Storm: Time Jump

The Satan Pit

The Ood were still approaching as Rose wrestled with the door, and Mr. Jefferson yelled: "Open fire!"

Teresa dragged Rose down, covering her just in case as Mr. Jefferson and the guards started firing at the Ood. The girls cringed away from the gunshots, finally looking over as the noise stopped. Teresa's eyes saddened as she took in the dead Oods lying all over the floor while Zach called in relief: "We're stabilizing. We've got orbit."

Rose relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief as Teresa dashed back to the comms.

"Doctor?" She called anxiously, as the computer beeped: "Open door 25."

Rose yelped, jumping out of the way as Mr. Jefferson whipped around, preparing to shoot, while Teresa glanced over. Danny yelped as well as he stepped through, jumping in fright as he saw the guns pointed his way and he cried: "It's me!"

Rose and Mr. Jefferson sighed in relief, before tensing as Danny added warningly: "But they're coming."

"Ugh." Teresa sighed. She'd lost the opportunity to tell Danny to fire up the broadcast, meaning they would be forced to take the harder and more dangerous path from here on. But she wondered: why had the beast cut their communications? He hadn't in the show, and it worried Teresa- she was terrified that something terrible was going to happen that she couldn't control.

"Close door 25." The computer announced as Danny finished locking the door in place, and he continued frantically: "It's the Ood. They've gone mad."

"How many of them?" Mr. Jefferson asked, and Danny answered, bordering on hysterical: "All of them! All fifty! If we hadn't left when Terry told us-"

"Danny, out of the way." Mr. Jefferson ordered as he made to push his way towards the door, the guard following him. "Out of the way!"

"Mr. Jefferson, don't." Teresa said quickly, moving to block the man as Danny argued as well: "But they're armed! It's the interface device. I don't know how, but they're using it as a weapon."

"Out of the way, Miss." Mr. Jefferson told Teresa sternly, but she looked him in the eye as she said seriously: "Please, Mr. Jefferson, trust me. I'm doing this to save a life, don't go out there."

Rose glanced over in alarm while Mr. Jefferson sighed, saying tiredly: "Look, Miss-"

"Just listen to her." Rose urged, as Danny pointed out: "She did save our lives earlier."

"Mr. Jefferson, just trust me." Teresa pleaded as the man hesitated uncertainly. "I know it's hard to believe, but I know things, and I know something bad that could've been averted will happen if you open that door."

Her eyes flickered over the guard and then back to the elderly man. Mr. Jefferson examined the girl before him, his sharp blue eyes boring into hers thoughtfully. Finally, he nodded shortly, backing away from the door.

"Thank you." Teresa breathed in relief.

"Jefferson," Zach called at that moment, "what's happening there?"

"It's under control for now sir, but I've got very little ammunition." Mr. Jefferson replied promptly. "How about you?"

"All I've got is a bolt gun." Zach sighed. "With er, all of one bolt. I could take out a grand total of one Ood. Fat lot of good that is."

"Captain Zach," Teresa answered as she leant over Mr. Jefferson's writs comm, "never underestimate what the seemingly most insignificant things can do."

"Is that supposed to be an attempt to cheer me up?" Zach asked flatly, and Teresa answered lightly but with a serious undertone: "It's a hint, sir. But, um, yes, also an attempt to cheer you up."