Voyage of the Damned

Tardis…

The Tardis is in flight. Suddenly a fog horn sounds and a ship's bow crashes through the side of the Tardis.

"What? What?" The Doctor asked, while a ship's bell sounds, and he picks up life belt that has the name Titanic on it. "What?"

The Doctor returns to the console and adjusts the controls. The Tardis walls reform, pushing the ship back outside. Then he materialises inside the ship, next to a board detailing a list of shipping companies. The fog horn is sounding again.

Reception…

People in Edwardian dress are enjoying a champagne buffet. A band plays a slow version of Jingle Bells. Around the room are golden skinned statues of male angels. One moves as the Doctor walks past. Then he spots a small red-skinned alien in a dinner jacket, and goes to a window.

"Right." The Doctor said.

"Attention all passengers. The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol Three or Terra, also known as Earth. Population, Human. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas." Someone on the speaker said.

Jared then entered the room with a girl with silver eyes and black hair with red tips and a guy blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Doctor, it's been a while." Jared said, walking up to the Time Lord. "Titanic?"

"How?" The Doctor asked. "How did you…"

"Well, we thought we could give Ren and Nora some space." Ruby said, smiling. "And Jared missed you."

"Did he?"

"The hard part about this life was letting it go. Letting go of the Doctor, is just so hard." Jared said, entering the TARDIS with the Doctor, Ruby, and Jaune. "Come on, let's change."

TARDIS...

"Suit and tie?" Jaune asked.

"Maybe." Ruby said.

Reception...

A recording of a bald man with a thin moustache sitting behind a desk.

"Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. The fastest, the farthest, the best. And I should know because my name is Max." Capricorn said, on screen.

His gold tooth glints in the light. The screen returns to the logo, and the lady singer croons Winter Wonderland. The Doctor has changed into dinner jacket and bow tie, while Ruby, Jaune, and Jared are wearing the clothes they wore at the dance.

"Merry Christmas, sir." The Steward said.

"Merry Christmas." The Doctor said, as couples are dancing to the music.

"What year is this?" Ruby asked, holding Jared's hand.

"It's still 2008." Jared said, eating some chocolate chip cookies. "Christmas 2008."

"So, 8 to 9 months have passed." Jaune said, while the four mingle. "Since Prisoner Zero."

"Basically, yeah." Jared said, as the four passed a man on his mobile phone. "I've spent a week and a half with you guys already. But my time to have some more fun is coming."

"It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my vone. Now do as I say and sell." Slade said.

The Doctor goes up to one of the angels with Jared and his friends from behind him, "Evening. Passengers fifty seven to sixty one. Terrible memory. Remind us. You would be?"

"Information. Heavenly Host supplying tourist information." The Host said.

"That's good to know." Ruby said, happily. "It's been a long day hunting monsters. Where did we come from?"

"Information. The Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures."

"So, who chose the name Titanic?" Jaune asked.

"Information. It was chosen as the most famous vessel of the planet Earth." The Host said.

"Did they tell you why it was famous?" The Doctor asked.

"Information. All designations are chosen by Mister Max Capricorn, president of Max, Max, Max…" The Host said, with it twitching and its voice pitch rises.

The Steward notices and hurries over.

"Ooo, bit of a glitch." The Doctor said, about to take out his sonic.

��It's all right, lady and gentlemen, we can handle this." The Steward said, and two more officers arrive and they switch off the Host before carrying it away. "Software problem, that's all. Leave it with us, you four. Merry Christmas. That's another one down. What's going on with these things?"

"So, weird robot." Ruby said, walking towards Jared.

"Yeah." Jared said, letting out a sigh. "I've been thinking. Maybe being here isn't the best idea."

"What are you talking about?" Jaune asked. "Didn't you want to come here?"

"I did. It's just…"

Slade bumps into the little waitress, making her drop her tray of drinks, "For Tov's sake, look where you're going. This jacket's a genuine Earth antique."

"I'm sorry, sir." Astrid said, sadly.

"You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart. Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn's going down the drain." Slade said, walking away.

"Be careful." Jaune said, stopping in to help. "There you go."

"Thank you, sir. I can manage." Astrid said.

"I never said you couldn't manage. I'm Jaune, Jaune Arc. This is the Doctor, Jared, and Ruby."

"What's your name?" Ruby asked.

"Astrid, ma'am. Astrid Peth." Astrid said.

"It's nice to meet you Astrid Peth." Ruby said, smiling.

"Merry Christmas." Jared said, squeezing Ruby's hand.

"Merry Christmas, sir." Astrid said.

"For him, the one with the great hair. Just call him Doctor, not sir."

"You four enjoying the cruise?" Astrid asked.

"Er, yeah, I suppose. I don't know. None of us knows. It doesn't quite work, a cruise with some friends. That I barely see." The Doctor said.

"You're not with anyone? Besides these three?"

The blonde looked over at Jaune, Jared, and Ruby.

"No, no, just me. Just, er, used to be more but, er, no. What about you? Long way from home, Planet Sto."

"Doesn't feel that different. I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here and I'm still waiting on tables."

"No vacations?" Jared asked.

"We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading out to the stars and I always dreamt of. It sounds daft." Astrid said.

"You dreamt of another sky. New sun, new air, new life. A whole universe teeming with life. Why stand still when there're all that life out there?" The Doctor asked.

"Yup, it's basically a sandbox, a real life video game." Jared said, smiling. "A never ending story."

"So, do all of you travel a lot?" Astrid asked.

"I do it all the time. Just for fun. Well, that's the plan. Never quite works." The Doctor said.

"Ruby, Jaune, and I, we travel." Jared said, happily. "And as a bonus, we save people. We're heading to a place that might be home."

"Must be rich, though." Astrid said.

"Haven't got a penny. Stowaway." The Doctor said.

"Kidding."

"Seriously."

"No."

"Oh, yeah."

"How did you get on board?"

"Accident. I've got this, sort of, ship thing. I was just rebuilding her. Left the defences down. Bumped into the Titanic. Here I am. Bit of a party. I thought, why not?"

"How about you three?" Astrid asked, looking at Jared. Ruby, and Jaune.

"Oh, we were here for a couple of days. Snuck around when the party started." Jared said, taking out some croissants to eat them. "But now we decided to come out since it's Christmas."

"I should report the four of you."

"Go on then." Ruby said, grabbing a croissant from Jared. "Report us."

"I'll get the four of you drinks on the house." Astrid said, walking away.

"Drinks as in…" Ruby said, looking at Jared.

"Alcohol." Jared said, shrugging his shoulders.

"But we're…" Jaune said, and over at another table, a bunch of toffs are laughing at a large woman in a purple cowboy outfit and her equally well padded companion. "Not legal. For a drink, that is."

"Come on, fun!" Jared said, dragging Ruby and Jaune to the table with the Doctor.

"Just ignore them." Morvin said.

"Something's tickled them." The Doctor said.

"They told us it was fancy dress. Very funny, I'm sure." Foon said.

"They're just picking on us because we haven't paid. We won our tickets in a competition." Morvin said.

"I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in By the Light of the Asteroid. Did you ever watch By the Light of the Asteroid?"

"Is that the one with the twins?" The Doctor asked.

"That's it. Oh, it's marvellous." Foon said.

"But we're not good enough for that lot. They think we should be in steerage." Morvin said.

"Well, can't have that, can we?" The Doctor asked, and with Morvin's back towards the toffs, the Time Lord aims his sonic screwdriver at the champagne bottle in the bucket on their table.

"Wow!" Ruby said, while the cork pops out, spraying their expensive clothes with alcohol. "He did not…"

"Did you do that?" Foon asked.

"Maybe." The Doctor said.

"We like you." Foon said.

"We do. I'm Morvin Van Hoff. This is my good woman, Foon." Morvin said.

"Foon. Hello, I'm the Doctor, and this is Jared, Ruby, and Jaune." The Doctor said, happily.

"Oh, I'm going to need a Doctor, time I've finished with that buffet. Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo. So many wings." Foon said.

"Attention please. Shore leave tickets Red Six Seven now activated. Red Six Seven." Someone on the speaker said.

"Red Six Seven. That's us. Are you Red Six Seven?" Foon asked.

"Might as well be." The Doctor said.

"Come on, then. We're going to Earth." Morvin said.

"Christmas 2008." Jared said, running off with Ruby and Jaune. "Come on, time to call some friends."

"Who are you gonna call?" Ruby asked, when Jared took out his iPhone X.

"Shirabe and Kirika. Haven't talked to them in forever."

"It has been a year and six months."

"Call them." Jaune said, with Jared placing his phone near his ear.

A man in a tweed suit is holding up a sign.

"Red Six Seven. Red Six Seven. This way, fast as you can." Copper said.

"Yeah, meet up with you guys in a few minutes." Jared said, ending the call. "See ya."

"So, what did they say?" Ruby asked.

"Red Six Seven departing shortly." Copper said.

The Doctor shows him the psychic paper, "Red Six Seven plus four."

"Quickly, sir, please, and take five teleport bracelets if you would." Copper said.

"I want to check up on those two." Jared said, looking at Ruby and Jaune. "Mostly on them. On Symphogear."

"I'll get the sack." Astrid said.

"Brand new sky." The Doctor said.

"To repeat, I am Mister Copper, the ship's historian, and I shall be taking you to old London town in the country of UK, ruled over by good King Wenceslas. Now, human beings worship the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary. And every Christmas Eve, the people of UK go to war with the country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner like savages." Copper said.

"Wait, where did you get all of this information from?" Jaune asked, noticing that the history is a bit off.

"Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics. Now, stand by." Copper said, as the little red alien runs up.

"And me! And me! Red Six Seven." Bannakaffalatta said, holding up a ticket.

"Well, take a bracelet, please, sir."

"Hang on, what's your name?" Jared asked. "Too many names, so little time."

"Bannakaffalatta." Bannakaffalatta said.

"Okay, Bannakaffalatta. But it's Christmas Eve down there. Late night shopping, tons of people. He's like a talking conker. No offence, but you'll cause a riot because the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties and…" The Doctor said.

(Jared's POV)

Street…

The group, along with me, are teleported in mid word to an empty shopping street.

"Oh." The Doctor said.

"Now, spending money. I have a credit card in Earth currency if you want to buy trinkets, or stockings, or the local delicacy, which is known as beef. But don't stray too far, it could be dangerous. Any day now they start boxing." Copper said.

Shirabe and Kirika then approached me, the two in their usual Symphogear garb, and I ran up to them for a hug.

"Hey." I said, letting go of the two girls. "How have you been?"

"Besides us helping out Torchwood." Kirika said, smirking. "Not bad. How about you?"

"Wait, Torchwood?"

"Owen beat Death." Shirabe said. "And Mami said something about Talos appearing."

"Talos?" I asked, running up to the news stand with Ruby, Jaune, Shirabe, and Kirika.

I then placed two spare bracelets I took to place on the wrist of the Symphogear users after they transformed back to normal, "There you two go. I thought we needed some backup."

Next to the news stand is a billboard for The Examiner, headline - London Deserted. The proprietor has a Union Flag behind him.

"Hi, so where is everyone?" Kirika asked, walking towards Wilf.

"Oh ho, scared!" Wilf said.

"What are they scared of?" Shirabe asked.

"Where've you been living? London at Christmas? Not safe, is it."

"Why is London not safe during Christmas?" Ruby asked. "Isn't it always safe?"

"Well, it's them, up above. Look, Christmas before last we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on a roof. And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames."

"All of these alien invasions happening, while we were in Japan." Shirabe said. "How? Why didn't we stop them?"

"And this year, Lord knows what. So, everybody's scarpered. Gone to the country. All except me and Her Majesty." Wilf said.

"Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she'll be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there's nothing to fear." Nicholas Witchell said, on TV.

"God bless her. We stand vigil."

"Well, between you and me, I think her Majesty's got it right. Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about." The Doctor said.

The Doctor, Astrid, Ruby, Jaune, Kirika, Shirabe, and I vanish.

"Then again." Wilf said.

Reception…

"I was in mid-sentence." The Doctor said, angrily.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. A bit of a problem. If I could have your bracelets." Copper said.

"Apologies, ladies and gentlemen, and Bannakaffalatta. We seem to have suffered a slight power fluctuation. If you'd like to return to the festivities. And on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners, free drinks will be provided." The Steward said.

"Thank you." Foon said.

"That was the best. The best!" Astrid said, happily.

"What sort of power fluctuation?" The Doctor asked.

"So, this wasn't a normal day at the Titanic." Jaune said, scratching the back of his head.

"Nope." I said, taking out some Pocky to eat it. "It isn't a normal day like any other day. When we're traveling with the Doctor. When is it ever a normal day of rest and relaxation?"

"Will today end well?" Kirika asked. "Because we're jeopardy friendly around the Doctor."

"Nope. There's gonna be some crazy stuff happening throughout the day. And it's not as it seems."

"How about people on board, will they live?" Ruby asked. "Since we're on a cruise ship, and it's big. It looks old too, a ship in space above the Earth."

I thought about it for a moment before giving my response, "Nope. A couple of people will die if we don't change things. People that we'll like and get to know."

"Will we survive this?" Shirabe asked. "I want to know, that's all."

"Maybe. If we're lucky of course."

The singer is crooning 'The Stowaway', by Murray Gold, "You shouldn't be here. What's your tale? I ought to throw you to the whale. He just smiled and said, come here, let's dance. He said, borrow or steal, I'll find a way to be with my lover upon Christmas Day. And I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground. This Christmas I'll see you. I'll be around."

"And I should know because my name is Max. The fastest, the furthest, the best. My name is Max." Capricorn said, in the picture frame.

"Time to check out what's going on." I said, as the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to unfasten the frame and get at the electronics behind it. "Change it to the dashboard."

"Right." The Doctor said, changing the image to ship's status.

"That isn't good." Ruby said, looking at the image to see that the shields are off-line. "Why are they down?"

"I don't know." Kirika said, as she looked out of the nearby porthole to see the three fireballs heading their way. "Guys, there's fireballs, and it's really close!"

"Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the Captain. You've got a meteoroid storm coming in west zero by north two." The Doctor said.

"Who is this?" The Captain asked, over the speaker.

"Never mind that, your shields are down. Check your scanners, Captain. You've got meteoroids coming in and now shielding."

"You have no authorisation. You will clear the comms at once."

"You think we should? Look outside!" Jaune said, angrily.

"Come with me, ladies and gentlemen." The Steward said.

"Why is this happening?" Shirabe asked.

"Because they're trying to recreate the Titanic event." I said, looking back at the Symphogear user. "Like idiots that they are."

"So, it's no different when it comes to the Relics then." Kirika said, smirking.

"From what I've seen. Definitely not."

The Doctor, Ruby, Jaune, Kirika, Shirabe, and I are being escorted off deck.

"You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down." The Doctor said.

"What's our plan?" Ruby asked.

"I don't have one." I said, sadly. "Not at the moment."

"Great…" Jaune said, annoyed.

The Doctor gets away from his escort.

"Be with my lover on next Christmas Day, and I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground." The singer said.

The Doctor takes the microphone stand from the singer, "Everyone, listen to me! This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb…"

A Host puts its hand over the Doctor's mouth.

"Get to the lifeboats. Evacuate!" Kirika said, concerned about the people here.

"Look out the windows!" The Doctor said.

The Doctor is taken away, with Ruby, Jaune, Kirika, Shirabe, and I.

"Them friends." Bannakaffalatta said.

Slade sees the meteoroids.

"If you don't believe us, check the shields yourself." Shirabe said.

"Sir, I can vouch for them!" Astrid said.

"Look, Steward, they just had a bit too much to drink." Morvin said.

"Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports have gone down." Copper said.

"Not now!" The Steward said, angrily.

"That's a part of the meteor." I said, when a piece of hot rock breaks through a window and lands at Slade's feet. "Let us go, we can save you!"

"Oxygen membrane holding. Oxygen membrane holding." The computer said.

Slade goes to a nearby Host, "You there. Has anyone checked the external shielding?"

"Information. You are all going to die." The Host said.

"In 3…" I said, looking at Ruby, Jaune, Shirabe, and Kirika.

"Where's the Chief Steward?" Slade asked.

"Er, he went that way, sir." The Officer said.

Corridor...

"The shields are down. We are going to get hit." The Doctor said.

"2…" I said, squeezing Ruby's hand.

"Are you counting down when things will go from bad to worse?" Kirika asked.

"Oi! Steward! I'm telling you, the shields are down!" Slade said, angrily.

"Listen to him. Listen to him!" The Doctor said.

"1…" I said, letting out a sigh.

"He definitely is counting down." Ruby said.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Jaune said.

"We all do." Shirabe said.

"Bringing us all to the center of everything." Kirika said. "Was that your plan?"

"Yup." I said, laughing a lot. "Time for these Hosts to die."

The first fireball impacts the Titanic dead centre. Fires, panic.

"And there goes the Titanic." I said, when the other two fireballs hit fore and aft. "Crashing down to Earth."

"We should have called Hibiki." Shirabe said. "Do we need help?"

(Open POV)

An explosion sends the Doctor, Astrid, Ruby, Jaune, Kirika, Shirabe, and Jared flying, then everything goes quiet, apart from people whimpering.

"It's all right, sweetheart." Morvin said.

"Wait, the explosions are stopping." Shirabe said, while there are three large holes in the hull. "Are you okay, Kirika?"

"As I ever will be." Kirika said. "Whatever started this deserves death."

"Bad name for a ship. Either that or this suit is really unlucky." The Doctor said.

"My name is Max. My name is Max. My name is Max." Capricorn said, from a nearby picture frame.

"Er, everyone. Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta. I must apologise on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruiseliners. We seem to have had a small collision." The Steward said.

"Small?" Shirabe asked. "I don't get it. Um, how was that small?"

"Do you know how much I paid for my ticket?" Slade asked.

"If I could have silence, ladies, gentlemen. Please. Quiet! Thank you. I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruiseliners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience, but first I would point out that we're very much alive." The Steward said.

"Doctor." Astrid said, while Mister Copper has a cut on his head.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor asked.

"She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship. If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the situation." The Steward said.

The Chief Steward goes to a nearby hatch.

"No! Don't open it!" Ruby said, but it's too late.

"Shit." Jared said, while the Chief Steward is sucked out into space. "Everyone hang on. Ruby, now would be a really good time for…"

"Crescent Rose?" Ruby asked, laying down her scythe on the ground, and she has her free hand on Jared's, while he has his on Jaune's.

"Kirika!" Shirabe said, as Kirika also laid down her scythe onto the ground to keep it steady, while grabbing her fellow Symphogear user's hand.

Everybody else hangs onto the nearest fixed object while the Doctor sonics a control panel that is flashing Vacuum Breach. It changes to Oxygen Shield.

"Oxygen shield stabilised." The computer said.

"Guys, are you okay?" Jared asked, looking over at his friends. "Ruby?"

"That was close." Ruby said, as Jared and Jaune let go of each other's hands. "Really close."

"Yeah." Jared said, watching Ruby put her Crescent Rose back into its gun form. "Jaune?"

"I'm fine." Jaune said, picking himself off the ground.

"How about you Kirika?"

"We almost got sucked out into space." Kirika said, smirking. "But I'm fine."

"Shirabe?"

Shirabe is just staring at the other passengers of the ship, "Stare…"

"Shirabe. Earth to Shirabe."

"I'm fine." Shirabe said, sadly.

"All right, calm down. Just stay still, all of you. Hold on." The Doctor said.

"What happened? Why were the shields down?"

"I don't think it was an accident." The Doctor said, as they look out of the hatchway and the hole in the side of the ship to the floating debris and bodies.

"How many people died because of that?" Ruby asked.

"Little Red, we're alive." Jared said, sipping on some milk tea. "That's a plus, right? We'll get out of here, I promise. We'll see Weiss, Blake, and Yang again. Ren and Nora too. If we survive this."

"Will we see Hibiki and the others?" Shirabe asked.

"Maybe. I don't know. My knowledge on Symphogear is hazy. I can't predict the future."

��...good. Now, if we can get to Reception, I've got a spaceship tucked away. We can all get on board and. Oh." The Doctor said, staring at the TARDIS falling down to Earth.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Astrid asked.

"That's my ship over there."

"Where?"

"There. That box. That little blue box."

"That's a spaceship?"

"Oi, don't knock it."

"It's a bit small."

"A bit distant. Trouble is, once it's set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity, and that would be the Earth."

"Let's hope that Hibiki and the others notice the TARDIS on the scanners." Jared said, happily. "Because if they do, they can make sure she lands where I want it to."

"Your optimism is on a high today." Jaune said.

"I get that from her."

"It looks like she has affected you as much as us, huh." Ruby said, smiling.

"Yup. The Holy Quintet too. You guys changed me, for the better."

The Doctor uses a speaking tube, "Deck twenty two to the bridge. Deck twenty two to the bridge. Is there anyone there?"

"This is the bridge." Frame said, over the intercom.

"Oh hello, sailor. Good to hear you. What's the situation up there?"

"We've got air. The oxygen field is holding, but the Captain, he's dead. He did it. I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try."

"All right. Just stay calm. Tell me your name. What's your name?"

"Midshipman Frame."

"Nice to meet you, sir. What's the state of the engines?"

"They're er. Hold on. Oh!"

"Have you been injured?"

"I'm all right. Oh, my Vot. They're cycling down."

"That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?"

"Yeah."

"The moment they're gone we lose orbit."

"The planet."

"Oh, yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth. And I don't think the Symphogear wielders can stop the ship crashing, without Kirika and Shirabe. They won't be able to without destroying it, with us still inside the Titanic. Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core."

"This is never going to work."

"Trust me, it'll keep the engines going until Jared and I can get to the bridge."

"Does the Doctor not have enough hope for us?" Kirika asked.

"He does." Jared said, frowning. "But today isn't our day. It won't be."

"What can we do to help?" Ruby asked.

"Keep everyone alive, as long as we can."

"Okay, okay. Shush, shush, shush, shush, shush. First things first. One. We are going to climb through this ship. B. No. Two. We're going to reach the bridge. Three. Or C. We're going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low four, or D, or that little iv in brackets they use in footnotes, why. Right then, follow us." The Doctor said, leading the way, with Ruby, Jaune, Shirabe, Kirika, and Jared behind him.

"Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge and who the hell are you lot anyway?" Slade asked.

"I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm nine hundred and three years old and I'm the man who's going to save your lives and all six billion people on the planet below, with some help from some Symphogear Wielders, some huntsmen, and a huntress. You got a problem with that?" The Doctor asked, looking at Slade.

"No."

"In that case, allons-y!" The Doctor said, taking the lead again.

Stairwell...

The Doctor pushes open a bulkhead door with just a little debris against it, "Careful. Follow me."

"Rather ironic, but this is very much in the spirit of Christmas. It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric." Copper said.

"Well, that's not true." Jared said, holding Ruby's hand. "Christmas is a time about spending time with family. You receive gifts, you give gifts. It's the thought that counts during that holiday. Being with your loved ones."

"Jared, what are you on about? Our Christmases are always like this." The Doctor said, finding a Host under some metal plates. "We've got a Host. Strength of ten. If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble."

Jared presses a button on his Apple Watch for his super suit to wrap around his entire body, and the mask covered his face, he retracted the mask from his face, "Yui, can you call Hibiki and the others?"

"The Space Titanic." Yui said, her voice coming out of the suit.

"Yeah." Jared said, leading Ruby, Jaune, Shirabe, and Kirika further up behind the Doctor. "That's where we are."

"It's blocked." Ruby said.

"So, what do we do?" Shirabe asked.

"We move it." Kirika said, smirking.

"That's my team. Okay, Ruby, Jaune, Kirika, and Shirabe, I love you four so much."

"We know." Jaune said. "Is the plan to go through there?"

"Yup. Through that gap. There's no way you two can squeeze through in Symphogear."

"It looks like the Doctor relayed it to them too." Ruby said, smiling.

"Easy. Good." Bannakaffalatta said, with Ruby crawling right behind him.

"Let my friends go through first, since they're armed." Jared said, as the ship shakes and more debris shifts.

"This whole thing could come crashing down any minute." Slade said, annoyed.

"Rickston Slade, there's something I have to say to you."

"What is it?"

"Shut up! You're really driving my patience. Thank god I have people I care about with me right now to stop me. Because if they weren't around…"

"Ruby?" Shirabe asked.

"Bannakaffalatta and I made it." Ruby said. "Let Astrid come through."

"Careful." The Doctor said, looking at Astrid.

"I'm fine. Ruby can protect me." Astrid said, crawling through. "If I need her."

"Thing is, how are Mister and Mrs Fatso going to get through that gap?" Slade asked.

"All we have to do is make the gap bigger!" Kirika said, excitedly. "Come on guys!"

Foon has heard the comment.

"Jaune, you should go next." Jared said, with Jaune staring at Jared. "These two are capable enough to protect us."

"We are." Shirabe said.

"Be careful." Jaune said, crawling through the gap.

"So, what have you been up to?" Kirika asked.

"Oh, you know, defeating some Grimm." Jared said, looking at Kirika.

"You've gotten older."

"Did I?"

"Well, yeah. A year and a half has passed since we last you."

"True."

"How's Hibiki and Miku?"

"We used that Fool's Stone to upgrade my Symphogear."

"And mine.��� Shirabe said.

"You mean that shrapnel that was inside Hibiki." Jared said.

"Yes."

"Good. And you two got more LiNKER, I bet. Thank god, time's been fixed."

"What happened? Did they find a doughnut?" Slade asked.

"Ruby, Jaune, and I can clear it from this side. Just tell us if it starts moving. Bannakaffalatta, what's wrong?" Astrid asked.

"Shush." Bannakaffalatta said.

"What is it?"

"Can't say."

"Are you hurt?"

"Ashamed."

"Of what?"

"Poor Bannakaffalatta." Bannakaffalatta said, pulling up his shirt to reveal robotic parts.

"You're a cyborg." Ruby said, frowning. "Well, um, I had a friend who was a robot. She was one of my friends."

"Had accident long ago. Secret." Bannakaffalatta said.

"No, but everything's changed now. Cyborgs are getting equal rights. They passed a law back on Sto. You can even get married." Astrid said, happily.

"Marry you?"

"Well, you can buy me a drink first. Come on. Let's recharge you. Just stay there for a bit."

"Tell no one."

"I promise. Do you two as well?" Astrid asked, and she got nods from Ruby and Jaune.

"What's going on up there?" Shirabe asked.

"I think Bannakaffalatta and I just got engaged."

"Jaune, tell me that you still have Pyrrha's armor." Jared said, looking at the huntsman.

"I do. What were you thinking?" Jaune asked.

"Maybe you should incorporate it with your family heirloom."

"That's not a bad idea." Ruby said, as Jared is crawling through the gap. "Are you coming to us?"

"Yeah."

"How long will it take for us to get to Haven?"

"A while." Jared said, with Ruby pulling him off the ground.

"What's next for us?" Jaune asked. "Do you know?"

"I don't know. Time is being rewritten right now."

"Oh."

"But it's not set in stone."

(Jared's POV)

"Almost done!" Morvin said.

"Good, good, good. Mister Frame, how's things?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor, I've got life signs all over the ship but they're going out one by one." Frame said, over the intercom.

"What is it? Are they losing air?"

"No. One of them said it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host."

"It's working!" Morvin said, happily.

"Damn it." Kirika said, looking at the Host.

"Turn it off!" The Doctor said.

"I can't, Doctor!" Foon said, terrified.

"Kill. Kill. Kill." The host said.

"Go!" The Doctor said, as the Host has Morvin by the throat.

The Doctor gets out the sonic screwdriver, "Double deadlock!"

"Let me help you." Kirika said, pulling the Host's hands off Morvin's throat. "Now quickly, go upstairs with Shirabe!"

"Run, darling, run!" Foon said.

"Stare..." I said, looking at what is going on through the gap.

"Foon! Foon!" Morvin said.

"Rickston, get them through!" The Doctor said.

"No chance." Slade said, getting through the gap.

"Rickston!" Copper said, getting through the gap.

"I'll never get through there." Foon said.

"Yes, you can. Let me go first." Shirabe said, looking at Foon. "I'm a bit more durable than you."

The Host swings at the Doctor, but misses, "Kill. Kill."

"It's the Host, they've gone berserk." The Doctor said. "Are you safe up there?"

"Shit." I said, playing with my hands. "This is bad."

"Now I'm stuck!" Foon said.

"Come on, you can do it!" Ruby said, as the debris shifts.

"It's going to collapse." Copper said, levering the debris up with a metal bar and Foon gets through. "Jaune, Jared, vot damn it, help me."

"Right." Jaune said, walking up to Copper, and grabbing Foon's hand with me helping the blonde out. "Two man power here."

"Morvin, get through!" The Doctor said.

"Kill. Kill. Kill." The Host said.

"Doctor, Shirabe, he's stuck!" Astrid said.

The Doctor and Shirabe pushes at Morvin's ample behind.

"Mister van Hoff, I know we've only just met, but you'll have to excuse me." The Doctor said.

Morvin pops through the hole.

"That's it. We've got you. Doctor, Shirabe, come on, get through." Astrid said, as Shirabe goes through the gap.

"Information override! You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!" The Doctor said.

"I can't hold it!" Copper said.

"Information. Deck thirty one." The Host said.

"Thank you." The Doctor said, getting through the gap. "Thank you. Let go!"

Copper lets the bar go and the debris smashes down on the Host's head.

Corridor…

There is a trolley of sandwiches nearby.

"Girls, it's been a long day." I said, passing Shirabe and Kirika some sandwiches. "Have some."

"We're going to eat some food we found here." Shirabe said.

"Why not?" Kirika asked, biting into the sandwich. "I'm hungry."

"Mister Frame, are you still there?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes, sir, but I've got Host outside. I've sealed the door." Frame said, over the intercom.

"They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?"

"That's not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means no one can get in. I'm sealed off. Even if you and Jared can fix the Titanic, neither of you can't get to the bridge."

"Yeah, right, fine. One problem at a time. What's on deck thirty one?"

"Er, that's down below. It's nothing. It's just the Host storage deck. That's where we keep the robots."

"Well, what's that? Do you see that panel? Black. It's registering nothing. No power, no heat, no light."

"I've never seen it before."

"One hundred percent shielded. What's down there?"

"I'll try intensifying the scanner."

"Let me know if you find anything. And keep those engines going."

"I noticed you have a thing for Homura Akemi." Ruby said, looking at me.

"Homura?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Well, um, I noticed how you kept talking to her. And getting to know her."

"She's not my type."

"She's so your type!" Kirika said, excitedly.

"Doctor, Jared, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day." Copper said.

"Well, it definitely is Christmas Day." I said, taking out some Christmas cookies out of my backpack. "Want some?"

"Peppermint?" Kirika asked.

"Yeah." I said, passing a cookie each to Ruby, Jaune, Kirika, and Shirabe. "I've also packed some gingerbread and sugar cookies too."

"Why not share some with the others?" Shirabe asked. "Don't you want to?"

"They're not from Earth. Like we are. So, yeah."

"No, I read about it. They have shuffles. Space shuffles." Copper said.

"Mister Copper, this degree in Earthonomics, where's it from?" The Doctor asked.

"Honestly?"

"Just between us."

"Mrs Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners."

"He used a job as a janitor to get to travel." Jaune said, holding his sugar cookie. "I don't know how to react to that."

"I wasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road, and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic." Copper said.

"Hmm. I suppose it is, yeah." The Doctor said.

"How come you know it so well?" Astrid asked.

"I was sort of, a few years ago, I was sort of made, well, sort of homeless, and, er, there was the Earth."

"The thing is, if we survive this, there'll be police and all sorts of investigations. Now the minimum penalty for space lane fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. I won't survive ten years." Copper said, hearing a loud noise nearby.

"A Host! Let's go!" Jaune said, looking back at me and the others. "It's not safe. We can talk again later."

(Open POV)

Engine room...

The Doctor leads them through the next bulkhead to catwalk and a narrow fallen beam forming walkway across a massive empty space in the middle of the ship.

"Is that the only way across?" Slade asked.

"Even so." Jared said, squeezing Ruby's hand. "It's a way across."

"The engines are open." Kirika said.

"Nuclear storm drive. As soon as it stops, the Titanic falls." The Doctor said.

"But that thing, it'll never take our weight." Morvin said.

"You're going last, mate." Slade said.

"It's nitrofin metal. It's stronger than it looks." The Doctor said.

"All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should…" Morvin said, stepping forward and the metal under his foot gives way.

He falls towards the engine furnace.

"Morvin!" Foon said, with a worried look on her face.

"No…" Ruby said, squeezing Jared's hand. "Can't I?"

"No, you can't." Jared said. "I'm sorry. He's gone."

"Ruby, do you think you can carry people with your speed?" Kirika asked.

"I think so." Ruby said, looking at Kirika. "Why?"

"I can skate across." Shirabe said. "But I don't think I can make it."

"You'll have to carry me." Jaune said.

"No, I can carry Kirika." Jared said, still wearing his nanotechnology super suit. "Ruby can bring Shirabe."

"It looks like I have to walk."

"Careful. Take it slowly!" The Doctor said.

The ship shakes and Slade falls onto the beam.

Jared grabbed Kirika's arms and Jaune's and used his thrusters to fly across, and he landed on the ground with the blonde huntsman and the blonde Symphogear user, "Ruby, bring Shirabe over. I'm a bit worn out of carrying these two."

"I wasn't that heavy." Jaune said.

"With our combined weight." Kirika said, smirking. "We kinda were."

"They're getting nearer." Copper said, as a trail of rose petals mixed pink and white lightning flew by.

Ruby and Shirabe are now across to the other side.

"Seal us in." The Doctor said.

"Wait, um, aren't we trapped here?" Ruby asked.

"Never say trapped, just inconveniently circumstanced." The Doctor said.

"Oh."

The Doctor sonics the bulkhead controls.

"I'm okay." Slade said.

"Maybe he's all right. Maybe, maybe there's a gravity curve down there or something. I don't know. Maybe he's just unconscious." Foon said.

"I'm sorry, Foon. He's gone." Astrid said, sadly.

As Foon sobs in Astrid's arms, Rickston Slade makes it to the other side.

"Yes. Oh. yes! Who's good! It's getting a bit crowded over here." Slade said, seeing Jared and the others taking up a lot of space.

"Bannakaffalatta, you go next." The Doctor said.

"Bannakaffalatta small." Bannakaffalatta said.

"Slowly!" The Doctor said, as the Host are hammering on the bulkhead door.

"They've found us." Copper said.

"Astrid, get across right now."

"What about you?" Astrid asked.

"Just do it. Go on. Mister Copper, we can't wait." The Doctor said.

"No, but we…" Copper said.

"Don't argue. Foon, you've got to get across right now."

"What for? What am I going to do without him?" Foon asked.

"Doctor? The door's locked!" Kirika said, checking on the nearby door.

"Just think. What would he want, your husband? Your Morvin?" Jared asked, trying to get through to Foon.

"He don't want nothing. He's dead." Foon said.

"Doctor, we can't open the door. We need the whirling key thing of yours." Slade said.

"I can't leave her." The Doctor said.

"She'll get us all killed if we can't get out."

"Mrs van Hoff, I am coming back for you. All right?" The Doctor asked, following the other three across the rickety bridge.

"Too many people!" Bannakaffalatta said.

"Oi! Don't get spiky with me. Keep going." The Doctor said. "Jared and his friends made it across. We should too."

Bannakaffalatta gets across the weakest bit in the middle, followed by Astrid.

"It's going to fall." Shirabe said, looking at what is going on. "We have to help them."

"At the risk of you two not being together again." Jared said, looking between Shirabe and Kirika. "No. I've already suffered enough with Jaune losing Pyrrha."

"Gone away?" Bannakaffalatta asked.

"Why would they give up?" Ruby asked.

"Never mind that. Keep coming." Slade said.

"Where did they go?" Jaune asked, looking around. "Where are the Host?"

"I'm afraid we've forgotten the traditions of Christmas. That angels have wings!" Copper said, as Host glide down and surround them.

"Information. Kill." The Host said.

"Shirabe, Kirika, Forbidden Wheel of Evil, Zabara Eclipse." Jared said, watching the Host remove their haloes.

"Really?" Shirabe asked.

"Yes! Go all out girls." Jared said, as he watched the two Symphogear users do their chants to transform.

"Death!" Kirika said, happily.

Shirabe uses Extreme Σ Style・Forbidden Full Moon, Kirika uses The Slasher・Jabberwock from the other side of the Hosts, allowing them to slice the Hosts simultaneously while their enemies are bound. Kirika is using pauldrons to grab Shirabe and pull on her in order to speed both of them up, killing most of the Hosts.

But more Hosts appeared and that barely did a dent, with the two Symphogear wielders not knowing that there were more.

"Arm yourself, all of you." The Doctor said, as everyone on the bridge grabs a bit of pipe and uses it as a bat to send the haloes flying. "Kirika and Shirabe got rid of some of them."

"Crap." Jared said, when one halo cuts the Doctor's arm and another injures Copper's side.

"I can't." Astrid said.

"Bannakaffalatta stop. Bannakaffalatta proud. Bannakaffalatta cyborg!" Bannakaffalatta said, lifting his shirt and sends out an energy pulse.

It short-circuits the Host, sending them plummeting down into the engine core, except one that lands on the catwalk behind the Doctor.

"Electromagnetic pulse took out the robotics. Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant!" The Doctor said, and Bannakaffalatta collapses.

"He's used all his power." Jaune said, sadly.

"Did good?" Bannakaffalatta asked.

���You saved our lives." Ruby said, smiling. "Thanks."

"Bannakaffalatta happy."

"We can recharge you. Get you to a power point and just plug you in." Astrid said, happily.

"Too late." Bannakaffalatta said.

"No, but you got to get me that drink, remember?"

"Pretty girl."

Bannakaffalatta dies. Astrid starts to fasten his shirt, but Copper reaches for a component.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me." Copper said.

"Leave him alone." Astrid said.

"It's the EMP transmitter. He'd want us to use it. I used to sell these things. They'd always give me a bed for the night in the cyborg caravans. They're good people. But if we can recharge it, we can use it as a weapon against the rest of the Host. Bannakaffalatta might have saved us all."

"Do you think? Try telling him that." Slade said, angrily.

The Host that landed behind the Doctor is moving, "Information. Reboot."

"Use the EMP!"

"It's dead. It's dead." Copper said.

"It's got to have emergency…" Astrid said.

"No, no, no. Hold on. Override loophole. Security protocol ten. Six six six. Er, twenty one, four, five, six, seven, eight. I don't know, forty two? Er, one!" The Doctor said.

"Information. State request." The Host said.

"Good. Right. You've been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?"

"Information. No witnesses."

"But this ship's going to fall on the Earth and kill everyone. The human race have nothing to do with the Titanic, so that contravenes your orders, yes?"

"Information. Incorrect."

"But why do you want to destroy the Earth?"

"Information. It is the plan."

"What plan?"

"Information. Protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used."

"Well, you could have warned me."

"Information. Now you will die."

As the Host raises its halo, it is lassoed from behind.

"You're coming with me." Foon said, jumping over the side, dragging the Host after her.

"No!" The Doctor said.

"No more. No more deaths, I've had so much recently after a year and a half." Jared said, squeezing Ruby's hand.

Corridor…

"Right. Get yourself up to Reception One. Once you're there, Mister Copper, you've got staff access to the computer. Try to find a way of transmitting an SOS. Let Kirika help you, we need to call the rest of Symphogear. Astrid, you're in charge of this." The Doctor said, taking out the EMP transmitter. "Once it's powered up, it'll take out a Host within fifty yards but then it needs sixty seconds to recharge. Shirabe, you take out any Hosts with Giant Saw Judgement. Got it? Rickston, take this." He took out the sonic screwdriver. "I've preset it. Just hold down that button, it'll open doors. Do not lose it! You got that? Now go and open the next door. Go on, go!"

"All right!" Slade said.

The Doctor hands a first aid kit to Copper, "Mister Copper, you're going to need this. I need you fighting fit. Astrid, where's the power points?"

"Under the comms." Astrid said.

They plug in the EMP transmitter.

"See, when it's ready, that blue light comes on there." The Doctor said.

"You're talking as if you're not coming with us." Astrid said.

"Well, there's something down on deck thirty one." Jaune said.

"We have to check it out." Ruby said, grabbing Jared's hand.

"Sorry." Jared said, sadly. "Ruby, Jaune, and the Doctor have to go."

"What if the four of you meet a Host?" Astrid asked.

"Well, we'll just have some fun." Jared said, smiling.

"What are we gonna do now?" Jaune asked. "We only have three questions."

"Yeah." Ruby said. "We'll figure something out."

"We will." Jared said, squeezing Ruby's hand.

"It's not always safe." The Doctor said.

"So you need someone to take care of you. It looks like those people aren't always around you. I've got no one back on Sto. No family, just me. So what do you think? Can I come with you?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah, I'd like that. Yes." The Doctor said, heating an explosion nearby. "Mister Frame, you still with us?"

"It's the engines, sir. Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've got only eight minutes left." Frame said, over the intercom.

"Don't worry, we'll get there." The Doctor said.

"But the bridge is sealed off."

"Yeah, yeah, working on it. we'll get there, Mister Frame, somehow. All charged up? Mister Copper, look after her. Astrid, look after him. Shirabe and Kirika, look after each other, as always. Rickston, er, look after yourself. And I'll see you again, I promise."

"Come on team!" Ruby said, happily.

"Yeah." Jared said, wearing the nanotechnology super suit.

"Ruby, Jared, we'll make it out alive.�� Jaune said. "As long as we're careful."

Astrid takes the first aid box from Copper, stands on it, grabs the Doctor's lapels and pulls him in for a kiss.

"Yeah, that's a, ahem, very old tradition, yeah." The Doctor said.

"See you later." Astrid said.

"Oh, yes!"

The Doctor, Jared, Ruby, and Jaune goes back across the bridge while the others carry on upwards.

Compartment…

Slade opens a door to find three Host waiting, "Do it!"

Astrid activates the EMP and the Host collapse. They rejoice.

Galley…

There are four Host here. The Doctor grabs a large saute pan for a weapon, while Ruby has Crescent Rose out, and Jared aimed a repulsive at a Host.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Security protocol one. Do you hear me? One. One! Okay, that gives us three questions. Three questions to save our lives, am I right?" The Doctor asked.

"Information. Correct." The Host said.

"No, that wasn't one of them. I didn't mean it. That's not fair. Can I start again?"

"Information. No."

"No! No, no, no, no. That wasn't a question either. Blimey. One question left. One question. So, you've been given orders to kill the survivors but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not us. We're not passengers. We're not staff. Go on, scan us. You must have bio-records. No such person on board. We don't exist, therefore you can't kill us. Therefore, we're stowaways, and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on deck thirty one. Final question. Am I right?" The Doctor asked, with Jared, Ruby, and Jaune behind him.

"Information. Correct."

"Brilliant. Take us to your leader. I've always wanted to say that."

Reception…

Shirabe and Kirika took out the four Host in the room.

"Yes!" Kirika said, looking around the room. "We did it!"

"Yeah, we did.��� Shirabe said, with Kirika hugging her.

"Rickston, seal the doors, make the room secure. Mister Copper, keep an eye on the Host. And Kirika and Shirabe, protect them at all costs. I need to check the computer. We need that SOS." Astrid said, while the computer doesn't work.

"Stare…" Shirabe said, seeing the rack of teleport bracelets.

"Don't." Astrid said, picking up the speaking tube. "Bridge, this is Reception one."

"Who's there?" Frame asked, over the intercom.

"Astrid Peth. I was with the Doctor and Jared. Tell me, can you divert power to the teleport system?"

"No way. I'm using everything I got to keep the engines running."

"It's just one trip. I need to get to deck thirty one."

"And I'm telling you, no."

"Mister Frame, this is for the Doctor and Jared. The two of them have gone down there together, and I, I can't just leave them. They've done everything they can to save us. It's time we did something to help them."

"Giving you power."

Astrid puts on a bracelet, "Mister Copper, Shirabe, Kirika, I'm going to find them."

"Astrid has got this." Kirika said, while Copper is taking apart a Host. "I believe in her."

"Good luck." Copper said.

Deck 31…

"Wow." Ruby said, looking around. "Now that is what you call a fixer upper. A bit of renovating, and you can, um, call this place liveable."

"Yeah." Jaune said.

"Come on then, Host with the most, this ultimate authority of yours. Who is it?" The Doctor asked, when a Host opens a pair of doors. "Oh, that's clever. That's an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in there. Sit through a supernova. Or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves on board like this and I should know, because…"

A large device with small wheels has come out. There is a head attached to the machinery.

"My name is Max." Capricorn said.

"I have to admit, that is a bit cool." Jaune said, watching Max's gold tooth glints. "I can't believe it really does that."

"Who the hell is this?" Capricorn asked.

"I'm the Doctor, and this is Jared, Ruby, and Jaune. Hello." The Doctor said.

"Information. Stowaways." A Host said.

"Well…."

"Kill them." Capricorn said.

"Now, you can't kill us." Jared said, walking around the room. "Because you've made me realize that I could be Iron Man if I wanted to. You taught me to how to get a head in the business."

"Really…" Ruby said, rolling her eyes. "A bad pun?"

"Oh, ho, ho, the office joker. I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years." Capricorn said.

"Well, I do try. Hell, I didn't make a pun like that in ages. Not since a big battle I fought in with those two." Jared said, looking back at Ruby and Jaune.

"A hundred and seventy six years of running the company have taken their toll." Capricorn said.

"Yeah but, nice wheels." The Doctor said.

"No, a life support system, in a society that despises cyborgs. I've had to hide away for years, running the company by hologram. Host, situation report."

"Information. Titanic is still in orbit." The Host said.

"Let me see. We should have crashed by now. What's gone wrong? The engines are still running! They should have stopped!"

"When they do, the Earth gets roasted. I don't understand. What's the Earth got to do with it?" The Doctor asked.

"This interview is terminated."

"Is that?" Jaune asked, seeing Astrid hide.

"No. No, no, no, no, no. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. We can work it out. It's like a task. Jared and I, we're your apprentices. Just watch us. So, business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh, yes!" The Doctor said, happily.

"Doctor, I think you mean that the business has failed." Ruby said, frowning. "It's past tense."

"My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back." Capricorn said.

"If you had a back." Jared said, scoffing. "I worked so hard to protect the Earth, getting some help from magical girls and Symphogear. And you just want to wreck all that."

"So, you scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors just in case anyone's rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value. Oh, but that's not enough. No. Because if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out." The Doctor said, looking at Capricorn.

"And the whole board thrown in jail for mass murder." Capricorn said.

"While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber." Jaune said.

"I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Penhaxico Two, where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of metal."

"So that's the plan. A retirement plan. Two thousand people on this ship, six billion underneath us, all of them slaughtered, and with no chance of magical girls or Symphogear users being able to stop it, and why? Because Max Capricorn is a loser." The Doctor said.

"I never lose." Capricorn said.

"You can't even sink the Titanic. Talk about epic fail, the Titanic was known for sinking in the first place. I saw that movie involving Leonardo DeCaprio and Kate Winslet." Jared said, laughing a lot.

"Oh, but I can, Jared. I can cancel the engines from here." Capricorn said.

"You should have kept your mouth shut." Ruby said, looking at Jared.

"I know." Jared said, walking back towards Ruby. "I know."

"But what can we do?" Jaune asked. "You and the Doctor had it under control."

Reception...

"What's happening?" Kirika asked.

(Jared's POV)

Deck 31...

"You can't do this!" The Doctor said, angrily.

"Host, hold them." Capricorn said. "Not so clever now, Doctor, Jared. A shame the three of us couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted. Time for me to retire. The Titanic is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh. Oh, Host. Kill them."

"Mister Capricorn!" Astrid said, while she is in a fork lift. "I resign."

She drives towards Capricorn.

"Astrid, don't!" Jaune said, while Astrid gets the forks under Capricorn's life support and the two machines battle each other.

"Um, what is she doing?" Ruby asked, while a Host throws its halo, which glances off Astrid's cab.

"Son of a…" I said, looking at Ruby. "He's cut the brake line!"

"Why did we come down here?" Ruby asked, as she, Jaune, the Doctor, Astrid, and I looked at each other.

Astrid lifts Capricorn completely off the ground and powers them both forward through the guard rail, to fall into the engines.

"Astrid!" The Doctor and I said at the same time.

"Are you kidding me?!" I exclaimed, letting out some tears.

The Hosts release the Doctor, Ruby, Jaune, and I and we run forward to watch her falling.

"Titanic falling. Voyage terminated. Voyage terminated." The computer said.

Bridge...

Frame tries to steer the falling liner while Slade and Copper hold on for grim death, as Shirabe and Kirika does the same. The Doctor, Ruby, Jaune, and I walks through a shower of debris, then I snapped my fingers.

"I've had enough losses within the last eighteen months, I broke Yang, I lost Penny and Pyrrha." I said, as two hosts grab two of my arms, and two of the Doctor's arms. "No more, no more. I need two more Host here. For Ruby and Jaune!"

Two more Hosts appear and they took Ruby and Jaune's arms. The four Hosts are flying us upwards, arms punching forward like Superman. They smash through into the bridge.

"Deadlock broken." The Computer said.

"Ah, Midshipman Frame. At last." The Doctor said.

"Er, but, but the Host." Frame said.

"Controller dead, they divert to the next highest authority, and that's Jared." The Doctor said, looking at me. "If he wasn't here, then I would be the next highest authority."

"I'm basically known as one of the Saviors of the Universe." I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Don't know why though. Might be a thing involved in the future."

"There's nothing we can do. There's no power. The ship's going to fall." Frame said.

"Titanic falling." The computer said.

"So, what's your first name?" Ruby asked.

"Alonso." Frame said.

"Titanic falling." The computer said.

"You're kidding me." The Doctor said.

"What?" Frame asked.

"That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y, Alonso." The Doctor said.

"Let's do this together, Spaceman." I said, as the Doctor and I spinner the ship's wheel. "I'll never get tired of this, never. Whoa! I have to be more careful."

Alarms sound as we enter the upper atmosphere, then start to burn on entry.

"We're heading towards the Earth." Jaune said; and we're into the cloud layer.

"Yeah." Ruby said, looking back at me. "What will we do?"

"Yui, I need you to patch me through." I said, as I latched the helmet of my super suit back on to see that our impact area is in west Central London. "Connect me to Buckingham Palace. This is urgent!"

"Right. This is bad." Yui said, her pixie form being in my field of vision right now.

"And as dawn rises over Great Britain, it seems that this year the city of London has escaped alien intervention. The Queen has remained in residence in defiance of extraterrestrial attack." Someone on News 24 said.

"Listen to us. Security code seven seven one. Now get out of there!" The Doctor said.

"Thanks. This is why you're my favorite AI."

I said, looking at Yui. "We couldn't have gotten through without you."

(Open POV)

Buckingham Palace…

A woman in a fluffy pink dressing gown runs down a red carpeted corridor, accompanied by a footman carrying a Corgi.

"Open the door!" A footman said.

Street...

The news seller shouts at the sky.

"Don't you dare, you aliens! Don't you dare!" Wilf said, angrily.

Bridge…

"Engines active. Engines active." The computer said.

The Doctor and Jared pulled back on the wheel, trying to get her nose up.

The Mall…

Titanic misses the Palace by inches and flies up into the sky.

"Thank you, Doctor, Jared. Thank you. Happy Christmas!" The Queen said.

As the ship levels off, everyone starts to laugh with relief.

Reception…

"Wow." Shirabe said, looking at Kirika.

"They did it!" Kirika said, hugging Shirabe. "They saved the Earth again. And we didn't have to defend it from the ground."

Bridge…

"Mission accomplished." Ruby said.

"Yeah." Jaune said. "He did it. They both did."

The portrait of Capricorn on the wall falls down into one of the remaining small fires.

"Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that's me and Jared." The Doctor said.

"We made it." Frame said.

"Not all of us. Teleport! She was wearing a teleport bracelet."

Reception...

The Doctor runs in with Jared, Ruby, and Jaune behind him.

"Rickston, sonic!" The Doctor said, while he catches his screwdriver. "Mister Copper, the teleports, have they got emergency settings?"

"I don't know. They should have." Copper said.

"She fell, Mister Copper. She fell. What's the emergency code?"

"Er, let me see." Copper said.

"What the hell are you doing?" Frame asked.

"We can bring her back." Jared said, as the Doctor works on the teleport unit. "If the Doctor can bring back Astrid, it would be a miracle."

"If a passenger has an accident on shore leave and they're still wearing their teleport, their molecules are automatically suspended and held in stasis, so if we can just trigger the shift." Copper said.

"There!" The Doctor said.

An image of Astrid appears, "I'm falling."

"Only halfway there. Come on." The Doctor said.

"I keep falling." Astrid said.

"Feed back the molecule grid. Boost it with the restoration matrix. No, no, no, no, no! Need more phase containment."

"Doctor…" Jaune said, walking up to the Doctor.

"No! If I can just link up the surface suspension."

"Doctor, she's gone just like Pyrrha." Jaune said, sadly.

"I just need to override the safety. I can do this. I can do it."

"Doctor, let her go.�� Shirabe said. "It's too late to save her. I'm sorry."

"I can do anything!" The Doctor said, angrily.

"Stop me falling." Astrid said.

"There's not enough left. The system was too badly damaged. She's just atoms, Doctor. An echo with the ghost of consciousness. She's stardust." Copper said.

"Astrid Peth, citizen of Sto. The woman who looked at the stars and dreamt of travelling. There's an old tradition." The Doctor said, kissing Astrid. "Now you can travel forever." He points sonic screwdriver at a window, which opens. Astrid turns into specks of light. "You're not falling, Astrid, you're flying."

She goes out into space. Jared then walked up to Ruby and Jaune and gave them modified vortex manipulators.

"So, we're going back home." Ruby said.

"Yeah." Jaune said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Will we ever see you again?" Ruby asked, looking at Jared.

"You will." Jared said, giving Ruby a hug. "I don't know when. But you will see me again."

"Right." Jaune said, typing in buttons into the vortex manipulator. "Bye."

Ruby and Jaune disappeared into flashes of light, and the fanboy walked up to Kirika and Shirabe.

"You did it!" Kirika said, laughing a lot.

"Yes, I did." Jared said, as Shirabe gave him a hug. "But at a cost."

"It's okay." Shirabe said. "You tried."

Later.

"The engines have stabilised. We're holding steady till we get help, and I've sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes. And they're digging out the records on Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story." Frame said.

"They'll want to talk to all of us, I suppose." Copper said.

"I'd have thought so, yeah."

"I think one or two inconvenient truths might come to light. Still, it's my own fault, and ten years in jail is better than dying."

"Doctor, Jared, I never said thank you. The funny thing is, I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?" Slade asked, when his phone rings. "Salvain. Those shares. I want them triple bonded and locked."

"Of all the people to survive, he's not the one the both of you would have chosen, is he? But if you could choose, Doctor, Jared, if either of you decide who lives and who dies, that would make you monsters." Copper said, walking up to the Doctor and Jared.

"Mister Copper, I think you deserve one of these." The Doctor said.

The Doctor, Mister Copper, Jared, Kirika, and Shirabe put on teleport bracelets. Frame salutes just before they disappear.

Hampstead Heath…

They walks across the grass to the Tardis. It is snowing.

"So, Great Britain is part of Europey, and just across the British Channel, you've got Great France and Great Germany." Copper said,

"No, no, it's just, it's just France and Germany. Only Britain is Great." The Doctor said.

"Oh, and they're all at war with the continent of Ham Erica."

"No. Well, not yet. Er, could argue that one. There she is. Survive anything." The Doctor said, looking at the TARDIS.

"You know, between you and me, I don't even thing this snow is real. I think it's the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere."

"What will we do now?" Kirika asked, eating some onigiri.

"We go back to Japan." Jared said, eating some custard creams. "That's where."

"So, normal life again." Shirabe said. "Are you okay with that?"

"Yes." Kirika said. "Are you?"

"Yeah."

"The three of us being normal." Jared said, standing in between Kirika and Shirabe. "For a little while. Along with everyone else."

"We'll still have our normal life. And the life where we fight monsters." Kirika said, smirking. "Those monsters dsserve death. As long as we save others."

"It's just petty cash. Spending money. It's all done by computer. I didn't really know the currency, so I thought a million might cover it." Copper said.

"Did you just say a million British Pounds?!" Jared exclaimed, in awe.

"That enough for trinkets?"

"Mister Copper, a million pounds is worth fifty million credits." Jared said, taking out his phone to do the currency conversion.

"How much?"

"Well, fifty million and fifty six universal credits. If we're going by 2008 standards."

"I've got money." Copper said, shocked.

"Yes, you've got money." Kirika said, happily. "A lot of it."

"Oh, my word. Oh, my Vot! Oh, my goodness me. Yee ha!" Copper said, excitedly.

"It's all yours. Planet Earth. Now, that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though." The Doctor said.

"I will, I will. Oh, I will."

"No interfering. I don't want any trouble. Just, just have a nice life."

"But I can have a house. A proper house, with a garden, and a door, and. Oh, Doctor, Jared, I will made you proud. And I can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and plates, and…" Copper said, skipping away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Shirabe asked.

"Well, I've no idea."

"No, me neither." The Doctor said.

"But Doctor, Jared, I won't forget her." Copper said, as a streak of blue starlight zig-zags across the sky.

"Merry Christmas, Mister Copper." The Doctor said, going into the Tardis, and it dematerialises.

"You know, you have enough money to start a foundation." Jared said, walking towards Copper with Kirika and Shirabe. "Use it to start a foundation. Have it so you can call me and the Doctor. When it's most needed."

"Or you can use it call us." Kirika said, still eating the onigiri. "Us Symphogear is only a phone call away."