Struggling To Adjust (Book Three of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

42

"Phone," Jessie said, holding out her hand.

Martha blinked. "What?"

"Gimme your phone."

Martha frowned, handing it over. "Why?"

"Because, if I do this . . . " She ran her sonic screwdriver over it before nodding and tossing it back. "Right! There you go. Universal roaming. Never have to worry about a signal again."

Martha's jaw dropped. "No way! This is too mad! You're telling me I can phone anyone, anywhere in space and time, on my mobile?" She checked the signal.

The Doctor chuckled. "As long as you know the area code," he joked. "Frequent flier's privilege. Go on! Try it."

The TARDIS began shaking, and Jessie yelped, hanging onto the console. "There's a distress signal!" she shouted, turning a monitor her way. "We're locking on!"

"Might be a bit of - " The TARDIS jerked again, and this time, Jessie was knocked to the floor, nearly into the Doctor, who caught her around the waist as they tumbled to the floor. "Turbulence," the Doctor finished warily, standing up. "Sorry. Come on, Martha! Bad Wolf! Let's take a look!"

"Why doesn't he call you Jessie anymore?" Martha whispered as Jessie left her coat over the rail.

"Hurts too much, I assume," she whispered back as they followed the Doctor, and Jessie reeled back. "Holy mother of Odin!" she couldn't help but exclaim.

"Whoa!" the Doctor agreed, stopping short and shaking his head. "Now that is hot!"

"Automated distress signal transmitted."

Jessie looked around the room glowing red through the steam. "Whew," Martha gasped, taking off her jacket and tossing it into the TARDIS, leaving her in her tank top. "It's like a sauna in here!"

"Venting systems," the Doctor guessed as they headed for a door. "Working at full pelt, trying to cool down. Wherever it is we are. Well, if you can't stand the heat."

He opened the door, and held it open for the two of them, when three people came barreling towards them. "Oi! You two!" the younger man shouted.

"Get out of there!" the woman yelled.

"Seal that door, now!"

Jessie quickly did, and the woman glared at the Doctor. "Who are you?" she demanded. "What are you doing on my ship?"

"Are you police?" the young man asked.

"Why would we be police?" the Doctor asked in confusion.

Jessie whacked him in the arm. "Did you not hear the distress signal going out, you idiot?" she asked, rolling her eyes before folding her arms and nodding at the woman. "We got your distress call."

"If this is a ship, why can't I hear any engines?" the Doctor asked.

"It went dead four minutes ago," the woman explained.

"So maybe we should stop chatting and get to Engineering, Captain," the older man said in a sneer with a quick glance at Jessie.

Jessie quirked an eyebrow. "Problem, mister?"

"Secure closure active."

The woman blinked. "What?"

"The ship's gone mad!" the older man shouted.

There was running, and then a woman ran through the bulkheads. "Who activated secure closure?" she shouted. "I nearly got locked into Area 27!" She then looked at the three new arrivals. "Who are you?"