Apocalypse Rising (Book Four)

Planet of the Ood

I'm gonna need to set a higher goal next time. You guys have gone up to 109 in the past . . . what, week? :/ . . . try for 160, maybe?

It doesn't matter - you'll have hit the goal by next chapter, anyway.

Well . . . what can the Apocalypse do here, and what does Ood Sigma see in the future?

Here's "Planet of the Ood!"

***

The Apocalypse finally stopped the TARDIS and smiled at Donna. "I set the controls to random," she explained. "Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide uni - " She paused, seeing Donna's face. "Are you all right?"

''Terrified," Donna breathed, eyes wide. "I mean, history's one thing. But an alien planet?"

"I could always take you home," the Apocalypse threatened.

"Yeah, don't laugh at me," she snorted.

"I know what it's like," the Apocalypse smiled. "Everything you're feeling right now. The fear, the joy, the wonder? I get that."

"Seriously?" Donna blinked. "After all this time?"

"Yeah," the Apocalypse laughed. "Why do you think I keep going?"

"Oh, all right, then, you and me both," Donna grinned. "This is barmy! I was born in Chiswick, I've only ever had package holidays, now I'm here! This is so . . . I mean, it's . . . I don't even know! It's all sort of . . . I don't even know what the word is!" She grinned and ran outside -

And stopped short in the snow . . . in her short sleeved dress. "Oh, I've got the word," she said, shivering. "Freezing!"

The Apocalypse looked out, then grinned. "Snow!" she cheered. "Oh, real snow! Proper snow, at last! That's more like it!"

+++

Rose gasped when they made it outside. "Oh, it's beautiful!" she breathed, seeing the light criss-crossing the sky as white flakes drifted from the sky. "What are they? Meteors?"

"It's the spaceship breaking up in the atmosphere," the Apocalypse replied, holding out her hands. "This isn't snow. It's ash."

Rose blinked. "OK . . . not so beautiful."

+++

"Lovely," the Apocalypse smiled, turning to Donna. "What do you think?"

" . . . bit cold," Donna mumbled.

"Look at that view!" the Apocalypse held out her arms, looking at the icicles dangling from the rock overcasts.

"Yep," Donna nodded. "Beautiful, cold view."

"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies, and we're on this one! Molto bene! Belissimo, says Donna, born in Chiswick. All you've got is a life of work and sleep and telly and rent and tax and takeaway dinners, all birthdays and Christmases and two weeks holiday a year, and then you end up here! Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that?" She turned, but blinked, seeing Donna was no longer with her. "Donna?" she asked, looking around. "Donna?"

Donna stepped out of the TARDIS, wearing a large brown fur coat with her hood up, a white fur coat in her hands. "Sorry," she apologized, handing the spare coat to the Apocalypse. "Thought you might want one. That cardigan's not worth it. You were saying?"

"Thank you," the Apocalypse smiled, taking her coat and putting it on. "Better?"

"Lovely, thanks," Donna nodded.