Through the Universe [2]

I. The Impossible Planet

"Hold on to what?" Rose asks him.

"Anything. I don't care. Just hold on. Ood, are we fixed?" the man asks as the Doctor, Rose and I find some railings to hold on to. "Your kindness in this emergency is much appreciated." the Ood says.

"What's this planet called, anyway?" I ask everyone in the room a general question.

"Now, don't be stupid. It hasn't got a name. How could it have a name?" a woman asks us, making me raise my eyebrows. "You don't know, do you?" she asks us.

"And... Impact!" the man yells. The entire base shakes violently. The crew, the Doctor, Rose and I all cling on tight, but it's over pretty quick. The Doctor stands before offering me his hand to help me get up. "Oh, well, that wasn't so bad!" the Doctor says before we both get thrown backwards as the base shakes even more violently than it did before. I cling onto the Doctor whilst he clings to the railing for dear life. There is a small explosion from one of the consoles. Sparks fly around the room. We are all tossed about like a rag doll and finally, it stops. "Okay, that's it." the man says. Jefferson, whose name I learned on the way over here, hurries forward with a fire extinguisher. "Everyone all right? Speak to me, Ida?"

"Yeah, yeah!" the person who I assume is Ida says.

"Danny?" the man asks.

"Fine." Danny replies.

"Toby?"

"Yeah, fine." Toby replies.

"Scooti?"

"No damage." Scooti says.

"Jefferson?"

"Check!" Jefferson yells.

"We're fine, thanks, fine, yeah, don't worry about us." the Doctor says.

"The surface caved in." the man tells us all. The graphics on the computer screen indicate the part of the base that has been lost. "I deflected it onto storage 5 through 8. We've lost them completely. Toby, go and check the rocket link."

"That's not my department." Toby asks.

"Just do as I say, yeah?" the man asks him. Toby grudgingly leaves the room.

"Oxygen holding. Internal gravity 56.6. We should be okay." Ida says.

"Never mind the earthquake, that's... one hell of a storm. What is that, a hurricane?" Rose asks, looking around.

"You'd need an atmosphere from a hurricane. There's no air out there. It's a complete vacuum." Scooti tells us.

"Then what's shaking the roof?" Rose asks.

"You're not joking. You don't know? Well, introductions. FYI, as they said in the olden days. I'm Ida Scott, science officer." Ida tells us. "Zachary Cross Flane, acting Captain, sir... you've met Mr Jefferson, he's head of security. Danny Bartlock. Ethics committee."

"Not as boring as it sounds." Danny tells us making us grin at him.

"And that man who just left, that was Toby Zed, archaeology, and this..." she begins, placing her hands on Scooti's shoulders. "... is Scooti Manista. Trainee maintenance."

Scooti smiles over at us before Ida goes over to a set of controls. "And this... this is home." she says before she turns a lever and a whirring sound starts.

"Brace yourselves. The sight of it sends some people mad." Zach says. The room is flooded with a red-ish light as an overhead window opens, revealing a black hole right above us. The Doctor, Rose and I stand, amazed, watching the light being sucked into it. "That's a black hole." Rose says, amazed.