SPACEMAN AND THE MOON ― doctor who

twenty-six ; smith, jones, and peterson part two

chapter twenty-six ; smith, jones, and peterson

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LUNA LEANED AGAINST A WHITEBOARD, watching as the Doctor scanned the computer with his sonic. He was looking for any information as to why the Judoon would possibly want a single hospital from Earth, as well as it's occupants.

"They've reached third floor," Martha rushed in the doors. "What's that thing?" She pointed to the sonic.

"Sonic screwdriver."

"Well, if you're not gonna answer me properly."

The Doctor turned around, his face morphing into confusion. "No, really," he spoke softly,"it is. It's a screwdriver, and it's sonic. Look," he showed it to her and she scoffed, moving closer.

"What else have you got, a laser spanner?"

"I did, but it was stolen by Emily Pankhurst, cheeky woman." Luna raised her eyebrows. Interesting. "Oh, this computer!" He shouted, slamming his hand down on the computer. Martha leaned back a tad and Luna jumped. "The Judoon must have locked it down. Judoon platoon upon the moon," he ran a hand through his hair, taking a breath. "Because I was just travelling past. I swear, I was just wandering. I wasn't looking for trouble--"

"--You never are," Luna cut in, giving him a look. He sighed, lower lip pouting out.

"Honestly, I wasn't," he reassured them both. "But we noticed these plasma coils around the hospital, and that lightning, that's a plasma coil," he informed Martha. "Been building up for two days now, so we checked in. I thought something was going on inside. It turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon up above."

"But what were they looking for?"

"Something that looks human, but isn't," Luna spoke up as the Doctor typed into the computer.

"Like you, apparently," Martha said sarcastically.

"Like me," he looked up at Martha. "But not me."

"Haven't they got a photo?" Martha asked.

"Well, might be a shape-changer."

"Whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?"

"If they declare the hospital guilty of harboring a fugitive," Luna explained gently. "They'll sentence the entire occupancy to execution."

"All of us?"

"Oh yes," the Doctor agreed. "But, If I can find this thing first. Oh!" Martha jumped back, bumping into Luna. "You see, they're thick! Judoon are thick! They are completely thick! They wiped the records. Oh, that's clever." He ran his hand through his hair again, sticking both his hands on his head and angrily messing up his hair.

"What are we looking for?"

"I don't know. Say, any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms..."

"Just keep working. I'll go ask Mister Stoker. He might know."

"Do you want any help?" Luna asked Martha but she shook her head.

"I'm good," she smiled. "Thanks, though. It should only take a minute."

Martha left the room and the Doctor focused on the task at hand, trying to find anything he could from the computers. "You like her?" He asked Luna after Martha had gone.

Luna nodded. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

He shrugged, not looking at her. "I don't want a repeat of the last time," he slammed his hand down on the computer angrily. He hadn't found anything. "I can't lose you, not again. And I want to be sure that the next companion we have is good to you. She needs to understand boundaries and friendship and that, at the end of the day, she is my companion and you are more than that."