{"Well I'll be damned. I don't want to wear dresses anymore."}
Theta returns to the console and adjusts the controls. The Tardis walls reform, pushing the ship back outside. Then he materializes inside the ship, next to a board detailing a list of shipping companies. The fog horn is sounding again. People in Edwardian dress are enjoying a champagne buffet. A band plays a slow version of Jingle Bells. Around the room are golden skinned statues of male angels. One moves as we walk past, Theta smiles and pulls me closer at the beautiful sight of the ship. Then he spots a small red-skinned alien in a dinner jacket, and pulls me to the window. "Right." He muttered causing to snort, of course we were in space on the titanic. "Attention all passengers. The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol Three, also known as Earth. Population, Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas."
My eyes widened as I turned to look up at Theta, "Right." I muttered causing him to sigh before giving me a kiss on my forehead. With our little adventure with his former self and Martha done, I guess we need a small break. I just hope this one doesn't end as badly as the first time. Theta smiles, "Come on." He ushered me quickly back to the Tardis so we could change. I chuckled and shook my head, he was such a dork.
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A recording of a bald man with a thin moustache sitting behind a desk. "Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. The fastest, the farthest, the best. And I should know because my name is Max." His gold tooth glints in the light. The screen returns to the logo, and the lady singer croons Winter Wonderland. Theta has changed into dinner jacket and bow tie while I now sported a beautiful red dress. My stomach showing it's heavy presence, not that either of us minded. Theta had a weird sense of accomplishment knowing that I was pregnant with his child and so did I. "Merry Christmas, sir." A man spoke passing us, I raised an eyebrow. Christmas once again, "Merry Christmas." Couples are dancing to the music. Theta and I mingle, passing a man on his mobile phone. "It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my vone. Now do as I say and sell." I rolled my eyes with a scoff at the rude man as Theta goes up to one of the angels.
"Evening. Passenger fifty seven. Terrible memory. Remind me. You would be?" Theta asked on of the angels in gold. "Information. Heavenly Host supplying tourist information." I raised an eyebrow, "Good, so, tell me, because I'm an idiot, where are we from?" Rolling my eyes I snorted, he was far from an idiot and I wish he would believe that. "Information. The Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures." I cleared my throat, "Titanic. Who thought of the name?" I asked it causing it to turn towards me. "Information. It was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth."
"Did they tell you why it was famous?" I asked with a raised eyebrow in question, "Information. All designations are chosen by Mister Max Capricorn, president of Max, Max, Max." The Host twitches and its voice pitch rises. The Steward notices and hurries over, "Ooo, bit of a glitch." Theta muttered backing away scratching the back of his head as to play it off. "It's all right, sir, we can handle this." Two more officers arrive and they switch off the Host before carrying it away. "Software problem, that's all. Leave it with us, sir. Merry Christmas. That's another one down. What's going on with these things?"
A man in a black suit bumps into the little waitress, making her drop her tray of drinks. "For Tov's sake, look where you're going. This jacket's a genuine Earth antique." I roll my eyes with a scoff, douche bag. "I'm sorry, sir." She vowed back, "You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart. Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn's going down the drain." He leaves and I move in to help only to have Theta stoop to help first so I wouldn't have too. I glared playfully as he smirked at me. "Careful. There we go." He muttered helping her, "Thank you, sir. I can manage." She spoke glancing up at me with a small smile when she noticed my stomach. "I never said you couldn't. I'm the Doctor, by the way and this is Kate." I smiled gently and waved. "Astrid, sir. Astrid Peth." She introduced herself, "Nice to meet you, Astrid Peth. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, sir, ma'am."
"Just Doctor, not sir."
"And Kate, please."
"You enjoying the cruise?"
"Er, yeah, I suppose. I don't know. What about you? Long way from home, Planet Sto." He asked her with a awkward smile and a cock of his head. "Doesn't feel that different. I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here and I'm still waiting on tables." She shrugged with a sad look, "No shore leave?" I asked her as they stood up. "We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars and I always dreamt of. It sounds daft." She smiled shaking her head as she looked downwards. "You dreamt of another sky. New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life. Why stand still when there're all that life out there?"
She watched us in awe as he wrapped his arm around my waist, "So, you travel a lot?" She asked us with a sparkle in her eyes, "All the time. Just for fun. Well, that's the plan. Never quite works." I mused lightly pinching Theta causing him to pull me closer and kiss my head. "Must be rich, though." She snorted, "Haven't got a penny. Stowaway." He answered immediately causing her eyes to widen. "Kidding." She gapped in shock, "Seriously." We spoke together with straight faces.
"No."
"Oh, yeah."
"How did you get on board?"
"Accident. I've got this, sort of, ship thing. I was just rebuilding her. Left the defences down. Bumped into the Titanic. Here I am. Bit of a party. I thought, why not? Plus I love seeing Kate in a nice dress." I smacked him, "I'm always in nice dresses." He shrugged causing me to gap in shock, "Jerk." I mused as he chuckled once again. "I should report you." Astrid muttered gaining our attention. "Go on then." She paused staring at us, taking another glance at my stomach before smiling. "I'll get you a drink on the house and you a non alcoholic one." Over at another table, a bunch of toffs are laughing at a large woman in a purple cowboy outfit and her equally well padded companion. We move over to join them, the man speaks towards the woman, "Just ignore them."
"Something's tickled them." I snipped in annoyance as Theta sat me down in one of the chairs. The woman nods and turns to us, "They told us it was fancy dress. Very funny, I'm sure." She scoffed looking down causing me to feel for them, "They're just picking on us because we haven't paid. We won our tickets in a competition." The man snarled with an eye roll. "I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in By the Light of the Asteroid. Did you ever watch By the Light of the Asteroid?" She smiled brightly at us as I smiled back, "Is that the one with the twins?" I asked in curiosity, "That's it. Oh, it's marvellous."
"But we're not good enough for that lot. They think we should be in steerage." He scoffed causing me to frown and look at the group with a glare. "Well, can't have that, can we?" With his back towards the toffs, Theta aims his sonic screwdriver at the champagne bottle in the bucket on their table. The cork pops out, spraying their expensive clothes with alcohol. I smiled in happiness as Theta turns to look at me in approval. Chuckling, I kiss his cheek, "Did you do that?" He asked causing Theta to shrug as he place his arm around my shoulders on the back of my chair. "Maybe."
"We like you." The woman smiled happily, "We do. I'm Morvin Van Hoff. This is my good woman, Foon." Morvin introduced, "Foon. Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is My good woman, Kate." I pinched his thigh causing him to smile even wider. "Oh, I'm going to need a Doctor, time I've finished with that buffet. Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings." They pushed the food towards me clearly wanting me to eat since they had noticed my stomach. "Attention please. Shore leave tickets Red Six Seven now activated. Red Six Seven."
"Red Six Seven. That's us. Are you Red Six Seven?"
"Might as well be."
"Come on, then. We're going to Earth."
A man in a tweed suit is holding up a sign. "Red Six Seven. Red Six Seven. This way, fast as you can." He announces as Astrid made her way back to us, "I got you that drink." She handed me mine as Theta put his on a table near by, "And I got you a treat. Come on." We both pulled her in after I finished my punch and also put it on the table. "Red Six Seven departing shortly." Theta shows him the psychic paper. "Red Six Seven's plus one." The man nodded, "Quickly, sir, please, and take two teleport bracelets if you would." Astrid turned to us with worried eyes, "I'll get the sack." She whispered looking around. "Brand new sky." I told her with a raised eyebrow, "To repeat, I am Mister Copper, the ship's historian, and I shall be taking you to old London town in the country of UK, ruled over by good King Wenceslas. Now, human beings worship the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary. And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with the country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner like savages."
"Excuse me. Sorry, sorry, but, er, where did you get all this from?" I asked after listening to the man in confusion. "Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics. Now, stand by." The little red alien runs up, "And me! And me! Red Six Seven." He hands the man the ticket, "Well, take a bracelet, please, sir." Theta frowns as pushes forwards just a little. "But, er, hold on, hold on. What was your name?" Theta asked the little red alien causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Bannakaffalatta." What was he questioning him for? "Okay, Bannakaffalatta. But it's Christmas Eve down there. Late night shopping, tons of people. He's like a talking conker. No offence, but you'll cause a riot because the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties and.." The group are teleported in mid word to an empty shopping street.
"Oh." He whispered turning towards me causing me to give him a small shrug. He wanted to question the alien, even when Astrid was clearly human as where most of the people on the ship so I figured the people of earth would know by now. Although I am shocked to see it empty, "Now, spending money. I have a credit card in Earth currency if you want to buy trinkets, or stockings, or the local delicacy, which is known as beef. But don't stray too far, it could be dangerous. Any day now they start boxing." The man explained to us with a small laugh, "Very good."
"It should be full. It should be busy. Something's wrong."
"But it's beautiful."
"Really? Do you think so? It's just a street. The pyramids are beautiful, and New Zealand." He pouted slightly causing me to snort with an eye roll. He never could see the beautiful of something simple, especially to those who hadn't ever seen what we have. "But it's a different planet. I'm standing on a different planet. There's concrete and shops. Alien shops. Real alien shops! Look, no stars in the sky. And it smells. It stinks! Oh, this is amazing. Thank you!" She pulled me into a hug as he frowned looking around more. "Yeah? Come on then, let's have a look." Next to the news stand is a billboard for The Examiner, headline - London Deserted. The proprietor has a Union Flag behind him. "Hello, there. Sorry, obvious question, but where's everybody gone?"
"Oh ho, scared!" The man chuckled, "Right. Yes. Scared of what?" I asked him with a cock of my head. "Where've you been living? London at Christmas? Not safe, is it." He explained to us causing Theta to frown, "Why?" He questioned, "Well, it's them, up above. Look, Christmas before last we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on a roof. And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames." My eyes widened as I realized it was still within the same time, so the human didn't know. My bad, "This place is amazing." Astrid grinned widely. "And this year, Lord knows what. So, everybody's scarpered. Gone to the country. All except me and Her Majesty."
"Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she'll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there's nothing to fear." A man on the tv spoke, "God bless her. We stand vigil." The man in the stall saluted, "Well, between you and me, I think her Majesty's got it right. Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about." We all vanish once again, "I was in mid-sentence." Theta pouted again causing me to snort, "Yes, I'm sorry about that. A bit of a problem. If I could have your bracelets." He spoke taking our bracelets, "Apologies, ladies and gentlemen, and Bannakaffalatta. We seem to have suffered a slight power fluctuation. If you'd like to return to the festivities. And on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners, free drinks will be provided."
"Thank you."
"That was the best. The best!"
"What sort of power fluctuation?"
The singer is crooning 'The Stowaway', by Murray Gold. "You shouldn't be here. What's your tale? I ought to throw you to the whale. He just smiled and said, come here, let's dance. He said, borrow or steal, I'll find a way to be with my lover upon Christmas Day. And I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground. This Christmas I'll see you. I'll be around."
"And I should know because my name is Max. The fastest, the furthest, the best. My name is Max." Theta uses his sonic screwdriver to unfasten the frame and get at the electronics behind it. He changes the image to ship's status. The shields are off-line, he looks out of the nearby porthole to see the three fireballs heading their way. My eyes widened as I spotted them as well, the speaking tube whistles. "Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the Captain. You've got a meteoroid storm coming in West zero by north two."
"Who is this?"
"Never mind that, your shields are down. Check your scanners, Captain. You've got meteoroids coming in and now shielding." I snapped in anger, "You have no authorisation. You will clear the comms at once." The Captain snapped back at me in anger, "Yeah? Just look starboard!" Theta snipped back, "Come with me, sir. Ma'am." Two men come and pull us away causing Theta to growl in anger. "You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down. My wife is pregnant and on board!" We manage to away from our escort, Theta pulling me along behind him. "Be with my lover on next Christmas Day, and I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground." He takes the microphone stand from the singer. "Everyone, listen to me! This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb.." A Host puts its hand over the Theta's mouth as one grabs me from behind, "Hey!" I shot in anger, "Look out the windows!" We are being taken away, "Him friend." Slade sees the meteoroids. "If you don't believe me, check the shields yourself."
"Sir, I can vouch for them!"
"Look, Steward, he's just had a bit too much to drink."
"Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports have gone down." Copper tells them, "Not now!" A piece of hot rock breaks through a window and lands at Slade's feet. "Oxygen membrane holding. Oxygen membrane holding." Slade goes to a nearby Host. "You there. Has anyone checked the external shielding?" Spade asks the host, "Information. You are all going to die." On the bridge, the Captain is at the wheel whilst Frame is lying on the floor, bleeding from a wound to his upper right chest. "Where's the Chief Steward?"
"Er, he went that way, sir."
"The shields are down. We are going to get hit."
"Oi! Steward! I'm telling you, the shields are down!"
"Listen to him. Listen to him!"
"Max Capricorn. Fastest The furthest. The best." The first fireball impacts the Titanic dead centre. Fires, panic, "Please, stay calm." The other two hit fore and aft.
An explosion sends us flying, then everything goes quiet, apart from people whimpering. My body hurt as I laid still, something was wrong. "It's all right, sweetheart." I heard someone faintly, "Shush. It's stopping." There are three large holes in the hull, Theta turns to me and his eyes widened. "Kate!" I let out a shout in pain as he gently picked me up, their was a piece of the ship sticking out of my body. "My baby!" I cried out as everyone watched in shock and tears, "It's ok. You're gonna be ok, oh my god!" He was shaking and panicking just as much as I was. "Pull it out." I muttered as I coughed up blood, it just missed the baby. I could feel her but he needed to remove the piece so I could regenerate and keep us both alive. "What?!" He gapped in horror, "You have to. So we can survive. Please." He slowly nodded before reaching down and yanking out. I yelped and cried as my body began to glow, it was going to be ok.
I stayed still for a moment, making sure my baby was okay before I started moving. Theta immediately pulled me up, the dress slipping down causing Astrid to gasp as she took off to search for clothes in what's left of the ship. "You all right? The baby?" He asked causing me to nod as Astrid came back with jeans, a shirt and a red jacket. She smiled with a shrug at the confused look I shot her before she ushered me over to a hidden corner to change. Theta explained to everyone else what we were and how I changed, that it was me. I moved back over to everyone causing them all to smile before Theta grabbed me and pulled me into a kiss.
"I'm glad your okay, Nora. So so glad."
I smiled up at him, it's been a while since we've spoken telepathically. With Rose gone we were able to communicate openly and we always seemed to know what each other was thinking. "Bad name for a ship. Either that or this suit is really unlucky." Theta muttered keeping his arm around my waste as he looked around and pulled at his bow tie. "Well I'll be damned. I don't want to wear dresses anymore." I muttered as I swayed in the jeans at the unfamiliar feeling. Theta smirked as he checked my ass out before nodding in approval.
"My name is Max. My name is Max. My name is Max."
"Er, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta. I must apologise on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision." The Steward stated causing me to scoff in annoyance, "No shit." I snapped, "Small?" Morvin scoffed, "Do you know how much I paid for my ticket?"
"If I could have silence, ladies, gentlemen. Please. Quiet! Thank you. I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience, but first I would point out that we're very much alive." The Steward insisted with a glare. "Doctor." Mister Copper has a cut on his head. "Are you all right?" Theta asked him causing him to nod, "She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship. If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the situation." The Chief Steward goes to a nearby hatch. "Don't open it!" Too late. The Chief Steward is sucked out into space. Everybody hangs onto the nearest fixed object while Theta sonics a control panel that is flashing Vacuum Breach. It changes to Oxygen Shield.
"Oxygen shield stabilised."
"Everyone all right? Kate?! Astrid?" I nodded with a sigh of relief, it just never stops. "Yeah." Astrid muttered helping me stand up again. "Foon? Morvin? Mister Copper? Bannakaffalatta?" The red alien nods, "Yes." He then turns to the man in the suit. "You, what was your name?" Theta asked, "Rickston Slade." He introduced himself standing up straighter like he was better. "You all right?" I asked with a frown, "No thanks to that idiot." He scoffed causing me to glare, "The steward just died." Astrid spoke in disbelief, "Then he's a dead idiot." I snarled angrily about to smack the shit out of this guy, apparently this new body of mine had a temper. More than the one before, we needed to get this done and get out safe so I can finish my regeneration cycle. This isn't good, "All right, calm down. Just stay still, all of you. Hold on." Theta spoke pulled me closer trying to calm me down, "What happened? How come the shields were down?"
"I don't think it was an accident." They look out of the hatchway and the hole in the side of the ship to the floating debris and bodies. "How many dead?" She asked in sadness, "We're alive. Just focus on that. I will get you out of here, Astrid, I promise. Look at me. I promise. Good. Now, if we can get to Reception, We'vegot a spaceship tucked away. We can all get on board and. Oh." His shoulders sagged when he noticed the tardis drifting out towards earth. I sighed in annoyance, "What is it? What's wrong?" She asked us looking between us with wide eyes. "That's our ship over there." He muttered lowly wincing at the look I shot him. I knew it wasn't his fault but I needed to get to the medbay to make sure everything is still ok, and to make sure our child is safe. "Where?" She asked, "There. That box. That little blue box."
"That's a spaceship?"
"Oi, don't knock it."
"It's a bit small."
"A bit distant. Trouble is, once it's set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity, and that would be the Earth."
Theta uses a speaking tube, "Deck twenty two to the bridge. Deck twenty two to the Bridge. Is there anyone there?" There was a pause before a strained voice came through, "This is the bridge." Theta smiled happily towards me. "Oh hello, sailor. Good to hear you. What's the situation up there?" He asked, "We've got air. The oxygen field is holding, but the Captain, he's dead. He did it. I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try." The boy started to cry causing me to frown and snatch the comm from Theta. "All right. Just stay calm. Tell me your name. What's your name?" I asked him gently, he paused seemingly surprised by my voice. "Midshipman Frame." He responded back hesitantly, "Nice to meet you, sir. What's the state of the engines?" I asked him as Theta stood by close.
"They're er. Hold on. Oh!" I frowned when I heard his staggered breath, "Have you been injured?" I asked in concern. "I'm all right. Oh, my Vot. They're cycling down." He gapped in shock making me close my eyes in annoyance, my day just keeps getting better and better. "That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?" Theta asked as I handed him the comm back. "Yeah." The boy responded, "The moment they're gone we lose orbit." I stated sitting down and looking towards Theta as everyone watches in silence. "The planet." He muttered back over the comms, "Oh, yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth. Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core."
"This is never going to work." He replied causing Theta to shake his head. "Trust me, it'll keep the engines going until I can get to the bridge." I raised an eyebrow since when did he make that plan. "We're going to die." Foon cried out, "Are you saying someone's done this on purpose?" Copper asked looking towards me in confusion. "We are. We're going to die." She cried out again as the others began to speak all at once as well. "We're just a cruise ship." Astrid teared up, "Okay, okay. Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush. First things first. One. We are going to climb through this ship. B. No. Two. We're going to reach the bridge. Three. Or C. We're going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low four, or D, or that little iv in brackets they use in footnotes, why. Right then, follow me." I snorted back a laugh at the love of my life. He was so cute.
"Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge and who the hell are you anyway?"
"I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm her Binded and the father of her child, I'm nine hundred and three years old and I'm the man who's going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?" I breathed out a sigh, I'm totally not turned on right now.
"No."
"In that case, allons-y!"
Theta pushes open a bulkhead door with just a little debris against it. "Careful. Follow me." He pulled me in close as he shielded me from any debris that fell or any sparks that came out. "Rather ironic, but this is very much in the spirit of Christmas. It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric." Copper scoffed from behind us, "Actually, that's not true. Christmas is a time of, of peace and thanksgiving and what am I on about? My Christmases are always like this." He finds a Host under some metal plates. "We've got a Host. Strength of ten. If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble." He smiled looking towards everyone happily. "We can do robotics. Both of us." Morvin explained, "We work on the milk market back on Sto. It's all robot staff." She smiled at us causing Theta to nod allowing them to take a look. "See if you can get it working. Let's have a look." He leads the rest of us further up. "It's blocked." I muttered out with a frown, "So what do we do?"
"We shift it."
"That's the attitude. Rickston, Mister Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta. Look, can I just call you Banna? It's going to save a lot of time."
"No. Bannakaffalatta."
"All right then, Bannakaffalatta. There's a gap in the middle. See if you can get through."
"Easy. Good."
The ship shakes and more debris shifts. "This whole thing could come crashing down any minute." Spade growls in annoyance, "Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get that message?" I asked him with a cock of my head. "No. What message?" He asked looking between us with a confused frown. "Shut up!" Theta and I snapped together causing him to flinch and Astrid to laugh. "Bannakaffalatta made it." The red alien mused from the other side causing everyone to smile. "I'm small enough, I can get through." Astrid smiled before she squeezed into the tight space, I don't know if I'll be able to get through there. "Careful." Theta warned, "I'm fine." She insists back with a small grunt. "Thing is, how are Mister and Mrs Fatso going to get through that gap? Let alone miss pregnant over here." He glares at me causing me to snarl lightly as Theta turns with a dark glare of his own. "We make the gap bigger. So start." He snaps causing me to smile as Theta placing a hand on my stomach in reassurance.
As we waited for the guys to make the gap bigger, Foon and Morvin starting laughing. I watched them silently with a small smile of my own, I loved to watch them together. They reminded me of Theta and I in more ways than one. "What happened? Did they find a doughnut?" Slade scoffed with an eye roll, "I can clear it from this side. Just tell me if it starts moving. Bannakaffalatta, what's wrong?" Astrid spoke to us as she changed the subject only to have her attention gathered somewhere else as she spoke towards the red alien. A few seconds went by before she laughed in happiness causing Theta to sigh in slight annoyance that we were getting anywhere. "What's going on up there?" He snapped causing me to smack him lightly, I understood the urgency but he didn't have to be rude about it. "I think Bannakaffalatta and I just got engaged."
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"Almost done!" Morvin called out causing Theta to nod, "Good, good, good. Mister Frame, how's things?" He spoke into the comms, "Doctor, I've got life signs all over the ship but they're going out one by one." I frowned in confusion, "What is it? Are they losing air?" I asked stepping closer. "No. One of them said it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host." My eyes widened as I spun towards Morvin, "It's working!" He shouted as it opened its eyes, "Kill." I rushed over pulled everyone away. "Turn it off!"
"I can't, Doctor!"
Kill. Kill. Kill." It manages to grab me, "Go!" The Host has me by the throat. Theta gets out the sonic screwdriver, "Double deadlock!" I shout in pain as he pulls the Host's hands off my throat. "Quickly, go upstairs!" He pushes me away causing me to nod as everyone moved towards the opening, "Run, darling, run!" Foon shouted, "Information. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill." The Host repeated as it came after us. "Foon! Foon!" Morvin shouted as I managed to fit through the gap. "Rickston, get them through!" Theta shouted causing the man to scoff, "No chance." Slade gets through the gap, "Rickston!" I snapped in anger as he pushed me away, huffing I made my way back to the opening to help them get through. "I'll never get through there." Foon cried out, "Yes, you can. Let me go first." The Host swings at Theta, but misses. "Kill. Kill."
"It's the Host, they've gone berserk. Are you safe up there?"
Host arrive at the entrance to the bridge. "Kill. Kill. Kill." Frame gets to the door control and it slams shut, trapping a Host's hand.
"Now I'm stuck!" She cried, "Come on, you can do it!" I insisted as I gripped her hand tightly, the debris shifts. "It's going to collapse." Copper levers the debris up with a metal bar and Foon gets through. "Rickston, god damn it, help me!" I snapped in anger and worry, "No way." He snips back with a scoff causing my eyes to glow as I shout in anger. There is a pause before I hear Theta, "My love." I turned to see I was bending the metal far enough so that they could finish getting through. "That's it. We've got you. Doctor, come on, get through." Astrid speaks as I slowly fall to my knees, I won't be able to hold out much longer. "Information override! You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!" He speaks towards the host, "I can't hold it! Baby!" I shouted in pain as I gripped my head. It was excruciating, and I couldn't concentrate on both my baby and this. "Information. Deck thirty one." It responds, "Thank you." He gets through the gap. "Thank you. Let go!"
I let the bar go and the debris smashes down on the Host's head. Up on the bridge, Frame gets the door sealed, chopping off the Host's hand. It looks at him through the window in the bulkhead.
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There is a trolley of sandwiches nearby. "Morvin, look. Food." Foon mutters, "Oh great. Someone's happy." I growl in annoyance as I spin around an punch him in the face. "Don't have any then." I snapped as he looked up at me in shock, Theta chuckled lowly as he moved over to the comms while I move towards the sandwich's myself. "Mister Frame, are you still there?" Theta asked watching me happily eat with a gentle smile. "Yes, sir, but I've got Host outside. I've sealed the door." Frame responded, "They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?" I asked as I moved over to Theta who pulled me in by my waist stealing a bit of my sandwich. "That's not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in. I'm sealed off. Even if you can fix the Titanic, You can't get to the bridge." Frame explained, "Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time. What's on deck thirty one?"
"Er, that's down below. It's nothing. It's just the Host storage deck. That's where we keep the robots."
"Well, what's that? Do you see that panel? Black. It's registering nothing. No power, no heat, no light."
"I've never seen it before."
"One hundred percent shielded. What's down there?"
"I'll try intensifying the scanner."
"Let me know if you find anything. And keep those engines going." Theta demanded, "So, you look good for nine hundred and three." Astrid muttered as we sat down causing me to snort. "You should see me in the mornings." Theta grumbled placing his head on my shoulder. "Okay." My eyes shot towards her causing her to shoot me a smirk. She was just messing, "Doctor, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day." Copper smiled towards us, "So it is. Merry Christmas." Theta muttered leaning down to give me a kiss. "Merry Christmas." I muttered back, "This Christmas thing, what's it all about?" Astrid asked us, "Long story. I should know, I was there. I got the last room." Theta smirked with a shrug. "But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them? They could send up a rocket or something."
"They don't have spaceships." Theta spoke raising his head with a frown, "No, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles." I frowned at the older man, "Mister Copper, this degree in Earthonomics, where's it from?" I asked him as he moved closer.
"Honestly?"
"Just between us."
"Mrs Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners."
"You, you lied to the company to get the job?"
"I wasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic." Copper smiled at the memories, "Hmm. I suppose it is, yeah." Theta shrugged as I laid my head on his shoulder closing my eyes and rubbing my stomach. "How come you know it so well?" She asked him, "I was sort of, a few years ago, I was sort of made, well, sort of homeless, and, er, there was the Earth. And then Kate." He spoke with a gentle hum causing me to smile back at him. "The thing is, if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations. Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. I won't survive ten years." Bang! "A Host! Move! Come on!"
Theta leads us through the next bulkhead to catwalk and a narrow fallen beam forming walkway across a massive empty space in the middle of the ship. "Is that the only way across?" Slade asked looking towards us, "On the other hand, it is a way across." He muttered looking towards me as I stare down into the fiery pit. I think I'm gonna be sick, "The engines are open." Astrid spoke up with a frown, "Nuclear storm drive. As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls." I explained, "But that thing, it'll never take our weight." Foon shakes his head, "You're going last, mate." Slade snaps causing me to glare in annoyance, "I will punch you again." I snarl causing him to back up slightly. "It's nitrofin metal. It's stronger than it looks." Theta spoke up as he pulled me away from Slade, "All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should-" Morvin steps forward and the metal under his foot gives way. He falls towards the engine furnace, my eyes widened as I backed away in horror.
"Morvin!"
"I told you. I told you!"
"Just shut up. Shut up!"
"Bring him back! Can't you bring him back? Bring him back, Doctor!"
"I can't. I'm sorry, I can't."
"You promised me." She cried out as Theta winced in shame, he turned to me slowly causing me to shake my head as I started to cry. "I know. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He slowly forced me onto the beam, I just needed to keep moving, that's all. Keep moving. "Doctor, I rather think that those things have got our scent." Copper spoke as I made it halfway, the beam creaking but not doing much more. "I'm not waiting." Spade makes his way onto the beam as I hit more than halfway over. He was moving quickly though, too quick. "Careful. Take it slowly!" The ship shakes and Slade falls onto the beam, I half sit as I hold on to the beam with a tight grip trying to stop myself from panicking. I wouldn't be able to use my powers if I fell, with all the heat in the room and my exhausted state, I was like a sitting duck. "Oh, Vot help me." Slade muttered from behind me. "You're okay. A step at a time. Come on, you can do it."
"Kill. Kill. Kill."
"They're getting nearer."
"Seal us in."
"You're leaving us trapped, wouldn't you say?"
"Never say trapped, just inconveniently circumstanced." I scoffed lowly at Theta's remark, "Oh." He sonics the bulkhead controls just as Slade and I made it over. "I'm okay." He breathed out causing me to roll my eyes, he may be okay but he almost killed me in the process getting off the damn thing. I watch in sadness as Astrid hugs a crying Foon. "Bannakaffalatta, you go next." Theta demanded causing him to nod back. "Bannakaffalatta small." He began moving across the beam just like Slade, "Slowly!" The Host are hammering on the bulkhead door. "They've found us." Copper gapped in horror, "Astrid, get across right now." Theta demanded, "What about you?" She asked looking back over towards me causing me to smile gratefully. "Just do it. Go on. Mister Copper, we can't wait." He pushed the older man onto the beam. "No, but we" He tried to stutter out but Theta didn't care. "Don't argue. Foon, you've got to get across right now." Theta tried to get her to move, "What for? What am I going to do without him?" She cried back in sadness. "Doctor? The door's locked!" My head snapped towards Slade who was in fact trying the door. I didn't even notice, I was to busy paying attention to Theta. "Just think. What would he want, eh?"
"He don't want nothing. He's dead."
"Doctor, I can't open the door. We need the whirling key thing of yours."
"I can't leave her."
"She'll get us all killed if we can't get out."
"Mrs van Hoff, I am coming back for you. All right?" Theta follows the other three across the rickety bridge. "Too many people!" The alien in front of me on the beam cried out, "Oi! Don't get spiky with me. Keep going." Bannakaffalatta gets across the weakest bit in the middle, followed by Astrid. "It's going to fall." Astrid muttered, "It's just settling. Keep going." Then it goes quiet. "They've stopped." Astrid muttered, "Gone away?" The robot asked causing me to frown, "Why would they give up?" I asked Theta from across the area. "Never mind that. Keep coming." Spade snapped as he started to move. "Where have they gone? Where are the Host?"
"I'm afraid we've forgotten the traditions of Christmas. That angels have wings!" Host glide down and surround us. "Information. Kill." The Host remove their haloes, "Arm yourself, all of you." Everyone on the bridge grabs a bit of pipe and uses it as a bat to send the haloes flying, but one cuts the Theta's arm and another injures Copper's side. I moved to make my way over but he held out his hand to stop me seeing I was safer over here. "I can't." Astrid cried out in horror, "Bannakaffalatta stop. Bannakaffalatta proud. Bannakaffalatta cyborg!" He lifts his shirt and sends out an energy pulse. It short-circuits the Host, sending them plummeting down into the engine core, except one that lands on the catwalk behind Theta. "Electromagnetic pulse took out the robotics. Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant!" Bannakaffalatta collapses, "He's used all his power." Astrid cried sadly causing me to frown.
"Did good?"
"You saved our lives."
"Bannakaffalatta happy."
"We can recharge you. Get you to a power point and just plug you in."
"Too late."
"No, but you got to get me that drink, remember?" She smiles at him gently, "Pretty girl." Bannakaffalatta dies causing me to look away in sadness. Astrid starts to fasten his shirt, but Copper reaches for a component. "I'm sorry. Forgive me." She glares, "Leave him alone." She snaps at him. "It's the EMP transmitter. He'd want us to use it. I used to sell these things. They'd always give me a bed for the night in the cyborg caravans. They're good people. But if we can recharge it, we can use it as a weapon against the rest of the Host. Bannakaffalatta might have saved us all." Copper explained to her causing her to slowly allow him to take it. "Do you think? Try telling him that." The Host that landed behind the Doctor is moving.
"Information. Reboot."
"Use the EMP!"
"It's dead. It's dead."
"It's got to have emergency." I held up my hand, waiting for Theta. "No, no, no. Hold on. Override loophole. Security protocol ten. Six six six. Er, twenty one, four, five, six, seven, eight. I don't know, forty two? Er, one!" He shouts causing the host to pause. "Information. State request." It waited for Theta's question. "Good. Right. You've been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?" Theta asked, "Information. No witnesses." I frowned stepping forward, "But this ship's going to fall on the Earth and kill everyone. The human race have nothing to do with the Titanic, so that contravenes your orders, yes?" I asked it, "Information, she's with him. Incorrect." It seemed to scan me for a moment. "But why do you want to destroy the Earth?"
"Information. It is the plan."
"What plan?"
"Information. Protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used."
"Well, you could have warned me."
"Information. Now you will die." As the Host raises its halo, it is lassoed from behind. "You're coming with me." Foon jumps over the side, dragging the Host after her. I let out a shout as Theta pulls me away from the edge, "No!" Foon rejoins Morvin. "No more." Theta was pissed and to be honest so was I, "Right. Get yourself up to Reception One. Once you're there, Mister Copper, you've got staff access to the computer. Try to find a way of transmitting an SOS. Astrid, you're in charge of this." He holds up the EMP transmitter. "Once it's powered up, it'll take out a Host within fifty yards but then it needs sixty seconds to recharge. Got it? Rickston, take this." He hands the sonic screwdriver to the man. "I've preset it. Just hold down that button, it'll open doors. Do not lose it! You got that? Now go and open the next door. Go on, go!" Slade slowly nods, "All right!" I hand a first aid kit to Copper. "Mister Copper, you're going to need this. I need you fighting fit. Astrid, where's the power points?" I asked her as I turned towards her, "Under the comms."
They plug in the EMP transmitter, "See, when it's ready, that blue light comes on there." Theta explains to her as I stand over them watching, he wouldn't let me bend down long enough to do it myself. "You're talking as if you're not coming with us." Astrid mutters as she looks between the two of us. "There's something down on deck thirty one. I'm going to find out what it is." I cleared my throat causing him to sigh, "We." He muttered with a pout causing me to nod in approval. "What if you meet a Host?" Astrid asks us, "Well, then I'll just have some fun." Theta spoke with a shrug causing me to chuckle. "Sounds like you do this kind of thing all the time." She smiled at us with a raised eyebrow causing me to snort in agreement. "Not by choice. All we do is travel. That's what we are. Just traveler's. Imagine it. No tax, no bills, no boss. Just the open sky."
"I'm sort of unemployed now. I was thinking the blue box is kind of small, but I could squeeze in it, like a stowaway."
"It's not always safe."
"So you need someone to take care of you. I've got no one back on Sto. No family, just me. So what do you think? Can I come with you?"
"Yeah, I'd like that. We'd like that. Yes." Bang! "Mister Frame, you still with us?" Theta asked over the comms, "It's the engines, sir. Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've got only eight minutes left." He explained to us, "Don't worry, I'll get there."
"But the bridge is sealed off."
"Yeah, yeah, working on it. I'll get there, Mister Frame, somehow. All charged up? Mister Copper, look after her. Astrid, look after him. Rickston, er, look after yourself. And I'll see you again, I promise." She nodded with a smile, "See you later." Astrid waves at me, "Oh, yes!" Theta goes back across the bridge behind me while the others carry on upwards. There are four Host waiting for us. Theta grabs a large sauté pan for a weapon. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Security protocol one. Do you hear me? One. One! Okay, that gives me three questions. Three questions to save my life, am I right?" He asked, "Information. Correct." The host replies causing me to snort, "No, that wasn't one of them. I didn't mean it. That's not fair. Can I start again?" He panicked, "Information. No." Theta gapped in shock as I smacked his arm, grabbing his attention. "Concentrate." I grumbled, "No! That wasn't a question either. Blimey. One question left. One question. So, you've been given orders to kill the survivors but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not us. We're not passengers, or staff. Go on, scan us. You must have bio-records. No such person on board. We don't exist, therefore you can't kill us. Therefore, We're stowaways, and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on deck thirty one. Final question. Am I right?"
"Information. Correct."
"Brilliant. Take me to your leader. I've always wanted to say that." I rolled my eyes with a smile as we were led to Deck 31. "Wow. Now that is what you call a fixer upper. Come on then, Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours. Who is it?" A Host opens a pair of doors, "Oh, that's clever. That's an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in there. Sit through a supernova. Or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves on board like this and I should know, because." A large device with small wheels has come out. There is a head attached to the machinery, "My name is Max." His gold tooth glints causing me to grunt in annoyance. "It really does that." Theta spoke with a hum looking towards me in slight shock.
"Who the hell is this?" He snaps in anger, "I'm the Doctor. Hello. This is my Kate." The man eyed me with a frown, probably wondering why I was here while being pregnant. "Information. Stowaway." One of the hosts spoke, "Well." Theta started with a shrug. "Kill him. Put her in the escape pod, I might want money but I'm not a monster." I scoffed and started to fight the host as it started to drag me away. "Oh, no, no, no. Wait, but you can't. Not now. Come on, Max. You've given me so much good material like, how to get ahead in business. See? Head? Head in business? No?" I rolled my eyes as everyone stopped and watched him. "Oh, ho, ho, the office joker. I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years."
"I can't think why." I spoke sarcastically with a eye roll causing him to glare at me. "A hundred and seventy six years of running the company have taken their toll." He explained, "Yeah but, nice wheels." Theta tried with a smirk, "No, a life support system, in a society that despises cyborgs. I've had to hide away for years, running the company by hologram. Host, situation report."
"Information. Titanic is still in orbit." The host spoke causing him to turn and glare at us. "Let me see. We should have crashed by now. What's gone wrong? The engines are still running! They should have stopped!" He asked in anger and annoyance. "When they do, the Earth gets roasted. I don't understand. What's the Earth got to do with it?" I asked him with a frown as I spot Astrid off to the side. "This interview is terminated." Astrid hides, "No. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I can work it out. It's like a task. I'm your apprentice. Just watch me. So, business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh, yes! No. Yes. The business isn't failing, it's failed. Past tense."
"My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back." He glared in hatred at the thought from his past, "If you had a back. So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors just in case anyone's rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value. Oh, but that's not enough. No. Because if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out." Theta rambled on, "And the whole board thrown in jail for mass murder." I continued for him, "While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber." Theta finished as Max smiled evilly, "I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico Two, where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of metal." I groan in disgust as he looked me up and down with a smirk. "So that's the plan. A retirement plan. Two thousand people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered, and why? Because Max Capricorn is a loser."
"I never lose."
"You can't even sink the Titanic."
"Oh, but I can, Doctor. I can cancel the engines from here." An alarm goes off, "Engines closing."
"No, no, no, no, no!"
"Engines closing. Engines closing."
"You can't do this!"
"Host, hold him."
"Not so clever now, Doctor; Kate. A shame we couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted. Time for me to retire. The Titanic is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh. Oh, Host. Kill him." He commanded causing me to slightly flinch. "Mister Capricorn!" Astrid is in a fork lift, "I resign." She drives towards Capricorn, my eyes widening in shock. "Astrid, don't!" She gets the forks under Capricorn's life support and the two machines battle each other. A Host throws its halo, which glances off Astrid's cab. "He's cut the brake line!" In slow motion, Astrid looks over towards us before she lifts Capricorn completely off the ground and powers them both forward through the guard rail, to fall into the engines.
"Astrid!" The Host released Theta and I before he runs forward to watch her falling.
"Titanic falling. Voyage terminated. Voyage terminated."
Frame tries to steer the falling liner while Slade and Copper hold on for grim death. Theta walks through a shower of debris, then snaps his fingers. Two Host take his arms and fly him upwards, arms punching forward like Superman. I rolled my eyes at his dramatics as I made my way to the last host. They smash through into the bridge before the third Angel carried me through the hole, Theta quickly helping me up. "Deadlock broken." Theta rushes to sit me in the chair behind the center that wasn't ruined. I grunted as he sat me down a tied me in, with an eye roll I pouted as he kissed my forehead before turning away. "Ah, Midshipman Frame. At last." He shakes the man's hand who was gapping at us. "Er, but, but the Host." He stuttered out looking between everything. "Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that's me."
"There's nothing we can do. There's no power. The ship's going to fall."
"Titanic falling."
"What's your first name?"
"Alonso."
"Titanic falling."
"You're kidding me."
"What?" He asked in horror himself, "That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso. Whoa!" Theta spins the ship's wheel, Alarms sound as they enter the upper atmosphere, then start to burn on entry. Once into the cloud layer, he turns on a scanner with his foot to see that their impact area is in west Central London. He grabs the comms, "Oh. Hello, yes. Could you get me Buckingham Palace?"
"And as dawn rises over Great Britain, it seems that this year the city of London has escaped alien intervention. The Queen has remained in residence in defiance of extraterrestrial attack."
"Listen to me. Security code seven seven one. Now get out of there!"
The news seller shouts at the sky, "Don't you dare, you aliens! Don't you dare!"
"Engines active. Engines active." Theta pulls back on the wheel, trying to get her nose up. I let out a small yelp as I hung tightly onto the chair behind him. Titanic misses the Palace by inches and flies up into the sky. "Thank you, Doctor. Thank you. Happy Christmas!" As the ship levels off, everyone starts to laugh with relief. "Yes. Oh, yes."
"Whoo hoo!"
"Whoo hoo hoo!" The portrait of Capricorn on the wall falls down into one of the remaining small fires. "Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that's me." He turned to wink at me causing me to chuckle with deep breath as I placed a hand on my stomach as it slowly settled down. "We made it." Frame breathed out in relief, "Not all of us. Teleport! She was wearing a teleport bracelet." His eyes widened as he takes off causing me to sigh lightly, I move after him following him into the main hall. "Rickston, sonic!" Theta catches his screwdriver, "Mister Copper, the teleports, have they got emergency settings?"
"I don't know. They should have."
"She fell, Mister Copper. She fell. What's the emergency code?"
"Er, let me see."
"What the hell are you doing?"
"We can bring her back." Theta works on the teleport unit. "If a passenger has an accident on shore leave and they're still wearing their teleport, their molecules are automatically suspended and held in stasis, so of we can just trigger the shift." Copper explained, "There!" An image of Astrid appears. "I'm falling." She breathed out, "Only halfway there. Come on." Theta spoke as he continued to try and shift the teleports. "I keep falling." She repeated, "Feed back the molecule grid. Boost it with the restoration matrix. No, no, no, no, no! Need more phase containment."
"Doctor" Copper tried but Theta wasn't paying attention, "No! If I can just link up the surface suspension." I growled in annoyance, "Doctor, she's gone." I spoke up as I grabbed his arm. "I just need to override the safety. I can do this. I can do it." I turned him to face me as I spoke in our language. "Theta, let her go. It's okay." He paused staring at me in his own horror. "I can do anything!" He cried gently causing me to pull him into a hug. "Stop me falling." Her voice came out in a whisper, "There's not enough left. The system was too badly damaged. She's just atoms, Doctor. An echo with the ghost of consciousness. She's stardust." Copper tried to explain, causing him to nod as he moved back over to her. "Astrid Peth, citizen of Sto. The woman who looked at the stars and dreamt of travelling. There's an old tradition." Theta kisses Astrid on the forehead. "Now you can travel forever." He points sonic screwdriver at a window, which opens. Astrid turns into specks of light, "You're not falling, Astrid, you're flying." I breathed out as she goes out into space.
"The engines have stabilised. We're holding steady till we get help, and I've sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes. And they're digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story."
"They'll want to talk to all of us, I suppose."
"I'd have thought so, yeah."
"I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light. Still, it's my own fault, and ten years in jail is better than dying."
"Doctor, I never said thank you. The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?" Slade's phone rings, "Salvain. Those shares. I want them triple bonded and locked." I scoffed with a glare as Copper grunted, "Of all the people to survive, he's not the one you would have chosen, is he? But if you could choose, Doctor, if you decide who lives and who dies, that would make you a monster." I looked towards Theta as he looked away. "Mister Copper, I think you deserve one of these." Theta puts one on me before he and Mister Copper put on their teleport bracelets, Frame salutes just before we disappear.
We walk across the grass to the Tardis. It is snowing. "So, Great Britain is part of Europey, and just across the British Channel, you've got Great France and Great Germany." Copper listed off causing us to shake our heads together, "No, no, it's just, it's just France and Germany. Only Britain is Great." I explained to him causing him to nod, "Oh, and they're all at war with the continent of Ham Erica." Theta grunted and squinted his eyes in thought. "No. Well, not yet. Er, could argue that one. There she is. Survive anything." We finally make it to the Tardis, "You know, between you and me, I don't even thing this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere."
"Yeah. One of these days it might snow for real." I chuckled lowly as he pulled me into his side. "So, I, I suppose you'll be off." We both nodded together, giving each other a smile. "The open sky." He breathed out, I loved his smile. "And, what about me?" Copper asked us, "We travel alone. It's best that way." I scoffed lowly looking away when he turned to me. "What am I supposed to do?" Copper asked looking around, "Give me that credit card." He handed it over allowing Theta to us his sonic on it. "It's just petty cash. Spending money. It's all done by computer. I didn't really know the currency, so I thought a million might cover it." Copper shrugged, "A million? Pounds?" Theta asked in shock, "That enough for trinkets?" He asked with a frown in disbelief as he looked between us. "Mister Copper, a million pounds is worth fifty million credits." I explained to him, "How much?" Copper asked with wide eyes, "Fifty million and fifty six."
"I've got money."
"Yes, you have."
"Oh, my word. Oh, my Vot! Oh, my goodness me. Yee ha!"
"It's all yours. Planet Earth. Now, that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though."
"I will, I will. Oh, I will."
"No interfering. We don't want any trouble. Just, just have a nice life." I told the old man with a small sad smile. "But I can have a house. A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and. Oh, Doctor, I will made you proud." He hugs us tightly causing Theta to smile. "And I can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and plates, and." Copper skips away, "Er, where are you going?" He turns with a gentle smile, "Well, I've no idea." I laughed as Theta pulled me closer by the waist. "No, me neither." He responded kissing the top of my head, "But Doctor, I won't forget her." A streak of blue starlight zig-zags across the sky. "Merry Christmas, Mister Copper." Theta goes into the Tardis with me following close behind and it dematerializes.
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I sat on the medbay table as Theta checks the scans, he mutters to himself lowly before turning to me with a smile and nods. I laugh in relief before allowing him to pick me up and carry me to our room. "Sleep. Rest." I nodded lowly before slowly falling asleep in his arms.
Everything was okay.
We were safe now.
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God this one took me weeks, I've been so busy with work I haven't been able to write anything.
Thank you guys for all the support, and yes we are finally into the next regeneration.
Jennifer Morrison as the 8th Kate!
I just posted a new Tiktok for the new trio coming! Please check it out!!
Shittyhair_cosplay_for0
This is just a post so yall know im still working on this story but it might be a little bit before I update again.
Thank you all!!
10,683 Words