42
(Jared's POV)
Tardis…
The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver on Martha's mobile phone, "Right, there we go. Universal roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again."
"So, what are you listening to?" Ruby asked, looking down at my phone.
"Hop? Stop? Nonstop!" I said, turning off the Bluetooth signal on my headphones. "That's what!"
"Another Aqours song." Weiss said, and the Tardis judders. "Why wouldn't you be listening to it?"
"And where does this performance take place in?" Yang asked, while we get knocked to the floor. "I hope it's good."
"Italy." I said, running towards the TARDIS doors with Team RWBY. "Come on, Team RWBY!"
Area 30…
Lots of steam and the place is glowing red.
"Distress signal transmitted." The computer said.
"Whoa, now that is hot." The Doctor said.
"Automated distress signal transmitted."
"Whuff, it's like a sauna in here." Martha said.
"Venting systems. Working at full pelt, trying to cool down. Wherever it is we are. Well, if you can't stand the heat…" The Doctor said.
Area 29…
The Doctor opens a bulkhead door and goes through. On the other side, it is labelled Area 30. Two men and a woman come running towards them.
"Oi, you lot!" Riley said, angrily.
"Get out of there!" McDonnell said.
"Seal that door, now!"
"Who are you? What are you doing on my ship?"
"Are you police?"
"So, we're dealing with a ship." Blake said, crossing her arms.
"Yup." I said, taking out some chocolate chip cookies to eat it. "We are."
"How bad does this rank from a Grimm to a Dalek?" Ruby asked.
"Pretty bad."
"Oh, it can't be that bad." Yang said, happily.
"What could possibly go wrong?" Weiss asked.
"You jinxed us!" Ruby said, annoyed.
"Yup." I said, while another woman comes running towards us, bulkheads slamming shut behind her. "Weiss did."
"Who activated secure closure? I nearly got locked in to area twenty seven." Erina said, as the last bulkhead slams shut. "Who are you?"
"He's the Doctor, that's Team RWBY and Jared, and I'm Martha. Hello." Martha said, walking away from Erina.
"Impact projection forty two minutes twenty seven seconds." The computer said.
"We'll get out of this. I promise." McDonnell said.
Ruby looks out of a porthole with Martha, "Um, Jared."
"Oh no, I just remembered the name of this adventure." I said, walking towards Ruby to grab her hand. "I feel like a massive dick right now."
"Doctor! Look." Martha said.
"Forty two minutes until we crash into the sun." McDonnell said.
The long, thin, but utilitarian spaceship is spinning towards a massive yellow fusion reactor.
"So, how many crew members are on board?" Weiss asked.
���Seven, including us." McDonnell said.
"We transport cargo across the galaxy. Everything's automated. We just keep the ship spaceworthy." Scannell said.
"Call the others, I'll get you out." The Doctor said, running to the door to area 30.
"What's he doing?" Riley asked.
"No, don't!" McDonnell said, angrily.
The Doctor opens the door and is knocked down by the blast of heat. Erina puts on a welder's mask and shuts it again, "But my ship's in there!"
"In the vent chamber?" Riley asked.
"There goes our way out." Blake said, rolling her eyes.
"Yup." Ruby said, sadly. "Um, how will we get out of here?"
"I don't know!" Weiss said. "Ask the fanboy."
The heiress walked towards me.
"I forgot to be honest." I said, running the back of my head.
"It can't be this bad." Yang said, smirking. "Can't it?"
"Did you forget that we left our weapons in the TARDIS?" Weiss asked.
"Crap."
"Impact in forty twenty six." The computer said.
Engineering…
"This place needs some cleaning." Weiss said, looking around.
"It does." Blake said, crossing her arms.
"Did you bring our weapons?" Ruby asked, while the engine is a collection of bits and pieces.
"Yup." I said, taking out Crescent Rose, the Myrtenaster, the Gambol Shroud, and Ember Celica from inside my backpack to give to their rightful owners. "Here you go."
"What were you doing with them?" Yang asked, putting her Ember Celica back on her wrists. "With my gauntlets."
"I was playing with them."
"No." Scannell said.
"That means someone did this on purpose." Weiss said. "Wrecking this place."
Kath McDonnell goes to the intercom, "Korwin, Ashton? Where are you? Korwin, can you answer? Where the hell is he? He should be up here."
"Oh, we're in the Torajii system. Lovely. You're a long way from home, Martha. Half a universe away. And Team RWBY and Jared, you lot are a universe and a half away from your respective homes." The Doctor said, looking over at Martha, Team RWBY, and I.
"Yeah. Feels it." Martha said, sadly.
"And you're still using energy scoops for fusion? Hasn't that been outlawed yet?"
"We're due to upgrade next docking. Scannell, engine report." McDonnell said.
"No response." Scannell said.
"What?"
"They're burnt out. The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back online."
"Well every space ship has auxiliary engines." Blake said, rolling her eyes. "Yours must have some."
"We don't have access from here. The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship." McDonnell said.
"Yeah, with twenty nine password sealed doors between us and them. You'll never get there in time." Scannell said.
"Can't you override the doors?" Martha asked.
"No. Sealed closure means what it says. They're all dead-lock sealed."
"So a sonic screwdriver's no use." The Doctor said, sadly.
"How about I punch my way through?" Yang asked, smacking her fists together.
"I don't think that's, um, the right solution to this." Ruby said, frowning.
"Nothing's any use. We've got no engines, no time, and no chance." Scannell said, angrily.
"Oh, listen to you. Defeated before you've even started. Where's your Dunkirk spirit? Who's got the door passwords?" The Doctor asked.
"They're randomly generated. Reckon I know most of them. Sorry. Riley Vashti." Riley said.
"Then what're you waiting for, Riley Vashti? Get on it."
"Well, it's a two person job. One, a technish for the questions, and the other to carry this. The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh, Captain?" Riley asked, looking at McDonnell.
"Reliable and simple, just like you, eh, Riley?"
Riley puts a massive backpack on. It contains a portable computer and a keyboard, "Try and be helpful, get abuse. Nice."
"Well, Martha, Blake, and I can help you." Weiss said, walking towards Riley. "We can be useful. Blake and I can defend the two of you as you're answering questions."
"It's remotely controlled by the computer panel. That's why it needs two." Riley said. "And I really appreciate it."
"Oi. Be careful." The Doctor said.
"You too." Martha said, running away with Riley, Weiss, and Blake.
"This started off well." Yang said, laughing a little. "And they're worrying about trivia questions."
"Um, what are the questions exactly?" Ruby asked, looking at me.
"Probably some random crap." I said, running out of the room with the Doctor, McDonnell, Ruby, and Yang past Martha, Riley, Blake, and Weiss. "Stuff that I probably don't know."
"Impact in thirty four thirty one." The computer said.
(Open POV)
Med-centre...
A man and a woman are trying to hold a man down so they can put him in what looks like an MRI scanner, but turns out to be a stasis chamber.
"Argh! Stop it!" Korwin said, angrily.
"Korwin, it's Abi. Open your eyes, I need to take a look at you." Abi said.
McDonnell, the Doctor, Jared, Ruby, and Yang run in.
"Korwin! What's happened? Is he okay?" McDonnell asked.
"Help me! It's burning me!" Korwin said, terrified.
"How long has he been like this?" Yang asked. "This burn, baby, burn guy?"
"Ashton just brought him in." Abi said, while the Doctor scans Korwin with his screwdriver.
"What are you doing?" McDonnell asked.
"Don't get too close." The Doctor said.
"Don't be so stupid. That's my husband."
"So, what's wrong with him?" Ruby asked. "Is he okay?"
"Nah, he isn't." Jared said, grabbing Ruby's hand. "I want you to protect Abi with all costs. If things get bad when I run off with the Doctor and Yang, protect her."
"She's gonna die, isn't she?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah."
"How are we supposed to be at multiple places at once?" Yang asked.
"There's gonna be a couple of deaths. You guys have your auras to protect you from impact." Jared said, smiling.
"You're right." Yang said, scoffing. "But how do we protect them?"
"Ruby has her speed, Weiss has her glyphs, Blake has her shadows, and you have your temper tantrums."
"That is true." Ruby said, sadly. "But how does that help with whatever we're facing?"
The Doctor takes a hypo-gun from a medical tray, "All right, all right, all right. Just relax. Sedative?"
"Yes." Abi said, while the Doctor sedates Korwin.
"What's wrong with him?" McDonnell asked.
"Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings. Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber. Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature. And, just for fun, run a bioscan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail." The Doctor said.
"Just doing them now." Abi said.
"Oh, you're good. Anyone else presenting these symptoms?"
"Not so far."
"Well, that's good to know." Yang said, happily. "That means no one else has gotten infected."
"Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?" McDonnell asked.
"Some sort of infection. We'll know more after the test results. Now, allons-y, back downstairs. Hey. See about those engines. Go. Hey. Go." The Doctor said, as McDonnell follows Ashton out. "Call us if there's news. Any questions?"
"Yeah. Who are you lot?" Abi asked.
"I'm the Doctor, and this is Jared, Ruby, and Yang…" The Doctor said, leaving the room with Jared and Yang.
"Guys, stay safe." Ruby said, watching Korwin's hands twitch.
"Heat shield failing. At twenty-five percent. Impact in thirty two fifty." The computer said.
Area 29...
Riley is tapping away at the portable computer.
"Just hurry up!" Weiss said, leaning against the wall. "We're on a time limit!"
"All right. Fix the clamp on." Riley said.
"So, what are you typing?" Blake asked. "Is it some love letters?"
"No, it isn't, Blake. Each door's trip code is the answer to a random question set by the crew. Nine tours back, we got drunk, thought them up. Reckoning was, if we're hijacked, we're the only ones who know all the answers." Riley said.
"So you type in the right answer…" Martha said, her eyes widening.
"This sends an unlock pulse to the clamp. But we only get one chance per door. Get it wrong, the whole system freezes."
"Better not get it wrong then."
"Okay. Date of SS Pentallian's first flight. That's all right. Go!" Riley said, while the lights on the clamp go green and the bulkhead door opens.
"Yes!"
"Twenty eight more to go!"
Med-centre...
"Abi, Ruby, how's Korwin doing? Any results from the bio-scan?" The Doctor asked.
"He's under heavy sedation. I'm just trying to make sense of this data. Give us a couple of minutes and we'll let you know." Abi said, while Korwin starts to wake up.
"Oh, he's waking up." Ruby said, looking down at Korwin. "That's good. I hope."
Engineering...
"Hey, Checkmate." Jared said, leaning against the wall. "How's it going with Martha and Riley?"
Area 28…
"We're at area twenty nine." Blake said, running behind Weiss.
Engineering…
"And we're in front of the door for area twenty eight." Weiss said, her voice coming out of the speaker.
"I know." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "You guys have…"
Area 28…
"...got to move faster." The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
"We're doing our best." Martha said.
"What's the first reaction Weiss Schnee…" Riley said, reading the question aloud.
Engineering…
"...had over Ruby Rose when they first met?" Riley asked, over the speaker.
Area 28…
"What?" Riley asked.
"You said the crew knew all the answers." Martha said.
"The crew's changed since we set the questions." Riley said.
"You're joking."
Engineering…
"Ruby exploded!" Jared said, recalling what happened in a RWBY episode.
"What?" Martha asked, over the speaker.
"Ruby bumped into Weiss…" Jared said.
Area 28…
"...while the Schnee heiress had a bottle of fire dust in her hand. Ruby sneezed and she made the dust explode in front of her and Weiss." Jared said, his voice over the speaker.
"How do you even remember that?" Weiss asked.
Engineering…
"I just do, okay! Just type in that Ruby exploded!"
Area 28...
"Are you sure? We only get one chance." Riley said.
Engineering…
"Ugh, after the dust explosion happened at the courtyard at Beacon Academy, the dust bottle landed in front of Blake, which the Faunus picked up…" Jared said, pacing back and forth.
Area 28…
"Weiss began ranting all over Ruby's face about how the silver-eyed girl is too young to be attending Beacon while Blake intervened in front of the two…" Jared said, his voice over the speaker.
Engineering…
"Blake then began to state the facts to Weiss and then made the heiress more angry. Weiss is still angry at Ruby for making the fire dust explode in both of their faces. Ruby exploded! Now type it in! I don't know, talk about people not watching shows constantly? Do they not have the time for them anymore?" Jared asked, walking back towards Yang.
Area 28...
"We're through!" Martha said, happily.
"Keep moving, fast as you can." The Doctor said, over the speaker.
Engineering...
"And, Martha, Weiss, Blake, be careful." The Doctor said.
Area 28…
"There may be something else on board this ship." The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
"Any time you want to unnerve us, feel free." Martha said.
Engineering...
"Will do, thanks." The Doctor said.
"Impact in thirty fifty." The computer said.
Area 27…
"I can't believe our lives depend on some stupid pub quiz. Is that the next one?" Martha asked, annoyed.
"Oh, this is a nightmare. Classical music. Which school idol group from Love Live sold more songs, μ's or Aqua-ours? How are we supposed to know that?" Riley asked.
Engineering…
"We need a backup in case they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time. Come on, think. Resources. What have we got?" The Doctor asked.
"Jared?" Weiss asked, her voice over the speaker.
"What's up, ice queen?" Jared asked, taking out a box of Pocky to eat them.
Area 27…
"Who had the most number ones, μ's…" Weiss said, looking at the screen.
Engineering…
"...or Aqours. That's pre-download." Weiss said, her voice over the speaker. "Or pre-ordered."
"μ's!" Jared said, excitedly.
Area 27…
"No! It's Aqours!" Jared said, his voice over the speaker. "It might be Aqours!"
Engineering…
"Wait, it could be μ's. But Aqours did rise over μ's success. Wasn't there a couple of remixes between the two of them? Which one sold more?" Jared asked, with Yang punching his shoulder hard.
"He doesn't know." Yang said, angrily. "We're busy, okay?"
Area 27…
"Fine. We'll ask someone else." Martha said, annoyed.
Engineering…
"Now, where were we? Here comes the sun. No, resources. So, the power's still working, the generator's going. If we can harness that. Ah!" The Doctor said.
"We can use the generator to jump-start the ship." Yang said, smirking.
"Yup." Jared said, smiling. "And it'll buy us some more time."
"That is brilliant." McDonnell said.
"I know. See? Tiny glimmer of hope." The Doctor said.
"If it works." Scannell said.
"Oh, believe me. You're going to make it work." McDonnell said.
"That told him." The Doctor said.
"Impact in twenty nine forty six." The computer said.
Francine's home…
Martha phones her mum on her mobile.
"Hello?" Francine asked.
"Mum? It's me." Martha said, her voice over the phone.
Area 27…
"It's Martha. Wow!" Martha said, happily.
"Where are you?" Francine asked, her voice over the phone.
Francine's home…
"Don't you check your messages? I've been calling you." Francine said.
Area 27…
"Actually, a bit busy. Need you to do something…" Martha said.
Francine's home…
"...for me." Martha said, her voice over the phone.
"No, listen to me." Francine said.
Francine's home…
"We have to talk…" Francine said.
Area 27…
"...about this Doctor and his companions." Francine said, her voice over the phone.
"Mum, please, not now. I need you to look something up on the internet." Martha said.
Francine's home…
"Do it yourself. You've got a computer." Francine said.
Area 27…
"Oh, just do it, will you? Please." Martha said.
Francine's home…
"When did you get so rude? I'll tell you when. Ever since you met that man and his friends." Francine said.
"I need to know who had more number ones..." Martha said, her voice over the phone.
Area 27…
"...μ's or Aqours?" Martha asked.
Francine's home…
"Hang on, the mouse is unplugged. Okay, I'm on." Francine said, plugging the USB mouse into the laptop.
Area 27…
"What is this, a pub quiz?" Francine asked, her voice over the phone.
"Yeah, a pub quiz." Martha said, annoyed.
Francine's home…
"Using your mobile is cheating." Francine said.
Area 27…
"Have you found it?" Martha asked.
"There's over four hundred thousand results. Give me a minute." Francine said, her voice over the phone.
"Impact in twenty eight fifty." The computer said.
Med-centre…
"Jared, something is wrong with Korwin." Ruby said, getting a bit scared. "Like…"
Engineering…
"What are you talking about? Abi, what's going on with Korwin?" Jared asked.
"Well, Korwin's body's changing. His whole biological make-up." Abi said, her voice over the speaker.
Med-centre…
"It's impossible." Abi said, hearing a noise behind her and Ruby.
"Oh no." Ruby said, seeing Korwin's reflection in a steel bowl above the intercom. "This isn't good."
Ruby takes out her Crescent Rose and puts it into sniper mode. And Korwin is standing there, eyes shut.
"This is Med-centre. Urgent assistance requested." Abi said. "I don't think Ruby can take this out."
Engineering…
"Urgent assistance!" Abi said, her voice over the speaker.
"Stay here! Keep working!" The Doctor said, running out of the room with Jared and Yang, and McDonnell follows them.
Med-centre…
"Urgent assistance!" Abi said, terrified.
Engineering…
"Abi, they're on their way." Erina said.
Med-centre…
"What's happening to you?" Abi asked.
Korwin's voice is not his own, "Burn with me."
Area 27…
"Burn with me." Korwin said, his voice over the speaker.
Corridor…
"Did she follow us?" Yang asked.
Scannell has followed the Doctor, McDonnell, Jared, and Yang.
"Yup." Jared said, squeezing Yang's hand. "He did."
"Captain?" Scannell asked.
"I told you to stay in Engineering." The Doctor said.
"I only take orders from one person round here."
"Oh, is he always this cheery?"
Francine's home…
"Aqours." Francine said. "What does that word even mean?"
Area 27…
"What? Really. Aqours." Martha said, happily.
Med-centre…
"Burn with me." Korwin said.
"Korwin, you're sick." Abi said, angrily.
"Burn with me!" Korwin said, opening his eyelids, to reveal a blinding white light.
"Abi, stay behind me." Ruby said, with her Crescent Rose aimed at Korwin. "Just run!"
Area 27…
Martha, Riley, Weiss, and Blake are through.
"Mum, you're a star!" Martha said, excitedly.
Francine's home…
"Now, we need to have a serious…" Francine said, while Abi's scream comes over the intercom, and Martha's phone. "What was that?"
Area 26…
"I've got to go." Martha said, finishing the phone call with her mother.
"What does Aqours mean?" Blake asked.
"It means the nine mermaids of the sea." Weiss said, as Korwin puts on heavy-duty protective gauntlets and a helmet, and lowers the Polaroid filter. "I hope Ruby saved Abi in time. And that she didn't mess up."
"Knowing our leader, she probably did." Blake said. "She doesn't like seeing other people get hurt. And she wants to help them."
Corridor…
"Concentrate on those doors. You've got to keep moving…" The Doctor said, with Jared and Yang behind him.
Area 26…
"...forward." The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
"Impact in twenty seven oh six." The computer said.
Med-centre…
The Doctor, McDonnell, Scannell, Jared, and Yang run in.
"Korwin's gone." McDonnell said.
"Oh, my God." Scannell said, seeing some heat on the metal x-ray shield with a trail of rose petals on the ground. "Tell me that's not Lerner and your friend."
"Endothermic vaporisation. I've never seen one this ferocious. Burn with me." The Doctor said.
"Ruby." Abi said, entering the room with Ruby, with the medic feeling nauseous. "What was that?"
"Oh, just my semblance." Ruby said, smiling. "I saved you, that's all that matters."
"His bioscan results. Internal temperature, one hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced by hydrogen. Your husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed." The Doctor said, looking at McDonnell.
"Ruby, Yang, how do either of you feel in saving others today?" Jared asked, looking between the siblings.
"How many of this crew will die?" Ruby asked.
"A couple."
"I've got this." Yang said, looking at Jared. "Where will one die at?"
"Engineering."
"How about the other?" Ruby asked.
"The storage area."
"We've got this." Ruby said, as she and Yang went their separate ways. "Just wait here."
"I'm fine. I need to warn the crew. Everybody, listen to me. Something has infected Korwin. He almost killed Abi Lerner and a teenage girl. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?" McDonnell said.
Engineering…
"Understood, Captain. Erina? Get back here with that equipment." Ashton said.
Storage area…
Erina mutes the intercom, "Whatever you say, boss. Go there. Come back. Fetch this. Carry these. Make drinks. Sweep up. Please, kill me now."
Erina closes the locker door and Korwin is standing there.
"Burn with me. Burn with me." Korwin said, lifting the filter and the white light streams out, but he was pushed back a couple of feet from Erina.
"Saved you." Yang said, hearing Erina scream. "Time to run!"
"Impact in twenty four fifty one." The computer said, as Yang is pulling Erina away from Korwin.
"Who are you?" Erina asked.
"I'm here to help." Yang said, smiling.
Med-centre…
"Is the infection permanent? Can you cure him?" McDonnell asked.
"I don't know." The Doctor said, sadly.
"Don't lie to me, Doctor. Eleven years we've been married. We chose this ship together. He keeps me honest, so I don't want false hope."
"I'm sorry to say this, but your husband is gone." Jared said, frowning. "There's no way the Doctor can reverse it. The parasite was just too aggressive that his will couldn't stop it."
"Thank you."
"Are you certain nothing happened to provoke this? Nobody's working on anything secret? Because it's vital that you tell us." The Doctor said.
"I know every inch of this ship. I know every detail of my crew's lives. There is nothing." McDonnell said.
"Then why is this thing so interested in you?"
"I wish I knew."
"Come on, Little Red." Jared said, as Riley, Martha, Weiss, and Blake have made it through bulkhead 17. "Save Ashton."
Engineering…
"Doctor, we're through to area seventeen." Martha said, her voice over the speaker.
"Keep going." The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
Area 16…
"You've got to get to area one and reboot those engines." The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
Engineering…
Ashton is working underneath the engine when someone enters. "You got those tools, Erina? Because I…"
Ashton is pulled out from underneath the engine by his ankles.
"Whoa!" Ashton said, while Korwin pulls him. to his feet by his gauntleted hands. "Korwin, it's me. We're mates."
"They are getting too far. We must share the light." Korwin said, holding Ashton's head.
It burns. Ashton screams when Ruby Rose arrived with a trail of rose petals behind her.
"He's gone." Ruby said, running away from Korwin and Ashton. "I arrived too late. Must have took the wrong route."
"Heat shields failing. At twenty percent." The computer said.
Area 17…
"Come on!" Riley said, hitting his portable computer. "Everything on this ship is so cheap."
The bulkhead to area 18 behind them clangs open.
"Hello?" Weiss asked, while a figure appears through the smoke. "Who is it?"
"Is that Korwin?" Martha asked.
"No, wait a minute." Riley said, as the figure is wearing a helmet. "Oh, Ashton, what're you doing?"
"Burn with me." Ashton said.
"Well, if you want to help…"
"Burn with me. Burn with me." Ashton said, moving to raise the Polaroid filter.
"Move! Come on!" Martha said, angrily.
Escape pod…
Martha opens the door to a small adjacent area, then shuts it when they are both in. Ashton appears at the window in the door, so Riley opens a small hatch and they climb through with Blake and Weiss. Ashton touches some controls and a second door slides closed over the hatch.
"What is happening on this ship?" Riley asked.
"I don't know." Blake said, her hands on her lap. "Where are we?"
"Airlock sealed. Jettison escape pod." The computer said.
"That doesn't mean us? Doctor!" Martha said, angrily.
"Pod jettison initiated."
"Doctor! Jared! We're stuck in an escape pod off the area seventeen airlock."
Engineering…
"One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've got to help us!" Martha said, her voice over the speaker.
Ruby looked over at Yang, where the two bumped into each other, with Erina next to the blonde.
"Let's go!" Ruby said, running off with Yang and Erina. "They need us!"
Escape pod…
"Tell me you can stop it." Martha said.
Storage area…
"Why is this happening?" McDonnell asked.
"Spoilers." Jared said, looking over to see McDonnell and Scannell staring at an almost charred shape on the wall.
"It's trying to pick us off, one by one." McDonnell said.
Escape pod…
"What could possibly go wrong?" Blake asked, looking at Weiss. "You had to say it."
"I know." Weiss said, while Ashton uses the keypad outside. "What else can we do in here besides survive."
"Jettison reactivated." The computer said, as Martha screams.
"Come on." Riley said, and he and Ashton are fighting via keypads as the Doctor runs to help them. "Tsilpinski sequence. This'll get him."
"Jettison held. Escape pod stabilised."
"You're pretty good." Martha said, while Ashton types something else into his keypad.
"We were way better out there than in here." Blake said.
Engineering…
"Hey Little Red, Goldilocks." Jared said, walking towards Ruby and Yang. "How are you two?"
"Oh, you know." Ruby said, while Scannell walks away. "We saved Erina and Abi."
"They're safe and sound." Yang said, as a figure walked towards McDonnell. "We left them inside the Camaro."
Korwin stops.
"You recognise me. Korwin, you know me. It's Kath. Your wife." McDonnell said.
"My wife." Korwin said.
"That's right. You're still in there. I'm your wife."
"It's your fault."
Area 17…
The battle of the keypads has started again.
"That's enough! What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me." The Doctor said, as Ashton puts his fist through the keypad.
"He wants something to be fixed." Jared said, his voice coming out of the speaker. "Can't remember what right now."
Escape pod…
"Jettison activated." The computer said.
"He's smashed the circuit. I can't stop it. I can't stop it!" Riley said, terrified.
Engineering…
McDonnell has backed up to where Scannell, Jared, Ruby, and Yang are standing.
"What do you mean, it's my fault?" McDonnell asked.
"It's your fault. Now burn with me!" Korwin said, as he is about to raise the visor when dry ice engulfs him from above.
"How about we do the opposite?" Yang asked, turning a valve wheel rapidly. "Something that doesn't involve heat. But the cold."
"What are you doing?" McDonnell asked.
"I'm just freezing him." Yang said, smiling. "It's like making the hot water cold. Do you want to build a snowman after that?"
"You'll kill him!"
Jared ran away from Ruby and Yang towards the area where the Doctor is at with Ashton.
Area 17…
"Come on. Let's see you. I want to know what you really are." The Doctor said, and Ashton stands nose to nose with the Time Lord and Jared.
"Sorry that I'm late." Jared said, watching Ashton raise his hand to the visor. "Wanted to see Yang make a joke."
Korwin collapses in Engineering and Ashton doubles over in pain.
"Airlock sealed." The computer said.
Ashton walks past the Doctor and Jared, back down the ship.
The Doctor uses the intercom, "McDonnell? Ruby? Yang? Ashton's heading in your direction."
Engineering…
"He's been infected, just like Korwin!" The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
"Korwin's dead, Doctor." Scannell said.
Escape pod…
"This thing's locked!" Martha said, annoyed.
"Airlock decompression completed. Jettisoning pod." The computer said.
The Doctor and Jared look through the window in the airlock door.
"Jared!" Weiss and Blake said, looking out of the window.
"Checkmate!" Jared said, looking at Weiss and Blake. "I'll save you! Both of you!"
"Ladies, it's too late." Riley said, sadly.
"What do we do now?" Blake asked. "We're heading towards the sun."
"Yeah." Weiss said. "And we were supposed to continue fighting in the Vytal Tournament."
"Don't you mean that Yang is?"
"True. But it isn't Team RWBY without us."
The pod leaves the side of the ship and floats towards the sun.
"I'm sorry." Martha said.
Engineering…
"Impact in seventeen oh five." The computer said.
McDonnell kneels by the body of her husband.
"I don't get it, how could this be your fault?" Ruby asked, walking towards McDonnell. "Jared didn't tell us why."
"Wait, what are you doing?" Yang asked, watching McDonnell moving her hand towards Korwin's body. "Touching him is a bad idea. Why do it?"
"It could only lead to disaster. He is infected, I think."
"They're right." Scannell said. "We don't know how it spreads."
"You murdered him!" McDonnell said, looking at Yang.
"He was about to kill you." Yang said, scoffing. "I saved you."
"He recognised me."
"You heard the Doctor. It it isn't Korwin anymore." Scannell said.
"The Doctor doesn't know. None of us knows!" McDonnell said, angrily.
"So what are you going to do, sit there until we burn? Because without you none of us stand a chance of getting out of here."
"Scannell! I need a spacesuit in area seventeen now!" The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
"What for?"
Area 17…
"Just get down here!" The Doctor said, annoyed.
Engineering…
"So, what will we do now?�� Yang asked. "How do we save Weiss and Blake?"
"I don't know. I'll think of something." Ruby said, frowning.
"Oh no, you're not going out there."
Escape pod…
"I wonder what would have happened." Weiss said, looking at Blake. "In the future with us."
"We'll never know, will we?" Blake asked. "Since we're stuck here."
"At least I don't have to deal with Ruby's recklessness and childish antics anymore."
"I thought you liked her. Our leader."
"I do. But how do we get out of this one?"
"There's no air out there. No oxygen whatsoever."
"At least we have Roman Torchwick locked up." Weiss said, happily.
"We do." Blake said, smiling. "I'll never see Adam again. Or the White Fang, what they did was wrong."
"My dad's dead, and I haven't seen my mum in six years. She didn't want me to sign up for cargo tours. Things were said, and since then, all silent. She wanted to hold on to me, I know that. Oh, she's so stubborn." Riley said, sadly.
"Yeah, well, that's families." Martha said, smirking.
"What about you?"
"Full works. Mum, Dad, Dad's girlfriend, brother, sister. No silence there. So much noise. Oh, God! They'll never know! I, I'll just have disappeared, and they'll always be waiting."
"Call them."
Corridor…
Ashton arrives at the bottom of the metal staircase up to Med-centre.
"Hey, Ashton Martin!" Jared said, standing at the top of the stairs. "Follow me!"
Ashton followed Jared into the med center where Yang is waiting for him.
Med center…
"When I said let it go." Yang said, punching Ashton in the stomach, then pushing him head first into the stasis chamber. "Chill out, man."
"Smooth, real smooth." Jared said, turning on the stasis chamber and the temperature around Ashton's head drops rapidly until it kills him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Me too." Ruby said, looking up at Jared. "Um, what do we do now?"
"We head back towards the Doctor."
Jared ran off with Ruby and Yang towards area 17.
Area 17...
The Doctor is now in a spacesuit.
"I can't let you do this." Scannell said.
"You're wasting your breath, Scannell. You're not going to stop me." The Doctor said.
"You want to open an airlock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun. No one can survive that."
"The Doctor can survive it." Jared said, entering the area with Ruby and Yang. "Just watch him go."
"Doctor, you open that airlock, it's suicide. This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you." Scannell said.
"If I can boost the magnetic lock on the ship's exterior, it should remagnetise the pod. Now, while I'm out there, you have got to get the rest of those doors open. We need those auxiliary engines." The Doctor said, coming up with a plan.
"Doctor, will you listen! They're too far away. It's too late."
"I'm not going to lose them." The Doctor said, putting on the helmet and goes into the airlock. "And Weiss and Blake, they're not supposed to die. Not here, not now."
"They're a part of Team RWBY and they always will be." Jared said, excitedly. "Let the Doctor get them both out of that escape pod. Martha and Riley too."
"Decompression initiated. Impact in twelve fifty five." The computer said.
Francine's home...
Her mobile phone rings.
"Hello." Francine said.
"It's me again." Martha said, her voice over the phone.
Escape pod...
"Sorry about earlier." Martha said.
"Is everything all right?" Francine asked, her voice over the phone.
"Yeah. Of course."
Francine's home...
"Martha?" Francine asked.
Escape pod...
"Mum, I...you know I love you, don't you?" Martha asked.
Francine's home...
"Of course I do. What's brought this on?" Francine asked.
Escape pod...
"I never say it. I never get the time. I never think of it, and then…" Martha said.
Francine's home...
"I really love you. Tell Dad, Leo and Tish that I love them." Martha said, her voice over the phone.
A blonde woman in a black suit is monitoring the conversation.
"Martha, what's wrong?" Francine asked.
"Nothing. I promise." Martha said, her voice over the phone.
"Where are you?"
"Just out."
"With anyone nice?"
Escape pod...
"Some mates." Martha said, looking at Weiss, Blake, and Riley.
"What mates?" Francine asked, her voice over the phone.
"Mum, can we not just talk?"
Francine's home...
"Of course. What do you want to talk about?" Francine asked.
Escape pod...
"I don't know. Anything! What you had for breakfast. What you watched on telly last night. How much you're going to kill Dad next time you see him. Just anything." Martha said.
Francine's home...
"Is the Doctor and his friends with you? Are they there, now?" Francine asked.
Escape pod...
"Mum, just leave it." Martha said, angrily.
"It's a simple enough question." Francine said, her voice over the phone.
"I'd better go."
Francine's home...
The woman makes the circular keep going gesture.
"Er, no, Martha, wait." Francine said.
Escape pod…
"See you, Mum." Martha said, ending the call.
Martha and Riley hug each other, while Blake and Weiss does the same, with the four crying.
Airlock…
"Impact in eleven fifteen. Heat shield failing. At ten percent." The computer said.
The Doctor opens the outer airlock door and the unfiltered sunlight streams in. Gritting his teeth, he climbs outside and reaches for a row of four buttons on the ship's hull. He has to hold on to the edge of the airlock because there is no safety line, "Come on! Go on, my son!"
He presses two buttons then stretches for the box just beyond them.
"How's it going out there, Spaceman?" Jared asked, his voice coming out of the suit.
"I can't, I can't reach! I don't know how much longer I can last." The Doctor said.
"Come on, Doctor." Ruby said, as the Doctor rips off the cover of the box, and with a big shout pulls the lever down. "Don't give up now! You've got this! We believe in you!"
"Save Martha, save Weiss and Blake." Yang said, clapping her hands. "Come on."
Escape pod…
"Oh, my god." Weiss said, feeling a big jolt.
"The escape pod." Blake said, looking at the computer screen saying remagnetising. "What's happening?"
"We're being pulled back!" Riley said, happily.
"I told you! It's the Doctor!" Martha said, smiling.
The Doctor gets back into the airlock as the escape pod returns to its dock. He looks at the sun, "It's alive. It's alive. It's alive!"
(Jared's POV)
Area 17…
"Do you think things will work out?" Ruby asked, looking at me.
"Yeah, it will." I said, giving Ruby a thumbs up. "I know it will."
"Impact in eight fifty seven." The computer said. "Airlock recompression completed."
"How about the Year That Never Was?" Ruby asked, as the Doctor has his eyes closed tight as he takes off his helmet and crawls out of the airlock. "Well, um, you said that all hell breaks loose."
"I don't know what exactly happens." I said, when the pod docks. "If I know one thing, as long as I have Team RWBY and the Holy Quintet by my side. I'll be able to fight through it and I won't lose any hope."
"You won't lose any hope." Yang said, when the Doctor opens his eyes briefly. "You think it's as simple as that, huh."
"I know it sounds pretty hard, but I've been through a lot with you guys." I said, looking at Team RWBY. "And my adventures with the Holy Quintet just started."
A white light shines from the Doctor's eyes.
"Stay away from me!" The Doctor said, angrily.
"What happened?" Weiss asked.
"It's your fault, Captain McDonnell!"
"Riley, get down to area ten and help Scannell with the doors. Go!" McDonnell said, and Riley runs off.
"You mined that sun. Stripped its surface for cheap fuel. You should have scanned for life!" The Doctor said.
"I don't understand."
"So, us being by your side." Weiss said, walking towards me. "It isn't just for show."
"Nope." I said, laughing a lot. "Watching μ's and Aqours not giving up to achieve their dreams and goals. And traveling with you guys, made me not want to give up against Thanos. When I come face to face with him in ten years."
"Wow." Blake said, at a loss for words. "You really mean that, don't you?"
"Yeah. I used to not have anything to fuel me, to have fun going around all of time and space. Saving people along the way, but now I do."
"What's that?" Ruby asked, looking down at my hand to see a box of chocolate chip cookies there. "Give me."
"No." I said, walking away with the box of cookies.
"Give…"
"No."
"What?" Martha asked.
"Stasis chamber. You've got to take it below minus two hundred. Freeze it out of me! It'll use me to kill you if you don't. The closer we get to the sun, the stronger it gets! Med-centre, quickly! Quickly!" The Doctor said, angrily.
"Help me!" Martha said, looking at Team RWBY and I.
"Impact in seven thirty." The computer said.
In Engineering, Korwin starts to thaw. His hand moves and picks up the helmet.
Med-centre…
"So, what are we gonna do now?" Yang asked.
"We sit back and watch." I said, drinking some tea.
"Is that it?" Blake asked. "We're no longer saving other people."
"Not today, no."
"Aww." Ruby said, sadly.
Martha grabs the instruction manual, "I can do it!"
"Martha, where are you?" The Doctor asked.
"It's all right, I'm here. Just help me get him up. Stasis chamber, minus two hundred, yeah?" Martha asked.
"No, you don't know how this equipment works. You'll kill him. Nobody can survive those temperatures." McDonnell said.
"He's not human. If he says he can survive, then he can."
"Let me help you, then."
"You've done enough damage." Blake said. "Martha can do it."
The Doctor lies in the stasis chamber, "Ten seconds. That's all I'll be able to take. No more. Martha!"
"Yeah?" Martha asked.
"It's burning me up. I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it, I could kill you. I could kill you all. I'm scared! I'm so scared!" The Doctor said, terrified.
"Just stay calm. You saved me, now I return the favour. Just believe in me."
"It's burning through me. Then what'll happen?"
"You think we will live this." Ruby said, smiling.
"I know we will." I said, tossing Ruby the box of chocolate chip cookies. "Time won't be rewritten today."
"You sure?"
"Positive." I said, watching Martha using the joystick to roll the Doctor completely into the chamber, then the medical student types 200 into the keypad and presses the green button. "I know what's gonna happen."
"You still haven't told us how we will survive today." Weiss said, as the Doctor screams as his body temperature falls.
"Heat shields failing. At five percent." The computer said.
In Engineering, Korwin stands up just as a computer monitor reports - power drain medcentre stasis chamber active. He goes to a lever, pulls it up, and the monitor changes to stasis chamber inactive. The power is cut at minus 70 degrees.
The Doctor is covered in frost, "No! Martha, you can't stop it. Not yet."
"What happened?" Martha asked.
"Power's been cut in Engineering." McDonnell said.
"But who's down there?"
"Leave it to me." McDonnell said, leaving the room.
"Impact in four forty seven." The computer said.
"So we were just needed for trivia questions." Blake said.
"And we were needed for saving two lives." Yang said, smirking. "Not a bad trade off."
"It isn't." I said, while the ice has gone from the Doctor's body.
"Martha, listen! I've only got a moment. You've got to go with Jared and Team RWBY!" The Doctor said, angrily.
"No way." Martha said.
"Get to the front. Vent the engines. Sun particles in the fuel, get rid of them."
"We are not leaving you."
"You lot have got to give back what they took."
"God, why am I so slow?" Weiss asked, her eyes widening.
"Aren't you always slow?" Ruby asked.
"She really is." I said, running off with Ruby and Weiss, and Martha is behind us. "Come on, White Rose."
"Impact in four oh eight." The computer said.
Area 21...
"Isn't our team attack called Ice Flower?" Weiss asked.
"Well, our ship name is White Rose, apparently." Ruby said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Impact in three forty three." The computer said.
Martha, Ruby, Weiss, and I run through area 21 as Korwin catches up with McDonnell, hiding in an airlock.
���What's another name you can come up with for us?" Weiss asked, looking at me.
"I don't know, can't think of one." I said, frowning.
"You can't think of another ship name?"
Area 10...
"Riley, Scannell." McDonnell said, over the intercom. "I'm sorry."
"McDonnell. McDonnell!" Scannell said, over the intercom.
"You know what team attack you should come up with." I said, laughing a little. "Cannonball."
"Exterior airlock open." The computer said.
"Cannonball?" Ruby asked, looking at me.
"Impact in two seventeen. Primary engines critical." The computer said, as the Doctor falls out of the stasis chamber and crawls across the floor. "Repeat. Primary engines critical. Survival estimate projection zero percent."
(Open POV)
Area 22...
"Martha!" The Doctor said, angrily.
"Doctor! What are you doing?" Martha asked, over the speaker.
"I can't fight it. Give it back or burn with me."
Area 4…
"Burn with me, Martha." The Doctor said, his voice over the speaker.
"Impact in one twenty one." The computer said.
Area 1…
"Got it!" Riley said, happily.
"Life support systems reaching critical. Repeat. Life support systems reaching critical. Impact in one oh six." The computer said, as Scannell and Riley quickly enter commands into various computers. "Collision alert. Collision alert."
"It's not working. Why's it not working?" Riley asked.
"Collision alert. Fifty eight seconds to fatal impact."
"Vent the engines. Dump the fuel." Ruby said, a trail of rose petals behind her, Weiss, and Jared. "It can't be that hard."
"What?" Scannell asked.
"There are sun particles in the fuel." Weiss said, crossing her arms. "Get rid of them. That is what is causing this in the first place. All of these deaths."
"Do it. Now!" Martha said, looking at Riley and Scannell.
"We don't have much time." Jared said, watching Scannell and Riley obeying what the girls said.
"Come on, Doctor. Hold on." Martha said, hearing a loud noise nearby.
"Fuel dump in progress. Fuel dump in progress." The computer said.
The light goes out in the Doctor's eyes, and he keels over.
"There! The auxiliaries are firing!" Scannell said, annoyed.
The ship lurches, then starts to pull away from the sun as the countdown reaches one second.
"Impact averted. Impact averted. Impact averted." The computer said.
"We're clear. We've got just enough reserves." Riley said.
"Doctor!" Martha said, running back down the body of the ship to embrace the Doctor.
"That was a close one." Weiss said, looking at Jared. "We almost died."
"Well, we got out of it." Ruby said, happily.
"Yup." Jared said, taking out a box of Pocky to eat it.
Area 30...
Later, in the safety of interstellar space.
"This is never your ship." Scannell said.
"Compact, eh? And another good word, robust. Barely a scorch mark on her." The Doctor said.
"We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel." Martha said.
"We've sent out an official mayday. The authorities'll pick us up soon enough." Riley said.
"Though how we explain what happened…" Scannell said.
"Well, you can tell them this." Ruby said, smiling. "That sun is like any other living thing out there in the universe. Care and protection."
Ruby entered the TARDIS with the Doctor and Blake.
"So, er, you're off then. No chance I'll see you again?" Riley asked.
"Not really. It was nice, not dying with you, Weiss, and Blake. I reckon you'll find someone worth believing in." Martha said, walking towards Riley.
"I think I already did." Riley said.
Martha kisses Riley.
"Well done. Very hot." Martha said, entering the TARDIS.
"Come on, Weiss, Yang." Jared said, about to enter the TARDIS, but Yang punched him in the gut. "What was that for?"
"Letting me almost get burned to a crisp." Yang said, looking away.
Weiss then walked up to Jared to put her shoe over his, "And that's for me almost dying close to the sun."
"Sorry." Jared said, entering the TARDIS with Weiss and Yang.
Tardis…
"So. Didn't really need you in the end, did we? Sorry. How are you doing?" Martha asked, as Jared, Yang, and Weiss entered the TARDIS after her.
"Now, what do you say? Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Kur-ha. Fancy it?" The Doctor asked.
"Whatever you like." Martha said, looking at the Doctor.
"By the way, you'll be needing this." The Doctor said, taking out a Tardis key on a chain.
"Really?" Martha asked.
"Frequent flier's privilege. Thank you."
"Oh, no. Mum." Martha said, taking out her phone.
Jared looks away as he knows what will happen next with his adventures across all of time and space. Ruby walked up to Jared to try and make him feel better.
"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.
"Nothing." Jared said, biting his fingers.
"You're lying." Weiss said. "You're thinking about what could have happened if Blake and I died."
"Yeah."
"The Doctor saved us. Time hasn't been rewritten yet."
"Yeah, we could have died today." Blake said, looking away. "We saved two people."
"She's right." Yang said, happily. "You said that Ruby and I should save Abi and Erina."
"We did that." Ruby said, smiling. "Isn't that, um, what you asked for?"
"I did. What now?"
"I don't know. You brought us here."
Francine's home…
The blonde woman takes out her ear buds and holds out an evidence bag. Francine drops her mobile phone into it. Two men in black stand silently by.
"That's all?" Francine asked.
"For now. Have you voted?" Dexter asked.
"Of course. Just don't expect me to tell you who for."
"Thanks for all you're doing, Mrs Jones. Mister Saxon will be very grateful."