. . . well, let's just say the end of this is not going to be pretty.
And I hate writing this chapter. It's decent, but . . . it's so boring. Same scene, no change in characters, no running . . . meh.
Anyway, here's "Midnight!"
***
"I said no."
The Alchemist couldn't help but laugh at the Doctor's exasperated face at Donna's words, he speaking into a phone. 'Sapphire waterfall," he tried again, the Alchemist still laughing. "It's a waterfall made of sapphires! This enormous jewel, the size of a glacier reaches the Cliffs of Oblivion, and then shatters into sapphires at the edge. They fall a hundred thousand feet into a crystal ravine!"
"Is that what you said to get that Bonded of yours?"
That just made the Alchemist laugh even harder. "Oh, come on!" the Doctor whined, giving his Bonded a pout. Why was she making fun of him? That wasn't necessary! "They're boarding now."
"Doctor, you two need a date," Donna said sternly. "What did you say it was, four hours there and four hours back? You two need that. I'd rather go sunbathing."
The Doctor sighed, conceding the point. "You be careful. That's Xtonic sunlight."
"Oh, I'm safe. It says in the brochure this glass is fifteen feet thick."
"All right, I give up. We'll be back for dinner. We'll try that anti-gravity restaurant." He gave the Alchemist a look. "With bibs."
The Alchemist looked down at her usual attire of white and pale yellow and gave a sheepish grin. "I would get messy otherwise," she admitted.
"That's a date," Donna said before pausing. "Well, not a date. Oh, you know what I mean. Oh, get off!"
"See you later," the Doctor chuckled.
"Oi, and you be careful, all right?"
"Nah," the Doctor looked around with a grin. "Taking a big space truck with a bunch of strangers across a diamond planet called Midnight? What could possibly go wrong?" He heard a dull thunk from next to him as he hung up, then rolled his eyes when he saw the Alchemist banging her head against the side of the booth. "Oh, come on," he sighed, walking off.
The Alchemist just rolled her eyes to the sky as she jogged to catch up.
***
"I can't remember the last time we had a trip to ourselves, now that I think about it," the Alchemist mused as they took their seats.
"Well, the Titanic certainly stands out," the Doctor grinned as the hostess approached.
"That's the headphones for channels one to thirty six," she said as she handed them packages. "Modern link for 3D vidgames. Complimentary earplugs. Complimentary slippers. Complimentary juice pack and complimentary peanuts. I must warn you, some products may contain nuts."
"Well, gee, I wonder which ones," the Alchemist said sarcastically, eyeing the peanuts.
The Doctor snickered as the hostess gave her a stink-eye. "Enjoy your trip," the woman said stiffly, turning to leave.
"Oh, I can't wait," the Doctor grinned. "Allons-y!"
The hostess stared at him. "I'm sorry?"
"It's French, for let's go," he explained.
"Fascinating."
The Alchemist watched her as she left before turning to the Doctor. "Wonder what's got her acting like there's a dead rat under her nose."
The Doctor snorted, then turned when there was a tap on his shoulder. He raised an eyebrow when he met the gaze of an older man, a young woman with dark skin by him. "Hobbes," the man introduced, holding out a hand. "Professor Winfold Hobbes."
"I'm the Doctor, and this is the Alchemist," the Doctor answered, shaking his hand. "Hello."
"It's my fourteenth time," Hobbes added.
"Oh?" the Doctor tilted his head. "Our first."
"And I'm Dee Dee," Hobbes's assistant said. "Dee Dee Blasco."
"Nice to meet you, Dee Dee," the Alchemist smiled.
"Don't bother them," Hobbes muttered. "Where's my water bottle?"
"Ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon, welcome onboard the Crusader Fifty," the hostess announced as she returned to the front. "If you would fasten your seat belts, we'll be leaving any moment. Doors!" They slid closed. "Shields down!" The Alchemist watched as something slid down to cover the windows. "I'm afraid the view is shielded until we reach the Waterfall Palace. Also, a reminder. Midnight has no air, so please don't touch the exterior door seals. Fire exit at the rear, and should we need to use it, you first."
"Thank you, dear hostess, for your consideration," the Alchemist muttered, smirking when the Doctor choked.
"Now I will hand you over to Driver Joe," the hostess nodded.
"Driver Joe at the wheel," a voice came over the intercom. "There's been a diamondfall at the Winter Witch Canyon, so we'll be taking a slight detour, as you'll see on the map. The journey covers five hundred kliks to the Multifaceted Coast. Duration is estimated at four hours. Thank you for traveling with us, and as they used to say in the olden days, wagons roll!"
The shuttle rattled slightly as it took off. "For your entertainment, we have the Music Channel playing retrovids of Earth classics," the hostess said as screens came down. "Also, the latest artistic installation from Lodovico Klein. Plus, for the youngsters, a rare treat. The Animation Archives." Both Time Lords stared at the projection coming down in front of the cabin. "Four hours of fun time. Enjoy," the hostess smiled, sitting down.
The two Time Lords exchanged looks, then the Doctor winked and pulled out his sonic screwdriver. One buzz from it, and everything powered down. "Well, that's a mercy," Hobbes quipped as the screens returned to their docks.
"I do apologize, ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon," the hostess frowned. "We seem to have had a failure of the Entertainment System."
"Oh, the horror," the Alchemist gasped dramatically, making Dee Dee giggle slightly.
"But what do we do?" a dark-haired woman in back asked.
"We've got four hours of this?" her husband asked. "Four hours of just sitting here?"
"Tell you what," the Doctor twisted to see them, smirking. "We'll have to talk to each other instead."
"Oh, even more terrifying," the Alchemist snickered. "Who wants to start?"
***
"So Biff said, I'm going swimming," the dark-haired woman, Val, was saying as everyone listened.
"Oh, I was all ready," her husband, Biff, nodded. "Trunks and everything. Nose plug."
"He had this little nose plug! You should have seen him!"
"And I went marching up to the lifeguard. And he was a Shamboni! You know those big foreheads?"
"Great big forehead."
"And I said, where's the pool? And he said - "
"The pool is abstract!" both crowed, laughing.
"Not a fan?" the Alchemist asked their son, Jethro, as he rolled his eyes, the others totally into the story.
"The number of times I have heard this," Jethro grumbled.
The Alchemist just smiled sympathetically as Val went on. "It wasn't a real pool!"
"It was a concept!" Biff nodded.
"And you were wearing a nose plug?" the Doctor grinned.
"I was like this." Biff pinched his nose. "Ooo, where's the pool?"
"Yeah, that would get old after a while," the Alchemist admitted.
***
"I'm just a second-year student, but I wrote a paper on the Lost Moon of Poosh," Dee Dee told the Alchemist as they got drinks from the galley. "Professor Hobbes read it, liked it, took me on as researcher, just for the holidays. Well, I say researcher. Most of the time he's got me fetching and carrying. But it's all good experience."
"And did they ever find it?" the Alchemist asked.
"Find what?"
"The Lost Moon of Poosh."
"Oh, no," Dee Dee shook her head. "Not yet."
"Well, maybe that'll be your great discovery, one day. Here's to Poosh."
"Poosh," Dee Dee agreed, the two of them bumping cups with each other before drinking.
***
"No, no, we're with my sister, Donna," the Doctor told Sky as they sat up front, unwrapping their meals. "She stayed behind in the Leisure Palace. You?"
"No, it's just me," Sky shook her head.
"Oh, I've done plenty of that. Traveling on my own. I love it. 'Course, that was before I met Alice. Would rather be traveling with her than on my own. Still, we do what we want, go anywhere."
"No, I'm still getting used to it," Sky told him. "I've found myself single rather recently, not by choice."
The Doctor tilted his head, intrigued. "What happened?"
"Oh, the usual. she needed her own space, as they say. A different galaxy, in fact. I reckon that's enough space, don't you?"
"Yeah," the Doctor agreed. "Alice's sister went to a different universe."
Sky nodded, then examined her meal. "Oh, what's this, chicken or beef?"
The Doctor examined his, too. "I think it's both?" He looked behind him as the Alchemist walked up, her own meal in hand. "Alice? Chicken or beef?"
The Time Lady took a sniff, then her eyes bugged open. "Yeah," she coughed slightly. "It's both."
***
"So this is Midnight, do you see, bombarded by the sun," Hobbes gave a lecture to those onboard, everyone paying attention. "Xtonic rays, raw galvanic radiation. Dee Dee, next slide. It's my pet project. Actually, I'm the first person to research this. Because, you see, the history is fascinating. Because there is no history. There's no life in this entire system. There couldn't be. Before the Leisure Palace Company moved in, no one had come here in all eternity. No living thing."
"But how do you know?" Jethro asked. "I mean, if no one can go outside."
"Oh, his imagination," Val snorted. "Here we go."
"He's got a point, though," the Alchemist gave her a look.
"Exactly," Hobbes nodded. "We look upon this world through glass, safe inside our metal box. Even the Leisure Palace was lowered down from orbit. And here we are now, crossing Midnight, but never touching it."
The shuttle suddenly made a crunching noise, shuddering before it ground to a halt. "We've stopped," Val blinked. "Have we stopped?"
"Are we there?" Biff asked.
"We can't be, it's too soon," Dee Dee checked how far they'd gone.
"They don't stop," Hobbes frowned. "Crusader vehicles never stop."
"If you could just return to your seats," the hostess told them, standing to go to the intercom phone. "It's just a small delay."
"Maybe just a pit stop," Biff suggested.
"There's no pit to stop in," Hobbes shook his head. "I've been on this expedition fourteen times. They never stop."
"And I suppose it's never occurred to you that they can change?" the Alchemist raised an eyebrow.
"Evidently we have stopped, so there's no point in denying it," Sky added.
"We've broken down," Jethro grinned.
"Thanks, Jethro," Val huffed.
"In the middle of nowhere."
"That's enough, now stop it," Biff ordered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, and variations thereupon, we're just experiencing a short delay," the hostess told them. "The driver needs to stabilize the engine feeds. It's perfectly routine, so if you could just stay in your seats - " She frowned as the Time Lords walked up. "No, I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, I - could you please?"
The Doctor just held up his psychic paper. "There you go. Engineer experts. Two ticks!"
"I'm sorry, sir, ma'am, if you could just sit down!" the hostess protested as he opened the cabin door. "You're not supposed to be in there!"
"Never really stopped us," the Alchemist smirked, walking inside as well, shutting the door in the hostess's face.
"Sorry, if you could return to your seat, sir, ma'am," the man at the head controls, Joe, frowned at them.
"Company insurance," the Doctor held up his psychic paper again. "Let's see if we can get an early assessment. So, what's the problem, Driver Joe?"
"We're stabilizing the engine feeds. Won't take long."
"And I'd believe that if I didn't know that that was the engine feed, and it looks fine," the Alchemist pointed at one of the lines. "This is a micropetrol engine. Stabilizing doesn't even make sense."
"That's the Alchemist, she's very clever," the Doctor grinned. "I'm the Doctor, and I'm clever, too. So, what's wrong?"
"We just stopped," the other man inside answered. "Look, all systems fine, everything's working, but we're not moving."
The Doctor did a quick scan with his sonic, then nodded. "Yeah, you're right. No faults. And who are you?"
"Claude," he answered. "I'm the mechanic. Trainee."
"Nice to meet you," the Doctor smiled.
"I've sent a distress signal," Joe added. "They should dispatch a rescue truck, top speed."
"How long till they get here?"
"About an hour."
"Well," the Doctor leaned on the back of one of the chairs. "Since we're waiting, shall we take a look outside? Just lift the screens a bit?"
"It's a hundred percent Xtonic out there," Joe frowned. "We'd be vaporized."
"But these windows are Finitoglass," the Alchemist tapped one. "We'd have a couple of minutes. Come on. Live a little!"
The Doctor winced at the statement, not at all happy he'd just been reminded about that detail, and Joe sighed. "Well . . . " He reached out and raised the cover, and all four of them watched as the shield raised. "Wow," his eyes widened.
"Oh, that is beautiful," the Doctor grinned, seeing the glittering surface of Midnight.
"Look at all those diamonds!" Claude marveled. "Poisoned by the sun. No one can ever touch them."
"You said we took a detour, yeah?" the Alchemist asked Joe.
"Just about forty kliks to the west," Joe nodded.
"Is that a recognized path?"
"No, it's a new one. The computer worked it out on automatic."
"So we're the first," the Doctor grinned. "This piece of ground. No one's ever been here before, not in the whole of recorded history."
"Did you just?" Claude suddenly sat up straight before frowning. "No, sorry. It's nothing."
"What did you see?" the Alchemist frowned.
"Just there, that ridge," Claude pointed. "Like, like a shadow. Just, just for a second."
"What sort of shadow?" the Doctor immediately straightened.
The console started beeping, and Joe nodded. "Xtonic rising. Shields down."
"Look, look!" Claude shouted, pointing. "There it is, there it is! Look, look there!"
"Where?" the Doctor bent down to try and see before the shields completely lowered. "What was it?"
"Like, just something shifting," Claude answered. "Something sort of dark, like it was running."
"Running which way?" the Alchemist narrowed her eyes.
Claude swallowed. "Towards us."
Joe cleared his throat as the Time Lords exchanged looks. "Right, Doctor, Alchemist, back to your seats. And, er, not a word. Rescue's on its way. If you could close the door, thank you."
***
Sky was waiting for them when they came out. "What did they say?" Sky asked. "Did they tell you? What is it? What's wrong?"
"Oh, just stabilizing," the Doctor lied through his teeth. "Happens all the time."
"I don't need this!" Sky complained. "I'm on a schedule! This is completely unnecessary!"
"Back to your seats, thank you," the hostess ordered, heading into the cabin herself.
"Excuse me, Doctor, but they're micropetrol engines, aren't they?" Dee Dee asked.
"Now, don't bother the man," Hobbes began.
"My father was a mechanic," Dee Dee continued. "Micropetrol doesn't stabilize. What does stabilize mean?"
"Well," the Doctor fumbled for what to say. "Bit of flim-flam. Don't worry, they're sorting it out."
"So it's not the engines?" Hobbes frowned.
"It's just a little pause, that's all," the Doctor sighed.
"How much air have we got?"
"Professor, it's fine," the Alchemist told him.
"What did he say?" Val squeaked, blanching.
"Nothing," the Alchemist told her.
"Are we running out of air?" her eyes widened.
"I was just speculating!" Hobbes protested as the hostess reemerged.
"Is that right, miss?" Biff asked the hostess. "Are we running out of air?"
"Is that what the captain said?" Val joined in.
"If you could all just remain calm," the hostess began.
"How much air have we got?"
"Mum, just stop it!" Jethro scowled.
"I assure you, everything is under control," the hostess frowned.
"Well, doesn't look like it to me!" Biff scoffed.
"Well, he said it," Val pointed at Hobbes.
"It's fine," Dee Dee tried to say. "The air is on a circular filter - "
"He started it!"
"OI!" Everyone flinched at the exclamation, turning to the Alchemist, who was leaning against the seats. She raised an eyebrow at Dee Dee. "What were you saying about a circular filter, Dee Dee?"
"Er . . . " She cleared her throat. "It's just that, well, the air's on a circular filter, so we could stay breathing for ten years."
"See? No problem with the air," the Alchemist told Val pointedly. "And we've spoken with the captain. Trust me, everything's fine."
Thump thump.
Everyone started, and the Alchemist closed her eyes. "Why did I have to say that?" she muttered, letting her head fall onto her arm.
"What was that?" Val asked quietly.
"It must be the metal," Hobbes answered. "We're cooling down. It's just settling."
"Rocks," Dee Dee suggested. "It could be rocks falling."
"What I want to know is how long do we have to sit here," Biff began.
Thump thump.
"What is that?" Sky eyed the hull in distrust.
"There's someone out there," Val whimpered.
"Now, don't be ridiculous," Hobbes snorted.
"Like I said, it could be rocks," Dee Dee told them.
"We're out in the open," the hostess shook her head. "Nothing could fall against the sides."
Thump thump.
"Knock knock," the Doctor mumbled.
"Who's there?" Jethro grinned.
The Doctor grinned back before Sky started shouting at the hull. "Is there something out there? Well? Anyone?"
Thump thump.
"What the hell is making that noise?"
"I'm sorry, but the light out there is Xtonic," Hobbes frowned. "That means it would destroy any living thing in a split second. It is impossible for someone to be outside."
"Tell that to whatever this is," the Alchemist pointed at the hull as the thumping came again.
"Sir, you really should get back to your seat," the hostess told the Doctor.
He just climbed onto his seat, using his stethoscope on the hull. "Hello?" he asked.
Thump thump.
"It's moving," Jethro listened as the thumps moved.
The emergency door started rattling, making Val shriek. "It's trying the door!"
"There is no it!" Hobbes insisted. "There's nothing out there! Can't be!"
"Whatever floats your boat, Professor," the Alchemist listened as the thumps moved to the front door.
"That's the entrance," Val eyed it. "Can it get in?"
"No," Dee Dee answered. "That door's on two hundred weight hydraulics."
"Stop it," Hobbes scowled. "Don't encourage them."
"You aren't exactly helping, Professor," the Alchemist threw him a look.
"Biff, don't," Val warned as Biff went to inspect the door.
"Mr. Cane, better not," the Doctor agreed.
"Nah," Biff shook his head. "It's cast iron, that door." He rapped on it three times -
Thump thump thump.
Biff leapt away, surprised. "Three times!" Val gasped. "Did you hear that? It did it three times!"
"It answered!" Jethro's eyes widened.
"All right, all right, all right, everyone calmed down," the Doctor told everyone.
"No, but it answered," Sky nodded. "It answered. Don't tell me that thing's not alive. It answered him!"
Thump thump thump.
"I really must insist you get back to your seats," the hostess looked around.
"No, don't just stand there telling us the rules," Sky glared at her. "You're the hostess. You're supposed to do something!" The Doctor tried a four knock pattern on the door, and after a small pause, there was an answering four thumps. "What is it?" Sky whimpered. "What the hell's making that noise? She said she'd get me. Stop it! Make it stop! Somebody, make it stop! Don't just stand there looking at me! It's not my fault! He started it with his stories!"
Hobbes started, and Dee Dee frowned. "Calm down!"
"And he made it worse!" Sky kept accusing people.
"You're not helping," Val scowled.
"Yeah? Neither are you," the Alchemist retorted, making Val stare at her.
"Why didn't you leave it alone?" Sky scowled. "Stop staring at me! Just tell me what the hell it is!"
"Calm down!" Dee Dee repeated.
The thumping started up again, going faster and faster, and closer to Sky. "It's coming for me," she whimpered, backing up to the cabin door. "Oh, it's coming for me! It's coming for me!"
"Get out of there!" the Doctor shouted as Sky screamed.
There was a loud bang, and the shuttle rocked from side to side. The Doctor grabbed the Alchemist, yanking her down as the power went out and sparks flew everywhere, the other passengers diving for cover as well. "Are you OK?" the Doctor asked quietly.
"Yeah," the Alchemist nodded, wincing. "Just a bit of a headache."
"Again?"
"I wish they'd miraculously go away, too, but I don't think that's going to happen."
"I know," he sighed, kissing the top of her head before standing up. "How are we?" he asked, looking about, completely missing one of the screens showing a blonde girl shouting his name. "How are we? Everyone all right?"
"Earthquake," Hobbes muttered. "Must be."
"But that's impossible," Dee Dee shook her head. "The ground is fixed. It's solid."
"We've got torches," the hostess said, taking one from where she sat. "Everyone take a torch. They're in the back of the seats."
"Oh, Jethro," Val hurried over to her son, who was rubbing the back of his head. "Sweetheart, come here."
"Never mind me," Jethro pushed her off, pointing up front. "What about her?"
Sky was sitting among the wreckage of the front row, not moving. "What happened to the seats?" Val blinked.
"Who did that?" Biff looked around.
"They've been ripped up!"
"It's all right, it's all right," the Doctor told them. "It's all right. It's over. We're still alive. Look, the wall's still intact," he gestured to the hull, massively dented inwards. "Do you see? We're safe."
"Joe? Claude?" the hostess tried the intercom phone. "Driver Joe, can you hear me?" She hung up with a frown. "I'm not getting any response. The intercom must be down."
She walked over to the cabin door and opened it, only for massively bright light to flood the cabin. Everyone shouted in pain, trying to cover their eyes, and the hostess quickly shut the door again. "What happened?" Val's eyes widened. "What was that?"
"Is it the driver?" Biff asked. "Have we lost the driver?"
"The cabin's gone," the hostess swallowed.
"Don't be ridiculous," Hobbes snorted. "It can't be gone. How can it be gone?"
"Well, well, you saw it," Dee Dee glared at him.
"There was nothing there," the hostess answered. "Like it was ripped away."
"What are you doing?" Biff frowned, aiming his torch in the direction of where the Doctor was fiddling with a panel.
"Ah, that's better!" the Doctor grinned. "Little bit of light. Thank you. Molto bene!"
"Do you know what you're doing?" Val frowned.
"What, do you want to try it?" the Alchemist asked snidely.
"No, I don't."
"Then let him do it since yes, he knows what he's doing."
"Now, now, play nice," the Doctor teased.
The Alchemist quirked an eyebrow. "And who's the one that usually ends up getting us in trouble all the time?"
The Doctor sighed and went back to working on the panel. "And here I thought you were on my side."
"Oh, I am. I'm also just bored."
He snorted. "You do it, then."
The Alchemist smirked. "Budge over, then."
The Doctor obliged, using his torch to shine light on the panel, the Alchemist taking his place to work on it. "The cabin's gone," Biff told her. "You'd better leave that wall alone."
"The cabin can't be gone," Hobbes shook his head.
"No, it's safe," the Doctor shook his head. "Any rupture would automatically seal itself."
The Alchemist took the panel off and investigated the wires. "But something sliced it off," she deduced. "The cabin's definitely gone."
"But if it gets separated?" the hostess asked, swallowing.
"It loses integrity," the Alchemist turned. "They've been reduced to dust, the driver and the mechanic."
"But they sent a distress signal," the Doctor hurried to reassure them. "Help is on its way. They saved our lives. We are going to get out of here, I promise. We're still alive, and they are going to find us."
"Doctor, look at her," Jethro pointed at Sky.
The Doctor turned and slowly moved over. "Right, yes, sorry. Have we got a medical kit?"
"Why won't she turn around?" Jethro asked.
"What's her name?" the Alchemist asked.
"Silvestry," the hostess answered. "Mrs. Sky Silvestry."
"Sky?" the Doctor moved forward. "Can you hear me? Are you all right? Can you move, Sky? Just look at me."
"That noise from outside, it's stopped," Jethro looked at the hull.
"Well, thank God for that," Val sighed in relief.
"But what if it's not outside anymore? What if it's inside?"
"Inside?" Val gasped, looking around. "Where?"
"It was heading for her," Jethro pointed at Sky.
"Sky?" the Doctor stopped in front of her. "It's al right, Sky. I just want you to turn around, face me." She slowly did, her wide, unblinking eyes looking at him, ignoring the torchlight. "Sky?"
"Sky?" she spoke back.
"Are you all right?" the Doctor asked.
"Are you all right?" Sky repeated.
The Doctor blinked. "Are you hurt?"
"Are you hurt?"
"You don't have to talk."
"You don't have to talk."
"I'm trying to help!"
"I'm trying to help!"
"My name's the Doctor."
"My name's the Doctor."
"OK, can you stop?"
"OK, can you stop?"
"I'd like you to stop."
"I'd like you to stop."
"Oh, dear," the Alchemist sighed, Sky repeating her.
"Why's she doing that?" Hobbes asked, Sky repeating him as well.
"She's gone mad," Biff stared.
"Stop it," Val ordered, only to shake when Sky kept going on. "I said stop it!"
"I don't think she can," Dee Dee shook her head.
"All right, now, stop it," Hobbes ordered. "This isn't funny!"
"Shush, shush, shush, all of you," the Doctor ordered.
"My name's Jethro," the boy tried.
"Jethro, leave it," the Doctor pointed at him. "Just shut up." He turned back to Sky, crouching in front of her as she kept repeating. "Why are you repeating? What is that, learning? Copying? Absorbing?"
"The square root of pi is 1.772453850905516027298167483341," the Alchemist rattled off, then whistled when Sky repeated her number for number. "Wow."
"But that's impossible!" Hobbes stared.
"She couldn't repeat all that," Dee Dee breathed.
"Tell her to stop," Val whimpered. "She's driving me mad! Just make her stop! Stop her staring at me! Shut her up!"
"It's got to be a trick," the hostess shook her head.
"That's impossible," Dee Dee stared at Sky.
"I'm telling you, what ever your name is," Biff began.
"Now, just stop it, all of you!" the Doctor snapped.
"Her eyes," Hobbes pointed out. "What's wrong with her eyes?"
"She can copy anything," Jethro realized.
"Biff, don't just stand there, do something!" Val shrieked. "Make her stop!"
"You're scaring my wife," Biff snarled at Sky.
"Mrs. Silvestry," the hostess tried.
"Six six six," Jethro grinned.
"She's different," Val whimpered. "She's something else. Do something! Make her stop!"
The lights abruptly came back on, making everyone quiet. "That's the backup system," the hostess said.
"Well, that's a bit better," Biff sighed in relief.
"What about the rescue?" Val asked, the Alchemist slowly turning to Sky, seeing the woman not repeating anything at the moment. "How long's it going to take?"
"About sixty minutes, that's all," the hostess answered.
"Then I suggest we all calm down," Hobbes said, Sky tilting her head and considering him. "This panic isn't helping. That poor woman is evidently in a state of self-induced hysteria." The Alchemist did a double take when Sky started speaking exactly with Hobbes as he kept talking. "We should leave her alone."
"Doctor," Jethro began.
"I know," the Doctor frowned, watching Sky.
"Doctor, now step back," Hobbes ordered, even as the Doctor approached her. "I think you should leave her - " He cut off abruptly, noticing Sky speaking with him. "Alone. What's she doing?"
"How can she do that?" Val blinked, Sky speaking with her, too. "She's talking with you. And with me! Oh, my God, Biff, what's she doing?"
"She's repeating, exactly at the same time," Jethro answered.
"That's impossible," Dee Dee shook her head.
"There's not even a delay," the Alchemist said in surprise.
"Oh, man, that is weird," Jethro shook his head.
"I think you should all be very, very quiet," the Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Have you got that?"
"How's she doing it?" Val asked.
"Mrs. Cane, please be quiet."
"How can she do that? She's got my voice! She's got my words!"
"Come on, be quiet," Biff scowled. "Hush, now. Hush! She's doing it to me!"
"Just stop it, all of you!" the Doctor ordered. "Stop it, please!" When everyone quieted, he crouched down in front of Sky. "Now, then, Sky . . . are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? Mrs. Silvestry? You know exactly what I'm going to say. How are you doing that?" He paused, then threw words out as quickly as he could. "Roast beef, bananas, the Medusa Cascade. Bang! Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, TARDIS. Shamble bobble dibble dooble. Oh, Doctor, you're so handsome."
"Yes, you are," the Alchemist agreed with a smirk.
"Thank you, Alice," the Doctor winked at her.
"You are quite welcome."
The Doctor turned back to Sky and rattled on. "A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O." He sat back on his heels. "First she repeats, then she catches up. What's the next stage?"
"Next stage of what?" Dee Dee frowned.
"That's not her, is it?" Jethro asked. "That's not Mrs. Silvestry anymore."
"No, I don't think so," the Alchemist agreed. "I think the more we talk, the more she learns. I'm all for learning, but in this case, I don't think so."
"Let's just move back," the Doctor suggested, the Alchemist helping him back everyone up. "Come on. Come with me. Everyone, get back. All of you, as far as you can."
"Doctor, make her stop," Val whimpered.
"Val, come with me," the Doctor gently pushed her back. "Come to the back. Stop looking at her. Come on, Jethro, you, too. Everyone, come on. Fifty minutes, that's all we need. Fifty minutes till the rescue comes. And she's not exactly strong. Look at her. All she's got is our voices."
"I can't," Val sputtered. "I can't look at her. It's those eyes."
"We must not look at goblin men," Dee Dee murmured under her breath.
"Christina Rossetti," the Alchemist nodded. "Very fitting. We must not look at goblin men. We must not buy their fruits. Who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry, thirsty roots? . . . and that probably didn't help," she winced as Val whimpered more. "Oops."
"She's not a goblin, or a monster," Hobbes scowled. "She's just a very sick woman."
"Maybe that's why it went for her," Jethro suggested.
"There is no it!"
"Think about it, though," he argued. "That knocking went all the way round the bus until it found her, and she was the most scared out of all of us. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in."
"For the last time, nothing can live on the surface of Midnight!"
"Glad to know your knowledge dictates the universe, Professor," the Alchemist said icily. "News flash: the universe has ideas of its own. This is one of them."
"We've got previous," the Doctor said. "I think there might well be some consciousness inside Mrs. Silvestry, but maybe she's still in there, and it's our job to help her."
"Well, you can help her," Biff folded his arms. "I'm not going near."
"No, I've got to stay back, because if she's copying us, then maybe the final stage is becoming us," the Doctor shook his head. "I don't want her becoming me, certainly not Alice, or things could get a whole lot worse."
"Oh, like you're so special," Val snorted.
"As it happens, yes, we are," the Doctor nodded, the Alchemist rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "So that's decided. We stay back, and we wait. When the rescue ship comes, we can get her to hospital - "
"We should throw her out."
The Alchemist gawked at the hostess. "What did you just say?!"
"Can we do that?" Val blinked.
"Don't be ridiculous!" the Doctor snorted.
"That thing, whatever it is, killed the driver and the mechanic, and I don't think she's finished yet," the hostess said.
"She can't even move!"
"Look at her! Look at her eyes! She killed Joe, and she killed Claude, and we're next!"
"She's still doing it," Biff eyed Sky. "Just stop it. Stop talking! Stop it!"
"Biff, don't, sweetheart," Val whispered.
"But she won't stop," Biff shook his head. "We can't throw her out, though. We can't even open the doors!"
"No one is getting thrown out!" the Doctor shouted.
"Yes, we can," Dee Dee said suddenly. "Because there's an air pressure seal. Like when you opened the cabin door, you weren't pulled out. You had a couple of seconds, because it takes the pressure wall about six seconds to collapse. Well, six seconds exactly. That's enough time to throw someone out."
The Alchemist buried her face in her hands. "Thanks, Dee Dee, that was just what we needed."
"Would it kill her outside?" Val asked.
"I don't know," Dee Dee shrugged. "But she's got a body now. It would certainly kill the physical form."
"No one is killing anyone!" the Doctor groaned.
"I wouldn't risk the cabin door twice, but we've got that one," the hostess pointed at the door. "All we need to do is grab hold of her and throw her out."
"Now listen, all of you," the Doctor ground out. "For all we know, that's a brand new life form over there, and if it's come inside to discover us, then what's it found? This little bunch of humans. What do you amount to? Murder? Because this is where you decide. You decide who you are. Could you actually murder her? Any of you? Really? Or are you better than that?"
"I'd do it," the hostess said bluntly.
"So would I," Biff nodded.
"And me," Val agreed.
"I think we should," Dee Dee admitted.
"What?" the Alchemist stared at her.
"I want her out."
"You can't say that!"
"I'm sorry, but you two said it yourself. She's growing in strength."
"That's not what we said," the Doctor shook his head.
"I want to go home," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I want to be safe."
"You'll be safe any minute now. The rescue truck is on its way."
"But what happens then, Doctor?" the hostess folded her arms. "If it takes that thing back to the Leisure Palace, if that thing reaches civilization . . . what if it spreads?"
"No, because when we get back to the base, we'll be there to contain it."
"You haven't done much so far," Val scoffed.
"You're just standing in the back with the rest of us," Biff nodded.
"She's dangerous," the hostess stated. "It's my job to see that this vessel is safe, and we should get rid of her."
"Now, hang on," Hobbes held up a hand. "I think perhaps we're all going a little bit too far."
"Thank you," the Alchemist sighed.
"Two people are dead," the hostess argued.
"Don't make it a third," the Doctor warned darkly. "Jethro, what do you say?"
"I'm not killing anyone," he held up his hands.
"Thank you."
"He's just a boy," Val scoffed.
"What, so I don't get a vote?" Jethro defended himself.
"There isn't a vote!" the Doctor shouted. "It's not happening, ever! If you try to throw her out that door, you'll have to get past me first!"
"And me," the Alchemist agreed.
The humans all stared at them. "OK," the hostess stated.
"Fine by me," Biff shrugged.
"Oh, now you're being stupid," the Doctor snorted. "Just think about it. Could you actually take hold of someone and throw them out of that door?"
"Calling me a coward?" Biff narrowed his eyes.
"Who put you in charge anyway?" Val asked.
"I'm sorry, but you're a Doctor of what, exactly?" Hobbes frowned.
"They weren't even booked in," the hostess said. "The rest of you, tickets in advance. They just turned up out of the blue."
"Where from?" Val quizzed.
"We're just traveling," the Alchemist answered. "We're travelers, that's all."
"Like immigrants?"
"Who were you talking to?" the hostess asked. "Before you got onboard, you were talking to someone. Who was that?"
"Just Donna," the Doctor frowned. "Just my sister."
"And what were you saying to her?" Biff interrogated.
"They haven't even told us their names," Val challenged.
"The things is, though," Jethro said slowly. "You've been loving this."
"Oh, Jethro, not you," the Doctor sighed.
"No, but ever since all the trouble started, you've been loving it!"
"It has to be said, you do seem to have a certain glee," Hobbes frowned.
"All right, I know I'm interested," the Doctor turned to the Alchemist, who nodded. "Yes, I can't help it. Because whatever's inside her, it's brand new, and that's fascinating."
"What, you wanted this to happen?" Val asked.
"He didn't say that," the Alchemist pointed out.
"And you were talking to her, all on your own, before all the trouble," Biff added. "Right at the front, you were talking to that Sky woman, the two of you together. I saw you."
"We all did," Val nodded.
"And you went into the cabin," the hostess frowned.
"What were you saying to her?" Biff asked.
"I was just talking!" the Doctor insisted.
"Saying what?"
"You called us humans like you're not one of us," Jethro recalled.
"He did," Val nodded. "That's what he said."
"And the wiring," Dee Dee pointed to them. "They went into that panel and opened up the wiring."
"That was after," the Alchemist reminded her.
"But how did you know what to do?" Biff asked.
"Because we're clever!" the Doctor groaned.
The Alchemist sighed at the humans' offended expressions. "Oh, now you've done it."
"I see," Hobbes said icily. "Well, that makes things clear."
"And what are we, then?" Biff folded his arms. "Idiots?"
"He didn't say that," the Alchemist scowled.
"That's not what I meant," the Doctor agreed.
"If you're clever, then what are we?" Dee Dee challenged.
"You've been looking down on us from the moment we walked in," Val stated.
"Even if he goes, he's practically volunteered," the hostess said.
"Are you even listening to yourselves?" the Alchemist scoffed incredulously.
"Do you mean we throw them out as well?" Biff asked.
"If we have to," the hostess nodded.
The Alchemist snorted, and the Doctor cut in before they could say anything else. "Look, just - right, sorry, yes, hold on, just . . . I know you're scared, and so are we. Look at me, I am. But we have all got to clam down and cool off and think."
"Perhaps you could tell us your names," Hobbes told him.
"What does it matter?" the Doctor groaned.
"Then tell us," the hostess challenged.
"John Smith," he answered. "This is Alicia Morrow."
"Hers I believe," Hobbes pointed at the Alchemist. "But what's your real name?"
"He's lying," Biff snorted. "Look at his face."
"His eyes are the same as hers," Val agreed.
"Why won't you tell us?" Jethro frowned.
"It's a simple enough question," Dee Dee nodded.
"He's been lying to us right from the start," Val accused.
"What's your name?" the hostess asked.
"No one's called John Smith," Biff stated. "Come off it."
"Now, listen to me," the Doctor looked around. "Listen to me right now, because you need us, all of you. If we are going to get out of this, then you need us."
"So you keep saying," Hobbes scoffed, and the Alchemist paused when she heard something missing. "You've been repeating yourself more than her!"
"If anyone's in charge, it should be the Professor," Val nodded, and the Alchemist slowly turned to see Sky staring at them . . . not saying anything. "He's the expert."
"Mum, stop," Jethro tugged her arm. "Just look."
"You keep out of this, Jethro."
"Look at her!"
"She's stopped," Dee Dee realized.
"When did she?" the Doctor asked, only to pause when Sky still spoke with him. "No, she hasn't. She's still doing it."
"She looks the same to me," Val shrugged, blinking when Sky was silent. "Look. Look at that! She's not doing me. She let me go."
"Mrs. Silvestry?" the hostess tried. "Nor me. Nothing."
"Sky?" the Alchemist asked slowly, and Sky tilted her head at her, but didn't say anything. "Nothing for me."
"Sky, what are you doing?" the Doctor asked, freezing when Sky spoke with him.
"She's still doing him," Dee Dee gasped.
"Doctor, it's you," Hobbes frowned. "She's only copying you."
"Why me?" the Doctor stepped forward. "Why are you doing this?"
"She won't leave him alone," Dee Dee shook her head.
"Do you see?" Val said triumphantly. "I said so. She's with him!"
"They're together," Biff nodded.
"How do you explain it, Doctor, if you're so clever?" the hostess taunted.
"Let him work it out," the Alchemist stepped in their path, letting the Doctor keep walking towards Sky. "She's not doing me for some reason. Just leave it be."
"Mrs. Silvestry, I'm trying to understand," the Doctor said as he crouched in front of Sky. "You've captured my speech. What for? What do you need? You need my voice in particular. One of the cleverest in the room. Why? Because I'm one of the only ones who can help? Oh, I'd love that to be true, but your eyes, they're saying something else. Listen to me, whatever you want, if it's life, or form, or consciousness, or voice, you don't have to steal it. You can find it without hurting anyone. And I'll help you. That's a promise. So, what do you think?"
"Do we have a deal?" Sky asked.
"Do we have a deal?" the Doctor copied.
The Alchemist's face drained of all color. "Hold on, did she?" Dee Dee pointed, eyes wide.
"She spoke first," Jethro breathed.
"She can't have," Val shook her head.
"She did," Hobbes said gravely.
"She spoke first," Jethro nodded.
"Oh, look at that," Sky tilted her head. "I'm ahead of you."
"Oh, look at that," the Doctor repeated, eyes wide. "I'm ahead of you."
"Oh, no," the Alchemist put her hands over her mouth, tears in her eyes. That . . . that was bad. That was really bad.
"Did you see?" Hobbes pointed. "She spoke before he did, definitely."
"He's copying her," Jethro nodded.
"Doctor, what's happening?" Hobbes asked.
"I think it's moved," Sky said, the Doctor repeating. "I think it's letting me go."
"What do you mean?" Dee Dee frowned. "Letting you go from what?"
"But he's repeating now," Biff pointed. "He's the one doing it. It's him!"
"They're separating," Jethro said.
"Mrs. Silvestry, is that you?" Hobbes.
"Yes. Yes, it's me," Sky smiled, the Doctor trying desperately to stop repeating, but unable to do so. "I'm coming back. Listen. It's me."
"Like it's passed into the Doctor," Jethro said. "It's transferred. Whatever it is, it's gone inside him."
"No," the Alchemist shook her head. "That's not what happened."
"But look at her," Val pointed.
"Look at me," Sky smiled, holding out one of her hands and twisting it. "I can move. I can feel again. I'm coming back to life. And look at him." She sneered at the Doctor as he repeated, eyes still wide as he tried to fight it. "He can't move." She turned. "Help me. Professor, get me away from him, please." Hobbes walked over, taking her hands, and helped her up. "Oh, thank you."
"They've completely separated," Jethro looked back and forth.
"It's in him," Biff nodded as the Alchemist ran forward, crouching in front of the Doctor. "Do you see? I said it was him all the time!"
"Doctor?" the Alchemist took his face in her hands, looking into his terrified eyes. "Doctor, look at me. Come on, you've got to fight it." She barely paid any attention to the fighting going on behind her, only noticing he was repeating Sky's words. "Doctor, please," she begged, closing her eyes, scanning his brain, trying to find the parasite that was taking control of him. "Doctor, you've got to."
"Throw him out," Biff suddenly said.
The Alchemist stiffened. "Get him out of my head," Val said shakily.
"Yeah, we should throw him out," Biff nodded.
"What did you just say?" the Alchemist whipped her head in their direction, narrowing her eyes.
"Don't just talk about it, just - you're useless!" Val scowled. "Do something!"
"I will," Biff nodded, marching forward. "You watch me. I'm going to throw him out."
"You will do no such thing!" the Alchemist spat, straightening to her full height, planting herself in front of the Doctor.
"Yes, throw him out!" Sky gave an evil smirk, the Doctor helpless as he repeated. "Get rid of him, now!"
The Alchemist looked back towards the Doctor, his eyes looking at her, looking more terrified than ever. "I'm sorry," she breathed as Biff stormed forward.
She spun around, reaching out with her hand, hitting Biff right in the forehead. The Vortex flared, knocking Biff backwards several feet. "What?" Val shrieked as Dee Dee's eyes flew wide open.
"I said no," the Alchemist walked forward, her gait unsteady, even as the Vortex slithered up her arms and made her hair writhe. "No one is throwing my Bonded off this ship. The only one getting thrown out - " She brought her hands together, the Vortex crackling between her fingers. "Is the one behind all this."
"Alchemist - " Hobbes began.
"And that person - " The Alchemist threw her hands out, the Vortex throwing out like a net, wrapping around Sky. "Is you!" Sky let out a bloodcurdling scream as she sank to her knees, the Alchemist narrowing her eyes to slits, the Vortex overpowering the blue of her eyes, even as her hands trembled and her knees shook. "You overpowered my Bonded," she rasped out, her voice cracking, her skin rapidly paling, her lips starting to turn red with blood. "You are a manipulative bitch. And tell me right now . . . what's stopping me from killing you?"
"Throw him out!" Sky's voice trembled, the Doctor repeating yet again.
"Alchemist!" Val began.
"Shut up!" the Alchemist spat, blood flying as she looked up, tears streaming down her face with pain, the Vortex net tightening over Sky, making her scream even more, Val recoiling away. "You shut UP!"
"Alchemist," the hostess said quietly, moving over to the entrance door, finger poised over the button. "Here."
The Alchemist looked over, then walked backwards, dragging Sky with her. "You are going back out there where you belong, and you are going to stay the hell away from me and my Bonded," she told Sky in a rasp, starting to double over in pain. "Now!" The hostess pressed the button, quickly hanging onto the chairs as the door opened, bright light flooding in. As everyone else screamed, the Alchemist only had eyes for a terrified Sky. "One," she counted down, practically on her knees now, she was so weak. "Two, three, four, five, six!"
Sky screamed as she was sucked out of the shuttle, the hostess quickly throwing a torch at the button to shut the door. As soon as the door shut, the Alchemist buckled, her eyes rolling up into her head -
The Doctor snapped out of the control and was there in an instant, catching the Alchemist as she fell entirely limp, blood trailing out of her mouth and starting to from her nose. "Alice!" he cried, looking more terrified than he had under the creature's control, Dee Dee immediately running over from the galley, wads of napkins in her hands, trying to mop up the blood, the hostess coming to help as the Doctor clutched his Bonded closer to him. "Alice, no!"
Val swallowed. "I said it was her," she tried meekly.
The Doctor snarled at her, eyes flaring. "Shut up!"
Val recoiled into Biff, the Doctor going back to trying to wake Alice up, the hostess and Dee Dee the only ones he let try and help her.
***
"Repeat. Crusader Fifty rescue vehicle coming alongside in three minutes. Door seals set to automatic. Prepare for boarding. Repeat. Prepare for boarding."
The Alchemist was still. Way too still. The Doctor kept her in his arms as he sat against the seats, holding her close to him, Dee Dee and the hostess closest, the Canes and Hobbes keeping their distance. "What happened to her?" Dee Dee asked meekly. "She was fine before . . . but that gold stuff . . . "
The Doctor just shook his head, tears in his eyes. "Don't," he warned, voice cracking. "Dee Dee, just . . . don't."
Dee Dee swallowed and nodded, sitting back.
***
The hostess was the first off the rescue shuttle, talking quietly with the authorities. The Canes followed, Val still shaking, Biff looking like he swallowed something sour, Jethro looking guilty. Hobbes waited in irritation. The Doctor was out next with Dee Dee, still carrying the Alchemist, blood stains on her clothes and clotted in her hair. Dee Dee said something to the Doctor, who nodded curtly, and she left with Hobbes, refusing to speak to him.
Donna pushed her way through the crowd, eyes frantic, and when she saw the Alchemist, she froze. "No," she breathed, running up. "Doctor, tell me she isn't - !"
"No," the Doctor shook his head, tears in his eyes. "Not yet, anyway."
"No," Donna whimpered, her hand over her mouth as she put her hand on the Alchemist's forehead, feeling her temperature hotter than it had ever been.
***
"What do you think it was?" Donna asked later as they sat by the pool, the Alchemist laid out on one of the chairs.
"No idea," the Doctor answered shortly.
"Do you think it's still out there?" The Doctor didn't answer, and Donna shifted, knowing that it probably meant yes . . . and the Doctor definitely wanted to go after it. "Well. You'd better tell them. This lot."
"Yeah. They can build a Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let this planet keep on turning round an Xtonic star, in silence."
"Can't imagine you without a voice," Donna tried to lighten the mood.
"Molto bene," the Doctor smiled grimly.
"Molto bene," Donna repeated.
And the smile was gone. "No, don't do that," he shook his head, taking a shaky breath. "Don't. Don't."
"OK," Donna said quietly, putting her hand on his knee as he reached out with a trembling hand to brush the Alchemist's hair away from her face. "OK."
***
The Doctor practically chained himself to the Alchemist's side in the medbay. He refused to pilot the TARDIS anywhere out of the Time Vortex before she woke from her Vortex-induced coma.
And she would wake up. He refused to think that she wouldn't. She couldn't die yet. She just . . . she couldn't. He put his face in his hands, taking deep breaths . . .
One of the monitors hooked up to the Alchemist beeped, and he shot upright, just in time to see her fingers curl. Immediately, he pulled his chair forward, taking her hand in both of his. "Namara," he whispered. "Wake up. Namara, open your eyes. Please, open your eyes."
He could see the effort it took for her to do something that simple. It took her several tries before she was able to get them open, and he could see her wince as she attempted to turn her head in his direction. "Kasterborous," he whispered hoarsely.
"Thank every god that exists," the Doctor let out his breath in a whoosh, tears stinging his eyes as he kissed her hand in relief.
"How long?" she croaked, looking around the medbay.
He squeezed her hand. "Nine days."
She turned to look at him, pain more obvious in her eyes than ever before. "How bad?"
The Doctor closed his eyes and turned away. "Namara - "
"Kasterborous."
He swallowed hard. "One week."
She let out her breath in a whoosh, squeezing back as best as she could. "I'm sorry," she breathed, tears in her eyes. "But that creature . . . I couldn't let it take you."
"And you're that much closer to being taken from me," the Doctor choked out, shaking his head. "Namara, your time is running out, faster than ever. I'll be taking you back to Torchwood for your funeral."
She sniffed. "Nowhere else I'd rather die than with those I love."
He shook his head, standing up and leaning over her, her hand still clenched tightly in his as he rested his other against her cheek. "You are not dying yet," he said fiercely, his voice cracking. "You are not dead yet."
She smiled through tears, reaching up to put her hand on his cheek, he closing his eyes at her touch. "I know."
He leaned down, pressing their foreheads together, closing his eyes. He just . . . he thought maybe, as time went on, he would be able to adjust to the idea of his Bonded dying.
And now that the time was closer than ever . . . he couldn't. Few things terrified the Doctor utterly and completely. The thought of bringing her back to her brothers, to Martha, to Torchwood, dying . . .
That shook him to his very core. It scared him to death. And yet . . .
There didn't seem to be a way out of it. One way or another, he was bringing Alice back home to see her family again, quite possibly for the last time.
He just wished he would be strong enough to make that trip when the time came. Because at that moment, with the Alchemist so fragile in his arms . . .
He highly doubted he would be
***
Yeah . . . so that happened. Even Miss Gatiss didn't entirely know what I had planned in the end there. Just be happy I didn't go with the original plan - the Alchemist would have gotten possessed and used the Vortex to burn it out of her head. Either way would end with a very unhappy Doctor and a comatose Alice.
And on that wonderful note . . . happy spring break to me!
Of course, I have no idea how much I'll update, considering my Calculus and Psych teachers gave me a packet each to do and we're going to Las Vegas the second week, but I will certainly try to write!
"The Shakespeare Code" is next! Finally, back over to everyone's favorite little cinnamon roll!