Bad Wolf From Space

51. Jumping Into the Fray

We were making our way up some stairs when the Doctor uncovered one of the golden angel robots in non-working status.

"If we could..." The Doctor stopped as I shook my head.

"Beware the Hosts."

He wrinkled his brow.

I tapped my forehead. "Thankfully, we have this."

Astrid called from the top of the set of stairs. "It's blocked. We'll have to reposition things."

As Bannakaffalatta made it through the gap, the entire ship shook and some of the wreckage shifted.

I looked through the hole. "Bannakaffalatta, are you alright?"

His voice called on the other end, "I'm through."

I let out a breath of relief.

"I'm small. I can go next." Astrid spoke up.

The Doctor peered through, seeing if there was anything he could clear without shifting things too much. Several moments passed before the Doctor called through the hole, "What's going on over there?"

"I think Bannakaffalatta and I just became engaged."

Unlike in other timelines, the rest of us got through with no trouble.

When we got into the next section, everyone was happy to find a cart of food that somehow hadn't been upset.

The Doctor went over to an intercom unit to check on the helm. The midshipman informed him of the disappearing life signs due to the Hosts.

"I've got Hosts outside. I've sealed the door. No one can get in."

The Doctor looked at me, "They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?"

I whispered, "Deck 31."

"What is on Deck 31?" The Doctor asked over the intercom.

"That's down below. It's nothing."

I looked back at the others. The Head Steward seemed to come out of his shock and Rickston ate the food they'd found with no decorum for his uppity status.

Astrid walked up to the both of us. "Saved you both something."

Her gaze lingered on the Doctor. "You might be the Time King from Gallifrey, but you still have got to eat."

"Thank you Astrid." I spoke up, grabbing a roll from the offered plate.

I was looking at the others when I saw the Doctor freeze from the corner of my eye, his mouth full and eyes wide at something Astrid said.

Mr Copper came over. "It's Christmas day now."

I looked off into the distance. I thought about the Doctor and I.

It wasn't as if we'd ever put a label on it. We never seemed to have a chance. There was always an adventure or time to maintain.

Every moment we had that felt like it would move us forward got interrupted.

I came back when the Doctor spoke a little louder.

"A few years back I was... well, a bit homeless and I sort of made... Rose?"

I looked over to see his eyes were wide.

"He got to know Earth through others like me and we got to know the stars through him."

Banging sounded, and we all jumped to our feet.

The Hosts were coming.

The Doctor soniced the nearby door open and walked onto a platform overlooking the inner workings of the ship. Random bursts of flame spurted from the sides of the walls.