The Skasis Paradigm

Chapter 11: Pain

I raced through the halls to get to the Doctor and Jabe before they left the observation deck. I walked in right as her and the Doctor started to explain what was happening.

"The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One." Jabe said, shock resonating through out the room from the passengers.

"How's that possible?" Cassandra asked, her eyes fliting around the room. "Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me." She said, as her two assistants sprayed her skin with an unknown substance.

"Summon the Steward." said the Moxx, sitting in his chair with a sneer on his face.

"I'm afraid the Steward is dead." I said, standing beside the Doctor who just looked at me before looking behind me as Rose entered the room as well. His brow raised at the fact she was out of the room she was trapped in just moments ago.

"Who killed him?" The Moxx asked as everyone sat further on edge at the news of the deceased steward.

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe." Cassandra said. "He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face." She yelled, a very accusatory tone to her voice making me roll my eyes.

"Easy way of finding out. Someone bought their little pet on board." The Doctor said, holding up the disabled metallic spider. "Let's send him back to master." He said, turning the spider on and sets it on the ground. The spider shuffled around for a moment, walking over to scan Cassandra which seemed to make her panic, her eyes frantically trying to tell the little machine to move on. Eventually it scuttled away towards the black robed figures, stopping in front of them.

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse!" Cassandra exclaimed making me roll my eyes again as the Doctor cleared his throat.

"That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it," The Doctor walked up to the cloaked figures and as the leader raised its arm to hit the Doctor, he grabbed its arm and yanked it off with little force. "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea." He said as he fiddled with the wires in the arm, quickly causing all of the robed figures to collapse.

"Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker." The Doctor said, lightly giving the metal spider a nudge as it seemed to look around in hesitation. "Go on, Jimbo. Go home." The spider quickly scampered off to Cassandra making her sneer.

"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed." She hissed making me laugh.

"And I bet you were the narcissistic school bully who couldn't keep her legs closed." I said making Rose clap a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing, having the same thoughts as me.

"At arms!" Cassandra said, her assistants raising their spray guns which made me glare at her.

"What are you going to do, moisturize me?" The Doctor mocked making me smack him on the arm.

"With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe." She gloated, like she'd suddenly just won the lottery. "Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just as pretty face." Cassandra said, making me snort.

"Cassandra you are literally only a face, and its not pretty." I said with a laugh, if looks could kill id be dead by now under her gaze, but I didn't shrink back in fear like she seemed to want.

"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?" The Doctor asked her making an evil smirk cross her face.

"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous." She admitted, of course this was about money. Humans and their damn money.