Previously…

‘Everyone into the Tardis,’ cries the Doctor herding us towards the open doors.

Artoo beeps excitedly and scoots across the flight deck. Cee-Threepio is less enthusiastic. ‘Surely we won’t all fit in there, sir,’ he says as he bustles after Artoo.

Cee-Threepio steps over the threshold, then steps back, looking curiously at the Tardis’ exterior. ‘Oh I see, Doctor. It’s bigger on the inside!’

Despite the urgency of the situation, I allow myself to smile; Artoo emits a low-pitched beep, which I’ve come to realise is his equivalent of an eye-roll.

The Doctor is already at the controls as I close the doors behind me. Artoo’s head is rotating anxiously and he’s waving his scomp link in the air. ‘Plug that in here,’ instructs the Doctor, pointing to a port on the console, ‘but don’t upload the coordinates until I say.’ The little droid beeps his assent.

‘What can I do, Doctor, sir?’ asks Cee-Threepio.

The Doctor flicks a switch giving us a view of the flight deck beyond the Tardis’ doors on the interior monitor. ‘Concentrate on that image, Cee-Threepio. Commit that ship to your memory banks.’ The Doctor whirls around and points his index fingers at me. ‘Now you, Jemma, get Mr Solo on the line. We need to make sure that Harris and Stevens are on board too.

I pull out the comms device. Han’s anxious face appears on the screen. ‘What’s happening, kid?’

I hand the device over.

‘So you’re the mysterious Doctor then,’ says Han.

‘That’s right. I’m the Doctor and everything’s under control.’ I glance down and notice that the Doctor’s fingers are crossed.

‘What’s the plan, Doc?’

‘It’s complicated.’

‘Try me.’

Artoo whoops and beeps loudly enough for Han to hear.

Han looks taken aback. ‘Okay, I’ll just concentrate on keeping the Falcon steady.’

‘Thank you, Mr Solo. Lovely ship, by the way. Now, let me speak to the boys.’

I peer around the Doctor’s shoulder as the worried faces of my two fellow cadets appear on the screen. ‘Now listen. Harris, Stevens, I want you to get back on board the ship and strap yourselves in.’

‘But Doctor…’ Stevens moves the device so we can see what’s behind him. The bright red ship doesn’t look exactly stable.

‘Trust me, Stevens. Take the comms device, leave the channel open and get back on the ship. I’m about to do something very clever and a tiny bit against the rules of the universe.’

The boys look at each other.

‘Well off you go!’ He waves them away with the back of his hand and passes the comms device to me. ‘Right,’ he says, rubbing his hands together. ‘Let’s get to work, Artoo!

I watch as Artoo activates the scomp link. For a moment nothing happens. I glance at the Doctor who holds up a finger. A moment later, things start to happen very quickly.

‘Geronimo!’ yells the Doctor.

The Time Rotor in the centre of the console begins to move and I feel the floor shudder. Artoo extends his stabilisers, rooting himself in position.

‘Oh dear, oh dear me!’ Cee-Threepio cries out, tottering on his feet.

Warning! Warning!

The alert’s coming from my ship. I wheel around and check the viewing screen. Red lights are flashing all over the flight deck.

Quantum Error!

The red lights continue to flash and the Time Rotor begins to screech.

‘Is something wrong Doctor?’ I shout over the din.

The Doctor’s hands race over the console, flicking switches and adjusting dials. I snatch out the comms device. ‘Stevens! Harris! Come in!’ But all that comes back is static.

What’s this Quantum Error? Has the Doctor’s plan misfired?
And what’s happened to the boys on the other ship?
Tune in next week for the final episode in the current series…

And if you we’re wondering what on earth (or off-earth) is going on,
you can catch up with the entire first series of Space Cadets here

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Image credits: outerplaces.com, darstcenter.com