42, part 2 -
"Jane, Doctor, we're through to area seventeen", Martha's voice came through the comm.
"Keep going. You've got to get to area one to reboot those engines", the Doctor's voice followed.
"Heat shields failing. At twenty two percent."
The Oracle, McDonnell and Scannell were on their way back to Engineering when Martha's voice came over the comm, "Doctor! We're stuck in an escape pod off the area seventeen airlock. One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've got to help us! Tell me you can stop it."
"Why is this happening?", McDonnell asked.
"Get to Engineering and get it started", the Oracle said, already on her way to Martha.
"It's picking us off. One by one."
The Oracle ran into her husband on the way and followed him in a sprint. They arrived to find Ashton with a welder's mask and thick gloves typing away on a keypad.
"That's enough!", the Doctor called out to him, "What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me."
Ashton screamed and punched his fist into the keypad, sparks flying.
"No! Martha!"
Ashton walked up to them until he was standing right in front of the Doctor, "Come on. Let's see you. I want to know what you really are."
He put his gloved hand to his visor but before he could lift it he doubled over in pain as the Doctor just stood there and stared at him and the Oracle ran past him to get to the destroyed keypad. She saw Martha hammering against the escape pod and sonicked the keypad, trying to stop the jettison.
"Airlock sealed."
Ashton stood up and walked past the Doctor, bumping into him on the way. The Doctor headed to the comm, "McDonnell? Ashton's heading in your direction. He's been infected just like Korwin."
"Korwin's dead, Doctor", she replied.
"Airlock decompression completed. Jettisoning pod."
The Oracle stood tall to look at Martha through the window, hammering against the door, seeing her best friend doing the same thing.
"Martha!", she cried, "Doctor, do something! I don't know what to do!"
He looked through the window as well, "I'll save her", he told her before turning to look at Marta, "I'll save you."
She read her lips saying, "I can't hear you."
The pod started floating away while the Doctor kept repeating, "I'll save you."
Then he went back to the comm, angrily, "Scannell! I need a spacesuit in area seventeen now!"
"What for?", he replied.
"Just get down here!"
The Doctor angrily ran his hands through his hair while they were waiting as the Oracle leaned against the door, staring at the opposite wall with a deep frown. When the Doctor noticed he pulled her into his arms and kissed her head tenderly while she buried her face into his chest.
"How are you going to save her?", her voice was muffled.
He pulled back and took off his suit jacket in preparation, handing it to her when he saw Scannell approaching.
"Don't want to explain twice, hold on."
Scannell arrived with the space suit and the Doctor started putting it on, the Oracle assisting him.
"I can't let you do this. How can you let him do this?", Scannell looked between the two who were focused on the suit.
"You're wasting your breath, Scannell. You're not going to stop him", she said, closing things on the suit and checking that everything was properly sealed.
"He wants to open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun. No one can survive that."
The Doctor smiled at his wife, seeing right through the facade that was trying to hide her fear for him, "Oh, just you watch."
"You open that airlock, it's suicide. This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."
"'Barely' is good enough for him", she muttered picking up the helmet.
"If I can boost the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetise the pod. Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines", the Doctor told him impatiently.
"That's brilliant", she whispered and he smiled at her praise.
"Doctor, will you listen! They're too far away. It's too late."
"Stop wasting time, then, we're not going to lose her!", the Oracle told Scannell and put the helmet on her husband's head.
She checked all the seals on his suit once more, gave him a reassuring smile and took a step back so he could go.
"I love you", she told him quietly to which he smiled a little more relaxed.
"Impact in eleven fifteen. Heat shield failing. At ten percent."
"How are you doing, love?", the Oracle's voice came to the Doctor through the intercom.
"I can't, I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last", he groaned.
"Don't give up now, Doctor. Please. You can do it. I believe in you. I believe that you can do incredible things, especially when those you care about are in danger. And Martha needs you", hearing her voice gave him a burst of confidence and he leaned out further.
She heard him scream and worried even more. Then she looked through the window again and saw him getting back in, standing up with his back to her. McDonnell came in and her and Scannell ran off to open the rest of the areas. The Oracle turned back to the comm.
"Doctor, you've gotta come back in, we need to close the airlock or the pod will just crush you."
He stumbled past her and she closed the airlock as the pod was docking. On all fours he removed his helmet. The Oracle walked up to him to see his eyes squeezed shut.
"Darling, are you okay?", she asked, reaching out to him as Martha arrived behind her.
"Stay away from me!", he pressed through gritted teeth.
He briefly opened his eyes so they saw them glowing in a bright, white light.
"What's happened?", McDonnell ran up behind them.
"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!", he pressed out.
"Riley, get down to area ten and help Scannell with the doors. Go!", she ordered and Riley ran off.
"You mined that sun. Stripped its surface for cheap fuel. You should have scanned for life!"
"That's what my sonic picked up then", the Oracle breathed out.
"I don't understand", the Captain looked at the Oracle and then back to the Doctor.
"Doctor, what are you talking about?", Martha asked.
"That sun is alive. A living organism. They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel, and now it's screaming!"
"Oh god and it's fighting back, doing the same to the crew", the Oracle mumbled.
"What do you mean? How can a sun be alive? Why is he saying that?", McDonnell asked.
"Because it's living in me", he thrashed around.
"Oh, my god", McDonnell folded her hands over her mouth.
"Then we need to cool you down, Doctor, come on", the Oracle jumped into action, trying to get him up but he thrashed around.
"Humans! You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry! You should have scanned!", he screamed.
"It takes too long. We'd be caught. Fusion scoops are illegal."
"Doctor, we have to freeze you, let me help you, please", the Oracle caught his arms and pulled him up.
"What? How?", Martha asked, helping her support him.
"Get him to the Stasis Chamber, hurry up, come on."
Martha and McDonnell hesitated. "It'll use him to kill us if we don't. Come on now!", the Oracle yelled at them and pulled him along.
They arrived in the med-centre and the Oracle left the Doctor to be supported by the other two as she tried to figure out the Stasis Chamber.
"Oracle, where are you?", he yelled out.
"I'm here. I'm figuring it out, hold on, get him in there", she instructed the Captain and Martha.
"The closer we get to it, the stronger it gets", he groaned as they put him down.
"How cold do you need it?", she asked, now fiddling with the controls and powering it up.
"Below minus two hundred", he said, "hurry!"
"Stop yelling at me!"
"No, you don't know how this equipment works. You'll kill him. Nobody can survive those temperatures", McDonnell told her.
"I won't. Cross my hearts. He's not human, and he took med classes back home. Don't worry, he knows his body better than you", the Oracle said to her intently and went back to the controls.
"Let me help you then."
"Sorry, Captain, I'm not sure I trust you with anything anymore, especially not my husband's life. Just keep holding him down."
"Ten seconds. That's all I'll be able to take. No more. Martha!", he knew she was right next to him.
"Yeah?"
"It's burning me up. I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it, I could kill you. I could kill you all", his voice was dark and raspy before it turned to something that was almost a whimper, "I'm scared! I'm so scared!"
"Just stay calm, okay? Jane's got this figured out. You believe in her right? She's got you. We won't let you get taken by some parasite!"
"It's burning through me. Then what'll happen?", he groaned.
"Maybe you'll be ginger", the Oracle pushed him inside and put in the temperature to hear him scream in pain and fear.
They watched the monitors to see the temperature sinking. Martha looked worried so the Oracle pulled her close in comfort. Then, suddenly, the power went out.
"No! You can't stop it. Not yet!", the Doctor screamed as the cot slid back out.
"What happened?", Martha asked.
They turned to McDonnell, "Power's been cut in Engineering."
"But who's down there?", Martha asked as the Oracle turned back to the controls, using her sonic.
"Leave it to me", the Captain said before running off.
The controls still not working they heard the computer again, "Impact in four forty seven."
"Ugh, we get it! Shut up", the Oracle groaned in frustration and leaned her back against the control as the Doctor still groaned in pain, "Are you really just going to regenerate and it's gone? Why are you not doing it?"
He thrashed around in pain. She turned back to the controls and put in the temperature again, while holding her sonic against it, hoping that might help power it up.
"Come on. He's defrosting", Martha looked over her shoulder.
"Martha, listen, you've got to get out of here", she turned around, seeing no point.
"No way."
"Get to the front. Vent the engines. Sun particles in the fuel, get rid of them. Then it might let him go."
"I am not leaving you two."
"You've got to give back what they took", the Doctor now groaned.
"Doctor!"
"Please go! Both of you!"
"I'll be back for you", Martha turned, looking back at her best friend again, knowing she wouldn't come.
The Doctor groaned and stumbled out of the Stasis chamber, thrashing around on the floor.
"I don't know what to do anymore, love, we're getting closer and the stasis chamber isn't working. You'll have to regenerate!"
"I can't fight it. Give it back or burn with me."
"What?", she took a step back watching him lying on the floor.
"Burn with me, Oracle."
He opened his eyes and she saw the bright glow coming from them. She ran to the intercom, "Martha, hurry up, give back the damn particles."
"I'm sorry, my love, I'm so sorry I can't help you", she sat on his back so at least he wouldn't get up and go rampage, "I love you."
She pressed her lips to the back of his head, heat and sweat coming off of him but it helped her calm down just a little as he screamed.
"Fuel dump in progress. Fuel dump in progress."
"Oh, thank Rassilon", she muttered and fell forward, still on top of the Doctor, the light in his eyes going out.
"Impact averted."
"My stars, you were going to kill me", she chuckled.
"Get off", he replied, "No, I mean it, get off, not a very comfortable position I'm in here."
They both got up and he pulled her in by her waist, burying his face into the side of her neck, "You were so protective of me", he mocked.
She giggled, "Shut up!"
"It's like you have a crush on me."
She laughed now.
"You have cru-ush, you have a cru-ush", he sang, letting go of her and dancing around.
"Doctor, we've been married for almost nine hundred years", she informed him with a bright smile on her face, trying not to laugh.
"And you have a crush on me", he pointed at her.
She dropped her head and shook it, "I have had a crush on you since we were eight years old, you dimwit. Now, shut up and let's get back to the Tardis, please."
They turned to the doorway as Martha came running in, falling around his neck where they both laughed. The Oracle joined in, crossing her arms and watching them with a smile.
Soon they were reunited with the Tardis, the Oracle fell against her, hugging the ship as Riley and Scannell watched in confusion and the Tardis hummed with appreciation.
"This is never your ship", Scannell said.
"Compact, eh? And another good word, robust. Barely a scorch mark on her", the Doctor patted the Tardis and the Oracle gasped.
"Oh, my stars, of course, are you alright?", she looked up, the Tardis beeping in reply, "Good, that's good, me too."
She kissed the door before opening it. Then she turned around once more and gave the remainders of the crew a wave, "Take care."
She entered and sat down in the jump seat, still hearing what went on outside.
"She's weird, that one", Scannell pointed after her.
"Yeah, she is, isn't she?", the Doctor grinned adoringly.
"We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel", Martha pointed out.
"We've sent out an official mayday. The authorities'll pick us up soon enough", Riley explained, leaning against the ladder on his left.
"Though how we explain what happened..."
"Just tell them. That sun needs care and protection just like any other living thing."
The Doctor entered the Tardis and sat down next to the Oracle. "You said that you love me before I went out there."
"Did you have doubts about that before?", she raised an eyebrow.
"No, but I liked hearing it", he gave her a sloppy grin which she returned.
"Well, I love you", she kissed the corner of his mouth, "And I'd like hearing it too."
He smiled, kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you."
Shortly thereafter, Martha came in with a giddy grin on her face. They both stood up and walked around the console in different directions.
"Did you just snog that Riley-bloke?", the Oracle asked.
Martha gasped offended, "Ha, er, nooooo", she leaned forward, "Did you just snog that Doctor-bloke?"
She laughed and looked at him, "Ha, er, nooooo."
They both laughed before the Doctor interrupted them with a jolt of the Tardis.
They leaned against the railing and Martha spoke up smiling, "So. Didn't really need you in the end, did we?", the Doctor stared into the distance, gloomily, "Sorry. How are you doing?"
He stared back at her for a moment before he looked back at the console, back to his cheery self, "Now, what do you say? Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Kur-ha. Fancy it?"
"Whatever you like."
"By the way, you'll be needing this", he held up a Tardis key by a chain.
Martha let out a breath, "Really?"
He spared a glance at the Oracle, "Really?", he reassured himself.
She got up with a giggle, "Really."
As she put her arms over Martha's shoulder and hugged her from the side, he looked back to her, "Frequent fliers privilege", he lowered the key into Martha's open hands, "Thank you."
"Don't mention it", she lowered her hands and the Oracle let go of her, going towards the Doctor and squeezing under his arm as Martha turned away whispering, "Oh no, Mum!"
She got out her phone and dialled the number. The Oracle put her arms around the Doctor's waist and he put his around her shoulder while they only listened into Martha's call with half an ear.
"Ice-skating sounds lovely, actually", the Oracle looked up at him.
"Yeah, you should have a shower first, and change your clothes", he sniffed her head and jokingly scrunched his nose.
"Says you. What's wrong with sweat and dirt? Gives the outfit an edge, I'd say", she chuckled before getting serious, "But really, are you alright? The sun, it'll be better. What they did was illegal and believe it or not, that still stops a lot more people than it seems."
"Yeah, I know. Just, death, you know. Tough topic", he muttered.
She pulled him a little closer, "Yeah. Bit of a part of it. I'll outlive you, promise."
He looked down at her with a smile, "I wouldn't have it any other way."