Doctor Who fic: Five Adventures Martha Jones Never Had With the Ninth Doctor (1/5)
The moon overhead was completely unfamiliar and they were surrounded by hundreds of pygmies with bat-like wings and ears. Martha couldn’t decide which was more disconcerting.
She took slow steps back, her gaze never straying from the gathered group of aliens she and the Doctor had encountered. He was behind her, trying to make his way to the TARDIS without drawing attention to himself. It seemed like any sudden movement would cause the aliens to release the hundreds of arrows they had pointed at them. And the aliens certainly had the advantage of higher ground. The curved sides of the hewn rock amphitheatre allowed them height they physical stature couldn’t.
“Do you have a plan?” Martha whispered to the Doctor. She kept her voice as low as possible, but the aliens in front of her made no indication they heard or cared.
“Why would I have a plan?” In the diffused blue light provided by the moon above she could barely make out his form from the corner of her eye. His black leather jacket helped him to blend in more than the maroon jacket she wore.
“You’re the one who brought us here.”
“Doesn’t mean I knew this was going to happen. We could have ended up anywhere in the universe. Saigon. Androzani Minor. New Earth.”
“That’s it?” This coming from the same man who had saved an entire hospital full of people just the day before.
The Doctor grinned broadly. “I was thinking we could visit New Earth next.”
Martha rolled her eyes; she couldn’t help herself. She was being threatened by a bunch of dwarves with serious Legolas envy and the Doctor was planning their next trip. Maybe she should have rethought the whole running into the TARDIS thing…
“Right, couple more steps and we’ll be at the TARDIS. Be prepared to run.”
“What?” Martha didn’t risk a glance back to see if the blue doors were truly behind them.
“The doors are unlocked.” The Doctor took his eyes off the aliens for a second to glance over at her. His grin was still on his face. “Don’t worry.”
The aliens to their right took a step forward.
“Nocturnal aliens,” the Doctor said loudly, halting the aliens’ forward progression. He swept his gaze around the amphitheatre. “Totally adapted to hunt during the night. A fine evolutionary step. Why bother stumbling around in the sun along with the other lowly creatures?”
The arrows didn’t waver but nor did they come shooting at them. Martha backed up until she hit the TARDIS doors.
“And what abilities did nature feel fit to give to you so you could roam in the dark?” The Doctor actually paused, though no alien bothered to answer. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver instead. “I’d wager biosonar and hyperacusis.” The sonic screwdriver lit up.
A high-pitched whine emitted from the device. Martha was reminded of nails on a chalkboard, only this was ten times worse and felt as if it were inside her head. Around them the aliens were falling to their knees in pain, their small hands clasped tightly over their large ears.
“Run!” The word was shouted, but Martha only saw the movement of the Doctor’s mouth. She pushed against the doors and stumbled into the TARDIS. A handful of the aliens stared right at her, but it looked like they were having troubles seeing her. Soon the Doctor was rushing in after her and shutting the doors. The moment they were closed, he stopped the screeching of the sonic screwdriver. Martha let out a sigh of relief.
“Could have given a warning,” she muttered as the Doctor made his way up the ramp to the console.
“There won’t be any permanent damage. New Earth?”
She took slow steps back, her gaze never straying from the gathered group of aliens she and the Doctor had encountered. He was behind her, trying to make his way to the TARDIS without drawing attention to himself. It seemed like any sudden movement would cause the aliens to release the hundreds of arrows they had pointed at them. And the aliens certainly had the advantage of higher ground. The curved sides of the hewn rock amphitheatre allowed them height they physical stature couldn’t.
“Do you have a plan?” Martha whispered to the Doctor. She kept her voice as low as possible, but the aliens in front of her made no indication they heard or cared.
“Why would I have a plan?” In the diffused blue light provided by the moon above she could barely make out his form from the corner of her eye. His black leather jacket helped him to blend in more than the maroon jacket she wore.
“You’re the one who brought us here.”
“Doesn’t mean I knew this was going to happen. We could have ended up anywhere in the universe. Saigon. Androzani Minor. New Earth.”
“That’s it?” This coming from the same man who had saved an entire hospital full of people just the day before.
The Doctor grinned broadly. “I was thinking we could visit New Earth next.”
Martha rolled her eyes; she couldn’t help herself. She was being threatened by a bunch of dwarves with serious Legolas envy and the Doctor was planning their next trip. Maybe she should have rethought the whole running into the TARDIS thing…
“Right, couple more steps and we’ll be at the TARDIS. Be prepared to run.”
“What?” Martha didn’t risk a glance back to see if the blue doors were truly behind them.
“The doors are unlocked.” The Doctor took his eyes off the aliens for a second to glance over at her. His grin was still on his face. “Don’t worry.”
The aliens to their right took a step forward.
“Nocturnal aliens,” the Doctor said loudly, halting the aliens’ forward progression. He swept his gaze around the amphitheatre. “Totally adapted to hunt during the night. A fine evolutionary step. Why bother stumbling around in the sun along with the other lowly creatures?”
The arrows didn’t waver but nor did they come shooting at them. Martha backed up until she hit the TARDIS doors.
“And what abilities did nature feel fit to give to you so you could roam in the dark?” The Doctor actually paused, though no alien bothered to answer. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver instead. “I’d wager biosonar and hyperacusis.” The sonic screwdriver lit up.
A high-pitched whine emitted from the device. Martha was reminded of nails on a chalkboard, only this was ten times worse and felt as if it were inside her head. Around them the aliens were falling to their knees in pain, their small hands clasped tightly over their large ears.
“Run!” The word was shouted, but Martha only saw the movement of the Doctor’s mouth. She pushed against the doors and stumbled into the TARDIS. A handful of the aliens stared right at her, but it looked like they were having troubles seeing her. Soon the Doctor was rushing in after her and shutting the doors. The moment they were closed, he stopped the screeching of the sonic screwdriver. Martha let out a sigh of relief.
“Could have given a warning,” she muttered as the Doctor made his way up the ramp to the console.
“There won’t be any permanent damage. New Earth?”