Untold Knowledge (Doctor Who x Genius Fem! Oc) [Book 1]

Chapter 40: The Satan Pit

"We're in. Which way do we go?" Danny asked of Zach, eager to succeed in escaping with their lives intact.

"Just go straight ahead. Keep going till I say so." their captain answered as he analyzed the map and controls in front of him. Jefferson had shut their used entrance behind them just as the Ood broke through door twenty-five.

Without a single moment's worth of hesitation, they all proceeded to quickly crawl through on their hands and knees. "Not your best angle, Danny." Rose commented playfully, an attempt at keeping calm enough to properly think.

"Oi, stop it." he said once realization hit him.

"I don't know. It could be worse." Toby said, his eyes having been scanning the beautiful brunette already.

Echo rolled her eyes, "Keep looking, and I'll take you down faster than candy floss dissolving in water." she promised, her only concern being her reunion with her one and only love.

"Straight on until you find junction seven point one. Keep breathing. I'm feeding you air. I've got you." Zach said, praying for a smooth journey.

Only two minutes passed before they reached a supposed dead end. "We're at seven point one, sir." Mister Jefferson informed as they waited for their opening.

"I'm aerating the next section now." Zach replied as he quickly pressed the correct string of buttons and controls.

Danny could feel the tension within him growing more and more intense with every second they had to wait. "Getting kind of cramped, sir. Can't you hurry up?"

"We're working on half power, here." their captain answered, trying to speed the process up the best he could.

Jefferson rolled his eyes. "Stop complaining."

"Mister Jefferson says stop complaining." Rose repeated.

"I heard." Danny grumbled.

"He heard." Rose repeated again.

Toby shook his head as though his anxiety was getting to him again. "But the air's getting a bit thin."

"He's complaining now." Echo commented absently as she tried to think up different ways on how to help her lost love and their trapped scientist get back up to the base.

"I heard." Jefferson replied.

"I've got to oxygenate the next section. Now, keep calm or it's going to feel worse." Zach informed, hoping to help them keep as much composure as they were able.

Though fate, it seems, had other ideas. Suddenly, there was a loud banging coming from where they had just originated. "What was that?" Danny shakily asked in a virtual whisper.

"Captain, what was that?" Jefferson immediately inquired.

Zach checked everything he could, then deeply frowned. "The junction in Habitation Five's been opened. It must be the Ood. They're in the tunnels."

Danny's eyes widened in terror. "Well, open the gate!"

"I've got to get the air in!" came his quick response.

"Are you able to see where they are?" Echo then asked, hoping for anything to give them even the slightest upper hand over the Beast.

With a heavy sigh, Zach shook his head. "I can't tell. I can't see them. The computer doesn't register the Ood as proper life forms." he explained with his own frustration blossoming within him.

Echo rolled her eyes, "Oh, of course. Because that would have made far too much sense." she grumbled.

Just then did the gate slide up, giving them the chance to quickly continue. "Danny, turn left. Immediate left." Zach guided, watching their progress carefully.

"The Ood, sir. Can't you trap them? Cut off the air?" Jefferson asked with labored breathing and a racing heart.

Zach shook his head again. "Not without cutting off yours." he answered with adrenaline causing him acute distress. "Danny, turn right. Go right! Go fast, Dan. They're going to catch up." he then said, his anxiety spiking.

"Hey, Echo. Is there any way for you to make another portal gun?" Rose asked as they picked up their speed. The sounds of the approaching Ood were drawing nearer and nearer.

The brunette became intensely frustrated with herself. "Nope. I'd need to collapse a quantum tesseract; I know for certain that we don't have access to the needed equipment to contain the needed energy. Gaining control over it would be out of the question, if I even get that far." she answered without skipping a beat.

Upon hearing her response, Jefferson made his decision. "I'll maintain defensive position." he said as he stopped, ready to shoot down as many of the closing in Ood as was possible.

"You can't stop!" Rose quickly said, not wanting him to get hurt or even killed. Echo didn't know what to say, conflicted with his sacrifice.

"Miss Tyler, it's my job. You've got your task, now see to it." he finalized, refusing to sway from his heroic choice.

"You heard what he said, now shift." Toby ordered, getting the women to continue on their way.

Not long after did Jefferson brace himself on the sides of the tunnel, then began firing at the Ood as they came around the corner. The sound of him shooting only made the others feel that much more scared than before. "Eight point two. Open eight point two, Zach!" Danny quickly said once they reached their next obstacle.

"I've got to aerate it." their captain reminded, working as quickly as was possible. "Jefferson, I've got to open eight point two by closing eight point one. You've got to get past the junction. Now move. That's an order, move!"

Even though he was moving as fast as he was capable, it didn't matter. For he only came up to the junction after the gate had closed. "Regret to inform, sir. I was a bit slow. Not so fast, these days."

Everyone knew what would happen, what could only happen. "I can't open eight point one, John. Not without losing air for the others." Zach said, trying his best to stay composed enough to continue thinking with rationality and awareness.

"And quite right too, sir. I think I bought them a little time." he replied calmly, having accepted his fate with grace.

Knowing to remain silent, all those listening gave their wordless respects for the brave man while he was still alive. "I'm sorry." Zach said mournfully.

Jefferson smiled slightly, "You've done enough, sir. Made a very good captain under the circumstances. May I ask, if you can't add oxygen to this section, can you speed up the process of its removal?"

Zach furrowed his brow. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"

The Ood then came around the corner and spotted the trapped man. "Well, if I might choose the manner of my departure, sir; lack of air seems more natural than, well, let's say, death by Ood. I'd appreciate it, sir."

Without another moment's delay, the Ood began to charge. "God speed, Mister Jefferson." Zach muttered, then pressed the necessary buttons. Not long after did the man's life signs disappear. "Report, Officer John Maynard Jefferson PKD deceased with honors. Forty-three K two point one."

Danny took a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking. "Zach, we're at the final junction, nine point two. And er, if my respects could be on record. He saved our lives."

Their captain nodded as he, too, stayed composed. "Noted. Opening nine point two."

When the barrier had opened, they unexpectedly came face to face with waiting Ood. "Lower nine point two, Zach!" Echo yelled as she pulled Rose away from Danny's side. She then looked up with a split second idea. "Go up! Up! Up! We have to go up!" she commanded as she and her favorite blonde pushed the floor grating out of their way as the Ood struggled with the gate. They were so close. There was no way in Hell they'd give up; neither could they fail. All that was at stake was far too much to allow this devil the chance to purge any of it. They would prevail.