Preparing For The Future (Book Twelve of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

The Girl Who Died

Well, talk about a busy end of a semester for me! Projects up the wazoo, Christmas Eve and a wedding to prepare music for, and then just general crash time . . . I'm glad I have a long break.

The Doctor doesn't like Vikings, Jessie tries to be a good teacher, and the team goes to war against a deadly alien race. And considering "Odin" is the enemy . . . well, how could I resist?

Enjoy "The Girl Who Died!"

***

"You know – " Sparks flying from the console interrupted Tony's words, and he ducked a spray as the Doctor ran around the console. "When I joined on, I didn't – " He was thrown back into the railing with Wanda as the TARDIS thrashed. "I didn't expect a space battle!" he finally finished his sentence.

"Welcome to our world!" Pietro shouted from where he was clinging to the console for dear life.

"Yes, yes, apologies!" the Doctor ran about, jacket flapping behind him. "First thing on the list, getting out of this battle."

"Doctor!" Clara's voice shouted over the comms. "Doctor!"

"Clara's the next thing on the list."

"Doctor, help me!" she yelled.

"Sorry, Clara!" Jessie called, fiddling with a few levers. "We're under attack by four battle fleets. We're working on it!"

"Bad Wolf, I think there's something in my space suit!"

Jessie paused, tilting her head. "Is there?"

"That's possible, actually," the Doctor nodded. "You were too long in the spider mines."

"And what does that mean?" Pietro scowled.

"It's possibly a Love Sprite," the Doctor answered. "Sucks your brain – "

"It what?" Tony yelped as he jumped out of the way of more sparks.

"Sucks your brain out through your mouth, hence the name," the Doctor finished.

Clara whimpered. "It's halfway up my leg!"

"Don't worry," the Doctor huffed. "It's just hungry."

"Doctor!"

"Clara, listen to me," Jessie swatted the Doctor away from the controls. "Describe the four most interesting stars you can see."

"There's a blue one, quite big. Two little yellowish ones just below."

The Doctor perked up, examining a screen and ignoring the shower of sparks behind him, even though Wanda crashed into Pietro trying to back away from it. "Color of whiskey, smaller one blinking?"

"Yes!" Clara confirmed. "It's on the back of my neck, I can feel it!"

"Great! I thought asphyxiation would kill you first."

"Get my girlfriend out of there!" Pietro shouted before shoving Wanda away from another spray of sparks.

"Working on it, Quickie Silver!" the Doctor riposted. "Can you see a nebula? Can you see a nebula in a sort of wing-shape? Bit green at the end?"

"Yes!" Clara confirmed. "Yes, I can!"

"Great! I've seen it, too. I wondered where it was."

The Doctor flipped a lever, and the TARDIS engines wheezed as it dematerialized. Clara started to take shape in the TARDIS, a wiggling lump under her suit. The Doctor lunged for her helmet, grabbing it off her and shaking until the sprite landed on the ground. Jessie quickly drew her blaster and fired three quick shots until the sprite was dead on the floor, guts splattered around. "Oh, thank God," Pietro hugged Clara tightly.