www.dwasonline.co.uk for membership Series Review years ago this March but and, in what is the Editorial details!) Editor John Davies who shares his first credit to this book, the text manages to by Grant Bull love of the brilliant . The Black fit this still recent living memory of Who-lore in with past and future adventures without Welcome back one and all, Our cover this time is by the always amazing Archive making the reader feel that passing decade Paul Watts. As is the norm with Paul I gave (plus one) too keenly. Firstly I would like to thank all those that him a brief for the commission and he blew downloaded #1 and said lovely things about my mind with product. Nothing I saw Launched in March 2016 from Obverse The second major credit to this book is it. The stats look good and a wide audience in my head looked this good. Incredible art. Books, is a series of book- Jon Arnold’s writing style. Although you was reached but I’m hoping this issue will Check out more of Paul’s masterpieces at length looks at single stories are frequently taken away from it through surpass those numbers though, so keep www.paulwatts-illustration.co.uk from 1963 to the present day. the abundant footnote notifications that downloading please... and not just you run throughout this book (but never to Mum! My thanks again to all those involved in this an observation that is unwarranted or issue, it would have been a blank document #1: Rose unnecessary), his delivery is crisp, economical This issue we have a nice selection of without you, so thanks for your willingness by Jon Arnold and, therefore, just as inclusive as the RTD reviews, fiction and art, along with a couple to be a part of this project. Submissions for vision of the show he is chronicling the of interviews with people behind Who further issues, feedback or virtual take-away birth of within its pages. Besides, these related projects. We also introduce a new menus can be sent to [email protected] Review by John Davies books are analytical essay of the story they feature called ‘Other than Who’ the idea It’s a well-known fact that Doctor Who began are representing, and anyone who has ever being someone is invited to discuss one of Until next time, on 23rd November 1963. It is, however, fair written such a critique knows how crucial, their other favourite shows after Doctor to state that it also started again when it expected and insightful those side-stepping Who. The first piece is by the ever-reliable G morphed into comic strips, novels, audio flips down the page can be. Celestial Toyroom (little plug there, check out dramas, when 1996 arrived (for one night only) and, of course, March 26th 2005 – I have seen Rose more times than is possibly the date it genuinely did begin for a whole healthy, to the extent that I always order generation of viewers. It is, therefore, rather a p-p-p-pizza rather than pizza when out apt that begin their Black with friends, but I’d be hard pushed to find Archive range of with an examination of that anything about the episode that Jon hasn’t second television coming, Rose. covered here. There is also a wonderful feel of modern day hindsight being used to add extra This series of books, chronicling one Doctor depth to some of the themes that started in Cosmic Masque Issue 2 Who story per edition, has a fluid approach to Rose and played throughout the whole of April 2016 how it tackles its subject matters, and allows Series One. While some might consider it Published by Who Appreciation Society for its writers to employ a variety of styles to forcing the point, I did find myself nodding Front cover by Paul Watts provide a unique feel to each fresh edition. In as I read that perhaps, Layout by Nicholas Hollands the case of Jon Arnold’s Rose, it sets out to be just perhaps, the All content is © as near an exhaustive look at the adventure Doctor’s reluctance relevant contributor/DWAS as possible, while simultaneously weaving it to use the delta Doctor Who is (C) BBC into the fabric of the series of the time, and wave in The Parting No copyright infringement is intended the time of the series (a neat trick as he’s also of the Ways CONTACT US looking back at it from now as well). was a lingering DWAS, repercussion Unit 117, Penned, or rather keyboard tapped, by the from the time 33 Queen Street, aforementioned Jon Arnold (co-editor of he remembers Horsham, Shooty Dog Thing: 2th and Claw, as well as that he, as the RH13 5AA contributor to various other projects), Rose War Doctor, FIND US ONLINE opens where Doctor Who opened for a ended the www.dwasonline.co.uk plethora of people: Miss Tyler’s ordinary life facebook.com/dwasonline and routine being derailed by something, in, and twitter.com/dwas63 someone, incredibly extraordinary. What with, the youtube.com/dwasonline is even more incredible is that our gate- Moment. crashing into Rose’s existence occurred 11 - 2 - - 3 - This speculation, and there’s more of it, is is, and she is (she’s almost the template for Smith’s clear writing style and experience in considering at the heart of what makes Rose such an Rose in the way we started to see her life tackling complicated material is very helpful both accounts engaging read. It’s not an antiseptic, medical beyond simply being ‘a ’) it’s not in terms of understanding the historical in line look at the story (which it could so easily as all-encompassing to a family audience, background of sixteenth-century France and with actual have been); it’s a run through the tale with which was the new demographic when how it is fictionalised into the events of the contemporary a fellow fan pointing at things and asking, Doctor Who came back in 2005, as a bored story. Despite this, it is still somewhat heavy accounts of the “What if…?” and “This also features in…” shop working living in a ‘that’ll do’ life. going, necessitating a can’t-tell-the-players- Massacre of St Going back to Jon Arnold’s style, this is done without-a-scorecard tour of the Reformation Bartholomew, in a way that makes the run feel as inclusive And this book is Rose, literally. It is totally in France. It is certainly worth persevering Smith concludes as the key moment in Rose when she and inclusive, often immersive, and thoroughly with the historical material, though, in order that, in this the Doctor sprint across Westminster Bridge, insightful, detailed and the prefect reference to understand how it influences the story. case, both men’s his umpteenth double take at the London point for anyone who wishes to write about interpretations are Eye fantastically behind him. The Doctor Rose in those years ahead. As people who are already fans of Smith’s valid, even if they and Rose are united in their quest, and this essays and info texts will know, Smith makes are totally at odds author is openly inviting you to join him in a something of a stock-in-trade of reassessing with each other. similar way as he sprints through this most #2: The Massacre classic serials, making him ideal for the Black Smith alludes to the significant of adventures. by James Cooray Smith Archive. In this case, he takes aim at some troubles and tensions common ideas surrounding “The Massacre”, going on behind the Rose, the character, the episode, this book, for instance that the event is sufficiently scenes of Doctor Who is an audience’s way to enter the series, that Review by Fiona Moore “obscure” that a literate 1960s audience under John Wiles’ tenure, particularly as familiar ‘known’ accepting the ‘unknown’ James Cooray Smith’s monograph on the would not have known what was about regards the clashes between the series’ so we do, too. Rose, the episode, also 1966 story “The Massacre”, by John Lucarotti to happen to the characters, or that the production team and William Hartnell, encapsulates one of RTD’s raison d’être’s in (with rewriting by , of which “straight historicals” can be taken as serious without developing these extensively and writing: the focus on, and elevation of, the more later) is a detailed analysis of issues stories rather than fantasies, pointing out explicitly, but the intended audience of the ordinary individual into the obtainment of surrounding the narrative, its writing and that many of them were tacitly based on book will undoubtedly be familiar with the greatness, on whatever level (often before it production, by an author who has clearly then-recent films or other popular fictional background. Smith also considers, in this is taken away). And that human doorway was done extensive research into all areas works, with even “” taking context, Lucarotti’s novelisation of his story there in 1963, too. If it wasn’t for the very surrounding the programme. inspiration from A Funny Thing Happened in the 1980s, in which Lucarotti takes a quite human Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton, On The Way To The Forum (although “The different approach to the 1960s serial. there wouldn’t have been the Rose by The Black Archive is a series of short volumes Aztecs” is harder to explain). Smith makes any other name we know from the Powell (published by Obverse Books), whose aim the point that the events of the Massacre Somewhat inevitably, Smith also has to Estate. Within this book, though, there is is to produce detailed monographs of 20- were still a common talking point in 1960s tackle the vexed question of what the story’s an assertion that this audience link was 40,000 words, each of which analyses France, and, for the English, at least familiar actual title ought to be, though even here somehow lost as the TARDIS was populated a single Doctor Who story. As such, it’s to audiences through Dumas’ novel La Reine there is value in having an outline of which with a rotation of alien companions, or those aimed at fans and researchers seeking Margot, which had been the subject of a title appears on which document. Finally, I not from Earth, as the show ran on past the more historical and analytical detail than 1954 film. Although Smith does not make found the appendix on Dodo Chaplet made early 70s. As Tegan and Peri are from Earth, is usually provided in general-audience the connection, it is another reminder that for fascinating reading, making it clear how just not the UK, perhaps that observation guidebooks. The structure of this volume 1960s and 1970s-era Doctor Who tended little the modern audience really does know should have said, ‘not from Britain’? And consists of a main essay covering the story to assume a greater degree of literacy than the character, given that not very much then there’s Mel and . It’s possibly just in general, followed by detailed discussions modern audiences are used to, something visual material survives from her tenure, and loose wordage in an otherwise spot on of each episode, concluded by appendices also tacitly indicated when Smith notes the where the crucial gaps in the information observation because, as the original run of on relevant subjects. In the interests of full ways in which Lucarotti draws on Brechtian lie. In passing Smith also considers why the Doctor Who lived through the late 70s and disclosure, I will state that my name appears theatrical techniques to give us brief snippets pairing of a companion from the far future 80s, the companions were frequently alien, the acknowledgements, as I provided some of contemporary life and politics as the story with one from the present or past (as with from outside the UK, to go back to Mel and factual information about French language goes along. Jamie and Zoe) works particularly well. Ace, a computer programmers that possibly and French customs. However, I did not couldn’t work out, “10 print Mel, 20 goto advise on content otherwise, and this is the Of particular value is Smith’s analysis of John This volume would be ideal for anyone with 10. Run” and a teenage tearaway that blew first time I have seen the manuscript in full. Lucarotti and Donald Tosh’s contradictory a scholarly interest in 1960s television and a up prize winning pig pottery collections, accounts of the scriptwriting process, good background knowledge of Hartnell-era probably the day after burning down an old The text is well written, full of the dry wit culminating in both writer and script Doctor Who, and certainly recommended house, cursing her mother as it fell. Not really which fans of Smith’s info texts on the Doctor editor accusing each other of producing a reading for many members of the DWAS. inclusive personas. However wonderful Ace Who DVDs have come to appreciate, and historically inaccurate narrative. Through - 4 - - 5 - #3: The Ambassadors women to totter about in crippling heels for avoiding the undisciplined but easy method sadly marred by a combination of ludicrous hours on end. Just a guess. of moving the chronology round to match her plotting and abominable characterisation. of Death thoughts. In this way she piggy-backs on the As Purser-Hallard’s exploration of these The reason I bring all this up is that culture is serial’s plot to lend a sense of development episodes is not so grounded in the real-world by LM Myles fluid, but artefacts of culture are not. While to her thoughts so that, for example, an early and the factual as its immediate predecessor our twenty-first century attitudes to race are chapter on feminism in the seventies carries in the series, it is reliant on our goodwill #4: / (or at least should be) more sophisticated a feeling of making progress rather than towards the subject under discussion in than those of Shakespeare’s day, The merely rehashing dead matter. order to maintain our interest. Merchant of Venice survives as is, preserving in aspic those elements of another age for The second measure is the application of real- Unfortunately, the subject under discussion by Philip Purser-Hallard us to unpack and, inevitably, misunderstand. world knowledge. In addition to the political is, at least to begin with, Danny Pink. To his And the aspic is spreading; modern data theory, Myles proves both knowledgeable credit, Purser-Hallard does discuss the fact Review by Allan Lear storage techniques have ensured that ever- and interesting in the field of real-life space that ’s delicate portrayal greater amounts of cultural debris are travel, and I would recommend this volume can only lighten so much of the manipulative preserved indefinitely. If these are to be for her potted history of British space behaviour that Pink-the-character indulges Dark and Deep understood, they need to be examined in the research alone. In this she fulfils the double in. Unfortunately, the more Purser-Hallard I was talking to a friend today about The greater context of the surrounding culture, function of giving you all the information talks about Danny Pink, the more obvious it Merchant of Venice. That doesn’t normally otherwise we are liable to leap to foolish you need to understand the essentials while becomes that he is avoiding drawing the only happen, by the way; I’m not going all conclusions. also leaving enough intriguing loose ends possible conclusion: that as a character, Pink Jonathan Jones on you, trying to pretend floating to make you want to look further. is a botch job, stapled together from two or that I belong to some imaginary elite of high- All of which is by way of introduction to the A bibliography also helps point you in the three basic character traits and never unified minded intellectuals who do nothing all day Black Archive series from Obverse Books, a direction of further reading if you should as a believable person. On the way there but pontificate on matters of art. Most of the series of critical thinkpieces each taking a be interested in finding out how America are some peculiar omissions; although some time we talk about Marvel films, like anyone single Doctor Who story and applying the “accidentally nuked” Britain’s first orbital time is spent on the Doctor’s perception of normal. But a friend of mine asked me which tools of literary and media criticism to throw satellite. Pink as a PE teacher, and the fact that the one The Merchant of Venice was, and was it light on their context and examine some of point is repeatedly belaboured that he is in the one with the pound of flesh; and I agreed their subtler aspects. The series aims to do Black Archive #3 is a wholly successful fact a maths teacher, there is no mention that it was, and said that you don’t see it so for Doctor Who what the popular American exercise of its type. Skilfully written, of the fact that his first heroic moment much these days because some people think Philosophy and Popular Culture series has engaging, persuasive and knowledgeable, it comes in the form of a ludicrous backflip of it as anti-Semitic (although I personally done for a variety of popular shows and is precisely the sort of exemplar that would that came from the repertoire of no maths think you have do some cherry-picking to films: to recast them in the light of serious want to make you keep an eye out for the teacher I ever met. Similarly, Purser-Hallard make that argument). And what my friend academic evaluation and demonstrate that rest of the series. As a consequence, it discusses Pink’s aversion to the officer said – and the reason I mention this at all there are serious questions posed by even comes as something of a let-down to move class and, separately, makes a note that his – was that we’re all prisoners of our own this most escapist of TV programmes. onto Black Archive #4: Dark Water / Death in birth name is Rupert without linking these culture. Heaven and see it stumble into all the same two thoughts together (“Rupert” being, in Obviously one of the key elements in the traps that Myles so adeptly avoided in her popular culture at least, British Army slang What he meant was that because we’re so success of an endeavour such as this is the volume. for a commissioned officer). immersed in, and permeated by, the mores selection of episodes and the matching of and attitudes of our time and place that expertise to the themes you wish to The first problem with That the other companion character under it is genuinely difficult to understand an explore, and Black Archive #3: The Black Archive #4 is, let discussion is Clara, the Girl Who Killed alternative perspective. By his own lights, Ambassadors of Death has made us be frank, the choice Jeopardy, speaks for itself. Shakespeare’s treatment of race issues was this match wonderfully. The risk that of subject matter. normal, perhaps even progressive; the fact you will always run by indulging in ’s brief Even where the pickings are richer, such as that five hundred years later it might seem metatextual analysis is that the critique tenure as the Doctor with the discussion of transgender issues a little infra dig would never have occurred. will become detached from anything has undeniably been surrounding Missy, there’s an unfortunate By the same token, what do we do that will meaningful to the reader and will a roaring success, but stalling effect as Purser-Hallard disappears set the hackles rising on our morally superior disappear into its own navel. Author LM really only as far as the up an alley to debate with the opinion of descendants? Many would plump for meat- Myles avoids this trap by means of two Doctor himself goes. some other “fanalyst” regarding the gender eating, but I suspect that a hundred years simple but effective measures. The first Apart from a small fluidity of ’s previous incarnations, from now people will look back and wonder is an understanding of pace; evidently a handful of standout rather than setting out the argument for what the hell we were thinking forcing big fan of Ambassadors, she matches her episodes, the rest of the reader himself; the consequent effect analysis neatly to the plot of the serial, his tenure has been is of reading the argument , with - 6 - - 7 - the conclusion argued before the proof is episodes rather than with the author. As the presented. A chapter describing the nature other volumes of the Black Archive – both of the cyberpunk subgenre and discussing those already released and those announced whether Dark Water / Death in Heaven fit for release this year – are sticking to classic the description is good on William Gibson but Who for now, I see no reason why the sadly superficial on the implications of real- unqualified success of volume #3 could not world technology where, after all, crawling be repeated. progress to the human brain communicating directly with computers is still made in fields such as prosthetics.

The final chapter, like a hero from a Shakespearian tragedy, is belatedly cognisant of the problems that have beset it. Purser- Hallard explains to the reader that the second Capaldi series has necessitated a complete re-write of the book in the light of further developments, and I couldn’t help wonder whether a complete re-think might have been the better part of valour. In the nineteen sixties, President Nixon is said to have asked Zhou Enlai, then Premier of the People’s Republic of China, what the effect on world history of the French Revolution had been. Enlai’s supposed response is that it was too early to tell. Until Capaldi steps down from the role of the Doctor, it is impossible to frame any of his episodes in the context of his overall character development, and I’m afraid that any assessment of his character arc through Dark Water / Death in Heaven can be summed up in Zhou Enlai’s phrase.

These books have been my introduction to the Black Archive series and, as you can see, my impressions are somewhat mixed. The Black Archive books I will certainly be keeping an eye on future developments and will quite definitely be are available from the on the lookout for any further instalments penned by the estimable Ms Myles, whose Obverse Books website volume I enjoyed very much. While I can’t muster the same enthusiasm for Mr Purser- www.obversebooks.co.uk Hallard’s contribution, I do maintain that the problem lies chiefly with the choice of

Paul Griffin

- 8 - - 9 - Interview Saukrates), a rap collective also from Toronto musical element that excites/inspires me; drama and humour, writing the songs in such known as Monolith, Indie Toronto rapper sometimes that’s a sample, sometimes that’s a way was a “no-brainer.” Shad, Vancouver rapper Moka Only, my own a bassline (or melody played on another type More or Les national crew Backburner - and that’s just a of instrument) I made up myself. It changes As an artist how you feel about the current by Grant Bull few… There are lots more worth a ! with almost every song. state of music distribution? Does it help or hinder artists? Cosmic Masque talks to Canadian rap artist Now onto the Doctor Who bit! How did your In terms of Doctor Who, who is ‘your’ More or Les about his love of Doctor Who mixtape ‘Bigger on the Inside’ come about? Doctor? Favourite era and serial? Musicians these days have the Internet as and his Who inspired mixtape ‘Bigger on the the way to get music out - either selling/ Inside’ I wanted to make something in honour of Favourite Doctor: the Fourth (), distributing &/or promoting the selling of hard the 50th anniversary, but didn’t know how then the Tenth (technically eleventh) David copies online - and it’s mostly great - mostly. Firstly, can you introduce yourself and tell to approach it. And then I was inspired by Tennant The challenges are standard stuff really - us how you got into the hip-hop scene? my rap homie Wordburglar - he released the competing with like-minded individuals and GiJoe mixtape “Welcome to Cobra Island”! Favourite serials/episodes: competing with the Corporations who can My name is Les. I go by More Or Les. I started Seeing how well that was received, I felt that use their larger resources to dominate their DJ’ing at age 12 (thanks to my older brother), I could make a mixtape that was true to the “Genesis of the ” chosen market and make up for any perceived writing raps at 16, and producing at 18. My show and myself. “The Fires of Pompeii” “lack of cool.” Being online hasn’t changed first album was released independently in “The Inversion” that competition at all IMHO. But something 2003. The subject and sound are so well “ In Space” to note: with most things online tied into represented, there seems to be real passion “The Stolen Earth / Journey’s End” Social Media, Artists have to be willing to Musically or otherwise what artists/people driving this? “” jump into that aspect wholeheartedly, and influence you or inspire you? “” not all musicians are into that. (But worse to Thanks! I guess it has to do with my grand “The Eleventh Hour” me is when all they’re about is Social Media, In terms of writing, I’m constantly influenced appreciation of the show. I’ve been watching “” and don’t actually care to make good music) by things going on around me - stuff I’ve it since I was a kid. “The Girl Who Waited” overheard from friends, colleagues, social Can you tell us of your future plans or media, news, etc. Sometimes my material The sampling on this mixtape is brilliantly Why do you think Doctor Who inspires projects? What can we look forward too? is a direct response to current events. In crafted, how important is the balance such great creativity amongst its fandom? terms of music, I’m currently enjoying a between samples and new sounds in such My next full album, titled “Blow the F—K lot of Electro-influenced songs with bass- a project? Doctor Who - primarily before it was revived up But Stay Humble” will be released in the heavy beats in off-kilter rhythms. One of my - was a show that did the best it could with summer time of this year! Things are still favourite Hip-Hop groups at the moment is For me, that varies from song to song, a limited special effects budget that didn’t the works, but it looks like I’ll have some a duo based in the UK named “Strange U” - project to project. If the beats are coming include the easier go-to of CGI. I feel those interesting guest rappers on the project. great awkward-sounding beats with spacey, from someone else, I never know what the kind of limitations force a certain level of The over-reaching theme is addressing ego, comic-book-super-hero tinged, sci-fy raps. ratio is of composed music to sampling - and creativity to come forth. A traveller able to hubris and good ol’ fashioned trash-talk! Awesome stuff! I never ask. There isn’t a need to - if I like it, I go anywhere and anytime makes for a large Watch out for that Mid-2016!! wanna rap on it, and that’s that. If it’s a beat number of possibilities, and I think that leads Canadian hip-hop seems to be a hive of made by me, I usually just start with some fans to think with large imaginations. Thank you to More or Les for taking time out activity, with a number of highly talented to talk to us. Find out more via his website: artists emerging. How have you seen this Your rhyming style is that of intelligent word moreorles.bandcamp.com. grow over your career? play, it makes the listener sit up and think, along with a nice mix of humour. How do A person currently considered the most you approach this in terms of writing? popular “rapper” in the world known as Drake is from Toronto. Before him however, With a project like the Dr. Who Mixtape - one there have been lots of talented rappers about specific characters - I really wanted truer to the essence of the culture. Just to get music that best exemplified their to name a few: Toronto rapper Maestro personalities. So it was the mood of the Fresh Wes came out in the late 80’s/early music that made it easy to write the songs 90’s, followed by Vancouver rap group - I felt more focussed in my approach than The Rascalz, Toronto Rap crew The Circle usual as a result - obviously a good thing. And (includes Kardinal Offishall, Choclair, & since the show is always a mix of adventure, - 10 - - 11 - Review There is a love for the source material Fiction For much of his life, paradoxically, the that shines through. The album gives a Master has been dead. Reaching the end condensed history of a show which has, of his thirteenth life, he began to emaciate. Bigger on the Inside as Les puts it, "500 years of adventure but A History of the Throughout the Doctor’s fourth life he made feels like 50." The lyrical style focuses more several attempts at restoring himself to life, A Time Traveller's on clever word play that will include nods Time War eventually settling on taking the life ofa and references for hardcore fans while also by William Turner nobleman of Traken. It was in this body that Mixtape being straightforward enough not to alienate he spent many years, before a freak accident casual fans such as myself. If you are a fan 2: The and Master plan, By Cardinal left him back in his true, decaying form. Again, by More or Les of either Dr Who, rap music or both its well Turner, secretary to President of he tried desperately to regenerate himself, worth the listen. And if you're not a fan, the High Council of but the Doctor, at this time in his seventh Review by Richard Colleran try giving it a listen anyway, you may be body, managed to prevent him. Eventually, I will have to commit some mild blasphemy pleasantly surprised. After all, I was. The renegade known as the Master the Master found on Skaro which, at here and prefix this review by saying I am by is a peculiar individual of our history. For this time, was on good terms with Gallifrey, no means a huge Dr Who fan. But to make up many, his eternal struggle with the Doctor at a time when, it was believed, President for that I must be a huge fan of the rap genre forms a part of the central narrative of the Romana had achieved peace in the midst of a right? Well....no. To be honest, out side a few Time War, whilst for others it is the Doctors’ Cold War. Returning his remains to Gallifrey, of the more mainstream groups I was never constant involvement with, and consequent the Doctor soon found himself embroiled in much of fan. Then by chance, on holiday in inability to pacify, the Daleks that forms the a plot engineered by the Master to take his Canada a few years ago I stumbled across a core narrative, whilst his encounters with remaining lives. Regenerating into his Eighth tavern hosting a 'nerd noise night'. Now as the Master serve to illustrate the political body, the Doctor saw the Master plummet a card carrying nerd, this had my attention. backdrop of the Time Lord Citadel in the into the depths of the Eye of Harmony. And years leading up to conflict. It is true, then, there he stayed. Sort of. He did manage to Amongst the other bands that played that that the Doctor’s adventures can be said to find a way out, an unexplained impossibility, night one artist stood out, 'nerd-core' rapper illustrate the building of tensions that have after which he began to exploit the corrupt More or Les. Finally, this was rap I could now escalated into maddening war. CIA. Endangering the Doctor’s lives, the appreciate. He previewed a song from his Master ultimately failed, finding himself latest album, which he called "a love letter On the subject of madness, the Master very near death indeed. Only the Time Lords to Dr Who." That song was 'Bigger on the himself had been struck by insanity from could help him. And they did. inside' the title track from his 'Bigger on the an early age. Despite being playmates Inside: A time traveller's mixtape' album. It on the rolling hills of our homeland, the accomplished two tasks: 1) I found a form of Master always appeared more promising rap I could identify with and 2) I wanted to than the Doctor, who very few believed learn more about Dr Who. would make it as a Time Lord. However, the tides turned when the two stared into the Luckily this album does a good job of both. untempered schism, and the Master was This concept album gives a brief overview struck with insanity. For many years this of the Dr who mythos, with songs devoted was a mystery, until recently leaked files to longtime the Dr's villains the Daleks and from the minutes of the final High Council the Cybermen as well as an explanation of meeting of the Time War suggest that it was the Dr's origin and his relationship with both our glorious President, Lord Rassilon himself, his companions and his 'magic box'. The who did place a never ceasing drum-beat songs sample heavily from the series and the into the mind of the Master as a key to the beats compliment the lyrics perfectly. 'The salvation of his race. Unfortunately, the plans sound of the Drums' has a hypnotic drum evidently did not succeed. We have been left beat that empathises The Master telling at the mercy of the Doctor, locked in a pocket the listener that 'you will obey me, while on universe, awaiting our freedom. However, 'Tenth planet' Les gives his voice a metallic there are whispers that there is a way of echo to mimic the Cybermen on whom the escape, since all traces of the Master (now song is based. Mistress) have recently disappeared, despite the efforts of the High Council to reassure us that he remains in captivity. - 12 - - 13 - At this time, the Daleks and their time error, the Time Lords turned to the Doctor Fiction It was minor to a Time War offensive, but it controller were beginning to rebuild, with once more to put a stop to the Master’s still made him feel sick to the core. their threat to the Time Lords now renewed. madness, which now involved collaboration Romana was no longer President, and it with the Daleks which was putting major Boots for the Wolf Rose had bootstrapped her own memories. was obvious that the Doctor was incapable stress on the timelines. Cross lacing had been the exact slang for it at of bringing peace between the two races. By Richard Wright the Prydonian Academy. Something had to be done. Someone more The Doctor succeeded and before too long The Doctor held Rose briefly in the TARDIS. cunning was required. The Master was was embroiled with threats closer to home, The Doctor closed his eyes. Trying to find that restored to life. such as The Eleven. Despite his best efforts, “There is nothing more you could have relationship with time that had allowed him the Daleks are very difficult to defeat outright, done.” to walk through the fans on Platform One. Difficult to keep a lid on, this Master tried and so they continued to plot and rebuild. various schemes such as infiltrating UNIT When war finally did come, attitudes toward *** as a supposed future incarnation of the the Doctor were mixed. Many begged for his Doctor, before further travelling back along presence, since he was the only Time Lord “You alright there.” The Doctor jerked his the Doctor’s timeline to meet his Fifth, Sixth capable of engaging with the Daleks at all, head round sharply, to see Rose had returned. and Seventh selves before finally performing whereas others saw his constant meddling He had lost some time and that was odd. the duty awarded to him: creating an enemy as having created the current climate and/or capable of stopping the Daleks. Sadly, the made things worse. For the Doctor, however, Rose had fixed her make up she seemed Eminence were not easy to control, and such gossip was irrelevant: all of time and slightly predatory more confident as she though they appeared to pose a lesser space was burning. He wanted no part in this moved towards him. threat to Gallifrey, their threat to the rest war: he would help where he could, but he of creation was much greater. Noting their would not fight. “What we did was right Doctor.” She said it like a certain truth.

“I... I am sure it was Rose. More than that, it was fantastic.” But in his mind, there was “I know...” said Rose. “The Reapers. I get a sense, not an image not a word, just... The it.” She pushed away from him and left the Moment of the Wolf.... orange coral light of the console room. She was probably going to ’s room, it had And just for a second he thought he glimpsed an air of sanctuary about it. a reflection of the vortex in the eyes of Rose.

“Stupid Doctor!” He banged the console and the Trill phone rattled gently in its cradle.

Why had he agreed to take her to her to see her Father. Why has the TARDIS allowed it. Why had he allowed her to try again. Why had the TARDIS allowed that?

He caressed the console where he had banged it.

“We fought the Time War together.” He looked up at the arch of the ceiling and at the central light. “What are you doing, what are you allowing?”

Most times you travel into the past and discover you were destined to be there - but Rose had altered her past. The Doctor could feel the queasy ripples affecting all of reality. - 14 - - 15 - Other than Who - Red Dwarf time without remote controls!) but there’s Immature or subversively clever? Naffed now.’ I’ve replayed that one a few times in only so many times he wanted to sit through if I know – but I do know that a number of my head. Online I believe the hashtag would the same episodes of ‘Allo! ‘Allo! - whereas people, even those in Cygnus Alpha, seem to be #Ooops To the Memory my mother and I were quite happy to press think the show is immature and strewn with play and recite the scripts as they played out fart gags. Now, it has its immature moments Talking of oops, something that is worth of the Memory of with beloved familiarity. It wasn’t just ‘Allo! – and huzzah for them – and a number of keeping in mind is that the characters in ‘Allo! but you get my drift. knob gags (I’m looking at you – and, Red Dwarf are not exactly role models. Monday Nights yes, you Rimmer – put that hammer down!) In fact, you could go so far as to say they I can’t quite remember how we first heard but fart gags? My saddles are blazed if I can all have traces of… well, being rather less by John Davies about Red Dwarf but I do know we were think of a single one. There’s a reverse poo than desirable. is the epitome of vanity, there on Monday 15th February 1988, sat gag but…. anyway, going back, what followed Kryten incredibly neurotic (especially for an Red Dwarf will always have a special place in together on the sofa, tuned into BBC2 with that evening (Monday 15th February 1988 - I android), Rimmer is, well, Rimmer and as for my heart. Is this down to the characters, the a VHS tape in the machine, recording remote did my research so I wanna make good use of Lister… well, if slobby-chique is your thing, fill plots, the actors, the laughs, the occasional in hand, waiting for it to start. Roughly half my Google-Buck) was atypical of the show’s your boots – before he fills them with curry – and very real - pathos and the, ‘Fish! Fish! an hour later, with, ‘Everybody’s dead, Dave!’ early run (i.e. it featured a fully staffed Dwarf] and lager. And yet, despite all this, they are FISH!’? Quite frankly, no. Well, yes – and then already destined to be a much repeated line but, by the end (Ouch! Painful pun) with the all totally wonderful, too. They are flawed, again, no. They all had a part however it’s between us, we looked at each other and main crew dead (all of them, Dave) and only which is why we can identify with and like much more to do with how I watched it, and nodded. We had another ‘Allo! ‘Allo! to one human alive – a human saddled with a them. All of them. Yes, even Rimmer – even with whom. watch. bickering hologram of his former bunk mate, the most self-centred hologram (nee human) a pitch perfect reverse anthropomorphism is so fundamentally broken by his childhood I watched it with mother. And re-watch. of a cat and a Universe-weary sounding that we can overlook some of his excesses computer - the scene was set for a character and he genuinely has his moments of not Monday night was the night of the week A lot. focussed and dialogue driven series. The being a total Smeg Head. Not many, but they when my dad went to the local working beginning - as it states on the pre-fun, fun, are there. men’s club for a pint and a game of snooker. The miss-footing tone caught us from the fun end credits. This meant that until I reached the age where word go. Now, to this day the opening credits The show also has the distinction of being I, too, wanted to have a pint myself, once a of Seasons One and Two are my favourite (as And it was, and is, a series that I continue to extremely chameleonic. With most Sit-Coms week my mother and I would settle down are the seasons themselves) – always will be. share primarily with my mother. While she within a few episodes you have a feel for the and watch what we wanted on the television. But jump back to 1988. This was billed as a was, and is, a Doctor Who fan, that show was flavour and, cast changes aside, this rarely Now, don’t get me wrong, my dad was never comedy and yet it started with a very sombre really shared between me and my dad. With differs and familiar territory is re-trodden a major television controller (although theme and a model shot that rivalled a great Red Dwarf I had a Science-Fiction series that over the years (yes ‘Allo! ‘Allo! he would break short many others – even cinematically. Frame I could share with my mum. And boy – was - much as I love you, I distance running after frame of this huge… Dwarf… filled the it shared! With my dad I had the Brigadier, am looking at you – records to cross screen, with a plaintive horn, organ heartbeat Tegan, K-9, the TARDIS (the dimensionally you over squeezed the room to and piano-twinkle accompaniment. And it transcendental list goes on) and, of course, orange you). turn over was called The End. I remember catching my the Doctor; with my mum there was Lister, With Red Dwarf whenever mother’s eye and raising an eyebrow. Yeah Rimmer, , Cat, Kochanski and Kryten. there are distinct he heard – text book comedy, obviously. But … it had Although it all started on a Monday night, eras. Seasons a soap started with someone painting the hull. That and continued thus for a number of seasons, One and Two, opera was … funny? Hang on in? Another eyebrow it spilled like a stasis leak, a white hole – a already noted as theme raise and we did. Thank goodness! The show magic door! - into school lunch breaks then my favourites, tune then cut to two technicians routinely doing trips home from Uni… to buying her Season although – yes, their, err, routine, bickering, and the comedy Ten for last Christmas. I even bought her the the cheapest there staple of two people who dislike each other Series VII book at a signing in Manchester looking of the really being forced to work together made me and had it signed by Norman Lovett, Doug bunch, had great w a s nod and . We were in familiar, almost Naylor and Chloë Annett. Oh, Norman! I still dialogue and feel a Steptoe and Son territory, be that in space. blush when I remember bringing up the story like a complete And then, to start the love affair which lasts of Poppy, your beloved dog, who wiped her run. From Season to this day, within 5 minutes, I had a new bum across your carpet – and how I missed Three to Six, with the phrase in my vocabulary: Smeg. Like Porridge Chloë’s subtle nod to drop the subject. introduction of a re- before it, Red Dwarf invented a swear word However, I do smile when I recall how you vamped themes and an so the characters could swear on the BBC. said, in true dead-pan Holly style, ‘She’s dead injection of cash (and - 16 - - 17 - Kryten full time) there was a new dynamic after a return to form Season Ten under its Review to the presentation and analysis of the and this worked well and this era features belt. mundane, and indeed the acclaim of some many fan favourite episodes – although, to of its more successful practitioners – such as my taste, it did become a tad formulaic as And, even though we live miles apart now, You and Who Else Will himSelf – is at least partially based in an we wondered which genetically engineered my mother still watches and we can still by J R Southall (ed.) apparent reviewers’ agreement that they will life form the ‘boys from the Dwarf’ would be quote huge chunks of dialogue at each other ignore the fact that the author’s work is, by running away from this week. It also fell foul – much to the eye-rolling bemusement of my Review by Allan Lear any sensible definition, of a “soft SF” or, at of the ‘repeated meme’ issue so prevalent in dad. the very least, slipstream nature. With big other Sit-Coms as Ace Rimmer and Dwayne Science fiction as a genre is a notoriously ideas on tap and a multitude of perspectives Dibley popped up as a quick, sure fire way to My mother and I do have another show in difficult beast to pin down. Sometimes it from which to analyse them, it should come get a whoop from the audience. After a gap, common, Star Trek: The Next Generation, seems as though everyone’s definition is as no surprise that the secondary industry of Seasons Seven and Eight appeared and, while and I still recall my mum calling me at Uni different, as when a bookselling giant like SF critique is a huge and thriving behemoth in not exactly popular with fans for a number of and having a mutual, “Noooo!” moment Waterstone’s can find itself in trouble with its own right. Where the analysis and critique reasons (the disappearance of Rimmer, the after Tasha met her end in a tar pit in Skin the fan base for lumping sci-fi in with fantasy. of the so-called canon of literary classics is absence of the spark of previous scripts due of Evil, but it will always be Red Dwarf that No doubt the chimerical aspect of the genre the elitist preserve of a few self-appointed to abandoning ship and, of course, holds that number one chart position. There is part of the reason it has frequently found blowhards endlessly recycling their Classics ‘the other Kochanski’ – with whom I’ve never can’t be many people who can look back to itself ghettoised by self-appointed doormen degrees (and occasionally being taken to task had an issue) I admired the attempt to put a Monday night where they sat with their of the literary portals; as is implicit even in by Clive James), debate on the nature of SF the many genetically engineered life forms mother watching her laugh ‘til she was the dichotomous label of “science fiction”, lives in the hearts and on the monitors of to bed and return to a focus of character almost crying as Rimmer walked in to catch it is not only unruly, but positively self- every sci-fi fan with a Facebook account. based dialogue as seen in Season One and Lister and Kryten in a compromising position contradictory. It embraces complex and Two. And then, of course, we have the new – but I’m heartedly glad that I can. densely-written series of the hardest SF, Nowhere is the lively and multifarious Dave epoch – which, after a well-meaning inaccessible to the average casual reader; it nature of “fanalysis” more clearly on display but not totally successful run in Back to Earth So, thank you Red Dwarf! Whenever I watch embraces slick and stylish presentation of than in You and Who Else, a substantial (watch if seen as film, not individual episodes you the slime’s truly gone home. And always genuine scientific theory in a way that can tome presented by JR Southall collecting – works better) is now back on track with on a Monday. be understood by the relatively unschooled the memories and impressions that British Season Eleven due to start filming in October layman. Despite the reams of works which genre television has left on its generations could without undue cruelty be lumped of fans. Stretching right back to the 1950s under Steve Aylett’s memorable summary and up-to-date as of last year, You and Who heading of “’fantasy’, ‘escapism’ and ‘shite’” Else is an impressively broad church which there are myriad that effect a powerful satire is determinedly undogmatic about what on our existing society or which anticipate counts as “science fiction” (yes, of course the technological change with alarming precision. Clangers count. Don’t be silly). And despite the fact that sci-fi is universally disparaged as poorly written with shoddy Naturally, the contributions in You and Who characterisation and no workable dialogue, Else are choppy in quality. In an anthology many SF creators insist on producing not only of this sort it would be unrealistic to expect immensely polished material, but material anything else. Some contributors are that has a more sustained impact on the interested in the prevailing social context public consciousness than all but the most in which the shows were broadcast, while ubiquitous of non-genre practitioners. others are more interested in a nostalgic wallow in their days of happy childhood, as Hydra-headed as SF is, it should come as reimagined by an author old enough to know no surprise that it is also the genre which better. While this lends the book an uneven provokes the most intense discussion and feel and can cause some jarring tonal shifts, analysis amongst its fan base, not to mention it also leavens the deeper and drier articles the most affectionate imitation. Jeeves and with some human interest which helps to Wooster may be loved and treasured by jolly the 800-odd pages along. In this respect millions, but very few write them into slash the book actually produces an interesting fiction. SF also has the advantage in terms double narrative effect; some articles can be of ideas; “literary” fiction, no matter how linked together to produce a social history piercingly observed, is by its nature shackled of the development of British SF, while - 18 - - 19 - others introduce (authors-as-) characters Nigel (K)Neale, one can’t help but wish that Fiction through the grey-yellow corridors of his to show you what the consumer made of it another pass through proofing had been home, seeking sanctuary. without the advantage of knowing its wider possible. significance. Consider Him Gone And then one of them had died, screaming Still, it is churlish to complain excessively by Ewen Campion-Clarke in pain. JR Southall really has done an exceptional about such matters. What is important is job in bringing together this quantity of the impression left with the reader; and (AKA “James Kyle”) hugged the coat tighter. He still participants, some of them noted genre what this reader got from You and Who Else remembered that horrible, sparkling contributors in their own right, and deserves was a prevailing happy glow. Too often fans It had taken nine hours and forty-eight nothingness erasing him inch by painful congratulations for the range and extent of allow themselves to be fragmented along minutes of searching, but Adric had finally inch as his friends watched on. They’d let support he is obviously able to elicit from tribal lines and indulge in self-indulgent located the corridor junction where the him die. Of course, they couldn’t have saved the wider SF fandom. Where he cannot conflict. You and Who Else is a heartwarming burgundy overcoat lay discarded on the him anyway, but a tiny part of him no longer be congratulated, unfortunately, is in his reminder that more unites us than divides us. floor. The new Doctor had used it as a way trusted them. They’d let the Master capture editorial diligence in producing this volume. As a paean to some of the great successes to find his way through the TARDIS labyrinth him, they’d let him perish, they’d run away to No doubt looming deadlines played a part, of British science fiction history, and asa to the Zero Room; now the Zero Room was and never lifted a finger to come as any endeavour reliant on volunteer rhapsody on the benefits such fare has in gone and the labyrinth had been completely and rescue him… contributions will inevitably run afoul of the bringing the intelligent child safely through arranged. stopwatch, but You and Who Else really does the world, Y&WE is a valuable testament Adric closed his eyes, fighting the panic. suffer from an overabundance of basic errors to the fact that while SF can generate Adric picked up the garment, surprised in English composition. Tautologies and the disproportionate contumely from outside, at how heavy it was. No wonder the new He was overwrought. He needed sleep. dreaded dangling participle abound on all from within it is defended by a plenitude of Doctor had shed it like a reptile discarding sides and, yes, I know I’m being picky, but unregimented but devout disciples. its skin, it was too much for his slight frame It had been a long day. when the first two articles on Quatermass to support. It was a deadweight, holding him can’t agree on the name of series creator back, crushing him. ***

He fingered the chartreuse-green lining of After the fifth consecutive nightmare woke the coat, noting how cold it was. Of course, it him up, Adric abandoned attempts to sleep. would not have been very warm if the Doctor His head was aching wildly and he unleashed had just taken it off, given his low body his fury onto his pillows until the tangled temperature. But it was hard not to think of bedclothes finally hampered his movement You and Who Else is as the clothes of someone long dead. and he had to stop. available from Watching Adric cradled the jacket in his arms. He had He dreamed of being caught in that electrified done this before, he thought. Yet he hadn’t. web, the Doctor – the real Doctor, the old Books He had been here before, picked up the Doctor, the one in the silly scarf – had been coat, looked around wildly in a panic for the reaching out for his help. Adric hadn’t been man his friend had become. But at the same able to move, literally pinned into place. time he’d been skewered in a web of wires The Doctor’s face had twisted with fear and and cables, tortured with electric shock and anger and pain as he’d fallen away. watchingbooks.weebly.com strange voltages. Just like Varsh. While his body had been trapped in the Master’s TARDIS, his mind had tried to escape Like everyone else. Proceeds from the sale of in that ghostly reflection he’d been forced to make. Another Adric made out of block Adric tried to get out of bed, but his legs failed You and Who Else go to the transfer computations, a mathematician him and he fell back. He was facing a chair forged of mathematics. But then the lines where a burgundy overcoat sat, arranged Terrence Higgins Trust. had blurred, and he could no longer be like the Doctor himself had been sprawled at certain which was which. Adric’s thoughts or the foot of the bed and glaring at him. Adric Adric’s body? He remembered the Master’s forced himself not to look away. cruel taunts at the exact second he’d fled

- 20 - - 21 - Maybe it was right he’d died like that? On He didn’t know the girls very well, but they Was that what life had become? The prayer He tried to focus on that last, confident punch a high balcony of the Zero Room, watching had forged a bond while he was away. They things wouldn’t get worse? to the shoulder and the pained expression three friends so far below before it all ended. shared private jokes and significant looks, in those blue eyes as he’d whispered ‘Battle It was how the Doctor had died. Adric had they were used to fending without Adric Adric remembered part of him disappearing stations!’ but somehow it didn’t help. The stood on the sidelines and watched him to help. They knew the Doctor, this Doctor, into darkness as it died in the Zero Room. end may have been prepared for, but Adric plunge to his death. A useless bystander, who better than he did and he seemed to know felt that he’d been left out of the equation. hadn’t been able to do anything. The Doctor, them better. He was a stranger at a party and If he’d followed it, would he have found all Varsh, the people of Traken and Logopolis, or no one knew there was anything wrong. the others he’d lost? Had he let the Doctor down? Should he even the make-believe world of Castrovalva. have tried to make his way to the control Of course he was going to end his life like A while ago, he would have gone to seek *** cabin and helped fight the Master? If he’d that, it was only fair. the Doctor’s advice and company. Or managed to escape with Tegan and Nyssa Romana’s, or ’s. He would have explained Adric was looking for the Cloister Room, into the TARDIS, before the Master arrived, Adric clamped his hands over his eyes, but his problems, or tried to, and received a scolding himself for contemplating suicide. would things have improved? Did the Doctor he still saw the Doctor falling and even when sympathetic ear if nothing else. Who could For all its appealing oblivion, it was cowardice blame Adric for failing him, for collaborating his eyes were open he saw himself dying. he turn to now? and weakness of the highest order. It was with the enemy? He’d come so close to death, but unlike the ungrateful to those who had saved his life, to Doctor, Adric couldn’t come back. He’d feel Tegan was fast asleep, still dangerously just throw it away. Probably not. the fear, the death tearing through his body exhausted after events. Nyssa might have but this time he would not wake up in the listened, but he feared she might get angry at Loss was something anyone could come to But Adric wasn’t willing to ask. BTC webbing. him and accuse him of wallowing in self-pity terms with, he reminded himself. In their own compared to all the horrors she had to live way. In their own time. And Tegan and Nyssa This new Doctor would probably provide For a moment Adric wondered if it would with. The Master was defeated of course, had suffered more than he had. He’d lost plenty of sympathy and understanding, but it have been better that way. but at such a cost. Whole star systems had his brother, but Varsh would feel forced and condescending. From been devastated, planets had died saving him. their brief time together, Adric felt like a child On Alzarius he had been given mandatory had been reduced to Tegan’s aunt Vanessa had that had been left in the care of a family friend psychological counseling after his parents dust, and the Master been used as target practice he’d never met before. The new Doctor was had died in a forest fire. Varsh had not had claimed the lives of their by the Master without a second polite and friendly, but his enthusiasm was merited such training due to his standing loved ones. Nyssa’s father, Tegan’s thought. Adric had deliberately slightly forced and he gave the impression in the Community, and he’d been driven to aunt and his… well, the Doctor. A high isolated himself from his people, he had absolutely no idea how to deal with abandon society altogether. He dealt with price and they were all still paying it. Alzarian and Terradonian, while Adric. He could almost imagine the Doctor the loss of his family by creating a new one The Master had escaped into oblivion, Nyssa had had everything torn hopefully offering ice cream and balloons, of his rules – Tylos and Kiera and the others. and Adric doubted that any afterlife away from her by blind chance desperate to find some way to relate with Varsh had left Adric to the Starliner and the (should one actually exist) would and chaos. And she had seen this stranger he was now responsible for. Deciders, to the bland anesthetic of routine. punish him for his sins. her father’s corpse used as a puppet by his murderer. He wished for the more relaxed Doctor, the The old Doctor would have barked out Maybe things would get better. The man who had no demands beyond Adric something along the lines that pain of loss is old Doctor had always bellowed out advice The events on Castrovalva had been in the using his intelligence responsibly – or at least the price you pay for the joy of possession, that hope was more important than dull old distant past, a time when the universe was being smart enough to appreciate his wit, told Adric to stop feeling sorry for himself facts and certainty – but the moment the still brand-new and all the stars were freshly- which had at times amounted to the same and flashed one of those incredible grins that Watcher had appeared, the old Doctor had ignited by the Big Bang. The Doctor had set thing. The old Doctor may not have been made the universe easier to deal with. walked to his death without even pretending the TARDIS to return to the twentieth century someone to confide in, but he was definitely there was a chance he could survive. Yes, slowly, a journey that would take several more comfortable to be around. They’d Adric had found a new family of course. that was the problem, Adric realized. He days so as not to over-tax the old ship. The entered N-Space, sealing off the grief of The Doctor and Romana and K9… but then could have easily dealt with the Doctor following days with his new companions had what they’d lost somewhere far away where Romana and K9 had left, and now the Doctor in a new body, a new face. But not a new been awkward but the nights were worse. it didn’t matter, and immersed themselves in had died. There was a new Doctor, of course, man. The Doctor that Adric had known and The Master’s chuckle drifted down every the new and strange. and Nyssa and Tegan, but it was just him left. respected was quite dead, perished on some corridor, the Watcher moved at the corner of grassy knoll beneath a radio telescope. A his eye. He kept feeling the stab of pain when No distractions this time. Adric, the last one standing. stranger had taken his place and accepting the old Doctor had called him a burden and him as the Doctor would be as obscene as stowaway, abandoning him on Logopolis… Adric found a fresh set of corridors to prowl, He missed them and the long jog back to the if he’d pretended that K9 was his brother like he had before all this had started. The old TARDIS had made him feel like an outsider. reincarnated in the form of a dog. Doctor often wandered off to admire some - 22 - - 23 - distant part of the TARDIS or brood over ‘We’ve all been through a rough time Adric sat down beside the Time Lord, who ‘Not that any of us were much help,’ Adric memories of Romana. Adric wasn’t unused of it of late,’ the Time Lord was saying seemed more of a stranger than ever before. reflected bitterly. to wandering the ship alone for hours at conversationally. ‘Even the TARDIS.’ The bright blue eyes looked through his neat a time. He could pretend it was all back to blond fringe at Adric. ‘I don’t suppose you ‘What do you mean?’ normal, that it had all been a nightmare and ‘Oh yes,’ Adric sneered. Something about his want to talk about it?’ he asked, giving the nothing had happened to make him suffer… cheery attitude rubbed the Alzarian up the impression he was only asking the question ‘All three of us, we just got in the way. If it wrong way. ‘We’re all the walking wounded.’ for politeness’ sake rather than any desire to had just been you, on your own, the whole Lost in thought, Adric opened a door and hear an answer. thing would have been resolved quicker found himself in the console room. The new Doctor shot him a sideways look. and cleaner,’ Adric explained. It was like he ‘They say misery loves company.’ Of course Adric didn’t want to talk about! couldn’t stop talking, as if the words were Someone he didn’t recognize was standing That would make it real! being dragged relentlessly from him. ‘You’d by the controls and looked up as he entered. ‘Then I’ll spend some time alone,’ Adric have lure the Master away from Logopolis, It took a surprisingly long moment before retorted and set off. ‘Do you ever have nightmares, Doctor?’ he and none of it would have happened.’ Adric realized who he was looking at. asked eventually. Different voice, different accent, different He stalked off down the corridors, embracing ‘Or I might have failed spectacularly,’ the eyes, different skin. How could anything of the sense of unreality and pretending that The Time Lord shrugged. ‘Doesn’t everyone?’ Doctor pointed out. the old Doctor remain intact in the man he nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. had become? ‘Carrying on with a stiff upper lip’ as the old ‘I felt him die,’ Adric said. ‘Me die. The Adric scowled. ‘That’s not the impression Doctor would have dubbed it. Or ‘going off in projection of me. I think I almost died with you gave.’ Adric recalled first seeing this man, a sulk,’ as Romana would have said. him – if the Master hadn’t pulled me back. remembered the blaze of golden light that And now I keep thinking of everyone we’ve ‘You mean you thought I wouldn’t lower left someone else lying in the Doctor’s Gods, he missed them. met who’s died. It’s like there’s something myself to be concerned with a stowaway, an clothes and smiling up at him. The memory wrong with me, that I haven’t died as well.’ orphan and a lost air hostess?’ made his eyes sting with tears as, with *** tedious inevitability, his body betrayed him. The Doctor’s expression darkened. ‘Do you ‘You shouted at us that we were burdens.’ Adric had turned a corner and found himself want to have died with them?’ ‘Adric?’ asked the new Doctor. in the Cloister Room. The roundeled walls ‘Adric, you and the others were the reason receded to reveal stone arches and covered Adric didn’t trust himself to reply without the universe is worth fighting for. You were Ignoring the lump of burning coal that had walkways that seemed to be in the open bursting into tears. there for me when it mattered. You made filled his throat or the ache in his chest, Adric air at the top of a mountain peak. He’d only sure I wasn’t alone when I regenerated. I forced the most normal nothing-is-wrong discovered the room’s existence a few days ‘It feels like a betrayal, doesn’t it?’ the Doctor put my faith in you, Adric. You didn’t let me smile upon his face. ago, when he’d seen the old Doctor stalking sighed, folding his arms as if cold. ‘When down.’ between the columns, angry and frustrated they abandon you in the most final way With a mixture of relief and disappointment, and scared. And then the Watcher, pacing possible. And sometimes, when you survive, ‘Didn’t I? I nearly killed you all.’ the Doctor fell for it the length of the room like a ghost. it’s almost as though you’ve betrayed them completely. by staying alive. Are you punishing yourself ‘The Master nearly killed us all. You warned But now the new Doctor was there, sitting for failing to save them? Or for not dying us, the other you, the projection. None us Yes, it was on the stone bench looking far too creamy yourself?’ would have stood a chance of escaping the probably for and pristine to fit into his surroundings. The the best the old Doctor had fitted the Cloister Room like ‘Is that what you felt?’ Adric burst out. ‘When Doctor had a glove, while this new one looked as out-of- you died and came back?’ changed his place as Adric felt. clothes instead The Doctor’s eyes seemed very dark all of of wearing a The Doctor brushed away some of the dust a sudden. ‘I’m not contemplating suicide, if constant reminder and leaves from the bench beside him and that’s what you’re asking,’ he replied with of who he’d once patted it, inviting Adric to sit beside him. It a jovial, almost sinister smile. ‘Tussling with been. Even the was the exact same gesture the old Doctor the Master is always dangerous, and I said memory of seeing the had used, except the furtive worry had gone. we had to prepare for the worst. That’s blond head poking out The new Doctor was much more relaxed and how it works. You always make it through of the red and purple seemed far more at home. Lucky him. unscathed until the one time you don’t.’ outfit hurt for some reason. - 24 - - 25 - and as silent as this new version sitting on Again, there was that earnestness: I’m trying inrush without you.’ The Doctor leaned as much a stranger as this new Doctor. the stone bench. Was all that fiery zeal and so hard to be your friend. closer to Adric. ‘And Shardovan, Mergrave Would things go wrong again, even with lustful purpose just a smokescreen? Was and the others saved us and stopped the Master gone? It seemed that every this quiet, still young man more honest than Adric wondered if that was how he’d come the Master. A world of beautiful, brave, planet in N-Space seemed to have that the loud bohemian overflowing with life and across to the old Doctor. selfless people which you created. You serpent hiding in the grass, destroying magic? Had anything really changed? haven’t come out of this mess looking innocent people who wandered too close *** particularly bad, you know.’ to the shadows… And if it hadn’t… what was he complaining about? Adric had found himself back in his quarters. ‘I just… wish you hadn’t changed,’ Adric The Doctor was looking at him with The chronometer by his bed suggested it said. genuine concern. ‘Adric?’ Adric closed his eyes, unclenched his fists would be five hours before ‘dawn’ when and breathed calmly. He thought of the Nyssa and Tegan might awake. He dragged The Doctor didn’t seem offended. ‘It’s Adric gave an involuntary shudder. He measurements of the Cloister Room, the his weary fingers through his dark hair and a fact of life, Adric,’ he said reasonably. felt like he’d been listing forward into a tensile strength of the crumbling stone, the debated trying to go back to sleep and run ‘Change is inevitable. You just have bottomless pit – but whether that was length and width of each creeper and vine, the gauntlet of more nightmares in the to live with it, whether it’s gradual or down to sleep deprivation, his state of the mathematics all around. The rage and company of ghosts. instantaneous, because you don’t really despair or something else he didn’t know. misery drained away to the point he could have any viable alternatives.’ He focused on the leaf-strewn flagstones, almost cope. His parents, his brother, K9, Romana, the old confirming the yawning pit was purely Doctor, all gone and only him left. Once one That was all there was to say. metaphorical. Was it the same one that The new Doctor sat beside him, as silent and of the Elite, the boy from another universe, had swallowed up Varsh and the old white as the Watcher. the stowaway in space… but now he was just ‘We’ve nearly caught up with 1981,’ the Doctor and his other self? Its lure was another face in a crowd of people he didn’t Doctor reported, breaking the silence. so very appealing, after all, to fall into it ‘When terrible things happen us,’ he said really know or completely trust. ‘The day we all saved the universe – beyond anyone else’s reach and finally be at last, ‘it seems outrageously unfair. well, most of it, anyway. A quick hop to free… Sometimes the only way to make sense of Adric remembered the taller man with the Heathrow airport and we can drop Tegan it all is to assume it’s our own fault and we wild brown curls getting grey at the edges, on her plane, to pick up where she left ‘What’s the point of going on?’ he heard hate ourselves, even when we haven’t done but some of the details were hazy. Maybe off.’ himself ask, hot tears on his cheeks. anything wrong.’ sometime soon he’d be able to ignore all the things that weren’t there and just see ‘And what do the rest of us do?’ asked The new Doctor said nothing. Adric was reminded of the counseling the the Doctor. Maybe he’d be able to get a Adric idly. Deciders had given him on the Starliner – a good night’s sleep, wake up in the morning True, he might not have actually heard blend of comforting encouragement and and finally be free of all the raw pain and The Doctor smiled. Not one of the old the question. deliberate provocation, reminding him of bitterness, and he wouldn’t be surrounded Doctor’s toothy megawatt grins, but it everything he needed to remember in order by strangers he couldn’t connect with. was hard not to smile back. ‘It’s a new Then again, he might have been ignoring to start picking up the pieces. Except this was beginning, Adric,’ he said with a shrug. it. less blunt and direct, more roundabout. Not Maybe. ‘We can do whatever we want, go as efficient. wherever we want. We saw the creation Adric looked at this stranger and almost of the galaxy and nearly witnessed the pleaded, ‘Was there ever a point?’ ‘Do you want to stay with us?’ asked the end of creation, and now we can take a Doctor softly. tour of all points in between.’ The old Doctor would have snorted derisively and gone off on a tangent about Of course he wanted to stay. He had nowhere ‘Just travel through time and space, just the subjective nature of meaning in the else to go. like before?’ asked Adric doubtfully. universe in relation to adult insecurities. But he wouldn’t have answered the Adric got his feet. ‘I think I’ll head back to ‘It’s what we’re good at,’ the Doctor question, just made a lot of distracting bed,’ he said quietly, even though the all- pointed out. noise. pervasive ache remained just beneath the surface. ‘Thanks for listening, Doctor.’ But was it? He had no idea how well Nyssa Beneath his rich brown tones and mad would adapt to TARDIS life, and she was staring eyes, he would have been as still ‘My pleasure, Adric,’ the Doctor replied. ‘I do still enjoy your company, you know.’

- 26 - - 27 - Fiction “It would be a new language surely, if the TARDIS does not know it Professor?” She had Old God Dreams asked. by Richard Wright “New languages are based on old ones, ancient languages are raw.... dangerous.” The TARDIS internal lighting was orange, set for night, presumably for her as the Doctor Ace tried to focus on the present. As the never seemed to sleep. Doctor muttered she felt herself ‘lessen’.

Ace had got in the habit of exploring at night. The TARDIS was fading too, starting to ghost, Sometimes she just went and reclined by the but the Doctor seemed hyper-real. pool - it’s waters rippled with the TARDIS in flight - five dimensions dancing in two. She Ace reached out her hand to touch his arm, usually drifted off trying to count dimensions but it passed through him, or him through whose definitions, to her, seemed woollier her. than sheep. “Ragnarok, Omega, Resilience?” She More often still she went to the Doctor’s recognized a few words among his workshop to continue her day time hobby mutterings. - brewing stronger, more stable nitro 9 and improving timers and fuses. The Doctor She could not touch him, but he seemed to never disturbed her. be touching the chair, and the chair held the tea cup. The Library with the voices in bottles was a beautiful place, but creepy like an old house, Ace knocked the tea... she only visited it once. Suddenly he was awake, his eyes burned The Doctor’s Power Room Art gallery was fiercely into hers, her arm was painfully well naff and the Cathedral boot cupboard hooked by the red Question mark of his just pretentious. umbrella.... she had not even noticed he had got his umbrella. It had been a week since they had left Iceworld and still they had not landed The tea had not spilt, the Doctor had anywhere. somehow caught the cup and saucer in his other hand. Ace wandered up to the console room to find the Doctor apparently asleep in a chair. His “Wicked.” Whispered Ace. Panama hat was tipped over his eyes and a cold cup of tea was balanced on the arm of The Doctor’s intense stare took a moment to the chair. pass. Ace used that moment to slip free of the umbrella’s hook. She would be bruised. She stood in front of him. She had not seen him this vulnerable. She would not mention it.

He was not at peace. He was muttering in “Bad dreams Professor.” a language that did not translate.... if she understood correctly that meant it was an *** ancient language. Mark Hyland - 28 - - 29 - The TARDIS lighting was back to over lit day Ace sucked, an unpleasant sip of tea, up of certain huge NA tropes such as those and for once Ace did not mind the, slightly through her spiral straw. The New above, being as steeped in fandom and too, whiteness of it. all sorts of reference books as I have been “I became more solid because deep Adventurer over the years (and by steeped in fandom, I Ace got the Doctor to meet her on the memories are being added to me from the By Nick Mellish do not mean that I am in any way a ‘super recliners by the pool and to bring iced tea. He future and past... resources I don’t want fan’, heaven forbid, just that I’ve read a fair took a sip and frowned. She did not blame - knowledge I am unable to reject - to fight The following article contains spoilers for the bit and listened to a fair whack more). As him... it was a mental way to drink tea. battles in wars as yet undeclared.” books. such, I nodded at these mentions when they occurred, though even with a modicum “Whilst everything else faded you said “Let me be part of this Professor.” This article is late. We’re not just talking of knowledge, a lot of it was still utterly ‘Ragnarok and Omega’ Professor.” “Sorry, missed the bus and has to walk the baffling and confusing. Platt doesn’t go out “I’m sorry Ace, you are already part of it.” last five minutes” late; we’re into so late it’d of his way to actually really explain a lot of “Did I? Yes I expect I did. Do you like chess show up positive on a pregnancy test late. I these things, simply putting them out there Ace?” “You don’t understand Professor, I choose to can only apologize to everyone involved with for us to pore over and wonder about. It’s be part of it. I am not involved because of the magazine for this, not to mention you certainly interesting, definitely intriguing, “About as much as I like old houses and some old God. I am involved because of me readers. Worse still, thanks to a combination and by painting a Gallifrey where no children clowns..” and you.” of many things far too tedious to really go are ever born, it puts the Doctor and his folk into here (including a very nasty bout of another step away from us mere mortals, “I think I am playing chess with the Old Gods “Yes....” The Doctor replied thoughtfully, clinical depression which has rendered me which in some ways in very important and in now.” perhaps sadly. unable to write a word without wanting to others feels a bit like it is trying to appease crawl under my duvet cover and fight off the sort of fans who spy Susan and get very “Old Gods Professor?” The Doctor sat forward, resting his hands on single-handed oncoming things such as Life angry about her (“It’s okay, guys, don’t the top of his umbrella, ever so vaguely Buda and Doing Things and Productivity and Stuff), worry. This way she can still technically be “Ancient beings that would be all powerful like, watching the ripples on the pool. I have managed to get through (drumroll and immortal if time was recursive” please) one book. Ace followed his gaze, certain he could see “But time isn’t looped, is it Professor?” myriad more dimensions than her, rippling One. One lousy book. So, this is going to on the water. be a quick one on top of being a late one. “Who knows? Dimensional chess involves Well done, me. looping, knotting and cutting time. I maybe ‘I should improve my swimming’ she thought. on my third move, but I am yet to make my Moving away from excuses and self- first.” loathing, the book in question is the first of the Cat’s Cradle sequence, the appropriately- titled CAT’S CRADLE: TIME’S CRUCIBLE by MARC PLATT. It took me a surprisingly long time to work my way through the book. It’s not that it’s bad, or even that my health was at the under-duvet stage at the point of devouring it. It’s that it was so incredibly dense and complex, its prose holding layers of information and plot on each and every line. Platt has written a book here that is no so much ambitious as trying to ape what Cornell did in TIMEWYRM: REVELATION (“Oh, you think you wrote a book for adults? Let’s see…”) and re-write huge swathes of Gallifreyan mythology at the same time: Lungbarrow? Check. Looms? Gotcha. The Other? Present.

Yes, it’s sadly very tricky to be able to read these books without prior knowledge - 30 - - 31 - his granddaughter without the icky sex and Interview table. It’s one of the greatest designed machine and have it shipped to the studio. kissing part you freak out over”). licensed tables in history! There Once it arrives, our emulation engineer are several licenses involved: in addition to begins making it possible to run the original I’m not sure where I stand on this yet, Doctor Who the Williams license, we needed a license programming from the chip on all the target and will keep an open mind as the New for Doctor Who, the actor likenesses of all devices. We then begin taking all of the Adventures continue to develop this Pinball Table seven doctors appearing on the backglass ramps, plastics and toys off of the playfield storyline further still. As for the overall book by Grant Bull and playfield, and the right to use the actor and capture high resolution photos. The itself, it is at times very hard to read due to its voiceovers during gameplay. When we Ramps plastics and toys are given to the art complexity and Platt’s insistence of giving us Cosmic Masque caught up with the team added up the costs of each required license team to be modeled in 3D for placement on little in the way of explanation until very late behind the recent Kickstarter project to and calculated what we’d have to charge for the virtual playfield. Once we have a playable in the day, and by then you’ll have forgotten digitalise the famous DW pinball machine. the table, we concluded that Doctor Who version, we begin tuning the physics so the a fair whack of what went before. This isn’t was not commercially viable. The more we table will play as much like the real thing a book you can just dip in and out of, nor one First up can you introduce yourself and tell charge for the table the fewer people will be as possible. The table is tested by our beta that makes for a light read. This is one that us about your company? able to buy it- and our goal is to expose as testers and then we release to the world. demands concentration throughout, with many people as possible to this great table, multiple timelines, co-existing incarnations My name is Mike Lindsey and I’m the not just a select few. Can you tell us a little history of the original of the same people and monsters, and silver Community Manager here at FarSight machine? cats. Studios. We’ve been in the game industry for Thanks to the overwhelming support of over 25 years developing games for a wide pinball and Doctor Who fans around the The Doctor Who table was co-designed by Bill By the time I reached the end, I found range of platforms from the earliest Nintendo world, we were able to raise $16,565 more Pfutzenreuter (a well accomplished software myself oddly exhausted by it. I’ve read Entertainment System to the latest next-gen than the $54,364 goal which will be applied engineer at Williams and huge Doctor Who far longer books which have taken me far consoles. Our current project is the Pinball to the next big license table. fan) and famed designer Barry Oursler, who quicker to get through; this one just left me Arcade where every month we digitize a real designed classics like , , a bit tired. I cannot fault Platt for trying to pinball table and release it in videogame Now you’ve achieved that goal what can we PinBot, Cyclone and many more. write something with such lofty ambitions form on a wide range of platforms. expect to see and when? and myth-making complexities, but I cannot What do you think is so special about this see myself returning to it for fun any time in For those who aren’t aware what was the We will be sharing some of the digitization particular pinball machine? the near future. Doctor Who Pinball Machine Kickstarter process with fans on our Kickstarter page as project all about? we progress. Our target release date for the Before launching the ball, the player can Still, I wonder what that cat is all about? Classic and Regenerated table is September choose one of seven doctors who each Guess I’ll soon find out… We are licensed by the pinball manufacturers 2016. have a different effect on the gameplay and to digitize Williams, , or Bally scoring. The Time Expander starts level machines. Even though we have the right What can we expect from the Regenerated with the playfield but will rise as the game to reproduce these machines in videogame version? progresses to expose the Daleks who are hell form, some of the greatest tables included bent on extermination. extra licenses based on popular culture of During the course of our campaign, we the time. In this case we set our sights on announced that BBC would allow us to not the 1992 Williams/Bally Doctor Who pinball only digitize the classic Doctor Who table, but create a digital-only modded version including the latest doctors and new material from the show. We will also update the art style, add new lighting features, and build in a couple new toys. This table is expected to release around the same time as the classic version. We are also in the process of designing new custom Doctor Who which can be used on all 65+ tables

How does the process of digitization work?

Our process takes about a month to complete for each pinball table. We first buy a physical - 32 - - 33 - What other projects do you have planned I’d be the only one left on the train. It would “Here?” she squawked, drawing a for the future? be all mud and tears there, too. crumpled time table from beneath her lap robe. “But, there’s no scheduled stop for We can’t say which tables we are working on, As we drew slowly into the station, I leaned another 40 miles!” but we can say that the list is very exciting. my cheek against the cold glass window and You can expect to see many more classic blew softly until a fog formed. In it, I carefully “My dear woman, you would do well to tables added to the Pinball Arcade monthly. wrote the name inscribed inside my locket-- control that Irish temper—“ Another big project we are currently working backwards, that it might be read from outside on is the new ‘Stern Pinball Arcade’ which the train: E S O R. Truth told, I was tiring “Scottish, Mr. Sneed,” she growled at him, we will be showing first playable this July at of the routine, but I had my instructions. and not for the first time. California Extreme in Santa Clara, California. At every station, at every switch, at every whistle stop, I was to trace those letters on “Never the less…” Many thanks to Mike for chatting to us, for the window. That’s what the pretty lady had more information and to get the game head told me back in New York. It will make sense “Never nothing! Mr. Sneed, might I over to: later. Adults always say things like that. But I remind you of the contract you have with St. http://www.pinballarcade.com/GetItNow/ did as I was told. In those days, at least, I was Luke’s? You are to see these children safely an obedient child. Usually. delivered to their new homes whether that is in Arkansas, Idaho, or Michigan.” Miss Miss McCrimmon, who had travelled with McCrimmon flicked a wisp of escaped hair us since we left St. Luke’s and made our way back into her bun. It was of no use. Her red Fiction Yes, I agree. Never mind that. You asked first to the city and then up the Hudson on a hair was as disheveled as the rest of her. As for my story. You can tell me yours later. Are crowded ferry, was already in motion: waking the rest of us. you writing all this down? the sleepy heads, wiping noses, chastising Whistle Stop the mischief makers. Not that there were The man smiled coolly. “I have no control Where was I? Yes, yes. I remember. I’m many of those left. No, we were just a rag over either the weather or the train lines by Meg Mac Donald not as feeble-minded as all that. You know tag band of nobodies singing the same sad and a telegram with the change in plans was A story? You want me to tell you a story, about the orphans, but what you may not song. Tired of traveling. Tired of life. waiting for us upon our arrival. Unexpected just like that, right off the top of my head? know is this: Not all of those children—or as that might be, it is the truth of the matter. What do you mean, “just make something the trains they rode on—can be accounted Mr. Sneed, the weasel-faced agent we’d I can only surmise that another group of up?” Why should I? Yes, of course I have a for. I know the last one I rode on can’t be. picked up prior to loading onto the first of too children await our arrival. We’ll be escorting story. Doesn’t everyone? And it’s a whopper, I tried to tell the authorities years ago, but many trains, came sniveling into our coach them back west as we no doubt now have as they used to say. What? They still say they didn’t believe a word of it. I don’t know looking more than a little uncomfortable a good number of farming families waiting that? Well, bless me! if that’s because I was a girl, or a girl born in as he patted his red, puckered face with and you can rest assured not a one has asked the wrong century, but mark my words, the a handkerchief. His neat brown suit was for trouble makers, wee babes, the mentally Did you know that between 1854 and Number Nine, bound for Michigan, rolled out creased after so many miles of travel and infirm, or,” here he cast a glance at me, “girls 1929, over 200,000 orphaned, homeless, of history and into mystery. For a minute, his hat didn’t look near as crisp as it had at of questionable intelligence.” and destitute children in the United States anyway. Yes, it was a long time ago, but my the start of our journey. Not a father, I had were placed out across the country, many to memory is as sharp today as it was then. decided, or a grandfather either. If he had I pulled my straw hat down over my eyes farming families in the mid-west? Some were Now, do you want to hear a story or not? All been, he would at least have spared a smile and tried to sink out of sight. As much as I adopted. Some were indentured. Some were right then. Settle down and let me tell you for the gaggle of tired children. To him, we longed for a family to call my own, I didn’t separated from their brothers and sisters and what really happened. were little more than cargo--and noisy cargo want to be anywhere I wasn’t needed--or never saw them again. Yes, that does sound at that. wanted. harsh, but it was the beginning of the foster Every podunk town the train had pulled care system and while it wasn’t perfect, it into for the last 3,000 miles since leaving “M’am,” he tipped his hat at our sponsor. “You’re to proceed to Michigan and anyone was usually better than starving to death on Grand Central Station looked the same: mills, “I’m afraid we shall be parting company. that’s left will be returned to St. Luke’s. I do the streets. Believe me, young man, starving manure, and mud. We were on the return Nurse Pettiford and I are to remain aboard and wish you well, Miss McCrimmon. Good day to death is no picnic. But you know all about trip from the Indian Territories, having criss- continue on to New York. You’re to take the to you.” that, don’t you? Being hungry. Being lonely. crossed what seemed like the entire country; next train to Michigan which, I understand, Being abandoned. I thought as much. How we were the ones no one seemed to want. has been delayed due to inclement weather “But, Mister Sneed,” Miss McCrimmon can I tell? Your eyes, dear. I can see it in your I guess they were going to try one more to the north. I trust the church has an agent cried, trailing after him, pleading our case. eyes. You remind of someone I met a long town, then it was back East. By the time we here that can arrange accommodations for “We’ve already been to Michigan. Are you time ago. reached the orphan asylum, I was convinced those charges remaining with you?” - 34 - - 35 - saying additional applications came in? Mr. I slumped a little more in my seat, smearing her like chicks around a mother hen. Soon Sneed? Mr. Sneed, do wait for me--” the spot where I had so carefully written on enough, she turned her attention to the man the fogged glass. It was time to face the standing beside the tall, blue telegraph box. It was true. We’d been to Michigan once music. No one was coming for me. No more She shook his hand vigorously. already. I couldn’t remember how many second chances. Not here. Not ever. days ago it was. Twelve? A hundred and “Thank God you made it! We understood twelve? We numbered nearly 90 at the A tap at the window drew my attention and that our train was a full day behind and outset, enough to fill two passenger cars, but I looked down. There, on the platform, stood that we were going to be delayed, which as the days passed most of the older boys a serious looking man that I hadn’t noticed is just intolerable after such an emotional and girls had congregated in the coach ahead just moments before. I wasn’t sure which journey. As you can imagine, these children of us. Nurse Pettiford followed soon after. was stranger, the man’s leather coat that are exhausted and hungry and eager to be made him look like a boat captain without placed out with their new families and I’ve I glanced around our carriage, at Patrick a hat—or a boat for that matter--or the studied the time table numerous times, but and Colin wrestling in the aisle. The twins enormous blue telegraph box that stood a this, this pitiful excuse for a town is not on the were always doing that. Not that they looked short distance away. I could scarcely believe schedule, nor do we have any agents within anything alike. Mr. Sneed didn’t even think the size of it. Why, you might step inside it, 100 miles!” She barely paused for breath they were twins. Twice they had refused it was so large! A proper little hut, better before adding. “Where are my manners? to be separated, causing such a ruckus that than the dirty coal shed I had slept in for a I’m Carolynn McCrimmon from St. Luke’s.” they’d been sent back just as our train was forgotten number of days back East, before due to leave the station. a pair of kind souls had found me and I was “St. Luke’s?” taken to the local parish orphanage and from Behind them, looking as sad as I had ever there to St. Luke’s. “Upstate,” she said, as if that explained seen him, sat little Kipp. I remembered the everything. Maybe it did, because the man summer day he had been brought to the first nabbed it from him. Upon inspection we He pointed at me or, I should say, at the didn’t ask for any further explanation. Which orphanage I had lived in. St. Christopher’s discovered cards were missing, but Mac said window, pursing his lips slightly to mimic was probably just as well, because Miss Day. That’s how he had got his name he could get by as long as he still had one Ace what at first I thought was a whistle. A McCrimmon was on again and there was just because the Sisters said they had to call him to keep up his sleeve. moment later I understood and blew softly no stopping her. something. Something terrible must have again over the place where I had traced the happened to him because he wouldn’t talk Jean was nowhere to be seen, but I wasn’t letters. It reappeared as if by magic and The man glanced left and right as she was to anyone. The only time he’d ever spoken surprised. He had made it his business to the man lifted his eyebrows in question. I talking and I had a feeling that he wasn’t who to me was when it was discovered neither of explore every inch of our train from the struggled to lower the window and peered she thought he was, but he was too polite to us were Catholic and we were unloaded on locomotive on back to the caboose. He knew out at him. The boys, alerted by this new tell her so. That or her barrage of words was the Society. I can’t repeat what he said, but what every switch and lever did and how to change in events, clustered around me, taking him by surprise. Or a little of both. between you and me, it was awful funny. make it all operate in reverse order. Paul snubbed noses pressed against cool glass. After a moment he seemed to get the gist and Thomas--named after Saints because no of what she was telling him, though, and he Comely, towheaded Piotr sat quietly across one could pronounce the names they had “Hallo!” the man said. His tone was pursed his lips, his brow drawing together. the aisle, staring out a window, rolling a red arrived with--were deep in conversation in a cheerful, but his blue eyes were sad. leather ball back and forth between his language I couldn’t begin to describe. I liked Sometimes you can just tell that about a “You say this Mr. Sneed was just going to hands. I asked him about it once, but it took Paul. I was rarely at a loss for words, even person. leave you here and expect you to make your longer to explain the game it was used for as a young girl, but when he was around it way to Michigan on your own? I’d have a than I suspect the game itself took to play. felt like butterflies were fluttering around “Hello.” word with him--” Willie was behind him, scowling, his arms my tummy and I said the stupidest things. crossed over his chest as he sat hunched Thomas, on the other hand, made me laugh. “You write that?” the man asked me. “Oh, I’d be much obliged if you would and brooding. Whenever Miss McCrimmon He was tall and strong and I couldn’t imagine Mister…? I’m sorry should I already--?” started reciting her Second Chances speech, why he hadn’t been placed out yet. I was “I… Yes,” I replied. he huffed and puffed like a grumpy old man sort of glad, though, because he had always “No, I don’t imagine you should. And it and pulled his peaked wool hat down over watched out for me as well as little Taffy and “Well, hurry up. I haven’t got all day.” isn’t Mister. Just Doctor.” his eyes. I couldn’t see Mac, but I could hear baby Matieu, who just needed a chance to the merry tap of spoons, so I knew he was charm someone. I couldn’t believe they At my insistence, Miss McCrimmon gave “I’d be much obliged, Doctor,” Miss nearby. Mac had a deck of playing cards that were still on the train either, but secretly up pleading with the quarrelsome Walter P. McCrimmon said, sounding so greatly he had kept tucked up under his straw hat hoped wherever they went, I could go too. Sneed and, as the train departed in a cloud relieved it made a heart glad. since one of the older boys, now gone, had of smoke and , we flocked around - 36 - - 37 - “Right... but I haven’t the time.” He looked said, then read further. “Persons wanting “That’s the spirit! Well, then, I hope you carpet bag in. It snapped open on impact over the group of us and pointed at me. these children must make application and be have your luggage.” and a puff of lacey-whiteness popped out “You’re all welcome to come, but I’m only approved by the local committee.” for a split second before she put it all in here for that one.” “Lost,” Piotr explained. “Somewhere in order and took a hesitant seat on a bale of “I assume the papers you and your Misses Utah. Or Iowa. Or Indiana.” The others hay. That left me and the Doctor standing “That?” Miss McCrimmon turned to look turned in are all in order?” murmured in agreement. motionless on the platform, as if each was at me, standing just outside the group, Taffy waiting for the other one to make the first gripping one hand, Matieu riding on my hip. “Oh, there’s no Misses,” the Doctor “You don’t have anything?” asked the move. I was still mulling over what he had sputtered. “Not anymore. There was Doctor. said. Me. He was here for me. I wasn’t sure “Yup,” the Doctor said. “That’s the one.” someone, for a while. I thought... Anyway, what that meant. He was here to escort me? you don’t need to listen to my tongue wag. “Just what we got in our pockets,” Thomas He was here to take me with him? Why was “You’ve put in an application?” Miss No Misses. Just me.” said, pulling out a fistful of marbles, a he here and why me and…? McCrimmon asked him. handkerchief, three smooth knucklebones, He mustered a grin right there at the end, and a large apple with a bite taken out of it. “So,” he said brightly, “what’s your story?” “For what?” the Doctor asked. but we all saw the truth in his eyes. We all “Don’t need more than that.” knew what it was like to lose our families. “My what?” Half of the boys began to snigger. The Even if we couldn’t remember them. Miss “Is that so?” smiled the Doctor. “Good for other half pointed at the water-logged McCrimmon blinked back tears. For all she you. I like to travel light, too.” “Your story,” he repeated, jabbing a thumb advertisement plastered to the station wall jabbered like a parrot, she was a sentimental over his shoulder at the advertisement that alongside a host of long-outdated schedules soul. All the boys sort of sighed at the “Careful now, you’ll scratch the paint!” had been put up prior to our arrival. That and a faded billboard for the carnival that news, too. She could have done her Second there were no families waiting for us to be had come into whatever once passed for Chances speech just then and no one would I honestly couldn’t imagine it looking any trotted out for at the local opera house or a town some years before. It seemed to have minded. more battered, but for the better part of church seemed strange. Then again, given me we were a carnival all by ourselves. All 20 minutes we watched from the shelter the state of disrepair of the buildings, I had we needed were some fine white horses, a “Forgive me, Doctor. I’m terribly sorry.” of the station’s rickety porch as four men a sneaking suspicion that a next meal was dancing bear, and some clowns. On second wrestled the big telegraph box onto the as much a concern here as it was for the thought, forget the clowns. The Doctor The shrill blast of a far-off train whistle train in a downpour. The porters had been countless children roaming the streets of turned to look at the array of peeling signs, sliced the afternoon in twain. complaining almost the entire time because New York City. The Doctor and his telegraph then turned back, obviously puzzled. The nothing of that size was listed in the cargo box were as out of place here as any of us. girl on the circus poster--the one with the The Doctor consulted his wrist watch. manifest for this trip, but the Doctor seemed Which begged the question how he had beard, riding what looked like a two-headed “That, if I’m not mistaken, is the train to to have his paperwork and credentials in arrived here at all. And why. Which brought camel--looked an awful lot like me. Aside Michigan. It won’t be the most comfortable order and, by gum, that box was going where us back to the first question. from the whiskers. I did my best to blend trip if you come with me, but it’s bound to be we were. into the background, wishing the rain would more exciting than standing here in the rain.” “I don’t have a story,” I told him. I did, of start again and I could disappear into the As soon as the telegraph box was stowed, course. We all do, but I wasn’t going to tell stream presently creasing the dirt and snow Paul tugged at the Doctor’s sleeve. “Are the boys made a break for it, piling into the him. Not that easily. between the station platform and the rails. there homes for all of us in Michigan?” freight car the Doctor had commandeered for us like a swarm of ants to a drop of “You must have. A story I mean. Everyone “What?” he asked. “Don’t know. Maybe.” honey. Not for the first time, the smartly does.” dressed conductor breezed by, wringing his “Not too bright, is he?” Colin asked the “Will it be dangerous?” asked Mac, hands, insisting that he had no authorization “Including you?” other lads. wagging a finger at our new escort. to take on more than a handful of chance passengers, let alone a dozen orphaned “Oh, I’ve got lifetimes full of stories. Don’t “Blind in one eye...” “Probably.” children. The Doctor pulled his small leather get me started…” purse from his pocket, waved it in front of “Can’t see out the other...” “Oh, dear!” groaned Patrick as he dragged the man’s nose, and that was that. How all But he didn’t elaborate and I knew, in an a hand over his face. of his documents fit into that little wallet, I instant, that he wouldn’t. “What? I don’t see any... Oooh,” the Doctor didn’t know. said after a moment. He read out loud: “At last!” clapped Jean. “I could do with an Not that easily. “Homes wanted for a company of homeless adventure.” A pair of burly men in dirty blue overalls children, having been thrown friendless into lifted Miss McCrimmon into the carriage, the world... Well. I know how that is,” he handed the baby up to her, then tossed her - 38 - - 39 - “The thing about stories,” he confided, “is “Tra la la boom de ay After he’d walked away, Miss McCrimmon a splintering crash. The Doctor was on his that the ones that haven’t been written yet started to breathe again. “A man of few feet, gently lowering Taffy to the floor, and may be the best of all.” We met a man today words, isn’t he?” extricating himself from a tangle of wide- eyed boys. For a full ten count all I could I didn’t want to tell him that the only thing He comes from Gallifrey “Well,” I told her, “someone has to listen.” hear was the grating and squealing of iron as I could write was the name inscribed in my It seemed to me that the Doctor was right if the brakeman felt our very lives depended locket. He took us all away. good at listening. on the train coming to a timely stop.

The boys were whooping and hollering He has a big blue box That’s exactly what he was doing, only I looked at the Doctor and he looked at me. as they climbed over bales of hay bound this time it wasn’t to her, it was to the boys, for some far-off stock yard. I shivered as We tried to pick the locks who were all talking at once, asking question “We aren’t stopping,” I said at last, feeling blowing rain seeped through my wool collar about the box, about him, about what it was foolish for stating the obvious. and ran cold as melted snow down my back. We think there’s more inside like to travel about with that box of his (as if Is that what we were now? Cattle? But it he took it everywhere he went). Someone “No, we aren’t,” he agreed. looked warm and smelled like summer, and than he could ever hide. asked him if the telegraph box belonged to the thought of laying down my head on the coppers as apparently that’s what the big More rumbling followed, and popping and something other than a hard wooden bench We’re on the Number Nine white letters at the top said. He laughed at shuddering and grating and all manner of was appealing. Not a one of us had had a them and said no, it was his, but the way he distressing sounds that swept over us as if good night’s sleep in more days than I could The weather’s fair and fine said it we all knew. He’d nicked it for sure. the train was being pulled apart, starting up remember. The boys thought the whole affair was quite front at the engine and ending at the tail end Not much more I can say a hoot, though. Before you could say “Bob’s in the caboose. I was so lost in my thoughts that the sharp your uncle,” and ignoring his protests, Taffy whistle of the train made me jump. Tra la la boom de ay!” was on the Doctor’s back, Mac was picking his “That’s not thunder,” Piotr observed. pockets (he had more in them than Thomas “All aboard,” the Doctor said cheerfully, As we rolled along, the Doctor heaved did!) and at least four others were pulling him “Sounded like blasting caps!” Jean said, ignoring the gusting wind, the rain pelting open the cargo doors to let in the fresh air down into the hay. In no time they’d have excitedly. down on us, soaking us to the skin. After and sunshine, cautioning the boys to keep him shooting marbles and playing Old Sledge another long whistle prompted us to leave away from the edge. Some of them even or Beggar-My-Neighbor. Even Kipp had been “You say that like it’s a good thing,” Mac the platform or be left behind, I took a deep listened. He only had to grab one or two drawn out of his customary solitude and told him. breath and looked up at him. before they fell out. had moved into the rowdy group. By his expression, the Doctor was completely out “Depends on what you’re doing, hmmm?” “Do you think it will ever stop raining?” I Miss McCrimmon was all fluttery in the of his depth. Willie pointed out. asked him. company of the Doctor. Her face turned three shades of crimson when he sat beside her. In A loud rumble interrupted our merriment, “True enough,” the Doctor agreed. “But “Always does,” he told me. the space of a few hours she had told him sending a shudder through the floor and a we aren’t in mining country yet and besides, the entire history of St. Luke’s, the Children’s shiver up every spine. Above us, a kerosene explosions on trains are rarely a good thing.” He was so right. Of course he didn’t Aid Society, her previous excursions out west lantern swayed as the freight car shifted side mention that after the calm, the oncoming placing children with good Christian families to side. The word explosions got storm might be even worse. and how she had met Charles Loring Brace everyone’s dander up and personally at a church picnic when she was “Thunder,” Miss McCrimmon assured us, they were all babbling at As the sun began to shine and the train still a young girl. He seemed to be doing his settling herself again in as ladylike a position once again with dear Miss picked up speed, our spirits began to rise. best to keep smiling and nodding, but every as could be had sitting on a hay bale as the McCrimmon trying I cast off my soaking wet coat and Mrs. Mc so often I saw him glancing around as if he train rushed—clackity, clackity, clackity— to corral Crimmon wrapped a dry blanket around me. expected something to happen. More than over the rails. “Inclement northern the lot. There were plenty to go around. I could have once he looked at me and I pulled the blanket weather. We’re safe as houses in here. We done with forty winks, but for the first time closer. Eventually, he excused himself to have all this warm hay, and wool blankets in days, we were all full of beans. We had check on the boys at the other end of the and, oh, children, I was saving it, but we a sing song and Mac played the spoons on carriage. I heard him chastising one of them have muffins and a jar of apple butter! Colin’s head and we all laughed so hard when for the looping chalk art that now adorned Gather closer now--” the Doctor told us where he was from and the side of the telegraph box. Patrick, brimming with inspiration serenaded Another rumble rolled slowly us with: over us, this one ending with - 40 - - 41 - Might as well have tried to put a dozen frogs Another loud boom made us all jump and box in place, stepped inside and lit the flame “No!” I cried. I’m nobody, I wanted to tell back in a box. the boys, well some of the boys, couldn’t at the top of the box. him. I’m nothing. You don’t need me here help but giggle. They tussled and punched and I don’t want to be here and... “Oh my giddy aunt--” one another and called one another “If things get too rough,” he told the boys, featherbrained nimenogs. No one was entrusting a key to Paul, “get in the box. And He rolled his eyes and settled back with “Hmm, I wonder---” looking outside anymore. No one except me. don’t touch anything you lot, you hear?” crossed arms against the door into the next compartment. “Hurry up, then. Get it over “…poppycock!” “Rose?” It took me a moment to realize he Next thing I knew, the Doctor told me to with.” was talking to me. put on my coat, grabbed me by the hand and “Fantastic!” dragged me outside. I clung to him, blinded “Why are you doing this? Why did you pick “I think something’s wrong,” I whispered, by ash and soot and swirling starlight. The me? I don’t know what you expect me to do! The Doctor turned sharply toward the breathless and not half frightened. noise of the train rushing over unseen tracks I’m not smart and I’m not pretty and I’m not usually silent Kipp. “Hey--” was deafening. We were racing at a fearsome even remotely brave, and I don’t know why “Why’s that?” asked the Doctor. speed, too fast for us to jump to safety. Even I’m following you! I don’t know who you are Paul drew me close to him so he could if we could jump to safety. I couldn’t bear to or where Gallililly is—“ whisper in my ear. He smelled like sweat and I pointed at the open door. It wasn’t look up or down or anywhere except for at hay and apple butter. “When he says run, be snowing anymore. It wasn’t daylight the Doctor. “Gallifrey.” sure to run.” anymore. It wasn’t anything I’d ever seen with my waking eyes. We were hurtling He jumped from one carriage porch to the “I don’t where that is either!” What? through what looked like a million shooting next like there was nothing to it and held out stars. his hand. “I never said that you did.” The next explosion sent the lot of us tumbling to the inside wall of the freight car. “Is that--?” “Come with me,” he said, but I couldn’t. “Who the devil are you?” A good thing seeing as the cargo door was I couldn’t move. I didn’t know what I was still open, wind and snow whipping loose hay “Are we--?” thinking, following him onto that train, “Seriously? We’re going to do this now? into a storm around us. The undercarriage following him out here into something that I The fate of the universe may be hanging in creaked and groaned and for a long moment “Well, that seems highly improbable.” couldn’t tell was a dream or a flight of fancy the balance and you’re going to stand there it felt like the train had pitched so far to the or a nightmare. I squeezed my eyes closed asking foolish questions and having a pity side it had lifted from the tracks. I could “We aren’t in Michigan anymore.” and wished for it all to go away. It didn’t. I’d party?” almost imagine what it might look like, as goods go back to the orphan asylum. tipped sideways, running along on one side “We aren’t on Earth anymore.” I wasn’t entirely sure I understood what of the track, sparks flying. Taffy buried his “Well, you can’t just stand there,” the he meant by that, but the disapproval in head against my shoulder, Kipp clung to the “Goodness gracious me. That wasn’t Doctor pointed out, looking more than a his eyes was enough to tell me that I was other arm, and somewhere in the maelstrom supposed to happen,” said Miss McCrimmon, little put out. I got the keen sense he was disappointing him. of hay and snow, little Matieu was crying. and she fainted dead away. accustomed to getting his way. Colin was Colin scooped him up and put him into like that. They all were, come to think on “This isn’t what I expected from you—“ he my arms and I held them all as close as I “Well, it’s about time,” the Doctor it. Different as the phases of the moon, but began. could. The smell of smoke and sulfur was muttered, glancing over at me. “Com’on somehow the same. suffocating and I felt a sudden dread about then, stop playing with the kids. We have “Why would you expect anything of me? those kerosene lamps hanging above us and work to do.” “Can’t I? I mean… you don’t need me. We’ve only just met!” all that hay. I’ll just slow you down. You need Jean or Jean was fit to be tied when the Doctor Thomas or Mac. They’re sharp as pins. They “You know, that’s the trouble with time All eyes were on the Doctor. In his hand, told him to stay put while we investigated can even read. Jean was practically begging travel,” he said. “And I ought to know better balanced mere inches from the hay, was one the next carriage up. Instead, the Doctor you to take him along and, and, and…” I was after this long, but it never ceases to amaze of the kerosene lanterns. He reached up and instructed him to help Thomas close the talking faster than Miss McCrimmon and me how stupid people can be before you’ve nonchalantly put it back into place as the cargo door before someone fell out—Miss making about as much sense as a jabbering met them properly.” carriage shuddered right way up again. We McCrimmon in particular, seeing as she was monkey. all gasped. wilted away and not even the smelling salts I don’t know what sort of a chowderhead the Doctor offered up were having any effect. “Are you done now?” he thought I was, but that made no sense “What?” he asked. At least not on poor Miss McCrimmon. With at all. At least this time he seemed to a shrug, he extinguished the kerosene lamps, understand that I hadn’t a clue what he was cut away the straps holding the telegraph on about and that every word he said was - 42 - - 43 - laying more track between us. I turned to go harder for me without any light, my frock Not there? What sort of balderdash was After that, the dark interior of train cars and back to the boys, the only family I expected and long coat catching me up. Outside the he expecting me to believe now? jumping knuckle couplers was nothing. to ever have. train, it was as cold as a winter day, but inside, crawling over crates filled with good “Come on. You’ll understand soon We dropped down into the empty cargo “You can’t do that,” the Doctor called after cloth and bad liquor, squeezing past barrels enough.” car and proceeded through another car or me. packed with dry goods I could only guess at, I two when I heard it again. That same voice, was growing warm enough to offend myself. I wanted to understand now. Was that calling out to me. The Doctor was busy at the “Why?” I yelled back, gripping the Every time I thought I might want to shuck really so unreasonable? far end of the stock car, bent over a stubborn doorframe, my hair twisting around me as that moth-eaten old coat, we’d emerge door latch. I retreated to the back on the we hurled deeper and deeper into my worst from a carriage into the bracing wind and no “Where are they if they aren’t where we carriage, rubbing the grimy glass window nightmare. matter how much I smelled like a basket of left them? What aren’t you telling me?” with my sleeve. dirty stockings, I’d have a powerful change “Because you didn’t.” of heart. What I wouldn’t have given for a “Plenty,” he stated, ushering me ahead of “Oi!” the Doctor yelled from behind bottle of Miss McCrimmon’s Jicky Guerlain. him up the ladder. me. He’d sprung the door latch and the I stared at him. “How could you possibly wind and roar of the locomotive filled the know that?” We hopped knuckle coupler after knuckle Well that did it. I was tired of being told compartment. “This way, Rose. We have to coupler, edging ever closer to the front of the what to do and when to do it by people I keep going forward.” “I’ll explain later.” train. At last, the Doctor stopped. hardly knew. It was about time I spoke up. About time I made a stand. The incongruity “But someone’s following us,” I insisted, I scowled. Adults always say things like “What’s wrong?” I asked him, steadying of my sudden surge of feministic zeal arriving straining to see who was out there. I unlocked that, but they never explain anything. myself on the swaying carriage porch. as I stood on train flying through the night the door and stepped out onto the porch. sky with a strange man from Gali—Galifri— The wind buffeted me again, twisting my hair “All right. You want to know the real “Door’s jammed,” the Doctor told me, Galifriboomdeeay—failed to dawn on me at around my face as I jumped back a carriage. answer? Because you told me. You told me rattling the brass handle. He pulled with the time, but I had a wealth of things on my To the one loaded with Bibles and Methodist about all of this. Well, you will tell me, from both hands, then put his shoulder into it, all mind and was about to express it all to the hymn books and smaller pamphlets printed your perspective. Your future. My past. It’s to no avail. With a shrug of resignation, he Doctor. To say I was feeling stubborn would in what the Doctor had identified as the complicated, and, quite frankly, we don’t reached into his coat pocket, then caught have been an understatement. I planted my language of the Potawatomi tribe. He have time to debate temporal physics right himself. Whatever tool he had hidden there hands on my hips, preparing my own version grudgingly agreed to stop long enough to now. Now, are you coming or not? Rose,” remained hidden. Instead, his hand closed of the Second Chances speech. read to me in the strange, clipped syllables the name caught in his throat once again and around the rung of a ladder that went up to of a language so unlike any I had ever heard. I turned back to him. “Trust me.” the roof. Just then, a familiar voice called from atop Standing outside the car, I could still hear the carriage. the words. In fact, I could hear many voices, I must have been completely mad, but “Oh no,” I told him, backing away. Playing as if the entire company of boys were there there was something about his stern face leap frog over janney couplers on a hell- “Come on, then! Quit the shenanigans. behind the closed door. I cupped my hands in the shifting light, cinder and ash and the bent train was bad enough. By all that was Shake a leg!” to my mouth and yelled so the Doctor could smell of the night sky and his blue eyes sensible and good, I was not about to climb hear me over the din of the runaway train. beacons of hope, wide as eternity, offering up there, in the dark, on a train hurtling Whatever I had been about to say went “I’m going to see who it is—“ me the chance of a lifetime. He knew me through the heavens. down with a deep swallow. I blinked hard. from a future I could only imagine. A future I “Doctor, did you hear that?” “Rose, don’t,” he told me, reaching after had come to doubt I would ever have. Here, “Ladies first,” he grinned. me. “Don’t look back. You have to keep now, we were writing the pages of the story If he did, he wasn’t saying. Instead, he moving forward—“ of my life. The story I would tell him. Trust “Doctor, please! My hands are cold, I’ve lifted me onto the ladder and pointed up. me. barked both shins, snagged my frock on a “Let’s go Catherine Booth. You can lecture Ignoring the Doctor, I twisted the knob and nail, torn my stockings, and this train doesn’t me later.” went back the way we had come. The door I jumped the gap between what I seem to have an end. Please, can’t we go slammed shut behind me. understood and what I didn’t, and the Doctor back to the boys and Miss McCrimmon?” We staggered atop the roof, the Doctor was there on the other side to catch me. gripping my arm that I might not be swept At first, the carriage was dark, the rich “Well, we could,” the Doctor told me away in the roaring wind and swirl of scent of hay filling me with sleepy thoughts. The next freight car up was as dark as a without looking at me. He did that, talked flickering lights like jack-o-lanterns spinning I never did catch those forty winks earlier moonless night and filled with hay if I were without looking at you. “But if memory around us in the starlight. I do declare, I and the exertion it was taking to keep up to trust my nose. The Doctor scrambled serves, they aren’t there anymore. We have had never been so terrified in all my life, but with the Doctor had left me exhausted. I felt through it without any problem, but it was to keep going forward to find them again.” the view! I could see all the way to eternity. around for the nearest bale of hay in the dim - 44 - - 45 - light, lowering myself down. It was after the There, down a long, tunnel that glimmered The image of the boy shimmered like “Says the Time Lord,” scoffed the Thing glow of a kerosene lamp washed over my like the setting sun, I could just make out the ripples in a pond until it was just the Doctor that, until a moment before, looked like surroundings that I realized that instead of outline of one of the older boys, his dark and I in the cavernous room. He steered me someone I thought I knew as well as anyone. the car filled with Bibles and hymnals, I was head nodded forward. down a ramp, past a hat stand, to a set of back in the freight car we had started out in. windowed doors. I wasn’t sure who or what it looked like Leaving the hat and all manner of boyish now; sort of stretched and slippery like a The compartment in which we had ridden treasures behind, I scrambled to my feet, “Come on, Alice. Time we go back through bowl of noodles, only without the bowl. It so merrily together earlier was empty save tearing a hole clean through the torn hem the looking glass.” had too many glimmering parts, especially the Doctor’s big blue box. It stood in the far on my frock. Miss McCrimmon was going eyes, and I felt like every one of them corner, tall and solid, casting a dark, deep to need more than a needle and thread to And just like that, we stepped back into the was fixed on me. I was beginning to think shadow over the space. Mac’s straw hat sat repair that before our next introduction to train. I glanced over my shoulder once to get masquerading as one of the boys was better. on a hay bale besides Miss McCrimmon’s prospective kin. a proper look of where I had just been, then I was also hoping Miss McCrimmon wouldn’t carpet bag. Wherever she was, she was wished I had some of those smelling salts we walk in and see it. going to be mighty displeased not to have her The boy was crying. He didn’t want had tried to wake Miss McCrimmon with. lap robe and her time tables and those lacy anyone to know that he was crying. I could Then it hit me. Just before she fainted bloomers we’d burned our innocence away tell that from his face, the way he turned “Wakey, wakey—“ The Doctor patted my dead away, what had she said about the with by seeing earlier. Scattered all about away, the way he blinked back the tears. To cheek with cool fingers. explosions and the train wandering between were bits and bobs I recognized as belonging have a friend, you must first be one, and this the stars? That wasn’t supposed to happen. to the boys. Marbles and playing cards and poor lad looked like he hadn’t a friend in the “Don’t be afraid,” Paul told me, smiling The Thing reached out a long slippery arm tiny tin soldiers. One by one I swept them whole wide world. down at me. Smiling that smile that always and patted me on the head. It smelled like into Mac’s hat as I made my way closer to the made my knees weak. His voice was sweet. apple butter. Oh. Oh dear. We were in a bad telegraph box they must have taken refuge “Hello? Are you hurt?” His face sweeter. box now. in. The key on the chain that the Doctor had given to Paul earlier had been slid neatly into If he heard me, he made no answer. “Paul?” I threw my arms around his neck, “Don’t be afraid,” it said again. the lock. I wondered what sort of machine Instead, he cradled a large leather book in his breathing in his scent, hoping I wasn’t existed inside. A machine to take a man arms as dearly as I might have held our family committing a sin when I had to admit I liked “What are you?” I cried, recoiling into the forward and backward in Time. Bible. His lips were moving silently, his body what I smelled. Doctor. “What have you done to Paul and rocking to a tune that seemed to rise from Miss McCrimmon and the boys?” I thought We met a man today, the pages themselves. A haunting song, “You might not want to do that,” the of little Taffy, lost somewhere on the train, unlike any I had ever heard. All at once, I was Doctor said, rocking back on his heels. his big dark eyes brimming with tears. Of He comes from Gallifrey... crying, too. baby Mattieu, who couldn’t look after himelf. Aside from the obvious impropriety, I Of Mac and Willie and the rest. My fingers closed on the door handle as I DEATH, rock me asleep, couldn’t imagine why. Nor could I have twisted the key, pushed open the door, and imagined what transpired next. Paul lifted “They are here,” the Thing said, a dozen promptly fell out of the train. Bring me to quiet rest, me to my feet, only it wasn’t Paul anymore. arms waving and embracing, and all at It was Thomas. No. No, it was Piotr, smiling once they were. Every familiar face, every Wherever I was when I woke up, one Let pass my weary guiltless ghost warmly. After that, it wasn’t even a person happy smile, every uncombed hair on every thing was for certain: it was as quiet as a anymore. unwashed face. They surrounded me, church during silent prayer. I found that Out of my careful breast. whispering, patting my arms, touching my rather comforting after the affairs of the Surprised, I stumbled back and the Doctor hair, breaking my heart. day. I was sitting on the floor in a vaulted Toll on, thou passing bell; caught me and hauled me back to unsteady room awash in twisting light and cool, gentle feet. I was much obliged and felt as foolish I put my hands over my eyes. “Stop it! shadows. Peaceful sounds that reminded me Ring out my doleful knell; as ever for not having listened to him when Stop it! You’ve taken them!” of long lost summers I didn’t even realize I he warned me before. He said not to go back still remembered reverberated around me. Let thy sound my death tell. after all. More than once. I looked up at him, “There, there,” said Pat. Summer nights. Summer breezes. Summer all kinds of sorry on my face, but he was too skies filled with stars. For a moment I was Death doth draw nigh; busy looking this, this Thing up and down to “Stop crying child,” said Willie. even further transported to the days before pay me much mind. I had resorted to sleeping in a coal shed There is no remedy. Taffy slipped his small hand in mine. because I no longer had a home. Or a family. “You can’t just go around changing your “We’re so sorry.” My eyes stung with tears, but I wasn’t the The Doctor’s low voice interrupted the face,” the Doctor scolded. only one crying. song. “There you are! I told you not to—“ - 46 - - 47 - “You’re not helping,” the Doctor told the “Has been arduous, but necessary. An And quick at you please we were on mortal I hesitated. He knew the future, didn’t he? Thing. “Seriously. You’re terrifying her. Time honor. A gift. The girl could not lose hope. ground again, the bright sun blinding us as He knew what happened to the train… didn’t to tell her the truth and then it’s off with Her journey is not yet over. Please, allow me the train barreled on through drifts of snow he? “D-didn’t I tell you? I mean, won’t I tell you. Back into the realm you came from to take a familiar form so I can explain.” that sprayed in every direction. For a long you?” I was still mighty unclear about how before I tell the Shadow Proclamation you’ve moment neither of us said anything, I was all that worked. been mucking about Earth in this century. It looked at me, but I shook my head. Don’t about to ask the obvious questions when he Shame on you. These stupid little apes you dare. Doctor clapped his hands loudly together. “Not entirely, no,” he conceded. “More fun don’t understand a thing about Shifters and this way, don’t you think?” whifferdils and multi-forms.” “Very well, then. A familiar form to you, “Well, that’s done and dusted. Just one Time Lord.” problem left.” He raised an eyebrow at me. If this was his idea of fun... “And you Tell me the truth about… Wait just one wouldn’t tell me if you did.” cotton-pickin’ minute. Who was he calling a It shimmered, took shape, and now it was “The train won’t stop,” I said slowly, stupid ape? I peered between my fingers as the Doctor’s turn to step back. still wanting to understand what had just He tapped a forefinger against the side of the Thing continued to change like shadows happened and realizing, sadly, that the his nose. That I understood. in a mirror. “The boy with the book,” I whispered, Doctor was not going to tell me any of his able to see him clearly for the first time. His stories. Not today. “All right then. What do we need to stop “No harm was intended,” the Thing eyes were deep and dark, his brown hair as a train?” said. “The truth was too painful. The pain unkempt as… “Gold star! The train won’t stop,” he saddened me.” agreed. “Simplest solution is we disconnect “Dunno. What do we have to work with?” “What do you mean, the boy with the from the car in front of us.” What truth was so painful? But it didn’t book?” the Doctor asked me. “And I told you, I picked up the hat full of inconsequential have to explain. Seeing their faces now, I you can’t go around changing faces like that.” “Shouldn’t the engineer—“ items. Tokens from the boys. I remembered admitted what I had known for days in my now. They’d each given me something heart. They were gone. They were all gone “He was crying. I saw him—“ “By now, yes, he should have. I don’t before they left with their new families. and if we didn’t die in a train crash in this think anyone’s left on board. They might Marbles, a Jacob’s Ladder, knucklebones, a impossible place, I was going to end up back “In the Tardis?” the Doctor asked. When never have really been on board to begin Bilbo catcher, a deck of cards, some small at St. Luke’s. Alone. I didn’t answer he pointed. “The box there. with. Impressive trick. Almost had me toy soldiers, a small knife, a handful of seeds, It’s called the Tardis. And this is a face I fooled. Poor planning, though, requiring so several tangled moonwinders and Miss “No harm was intended,” the Thing haven’t seen in there in a long time. You can much energy that when it couldn’t keep up it McCrimmon’s jar of apple butter. Where, stressed the words, noodle arms waving, too stop it now. You don’t need to borrow Adric derailed a little bit of reality with it. Leaving I wondered, had she gone? “What do you many eyes blinking. “The girl did not want to make your point.” with the train in motion like that wasn’t very have?” them to leave. They were the ones that bright either.” mattered most. Her memories were enough Adric. I liked the sound of that name. The Doctor whipped some sort of tool to create the illusion—“ “Who is he?” I did not even try to understand. “How from his pocket. “Screwdriver.” long will the locomotive keep going?” “That was more than an illusion,” the “Someone that didn’t get a second It was by far the strangest screwdriver I’d Doctor said, shaking a finger at the Thing. chance,” the Doctor said softly. “Either until it runs out of fuel or reaches ever seen, but the Doctor was the strangest “Those boys had individual corporeal form. the end of the line, I suppose.” I swallowed man I’d ever met. It seemed only fitting. Personalities. They acted independently of “Precisely…” answered the Thing as it deeply. “We have to stop it, don’t we?” one another. To have divided yourself on faded from view. The noise in the locomotive was horrible, that scale and maintained it so long—“ “Do we?” but the Doctor was right. No one else seemed to be on board. That left it up to

- 48 - - 49 - us to stop the train. The Doctor ignored right?” I had to shout to be heard over the “Anyway, that was ages ago. She’s probably “No,” I told him, taking the locket from the noise and smoke and the snow being squealing as we hauled on the brakes for all back to working in a shop somewhere, around my neck and handing it to him. “She cast in every direction by the cow catcher we were worth. married to that dumb lug by now.” told me to write this name.” up front. On we plowed through winter’s grip, chugging deeper and deeper into the “Right as rain,” he grinned back at me, I wasn’t sure what a dumb lug was, but it He snapped open the locket. I knew what Michigan wilderness, the Doctor setting his pulling the whistle cord to announce our didn’t sound very romantic. Not one bit. I it said. I’d looked at it so many times. To attention on dismantling what he identified impending arrival. “Always wanted to do lowered my voice. “But didn’t you say this Rose. as a broken valve. I asked him how many that. Your story isn’t over yet, and neither was a time machine?” trains he had worked on and he grinned at is theirs.” “She gave this to you?” me and told me to break the seal on the “Just because it’s a time machine doesn’t apple butter. Snow whispered to the ground, glistening mean I can just pop back and change things. “On the way to the parish,” I nodded. like starlight across the open fields. It doesn’t work that way. Not always,” he “They found me in the--” “What do you need me to do?” said, gazing off into the distance. “There are The train crew, no worse for wear after things we can’t change. Not even me.” The Doctor shushed me. “Not another The Doctor tipped the contents of the jar our adventure, stumbled out of the caboose word. Hasn’t happened yet.” into the exposed cylinder. after the great steel behemoth had ground “Like Adric?” to a trembling halt. Confused, they stumped I blinked. Hadn’t happened? How could “After I seal this up, I need you to open the along the rails in heavy coats and tall boots, He didn’t answer right away. “Sometimes it not have happened. “But that was years valve to re-pressurize the system; then we inspecting the damage to the Number Nine. I can change things. But I don’t go back for ago!” haul on the hand brake, hold on for dear life, All considering, the train looked good and the people who say no. She made her choice and pray. Think you can handle that?” nervous conductor congratulated the Doctor and I left her right there in that alley with “ehn!” the Doctor put his hands over his for his heroism. Another few miles and we Mickey the Idiot,” the Doctor said, arms ears. It was just then I noticed how big they I wrapped my fingers around the brake would have reached the end of the line, folded across his chest. He looked miserable. were. “Not for me!” handle and the Doctor wrapped his hands quite literally. The Doctor thanked them as “Her name was Rose, too. Rose Tyler.” around mine. The pressure valve sputtered he hopped down, swinging me down to the “But...?” and I gave it a swift kick, never letting go the ground as the porters began the struggle of Oh. Oh, my. The woman in the snow. The brake. unloading the Tardis. Alerted by the terrific pretty woman with the man in the long coat The Doctor jerked a thumb at the blue box. noise, a farmer and his wife had arrived in who found me in the coal shed and took me “A Stitch in Time Saves Nine,” I pointed out. a mule-drawn sleigh and offered to take us to the local parish and gave me the locket and “Oooh. Yes, I see.” But I was lying. I didn’t into town where they said an agent from St. told me that when my turn came to ride the understand. I thought about it hard. It didn’t The Doctor grinned. “I can live with that.” Luke’s, a Miss Carolyn McCrimmon, waited train I was to write that name in the window. help. “Doctor, why do I remember Rose and for me. Every town. Every station. Every whistle not you?” I didn’t know why he thought it was so stop. Someone would find me. Someone funny, but I had every intention of doing It was now or never. I turned to the Doctor. indeed. But if the Doctor left her standing “You wouldn’t,” he told me, sweeping me exactly what he said. Remember? I really “You ever left anyone behind?” in an alley, none of this would ever happen. up into the sleigh with the nice people who was an obedient child in those days. I thought of Miss McCrimmon, the real Miss had come to our aid. “You haven’t met me He laughed a bit. I took that to mean that McCrimmon waiting for me—for me!--and yet.” “Is this going to work?” I asked, then he had. Often. her speech about Second Chances. laughed at myself. “I guess it had to have “So you said.” worked, right? Otherwise we wouldn’t be “Anyone you wish you hadn’t?” “Maybe you could give her a second doing it. Right?” chance.” He had to. He just had to. I looked “But you will. A long time from now. And “All the time. Well,” he amended, at the Tardis. “Maybe you should tell her it’s you’ll tell me the story of the Number 9 “Dunno,” he told me, adjusting his hold “sometimes. And some people more than a time machine?” bound for Michigan--but I won’t remember on the brake handle. “Things are changing other people. Some people a lot more. But it, because for me it wouldn’t have happened every step of the way. Small things. Should I don’t beg. I’m not desperate, you know. I The Doctor’s eyebrows drew slowly yet. And I must have told Rose later, which all work out in the end, but you never know. like being on my own. Set my own schedule. together as if he were deep in thought. means I went back for her.” He said it so We might crash.” Go... where I want to.” Slowly, a pained expression worked over his matter-of-factly that all I could do was nod. soot-stained face. Then he looked crestfallen. “Thing is, she “We might not,” I pointed out, knowing I kept nodding. I wasn’t sure which one of might not come with me. Could change that if wishes were fishes, no one would ever us he was trying to convince. “She told you, didn’t she? Rose Tyler told everything. Funny thing, life of a time go hungry again. “Doctor, tell me one thing. you to write your name so I’d see it.” traveller. Do you understand?” The boys—the real ones, I mean. Are they all - 50 - - 51 - I nodded, then slowly shook my head. The and I can see that you’re ready to be on your upon them. Through the pages of Yee Jee’s nice lady had bundled me up in a blanket and way. Places to go, people to see? No, you book, peppered with before and after given me a proper winter hat. The nice man aren’t being rude at all. You asked for a story shots, script details and other production shook the mule harness and the sleigh began and I told you one. Well, no, I didn’t tell you treasures, we get to see his photos from to move. everything, but then a girl has to have some Chinatown (showing a very secret door), secrets, doesn’t she? That’s right. Even at Grace’s condo, the TARDIS interior set, Andy “All you need to know is—“ he furrowed my age. Just know this: it was a good life and Livingstone Park and other key locations his brow. “Wait. What is your name?” one I’m not ready to stop living yet. How’s as seen throughout the TVM, each entry that for a pearl of wisdom? documented with factual comments about “Emily,” I told him. the locale together with personal reflections Oh, one more thing before you go. You’ll about the areas captured. It is, as Yee “Emily Rose,” he emphasized the second need this. See the lovely inscription inside? See notes himself, such a shame that he name, “you’re going to have a fantastic life.” Yes, I suppose I will miss it, dear, but I’ve had couldn’t recover more of his photos from it long enough, don’t you think? Time it was the British Columbian’s Children’s Hospital, I wanted to tell him the same thing, but given to a younger girl. a key location for many iconic sequences, as why spoil the fun? most of that area is, sadly, no more through Go on now. You have so much to do and redevelopment. Throughout the book, told *** the Doctor was right. Sometimes the best in a highly informal and personable style, one it spawned so many novels, audios, a new stories of our lives are the ones we haven’t thing that resonates with the reader is the on-screen appearance of the And do you know what? I did have a written yet. But you already knew that, inescapable realisation that not only does and, most significantly, when the creatives fantastic life. Oh, it wasn’t all wine and song. didn’t you? Yee Jee remember his time with moments involved with its making are just as willing No sir. But those are stories for another day of utter clarity; he does so with genuine as the fans to return to a project twenty fondness and appreciation. He didn’t need years after its filming. That’s pure Doctor pre-Who knowledge for the show to cast its Who, the staple of so many UK Conventions, spell on him. and possibly the true explanation of what a Review is so paradoxically ancient and immediately temporal orbit really is: Doctor Who itself! real to me, how must it feel to those who I won’t reveal too many of the insights Yee Once you’re involved, it never leaves you, were involved in its production? In Doctor Jee shares with us in Time and Spaces, I you’re looped, and from reading Yee Jee’s Yee Jee Tso’s Who Magazine’s 20th Anniversary Tribute will leave the majority for you to discover book and memories I feel he’s rather happy Edition to the TVM, Paul McGann states should you decide to make the book one of to have it as part of his life for as we want Time and Spaces he remembers every moment, believing it your ‘things’, but suffice to say the moment it to be. Just Tweet him. And buy his photo feels more like ten years ago rather than the where he reveals how an onset incident album from 1996. The Doctor’s gold dust A Photo Journal of actual twenty. Is this sharp relief something while filming shaped his professional outlook won’t last forever… that was afforded to McGann due to his pre- to tardy attendance is a heartening one and Doctor Who Filming knowledge of what Doctor Who was, that the reminiscence of getting too close to it was something already in his psyche by his personal nadir, cold water, will always Review by John Davies nature of the show’s cultural heritage? If so, focus my mind when watching a particular Yee Jee Tso’s what would those unaware of the ‘homeless key scene when I return to the events of traveller in his old police box’ before they December 31st 1999. Time and Spaces: Twenty Years in a Temporal Orbit got that chance to join in with his trans- Is it really 20 years since I queued up outside dimensional life? In Yee Jee Tso’s Time and Although the key feature of the book are the A Photo Journal of Doctor HMV on Manchester’s Market Street to Spaces: A Journal of Doctor Who Filming, we locations, the ‘Spaces’ of its title, captured grab a copy of the TVM (on VHS) from their get a chance to find out. then and now, it’s heart rests in the ‘Time’ Who Filming midnight opening? (By grab I don’t mean aspect. The end family photo says it all, literally; I paid for it!) Sadly it is, as the passing Time and Spaces is a fitting glimpse into a really, mixed in with the sentiments of Yee is available to buy from years depicted by the mirror show me every shared life experience. It’s a period of time for Jee’s final words. Yes, time has moved on, morning, the fact that the release was in him just as it was for us, just brought sharply we all have different lives now but for one Miwk Publishing 1996 and the liberal use of the term VHS just into focus by his rediscovery of a trove of self- moment, one significant point in time, we all www.miwkpublishing.com/store now goes to show. (VHS? Younger readers, taken photos, just like the promotional stuff shared the same journey – and it’s one both Google is your friend.) But my time in that I snaffled from that cold 00:00 video sale fans and cast are seemingly willing to run shivering, excited queue genuinely feels like a always focus me on that time, that moment, back to without a moment’s hesitation. The heartbeat ago. If the passing of two decades of potential Who-rebirth whenever I stumble TVM was failed American Who? Not so when - 52 - - 53 -