Chapter Twenty-Nine: 42
[TARDIS]
"Right, there we go," the Doctor says as he sonics Martha's mobile, "Universal roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again," he tosses it to her.
"No way. This is too mad," Martha gasps, looking at it, "You're telling me I can phone anyone, anywhere in space and time on my mobile?"
The Alchemist smirks, "As long as you know the area code."
"Frequent flier's privilege," he nods to her, "Go on, try it."
The TARDIS shudders violently just as Martha goes to dial, knocking all but the Time Lady to the floor.
"Distress signal!" the Alchemist realizes as the screen flashes.
The couple quickly gets to work as he calls out, "Locking on. Might be a bit of..."
The Doctor and Martha get thrown to the floor again from the sudden jerk as the Time Lady flips a switch.
"Turbulence," the Doctor finishes as he helps their companion up.
The Alchemist winces, "Sorry, you two."
Waving her off, the Doctor walks towards the doors, "No worries. Come on. Let's all take a look."
[Area 30]
The space they step into is filled with thick steam, the hot equipment glowing bright red.
"...Distress signal transmitted," a computer announces.
"Whoa," the Doctor grimaces as he steps out, "Now that is hot..."
'Not as hot as you,' the Time Lady tells him.
The Doctor gives her a look.
"Automated distress signal transmitted."
"Whuff," Martha huffs in agreement, tossing her jacket back into the ship, "It's hotter than your sauna in here."
"Venting systems," the Alchemist nods towards the red-hot equipment, "Working at full pelt, trying to cool down."
The Doctor shrugs, "Wherever it is we are. Well, if you can't stand the heat..."
[Area 29]
The Doctor opens a bulkhead door and goes through, "Well, that's better," he grins at the cooler air, and they follow him out.
The Alchemist looks up, noting the door reads 'Area Thirty.'
"Oi," a young man calls out, making them turn, "You three!"
"Get out of there!" the woman shouts.
The first man orders, "Seal that door, now!" as he and the other man run past the trio to do so themselves.
"Who are you?" she demands, "What are you doing on my ship?"
"Are you police?" the young man asks.
The Doctor frowns, "Why would we be police?"
"You seem not to want police..." the Alchemist narrows her gaze.
Martha shrugs, "We got your distress signal."
"If this is a ship, why can't I hear any engines?" the Time Lady asks.
"It went dead four minutes ago," the woman answers.
"So maybe we should stop chatting and get to Engineering," the older man dryly states, "Captain."
"Secure closure active," the computer announces.
"What?" the Captain asks in alarm, turning to the clanging sound of each door down the long ship.
The older man gapes, "The ship's gone mad."
Another woman runs towards them, the heavy doors slamming shut behind her, "Who activated secure closure?" she demands, "I nearly got locked into Area Twenty-seven."
The last bulkhead slams shut.
"Who are you?" the woman questions as she looks the newcomers over, confused.
Martha shrugs, "He's the Doctor, she's the Alchemist, and I'm Martha. Hello."
She nods and gestures in turn, "Erina, that's Captain McDonnell, Scannell, and Riley."
"Impact projection forty-two minutes twenty-seven seconds," the computer announces as Martha walks over to look out the porthole window.
The Alchemist frowns at the scents of fear coming off of the group.
"We'll get out of this. I promise," McDonnell says strongly.
"Doctor..." Martha mumbles, "Ally..."
The Alchemist strides over, and her eyes widen in shock.
"Forty-two minutes 'til what?" the Doctor asks the captain.
"Doctor! Look," Martha says, louder.
"...Doctor..." the Alchemist breathes, alarmed.
He runs over and looks out as well before his jaw drops; they are closing in on a massive burning yellow orb.
The Captain sighs, "Forty-two minutes until we crash into the sun."
"How many crew members on board?" the Time Lady demands, turning to the captain.
"Seven, including us."
"We transport cargo across the galaxy. Everything's automated. We just keep the ship space-wor..." Scannell says before the Doctor interrupts him.
"Call the others, we'll get you out!" he runs back to the door to Area Thirty.
"What's he doing?" Riley cries.
"No!" McDonnell calls out, "Don't!"
The Doctor falls back to the ground as the door swings open, and a wave of scorching heat hits him. His Bondmate rushes to help him up, checking him over carefully for burns.
"But our ship's in there!" he cries as the crew slams it shut again.
"In the vent chamber?" Riley asks, frowning.
"It's our lifeboat."
"It's lava," Scannell scoffs.
'And she's angry, really, really angry but she'll be fine,' the Alchemist tells him, hearing the TARDIS complain in her mind, and he nods.
"The temperature's going mad in there!" Erina shouts, reading off the temperature gauges, "Up three thousand degrees in ten seconds, and still rising."
"Channeling the air," Riley sighs, shaking his head, "The closer we get to the sun, the hotter that room's going to get."
Martha looks to her pilots in concern, "We're stuck here."
"So," the Doctor shrugs, "We fix the engines, we steer the ship away from the sun. Simple!"
"You had to say it, didn't you?" the Alchemist bemoans, "Ugh, whatever... Engineering down here, is it?" she turns and heads down a corridor, hand in hand with her Bondmate.
The Captain nods, following, "Yes."
"Impact in forty twenty-six."
[Engineering]
"Blimey," the Time Lord mutters as they stop short after running down the steps, "Do you always leave things in such a mess?"
"Oh, my God!" McDonnell cries out, seeing the disaster that once was the engine room.
Scannell's eyes widen, "What the hell happened?"
The engine room is filled with destruction, cut cable lines and wires, smashed lights, and broken switches.
Riley gasps, "Oh, it's wrecked."
"Rather efficiently too," the Alchemist remarks as she picks up a piece of a broken nav chip, "Someone knew what they were doing."
McDonnell looks around, "Where's Korwin? Has anyone heard from him or Ashton?"
"No," Scannell replies.
Martha frowns, "You mean someone did this on purpose?"
"Korwin, Ashton?" McDonnell calls over comm, "Where are you Korwin, can you answer?" she pulls back with a frown, "Where the hell is he? He should be up here."
The Doctor puts on his specs, looking over the cut wiring and cables, "Where are we, anyway, Ally?"
"Torajii system," she replies instantly and tries to get a computer started.
"Oh," he smiles, "We're in the Torajii system? Lovely," he turns to their companion, "You're a long way from home, Martha. Half a universe away."
"Yeah," she mutters in reply, "Feels it."
The Time Lady frowns at the screen reading, turning to the Captain, "And you're still using energy scoops for fusion? That's been outlawed."
"We're due to upgrade next docking," she replies, not looking at her, but the rest of the crew exchange glances that don't go unnoticed, "Scannell, engine report."
'She's lying,' the Alchemist tells him, and his expression hardens.
'Between that, flying into a sun, and their guilty expressions, we're in a bit of a bind, huh?'
'A bit.'
"No response," Scannell says after running a diagnostic on the computer terminal the Alchemist was just at.
"What?" McDonnell asks.
He frowns, "They're burnt out," he gestures to some of the frayed and burnt wires coming off the back, "The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back online."
The Doctor turns, pulling off his glasses and pocketing them, "Oh, come on. Auxiliary engines! Every craft's got auxiliaries!"
"We don't have access from here," McDonnell informs him, "The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship."
"Yeah," Scannell scoffs, "With twenty-nine password-sealed doors between us and them. You'll never get there in time."
Martha frowns, "Can't you override the doors?"
"No. Sealed closure means what it says. They're all dead-lock sealed."
"So a sonic screwdriver's no use," the Alchemist comments.
"Nothing's any use," Scannell shakes his head, "We've got no engines, no time, and no chance."
"Oh, listen to you!" the Doctor scoffs, "Defeated before you've even started! Where's your Dunkirk spirit?" he turns to McDonnell, "Who's got the door passwords?"
"They're randomly generated," Riley cuts in, "Reckon I know most of 'em. Sorry. Riley Vashti."
"Then what're you waiting for, Riley Vashti? Get on it," the Alchemist quips.
"Well, it's a two-person job," he sighs as he picks up a magnaclamp and a massive rucksack, "One, it takes to answer the questions, and the other to carry this," he explains, hefting the bag onto his back, "The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh, Captain?"
She smirks, "Reliable and simple, just like you, eh, Riley?"
"Try and be helpful, get abuse. Nice!"
"I'll help you," Martha offers, picking up the magnaclamp, "Make myself useful."
He nods and continues, "It's remotely controlled by the computer panel. That's why it needs two."
Martha nods and goes to follow him back up the stairs.
"Oi," the Doctor calls out, and she turns back, "Be careful."
"Please, Martha," the Time Lady implores.
She smiles at the couple, "I will... You too," and continues to head out of the room after Riley.
"McDonnell?" a voice calls over comm, "It's Ashton."
The woman runs to the intercom to respond, "Where are you? Is Korwin with you?"
"Get up to the Med-Center now!"
McDonnell rushes out of the room, and the Time Lords are quick to follow, sprinting past Riley and Martha.
"Impact in thirty-four thirty-one."
[Med-Center]
"Argh! Stop it!" the man cries out.
"Korwin," the woman calls, struggling to hold him down, "It's Abi. Open your eyes, I need to take a look at you."
As the group bursts in, they find a man and woman trying to restrain another man thrashing violently on a medical cot. Abi clutches a scanner, her hands trembling as she attempts to get a reading.
"Korwin! What's happened? Is he okay?" McDonnell rushes to the bed, panic rising at the sight of her writhing husband.
"Oh God!" the man screams just as the Doctor stops at the foot of the bed, "Help me! It's burning me!"
The Doctor's eyes scan the man's form as he pulls out his sonic, "How long's he been like this?"
"Ashton just brought him in," Abi replies quickly.
The sonic hums to life, the Doctor sweeping it over Korwin's body.
"What are you doing?" McDonnell demands, alarmed, as Korwin shouts again in agony and she instinctively moves toward him.
"He's running a medical scan, it's alright, Captain," the Alchemist says, voice calm but firm, trying to ease her rising panic.
McDonnell tries to take her husband's hand, but the Doctor moves between them, "Don't get too close."
"Don't be so stupid!" she snaps, "That's my husband."
"And he's very ill. Let him help, alright?" the Time Lady urges again, this time more gently.
McDonnell hesitates—then nods.
Ashton scoffs from the side, bitterness edging his voice, "And he's just sabotaged our ship."
"What?" the Captain's shock is instant.
"He went mad! He put the ship onto secure closure, then he set the heat pulse to melt the controls."
"No way," she insists, shaking her head, "He wouldn't do that."
"I saw it happen, Captain."
"Well, maybe he's not himself right now," the Alchemist mutters, her tone sharp as her eyes cut toward Ashton.
McDonnell nods, clinging to the thought.
The Doctor checks the readings and leans over the ill man, voice low, "Korwin? Korwin, open your eyes for me a second."
"I can't!" Korwin cries.
"Yeah, 'course you can. Go on."
"Don't make me look at you! Please!" he groans in anguish.
"Alright, alright, alright. Just relax," the Doctor murmurs.
The Alchemist scans the nearby medical tray, hand hovering as she uses her preceptors until she finds what she's looking for—Mazalidil, a full sedation chemical. She picks it up without hesitation.
"Doctor," she says gently to catch his attention, then shows the dose to Abi so she doesn't panic, "Sedative?"
"Yes."
She hands him the hypogun, and with precision, he injects Korwin in the neck.
"What's wrong with him?" the Captain asks, her voice tight with worry.
The Doctor leans back against the bedframe, arms folded, his eyes flicking between his wife and Abi as he recites his findings and instructions, "Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings," he gestures behind him, "Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature. And, just for fun, run a bioscan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail."
The Alchemist forces back a smile. They're well balanced, she and her Bondmate, in so many areas. But when it comes to medical care—especially across species—he will always shine brighter.
She never focused on the subject unless necessity demanded it; it never quite clicked for her. But for him, caring for others is instinct. It goes beyond saving worlds or unraveling timelines. Every life matters to the Doctor. As they do to her—but he elevates that care through knowledge, dedication, and love.
And that, more than anything, makes him her stars.
"Just doing them now," Abi nods.
"Oh, you're good," the Doctor grins before glancing at the other crewmates, "Anyone else presenting these symptoms?"
"Not so far."
The Alchemist nods, "Well, that's something, hopefully we can get this contained then."
McDonnell demands, "Will someone tell me what is the matter with him!?"
The Doctor turns to her, "Some sort of infection. We'll know more after the test results. Now, allons-y, back downstairs," he looks to Ashton, "Hey. See about those engines, Go," the man heads out but the Captain stays firm, "Hey. Go," she reluctantly leaves and the Doctor goes to follow with his wife at his side, calling back to Abi, "Call us if there's any news."
"Any questions?" the Time Lady asks with a smile as they head through the plastic sheeting again.
"Yeah," she scoffs, blinking widely, "Who are you?"
He pokes his head back in with a grin, "I'm the Doctor and she's the Alchemist."
He grasps his Bondmate's hand, and they rush away, following after McDonnell and Ashton.
"Heat shield failing. At twenty-five percent. Impact in thirty-two fifty."
[Engineering]
Back in the Engine room, the group split off to begin attempting some form of repair.
"Abi, how's Korwin doing? Any results from the bio-scan?" the Doctor calls over comm.
"He's under heavy sedation," she replies, "I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let you know."
"Make sure you check his levels of sedative as you go; I caught the label. Mazalidil metabolizes relatively fast for high fevered patients," the Alchemist reminds her, and the Doctor nudges her proudly.
"Will do, thanks for the heads up."
'You did not get that off the label,' the Doctor calls out silently.
She rolls her eyes and trims another wire, '''Course not. Remember when you were still practicing? I used to study those chemical compounds whenever I had the chance to visit during your work hours.'
'There were some major upswings to you being First Elite, getting access everywhere,' he replies.
'I wish you could have seen our Archives and labs... I suppose I can show you some memories of them after we're back in the TARDIS, actually,' she replies, and he grins.
'I'd like that. I was always curious about what they looked like.'
She nods and turns on the comm, "Martha? Riley? How're you doing?"
"Area Twenty-nine at the door to Twenty-eight," Martha replies.
The Doctor frowns, putting his specs on as he goes over some readouts, "Yeah, you've got to move faster."
"We're doing our best," she replies
"Find the next number in the sequence three one three three three one, three six seven," Riley reads out, "...What?"
"You said the crew knew all the answers!" Martha cries out in alarm, having forgotten the comm is still online.
Riley is quick to defend, "The crew's changed since we set the questions."
"You're joking..." Martha groans.
"Three seven nine," the Time Lords say at once before glaring playfully at each other.
"What?" Martha repeats
The Time Lady sighs, "It's a sequence of Happy primes. Three... seven... nine."
"Happy... what?" Martha asks again, confused.
"Just enter it. We used to play this game as kids," the Doctor grumbles as he strips another wire.
"Are you sure? We only get one chance." Riley asks, making the Alchemist roll her eyes.
"Any number that reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits, and you continue iterating until it yields one, is a happy number. Any number that doesn't isn't," she explains slowly.
The Doctor takes over, "A happy prime is a number that is both happy and prime. Now type it in!" he scoffs, "I don't know, talk about dumbing down! Don't they teach recreational mathematics anymore?"
"Clearly not," the Time Lady sighs in frustration, ignoring the glare going their way from the Captain as she climbs down the ladder back into the room.
"We're through!" Martha tells them.
"Keep moving," the Doctor orders, "Fast as you can."
"And, Martha, be careful. There may be something else on board this ship," the Alchemist quietly adds as she goes back over to the engine with the pieces she prepped.
Martha's quick to answer, "Any time you want to unnerve me, feel free."
"Will do, thanks!" the Doctor sarcastically replies before turning off the intercom.
"Impact in thirty-fifty."
The Alchemist sighs as they look over their work so far, "We need a backup in case they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time."
"Right, good idea," the Doctor nods, "Come on, think. Resources. What have we got?"
Martha calls out over the comm, "Ally? Doctor?"
"What is it now?" he groans, glaring at it.
"Who had the most number ones, Elvis or the Beatles? That's pre-download."
"Elvis," the Alchemist instantly replies.
The Doctor shakes his head, "No! The Beatles!"
"It's Elvis!" she glares.
"No! ...Wait! Uh, uh, oh, what was that remix?" he goes to smack his head, but the Alchemist grabs it and holds his hand, stopping him, "Er, I don't know," the Time Lord groans, "We're a bit busy."
"Fine," Martha snips, "I'll ask someone else."
"Martha, it's Elvis, I'm certain!" the Alchemist rolls her eyes when there's no response; Martha has turned the comm back off.
The Doctor sighs, "Now, where was I? Here Comes the Sun... No, resources!"
"Honestly, the Beatles?" the Alchemist murmurs in annoyance before thinking aloud, "So, the ship still has power, which means the generator's going. If we can harness that..."
"Use the generator to jump-start the ship," McDonnell realizes, her jaw dropping.
"Ah! That's my brilliant wife!" the Doctor grins, and his Bondmate laughs.
"Thanks, love. Exactly. At the very least, it'll buy us some more time. We're good with time."
"That is brilliant," the Captain admits.
The Time Lord nods, "I know, she's good," he glances over his shoulder, "See? Tiny glimmer of hope."
"If it works," Scannell grumbles, dampening the mood.
"Oh, believe me," the Captain smirks, "you're going to make it work."
He shakes his head and walks off while Ashton, the Alchemist, and the Doctor exchange smirks with McDonnell.
"That told him," the Doctor laughs.
"Impact in twenty-nine forty-six."
The Alchemist works alongside Scannell, adjusting cabling, wiring, and switches on the generator, prepping it for an easy startup. The Doctor continues scanning power register results with his sonic while assisting with adjustments.
Abi's voice crackles over the intercom, "Doctor, these readings are starting to scare me."
"What do you mean?" he asks, pausing his work.
"Well, Korwin's body's changing! His whole biological makeup, it's... it's impossible," she says, alarmed.
A loud clang echoes over the comm, followed by Abi's terrified voice, "This is Med-Center! Urgent assistance requested! Urgent assistance!"
"He's awake! She didn't add any more sedative!" the Alchemist growls as they sprint toward the steps, rushing toward the Med-Center.
"Stay here!" the Time Lord calls over his shoulder, "Keep working!"
McDonnell is quick to follow.
[Corridor]
"Urgent assistance!" Abi yells again, fear lacing her tone.
Erina calls out, "Abi, they're on their way."
"What's happening to you?" Abi asks Korwin, the intercom still online.
"Burn with me," a deep guttural voice calls out, "Burn with me..."
The group runs faster, and the Alchemist takes the lead in her sprint.
The Doctor turns and slows slightly, spotting Scannell.
"Captain?" the man shouts, trying to catch up with them.
The Doctor glares back at the man, "I told you to stay in Engineering!"
"I only take orders from one person 'round here," he replies, glaring as well.
"Oh, is he always this cheery?" the Doctor scoffs.
"Just hurry up!" the Time Lady shouts, and they pick up speed again.
The Alchemist, hearing the growling man's voice, "Burn with me!" sprints even faster, nearly leaping every few feet.
"Kor...Korwin, you're sick," Abi cries.
"Burn... With... Me!" Korwin's menacing tone calls out.
A scream of pain and fear bellows through the comm of the ship and the Time Lords share feelings of dread.
"Ally, Doctor," Martha nervously calls over the intercom, "What were those screams?"
"Concentrate on those doors!" the Alchemist shouts, "You've got to keep moving forward!"
"Impact in twenty-seven oh six."
[Med-Center]
The Alchemist sprints through the plastic sheeting into Med-Center, eyes scanning the room in concern. The acrid scent of burnt flesh lingers in the air, making her jaw tighten in frustration. The others follow close behind, panting from the chase.
Korwin and Abi are missing. The Time Lady's sharp gaze locks onto the wall.
"Korwin's gone..." McDonnell frowns.
Scannell turns back but pauses when he notices the Alchemist's fixed stare; he follows her line of sight—and then his breath catches, "Oh, my God."
The others turn, their eyes landing on the same horrifying sight: a blackened, charred human-shaped shadow burned into the X-ray shield.
"Tell me that's not Lerner..." Scannell breathes.
The Alchemist raises a hand, signaling for silence.
She frowns at her Bondmate before shaking her head, "Endothermic vaporization. I've never seen one this ferocious."
"Neither have I..." he admits, recalling the voice, "'Burn with me.'"
"That's what we heard Korwin say," Scannell frowns.
"What? Do you think?" McDonnell shakes her head with a gasp, "No way. Scannell, tell them! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporize people. He's human!"
While the others grapple with the shock, the Alchemist moves swiftly through the room, scanning for clues. Her eyes land on scattered documents. She kneels, scooping them up, flipping through them with growing urgency.
"Doctor," she calls sharply, "His bioscan results... you need to see this."
He takes the readout, scanning the figures.
His eyes widen, "Internal temperature—one hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen. Your husband hasn't been infected; he's been overwhelmed."
McDonnell snatches the papers from his hands, snapping, "The test results are wrong!"
The Alchemist's expression hardens, "Are you saying your crewmate was wrong? Because based on what just happened here, she lost her life to him," her voice is edged with ice, the mask of patience slipping into sharp distrust.
McDonnell falters under the intensity of her gaze, looking away.
The Doctor exhales, running a hand through his hair, "But what is it? A parasite? A mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body? And how did it get inside him?"
"Stop talking like he's some kind of experiment!" McDonnell snaps.
"He's not," the Alchemist cuts in, her tone firm with frustration, "He's trying to make sense of the results."
The Doctor refocuses on the captain, "Where's the ship been? Have you made planetfall recently? Docked with any other vessels? Any kind of external contact at all?"
McDonnell glares, "What is this, an interrogation?"
"We've got to stop him before he kills again," the Doctor urges gently.
The Alchemist exhales, steady but firm, "You need to give us something. If this isn't him, then who is it?"
McDonnell hesitates, struggling for words, "We're just... a cargo ship..."
Scannell steps forward, "Doctor, Alchemist, give her a minute."
McDonnell closes her eyes, taking a deep breath; after a moment, she regains her composure, "I'm fine," she says quietly.
Squaring her shoulders, she strides to the intercom and announces, "Everybody, listen to me. Something has infected Korwin. We think he killed Abi Lerner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"
"Understood, Captain," Ashton replies.
"Impact in twenty-four fifty-one."
The Doctor goes over the results again, the Alchemist leaning against him, reading along as the Captain sits for a moment, processing, with Scannell watching the trio closely.
"Is the infection permanent?" she finally asks, "Can you cure him?"
"I... don't know," the Doctor tells her, which earns him a stern look from his wife.
McDonnell notices it, "Don't lie to me, Doctor. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest, so I don't want false hope."
The Time Lord nods and turns back to her, "The parasite's too aggressive. Your husband's gone. There's no way back. I'm sorry."
The Captain swallows hard and nods, "Thank you."
"Are... are you certain nothing happened to provoke this?" the Alchemist asks her softly, "Nobody's working on anything secret? Because it's vital that you tell us."
McDonnell shakes her head, expression stern, "I know every inch of this ship. I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing."
The Doctor frowns, looking at the woman, "Then why is this thing so interested in you?"
"I wish I knew," she admits, shaking her head.
"Ally, Doctor," Martha calls over comm, "We're through to Area Seventeen."
The Doctor replies, "Keep going. You've got to get to Area One and reboot those engines."
"Heat shields failing. At twenty percent."
It's mostly quiet for a few moments, the Time Lords discussing the results and potential reasons for them.
"Airlock sealed. Jettison escape pod."
"What?" the Doctor asks, looking at the Alchemist in concern.
"Doctor! Ally!" Martha shouts over the comm in alarm.
"Pod jettison initiated."
"What!?" he repeats, and the Alchemist starts sprinting, diving through the plastic-covered doorway, followed by the other three.
"Doctor! Ally!" Martha cries out once more, "We're stuck in an escape pod off the Area Seventeen airlock. One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've got to help us!"
"We're coming!" the Alchemist shouts as she runs.
They pause outside Engineering, noticing it's silent and empty.
[Engineering]
"Why is this happening?" McDonnell breathes as they take in the destruction.
The Engine room is now destroyed further; all of their work in repairs and the attempt to set up the generator as a way to start the ship is wrecked.
"Stay here," the Doctor orders, pulling his specs off again, "I mean it this time! Jumpstart those engines!"
They sprint out again, hoping beyond anything that they can stop this and save Martha and Riley.
[Corridor]
'I smelled char coming from the storage area,' the Alchemist explains, 'It must have been Erina.'
'We need to stop this thing,' the Doctor replies, frustrated as they sprint faster.
[Area 17]
They spot Ashton the moment they arrive—welding shield over his face, hands flying across the console as he attempts to jettison the pod.
"That's enough!" the Doctor shouts, "What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me."
Ashton whips around and slams a fist through the keypad, sparks flying as it shorts out.
"Jettison activated."
"No!" the Alchemist shouts, rushing to the airlock.
"Ally! Help!" Martha cries out from the pod.
"I'm trying!" the Time Lady calls back, yanking wires from the scorched panel; she flips out her sonic screwdriver, working rapidly to restore power to the other side.
Behind her, the Doctor advances on Ashton, determination burning in his eyes.
"Come on," he breathes, "Let's see you. I want to know what you really are."
He reaches for the welding visor—then Ashton doubles over in pain.
"Shit," the Alchemist mutters as the ruined keypad sparks again; insulation melts together, sealing off any remaining connection.
"Airlock sealed."
"Why is this..." she mutters, trailing off, hearts pounding as Martha begins to bang her hand against the pod window.
Ashton straightens slowly, eerily calm, and brushes past the Doctor without a word, heading deeper into the ship.
The Doctor bolts for the intercom, "McDonnell? Ashton's heading in your direction. He's been infected, just like Korwin!"
Scannell's voice crackles back, grim and stunned, "Korwin's dead, Doctor."
"Doctor!" the Alchemist calls sharply, her voice slicing through the chaos, and he runs to her side.
"Airlock decompression completed. Jettisoning pod."
"No, no, no, no..." the Doctor mutters, voice hollow as they both stare through the small window.
"Ally!" Martha shouts from the other side, panicked, "Doctor!"
"We'll save you!" he shouts, praying she can hear him.
"Alchemist! Doctor!" she yells again.
"We'll... save... you!" the Alchemist mouths deliberately, locking eyes with her.
Martha nods, tears in her eyes. She understands.
"We'll save you!" they call again in unison.
The pod detaches, slowly drifting into space—its course aimed directly at the yellow dwarf star.
The Alchemist doesn't even spare a glance at her Bondmate as he shows her his plans; she sprints for the intercom.
"Scannell! I need a spacesuit in Area Seventeen, now!"
"What for?" he asks, confused.
She growls, "Just get down here!"
'I should be doing it,' she thinks, chest tight, 'I can take the heat better. But you're…'
'Taller?' he answers in her mind, still watching the pod drift, 'Regardless, I would never let you go out there, Amara. This is on me.'
'Us,' she corrects, and he turns to her, 'We both brought her here. She's our responsibility. You're not alone. You were never alone—and I will never let you be alone.'
She steps up beside him and takes his hands. He grips hers in return, the contact grounding him as he leans his forehead to hers.
Scannell arrives with the suit, breathless. They rapidly fill him in on the situation as the Alchemist helps the Doctor into it.
Scannell shakes his head, "I can't let you do this."
"You're wasting your breath, Scannell," the Doctor replies, "You're not going to stop me; only my wife's capable of that."
"And she's not about to," the Alchemist smirks as she pulls a wire loose to let him into the airlock.
"You want to open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun," Scannell says, glancing between the pair, "No one can survive that!"
The Alchemist rolls her eyes, "Oh, just you watch!"
"You open that airlock; it's suicide. This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."
"If he can boost the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should re-magnetize the pod," the Alchemist explains.
"Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines," the Time Lord tells him.
"Decompression initiated. Impact in twelve fifty-five."
Scannell gives them a frustrated look, "Doctor, will you listen!? They're too far away. It's too late!"
"We're not going to lose her," the Doctor shakes his head, "She's our friend, and your friend is there too."
The Alchemist picks up the helmet and smirks at the Doctor, spinning it in her hands.
"One because I love you," she kisses his lips, and he attempts a smile as she gets the helmet on and locked.
She presses her lips to the protective encasement, "And that's another one for good measure."
The Time Lady nods to him, proud, as he takes her hand and walks into the airlock after the Alchemist opens it. She toggles the wire again, setting the doors to close, and he lets go of her grasp at the last second.
[Airlock]
"Impact in eleven fifteen. Heat shield failing. At ten percent."
The Doctor slams a hand down on the keypad, and the outer door groans open. Unfiltered sunlight blasts into the chamber like a wave of fire. He flinches instinctively, recoiling from the sheer intensity of the heat and glare.
Jaw clenched, eyes narrowed, he forces himself forward, climbing into the blinding light. Outside, the hull radiates with scorching energy. He braces himself against the edge, the vacuum threatening to wrench him away. Still, he stretches toward a panel of four buttons embedded in the ship's exterior, fingers slipping slightly on the overheated metal.
"Come on!" the Time Lord groans through the comm, "Go on, my son!"
He manages to slam down two of the buttons—barely. Sweat streaks down his temple, seared into steam. Just beyond, the emergency override box glints mockingly in the blaze. He reaches for it.
Inside, the Alchemist frowns, sensing the shift in his energy, 'Theta, are you alright?'
The Doctor replies, strained, 'I can't, I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last.'
'Come on,' she urges fiercely, 'Don't you give up now. I never gave up my belief in you—and I couldn't even remember your names during the war. Did you give up on yourself… on me?'
'Never,' he fires back, voice raw with emotion.
With a growl, the Doctor rips the cover off the box. The metal singes his fingers, but he doesn't stop. With a cry, he yanks the lever down, swinging wildly in the vacuum to do it.
He stumbles back into the airlock. He drops to his knees, panting, utterly spent.
Outside, the pod begins its slow return, drifting through the solar glare. The Doctor lifts his head to look—and freezes. He stares in confusion before his eyes widen in horror.
"It's alive," he murmurs, "It's alive?" realization and understanding set in, "It's alive!"
'It's alive!' the Doctor shouts.
[Area 17]
"It's alive...?" the Alchemist gasps, staggering as the searing pain of her Bondmate slams into her.
To her, it feels like the raw, electric burn of corrupted programming. But for him—it's pure, unrelenting agony.
"You need to get out of there! Come on, send it through, send it all through!" she calls through the comm, desperation thick in her voice.
"Impact in eight fifty-seven."
A flare of pain lances through her again—sharper this time—but then it lessens, just slightly. She exhales shakily, relieved. He's listening, even if it's not enough to help much.
"Airlock recompression completed."
The chamber seals and reoxygenates. The Doctor, helmet now off, drags himself forward on trembling limbs, eyes clenched tight.
The Alchemist doesn't hesitate. She drops to the floor and pulls him into her arms. His overheated body presses into hers, instinctively seeking her cooler temperature—anything to dull the burning coursing through him.
Behind them, the pod slams into the dock, the hiss of the seal barely audible over the chaos. Martha and Riley scramble out of it into the corridor.
"Doctor!?" Martha cries, panic rising in her voice, "Doctor! Are you okay?"
She drops beside him, reaching, but the Doctor recoils violently, pressing deeper into the Alchemist's embrace.
His eyes crack open—blazing yellow, glowing like twin stars.
"Stay away from me!" he growls, then cries out, clinging to his wife, "Ally, Ally, help!"
"I've got you, I've got you, love," she whispers, holding him tight as he curls in closer, trying to hide from the burning inside him.
McDonnell rounds the corner, halting at the sight, "What's happened?"
"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!" the Alchemist snarls, fury flashing in her eyes.
"Riley," McDonnell barks, "Get down to Area Ten and help Scannell with the doors. Go!"
He nods quickly and bolts.
"You mined that sun. Stripped its surface for cheap fuel," the Alchemist snaps, trembling with rage.
The Doctor gasps for air, then lets out a raw shout, "You should have scanned for life!"
"I don't understand," McDonnell stammers, confused.
"What are you talking about?" Martha asks, her eyes flicking between them.
"That sun is alive. A living organism," the Doctor shouts, each word edged with pain, "They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel—and now it's screaming!" he doubles over in agony, "Ally, it hurts!"
"I know, I know," she murmurs gently, her hand over his chest, "Just send it through; let me help handle your pain, hm?"
He nods against her, too overwhelmed to speak.
"What do you mean?" McDonnell asks, horrified, "How can a sun be alive? Why is he saying that?"
"Because it's living in me!" the Doctor snarls.
"Oh, my God..."
"Humans!" the Doctor hisses, voice trembling with fury, "You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry!" his voice rises to a scream, wracked with torment, "You should have scanned!"
"It takes too long!" McDonnell cries, "We'd be caught! Fusion scoops are illegal!"
"And why do you think that is!?" the Alchemist snaps; she turns sharply to Martha, "We've got to freeze him, quickly."
"What?" Martha breathes, stunned.
"The stasis chamber," she explains, already shifting the Doctor's weight into her arms, "We've got to take it below minus two hundred. Ten seconds only. Try and freeze it out of him!"
"It'll use me to kill you if you don't!" the Doctor gasps, clutching at her desperately, "The closer we get to the sun, the stronger... it gets!"
"Med-Center, quickly! Let's go!" the Alchemist barks, already running, carrying him like he weighs nothing.
"Impact in seven thirty."
[Med-Center]
The Time Lord screams in agony nearly the entire way there. They burst through the plastic sheeting, his Bondmate doing everything she can to hold him steady until they're inside.
"Martha, you need to do this," the Time Lady calls out.
Martha nods sharply, grabbing the instruction manual for the chamber.
The Alchemist gently places him on the chamber's bed.
He cries out, "Ally, where are you!?"
"It's alright, I'm here," she whispers, threading her fingers through his hair and gripping his hand as he reaches for her.
She kisses his burning forehead while Martha flips through the manual.
"Stasis chamber, minus two hundred, yeah?" Martha calls.
"Yeah, that's it," the Alchemist replies. "You're both doing amazing. Martha, you've got this. Come on—just hold on for me, Doctor."
"No," McDonnell snaps, "You don't know how this equipment works. You'll kill him! Nobody can survive those temperatures!"
The Time Lady pulls back slightly and turns to her, snarling, "He's not human. Neither of us is."
"If she says he can survive, then he can," Martha says firmly.
The Captain steps forward, "Let me help you, then."
Martha's glare could burn steel, "You've done enough damage."
"Ten seconds," the Alchemist confirms to their companion, "That's all he'll be able to take. No more."
"Ally!" the Doctor screams, bucking against the table.
She leaps up onto it and lies on top of him. He relaxes slightly.
"I'm here," she murmurs, "I'm not going anywhere."
"It's burning me up," he cries, "I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it…" his voice darkens, "I could kill you. I could kill you all…" he resists, shaking violently, "I'm scared! I'm so scared!"
"Just try to breathe," she whispers,"You saved Martha," she reminds him, tearing up., "You saved me... All through the war, I lived for you. Now you need to let us save you, alright? Just believe in me and Martha."
"I do!" the Time Lord cries, "But it's burning through me!" a dry sob escapes him, "It's bloody killing me! Then what'll happen?"
"That won't happen!" she says, voice cracking, "I've got you. I'm always here for you. Always. I will always protect you."
"I might need to Regenerate…"
"Shush," she says gently, "Because that is not going to happen. Not today. Not yet," she turns, "Martha, are you ready?"
"Yes!"
The Time Lady jumps off the table, clutching her husband's hands while Martha starts up the system.
"No!" the Doctor cries out, desperately holding on to the Alchemist as he slides into the chamber.
Once he's fully inside, Martha types 200 into the keypad and slams a button. The Doctor's wailing screams echo as the temperature plummets.
"Heat shields failing. At five percent."
Martha stands ready to pull him out, her eyes red, fighting back tears for her friend.
The Alchemist watches the numbers drop steadily, feeling every ounce of his pain. It's too close—too close to what she endured during programming. She won't tell him unless he asks. But if he does... he deserves the truth.
Frost clings to the Doctor as the chamber hits minus 70 degrees—then shuts off.
"No!" he cries, "Martha, you can't stop it! Not yet!"
"What happened?" Martha demands, rounding on the Captain.
"Power's been cut in Engineering," the Captain replies, frowning.
"But who's down there?"
"Leave it to me," McDonnell says, swallowing hard before sprinting from the room.
'Theta, I'm here, just hold on for me,' the Alchemist thinks desperately as another scream tears from his throat.
"Impact in four forty-seven."
"Come on," Martha shouts, slamming her hand against the chamber, "You're defrosting!"
"Ally, Martha, listen! I've only got a moment. You've got to go!" the Doctor calls.
The Time Lady cuts him off, "No way in hell am I leaving you…" she turns to Martha, "Get to the front and vent the engines. Sun particles in the fuel—get rid of them."
"Ally!" the Doctor shouts, writhing in pain.
"I am not leaving you," Martha says, shaking her head.
"Martha, go! Rule one," the Alchemist orders, eyes like steel, "You've got to give back what they took. It's our only chance."
Martha looks between the chamber and the Time Lady, then nods, "I'll be right back."
She bolts from the room as the Doctor lets out another scream of pain.
"Impact in four oh eight"
"Come on, love, just hold on," she tells her Bondmate, beginning to hum, hoping it calms him.
"Impact in three forty-three."
She's now softly singing when the Captain calls out over the intercom.
"Riley, Scannell... I'm sorry."
"McDonnell," Scannell shouts, "McDonnell!"
"Exterior airlock opened."
The Alchemist sighs heavily in frustration before singing again.
"Impact in two seventeen. Primary engines critical. Repeat. Primary engines critical. Survival estimate projection zero percent."
The Doctor kicks the stasis chamber open and falls out of it. The Alchemist quickly drops to the ground and grabs him, holding him against her as he fights back at her stronghold.
"Doctor! What are..." she tries to ask.
"I can't fight it!" he cries before his voice goes dark, "Give it back or burn with me. Burn with me, Ally."
"Impact in one twenty-one."
The Alchemist lets him go and he stands as she does, her eyes light up with the Vortex at full.
"I am Time's Chosen, return my Other half, Solar Torajii."
The living entity within the Doctor looks at her with wide sun-lit eyes.
"Chosen," it whispers.
"Yes, return my Other half."
The light goes out in the Doctor's eyes, and he keels over into the Alchemist's arms as they both begin to sob.
"Life support systems reaching critical. Repeat, Life support systems reaching critical. Impact in one oh six. Collision alert. Collision alert."
The Doctor leans back into the Alchemist's hold on the ground, weary, his body still racked with pains, as she wraps her arms around his torso, waiting.
"It's been good, huh?" she asks.
He huffs, "Yeah, suppose so."
"Suppose?"
"It's been brilliant."
She sighs, "I love you."
The Doctor leans back and kisses her neck, "And I love you."
"Impact averted. Impact averted."
"Martha," the Doctor breathes.
The Alchemist smiles, sighing heavily, "We did say she was good, didn't we?"
"Do we have to get up?" he asks, and she laughs.
"Come on."
With a long, reluctant sigh, he rolls to his side, letting her stand first. She reaches down and helps him up, draping his arm over her shoulder and shouldering most of his weight without hesitation.
They begin their slow walk out of the Med-Center—just as Martha races toward them down the now-open ship corridor.
"Doctor! Ally!" she shouts, throwing her arms around them in a three-way hug.
[Area 30]
In the safety of interstellar space, Riley and Scannell stand shocked, looking at the impossible box, which is the TARDIS.
The Alchemist says a quiet 'goodbye' to the pair before unlocking their ship and walking in, while the Doctor paces around her, checking the outside of their beautiful Old Girl for damage.
"This is never your ship," Scannell finally says, shaking his head.
"Compact, eh?" the Time Lord laughs, "And another good word, robust. Barely a scorch mark on her."
"We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel," Martha frowns, looking at the pair.
"We've sent out an official mayday," Riley informs her, "The authorities'll pick us up soon enough."
Scannell sighs, "Though how we explain what happened..."
"Just tell them," the Doctor pauses, opening the door to the TARDIS, "That sun needs care and protection just like any other living thing."
Scannell nods as he walks in, shutting the door most of the way behind him; giving Martha privacy to say goodbye.
[TARDIS Console Room]
"Doctor," the Time Lady whispers.
He doesn't hesitate—crosses the space in two strides and sweeps her off her feet, arms locked tight around her as she clings to him. He spins her once, grounding himself in the feel of her in his arms, then lowers her back down, cupping her face as he kisses her hard—urgent, messy, like he needs her breath in his lungs just to keep standing.
He pulls back for air, eyes wide, "You got it out. Just by saying that name… how?"
"I don't know. I don't know anything about this besides what was written on Gallifrey. It's like…"
"It goes beyond everything we thought before?"
She nods, her hands still gripping his jacket, "I was so afraid I was going to lose you and we're… We're so close. I'm sure of it."
The Doctor sighs, brushing his fingers gently through her ginger waves, "I know. I can feel the patch starting to lift in your mind."
Martha steps inside, quietly closing the door behind her. She stops when she sees them, the Time Lords still wrapped in each other's arms. The Doctor is gently stroking his wife's hair, and for once, both of them seem completely still.
She waits until they pull apart and turn to her with matching smiles.
"So! Didn't really need you in the end, did we?" she says, wincing at how it lands when the Time Lady raises a brow, "Sorry. How're you both doing?"
"Now!" the Doctor grins, his tone too cheerful, dodging the weight of what just happened. He isn't ready to admit how close he came to losing everything, "What do you say? Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Kur-ha. Fancy it?"
Martha looks down, sighing at his deflection, "Whatever you like."
The Alchemist gives her a soft smile and reaches into her pocket, "By the way, you'll be needing this." She holds out a long chain with the TARDIS key dangling at the end.
"Really?" Martha lights up, accepting it as the Time Lady lets it fall into her open hands.
The Doctor nods, "Frequent flier's privilege. And…" he pauses, "Thank you."
She shrugs. "No problem."
"No, Martha. Thank you," the Alchemist says again, more firmly this time.
Martha nods and smiles—then suddenly gasps, "Oh, no! Mum."
She rushes to the side to call her back.
The Alchemist laughs lightly, but her smile fades as something sharp and cold coils in her chest.
'Amara, what is it?' the Doctor asks silently.
'I think I need a little talk with Teacher. You and Martha go on without me.'
She doesn't wait. Turns and strides to one of the private corridor panels, presses her hand to it, and slips inside as it hisses open. She doesn't bother closing it.
"Is Ally alright?" Martha asks, finishing her call and looking toward the empty corridor.
The Doctor flashes a quick, tight smile. "She's just gotta check on some things for the ship. Asked us to go on ahead. Ready to skate?"
"Yeah! Definitely," Martha says, a little laugh in her voice.
"Just wait until Ally comes out. She's terrible at it."
"You're… kidding, right?" she asks, clearly not buying it.
"I'm not, I'm not! She's bloody awful! You should have seen how many times she knocked me down last time… I honestly lost count," he says, already fiddling with the controls as the engines hum to life.
[Alchemist's Practice Room]
The Alchemist is silent as she wraps her hands with syntonic linen, her movements sharp and precise. Fury radiates off her in thick, suffocating waves, each breath tighter than the last.
She's never not had a reason to trust the Time Vortex. She's followed every rule it gave her, bent herself around the limits. She's saved lives, even when it cost her everything. With or without her abilities, she's always tried.
She moves into position—feet set just wider than shoulder-width. She drops her right foot back, angling it. Her heels lift slightly as she starts to bounce in place, building rhythm, building momentum.
Then—impact.
Her first punch slams into the heavy bag with a crack of knuckles.
"Don't I remember enough!? All the torture he put me through? If I had my ability to teleport while on that ship, everyone would still be alive! Bloody hell, Teacher! Five people died on that ship!"
She dives in—back uppercut. Her body moves on muscle memory: left hook, jab, cross, front hook, back hook, front uppercut, back uppercut. The combo hammers into the bag again and again as she cycles through the full set three times. She switch-hits, pivots, and launches another sequence, fast and tight. A seven—lead hook. Then eight—right overhand. Precision. Anger.
'Payment was due,' comes the answer.
Flat. Cold.
She growls, a guttural sound tearing from her chest, and redoubles her speed.
'From Abi? She was a healer!' the Alchemist fires back, her fists unrelenting as she keeps to the eight-motion pace.
There's no response. She doesn't stop.
'Erina and Ashton were technicians, what could they have done!?'
'Hal Korwin was a good husband despite what they did!'
'Kath McDonnell gave up her life to save her crew!'
'Martha almost flew into that damn sun with Riley!'
Her final shout tears the air: "Theta was in so much pain... My Bondmate could have died!"
Then everything hits.
A violent surge of images crashes into her mind.
Abi Lerner—young, exhausted, caring for elderly patients in a crowded hospital, a needle into a line.
"Stop!" she cries out, collapsing to her knees, fists unclenching, "No more, please!"
But the visions keep coming.
Each face of the dead, each life... layered with the deaths they caused. The sins they bore.
The final image: McDonnell. She's pushing Ashton's head into a stasis chamber—the very chamber the Doctor was in—ending his life.
The Alchemist crumples, sobbing, her body racked with pain.
Then arms—warm, strong, wiry—lift her. She's pulled gently into a lap she knows better than her own bones. He cradles her, shielding her from the storm in her mind.
"Amara, I've got you, I'm here," the Doctor whispers in Old High Gallifreyan, his voice low and steady as she trembles against him.
"I can't—I can't breathe," she manages, her chest tight, her hearts pounding too fast.
He begins to sing. Softly, into her ear.
"...Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, ring-a-ling
Hear them ring, ting-a-ling
Soon it will be Christmas day..."
His voice hums into her skin, grounding her. Holding her in place.
"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks. Dressed in holiday style. In the air there's a feeling... of Christmas. Children laughing, people passing... Meeting smile after smile..."
She swallows hard. Her voice cracks as she joins in.
"And on every street corner you'll hear,"
"Silver bells, silver bells... Silver bells, silver bells... It's Christmas time in the city. Ring-a-ling, ring-a-ling. Hear them ring, hear them ring. Soon it will be Christmas day," they finish quietly.
She tucks her head under his chin, her tears still falling, but slower now. He keeps rocking her, arms locked around her, holding her through the silence.