Riding the Currents--Chapter Nine

DOCTOR WHO Missing Internet Adventure #10
RIDING THE CURRENTS-
CHAPTER NINE- ARTEMIS -by Daniel Burnett

 It's wrong. They say that angels come from the sky. Fantastic alien races will come from the sky and rescue us all. Millions of civilizations believe that the sky will bring refuge. However on a once quiet little planet, just within grasp of an advanced warp drive system, the sky brought danger and death.

 The sky bore the fantastic image of a silver giant, a huge ship headed for the planet. The leaves of the vast jungle began to sway and shift from the pure force of this gigantic ship - one not prepared for atmospheric travel. On a large rock-face three humans lay struggling to get free from being tied up. The struggle was futile; they couldn't escape. Meanwhile the Doctor was lying in the village. The Monk's TARDIS had just left and the Doctor was unconscious. His eyes twitched as he dreamed and his mind attempted to escape.

 The ship had a large trail of silver behind it. The trail was of tiny parts of metal that were beginning to tear apart and escape the ship. There was a terrible rumbling noise as the ship began to shake. There was a sudden bang and the back section of the ship began to shimmer as though it was water. The Doctor's eyes lit open and he lay silent for about three seconds.

 'The ship!' he exclaimed jumping up and scanning the sky. The back section had split up and became like a snaking tail. Tiny parts of metal trailing off the sides. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. 'The ship, it's.. it's..' he mumbled to himself. Then the Doctor raised his arms. He knew he couldn't stop the creation of the Vardans, but he sure could save a lot of people. He raced over to a group of Meridanians who were gazing up at the sky. 'Listen, listen to me, you must leave this village, leave the jungle. You're in great danger, by the explosion and then shock wave!' the Doctor exclaimed to them.

 'Demon of the sky brings his friend,' one of them said with their movement language.

 'The Demon must be destroyed!' another shouted. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. He was starting to slightly get the hang of this language.

 'No.. no! Snake of destruction will kill all around! Leave the tribe must do!' the Doctor replied in their language. 'Go! Go!' he exclaimed.

 'Kill him!' they began to shout.

 'No! You're in great danger, you have to leave NOW!' the Doctor replied in English. One of the Meridanians stepped forward. 'No,' he said in English 'Doctor!' He laughed. The Doctors eyes widened in great fear.

 The ship grew closer. He could feel the trees beginning to shake. He could feel the ground shift from the great force. Large chunks of the ship tore off. 'Listen, earlier you said that they had started out a small scan of this area to see if they could mine it.. did they create an underground section to look?' the Doctor asked in the movement language, rushing his voice. 'Yes..' one of them replied.

 'Listen, we must bring the others there.. it's the only way they will survive! Those pieces of metal will follow the snake after it has hit to ensure total destruction! Please!' the Doctor exclaimed. 'If you want to survive and believe in your race, show me where the caves are and take as many people as we can on the way. We've only got..' the Doctor paused anxiously and looked at his pocket watch. 'Three minutes!' he exclaimed.

 

The Monk began to drool. He sat in an extremely old room in his TARDIS and watched what was going on, on a large screen mounted on the wall. An evil smile formed as he stroked his hands together. He glanced back behind him. 'This will work, unlike you! You are the failures! But this.. this will mean.. total.. destruction!' the Monk exclaimed with a frightening sense of giddiness.

 His eyes lit up and shifted slightly as he began to breathe more and more deeper. Then he glanced back at the room. 'You're nothing but failures. Failures, you hear? FAILURES!' the Monk exclaimed. Then he returned his vision to the screen before him. 'And soon my darling chronovore.. soon you shall be free. Soon you will be able to nibble here or there. There and here,' the Monk began to breathe deeper. He raised his hand in front of his face and acted as though he was crushing something. 'Soon my darling. But the time has not come yet. Phase one has just ended. Phase two is now underway!' the Monk began to laugh which then broke out into insane laughter. Twisted and insane laughter of a madman.

 

'You see,' the Doctor explained hurriedly. 'The ship can't bear atmospheric travel, now can it? So it's breaking apart. From the back section and onwards to the front. The ship will still hit and there will be a large bang. But, not as bad as one big bang. However, thousands of tiny and relatively large pieces will rain down from the sky. All above ground will be destroyed. If anyone survives it will be a complete and total miracle,' the Doctor contemplated softly. The group was in a large underground section. The walls had been secured by large carbodrite bondages that had been set up. The roof bore all but one small light, which several tiny insects gathered around. Most likely never have seen the substance before in their lives. There was the sound of a very loud explosion. The Doctor put his hands against his ears and was temporarily blinded. The roof began to shake and small pieces of rock and sand began to fall down to the ground.

 'How do you know we will be safe here?' one of the Meridanians asked the Doctor in fear.

 'I don't,' the Doctor admitted. 'But we've got a better chance than being on the top. I wonder..' the Doctor thought aloud to himself.

 'How will this little 'accident' as the Monk put it, bring about the creation of the Vardans? It just doesn't make any sense. There must be more to the plan than meets the eye..' the Doctor muttered with his hand on his chin.

 

Large sheets of metal shot into the ground as the sky literally rained bits of metal. The speed the pieces of metal were going was incredible. If anyone were to be hit by a piece he or she would definitely be torn apart. Up on the rock-face a large green fire crackled away, whilst the section of jungle all around it was completely obliterated. The pieces of metal sheared many of the trees and killed many people who attempted to escape. The last few pieces of metal shot down and hit the ground and the Monk stepped next to the green fire. 'Come on, chop chop!' he exclaimed. 'We've got work to do, you know!' he exclaimed.

 Out of the thick green fire, that looked more like gas than a fire, a hand emerged feeling around for help. The hand was slightly pale and the nails were pure black. The Monk gave his assistance and pulled the creature out of the fire. The man was naked, a pale white colour and his neck was bent upwards. His eyes were wide open and looking down at the Monk. 'Don't try it. You can't master your powers yet. And still, I'm protected,' the Monk roared bitterly. 'Now come with me, little Vardans!' he exclaimed. 'It's time you met a friend of mine. A chronovore. A chronovore by the name of Artemis!' the Monk exclaimed insanely.

 

The chronovore sat quietly in its cell. She stared at the blank wall before her. She would have patience. She would have complete and total patience. When he tried to get her, she would annihilate him. She would capture and destroy the Monk and then.. then it would be time. Her return would be imminent.

 

'Such destruction,' the Doctor said coldly looking around the total disaster area about him. Small clouds of smoke emerged from the burning hot pieces of metal. The stench of rotting flesh and burning metal was very distinct. 'Such beautiful life was once here. Trees, plants.. even humans,' said the Doctor sadly.

 'And for what?' the Doctor shouted as if the Monk was watching him.

 'Ah Doctor!' the Monk laughed as he emerged from a wall of smoke. 'You didn't even bother to say hello to my friends over here,' the Monk growled sharply. The three vardans emerged from the smoke. 'Kill him,' the Monk said calmly.

 'No!' the Doctor exclaimed. 'You think you can just create a race here or there and they will obey you totally? Haven't you any free will? Why don't you want to go off and be free?' the Doctor asked sincerely.

 'Vardans?' the Monk asked. 'What Vardans? I can't see any Vardans! Right there is a Cyberman!' the Monk exclaimed. 'And that there is an Ice Warrior. This little fellow here is a dalek. And of course, Doctor. This little fellow here.. is Artemis!' the Monk exclaimed as a vortex of air began to from around them.

 'Are you mad, or just plainly stupid?' the Doctor asked sharply. 'Artemis can't be controlled this way! Even Rassilon himself nearly died keeping it in a safe place. How did you get at it?' the Doctor asked suspiciously.

 Doctor, Doctor, Doctor!' the Monk laughed.

 The vortex of wind became even stronger. 'It is too late! Artemis cannot be stopped now! Besides, you've got an execution in order!' the Monk exclaimed. The Doctor looked around. Where the Vardans had been, a Dalek, a Cyberman and an Ice Warrior were standing.

 'They're not real!' the Doctor shouted, his words tearing through the air.

 'Don't try to fight it!' the Monk shouted furiously. 'Both you and I know that a Vardan can very easily overpower a simple minded fool like yourself!' he exclaimed.

 'You're all the same!' the Doctor shouted. 'Listen to me, you have to stop Artemis and you have to stop it now!' the Doctor shrieked.

 'It is too late Doctor... Artemis... is here!' the Monk burst out into insane laughter that grew with the wind that had started to become extremely violent.

 TO BE CONTINUED......

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