Post by Fitz Kreiner on Apr 27, 2009 10:05:28 GMT
The Doctor’s head snapped up at the sound of the gunfire from across the factory grounds, the shots echoing off the brick walls of the buildings. He looked up across the car park, where several privates were setting up blockades and covers. They too had looked up at the sound of the gun fire and were glancing around, looking for the source. One Private, carrying an ammunition crate, placed it down and jogged over to where Morris was stood keeping an uneasy eye on the main reception doors.
“Oh, the fools,” he sighed. “Why couldn’t they wait for me? They know what it is they’re dealing with.”
“All due respect, Doctor,” Lovatt interjected. “But maybe they couldn’t help it. Perhaps those Auton things are on the move.”
The Doctor paused, clearly thinking it over. “Good point, Sergeant. Either way, it sounds like they could use our help. Come on,” he added grinning wide.
Lovatt found herself almost being dragged back towards the factory, as the Doctor set off at a run, still holding the transmitter part of his device. A few solitary shots were still ringing out as they approached the front of the reception. Morris turned, seeing their approach and jogged towards them.
“What’s happened Will?” The Doctor asked, not noticing as Lovatt collided with his back.
“Not quite sure,” he replied. “We’ve got a total radio blackout here. I’ve sent a runner round. It sounded like it was coming from Caplin and Adamsons’ area.”
“An Auton advance?” the Doctor suggested.
“If it is, then I guess you’ve arrived in the nick of time with that whatsit of yours.” Morris nodded at the device Lovatt held.
“What, this?” the Doctor smiled, hefting the radio part of the device, enjoying the gobsmacked look on Morris’ face. “Well, it should interfere with any control signal activating an Auton; or in fact anything that the Nestenes decide to activate. So it should certainly deal with those plastic plants in there.” The Doctor nodded to the thrashing plastic vines and branches, snaking out of the shattered reception doors.
“Does it work?” Morris asked.
Smiling, the Doctor looked passed Morris at the reception doors. “Well, Will, there’s only one way to find out.” He grinned and set off at a brisk pace, Lovatt almost dragged behind again.
Bemused, Morris followed along behind. He paused and turned at the sound of more gun fire. He could see Stretham running round the corner. Pausing, Stretham glanced around before spotting Morris and dashing over to him.
“They don’t seem to be stopping, sir.” He panted, saluting.
“Autons, how many?” the Doctor asked turning, his eyes wide and sparkling.
“Six or seven, sir,” Stretham replied. “We just can’t stop them.”
“Right, set up cover round here, we’ll make a stand.” He turned to two privates who were stood, their weapons raised and ready. “You two; go and fetch the explosive and incendiary rounds. Help finish setting up the blockades and get a couple of chaps set up with flame throwers.” Morris paused and then turned to the Doctor.
“Yes, yes Will, my ‘whatsit’ will work very well. I had hoped that we’d get to test it on something like those plants in there first. But needs must,” the Doctor glanced back at the reception before turning back to Morris, a finger raised. “Although if I could borrow Sergeant Lovatt here, we might be able to nip inside, find and disable the control device that the Nestenes are using and save you a battle.”
Stopping, Morris thought for a moment before nodding. “We’ll try and hold them off for you as long as we can. I can’t make you any promises, but if you’ve not had any luck within ten minutes, head back.”
“Hopefully, Will, we’ll have solved all this within ten minutes,” the Doctor smiled.
“I certainly hope so, Doctor. Best of luck,” Morris replied before turning to Lovatt. “You are armed, Sergeant?”
“Yes sir,” Lovatt replied, turning to show the pistol holster at her hip.
“Doctor?”
The Doctor turned back to Morris, an eyebrow raised. “Yes Will?”
“Don’t you want something?” Morris asked.
“I’ve got this,” the Doctor hefted the device and turned to make off towards the reception, Lovatt in tow.
“I meant a weapon; pistol or rifle?” Morris shouted after them.
“Oh no, no; bad for the health, you know?” The Doctor shouted back.
Shaking his head in bemusement, Morris turned back to where several of the men were now holding a defensive position at the far corner of the building. Taking a few long strides over, Morris called out to them.
“You men fall back to defensive positions here,” he yelled before turning to the three privates filling up compact flame throwers. “You three; get ready over there and if any of those Auton things come round, let them have it.”
Nodding, the three troops ran over, taking cover where they could, covering the way to the factory. With the way covered, the troops giving covering fire backed away towards the rest of the platoon. Running over, Morris crouched down beside Stretham who was loading his rifle with explosive rounds. Holstering his pistol, he picked up a sub machine gun lying atop an ammunition crate and checked that it was loaded. It was, with incendiary bullets, designed to ignite when they impacted with their target.
Chancing a look over the barricade he was sheltering behind, Morris saw several of his troops preparing themselves, the three with flame throwers positioned in a manner to blast whatever came round the corner with three gouts of flame. It was then the idea struck Morris that he could have made use of petrol bombs. He’d read all the old reports saying that the Autons were invulnerable to ordinary ammunition, being made of plastic. He hoped that the explosive and incendiary rounds he’d brought would have some effect.
Morris flexed his hands around the machine gun he held. He’d been in battle before, but not quite like this. All sounds of gun fire that had been echoing around the industrial estate from his troops had died away, leaving an eerie silence. He didn’t like it, it was too quiet. He mentally chastised himself for thinking of such a cliché. His fears were soon subsided when he saw shadows moving round the corner, cast from figures marching past the outside lights of the factory. Each figures arm was extended and what looked like a weapon in their hand.
“Everyone get ready,” he shouted. His shout was replied by the sound of multiple guns being cocked and feet shuffling.
Then, they came; the Autons rounding the corner. Each wearing a maroon boiler suit, black boots and beige scarves around their necks. Their bald, plastic heads glinted softly in the glare of the security lights as they advanced. Those in the front stopped until the rest of the group of Autons arrived behind them. As a group, they advanced, their arms raised, fingers dropped and their tube-like weapons poised. As the squad of Autons advanced, Morris shouted the order:
“Flame squad; fire,” he yelled.
Breaking cover, the three flame throwers ignited, dousing the front of the advancing Autons with a brilliant yellow flame. The lead Auton was caught by all three jets of flame, and disappeared in a yellow haze. As the flames died down, Morris looked up and saw the Autons were still advancing. The first Auton was a walking pillar of flame, acrid black smoke billowing from it, as flames licked from its boiler suit and the plastic of its face melted into blackening molten blobs, dropping down to the concrete of the ground.
“Fire,” Morris shouted breaking cover and loosing rounds off towards the advancing Autons.
He saw his spray of bullets impact into the first Auton, it staggered back as the incendiary rounds impacted into it, exploding globules of molten plastic from its body. Around him, his men were also firing at the advancing plastic dummies, bullets spraying across their fronts, ripping holes across their boiler suits. The explosive and incendiary rounds were spraying small eruptions of molten plastic from their bodies.
Explosions of smoke erupted from the hands of the Autons as they fired at the soldiers. Morris ducked as there was a soft explosion and thick chocking smoke erupted from the pile or wooden pallets to his left. Releasing the magazine, Morris picked up another and thrust it into place. He broke cover to fire again, as the flame throwers unleashed more gouts of flame at the advancing Autons. He could see that several of his men were lying dead or injured. Knowing he could do nothing for them at the moment; he loosed another spray of bullets at the Autons.
There were several flaming blobs of molten plastic littering the car park where some of the Autons had collapsed in heaps, their plastic legs unable to support their frames any more as flames licked at them. The thick acrid smoke of molten plastic poured up into the air, the acrid smell wafting over the small battleground.
Morris hoped that his road blocks, positioned around the industrial estate were still keeping civilians out. He bit down on his tongue as he fired another volley, a habit he had picked up when in training to aid his concentration. He emptied his second magazine into an Auton that had turned on one of the men with a flame thrower. Its weapon was useless now, and the flaming, molten mass lurched forwards, its arms outstretched. The soldier had backed away, but was now flat against the brick wall.
Morris watched, helpless as the Auton toppled forwards onto the soldier. He screamed in pain as the flaming molten mass landed on his legs. Dropping to the floor, he rolled about, in an attempt to extinguish the flames. His gun clicking empty, Morris removed the magazine and slammed home a third, wiping the sweat from his brow. He felt a slight glow of satisfaction deep inside as he watched another Auton topple in a molten mass. Morris knew that all UNIT’s previous engagements with the Autons, they hadn’t managed to stop an Auton advance. He felt proud knowing that his men were stopping them here. He had suffered casualties, true, but the Autons hadn’t driven them back at all.
Fires now blazed around the car park and grounds of the factory. Caused either by the collapsing molten Autons, or the blasts from the Autons weapons. Morris hoped that the Doctor wouldn’t be too much longer. He glanced at his watch. The Time Lord had only been gone seven minutes, he still had another three.
Morris loosed another round of shots at the Autons that were still standing. He noticed that the three men with the flame throwers had fallen back, their fuel tanks empty. Five of the Autons were still standing, one of them was charred, the side of its face a molten and blackened mess. Despite the small number of Autons surviving, they were still causing quite some damage. Looking around, Morris saw that at least half his men were either wounded or dead, laying amongst the blockades and fires. The remaining Autons were advancing towards their positions, the bullets slowing them, but no longer stopping them.
“I wish you’d hurry up, Doctor,” Morris muttered under his breath emptying his magazine.
Lovatts ears were ringing from the sound of the Doctors’ machine. It was never on for more than ten seconds at a time. Any more than that and it would perforate her eardrums, the Doctor had told her. They had successfully made their way through the reception area, the Doctor using his machine to disable the thrashing plastic plants. He had paused beside the vending machine he had been so interested in and called a TARDIS and drummed his fingers against the front of it, as if thinking deeply. At one point, he put the palm of his hand flat onto it and pressed his forehead against it, as if listening for something.
Lovatt was about to ask him about this when he straightened up and looked briefly up and down the two corridors that stretched from the reception.
“This way, I think.” He said, pointing down the corridor where the Masters’ TARDIS had stood. “It ties with what Mr. Stretham told us about the Master’s movements.”
They so far hadn’t encountered any Autons, which was a blessing. Although on the other hand, it meant that Morris could have quite a battle on his hands. There was certainly a lot of gun fire coming from outside. They were now approaching the main factory floor, where Stretham had said that the Master was. That thought unnerved Lovatt.
The Doctor turned back to her and put his finger to his lips as they approached a pair of doors. The signs above it told them that it was the factory floor. There were some signs of movement visible through the glass windows in the doors; Autons. Lovatt’s eyes widened as she saw the figures moving within the factory.
“Well, what do we do now?” she whispered, the anxiety and trepidation clearly evident in her voice.
“We go on,” the Doctor replied reaching out and grasping the door handle.
“Through there?” Lovatt had to stop herself from shouting as she peered through the glass partitions.
“Why not?” the Doctor asked. “The Autons here are programmed to work, if we’re quiet and quick, we can get up to the control section and shut their power down.” Turning back to the door, the Doctor paused and turned back to Lovatt. “Of course, we’ll have to run and hope they don’t spot us.” He grinned.
Unable to believe she was doing it, Lovatt swallowed and followed the Doctor through the doors. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she was up the stairs to the factory office before she even realised it, colliding with the back of the Doctor.
“Now, now,” he hissed.
Looking over his shoulder, Lovatt saw and Auton in the room turning to them. Hitting the play button on the player, she saw the Auton stiffen and jerk before collapsing to the floor with a crash. Smiling, the Doctor passed the handset back to Lovatt and wandered to the control panels. Setting the Doctors device down, Lovatt joined the Time Lord. The equipment was highly advanced, she could tell.
“This doesn’t look good,” the Doctor muttered. “This equipment is all set to receive energy. The Nestenes are beaming energy here from another source; this isn’t their main base.”
Lovatt looked out of one of the windows into the factory below, the Auton’s didn’t seem to have noticed them. “That might explain why the Master isn’t here.”
A crashing sound from the door and the sound of a small explosion made the Doctor and Lovatt turn. An Auton was stood in the doorway, it’s fingers dropped and weapon extended, pointing at where Lovatt had placed the device, which was now a smoking mess. The Doctor's eyes widened as he stared at the smouldering wreck, before looking back up at the plastic face of the Auton.
"That was Jess's," he exclaimed. "You vandal!"
The Autons head turned to look at the Doctor, and it brought its hand up. The Auton cocked its head as it observed the Doctor and brought its weapon up, pointing it directly between his eyes.
“Oh, the fools,” he sighed. “Why couldn’t they wait for me? They know what it is they’re dealing with.”
“All due respect, Doctor,” Lovatt interjected. “But maybe they couldn’t help it. Perhaps those Auton things are on the move.”
The Doctor paused, clearly thinking it over. “Good point, Sergeant. Either way, it sounds like they could use our help. Come on,” he added grinning wide.
Lovatt found herself almost being dragged back towards the factory, as the Doctor set off at a run, still holding the transmitter part of his device. A few solitary shots were still ringing out as they approached the front of the reception. Morris turned, seeing their approach and jogged towards them.
“What’s happened Will?” The Doctor asked, not noticing as Lovatt collided with his back.
“Not quite sure,” he replied. “We’ve got a total radio blackout here. I’ve sent a runner round. It sounded like it was coming from Caplin and Adamsons’ area.”
“An Auton advance?” the Doctor suggested.
“If it is, then I guess you’ve arrived in the nick of time with that whatsit of yours.” Morris nodded at the device Lovatt held.
“What, this?” the Doctor smiled, hefting the radio part of the device, enjoying the gobsmacked look on Morris’ face. “Well, it should interfere with any control signal activating an Auton; or in fact anything that the Nestenes decide to activate. So it should certainly deal with those plastic plants in there.” The Doctor nodded to the thrashing plastic vines and branches, snaking out of the shattered reception doors.
“Does it work?” Morris asked.
Smiling, the Doctor looked passed Morris at the reception doors. “Well, Will, there’s only one way to find out.” He grinned and set off at a brisk pace, Lovatt almost dragged behind again.
Bemused, Morris followed along behind. He paused and turned at the sound of more gun fire. He could see Stretham running round the corner. Pausing, Stretham glanced around before spotting Morris and dashing over to him.
“They don’t seem to be stopping, sir.” He panted, saluting.
“Autons, how many?” the Doctor asked turning, his eyes wide and sparkling.
“Six or seven, sir,” Stretham replied. “We just can’t stop them.”
“Right, set up cover round here, we’ll make a stand.” He turned to two privates who were stood, their weapons raised and ready. “You two; go and fetch the explosive and incendiary rounds. Help finish setting up the blockades and get a couple of chaps set up with flame throwers.” Morris paused and then turned to the Doctor.
“Yes, yes Will, my ‘whatsit’ will work very well. I had hoped that we’d get to test it on something like those plants in there first. But needs must,” the Doctor glanced back at the reception before turning back to Morris, a finger raised. “Although if I could borrow Sergeant Lovatt here, we might be able to nip inside, find and disable the control device that the Nestenes are using and save you a battle.”
Stopping, Morris thought for a moment before nodding. “We’ll try and hold them off for you as long as we can. I can’t make you any promises, but if you’ve not had any luck within ten minutes, head back.”
“Hopefully, Will, we’ll have solved all this within ten minutes,” the Doctor smiled.
“I certainly hope so, Doctor. Best of luck,” Morris replied before turning to Lovatt. “You are armed, Sergeant?”
“Yes sir,” Lovatt replied, turning to show the pistol holster at her hip.
“Doctor?”
The Doctor turned back to Morris, an eyebrow raised. “Yes Will?”
“Don’t you want something?” Morris asked.
“I’ve got this,” the Doctor hefted the device and turned to make off towards the reception, Lovatt in tow.
“I meant a weapon; pistol or rifle?” Morris shouted after them.
“Oh no, no; bad for the health, you know?” The Doctor shouted back.
Shaking his head in bemusement, Morris turned back to where several of the men were now holding a defensive position at the far corner of the building. Taking a few long strides over, Morris called out to them.
“You men fall back to defensive positions here,” he yelled before turning to the three privates filling up compact flame throwers. “You three; get ready over there and if any of those Auton things come round, let them have it.”
Nodding, the three troops ran over, taking cover where they could, covering the way to the factory. With the way covered, the troops giving covering fire backed away towards the rest of the platoon. Running over, Morris crouched down beside Stretham who was loading his rifle with explosive rounds. Holstering his pistol, he picked up a sub machine gun lying atop an ammunition crate and checked that it was loaded. It was, with incendiary bullets, designed to ignite when they impacted with their target.
Chancing a look over the barricade he was sheltering behind, Morris saw several of his troops preparing themselves, the three with flame throwers positioned in a manner to blast whatever came round the corner with three gouts of flame. It was then the idea struck Morris that he could have made use of petrol bombs. He’d read all the old reports saying that the Autons were invulnerable to ordinary ammunition, being made of plastic. He hoped that the explosive and incendiary rounds he’d brought would have some effect.
Morris flexed his hands around the machine gun he held. He’d been in battle before, but not quite like this. All sounds of gun fire that had been echoing around the industrial estate from his troops had died away, leaving an eerie silence. He didn’t like it, it was too quiet. He mentally chastised himself for thinking of such a cliché. His fears were soon subsided when he saw shadows moving round the corner, cast from figures marching past the outside lights of the factory. Each figures arm was extended and what looked like a weapon in their hand.
“Everyone get ready,” he shouted. His shout was replied by the sound of multiple guns being cocked and feet shuffling.
Then, they came; the Autons rounding the corner. Each wearing a maroon boiler suit, black boots and beige scarves around their necks. Their bald, plastic heads glinted softly in the glare of the security lights as they advanced. Those in the front stopped until the rest of the group of Autons arrived behind them. As a group, they advanced, their arms raised, fingers dropped and their tube-like weapons poised. As the squad of Autons advanced, Morris shouted the order:
“Flame squad; fire,” he yelled.
Breaking cover, the three flame throwers ignited, dousing the front of the advancing Autons with a brilliant yellow flame. The lead Auton was caught by all three jets of flame, and disappeared in a yellow haze. As the flames died down, Morris looked up and saw the Autons were still advancing. The first Auton was a walking pillar of flame, acrid black smoke billowing from it, as flames licked from its boiler suit and the plastic of its face melted into blackening molten blobs, dropping down to the concrete of the ground.
“Fire,” Morris shouted breaking cover and loosing rounds off towards the advancing Autons.
He saw his spray of bullets impact into the first Auton, it staggered back as the incendiary rounds impacted into it, exploding globules of molten plastic from its body. Around him, his men were also firing at the advancing plastic dummies, bullets spraying across their fronts, ripping holes across their boiler suits. The explosive and incendiary rounds were spraying small eruptions of molten plastic from their bodies.
Explosions of smoke erupted from the hands of the Autons as they fired at the soldiers. Morris ducked as there was a soft explosion and thick chocking smoke erupted from the pile or wooden pallets to his left. Releasing the magazine, Morris picked up another and thrust it into place. He broke cover to fire again, as the flame throwers unleashed more gouts of flame at the advancing Autons. He could see that several of his men were lying dead or injured. Knowing he could do nothing for them at the moment; he loosed another spray of bullets at the Autons.
There were several flaming blobs of molten plastic littering the car park where some of the Autons had collapsed in heaps, their plastic legs unable to support their frames any more as flames licked at them. The thick acrid smoke of molten plastic poured up into the air, the acrid smell wafting over the small battleground.
Morris hoped that his road blocks, positioned around the industrial estate were still keeping civilians out. He bit down on his tongue as he fired another volley, a habit he had picked up when in training to aid his concentration. He emptied his second magazine into an Auton that had turned on one of the men with a flame thrower. Its weapon was useless now, and the flaming, molten mass lurched forwards, its arms outstretched. The soldier had backed away, but was now flat against the brick wall.
Morris watched, helpless as the Auton toppled forwards onto the soldier. He screamed in pain as the flaming molten mass landed on his legs. Dropping to the floor, he rolled about, in an attempt to extinguish the flames. His gun clicking empty, Morris removed the magazine and slammed home a third, wiping the sweat from his brow. He felt a slight glow of satisfaction deep inside as he watched another Auton topple in a molten mass. Morris knew that all UNIT’s previous engagements with the Autons, they hadn’t managed to stop an Auton advance. He felt proud knowing that his men were stopping them here. He had suffered casualties, true, but the Autons hadn’t driven them back at all.
Fires now blazed around the car park and grounds of the factory. Caused either by the collapsing molten Autons, or the blasts from the Autons weapons. Morris hoped that the Doctor wouldn’t be too much longer. He glanced at his watch. The Time Lord had only been gone seven minutes, he still had another three.
Morris loosed another round of shots at the Autons that were still standing. He noticed that the three men with the flame throwers had fallen back, their fuel tanks empty. Five of the Autons were still standing, one of them was charred, the side of its face a molten and blackened mess. Despite the small number of Autons surviving, they were still causing quite some damage. Looking around, Morris saw that at least half his men were either wounded or dead, laying amongst the blockades and fires. The remaining Autons were advancing towards their positions, the bullets slowing them, but no longer stopping them.
“I wish you’d hurry up, Doctor,” Morris muttered under his breath emptying his magazine.
*
Lovatts ears were ringing from the sound of the Doctors’ machine. It was never on for more than ten seconds at a time. Any more than that and it would perforate her eardrums, the Doctor had told her. They had successfully made their way through the reception area, the Doctor using his machine to disable the thrashing plastic plants. He had paused beside the vending machine he had been so interested in and called a TARDIS and drummed his fingers against the front of it, as if thinking deeply. At one point, he put the palm of his hand flat onto it and pressed his forehead against it, as if listening for something.
Lovatt was about to ask him about this when he straightened up and looked briefly up and down the two corridors that stretched from the reception.
“This way, I think.” He said, pointing down the corridor where the Masters’ TARDIS had stood. “It ties with what Mr. Stretham told us about the Master’s movements.”
They so far hadn’t encountered any Autons, which was a blessing. Although on the other hand, it meant that Morris could have quite a battle on his hands. There was certainly a lot of gun fire coming from outside. They were now approaching the main factory floor, where Stretham had said that the Master was. That thought unnerved Lovatt.
The Doctor turned back to her and put his finger to his lips as they approached a pair of doors. The signs above it told them that it was the factory floor. There were some signs of movement visible through the glass windows in the doors; Autons. Lovatt’s eyes widened as she saw the figures moving within the factory.
“Well, what do we do now?” she whispered, the anxiety and trepidation clearly evident in her voice.
“We go on,” the Doctor replied reaching out and grasping the door handle.
“Through there?” Lovatt had to stop herself from shouting as she peered through the glass partitions.
“Why not?” the Doctor asked. “The Autons here are programmed to work, if we’re quiet and quick, we can get up to the control section and shut their power down.” Turning back to the door, the Doctor paused and turned back to Lovatt. “Of course, we’ll have to run and hope they don’t spot us.” He grinned.
Unable to believe she was doing it, Lovatt swallowed and followed the Doctor through the doors. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she was up the stairs to the factory office before she even realised it, colliding with the back of the Doctor.
“Now, now,” he hissed.
Looking over his shoulder, Lovatt saw and Auton in the room turning to them. Hitting the play button on the player, she saw the Auton stiffen and jerk before collapsing to the floor with a crash. Smiling, the Doctor passed the handset back to Lovatt and wandered to the control panels. Setting the Doctors device down, Lovatt joined the Time Lord. The equipment was highly advanced, she could tell.
“This doesn’t look good,” the Doctor muttered. “This equipment is all set to receive energy. The Nestenes are beaming energy here from another source; this isn’t their main base.”
Lovatt looked out of one of the windows into the factory below, the Auton’s didn’t seem to have noticed them. “That might explain why the Master isn’t here.”
A crashing sound from the door and the sound of a small explosion made the Doctor and Lovatt turn. An Auton was stood in the doorway, it’s fingers dropped and weapon extended, pointing at where Lovatt had placed the device, which was now a smoking mess. The Doctor's eyes widened as he stared at the smouldering wreck, before looking back up at the plastic face of the Auton.
"That was Jess's," he exclaimed. "You vandal!"
The Autons head turned to look at the Doctor, and it brought its hand up. The Auton cocked its head as it observed the Doctor and brought its weapon up, pointing it directly between his eyes.
