//------------------------------//
// Episode 2 - Scavengers Part 2 
// Story: The Doctor and Whooves 
// by Landpower 
//------------------------------//

Red dust blew from all directions. Even the sun in the sky was almost completely covered from sight. Only a faint reddish dot in the sky provided any sort of light. Chunks of metallic trash the size of boulders were blown through the sky like pieces of paper. Only one piece sat still, stubbornly refusing to move despite the winds, it was a ship 250 meters long made from thousands of different metals. Dark shadows in the dust storm stalked  towards the ship from every direction. Powerful claws kept them anchored safely to the ground and they expertly dodged any debris that flew too close to them. 

***

“So what are some ponies like yourselves doing on a planet like this?” asked the Doctor. The mare sitting in front of them gave the Doctor a cold look.
“We’re junk collectors, the company hires us to land on this planet and we make ships from the scraps that have been left here for thousands of years.” She punched a few sections on one of the screens and they began to raise into the ceiling. Soon the screens were gone without leaving any trace that they had been there. “If your health and safety I guess you’ll be wanting to check out the cold fusion core first?” Both Doctor and Whooves nodded. She turned her seat to face Rougher. “You can leave us now Rough, you know what to do.” With that he left the room and the mare rose from her seat. “You two can follow me.”

She lead them towards a different door and opened it. They all walked through it and entered a long corridor. 
“What do they call you besides boss? inquired Whooves as the made a turn. She stopped walking and turned her head towards them.
“You turn up unannounced and then you don’t even know my name,” she spat at the floor in front of the companions, “bunch of amateurs they’re sending. If you must call me something you may refer to me as Gem.” They all looked briefly at her cutie mark - a diamond surrounded by a grey circle. 

“That is an interesting cutie mark,” Whooves remarked. “What does it mean?” Gem’s voice took a sarcastic tone,
“It means how under my hard exterior there is a beautiful shining mare.” The Doctor snorted while Whooves looked shocked. 
“Really?” he asked. Gem rolled her eyes and turned back forward and started walking. 
“Not the brightest bulb is he.” The Doctor successfully managed to hold back his laughter as his pony counterpart turned red like the dust outside. 

The trio came up to a metal door with a switch to the side. Gem placed her hoof on the switch and the door slid open. She entered and the Doctor and Whooves followed here side by side. Suddenly the door snapped close behind them. Before either of them could react a metal bar flew towards Whooves. He stumbled over letting out a cry of pain. As the Doctor turned around the bar was swung again, this time hitting the back of his knees which gave out beneath him. The Doctor swung his hands out trying to steady himself but failed to grasp anything. He fell next to Whooves who was struggling to realize what was happening. Looking up , the Doctor saw Rougher standing above them with a solid iron bar grasped within his jaws. Four more ponies stepped out of the shadows and restrained them both with their hooves.

Gem jabbed the Doctor sharply in the chest.
“Who are you and what are you doing on my ship?”
“We told you we are-” Whooves stopped after looking at the Doctor, he was shaking his head. The doctor took over from Whooves. 
“I’m  the Doctor and this is my friend Time Turner. We travel space and we mean you no harm.”

“Shut up!” yelled Gem. “I knew I should’ve never trusted you. Anypony with a cutie mark like yours could never be trusted.” 
“My what now?” The Doctor looked down at his legs trying to find a non-existent mark. Gem lashed out with  hoof, hitting the Doctor on the side of his head. He felt a trickle of warm blood flow down his cheek. 
“Don’t play dumb with me, Doctor.”

“Now, you have boarded my ship and lied to me. If you hope to survive this little adventure of yours then you better have the right answer to my next question. What did you do with Rusher?!”, her voice was ice cold and full of hatred. The Doctor was the first to respond.
“I’m sorry but I don’t know who you are talking about Gem,” his voice heavy with sympathy.

Tears had begun forming in Gem’s eyes. 
“Rusher was a pro and he never came back late. What did you do to him?” This time it was Whooves turn to reply to Gem.
“I’m so sorry but we have never seen him, you have to believe us.”
“LAIR!” her shout rang throughout the entire room sending shivers up everypony’s spine. She raised her hoof again. The distressed mare bought it back down harder on Whooves. “Throw them into the storm and let them die!” The four ponies lifted them up and started hauling them towards a door.

***

Whooves was still dizzy from his blow when they stopped walking. The four ponies threw them forward and then retreated as the door sealed the Doctor and Whooves in a cramped room. A voice came from the ceiling. It was a male’s voice that was being distorted by the radio. They hadn’t heard this voice before. 
“If you talk now then Boss might let you live.” 
“Listen to me, we can help you find your friend if you just let us help,” shouted the Doctor. This time Gem’s voice could be heard. It was flat and emotionless.
“No.”

***
The figures had all surrounded the ship. Whenever they tried to touch it sparks would lash out at them. They all sat looking for a weak spot to enter. All of them could sense the energy coming from the ship. Even more tempting was the life they could feel inside it. As soon as the door opened and the shield went offline they sprang instantly, heading for the two life forms they could sense.