Doctor Who Adventures/Mary... Mary

When the Doctor and co land on the planet Kitchaner, they have to play detective to find out what has killed a scientist on the research base and how they can stop it attacking again.

Story
The girl screamed as she ran through the dense forest. Her head constantly swirled from her back to the direction she was heading. The creature was coming closer. She stumbled as her leg was caught in a tree root. She managed to pull it out quickly but she had lost valuable time. The girl’s dark black hair shun in the moonlight and swayed along her back as she rapidly tried to escape the creature that followed her. Now her head was almost always looking at the ravenous animal behind her. This meant that she didn’t see the other large creature directly in front of her. With a crunch of twigs, she fell at the bottom of the brute. She screamed louder and then her screams ceased forever.

**** The ground shook and the air dispersed as the Tardis hit the ground hard. It had failed to come out of the time vortex correctly and now was hurtling through some unknown atmosphere. Luckily, the Doctor had managed to put on the emergency brakes (the normal ones were always on) and halt what would have been a disastrous collision with the ground. Inside the Tardis, there had been no difference to the usual landing, except this time the Doctor was more frantic. The Doctor, Alfie and Alice all stepped out of the Tardis in unison, then Shalek stumbled out behind them. The rest of the squad looked at him — eyebrows raised in wonder — and they all burst out in laughter. "Well that was a most pleasant landing!" The Doctor remarked sarcastically. “So where are we today, Doctor?” Alice asked, in her soft sweet voice. “The Forest of Kettilo, on planet Kitchaner!” The Doctor said enthusiastically. Elephant-sized birds harked in the sky and bright flame coloured trees covered the land. Some of the trees were, what seemed, miles high. The birds that landed on the ground shook the whole planet quite violently and some smaller structures would even crumble. That is why there were no permanent human inhabitants. The birds, while large, were still beautiful in all their miniature ways. Their feathers were brilliant reds, purples and blues; their breaks were a soft pink colour and about the size of a small wheel and their eyes were a deep green colour. It was a wonderful sight. “The forest is all natural and has been here for at least three million years. It’s absolutely amazing!” The Doctor exclaimed. “Brilliant!” Alfie said sarcastically. The group pushed shrubs and plants out of their way as they walked through the thick woodland. They had put on strong hiking boots, backpacks, creamy-brown jackets and trousers along with matching creamy-brown hats. The team had packed knifes, plenty of food and some other equipment with them in their backpacks. "So what are we actually doing here, Doctor?" Questioned Shalek. "Just looking." Mumbled the Doctor suspiciously. "But what are we really here for? It wasn’t just the views that brought us here." Shalek said giving the Doctor a sharp friendly look. "Okay, maybe a friend of mine did have something she wanted me to look into but it’s a surprise so no more questions" The Doctor said silencing each of them with their own fingers on their lips. The rest of the journey was spent in a cheery silence and the Doctor had an enthusiastic smile on his face for the whole walk.

****

They had spent three hours walking through the wondrous forest by the time the had reached the research facility. For most of the year, which on the planet Kitchaner was just 70 days, the research facility was uninhabited, however seven scientist, one cleaner and one chef were working there now. The building was made out of strong concrete and large rocks that had been found around the site. Luscious orange tree surrounded the building and there was an alluring vegetable garden that encompassed it. The Doctor, Shalek, Alfie and Alice were dazzled by the beauty of the place. They all smiled at the charming, gigantic creatures that inhabited it and they even found some small ones. Alfie laughed at how small the building looked in comparison to the tall trees and big birds. The door of the building was deadlock sealed so the Doctor thought it would be polite to knock and ask if they could come in. He tapped loudly upon the large silver door. A voice on a machine said, "Hello? Who is it?" "It is the Doctor and his companions" The Doctor said smiling. At once the doors opened with a whoosh and the team stepped into the building. "How do they know you, Doctor?" Asked Alfie. "I’m know in all four corners of the universe. Well… I say corners. More like oval shaped expanding ends but not ends. I’m known there." The Doctor smiled. The gang just looked perplexed at the Doctors replied and carried on walking through the silenced halls. A woman with silky, brown hair greeted them. "Doctor! It’s so good to see you!" She said hugging the old man. "And you brought some friends with you!" She continued hugging Alfie, Alice and Shalek. They all looked angry at the fact the Doctor was happy with them being called 'friends'. "So what is it that you thought I should see, Mary?" Questioned the Doctor. "Follow me" Mary, the woman with the lovely hair, replied.

The room smelled of decaying flesh and rancid air freshener that was used to cover the smell, but had failed in its task. Everyone, besides the Doctor, hung onto their nose as they entered the room. "Ew! What is that?" Shalek shrieked as he pointed to a body bag on a table. "That’s Anne. That’s why I wanted you here Doctor." Said Mary. The Doctor opened the bag and saw the life less body of a young woman. She had a grotesque wound as big as a clock in the middle of her chest. He soon cover her back up as the sight was unbearable. "I see." The Doctor simply said. He began to pace up and down the lab floor so the team realised that they had better leave him until he had thought of something.

Mary led Alice, Alfie and Shalek into the cafeteria so that they could grab something to eat and drink. "Make yourself at home." Mary shouted, "I’ll bring the stuff over." Mary brought four cups of tea and three buns with her. "How’s life with the Doctor then?" Mary asked. "Fun, exciting, scary." Said Alice. "The best thing that has ever happened to me." Shalek joyfully replied. There was, however, a feeling deep in the pits of their stomachs that told them it couldn’t last and when the time came it would not be a pretty ending. "What happened out there then?" Asked Shalek. "Well, Anne’s project was studying the planet at night. So, like every night, she had gone out to observe the divine surroundings and to see what changed on a night. It was about 3 am when I realised something was wrong and, when the first rays of dawn hit the building, we went to search for Anne." Mary paused. She remembered the horrible sights she saw and the grotesque scene that had laid before her on that otherwise angelic day. "Anne was lying there. Blood flooded all over her body. It was almost fresh. I can remember the smell vividly. It was awful." The Doctor interrupted Mary when he walked into the room with the biggest smile upon his face. "I know what got her and boy is it amazing!" The Doctor exclaimed. He then saw the colour-drained face of Mary and turned bright red with embarrassment at being so inconsiderate.

****

The woods were moonless tonight and so the band were carrying beaming orange lanterns. The avid adventurers moved through the forest swiftly as the Doctor knew that time would be vital if they were to find Anne’s killer. At night the planet gained a puzzling twinkle that fascinated all that had the pleasure of seeing it. They could all understand why Anne would want to go out into this dark world. Long into the night the birds sang their elegant songs, however they seemed more melancholy than in the day. The lovely trees were still glowing orange, but they know longer swayed. The saplings wanted to hide themselves away. As they marvelled at this realm, the Doctor was occupied in finding the pivotal clues that would lead them to the monster. He placed three long, thorny spikes in a minuscule plastic bag along with torn clothing and Polaroid photos of crushed leaves and sodden foot prints. As they walked along the awe-inspiring scene, Alfie asked the Doctor, "What’s the progress then now, Doctor?" "It’s at 89%, Alfie. Don worry, it can’t be long now." The Doctor said hanging Alfie a friendly smile.

Shalek’s eyes surveyed the area in distrust for this magical place. He knew there was a killer. He knew they were in danger. He did not know from what. At least three times he could have sworn there was a pair of yellow eyes looking deep into his soul, but it had always been for brief moments so he had dismissed the sighting and failed to tell the Doctor. Then suddenly, he heard movement in the bushes. It was only quiet, but it was definitely there. The birds began to take off with shrieks and the ground shook. As he looked up in terror, his eyes were greeted with the Doctor’s cold, scared ones. Then… Beep Beep Beep. A machine the Doctor’s pocket flashed and he shouted, "Run!" They pushed past bushes and jumped over fallen trees as they ran away from the monster that nobody could see. Over the sound of panting, Alice managed to scream, "What’s following us Doctor and what does it want?" Calmly the Doctor replied, "I think we being chased by a gigantic Spoondy and it probably wants to tear us apart." The Doctor sarcastically smiled. Alice knew that they were probably in massive danger and it was best just to keep running. Behind them the ground was almost splitting down the middle. Whatever was following them was burrowing underground. It was an extremly exacting experience for everyone and the idea of quitting was becoming the favourite option. Deafening cries, like bullets of sound, came from the monster as the beautiful sun rose on the horizon. They kept running and running and running, until it all stopped. The monster disappeared into the bowels of this dangerous world and it seemed, for now, that they were safe. "Why did it just go?" Ask Shalek regaining his breath. The Doctor just pointed to the sun, smiled, and said, "That’s how we stop this!"

****

Back at the base, the Doctor hurried around the rooms looking for something that would complete his new invention that was laying on the cafeteria table. Everyone followed him around, like minions, as he explained quickly what he planned to do. "I don’t have long to do this as time goes quicker here. You must all listen carefully." The Doctor said authoritatively. They nodded. "The Spoony is a race which I have only had one encounter with and, on that encounter, they killed thousands of people on a single planet. You would think it was lucky that there are only a handful of people, but that means that this beast is hungry and it will go to extremes to get its food. As you saw, the monster stopped suddenly when the sun became unbearable for it and I think we can harness that. Now I need you to collect every bulb, photon gun, solar harnesser and everything else that emits some kind of light ray. Quick sticks!" The Doctor shouted.

Work then began on building the Doctor’s amazing light machine from the underwealming mound of bits they had collected. Alfie was soldering, Alice was smashing bits with a hammer, Mary was tinkering with the electrics, Shalek was messing with other bits and this was all done under the observant eye of the Doctor. It took less than an hour for the ray to be made and, while it looked like an abomination of science with bits hanging off it; screws loose; bolts in random places and the masking tape holding bits together, the Doctor said it would work.

****

Once again, they ventured out into the night, however this time they were armed to the teeth. Stealthy, the scientist and time travellers set up the device that would save this small colony from extinction. Once it was ready, Alfie ran out, alone, into the heart of the forest. He bashed his chest and screamed to the top of his lungs to attraction the starving creature. Evidently, it heard him as the ground shook and then suddenly the monster revealed itself. It’s body was long like a worms and it was the most terrible, gruesome green colour; red and orange scales covered it; there was a giant pincer, loaded with venom, that could take out a man in second on its head and it’s eyes were like stars that looked beautiful from afar, but would burn you if you got too close. It’s head hurtled towards the tiny body of Alfie and he began to run for his life. "Help! Help! It’s coming! It’s massive!" He shouted as he neared the canon. Alfie skid along the ground as the monster raised itself into the air and swooped it’s pincer at him. Mary aimed the gun and then shot several times at the brute. It became disorientated as the light circled the monster and hit it’s body, but it was not enough to take it out. "What shall we do Doctor?" Mary shouted over the animal’s screams. "Keep firing! I’ll get the net!" The Doctor replied, also shouting. Mary let out a reign of terror upon the monster and it became enraged as it swayed about. Alice and Shalek were both hit by the creature’s large body as it tried to stop the firing. Then, as the Doctor shot a net over it’s head, it feel to the ground with a shriek. "Is it dead, Doctor?" Asked Alice, recovering from her fall. "Of course not! Just a bit dazed. Mary is going to be able to test it and hopefully learn more about it so that we can care for it." The Doctor replied happily. They set about packing up the equipment and tied up the sleeping animal so that it could be taken back to base. Shalek drove a small truck that could pull along the restful creature and the others pushed it along. However, chaos had yet to finish it’s games. Two screams, more loud and more angry, filled the air and made them all fall to their knees. "What was that?" Questioned Mary. "You don’t think there could be more?" Proposed Alice. "No way! That can’t be possible." Alfie protested. "I’m afraid it is." Muttered the Doctor as terror pushed it’s way across his face and into his heart. He was looking at two more monsters. They sprang into action and Mary fired multiple rounds onto the stronger beast. It did not stop them. Grief had taken over their tiny hearts and tiny minds so that they seemed almost unstoppable. They monsters hit Alfie to the floor first, then the Doctor was pushed away and lastly Alice was to become the next victim of the monster, had it not been for Shalek. He leapt at the creature and slashed it’s face with his sword. Mary then hit it with a beam so that Shalek had enough time to get away with Alice. No matter how much team work they did, the beast seemed to be undefeatable and immune to the canon’s rays. "What can we do?" Mary shouted. "We need more power! And I know just the source!" The Doctor replied. The Doctor whistled loudly and, with a whoosh, the Tardis span through the air to the Doctor. He grabbed a cable and ran into the Tardis rapidly. "Now Mary!" He bellowed. The canon’s rays were ten times as powerful so now the brutes started to feel the effects of the light exposure. With the help of Shalek’s sword skills, one fell to the floor with a crash almost immediately. The other one was more powerful and, despite Mary’s best attempts, it stood strong. The Doctor, Alfie and Alice then went about increasing the power to the machine, while Mary and Shalek fought off the animal as much as they could. "Aha!" Alice, Alfie and The Doctor roared as they figured it out and the canon was hitting the brute hard and fast. It began to swoop as Mary fired as much as she could, but suddenly the machine surged and they could no longer bring it down. Shalek sliced and diced with his sword as they all tried to fix it, however he was hit with the giant pincer and was knocked out cold. They all screamed as they realised how much danger they were now in and the monster then knocked out Alfie with its claws too.

Then, as the Doctor prepared to face the darkness, the sun hit the animal’s back and it feel to the ground.

****

Alfie and Shalek sipped their tea cheerfully as Mary attended to their wounds. "Thank you all so much!" She said, "You’ve made this place safe again and we can now get to know this wonderful new creature. Even if it did almost kill us!" "We better be heading on our next trip. It has really been wonderful to see you again, Mary. Why don’t you come with us?" The Doctor asked, reminiscently. "There’s plenty of adventure here for me Doctor, as you can see. Maybe I’ll be seeing you soon though." Mary replied happily. "Maybe" The Doctor smiled.