Castle Attraction to 52

In TSV #52, I wrote a story! (W00T!1!) If I recall correctly, I came up with the concept (rather than having it suggested to me) to have links to whatever was being reviewed in the issue. In this case, it was Monster of Peladon, Hand of Fear, King's Demons and Five Doctors. Some links are more interesting that others.

The first draft of the story was different (in the details) to what was published. One such change was that Henry was originally Harry! But, as Paul pointed out, people might be thinking of a different Harry, so he got changed.

Other scenes were also revised, and seeing the differences might be interesting, but I'm hiding the rest in the fold...

When Sarah first entered the story, I withheld her identity for a paragraph. Probably to make it more exciting!

The door opened and a pair of feet touched down. They lifted off again momentarily as the owner wrestled her way out of the small car. She cursed mechanics in general, and the ones in specific who were fixing her car, necessitating this economy sized vehicle.

When the Doctor examined the device on Orion, there was far more technobabble, and there was just more waffle in general.

‘Yes,’ said the Doctor musingly. ‘And if you’re here, then I don’t think that their technology is quite virtual either. Matter transmission isn’t developed until that latter part of the 21st century, and even then it isn’t used to go beyond the moon.’ After a moment he asked ‘How long did it take you to get here?’

‘Just a moment, really. And I’ve got this so I can be recalled.’ Sarah held up the recall box, then handed it to the Doctor when he held his hand out questioningly.

In short order, the Doctor had the box open, and examined the insides. ‘Humm...hrmm...hmmm....’

‘Yes? Well?’

‘This uses temporal technology. Very dangerous. Could mean the end of the entire solar system.’

‘Doesn’t it always?’

‘This isn’t time for flippancy, Sarah Jane. We’ve got to get back and put a stop to this.’

Sarah held her hand out. ‘I do have my own way of getting back. And when I get back, I’ll tell U.N.I.T. to shut them down.’

The Doctor frowned. ‘I think I’d better follow you, just to be on the safe side.’

‘All right, fine. Can you follow the signal?’

The Doctor nodded. ‘See you on the other side, Sarah Jane.’

Sarah rolled her eyes, and pushed the button.

In the published version, the Doctor and Sarah only take the one trip, but there was a trip before that while the bad guys were still playing. I put this in because I didn't want to jump straight to the end without some competence from the bad guys, but also wanted to put in a more concrete reference to Hand of Fear than just referring to Sarah's leaving.

They disappeared. Sarah collapsed, sinking into the surface below her, gasping out her last breath, Beside her, the Doctor wasn’t coping much better. He managed to look around him, saw only mud, then a bright flash in the sky, before they were pulled back again.

Only a few hours later, something struck the surface of the planet where they had stood, a small something, a part of something like a statue, a stone hand. They lay on the floor of the booth, spluttering.

‘Interesting. You survived going back one hundred and fifty million years. So, what was the weather like?’

‘You’re tampering with forces you don’t understand,’ gasped the Doctor.

‘So you keep saying. Who are you anyway? Doesn’t matter,’ said Roger dismissively. ‘That was successful. We know we can journey into the past, but what of the future?’ To the guards, Roger said ‘Take them away. We’ll need them later, once we’re set up.’

When the Doctor and Sarah escape from the cell they didn't just walk out, but this scene was rather gratuitous violence for Sarah.

Half an hour later, the door swung open, and the Doctor beamed at Sarah. Until a guard came in and stuck his gun in the Doctor’s face.

‘I think you should know, I’m against all forms of violence,’ said the Doctor.

The guard just stared stonily at the Doctor for a moment, then a look of agony passed over his features, before he collapsed, his hands between his legs.

‘It’s amazing how many men never consider that kind of attack,’ said Sarah, revealed behind the fallen guard.

The Doctor frowned at Sarah’s method, but couldn’t argue the result. The two of them left the room rapidly.

The Doctor darted ahead, leading the way, but several turns later was paused indecisively.

There was more of a link between the second-to-last and last scene, possibly I was thinking of some form of sequel.

One of the guards aimed his gun at the Doctor. ‘I wouldn’t suggest that. U.N.I.T. has already been advised of the situation, and I don’t think killings would help your case any.’

Roger waved at the guard to put the gun down.

‘Fine. You have us. But you’ll never know our secrets.’


‘They never talked?’

‘No,’ the Doctor shook his head. ‘U.N.I.T. has them in jail, of course, for misuse of science, but they never said where their technology came from. Pity.’

Also check out what Alden and Paul have to say!

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