The Littlest Timelord: Cracks in Time

Chapter 15

"What's through there? What do they need?" Amy asked.

"They need to breathe", River told her.

Elise's mouth dropped open as the wall slide up to reveal a vast forest.

"But that's...That's a..." Amy stuttered.

"It's an oxygen factory", River said.

"It's a forest".

"Yeah, it's a forest. It's an oxygen factory".

"And if we're lucky, an escape route", the Doctor told them.

Amy laughed. "Eight".

"What did you say?" River asked her.

"Nothing".

At this point, the Doctor, Elise, and River realized that something was very wrong with Amy.

"Is there another exit?" the Doctor asked, "Scan the architecture, we don't have time to get lost in there".

Octavian ran into the forest. "On it. Stay where you are until I've checked the Rad levels".

"But trees, on a space ship?" Amy asked.

The Doctor entered the forest. "Oh, more than trees. Way better than trees. You're going to love this. Treeborgs. Trees plus technology". He pulled on a section of bark, exposing wires and fiber optics. "Branches become cables become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an ecopod running right through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle on a spaceship in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Amy Pond?"

Amy giggled before saying, "Seven".

"Seven?" the Doctor asked her. He came closer to her to look in her eyes, trying to pinpoint what was wrong with her.

"Sorry, what?"

"You said seven".

"No. I didn't."

"Yes. You did", River told her.

"Doctor, there's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck", Octavian said.

"Oh, good. That's where we need to go".

"Plotting a safe path now".

"Quick as you like".

The communicator the Doctor was carrying came to life again.

"Doctor? Excuse me? Hello, Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir".

The Doctor pulled it out and went to sit in the chair after pulling Elise out of the harness and setting her on the ground. "Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life? Sorry, bad subject".

"The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve".

"Achieve? We're not achieving anything. We're just hanging. It's nice in here. Consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?"

"The Angels are feasting, sir. Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world. And all the stars and worlds beyond".

"Well, we've got comfy chairs. Did I mention?"

"We have no need of comfy chairs".

"I made him say comfy chairs".

Amy giggled. "Six".

The Doctor stood up. "Okay, Bob, enough chat. Here's what I want to know. What have you done to Amy?"

"There is something in her eye".

"What's in her eye?"

"We are".

The Doctor looked into Amy's eyes again.

"What's he talking about? Doctor, I'm five", she told him, "I mean, five. Fine! I'm fine".

"You're counting", River said.

"Counting?"

"You're counting down from ten. You have been for a couple of minutes", the Doctor informed her.

"Why?"

"I don't know".

"Well, counting down to what?"

"I don't know".

Angel Bob came back over the communicator. "We shall take her. We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space".

The Doctor sat down in the chair again. "Get a life, Bob. Oops, sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much".

"With respect, sir, there's more power on this ship than you yet understand".

There was a loud screeching sound.

Elise ran to River and wrapped her arms around the woman's legs. River picked her up and held Elise to her chest as she asked, "What's that? Dear God, what is it?"

"They're back", Octavian said.

"It's hard to put in your terms, Doctor Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing", Angel Bob told them.

"Laughing?" the Doctor asked.

"Because you haven't noticed yet, sir. The Doctor in the TARDIS hasn't noticed".

The way Angel Bob was taunting him reminded Elise of Prisoner Zero in the hospital. She turned her head and her eyes went wide as she stared at the crack in the wall.

"Doctor..." Octavian said.

"No. Wait. There's something I've missed", the Doctor told him. He turned around and saw the crack.

Oh this was very not good.