Part 5 (1/2)

The Doctor frowned into the dim corridor revealed. 'What sort of s.h.i.+p is at the other end of this?'

Lombardo grimaced. 'Freighter. Large. bulky and powerful. Like me after a few pints.'

They filed down the access tube. The sonic screwdriver made short work of the airlock.

Lombardo eyed the device greedily 'Always wanted one of those. You'll have to give me the design specifications. If we get out of this.'

'I'll give you more than that if we get out of this,' said the Doctor, ushering him on board.

Lombardo ducked inside, winking at Naomi. 'Promises, promises!'

They made for the flight deck and the Doctor lost no time in strapping himself into the pilot's seat and powering up the s.h.i.+p's systems. He could make out the darkness of the hangar through the forward screen. 'Find the medical supplies,' said the Doctor. Lombardo nodded and headed for the rear of the flight deck.

Naomi strapped Thom into a spare seat and then did the same for herself.

The Doctor brought the s.h.i.+p's systems fully on line, and there was a gradual hum as power built up. Lights snapped on outside the s.h.i.+p, illuminating a sloping runway ending in a pair of ma.s.sive doors.

'Have you ever flown one of these before?' said Naomi, staring doubtfully at the Doctor's frock coat.

The Doctor smiled. 'No, but sure I'll pick it up as I go along.'

Lombardo returned carrying a small red box.

'Any painkillers?' said the Doctor hopefully.

Lombardo nodded, and pa.s.sed a small hypodermic to Naomi.

Naomi was holding Thom's good arm. 'Don't worry, we're getting out of here.' She injected him but he didn't even seem to feel the pinp.r.i.c.k.

'We certainly are,' said the Doctor grimly, sending the signal that would open the doors.

'We hope,' muttered Lombardo as he settled himself into the copilot's seat.

A crack appeared between the ma.s.sive portals. A crack through which thick, black gas began to pour, slowly, but then more quickly as the gap widened.

The Doctor and Lombardo stared.

'It should be daylight outside,' whispered Lombardo.

The doors had opened fully now. A churning black wall was surging towards them.

The Doctor locked eyes with Lombardo. 'We have to go. Now!'

The s.h.i.+p glided forward, and the Doctor cranked the engines up to full power insanely dangerous, as the s.h.i.+p was still in the hangar, but there really was no choice. A giant hand pressed him back in his seat as the s.h.i.+p plunged into the black cloud.

The Doctor steered the s.h.i.+p upwards into what should have been the blue Yquatine sky.

But everywhere was blackness.

The control panel began to flash with warning lights and there was the urgent bleep of several alarms.

'What's happening?' cried Naomi.

'Oh, h.e.l.l,' said Lombardo. 'Whatever that stuff is, it's eating into the hull. We're losing integrity, fast!'

The floor began to shake under the Doctor's feet. The s.h.i.+p was breaking up around them.

The Doctor stared grimly at the forward screen. Surely they had to break through soon. Surely.

From behind him, he could hear Thom. whimpering in pain. Naomi's voice, trying to rea.s.sure but shaking in fear.

Lombardo's usually calm tones began to rise in panic. 'We'll never make it off the planet. We're not going to make it!'

Chapter Five.

'Woman trouble?'

Fitz lay face down on the grating, the time-stuff a blue blur beneath him. Mad, angry thoughts buzzed about his brain like wasps. Killed by a TARDIS! We're supposed to be on the same side! b.l.o.o.d.y cow! Killed by a TARDIS! We're supposed to be on the same side! b.l.o.o.d.y cow! The pressure in his chest grew into a bursting, stabbing pain and then diminished. A cool breeze slid over his sweat-slicked face and he gulped in sharp, stinging lungfuls of air. He sat up, doubled over in agony, his breath tearing in and out of his body, thankful and amazed that Compa.s.sion had restored the air supply. It took a minute or so for his heart to stop hammering. and, when he felt almost normal again, he stood up, leaning on the rail. 'Compa.s.sion?' The pressure in his chest grew into a bursting, stabbing pain and then diminished. A cool breeze slid over his sweat-slicked face and he gulped in sharp, stinging lungfuls of air. He sat up, doubled over in agony, his breath tearing in and out of his body, thankful and amazed that Compa.s.sion had restored the air supply. It took a minute or so for his heart to stop hammering. and, when he felt almost normal again, he stood up, leaning on the rail. 'Compa.s.sion?'

No answer, just cool currents of air curling around his body. His s.h.i.+rt was plastered coldly to his back and he s.h.i.+vered. Was Compa.s.sion dead? Had he killed her? Had the acid somehow got into her?

'Compa.s.sion!' he yelled, his throat aching with the effort. His voice echoed off the walls, and as the echoes died away he became aware of a distant thud-thud, thud-thud, like subterranean machinery. Compa.s.sion's heartbeat? If so, she was still alive.

He approached the console. He operated the screen control using the switch he'd seen the Doctor use. The roofs.p.a.ce cleared to show a view of Yendip harbour. Boats sailed serenely about their business, and traffic floated in the clear, blue sky.

Fitz blinked. 'Wha...'

There was no sign of the black shapes or the black gas. Everything was picture-postcard normal. Perhaps Compa.s.sion was showing this image because the reality was too horrible to portray.

'It's sealed.'

The voice was a haunted-house whisper and it made Fitz jump, starting his heart racing again. He put a hand to his chest. Wasn't he too young to have a heart attack? 'Compa.s.sion?'

'It's becoming part of me.'

Fitz looked down at the console. The Randomiser casing had turned almost completely black. He hadn't succeeded in s.h.i.+fting it an inch.

'It's becoming part of me,' Compa.s.sion repeated in a ghostly singsong. 'Why did he do this?'

'Well,' said Fitz, gesturing around the darkened chamber. 'To protect you.'

The grating shook under Fitz's feet and Compa.s.sion screamed. 'I do not need protection!'

'All right, all right!' Fitz grabbed on to the console gingerly. It felt rusty and barnacled, like something washed up from the sea. 'Look, we'd better find the Doctor.'

'The Doctor isn't in this time zone.'