ce counted the seconds to the explosion. When it finally came it knocked the creature to the ground stunned, but not dead, but it served their purpose of gaining some more time in order to get the door open.

 

"Ace!" shouted Ace. But her joy at her successful attack upon the creature was short lived, for as the dust cloud began to disappear and settle, she could see several other creatures now beginning to emerge from their shell-like cocoons.

 

Ace tapped the Doctor's shoulder.

 

"Not now, Ace!" he snapped, "I'm busy!"

 

"Doctor, it didn't work," she began.

 

"I know it didn't that's why I'm trying again."

 

"No. The Nitro it hardly touched them." Ace pulled hard at the Doctor's shoulder forcing him to turn around.

 

As he turned to face the creatures, it became all too clear to him that they were trapped. Their access to the TARDIS was completely cut off, and his failed attempt at opening the airlock door did very little to improve their situation. Taking Ace by the arm he slowly moved back against the airlock door as the creatures before them roared their pleasure and began to advance towards their prey…

The cold metallic door suddenly began to rise. The Doctor was puzzled at this but his further most thought was to get inside and to safety. He grabbed Ace by the arm and pulled hard. Ace thought her arm had been pulled out of its socket at the sudden jerk which nearly sent her crashing to the ground.

 

The Doctor and Ace crawled frantically beneath the ever increasing gap which now appeared and into the dim glow of the emergency lighting that engulfed the airlock. As soon as they were inside, the Doctor hit a panel to the right of the door to close it before it even reached its full open position.

 

Ace rubbed her arm to ease the pain caused by the Doctor's reaction. The Doctor asked her if she was okay, but the look was enough.

 

A shadow suddenly appeared to pass the observation window that viewed the inside of the airlock from within the base itself. Both the Doctor and Ace looked at each other, then suddenly Ace dived beneath the ever descending airlock door.

 

'Ace!' shouted the Doctor, 'No!', trying to make a grab for her the best he could. The door to the airlock would be closed within seconds.

 

'Hang on, Professor!' she shouted back as she crawled beneath the ever decreasing gap.

 

Ace suddenly appeared with a broad smile across her face and a very dusty, but still intact rucksack, just as the metallic door slammed shut behind her.

 

'That was very foolish!' he snapped at her.

 

'Sorry, Professor.' The smile now gone from her face and she looked forlornly to the ground.

 

After a brief pause, the Doctor said, 'Right, let's see if I can get this door open.'

 

'It shouldn't be too hard. You managed to open the door, eventually.' Ace said with a light wry smile.

 

'That wasn't me.'

 

'Then who?'

 

'The answer, Ace, may well be behind this door.' and with that the Doctor continued to examine the door panel.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~