The Stars - Doctor Who Fanfiction

Chapter Six

Harriet sat nervously in the desk chair, not daring to take her eyes off the monitors for a single moment. She watched The Doctor slowly shuffling down the corridor, stepping carefully to not create too much noise. Harriet tightened the headset over her ears, brought the microphone closer to her lips and held down a button on the attached cable.

"Doctor? If you can hear me, wave at the camera. It's at the far end of the hallway, in the top corner." Harriet instructed, keeping her own volume low. She watched The Doctor pause her walk, searching above her head for the camera. Eventually, she did, giving a quick wave as instructed. Harriet let out a sigh of relief, "Okay, good. Everything ahead is clear. Just keep going quietly."

The Doctor gave a thumbs up before continuing her walk. Harriet scanned over the other screens, keeping an eye on the Collavee. They carried on in their routine, a new alien stepping out into the church hall and forming an army. She estimated that fifty of them loomed in the limited light. Two of them focused on prying the doors open. Harriet cast a quick glance to the partially open door of her room, anxiety kicking in over the thought of those creatures busting in on her unprotected.

Upon looking back at the screens, Harriet quickly fumbled for the microphone button. "Doctor, stop!" The Doctor came to a swift halt, looking around in a panic. A camera above the main entrance, which overlooked the hall leading to the original church doors, showed The Doctor by the reception desk. The church doors had been pried open, a Collavee trying to squeeze through the small gap. "Doctor, be quick! Hide behind the desk but quietly."

The Doctor tiptoed at a fast pace to the desk, bundling herself underneath. She held her knees to her chest and clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle her breathing. Harriet watched in horror as the Collavee made its way out of the doors and began its heavy-footed walk towards The Doctor's hiding spot. It hovered by the desk, eyeing the cables strung along the floor. It began to sniff the air, its pointed ears twitching to hear any tiny sound.

Harriet wanted to warn The Doctor, tell her not to move an inch but she dare not make a sound around her. She watched the Collavee take small steps towards the desk, peering around the corner. Harriet quickly grabbed the first item she could and walked to the door. She flung the stapler as far down the corridor as she could, retreating quietly back inside as it collided with a wall. Harriet watched the Collavee stop its hunt towards The Doctor and turn towards the noise. It gave a grunt and made its way towards the sound.

"Doctor? It's moving away from you. You need to move fast, but stay quiet." Harriet whispered, leaving out the fact she was now in danger. 

The Doctor peaked out from the desk, watching the Collavee inch away. She debated calling it back to her, noticing it was heading in Harriet's direction but there was no time. She took the opportunity to rush towards the church doors, pressing her back against the wall, awaiting more instruction.

Harriet was distracted by the footsteps getting ever closer. She'd soon have to hide in the TARDIS but that would mean abandoning her watch over The Doctor. She turned her attention back to the Time Lord, checking the coast was clear inside the church.

"Okay, Doctor, there's around one-hundred of them in there, now. None near the door, they're sort of lined up, like they're getting ready for something. Please be careful, I'll watch out as long as I can." Harriet whispered, seeing The Doctor look up at the camera in confusion at her last sentence. "I'm fine, just hurry and stay safe."

The Doctor knew Harriet was in danger, her only chance now was facing the Collavee. She took a deep breath before sneaking through the gap in the door. The Doctor came face to face with the ever-growing army of Collavee. They mostly looked identical; the leader she met earlier was a darker shade of purple. They spotted her immediately, growling and leering toward her. The leader stepped away from the teleporter, the machine powering down as it did, walking to stand before The Doctor.

"Hello again, big fella. I said you'd have to deal with me again. Brought the family for a visit?" The Doctor smiled, pointing to the army ahead. She kept the device behind her back, trying to block the view of the cable trailing behind her.

"Doc...tor...Leave now...leave us...in peace...we shall... spare you." The Collavee leader hissed, moving closer to The Doctor. The fleet behind let out a mixture of laughter and roaring.

"Nice try, mate. I'm not letting you attack, not while there's breath in my body. I'm going to offer you a choice so listen carefully. I can find you a planet, uninhabited and I'll transport the Collavee there. You can live undisturbed, in peace. What do you say?" The Doctor explained. The only response she received was silence. "No? Nothing? Well, I expected a little more commotion or gratitude. Does that mean you accept my terms?"

"And if... we refuse..."

"Then I'll stop you. That's a promise. It doesn't have to come to that, simply take my offer to leave."

The roar of mocking laughter once again filled the room, the Collavee un-wavered by The Doctor's proposal or courage. "Pathetic... weak human...with pathetic... weak threats... You dare... to think an... evolved ape... could take on... the greatest... warriors... in the galaxy?" Battle cries of agreement echoed around the hall. 

"Not that great if you've been hiding. I heard legends about your race, but where have you been, huh? Hiding in the shadows of the universe, waiting to take the easiest planet you could get your claws into? Not very warrior-like if you ask me. Which you didn't..."

"SILENCE! You dare... insult... the Collavee."

"Oh, I dare alright, matey. Enough talk, last chance. Let me help you leave or I'll make you." The Doctor commanded.

"What are you?"

"Time Lord."

The Collavee hissed in anger and scratched their claws into nearby surfaces. "Murderous scum! You are... the legends... the myth... Collavee fled... the great... Time War. To escape the... Time Lord's wrath... They all... perished. You cannot... be real."

"Yet here I am. Offering you your last chance at survival."

"Collavee... do not... bow down... to anyone... ever again... You will be... our first conquer... on Earth... The Last Time... Lord fallen... at our hands..."

"I warned you. The Collavee made their choice."

The Doctor held up the device in her hands, only prompting ridicule from the Collavee. The Time Lord and the Collavee leader's eyes connected, both knowing the threat was real and deadly. The Doctor gave an apologetic look; this was the last resort. But she had to follow it through. Another fallen race at the hands of the Time Lords. Another death to haunt her conscious. She pressed the Sonic Screwdriver's button, the energy powering from the small tube through the wires back to the TARDIS.

Harriet jumped away from the blue box as sparks flew from the console out the door. A gas pumped through a tube, with each of the other wires pulsing with energy. The Collavee that roamed the corridors hissed at the sudden activity, before bolting back towards the church hall.

The usual whirring noise of the Sonic Screwdriver was amplified tenfold, causing the Collavee to double over and screech in pain. They scrambled to cover their ears just as a bright light began to pulse from the Sonic and send the remaining lights in the room into a frenzy. The taped on spray nozzle began to emit a red gas, swirling into the air with a rancid smell that filled the room. The Doctor reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose.

The Collavee began to drop to the ground, each clutching their bodies as their senses were overwhelmed. The Doctor winced listening to their dying screams, knowing she would hear them the moment she closed her eyes. She locked eyes once more with the leader, as it crawled on its knees towards her. 

"I'm sorry. I had no choice." The Doctor whispered.

"Time Lord... Murderous... scum." The Collavee leader coughed before collapsing to the floor with its final breath.