St. Anthony's Fire by Mark Gatiss

Author:Mark Gatiss [Gatiss, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General, Science Fiction, Doctor Who (Fictitious character)
ISBN: 9780426204237
Publisher: London Bridge
Published: 1994-11-15T10:00:00+00:00

* * *

As Portrone Ran sank down against the TARDIS console, overwhelmed by the news of his world’s imminent destruction, the Doctor laid a kindly hand on his shoulder.

Ran looked up, his eyes filled with horror. ‘You’re sure?’

The Doctor pointed to the readings on the console. ‘There can be no doubt, I’m afraid. I’ve run a few hypotheses. At best, Betrushia has three days.’

Ran’s face convulsed. ‘But why?’

The Doctor frowned and stuffed his hands into his trouser pockets. ‘That’s the question, Ran. I thought it might be a familiar planetary phenomenon. Unstable core, something like that. But these readings worry me.’

He grunted, his bottom lip jutting out in concentration. ‘I have a theory but it’s so…’ He shook his head and rattled the collection of meteorite fragments in his pockets.

The time rotor came to a halt with a soft chime. ‘We’re here.’

Ran twisted round. ‘Where?’

The Doctor flicked a switch and the scanner screen flared into life.

For a moment, Ran saw only darkness. Then the view seemed to shift and he could make out thousands of tiny points of light. Suddenly the screen was brightly, vividly coloured. A cloud‐swirled globe, encircled by a luminescent halo, sprang into his startled vision.

‘Is that…?’

‘It is.’ The Doctor held up his hand. ‘Behold, Betrushia.’

Ran gasped, scarcely able to comprehend the beauty of his world.

The Doctor disappeared into the corridor and returned a moment later with a bulky, padded grey garment and a transparent bubble‐like helmet.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Ran, tearing his twitching eyes away from the screen.

‘Well, isn’t it obvious?’ muttered the Doctor, struggling into the pressure‐suit. ‘I’m going outside.’

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