Let the Sky Fall

Chapter 11: Quantum Locked and Out of Options

I struggle to get to my feet, confused at the artificial ground beneath me. River pulls me up, asking if I'm alright.

"Yeah, I'm fine, where are we?"

"Exactly where we were." I'm about to protest when I realize she's right. We jumped up and landed on the Byzantium above us. The Doctor starts to sonic the hatch on the floor.

"Doctor, the statues. They look more like Angels now." Octavian points out.

"They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, restoring themselves. Within an hour they'll be an army." The Doctor replies. the hatch slides open, revealing a corridor. At the same one of the lights go out on the outer hull of the ship. "All of you in, watch the Angels, but hurry." I follow River into the tube, sliding in, then twisting as the artificial gravity changes orientation. The Doctor follows behind us, moving past where we stand to a control panel. The Bishop and the clerics follow behind watching the door way.

"The Angels, presumably they can jump up too?" asks Octavian, as the hatch closes.

"Unfortunately, yes." replies the Doctor. A bulkhead down the hall starts to close. "Run!" I sprint as fast as I can in a crowded hall, but we don't make it in time.

"This place is a death trap." says Octavian.

"Its a death trap and a time bomb in a maze. And now its a dead end. River, what's through this door?"

"Secondary flight deck."

"Doctor, what happens if the gravity fails?" I ask, remembering that we've basically run up a chimney.

"We plunge to our deaths." He turns toward River and Octavian. "The security protocols are still live. There's no way to override them, its impossible."

"How impossible?" asks River. She's working at a different panel.

"Two minutes." The outer hatch opens.

"Doctor!" I warn.

"The hull is breached and the power's failing." adds Octavian. My stomach starts to do flip flops as the lights go out, and the arm of an angel is silhouetted outside the hatch.

"Sir, incoming." Several clerics say at once. I realize we've lost a couple since the jump, but we still have about seven, plus Octavian. It's more than were here in the episode, or at least I think it is. I'm having a hard time remembering what happened originally, and that scares me more than anything. The lights continue to flicker, and by the time the Doctor gets the hatch closed and the lights on, four have climbed inside, motionless only for as long as we keep our eyes open.

"Clerics, keep watching them." orders Octavian.

"Don't look in their eyes." adds the Doctor. "Anywhere but their eyes. I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now."

"Good work, Doctor." remarks Octavian.

"Yes, good. Umm. For now."

"Doctor?" That doesn't sound good.

"There's only one way to open this door. I'll have to reroute all the power in this corridor to the door control."

"Good. Fine. Do it."

"Including the lights. I have to turn out the lights."

"For how long?"

"Couple seconds. Maybe longer."

"Doctor, we don't have any flashlights, err, torches. We'll be completely blind." I was born in the wrong country. I'm shaking at the thought of being in the dark with the Angels.