Cosmic Masque IX
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1 Welcome to this bumper issue of Cosmic Masque. Inside these pages you will find re- views on the Blu-Ray Season col- lection range and an interview with Chris Chapman who works on the specials features on these wonder- ful sets. You will also find reviews on a num- ber of other items, some features on the 8th Doctor and the filming of series 12, plus a write up of the Au- dience with Warris Hussein event. Steve Hatcher (our fiction editor) has been working to continue to bring us the best possible fan fiction and once again delivers some great adventures for us all to get stuck into. My heartfelt thanks to all of our con- tributors, and the team that work on our publications. Until next time faithful readers. Enjoy the issue. Rik 2 story for the Doctor Who charity anthology that I edited, Time Shad- ows: Second Nature (still available from me for free as an e-book if you ask nicely), so he was one of the Last summer, I was honoured when first people I asked to write for CM. Paul Winter and Rik Moran asked I couldn’t be more happy with his me to become Fiction Editor of Cos- contribution to this issue, a nice lit- mic Masque, a role that began with tle robot mystery story, The Chaotic issue VII. Now, as I present my Element. Michael’s fabulous début third selection of the very best sto- novel, Geek Myths – a story of life, ries that our readers have submit- love and the pursuit of sonic screw- ted, I have been asked to write a drivers is available from Amazon. I few words to introduce the stories recommend it wholeheartedly. featured in Cosmic Masque IX. I happen to think they are three Don’t forget, Cosmic Masque is a crackers – I hope you will agree. magazine by and for its readers. I don’t know any Doctor Who fans In the 20th Anniversary Year of who haven’t got a story in them – a Doctor Who at Big Finish, it’s very story that is desperate to be told - appropriate that in Gary Merchant’s and we want to help you to tell it. rather splendid comic caper What’s Send your stories in to the email Up Doc(tor)? we have the Sixth address at the front of this issue Doctor accompanied by perhaps and they will be considered for in- the most popular of all the original clusion. It doesn’t matter if you Big Finish companions, Evelyn haven’t been published before or Smythe, checking in to a luxury ho- even if you haven’t written anything tel, only to find an old friend – that before. We can help you get your time-travelling adventuress, Iris ideas straight and down on paper. Wildthyme, Just think of how you will feel, when you see your story, under your Cameron Holt and Nathan Mullins’ name, here in Cosmic Masque. So, four-part story featuring the current get writing. I look forward to hearing TARDIS team, Requiem Among the from you. Stars, which made its début in Cos- mic Masque VIII is developing nice- Steve ly. In this issue we have episode two. Cameron and Nathan are ex- citing and ambitious young writers, who are fast making names for themselves. Michael M. Gilroy-Sinclair is a new name to Cosmic Masque, but he may well be familiar to you through his long-running Tin Dog Podcast. Michael wrote a lovely Ninth Doctor 3 4 She started walking. The last time she had set foot inside an Osiran tomb was over a thousand years ago, so her memories of the stand- ard layout were blurred. She hoped they wouldn’t have to keep moving for long. This tomb did seem differ- For part 1 please download Cos- ent, though – in fact, everything on mic Masque VIII - click here for the planet was slightly out of place. more details. Certainly, it should have been much hotter on the surface than it current- All four of the TARDIS crew jumped ly was, and the presence of a flower as high as they could and landed amongst so much desolation was with a bang. But the bang was not unexpected. from them; it was a mechanical Not to mention the already lit torch- sound that resonated from below, es. as the circular tile started to rumble and lowered itself slowly like an ele- Osirans were a mystery she had vator. long been studying, but the Doctor All Graham could think about was couldn’t piece it all together. Yet. how sluggish their exit would be. “Watch out for reanimated bodies,” “So, Doctor,” he said, as sand from she said, half-joking. above trickled into his hair. “How “Don’t,” whispered Ryan. “Just exactly did that work?” don’t.” “Well, it’s old,” said the Doctor, mat- They reached the junction at the ter-of-factly. “There should have end of the corridor. There was a been an identification scanner that path leading left and another lead- restricts anyone but family mem- ing right, but no indication as to bers from entering, but it must have which one would guide them to the broken down over time. So, I hoped burial chamber. The glyphs on the a good jump would jog the machine wall that usually served as direc- into action. And it did.” tions for grieving families were non- “Luck, then.” existent. Of course, the Doctor “Yep.” couldn’t tell her companions that. “Of course.” “This way,” she said with forced confidence, heading left. “Shouldn’t be long now.” The ancient elevator screeched to a “Until what?” asked Yasmin. “What very slow halt and, up above, an- are we aiming for?” other circular tile slid in from the “The burial chamber,” said the Doc- wall to seal the travellers inside. In tor. “I thought that was obvious.” front, the Doctor could see a torch- She could hear Yasmin’s tut in per- lit corridor stretching out towards a fect clarity, echoing through the half junction further ahead. A musky, -lit labyrinth. They turned another damp scent forced its way into her corner and eventually found them- nostrils. Interesting. selves in a bigger room with a 5 domed ceiling. Placed along the been watching them from the begin- circular wall were elaborately deco- ning, studying them. Planning for rated sarcophagi, bearing faces that this moment. looked like jackals. This was not the “I can help you,” said the Doctor, right way. rubbing dust off her coat. “You’re in pain. Believe me, I know. Just tell As she quickly backed up, Yasmin me what’s going on and I can set blocked her exit. you free.” “Doctor, what are these things?”Her Yasmin’s hands tightened into expression was fearful. Ryan and fists.“Liar!” Graham quickly turned heel, des- She screamed again and every sar- perate to leave. cophagus in the room snapped “Not something you want to stick open. She fell to her knees, groan- around for,” said the Doctor, at- ing. The Doctor reached into her tempting to push past. “Come on. coat pocket and rummaged through Time’s running out.” countless useless items until her Yasmin blocked her again. “I know,” fingers touched the familiar metallic she said, focusing her gaze on device she relied on so often. She each sarcophagus. “But what are pulled it forth, aiming at the small they? Do you know?” army of wrapped, jackal-headed The Doctor felt a tinge of annoy- mummies that had started shuffling ance. There was something about towards them. the tone of her voice that was unu- sual. “Yes, but that’s not important Graham let out a terrified wail and right now, Yaz. We need to move.” leaned against the Doctor’s back. Yasmin pushed against the Doc- Yasmin pushed herself up and ran tor’s chest, stronger than expected. out of the room, wincing and hold- “You are stubborn, aren’t you?” she ing her head. Ryan stepped for- said, staring at the Doctor curiously. wards, letting his emotions take “Aliens always are. But you… control, but the Doctor shoved him you’re especially bad.” back with her free arm. “Wait!” she The Doctor’s hearts sank. She shouted, fiddling with the sonic grabbed hold of Ryan and Gra- screwdriver and holding it above ham’s arms, but it was too late. her head. “Hold onto your ear- Yasmin opened her mouth and drums!” screamed, creating a shockwave A high-pitched, pulsing noise burst that sent the three of them flying to from the screwdriver as the tomb’s the centre of the room. They landed foundations shook in reverberation. violently, Ryan scraping his arm The mummies halted where they and Graham knocking his head. were and collapsed, convulsing on The Doctor landed on her feet and the floor until, finally, they were mo- helped her companions up, watch- tionless. The noise faded. The Doc- ing Yasmin’s movements careful- tor lowered her trusty device and ly.The tingling sensation she had dropped it into her pocket, secretly mentioned earlier. Of course. Who- pleased with herself. ever was in that burial chamber had Ryan and Graham cautiously 6 moved from their spot. Graham situations like this, the Doctor al- kicked one of the mummies where ways remembered the people she’d its ribs would have been, creating a lost – either because of her own metallic clang. “Robots?” said lack of foresight, or things beyond Ryan, sweat dripping down his her control.