13 Novella 2

Bugs

All four of you stare at her without expression.

"And why's that?" Asks The Doctor lightly, breaking the tense silence.

"We lost power a couple of hours ago, right now we're heading into a frozen star" she replies solemnly.

"Oh" says The Doctor "what made you lose power?"

"We don't know" she sighs, "we've tried everything, the system seems like it's been physically pulled apart."

"Maybe it has" says Jenny unexpectedly and The Doctor and the woman turn to look at her, you following suit.

She bends down and pulls out a wire, handing it to The Doctor who holds it up curiously. You inspect it from a distance, noting what you think might just be-

"Teeth marks" confirms The Doctor and Jenny nods.

"That's impossible, it was only us four on board" Says the woman.

"So why" says The Doctor pointing her sonic at a screen bringing it temporarily to life, "am I registering multiple heat sources besides ourselves?" She finishes, and you all spiral into silence.

"Ok" she says loudly making you all jump. "Your names?"

"I'm captain Morgan, that's Fraser my second in command, Michaels and Johnson" she points out two Middle Aged men and a woman with a timid face.

"Jenny and I will try the back up generators, Morgan if you could lead us, Fraser can you run a scan using the last of the power for our life forms, Michaels and Johnson keep an eye on that frozen star." She says strongly, before looking at you seriously "Yaz and (Y/n) get back in The Tardis and no arguing, you'll freeze out here."

You both begin to protest and The Doctor opens her mouth determinedly to argue, but Morgan gets there first.

"Sorry you said your ship is at the south end? Then they really shouldn't, not without protection, that end is facing the star. If it wasn't frozen over when you came here, it will be by now. The doors will have frozen shut" she adds earnestly, as you fail to see the problem.

Jenny and The Doctor exchange worried looks.

"Fine Yaz, (Y/n) stay here, and stay warm" she adds on seeing you open your mouth.

"We're not babysitters" mutters the surley Michaels with a scowl.

"You are now" says Morgan swiftly, closing the subject and making you frown.

"You'll both be fine here" she says to you two and you nod, not at all happy with being left alone with this grumpy man. "We really ought to go" she adds to The Doctor and Jenny, who both nod and shoot you two uneasy looks.

You smile reassuringly at Jenny who responds likewise then all three disappear to find the generators.

They leave a solemn air behind and you step a little closer to Yaz, careful not to touch her still.

"We'll be fine" says Yaz with a brave smile. "They know what they're doing" and it's true, both are very capable women. Now you just needed to focus on staying warm.

You sit against a wall and Yaz does the same. She closes her eyes shivering slightly as you get closer and closer to the freezing star. With nothing to distract yourself, your thoughts begin to turn, getting wilder and darker...

Suddenly Fraser let's out a cry of pain and you jump to your feet in alarm.

"Catch it catch it!" He yells clutching his leg. You look down and spot a black bug the size of a mouse disappear under a desk.

Fraser topples over and sits breathing heavily, pausing randomly as he lies.

Suddenly he begins to convulse, white foam pouring from his mouth, eyes unblinking. Yaz screams and Johnson goes to approach but you call at her to get back.

To your surprise she obeys, and you watch as Fraser slowly stops convulsing before his head lolls sickeningly to the side, unmistakably dead.

"Fraser?" Whispers Johnson, but you shake your head.

Michaels turns to her with a scowl. "Why didn't you help him?" He barks at her and she gasps.

"Because he was already dead" you find yourself saying. "Whatever bit him was clearly venomous, chances are if she had touched him she would have gotten hurt" Johnson smiles at you in thanks and you nod at her.

"And that was your call, was it?" He asks scathingly, moving closer and making your heart rate spike unhealthily.

Yaz steps deliberately between you two.

"This isn't helping" she says sternly. "Now, did anyone see where it went?" She asks, but everyone shakes their head, calming down and returning to their previous positions.

You sit back down and Yaz places her head next to you. In those last ten minutes the temperature seemed to have dropped a further ten degrees.

You lean back against the wall, enjoying the sound of rain on the window, it was peaceful and steady, and you timed your breaths with it... only there was no rain in space.

Your eyes fly open and you jump to your feet.

"They're in the walls!" You hiss, and everyone pauses to confirm. Just then all the emergency lights turn on and you watch in horror as the main entrance bursts open.

As you suspected, hundreds of the bugs flood in and you feel Yaz recoil in horror.

You pull her desperately onto a desk as the sea of shiny black bugs swarm the floor.

Johnson and Michaels run to the far corner and huddle there together.

"Get on the desks!" You scream and Michaels hears, jumping.

What happens next freezes your heart faster than the dropping temperature.

Johnson reaches up to grab his hand, but he withdraws with a strong jaw, lifts his foot, and kicks her square in the chest, watching as she tumbles back and is absorbed beneath the ocean of the bugs, the noise of frenzied scuttling quickly cutting off her screams.

You stand in horror but Yaz pulls at your hand, and the shock of the contact bringing you back to life.

The path to the door has temporarily opened up and in that instant Morgan, Jenny and The Doctor are standing in the entrance gasping at the sea of bugs attacking Johnson's still body.

They spot you on the desks, and Michaels is close enough to leap over the last of the bugs clearly.

He doesn't look back as Morgan leads him away down a corridor.

You stand still, the distance between you and then women is surely too far.

"Yaz, (Y/n), Jump!" Screams The Doctor, panicked.

You and Yaz look at each other worriedly then back to the women.

You can hear the bugs quickly finishing with their main course and looking for seconds. Out of the corner of your eye you can see a bare skeleton stripped of its skin.

You turn back to Yaz and she nods determinedly.

Taking three huge steps back each, you fling yourselves over the rest of the bugs, feeling as though you are in the air way too long.

Jenny catches you while The Doctor catches Yaz to your left. You grip Jenny in fear and she grabs your hand securely.

"Run!" Shouts The Doctor and you and Jenny follow the pair, tripping slightly as you feel the engines beneath your feet start up and the whole ship begin to rotate slowly.

A door at the end of the corridor is open and you all charge in, meeting Morgan and Michaels who slam it shut, listening to it lock with a sucking sound.

The Doctor turns and points her sonic at the control panel and you feel the lights go down as well as the temperature.

You slide your back down the wall, exhausted from the run, leaning against Jenny and snuggling gratefully into her body heat, just ignoring the still heightened rate of your heart beat.