Apocalypse Rising (Book Five)

The Waters of Mars

Billion dollar question of the day: does the Apocalypse go wrong where the Doctor did?

Actually, another one . . . when can you guys get to 250 comments? Over halfway there, at 126!

Here's "The Waters of Mars!"

***

The Apocalypse took a look out of the TARDIS and grinned. "The red planet," she told Rose and Jenny, letting them follow her. All three of them were wearing spacesuits, and they crossed one of the craters to look down further.

"That's pretty," Jenny looked at the base below.

"Where are we?" Rose asked. "No, when are we?"

The Apocalypse frowned, thinking, when she jolted forward, something jabbing her in the back. "Ow!" Jenny hissed when she was poked as well.

"Rotate slowly," a robotic voice said, and all three did to stare at the robot behind them. "You are under arrest for trespassing. Gadget gadget."

***

The Apocalypse stared cross-eyed at the gun in her face. "State your name, rank, and intention," the older woman holding the gun ordered.

"Caly Saxon-Tyler," she answered carefully. "Doctor. Fun."

She turned to Rose then. "You?"

"Rose Tyler," she answered. "Companion. Keeping my sister in line."

"Oi!" the Apocalypse whined.

"And you?" the woman turned to Jenny.

"Jenny Tyler," she answered crisply. "Daughter. Running. Now get that out of my face."

"What the hell?" a dark-skinned man asked as he ran in. "It's women! Women on Mars. How?"

"They were wearing these things," a German woman held up their spacesuits, which were from the future. "I have never seen anything like them."

"What did Mission Control say?"

"They're out of range for ten hours with the solar flares."

"If we could cut the chat, everyone," the older woman, obviously in charge, scowled.

"Actually, chat's second on my list, the first being gun pointed at my daughter's head," the Apocalypse frowned, and it swung back to her. "Well, now it's pointed at my head. OK, so now it's my head second and chat third . . . I think. Gun, head, chat, yeah. I hate lists. But you could hurt someone with that thing. Just put it down."

"Oh, you'd like that."

"Can you find me someone who wouldn't?"

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I give you my word, and forty million miles away from home, my word is all you've got."

The woman frowned, but lowered her gun. "Keep Gadget covering them."

"Gadget gadget," the robot answered.

"So you're controlling this thing with your gloves?" Rose asked the young man with huge gloves.

"You got it," he nodded. "To the right . . . "

"Gadget gadget," Gadget shifted.

"And to the left."

"Gadget gadget."

"Does it have to keep saying that?" the Apocalypse frowned.

"I think it's funny!"