into a bomb! Oh my word!' His final words raised in volume, and quickly the Doctor turned to see if he had been noticed, but the Cybermen continued with their routines. He grinned to himself, and closed his eyes.

'Controller.'

'Report.'

'The Doctor has ceased to function. There is no information.'

'And we have not discovered anything. Dispose of the body.' said the Cyberman coldly.

One of the Cybermen detached the interrogation machine from the Doctor's lifeless body and in one swift movement lifted him over its shoulder, turned and left the control room. As the Cyberman made its way towards an airlock, the Doctor's eyes flickered open and from the sleeve of his left arm produced his sonic screwdriver. As the whirring sound of his sonic screwdriver sprung into life he began to work on the control panels located in its back. Within seconds, the Cyberman began to stumble and its wiring began to spark and sizzle at the Doctor's sabotage.

The Doctor saw his chance. He jumped down from the Cyberman's shoulder as it struggled to control itself with its balance. It tried to speak but nothing came from its contorted mouth. It's arms flailed around out of control.

The Doctor fell backwards against the metallic walls with a thud and watched as the Cyberman waved its arms uncontrollably. It inadvertently grabbed at its plastic tubes ripping them from its torso forcing blood to spray around the corridor until finally it fell to its knees and collapsed inert on the metallic surface with a clanging thud.

The Cyberman's body twitched as its life ebbed away. The Doctor cautiously moved over to the creature and gently turned it over onto its back. He looked at its blank staring eyes, its mouth fixed open. He could see that these Cybermen still retained the vestiges of human life; bone, tissue, flesh, blood. But the machine that had been crafted onto it's body was what had kept it alive. If, thought the Doctor, you could call it life.

'Now, I have to get to stop the Cybermen from carrying out their plan,' he picked himself up off the floor and looked around the corridor he was in. ' I'm sure I left the TARDIS near here.' he said aloud to himself. A section of the wall of the corridor caught his eye and set within it, behind a glass plate, were several weapons of which he recognised instantly. 'A glitter gun!' he declared and using the sonic screwdriver began to remove the glass plate.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

he Cyber-controller continued with the plans to destroy the Earth fleet. He observed the screens before him, watching as the Cybermen moved through the corridors of the vast space station while others were busy transforming the remaining crew members into new Cyberman.

One screen caught the attention of a Cyberman and indicated to the Cyber-controller the remains of the Cyberman that had been ordered to dispose of the Doctor's body. 'The Doctor is alive! There is no logical explanation!' The Cyber-controller slammed a fist down onto the consle before him sending sparks and debris in different directions. 'Find him. He must be destroyed!'

'Yes, Controller.' said another Cyberman and left the control room to carry out its orders.

'The Earth fleet will rendezvous with the space station in two hours.'

'Then make final preparations for their destruction!' intoned the Cyber-controller

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

eanwhile, having managed to remove a glitter gun from the storage unit set within the wall, the Doctor cautiously made his way along the corridor he was in. He felt uneasy about carry the weapon, but it was the only means to hand to try and stop the Cybermen from carrying out their plan.

He suddenly stopped upon hearing the familiar scurrying sounds of Cybermats moving in the shadows. 'Oh my...' he said and started to pick up speed and as the Cybermats came in to view, the quickened pace became a run. 'Oh my giddy aunt!' his words echoing down the corridor and as he turned the corner into the next section he came face to face with two Cybermen.

He skidded to an abrupt halt. 'Oh dear,' he said. 'I was looking for the control room.' he lied.

'You will come with us. You will become like us.' the Cybermen stated.

'Oh, must I?' the Doctor asked and pointing the glitter gun in the direction of the Cybermen, opened fire spraying fine gold filaments over their chest units forcing the two Cybermen to their knees as they chocked, gasping for air. He cautiously moved around the squirming figures in the corridor and headed back towards the control room.