Samantha Jones was enjoying being waited on hand and foot. They had only been onboard the starliner Nova Princess for three luxury filled days but already she was more relaxed than she had been in simply ages. True, the Doctor was bored; he needed to do something, Sam felt. The Doctor was one of life's doer's; if there were a flickering light he would fix it, if there were a dodgy door sensor he had it rewired in seconds and if there was rest to be had he was somewhere else. Looking up over the top of her trashy novel, Sam saw the Doctor on the third lap of his prowl around the room.
"Hi Sam, enjoying the book?" The Doctor looked at her chair. "Everything okoy? It's not sticking again is it?"
"I'm fine, the chair's fine, everything's fine except you."
"What do you mean?"
"Sit down and stop fidgeting, you're making everyone nervous."
"I can rest later, I wonder if they need anything fixing in the kitchens."
"Uh Doctor, you can't go in there." Sam had promised the star liner's staff she would try and curb his wandering DIY urges. "They've moved it somewhere else. They said no-one's allowed to go anywhere near it until it's been reinstalled." She realised how weak this sounded, she thought that she should think of something convincing. "Health and safety they said."
"Oh well, perhaps I can supervise."
"Doctor, sit down, talk to me. Tell me one of your adventures, not the one about the man made up of little pieces of other people, that was major vomit inducing."
"Okay Sam, well in my third incarnation I was stranded by my own people on Earth. One day a British space probe was returning from Mars but we didn't receive any signals from it."
Sam listened to the Doctor while gazing out of a porthole into the black abyss of space. Several of the stars twinkled a hello in her romantic imagination but there was one star that got bigger and bigger. Initially she thought it was a supernova but it got larger and larger until it resolved itself into the silhouette of a space ship. "Doctor..."
"Well when we got Recovery Seven open it was empty." The Doctor looked up at Sam. "What is it?"
"Spaceship, heading this way fast."
Peering out of the porthole the Doctor gasped in shock. "It's Hacxian. Sam go and warn the staff, we're about to be boarded."
Quickly Sam leapt to her feet and she ran to find one of the security officers as fast as her oversized hedgehog slippers would allow.
Not here, not now the Doctor thought to himself before heading towards the airlock; sonic screwdriver in hand.
The security guard tried not to laugh at the excitable young woman. "Calm down now Miss, I'm sure you were just imagining things."
"The Doctor says it's a Hacxian ship, I have no idea who they are but he's worried and believe me it takes a lot to get him worried."
The guard decided it would be easier just to play along with her for now. "Okay then, lets have a look at this mysterious ship of yours."
***
"Please refrain from doing whatever it is you're doing to the airlock." Belinda Sssan tried the authoritive voice she had been taught at flight attendant school. On this passenger it didn't seem to be working so she tried coercion. "If you don't return to your seat sir, I'll be forced to call security."
"Good, get them here as soon as possible. I've almost got this sealed shut." Completing his task the Doctor turned around and smiled at the stewardess. "Belinda Sssan, your father was an Ice Warrior noble while your mother was human. They wanted you to study for a degree in economics but you wanted this job."
"How do you know this?" Belinda demanded.
"If you had done the degree course you and your classmates would have been killed when a communication satellite fell on campus."
"I read something about that in the weekly news sheet. Are you a psychic or something? Here if you can see into the future what do you see?"
"Death, pain, the slaughter of innocents unless we can stop that ship from boarding us." He pointed through the small view port at the approaching vessel. "Of course we could do nothing if that's what you prefer." Not waiting for a reply the Doctor finished off his attempt to seal the airlock. "It'll slow them down for a while."
***
"See, I told you it was there." Sam pointed out of the porthole at the approaching spaceship.
"Hmm perhaps it's a supply ship. I'll see what the captain knows about this." The guard tried to contact the bridge but all he got for his troubles was the crackle static and lots of it at that.
"Can't we go to the bridge ourselves? The captain may be hurt."
"Not we; you're staying right here Miss."
"What?" Sam shouted at the guard. "You're not leaving me behind in the middle of a crisis, I can help."
"Sorry Miss, but it's authorised personnel only. Security and all that nonsense." The guard turned to leave.
"Hey, not so fast! You can make me your deputy. When they get in here you're going to need all the help you can get."
"Alright, you can be my deputy for now but I'm not giving you a gun."
"Glad to hear that." The Doctor sailed into view. "It would be terribly irresponsible to give a sixteen year old any sort of gun."
"Doctor..." Sam protested. "It doesn't have to be loaded."
"NO!" The ferocity of the Doctor's response startled Sam. "No guns Sam."
"Jeez Louise, talk about tetchy. Okay I'm the no gun girl, so what about a can of mace? You don't want one of them nasties to get me do you?"
"Of course not Sam."
"Well then I doubt a rape alarm will do much to stop an army of killers will it?"
"No."
"So can I have a can of mace?"
The guard passed Sam a small black spray. "Aim for the eyes." He informed her.
"Remember Sam only use it as a last resort, weapons are a weakness not a strength. Do I need to be worried?"
"I guess not, defensive purposes only Doctor. Definitely hearing you on the non-offensive approach. Now lets see if everything's okay in the cockpit? I'm all lectured out for the rest of the day so you can save the only fools rush in speech for tomorrow Doctor."
The bridge was a terrible sight to see, the bodies of the pilots had exploded from the inside out, not by explosive decompression but by a large mass of plant tendrils. Suddenly the tendrils moved and one of them brushed against Sam's leg. She almost threw up on it with shock and horror.
"Get back, everyone back." The Doctor's voice rang with authority and everyone rushed to comply. Sealing the cockpit door they all sighed in relief. "Are you hurt Sam?" The Doctor examined his companion's bare leg.
"Yes, it was just creepy, major scare factor."
"You're all right now though?" He looked quizzically at her before smiling. "Of course you are. Lets have lunch shall we? Absolutely no salad whatsoever."
"How can you eat after that Doctor?" Sam demanded. "I thought I'd seen everything but that was horrific."
The Doctor looked at the pale security guard. "I'd like to say I'm used to it but the truth is I just have a very good poker face." Taking out a white paper bag he opened it and offered the guard a sweet. "White chocolate mice, very nice. I left the jelly babies in the TARDIS I'm afraid."
The guard took one of the sweets and chewed it gently. "What's a Tardis?"
"Let me say it this time." Sam jumped in before the Doctor could explain. "It stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, it's our ship and our home." She paused. "That's it. You're a fool Doctor for not thinking of it before. Don't you see? No of course you don't I haven't told you yet. We get everyone inside the TARDIS and escape before our friends start slaughtering with extreme prejudice."
***
It was taking too long Sam thought as the old dears shuffled slowly towards the forward cargo bay. The Doctor was busy at the other end allocating rooms to the new arrivals while she was here making sure everyone made it to safety. Of course the Doctor believed she was sulking in her room after being told she was not to be out here but if he didn't know she wouldn't tell him.
Belinda was great at handling the more difficult passengers; she could really work them so that they did exactly what she wanted them to do. Robert, the security guard she had met earlier, returned from a final sweep of the ship empty handed. "Is that all of them?" Sam asked. "We can leave then."
"I've left a few surprises for our friends, mainly barricades to slow them down but one or two booby traps to make them wary."
"Can you hear that?" Belinda started to point out the faint sound of footsteps when her chest exploded and a mass of plants poured out and wrapped themselves around Sam and Robert.
"Get off me." Sam shouted at the crushing vine-like tendrils. She tried stamping on some of them but they wrapped themselves around her ankles.
"Get ready to run Sam, I have my gun aimed at it." Robert looked at the girl and hoped they would escape. He fired and the tendrils loosened their grip.
"Hurry." Sam grabbed hold of Robert's hands and dragged him away before he could fire at it again. "This way." They ran towards the TARDIS when suddenly Robert stopped. "Come on!"
"Can't, something moving inside me. I can feel it waking up. Go now girl, I'll be one last barrier for these invaders."
"I can't leave you."
"You must. Take my gun." He handed the weapon over to her. "Shoot me if it ... if it tries to hurt you. Now go, get the hell out of here...RUN!" He shouted and pointed towards the cargo bay that housed the TARDIS.
Tears in her eyes and on her cheeks, Sam turned and fled cradling the gun like it was a child. She made her way to the TARDIS still crying and she stumbled into the vast console room into the arms of the Doctor.
"It's okay Sam, I'm here."
"They're dead Doctor, that plant thing killed them. Belinda just exploded in front of me; it almost crushed me to death. Roger gave me his gun and told me to run here."
"It's all over now Sam. With a flick of his wrist the Doctor activated the dematerialisation circuit and the upper and lower time rotors started to rise and fall together, giving off a blue haze.
"I don't think it's over Doctor." Sam said quietly. "I think those plant creatures were a separate incident. It killed the pilot and the bridge crew then a stewardess and a security guard, I think the rest of the crew have been infected with something."
The Doctor mulled this theory over for a few seconds. "Sounds unlikely but we can check." He pulled the antiquated monitor down to head height. The z-springs protested and resisted as the rusty hinges squealed every centimetre. "I'll have to oil those later. A few of these buttons, a few of those and hey presto the kitchen."
Sam's jaw dropped when she saw the bodies. "They're all dead Doctor."
"How do you feel Sam?" the Doctor asked suddenly. "Any fever? Aches? Pains?"
"I feel fine Doctor, normal why?"
He couldn't do it, couldn't look her in the eyes. "I have a dreadful feeling we've been infected too. Look at the ship's log; it's a deliberate ploy to trap and kill the Hacx."
"Why would they use civilians like this?"
"Only the pilot knew, he was sworn to secrecy. Apparently the Hacx have been trying to invade the Raxlic home world for many years now, but they've always been pushed back. To end it once and for all the Raxlican government came up with this solution."
"What if the plan didn't work? What if they got there before those plants had developed? Is there mention of a cure?"
"Yes, but there isn't enough for everyone. Just enough for the crew and the ship's been set on a detonation timer. We may be too late already."
"Why not take the ship back in time, collect the antidote and escape before we notice we're there?"
"It never works that way Sam, time isn't just something you can casually nip in and out of when it's convenient. There are laws even I dare not break...often." The Time Lord set the TARDIS to rematerialise the second after they departed. "There's no time like the present. Care to join me for a walk?"
"Okay, as long as you know where we're going. I'd hate to do a Ripley on you while we're wandering around looking for a map."
"It's all in here." He tapped the side of his head.
They made their way slowly but surely towards the cockpit. Inside the pilot's locker was their only hope for salvation. The Hacx ship had docked and it was only a matter of minutes before they made their way through the jammed airlock. Sam felt it inside of her, twisting slowly as it grew and expanded.
"It's locked Sam."
"Use the sonic screwdriver then Doctor."
"It's in the TARDIS."
"Great, we're going to die because you're not prepared. Didn't they have scouts or guides on your planet?"
"I think I can force it open." The Doctor tried to use a twisted piece of metal as a lever. "It won't budge Sam."
"Try the side with the hinges, it's usually the weakest part."
"It's working." The Doctor heaved with all his strength until the locker popped open. "Quickly Sam, drink me." He offered her a vial of an orange coloured solution.
"Drink me? You've been reading far too much you know? You need to get out more, meet people, get this thing called life and enjoy it."
"Sam." The Doctor moved his face closer to Sam's. "Drink, now."
"Okay." Sam took a mouthful of the orange stuff. "Urgh it tastes like cousin Mandy's cooking." She pulled a grimace at the aftertaste.
"We need to get a sample of this back to the TARDIS, I may be able to create a herbicide to destroy the ones in there and save anyone still alive."
Sam started to follow the Doctor when she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She screamed and fell to the floor in agony. "Doctor...it's trying to hatch." Sam screamed again as a second wave of pain flooded her nervous system.
"It's alright Sam, it's the antidote taking effect. The creature inside you is dying."
"It hurts Doctor, it hurts."
"I know Sam, I feel it too. Come on I'll help you." He picked her up and carried her frail form back through the ship. It was then that the seal on the airlock failed and twenty Hacxian soldiers poured into the almost deserted ship. The Doctor ran with Sam in his arms, weapons' fire streaking left and right and above him as he fled.
"Kill the impurities." The Commander shouted the order to his subordinates. "Kill them now."
"Aye sir." Trooper Zaalatin aimed her weapon and fired catching the fleeing creature in the arm.
"Great shot Trooper." The Commander congratulated his subordinate on her accuracy. His look of approval turned to shock as the first of the booby trap explosives detonated exposing them to hard vacuum.
***
His arm hurt but he carried on, couldn't let her down. He made it to the cargo bay and crossed the space to his ship. He opened the door somehow using one hand and got inside. He had to drop Sam's limp body on the interior steps by the door as he raced forward to the console to lock the doors. Then he opened a small brass screw top lid on the console and poured half of the orange solution into it. "Come on old girl, let's see what you make of this."
Sam opened one eye and closed it again as the pain wracked her body once more. "It hurts too much so I must be alive." The creature inside her suddenly stopped moving and she felt an irresistible urge to throw up. Small chunks of green vegetable flesh mixed in with black ichor vomited forth from her mouth and nose and ran down the stone steps. "The pain's gone Doctor, I think I'm going to make it." Then she fainted.
"Good girl Sam, you have a nap there." The Doctor keyed in the right atmospheric mix and the inside air of the TARDIS was slowly exchanged for one containing the herbicidal antidote. "Good work old girl." He patted the console softly before he coughed up the dead creature that was inside of him into a handkerchief. "All in all I think today could have gone better." The Time Lord checked every room he had filled with passengers from the ship but none of them had survived. He saw to their remains and offered them a simple Buddhist prayer he had learned from his teacher a long time ago.
***
It was several days later when the Doctor finally pronounced Sam's system was totally free of the infection. She sat inside the butterfly room with a glass of freshly made lemonade and sipped it through a straw. She heard footsteps on the grass and looked up to see the Doctor examining his collection. "I finished my book."
"Good, it's always rewarding to finish what you start."
"You can quit the Obi-Wan Kenobi act Doctor, I feel fine."
"Great, perhaps you may be interested to know our next destination?"
"Nah, I think this time I'll go with the magical mystery tour." Sam handed her book to the Doctor. "I suppose you know the author?"
"Intimately, we were good friends once. She said I was her muse."
"Okay, I don't want to hear that story I've had enough gross things already this week."
Not wishing to offer a reply the Doctor left his companion to her recovery and lemonade.
