filled with bruises.
"I need to talk to you," The Doctor informed her, tugging his bowtie free and placing it on the console.
Katy nodded slowly, thinking it was time to tell him about the man in the trench coat. Two minds were better than one, and when one of them was a genius mind like the Doctor's, it could only help. Pushing herself up onto her aching feet, she readied herself to admit to her omissions.
"So, do I. There's...there's something I haven't told you and—" Katy began, when the Doctor cut her off, striding forward until he was only inches away.
"Please. I need to say this. Before anything else happens, like drums and beaches—" The Doctor stated, when Katy interjected.
"Beaches?" She frowned.
"You saved Astrid. And I knew. I just knew. And Mr Copper was right, the hurt is always going to be there, but...I can't keep running from it," He went on, reaching out to take her hand in his.
"Okay, you've really lost me now," She replied.
"I didn't say it back. And I've regretted it everyday since then," The Doctor mumbled, squeezing her hand.
"Doctor..." Katy trailed off, her voice growing shaky when she saw the raw emotion in his brown eyes.
"I should have said it years ago," He confessed, as his eyes fluttered shut, sucking in a deep breath. It was time to stop running. Before it was too late.
"I love—" The Doctor started, when he felt his hand drop to his side.
His eyes shot open to find he was alone in the console room. He stumbled back a pace, colliding with the console, clamping his lips shut. Running both hands over his tired face, he shook his head, blinking away the wet tears that had started welling in his eyes.
"Not meant to be," He murmured.
Katy was gasping for air as her eyes darted around her dark surroundings, her mind taking a few moments to catch up. She was on her side, tucked up in a warm bed, cheek pressed against a silk pillow. Rubbing at her eyes, she thought of the Doctor, wondering what he was about to say to her when she registered a warm pressure against her stomach. Looking down, she could see there was an arm wrapped around her, holding on just a little too tightly. Figuring she was likely back with the Doctor's next regeneration, she allowed herself to relax down on the pillow. She was just settling back to sleep when she realised that she was naked under the sheets, and from the feel of skin against hers, she realised the Doctor appeared to be too. Disturbed by her thoughts, she felt the man behind her start to stir, their chin coming to rest on her shoulder.
"Bad dream?" A voice, thick with sleep, whispered in her ear.
Katy's eyes shot open then, jumping out of the bed in the blink of an eye, pulling the sheets up with her, covering her naked form. Twisting around, she found it wasn't the Doctor who had been holding onto her. It was the Master.
"What...the fuck?" Katy gaped.