The Fall of Arcadia (Book ONE)

Chapter 31

The outer hatched opened again and the lights started flickering. "The hull is breached and the power's failing."

"Doctor? Lights." Sera told him, pointing her purple ended screwdriver at them and letting it do something. I dunno what, I suck at science. Then the Angels started to enter.

"Clerics, keep watching them."

"And don't look at their eyes. Anywhere else. Not the eyes. I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now." My sister said, snapping her screwdriver into the off position.

"Good work, Writer."

Then sassy sister was back. "Yes. Good, good, good. Good in many ways. Good you like it so far."

"So far?"

"Well, there's only one way to open this door. I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control." They said together, but the looks they gave each other said there was more to it.

"Good. Fine. Do it."

"Including the lights, Bishop. All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights." Sera told him, her eyes going dead and serious.

"How long for?"

"Fraction of a second. Maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer."

Octavian gave a long look. "Maybe?"

"She's guessing. We're being attacked by statues in a crashed ship. There isn't a manual for this." The Doctor defended, flapping his hands about again.

"Doctor, we lost the torches. We'll be in total darkness."

Sera and the Doctor were still staring at the Father. "No other way. Bishop."

He turned to River. "Doctor Song, I've lost good Clerics today. You trust this man and this Woman?"

"I absolutely trust them." She said without hesitation.

"They're not some kind of mad people, then?"

This time there was some hesitation. "I absolutely trust them."

"Excuse me." They both turned and started working again while the Bishop turned to River once more. My sister and her boy toy couldn't hear it, but I could.

"I'm taking your word, because you're the only one who can manage this guy, especially the woman, she's a loose cannon. But that only works so long as they don't know who you are. You cost me any more men, and I might just tell them. Understood?"

"Understood." She nodded after a moment.

"Okay, Doctor, Writer. We've got your back."

"Bless you. Bishop, and I don't say that often." Then Sera really got to work, as did the Doctor.

"Combat distance, ten feet. As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol. We don't have bullets to waste." Octavian commanded, and the remaining clerics got into position.

"Amy, when the lights go down, the wheel should release. Spin it clockwise four turns."

I repeated so they knew I understood. "Ten."

"No, four. Four turns." She paused, her face staring into mine scrupulously.

"Yeah, four. I heard you." I grabbed the wheel, confused.

"Ready!" The Doctor shouted, plunging his sonic screwdriver into a control unit.

"On my count, then. God be with us all. Three, two, one, fire!" The lights went out and the Clerics open fired.