The TARDIS materializes on Selfilum, a planet covered in junk, and search for a part. Graham finds something and the Doctor, upon seeing it, tells everyone to freeze. She scans it and explains that it's a sonic mine, and it's counting down. It counts down and explodes in a matter of seconds.
Later, the Doctor wakes up and her companions tell her at they're at a hospital on Tsuranga and she's the last one up. The medical staffers, Mabli and Astos, assure them that they've stabilized their vital organs and Mabli worries about something he saw. The Doctor gets up and leads the companions out, trying to work out where she's heard of Tsuranga before. Astos and Mabli follow them out and say that they're not ready to leave yet, but the Doctor worries that someone will take her ship.
The group enter a room where Eve Cicero and her brother Durkas are arguing with an android, Ronan. The Doctor recognizes Eve as General Cicero, a bit of a legend. Eve has heard of the Doctor but the Doctor quickly says that "the Doctor" is a common name and leads the others out looking for an exit. They run into another patient, a humanoid Giftian named Yoss Inkl, and he explains that he's pregnant and had sex a week ago and is a day overdue.
Mabli arrives and finds the group. The Doctor says that they're going to go, and Mabli explains that they can't go. After kneeling and feeling the floor vibrate, the Doctor realizes that they're in flight. The group has been out four days, and the Doctor asks to talk to the pilot. She access the onboard system and the Doctor wonders what Astos was worried about. The Doctor finds the navigation chamber and goes there, and Astos explains that the ship is automated. He and Mabli are the only staff, and Astos says that there are patient onboard and they have to get them to the hospital station, Resus One. The Doctor agrees with him and apologizes, and Astos assures her that they'll take her back safe. He explains that they were on the boundary of disputed territory, and the Doctor points out something nearby on the screens.
Something hits the ship and the Doctor discovers that something breached them for a moment. They hear something moving in the vents, and the Doctor asks Astos to describe the ship's design. Another breach alarm goes off, and they realize that the intruder is in the portside LifePod. The scanners show the intruder moving across the ship, and the Doctor says that they should split up and search for it. Astos insists on checking the section where the intruder is, and gives the Doctor a commdot so they can keep in touch.
Ronan requests adrenaline blockers from Mabli, who says that they only have a limited supply. Unimpressed, Ronan threatens to report Mabli if she doesn't cooperate and they go to get the lockers.
Graham finds Durkas accessing the ship's systems, and Durkas says that he was trying to hack into Eve's medical system. He figures that Eve is lying to him about what is wrong with her, and explains that he's an engineer. Durkas says that his sister looks down on him for it and always will.
The Doctor and Astos search their respective sections and keep in contact. The power is out in their sections because the systems are drained, and the Doctor discovers that the portside LifePod is jettisoned. Astos hears the intruder in the starboard LifePod and enters it despite the Doctor's warning. The door closes behind him and the automated system announces that it's jettisoning. The Doctor runs to the other side of the ship, and Astos calls Mabli and apologizes, saying that it tricked him. He tells Mabli that she can do it and he's always believed in himself, and the LifePod floats off into space and explodes.
The Doctor gets to the pod port and hears something down the corridor. She investigates and finds a shot alien tearing apart the systems. It growls at her just as Mabli and the others arrive. The Doctor explains that the intruder jettisoned the LifePods and kills Astos, and tells the intruder to get off the ship. It ignores her and eats part of what it pulled out of the ship. When she tries to scan it, the intruder bites her sonic in half and climbs into the hull.
Ronan takes the adrenaline blockers to Eve and says that there may have been an incident.
Mabli tells the Doctor that Astos was one of the only people who believed in her. She shows them the databanks with a record on the creature: a Pting. The computer explains that it is fatally violent and has never been kept in captivity because it can devour all non-organic material and is impossible to stun or kill. Its skin is toxic and should never be engaged. The Doctor orders everyone into the assessment area and she needs seven minutes to think.
The Pting tears through the hull, eating everything in its path.
Durkas finds Ronan giving Eve an Adrenaline Blocker. He says that Eve is up to something and walks away.
Yasmin and Ryan check on Yoss, who invites them to feel his baby kicking. They try to get him to the assessment area, but he shows them his baby pictures. Ryan admits that he couldn't do that and Yasmin agrees, and Yoss say that it's a shame to give his child away. He tells them that he's not fit to raise a child, and then says that he'll meet them in the assessment area. As Ryan and Yasmin go, Ryan says that Yoss is the same age as him and the same age his father was when Ryan was born. He tells Yasmin that he lost saw his father a year ago and was mad at him when his father ducked out on him. Yasmin asks how Ryan's mother died, and Ryan explains that she had a massive heart attack. He found her, and she died when he was 13. Ryan explains that his father couldn't cope with Ryan, who looked like his mother.
The Doctor tries to work out how to deal with the Pting. She tells Mabli that it's a problem to be diagnosed and Mabli has to use her imagination. The Doctor tries to imagine what the Pting wants, and wonders why the Tsuranga is routing them the long way around. Mabli explains that it's taking them around a fast-moving asteroid field. The alarms go off and Mabli confirms that the systems have detected the Pting and Resus One is asking what's wrong. Mabli tells the Doctor that Resus will destroy the ship since they can't evacuate. The Doctor dismisses the warning, but Mabli warns that after three dismissals Resus One will automatically destroy the ship.
The Doctor meets with everyone and explains about the Pting. Eve says that she's encountered the Pting before and they kill, relentlessly. The power goes out as the Pting gets to the central systems, and Eve suggest that they use stazers to stun the Pting briefly. They realize that the Pting will head to the anti-matter drive and they have to protect it. The Doctor offers to send a false positive route signal. Ronan tries to warn Eve, and she says that she knows. Yoss announces that his water has broken and he's going into labor. Mabli takes him to a BirthPod that is running on backup power, and Yoss asks Ryan and Graham to be his birth partners. Ronan tells Eve that she's used the last Adrenaline Blocker.
Mabli tells the Doctor privately that Eve has a condition and she can't discuss it, but they should examine her. The Doctor catches up to the others in the drive room, and the doctor confirms that it's the 67th century. There's a particle accelerator that generates anti-matter, and the Doctor tells Yasmin that she has to keep it safe from the Pting. Eve orders Ronan to stay since he can touch the Pting without dying. The Doctor gives Yazmin a med-bank since it's a sterilized barrier and will let her touch the Pting
The Doctor, Durkas, and Eve go to the sensor room and the Doctor sends a second dismissal. Eve says that she's a Neuro Pilot but the ship systems aren't compatible. Durkas offers to make a rig out of the system and goes to work. The Doctor takes Eve out and asks why she's on the ship. Eve claims that she has Corton Fever, but the Doctor checks her and asks why she's using Adrenaline Blockers. She figures that Eve has Pilot's Heart, and Eve says that she can't be an example if she has Pilot's Heart. Eve has used the Blockers to control the surges around her heart, and one big surge can kill her. Durkas come out and overhears them, and says that he's disappointed. He explains that he's rigged a primitive system, and the Doctor says that she'll do it. Eve insists that she knows how to do it and everyone will live, including her.
Yoss goes through labor as Mabli discovers that the BirthPod backup generator isn't working. Ryan and Graham try to talk him through it, and Yoss moans in pain.
Yasmin and Ronan manages to stun the Pting, and Yasmin wraps it in the blanket and takes it far away as she can. She kicks it down the corridor and runs back.
Eve gets into Durkas' rig, and he says that they can get to Resus One if the others can protect the drive. He asks if Eve is well enough, and she says that she is. The Doctor sends a cover signal to Resus One to make them think that they're still in control, and realizes that the Pting wants the power. It went for the life-support systems in the LifePod. Durkas activates the rig and Eve navigates the Tsuranga through the field. She smiles and says that she's missed it. An alarm goes off and the Doctor says that she'll deal with the Pting. She runs down the hallway and comes up with an idea.
The Doctor goes to the drive room and tells Yasmin and Ronan what happened. The sonic self-reboots and the Doctor says that there must be a bomb in the drive, built-in so that Resus One can destroy the ship from a distance. Ronan asks what the Doctor is going to do, and she says that she's going to speed it up to save their lives. The Doctor removes the bomb and tells Ronan to keep guard while Yasmin comes with her.
The ship approaches Resus One, and Eve tells Durkas that she's glad he's there.
The ship shakes and the Doctor take the bomb to a room, sets it to detonate, and takes cover with Yasmin.
Yoss yells that he doesn't want to give birth, and Mabli assures him that they're all there for him.
The Doctor says that he's hoping the Pting will go for the bomb.
Mabli prepares to cut open Yoss' pregnancy sac.
The Doctor tells Yasmin that as the bomb gets closer to exploding, the energy will build up. The creature approaches the chamber with the bomb.
Yoss says that he can't be a father, and Ryan tells him that he's a good man and he's giving his baby life.
The Pting enters the chamber, picks up the bomb, and eats it. The Doctor closes the chamber door, and the bomb explodes. The alien absorbs the entire blat, and the Doctor ejects it into space.
Eve tells Durkas that she's sorry for not telling him that she was ill. Durkas says that there are plenty of things he hasn't told her, like he loves her. Eve says that she loves him ad dies.
Ronan realizes that Eve is dead.
Yoss gives birth, and Ryan tells him that he just has to be there. Mabli holds the baby so that Ryan and Graham can cut the cord.
The Doctor and Yasmin go back to the control room and find Eve dead. Durkas has donned the rig and says that he's a Cicero and can do it. He guides the ship in and the Doctor thanks both Ciceros.
Yoss holds his baby and says that he did it. Graham offers a fist-bump to Ryan, but he refuses... smiling.
Once the ship has arrived at Resus One, Durkas covers over Eve. The authorities quarantine the ship and book a teleporter to Selfilum once they're cleared.
Yoss tells Ryan and Graham that he's naming the baby Avocado after the two of them, thinking that Avocado Pear is an Earth history. They tell him their names, and Yoss says that the baby would be a laughingstock if he named him after them. Ryan asks if Yoss is going to keep the baby, and Ryan says that he'll make mistakes but will keep going.
Ronan tells Durkas that he has come to the end of his system and he'll be shutdown. Durkas admit that he wasn't always kind to him, and they tell each other that they gave Eve great service. When Durkas asks Ronan will decant for Eve, the android says that it would be his honor. The others join them and participate in the decanting ceremony.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 5, 2018