Fighting Against Fire [One] (The Protector Chronicles)

End of the World - III

The Time Lords and Jabe arrived just outside of the Steward's room. A large group of assistants gathered in front of the door as smoke entered the hallway from the gap in the floors and side of the door, the grey gas rising to the ceiling.

"Hold on." The Doctor moved through the crowd, the Protector and Jabe following behind him. "Get back."

Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.

"Is the Steward in there?" Jabe asked as the Doctor used his sonic on the panel on the wall.

The Protector grimaced slightly. "You can smell him."

"Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend." The Doctor frowned before running off. The Protector followed him.

Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending.

The two got to the doors, the Doctor quickly started to use his sonic on the panel. "Anyone in there?" He called out.

"Let me out!" Rose cried from the other side of the door.

"Oh, well, it would be you." He sighed.

"Doctor." The Protector warned, eyes snapping over to him, a deathly look on her face.

"Open the door!" She screamed again.

"Hold on. Give us two ticks."

Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. A moment later the Doctor finished working with his sonic and sighed in relief as the computer announced: Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.

A moment later it suddenly changed back though. Sun filter descending.

"Just what we need." He grumbled, going back to fighting the controls again. "The computer's getting clever."

"Stop mucking about!" Rose snapped.

"I'm not mucking about. It's fighting back."

"For once he's telling the truth." The Protector added. "Just stay low Rose we're trying our best."

"Just open the door!"

"I am!" He snapped.

"The lock's melted!"

Sun filter descending. Sun filter

"That would be the heat from the sun."

Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising.

"The whole thing's jammed." The Doctor told Rose through the door. "I can't open the doors. Stay there! Don't move!"

"Where are am I going to go, Ipswich?" She replied.

Earth Death in five minutes.

xxx

"The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One." Jabe announced to the other guests.

"How's that possible?" Cassandra questioned. "Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturise me, moisturise me." She ordered a moment later.

"Summon the Steward." Moxx ordered.

"I'm afraid the Steward is dead." Jabe replied.

"Who killed him?"

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. " Cassandra ordered. "Talk to the Face."

The Protector and the Doctor walked into the main level of the ship, the Doctor holding the metal spider. "There's an easy way of figuring this one out." The Time Lady explained. "Someone bought their robot dog on board. Let's send him back to master."