To Be Human

Chapter 15 - 42

42, part 2 -

"Jane, Doctor, we're through to area seventeen", Martha's voice came through the comm.

"Keep going. You've got to get to area one to reboot those engines", the Doctor's voice followed.

"Heat shields failing. At twenty two percent."

The Oracle, McDonnell and Scannell were on their way back to Engineering when Martha's voice came over the comm, "Doctor! 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! Tell me you can stop it."

"Why is this happening?", McDonnell asked.

"Get to Engineering and get it started", the Oracle said, already on her way to Martha.

"It's picking us off. One by one."

The Oracle ran into her husband on the way and followed him in a sprint. They arrived to find Ashton with a welder's mask and thick gloves typing away on a keypad.

"That's enough!", the Doctor called out to him, "What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me."

Ashton screamed and punched his fist into the keypad, sparks flying.

"No! Martha!"

Ashton walked up to them until he was standing right in front of the Doctor, "Come on. Let's see you. I want to know what you really are."

He put his gloved hand to his visor but before he could lift it he doubled over in pain as the Doctor just stood there and stared at him and the Oracle ran past him to get to the destroyed keypad. She saw Martha hammering against the escape pod and sonicked the keypad, trying to stop the jettison.

"Airlock sealed."

Ashton stood up and walked past the Doctor, bumping into him on the way. The Doctor headed to the comm, "McDonnell? Ashton's heading in your direction. He's been infected just like Korwin."

"Korwin's dead, Doctor", she replied.

"Airlock decompression completed. Jettisoning pod."

The Oracle stood tall to look at Martha through the window, hammering against the door, seeing her best friend doing the same thing.

"Martha!", she cried, "Doctor, do something! I don't know what to do!"

He looked through the window as well, "I'll save her", he told her before turning to look at Marta, "I'll save you."

She read her lips saying, "I can't hear you."

The pod started floating away while the Doctor kept repeating, "I'll save you."

Then he went back to the comm, angrily, "Scannell! I need a spacesuit in area seventeen now!"

"What for?", he replied.

"Just get down here!"

The Doctor angrily ran his hands through his hair while they were waiting as the Oracle leaned against the door, staring at the opposite wall with a deep frown. When the Doctor noticed he pulled her into his arms and kissed her head tenderly while she buried her face into his chest.

"How are you going to save her?", her voice was muffled.

He pulled back and took off his suit jacket in preparation, handing it to her when he saw Scannell approaching.

"Don't want to explain twice, hold on."

Scannell arrived with the space suit and the Doctor started putting it on, the Oracle assisting him.