VTV Series Episode 8: Lost

“Something’s wrong,” the Doctor said.

The TARDIS was dark, and Katie clutched the controls for support. The room shook wildly, throwing Katie and several objects all over the place.

“What’s happening?” Katie asked nervously.

The Doctor wasn’t usually this concerned.

“We’re hurtling through the time vortex at 100 miles an hour,” the Doctor said. “And the vortex is screaming. It’s like it’s in pain.”
“From what?” Katie asked.
“A force. A lifeline so strong the TARDIS could be ripped apart.”
“You’re cheerful,” Katie said, somewhat helplessly.
“But if the TARDIS is ripped to pieces we’ll be thrown into the time vortex – and nothing can survive that,” the Doctor said, flipping a switch and punching a button.
“But? There’s usually a but and everything’s alright,” Katie said, waiting for the Doctor’s but.
“Not this time,” the Doctor said, defeated. “Unless…”
“That’s more like it!” Katie grinned.

The Doctor grinned back, and grabbed Katie’s hand. Together they ran through the rooms of the TARDIS. A few Katie recognised, but some she had never seen. They ran up a spiral staircase when the Doctor stopped at an open door.

“Here we are!” the Doctor said.
“Where is here?” Katie asked.
“The Jade Pagoda! Ha!” the Doctor grinned.
“And what’s that?”

The Doctor pulled her inside. There was bamboo on the inside of the door, but almost everything else was coloured jade. A mirror in the centre of the room formed a console, and various first-aid and survival tools lined the shelves along the wall.

“This is the Jade Pagoda, the TARDIS ‘escape pod’. We can jettison away from the rest of the TARDIS!”
“But what’ll happen to the STARDIS?” Katie asked.
“It’ll still be ripped apart,” the Doctor said grimly. “But my ship is clever, clever enough to withstand an attack like this. It’ll repair itself and land in the 21st Century. Probably at your house.”

There was an explosion as a wall from the TARDIS ripped apart. The Doctor quickly slammed the door, and Katie screamed as the Jade Pagoda hurled from the rest of the Doctor’s ship and into the Time Vortex. The Doctor yelled out as the Jade Pagoda itself began to rip apart.

“Something’s wrong!” the Doctor cried. “We’re breaking apart! I’ll find you!”

Katie looked around desperately, as bright lights filled the room. She let out one last scream as she was pulled from the room and away from the Doctor.

“Hello, are you alright?” a voice asked.

Katie looked up. She was lying on the floor of a white room. A man was peering down at her, concerned. He helped her up.

“We’ve got to go,” the man continued. “The base is being attacked!”
“By what?” Katie asked as they ran to the door.
“Hacek Dral,” the man said grimly, pulling her from the room.

The Doctor leapt up off the floor. Katie was nowhere to be seen. He surveyed the room.

“Oh, I’d say around… 1963. England. Liverpool.”

He licked his finger and held it in the air. He gave a startled look and sniffed his finger.

“I was right!” he laughed. “I do smell Beatles!”

He ran out of the room, and sniffed. He followed his nose to find one of the greatest bands of all times – the Beatles. Halfway down a third corridor, the Doctor could hear screaming.

“Why is it so dark in here?” Katie asked as the lights flickered once more.
“That’s the Hacek Dral,” the man replied. “They’re creatures – creatures that melt the flesh with their fingertips.”
“Oh my God… But the Doctor’s not here,” Katie said. “I need him. I don’t want to die on my own.”
“You aren’t gonna die – we’ll get out of this,” the man said. “I’m Matadonis by the way.”
“I’m Katie,” Katie replied. “Can I just call you Matt?”
“Matt? That’s an unusual name,” Matadonis laughed.

The Doctor reached for the door handle, when it burst open. Four men flew threw it. They looked at the Doctor’s face, complete with massive grin.

“You… You aren’t? You are!” the Doctor stuttered. “I know we’ve met before but I’ve never seen you on my own! Remember me?”
“We have a lot of fans,” Paul McCartney replied. “Now we have to get out of here.”

He shut the door and the Beatles began barricading it.

“I was with Donna,” the Doctor said. “Donna Noble. You signed a CD for her.”
“Not ringing any bells,” Ringo Starr frowned.
“Ginger. Mouth like a fishwife,” the Doctor said, watching them barricading the door.
“Oh I remember!” John Lennon said. “She kept shouting the name Heather…”
“Yeah, funny that…” the Doctor said. “What… What’re you doing?”
“Mr…?”
“Smith,” the Doctor said.
“Mr Smith,” George Harrison said. “Outside that door is a creature – an alien creature.”
“Aliens? Blimey…” the Doctor said.
“Alien,” John corrected.
“It’s killing everyone,” George said. “We have to get out of here.”
“What did it look like?” the Doctor asked.
“Tall,” Paul said.
“Silver,” Ringo added.
“Hmm. Cybermen? No,” the Doctor said. “Handles on its head?”
“No, its face looked smooth. It didn’t have any features,” John said.
“Perfect physique?” the Doctor asked.
“I… I guess so, yeah…” John said.

By this time they had barricaded the door, and Paul was looking for another exit. He tried the other door, which was locked.

“Is it fast?” the Doctor asked.
“Very,” Ringo said.
“Narrows it down,” the Doctor said. “Does it sort of… Jump and disappear? Then land somewhere else?”
“Yeah!” John said. “And this creature is?”
“This creature is bad…” the Doctor replied. “A Raston Warrior Robot. Deadly. The perfect killing machine. But why would it want to kill the Beatles?”

But before any of the Beatles could hazard a guess, a large dent appeared in the door.

“If we can just get to the escape pods,” Matt cried as the ship shook.

They had found the rest of the crew, when suddenly several creatures burst into the corridor, their fingertips reaching out to grasp Katie and Matt. Katie screamed as several of the crew ran in front to fight the creatures. Matt ran forward to help.

“Lara watch out!” Matt cried, as one girl was melted.

Lara looked around and was attacked by a hand of one of the Hacek Dral. Matt dived on her, trying to stop the melting of her flesh.

“Run Katie!” he cried, as he began to dissolve too.

Katie ran as one of the Hacek Dral flew at her. She ran around a corner and reached a dead end – a glass wall. The Hacek Dral slowly glided towards its prey, and attacked.

To be continued…