4. “Tipping Point.”
On the Adahs battlefields, Danny charged with his soldiers behind him. His mind was focused on the job. He was going to lead his troops into battle. He wasn’t going to falter in his duties.
“Keep on going, men!” he called. “We must keep going! Nothing can stop us now! Nothing, you understand!”
The soldiers gave out loud cries. They varied from battle glory to agonising pain. Soldiers fell down to the ground, either from belching or being shot. Danny didn’t seem to register his soldiers’ deaths. His mind and his eyes were focused. Always on the job, he thought. Always on the job.
“Move out, soldiers!” Danny shouted. “Move out! We can’t mess this now! Spilt up! I’ll go that way! You go the other way!”
A group of soldiers went off running in one direction whilst Danny went off alone. He soon hid behind an abandoned battle post. An explosion went off nearby. Danny ended up falling onto the floor. He soon got out his communicator from his army uniform and switched it on to speak into it.
“Lieutenant Williams to all soldiers,” he shouted into it. “Lieutenant Williams to all soldiers! Be on the alert! I repeat, be on the alert! No unnecessary heroics, understand? Keep safe! Over and out!”
Once finished, Danny switched off his communicator. He put it back into his nearest army uniform pocket. Danny groaned in pain. The recent explosion nearly caught his foot in the blast.
Just then, he looked up and saw a figure approach him. It was a young woman. She had blonde hair. Danny recognised her in an instant.
“Jen!” he called out surprised. “Jen Ward! What are you doing here?!”
Jen saw Danny call out to him as she ran over to meet him at the battle post. As Jen met Danny, he pulled her inside for cover. They ducked down just as another series of gunshots fired above their heads.
“Danny!” Jen said relieved. “Oh thank God I’ve found you! I thought I wouldn’t.”
“You shouldn’t be out here!” Danny told her off. “It’s too dangerous!”
“Yes I know that now,” Jen said. “Thankfully the rain didn’t stop me! Nor did the bracelets the Doctor gave me!”
“I’ll get you out of here as soon as possible,” Danny reassured her. “At the moment, we’re in the middle of a war.”
“Danny, you’ve got to stop this now!” Jen told him. “Stop the fighting!”
Danny was astonished. “What? Me stop the fighting?! I can’t! I have my orders!”
Apprehensively, Jen asked, “Do you really want to see your soldiers get killed out here?! They’re dying for an empty cause! It’s all because of that Wickham creep!”
“I can’t stop the fighting,” Danny said, entranced. “I can’t! I must keep going!”
Jen stopped for breath. Eventually she spoke again and used a different form of tact.
“Please, Danny,” she pleaded. “Do this for me.”
Danny became confused. “What?” he asked.
“I need you to stay alive,” she said. “If you carry on fighting, you’ll be dead out there on the battlefields. I don’t want that to happen to you.”
“But…we’ve only just met,” Danny said. “Why should I matter to you? You hardly even know me. I’m…I’m just a soldier.”
Jen shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re a very special person, Danny. Far more special than you and I realise.”
“Special?” Danny said confused. “I’m special?”
Gradually, Jen continued. “When I was a little girl, my mum and dad…who I miss so much…taught me how important it is to care about others. They told me that in every small way…everyone is special.”
“Is…is that a fact?” Danny asked.
Jen smiled as she said gradually, “I like you, Danny. And I want to see you alive and well. We can make sure that everyone is alive and well once we’ve stopped Wickham and ended the war. The Doctor is trying to make that possible but we need your help.”
As Jen said this, Danny was breaking out of his trance. He eventually asked her, “Do I…do I get to ask you out on a dinner date then? Once this is over.”
Jen giggled as she said, “Once this over, yes, you can. But you’ll have to ask nicely after we’ve defeated Wickham.”
As they remained under shelter, another bombardment hit the ground and missed them. It didn’t bother Danny as he gazed into Jen’s eyes who appealed to him.
“So, what’s it going to be, Danny?” she asked. “Will you help to stop the fighting as well as help me and the Doctor?”
At that moment, an announcement echoed on the tannoy system nearby. It echoed across the battlefield as it came from the city itself.
“This is Commander Stack to all Davaston troops on the Adahs battlefields,” the announcement began. “Cease fire and return to base. I repeat. All Davaston troops are to cease fire and return to base. The war is over! I repeat! The war is over! All sub-commanders are follow instructions.”
Danny recognised the voice. He turned to Jen. “That was my commander on the tannoy system,” he said amazed. “He said the war is over. The war is…”
“Now you’ve got the chance, Danny,” Jen said encouragingly. “Stop your men from fighting. Give them the order quick before it’s too late.”
At that moment, a group of Skeletrons appeared. They came charging towards Jen with their swords drawn. They snarled and gnashed their teeth viciously. Jen stood and backed away from them.
“Keep away!” she shouted at them. “Keep away, you bony freaks! Don’t touch me, do you hear?! Back off, will you?!”
The Skeletrons moved Jen up against the nearest wall as they raised their swords up high in the air. Jen braced herself as the Skeletrons were about to strike her down.
“Oh no, you don’t!” Danny called as he stepped in the way of the Skeletrons. He defended Jen with his own weapon. “This ends here! Leave Jen alone!” he shouted.
The Skeletrons’ attention was turned to Danny as he opened fire upon them. Danny blew up the Skeletrons with his weapon. Their heads soon rolled about on the ground and their bodies crumbled away – flesh, bone and mechanics scattering. Repulsed at first, Jen and Danny were relieved once the Skeletrons had been dealt with.
“Are you alright, Jen?” Danny asked concerned.
“You saved my life, Danny,” Jen said pleased. “Thank you.”
She embraced Danny in a hug. The two held each for some time before Danny realised.
“My soldiers,” he cried. “I’ve got to help them!”
“We’ve got to break them out of their trance,” Jen said. “After that, we find the Doctor.”
With that, Jen and Danny headed off out from their shelter as they went to find the soldiers on the battlefields.
A while later in Lugrom city, the Doctor and Stack met up with Jen and Danny. The four of them had gathered many soldiers from the Adahs battlefields as they could.
“Well Jen, how did it go for you?” the Doctor asked.
“It went fine thanks, Doctor,” Jen replied. “I’m still amazed we saved many soldiers from the battlefields.”
“Well, we’ve got the difficult bit out of the way,” the Doctor said. “Now all we have to do is sort out Wickham and the Skeletrons.”
“But surely we’ve sorted them out, Doctor,” Jen said. “We’ve foiled Wickham in his plans, haven’t we?”
“We have to get the crystal back remember?” the Doctor reminded her. “Wickham still has the crystal. He can use it to reinvigorate his mad scheme for conquering infinity.”
“Well no matter, Doctor,” Stack interjected. “My troops and I are right behind you all the way.”
“Even now you’re still thinking about fighting,” the Doctor groaned. “I’m wondering if I haven’t broken you out that trance at all, Commander.”
“But surely Jen’s right, Doctor,” Danny argued. “As you say, we’ve dealt with the difficult part. Wickham is defeated surely.”
“Wickham still runs the Blufor Beer Factory,” the Doctor said. “He can still sell Blufor drinks at an infinite and frequent rate.”
“Oh no!” Jen realised. “That means more soldiers will be burping to death whilst they’re fighting on the battlefields unless we stop him in time.”
“Exactly,” the Doctor confirmed. “Hopefully Wickham will still be in his office once we get to him and try to stop him.”
“Then we’d better hurry,” Stack suggested.
At that moment though, a voice rang out on the tannoy system. It was Wickham’s voice. He was far from happy.
“Doctor!” he began enraged. “You’ve stopped the fighting! How dare you defy me! I shall use the Zorbius crystal to destroy you wherever you are! Do not try to oppose me again! It will be your last mistake!”
The tannoy then switched off. Everyone except the Doctor became worried. Especially Jen, who was puzzled by the Doctor’s calm behaviour.
“Doctor, he said he’ll destroy you,” Jen said. “Shouldn’t you at least be worried?”
“We’ve got more things to worry about,” the Doctor answered.
“Wickham, you mean?” Stack checked.
“No,” the Doctor replied. “That approaching raincloud!”
And indeed, Jen, Stack and Danny looked to see an approaching raincloud coming towards them. It didn’t look friendly.
“That raincloud must be filled with the Skeletrons’ deepening rain!” Danny remarked.
“Yes! And it’ll reach us if we don’t hurry and get to the Blufor Beer Factory in time,” the Doctor told everyone.
“We’d better hurry,” Jen suggested.
“And find Wickham and stop this madness before it’s too late!” the Doctor added.
With all in agreement, the Doctor, Jen, Stack and Danny made a run for it. They headed for the Blufor Beer Factory to deal with Wickham whilst the raincloud pursued them.
In his office, Wickham realised he was losing control. Not just of the crystal, but his own temper. He sunk into his seat, trembling violently. He attempted to keep his rage within.
“Get a grip on yourself, Wickham,” he said. “Mustn’t give in to your fits of anger. You will win, Wickham! You will win!”
Eventually, he got up out of his seat and made his way towards the window. He held the Zorbius crystal in his hand, looking at it hungrily.
“I shall gain control of you!” he said. “I shall! I am part of you, Zorbius! I must be!”
At that moment, the office door opened. Wickham turned to see who had entered.
“Hunter Commander,” he presumed. “Your rainclouds need to work faster! The more soldiers that get…”
Wickham then saw who it was that had entered his office. It was the Doctor. He was joined by his friends Jen, Stack and Danny.
“Hello Wickham!” the Doctor said cheerfully. “Hope we’re not interrupting.”
Wickham fumed with anger as he said, “You’re a meddling pest, Doctor! How did you get into my office?!”
Just then, Skeletrons came in behind the group. Wickham worked it out. The Doctor hadn’t entered his office. They had been escorted once caught by Skeletrons.
The Doctor put on his beaming grin. “These nice chaps kindly brought us in,” he said. “We were coming to meet you in your office anyway. Weren’t we, Jen?”
“Oh yes! Absolutely!” Jen piped up.
Gratified, Wickham said, “At last! At last, I have you in my grasp again! Don’t ever try to escape me, Doctor! You or any of your friends! Control is mine again!”
“Don’t count on it!” Jen scoffed.
“What did you say, girl?” Wickham thundered.
“What my friend merely indicated is that we’ve come to stop you, Wickham!” the Doctor said defiantly. “It’s over for you. Whatever false hope you’ve left on winning over us is pretty futile I should say.”
“Davastos is free from your control, Wickham,” Stack added proudly. “So is Greala – your own planet.”
“The galaxy doesn’t need to be bullied by you into following your will,” Danny joined in. “Surrender now and spare your own undoing.”
“I, Wickham surrender?!” Wickham scoffed, almost laughing. “Never! I have the Zorbius crystal within my grasp! I can control my Skeletrons to destroy you one by one once and for all! If you continue to oppose me…”
“They’re not your Skeletrons, Wickham,” the Doctor interjected defiantly. “That crystal you hold in your hands isn’t yours either.”
“We shall see!” Wickham retorted before he barked out loud, “Skeletrons! Kill the two soldiers! Rot them into dust! Kill the girl too!”
“No!” Jen cried, protesting.
“Leave them alone, Wickham!” the Doctor called out.
“Do as I say, Skeletrons!” Wickham commanded them. “Do as I say!”
The Skeletrons however didn’t seem willing to comply to Wickham’s order. They just stood behind the Doctor, Jen, Stack and Danny, looking stern.
Wickham was gobsmacked. “Skeletrons? Obey!” he ordered. “Obey my commands! Kill the soldiers! Kill the girl at once!”
“We will not follow your orders anymore, Wickham,” the Skeletron commander said.
“What?!” Wickham exclaimed, thunderously. “But I am your leader! I command you! Do as I say!”
“We do not need you anymore,” the Skeletron commander said. “We have the crystal in our sights! We shall take it from you and have Zorbius for ourselves!”
“No!” Wickham roared. “You can’t abandon me! I won’t allow it! I command you to stay! You are to follow my commands!”
“Only Zorbius commands us!” said the Skeletron leader. “We are Skeletrons – the servants of Zorbius! We only follow the one who has Zorbius within him or her!”
“But don’t you see?” Wickham persisted. “I am Zorbius! I am he! I have Zorbius within me! The crystal and I are one!!!”
Everyone stared at Wickham in disbelief and bewilderment. He had gone quite mad.
“You deceive yourself, Wickham,” the Doctor said. “I know you’re not Zorbius. I recognise and can read your mind. There’s not a trace of Zorbius within you!”
“I do have it!” Wickham screamed. “I have Zorbius in me! I must have it! Why else would I be holding the crystal in my hand?!!!”
“Doctor, I think that jerk’s completely flipped,” Jen commented.
“Yes and he’s completely dangerous,” the Doctor added. “We must be careful how we handle him from now on.”
At that moment, a whooshing grinding sound echoed in Wickham’s office. Something was materialising. Everyone in the room became astonished, including Jen and the Doctor as they recognised the sound.
“What’s this?!” Wickham demanded to know. “What is this?!!!”
“Doctor, that’s the TARDIS!” Jen exclaimed.
“Yes Jen, but it’s not my TARDIS,” the Doctor told her. “Look! It resembles the Klingas court palace! Not a metropolitan police box!”
“Wait,” Jen realised. “If that’s not your TARDIS, then it must be…”
At that moment, the TARDIS that looked like the Klingas court palace came to land with a loud thump. After a few moments, the door opened and out stepped Lord Scottos. He looked cheerful.
“Hello!” he greeted. “Pizza anyone?”
“Good old Scottos!” the Doctor cheered. “Great to see you!”
“Hello again, Doctor; Miss Jen,” Scottos said. “Hello Commander and Fresh-looking Williams. I hope everybody’s doing okay. Forgive me if I’ve come at an awkward time.”
“How glad I am to see you!” Jen said pleased. “And I’m surprised to say that myself regarding the Doctor’s weird friends.”
“Scottos isn’t weird, Jen,” the Doctor said. “He’s just… eccentric.”
Whilst everyone was happy to see Scottos, Wickham was enraged.
“How dare you enter here!” Wickham thundered. “And in my office! You’re making a mess with that palace of yours, Scottos!”
“I’ve changed the chameleon circuit recently,” Scottos mildly protested. “It’s not as big as it once was. Ordinarily the rooms were much larger on the outside.”
“What’s Lord Scottos’ palace doing in Wickham’s office?” Stack wanted to know.
“And how come it’s small all of a sudden?” Danny added.
Nobody answered Stack and Danny’s questions as the Doctor said to Scottos, “After all the time you’ve spent ruling Klingas on Davastos, you’ve been living in a TARDIS?! You old sly boots!”
“Oh it’s strictly unofficial I assure you, Doctor,” Scottos said. “Now, shall I take orders for pizzas? Doctor; Jen; Commander Stack; Fresh-looking Williams; Mr. Wickham…Skeletrons perhaps?”
At that moment, everyone became astonished. The Skeletrons stepped forward and began to bow down before Scottos.
“What orders do you wish to give us, our lord?” the Skeletron commander asked.
Everyone became baffled at that. Most especially Wickham as he couldn’t figure out what was going on.
“I don’t understand!” Wickham protested. “My Skeletrons! Why are they suddenly bowing down to you, Lord Scottos?! Why?! WHY?!!!”
Scottos was calm throughout all this. He shrugged as he then said what seemed to be the most natural thing to be said in the universe.
“Why are they bowing down to me? Oh! Well, it might be because I happen to be Zorbius, Mr. Wickham.”
In that moment, everything became different. Wickham was shocked. The Doctor was surprised.
Inside his court palace TARDIS, Scottos re-entered to find his butler Watley waiting for him. Watley had laid out the plates and the glasses along with the bottles of coke and fizzy drinks beside them.
“Ah! Watley, my man!” Scottos announced.
“Good afternoon, sir,” Watley greeted. “Have your friends decided what pizzas they’d like to have?”
“Not entirely, I’m afraid,” Scottos answered. “In fact, not at all. They seem to be rather shocked when I left them.”
“I see, sir,” Watley said. “What would you like me to do?”
“Well, at the moment, there’s five of them including Wickham,” Scottos explained. “I don’t suppose the Skeletrons will want any pizzas considering they can’t eat food.”
“How many of them are there altogether, sir?” Watley wanted to know.
“Four,” Scottos answered.
“I’ll have nine Hawaiian pizzas at the ready, sir,” Watley told his master. “Plus nine glasses of coke.”
“Good idea, Watley,” Scottos applauded. “Make that thirteen, will you? I’m feeling rather peckish today. And help yourself to one as well.”
“Thank you, sir,” Watley said pleased. “Most kind.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Scottos said. “See you in a bit, Watley.”
“See you later, sir,” Watley said happily.
At that, Scottos went back out again. Watley attended to the pizzas and the drinks.
Everyone in Wickham’s office was exactly as Scottos left them when he re-entered from his TARDIS. Shocked and flabbergasted, they were unable to comprehend the revelation of who he was.
“You!” Wickham exclaimed.
“You’re Zorbius, Scottos?” the Doctor checked.
Gradually, Scottos replied, “Yes I am. Though thankfully I’ve retained the positive side of your personality, Doctor. Along with the Zorbius crystal energy fragment I kept in my safe in the time I ruled Klingas.”
“The positive side?” the Doctor enquired.
“Not all of Zorbius is as evil as you think,” Scottos said. “There is a good side to you, Doctor, just as there is a good side to Zorbius. I knew you’d want to have the Zorbius crystal energy fragment once you came along. Thus I kept it safe as I intended.”
“How very thoughtful of you,” the Doctor remarked.
“So you see, Doctor,” Scottos continued. “There was a reason why I summoned you here. Though I would’ve preferred it to avoid any bloodshed and not have any of my secrets about Zorbius revealed.”
“Which evidently happened of course,” Jen said.
“Yes. And I’ve been so stupid to realise it,” Scottos said solemnly. “To realise that my secret would be leaked to Wickham so foolishly.”
“Well, it couldn’t have been your fault, Lord Scottos,” Danny said. “I could’ve accidentally let out the secret. If I did, then I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?!” Stack said admonishing Danny. “What about me? You could’ve told me the secret about the Zorbius crystal and I might’ve let it out. Though I don’t see how I could have since it doesn’t interest me in the slightest…”
“Will you stop it, you two,” Jen told them off. “Whoever let it out of the bag isn’t the point now. It was let out, okay?”
“Precisely,” Scottos agreed. “And all that matters to me now is that the Doctor takes the Zorbius crystal with him and be on his way. Without causing any more bloodshed to both Davastos and Grealas.” He then turned to Wickham. “So, Mr. Wickham! Give the Zorbius crystal to the Doctor. End this madness of yours!”
But Wickham wouldn’t submit. He backed away and said, “No! I won’t give up my power! I won’t! Do you hear me?! I don’t want to give up something I’ve longed for all of my life!”
“Please don’t make me use force on you, Wickham,” Scottos said wearily. “I will send the Skeletrons out to catch you if you try to evade us.”
“Do what you like, old man!” Wickham snorted. “But you won’t have me! Neither you nor the Doctor for that matter! Come to me, Doctor!”
Immediately, Wickham grabbed hold of the Doctor. The Doctor struggled to break free but Wickham had him firm in his grasp.
“Wickham, what do you think you’re doing?!” the Doctor wanted to know.
“You’re my prisoner now, Doctor!” Wickham declared. “I shall take you where you cannot escape! Where you will not take Zorbius away from me!”
“Doctor!” Jen cried. And then she shouted at Wickham, “Let the Doctor go, you creep!”
“Jen, stay back!” the Doctor said insistently. “Don’t come any closer! Just stay back!”
“Don’t any of you try and follow us!” Wickham warned everyone in the room as he held the Doctor in his grasp. “I shall kill the Doctor instantly if anyone tries to follow us! Goodbye all! Enjoy your oblivion!”
With that, Wickham moved the Doctor onto a transmat pad in his office. He pressed a button on a nearby control panel. Within seconds, Wickham and the Doctor gradually vanished out of sight. Everyone was horrified, including Jen.
“NO!!! Doctor!” Jen cried.
“Where’s he gone?!” Danny wanted to know. “Where have they both gone?!”
“They can’t have got far!” Stack said. “Not unless they’ve taken a shuttle craft.”
“They haven’t got far, Commander,” Scottos said. “They are still here. They are on the rooftop of this building.”
“How can you be so sure, Scottos?” Jen asked.
“I can sense the Zorbius crystal in close proximity,” Scottos explained. “Trust me! Wickham and the Doctor are on the rooftop.”
Everyone looked up as they sensed the Doctor and Wickham above their heads. The Skeletrons watched passively as they waited for instructions.
On the rooftop of the Blufor Beer Factory, the Doctor was pushed to the ground by Wickham. Wickham strode forward as he looked out to the city below.
“I have tolerated this city for far too long,” he said angrily. “I have tolerated this planet for far too long! Grealas has become a burden! It has never been kind to me! I hate this planet! I hate it!”
“I imagine you’ve never liked anyone, Wickham,” the Doctor retorted. “You’ve always considered yourself to be superior to everyone else. Never got down to the little people and understood what every man and woman is like.”
“People are unreliable,” Wickham said. “Control is what I want. I want people to follow me! To obey my commands without question!”
“Like robots?” the Doctor challenged him. “Little slaves to do all the dirty work around the house.”
“Zorbius is what I was born for,” Wickham said defiantly. “I must be a part of it! I must!”
“You’re like a deranged child, Wickham,” the Doctor said. “Can’t you grow up for once?”
“I refuse to listen to you any more, Doctor,” Wickham snapped back. “There is nothing you can say that will shake me from my great purpose! I will achieve great victory and domination! I will have it, do you hear? I will have it!”
With that, Wickham reached out towards the skyline, holding the Zorbius crystal in his hand. He began to speak commands into it.
“Make the storm grow stronger!” he ordered. “Make everyone who is an enemy of Wickham to be drenched in the rain! To be drenched and asleep!”
Eventually, the rainclouds collided with each other. They cracked with thunder. Rain began to pour from the clouds and grow heavier, falling onto the city streets below. The Doctor was astonished to see this happen.
“Now hear me, crystal!” Wickham continued. “Destroy everything with infinity! Destroy the city buildings except the Blufor Beer Building! Have them crushed them!”
With that, lightning struck the city buildings surrounding Wickham and the Doctor on the Blufor Beer Building. The city buildings began to collapse and fall down, crushing to the ground. The Doctor was horrified to see the destruction caused by Wickham.
“You’re so childish, Wickham,” the Doctor shouted angrily. “You want to have everything your own way and be so selfish! A good ruler cares for his people! He or she doesn’t have things his or her way!”
“Your way to rule a galaxy, Doctor,” Wickham told him. “Not mine.”
“I don’t want to rule a galaxy,” the Doctor stressed. “I just enjoy touring it! I hate to see one go to waste like you’re making it!”
But Wickham ignored the Doctor. He looked into the crystal, holding it in his outstretched hand whilst the Doctor watched the ensuing chaos of collapsing buildings and heavy storm clouds above and all over the city.
Back in Wickham’s office; Jen, Scottos, Stack and Danny noticed the Skeletrons shuddering and shaking very violently. They soon shattered into a million pieces – bone and metal collapsing from each other. The Skeletrons howled and rattled as they collapsed to the office floor.
“What happened?” Danny asked. “They just collapsed like they were…like they just had a heart attack or something.”
“Robots don’t have hearts, lieutenant,” Stack said scornfully. “Talk sense, man!”
“They must have been destroyed by Wickham,” Jen deduced. “He has the Zorbius crystal. He must’ve given the command for the Skeletrons to be destroyed since they disobeyed him earlier.”
“Just as well,” Scottos said satisfied. “I’m very pleased to hear it. I never liked the Skeletrons. Good riddance to them! And good riddance to Wickham!”
At that moment, Watley stepped out from Lord Scottos’ TARDIS. He pushed a trolley containing glasses of coke and plates of Hawaiian pizzas on it.
“Excuse me, sir,” he interrupted. “I’ve brought the pizzas.”
“Watley?” Danny said surprised. “What were you doing in there?!”
“Did you come in Scottos’ time ship, Watley?” Stack asked. “You knew his palace was a time ship all along?”
“Of course, Commander Stack,” Watley replied. “You didn’t think I would be in the service of Lord Scottos and not know he is a Time Lord living in his TARDIS.”
“I’m amazed you didn’t tell anybody about it,” Danny remarked.
Watley turned to Scottos and asked, “Shall I pass the plates around, sir? Then the glasses?”
“Yes Watley, please do,” Scottos replied. He then turned to everyone. “If you fancy something else other than Hawaiian, Watley’s always on hand to provide you with another choice of pizza? A meat feast or a pepperoni…?”
“How can you guys be thinking about eating food at a time like this?” Jen asked. “At a time when we should be thinking about the Doctor and what trouble he’s in?”
“Excuse me, young lady,” Stack said haughtily. “We’ve been on our feet all day fighting! We’re bound to be starving for food!”
“Commander Stack’s got a point, Jen,” Danny said. “We should have something to eat before we continue.”
“Yeah well, I’m worried sick about the Doctor,” Jen said. “I don’t feel much like having food at the moment. I want to know what’s happened to him and what Wickham’s up to.”
“Don’t worry, Jen,” Danny reassured her. “We’ll sort this out.”
“Yeah!” Stack joined in. “The Doctor can look after himself surely.”
“I’m afraid that Zorbius is at a tipping point, everyone,” Scottos said sombrely. “If we’re to defeat Wickham, it must be soon. Though I love to have pizzas, I quite agree with Jen. We must think of a way to stop Wickham in his plans and rescue the Doctor.”
“Well, I’m open to any suggestions,” Stack said bluntly. “I’m flat out of ideas.”
“Flat out of ideas?!” Jen remarked sardonically. “Thank you very much, Commander Stack. The Doctor’s in trouble and you’re flat out of ideas? There’s commitment for you!”
“Well, what do you expect?!” Stack retorted defensively. “There’s absolutely nothing we can do. Nothing, do you hear?! We’re completely helpless!”
“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Jen said defiantly.
“You have a plan then, Jen?” Danny asked.
“I most certainly do,” Jen replied. She then turned to Scottos. “Lord Scottos, could we use your TARDIS please?”
Miss Gordon was fed up of waiting. She’d been waiting for the past few hours aboard Wickham’s ship. She wondered what had happened to her precious Mr. Wickham.
“Come on; come on, what’s taking you so long?” she demanded impatiently. “I’m bored to death being alone. Haven’t you had enough party games for one day, Mr. Wickham?” After sighing for a bit, she then said, “I wish he would give up this insane notion of taking over the universe and settle down with me.”
As Miss Gordon watched the ship’s monitors, she saw intense and relentless battle occur. She saw ships exploding in the air. She saw ships crashing into each other. She saw soldiers battering each other left; right and centre. Some soldiers even belched to death on the floor. That got on her nerves.
“Silly, silly soldiers,” she scoffed. “Silly, silly ships. Don’t they know when to stop? If I hadn’t known what Grealas was like as a planet, I would never have left Davastos for Mr. Wickham in the first place.”
At that moment, a whooshing, grinding noise echoed. Scottos’ TARDIS materialised aboard the ship’s bridge near Miss Gordon’s desk. She stood up surprised to see the small Davastos court palace before her and couldn’t quite believe it.
“What is this?!” she demanded to know. “Where did that come from?! What’s it doing here aboard this ship?!”
A few moments later, a door opened and Jen stepped out. She looked around to find Miss Gordon before seeing her at her desk.
“Ah! There you are,” she said relieved. “Miss Gordon, I must speak to you…”
As Jen stepped towards her, Miss Gordon pulled out a small laser pistol from her desk and aimed it at her.
“You stay right where you are,” she said threateningly. “Or else I’ll shoot you!”
“Please, please!” Jen held up her hands in surrender. “Don’t fire! I only want to talk!”
“Oh yes!” Miss Gordon realised. “You’re that girl I saw earlier. The one Mr. Wickham picked up.”
“Miss Gordon, you’ve got to help us,” Jen said urgently. “Help me.”
“Why should I contemplate helping you?” Miss Gordon wanted to know, still training her gun on Jen.
“Because the whole planet’s going to blow up,” Jen told her. “Thousands of people will die!”
“Really?” said Miss Gordon unconvinced.
“And your Mr. Wickham is the cause of it,” Jen continued. “He’s the one who’s causing this chaos! Both on Davastos and Grealas!”
“Don’t you ever say that about my Mr. Wickham,” Miss Gordon snapped back. “He’s the most wonderful, wonderful man I’ve ever met! He’s a genius!”
“He’s lunatic,” Jen retorted. “A madman! He’s going to destroy everyone and everything with that Zorbius crystal! That includes your life too!”
“No!” Miss Gordon said defiantly. “I can’t believe it! I won’t believe it!”
“I’m afraid it’s true,” Jen said, almost sympathetically. “But you can help us to stop Wickham if you’re willing to.”
“And if I’m not?” Miss Gordon challenged her.
“Then…then you won’t be able to see your Wickham again,” Jen said, trying a different tact. “You like Mr. Wickham, don’t you?”
“Oh yes!” Miss Gordon said joyously, almost lowering her gun at Jen. “Very much. He is my dream come true.”
“Then help us,” Jen said encouragingly. “You’ll be doing Mr. Wickham a favour as well as for many others if you help. You’ll be able to save him unless he destroys himself; everything and everyone else.”
“No!” Miss Gordon cried. “That cannot happen! I won’t allow it to happen! Not ever! Not to my dear precious Mr. Wickham!”
“Then you will help us?” Jen persisted. “Help me?”
Miss Gordon looked at Jen for a moment. She studied her, almost as if she was about to form another suspicion about her. Eventually, she agreed reluctantly.
“Alright then,” she said. “What would you like me to do to help?”
At that, Jen started to outline her plan to Miss Gordon. “First, help us get to the Doctor’s TARDIS – that blue police box you’re holding aboard this ship.”
Back on top of the Blufor Beer Factory building, the Doctor saw Wickham outstretch his arms with the Zorbius crystal still in his hand. The Doctor could see the frantic, frenzied mania on Wickham’s face as he turned to face him.
“You seem so keen to preserve life, Doctor, whereas in fact, entropy reigns,” Wickham gloated. “You cannot stop it and I shall be keen to prolong it!”
“You’ve got your infinite powers, Wickham,” the Doctor pointed out. “I thought you wanted to rule a galaxy, not destroy it.”
“And where did that get me, Doctor?” Wickham said bitterly. “Rebellion; insolence! The infinity planet is mine, Doctor, and I can do whatever I like!”
“Poor universe is what I say,” the Doctor remarked. “You’re so reckless with power, Wickham! You don’t even know how to control your own emotions!”
“This is a glorious day for me!” Wickham bellowed. “I shall enjoy it even more when more galaxies collapse under my command!”
“Won’t you find it lonely?” the Doctor challenged him. “Being alone with no one else to talk to but yourself once you’ve destroyed everybody and everything.”
“I don’t need anybody, Doctor,” Wickham said defiantly. “Solitude is the happiness I seek!”
At that moment, a blue police box materialised on the rooftop of the building. The Doctor recognised it immediately. Wickham fumed in rage as the TARDIS made a loud thump to land.
“Well, what do you know?” the Doctor said smugly. “My TARDIS! It managed to escape your ship! Good old girl is what I say!”
“These irritating interruptions are like an itching flea!” Wickham said enraged. He then barked out loud, “Whoever’s inside that ship, come out! Come on! Out you come, everyone! COME OUT!!!”
With that, the TARDIS doors opened. Jen stepped out as she looked to see the Doctor first before she saw Wickham.
“Doctor!” she cried out.
“Jen, are you alright?” the Doctor asked her.
“I’m fine, Doctor,” Jen reassured him. “Be with you in a moment.” She then turned to Wickham and smiled coyly. “Surprised to see me, Wickham? I hope you are. I like to give people surprises.”
“What do you think you can do to oppose me, girl?” Wickham challenged her. “I am all powerful! I have Zorbius in my grasp! The crystal responds to me!”
“So I gathered,” Jen said shrewdly. “And by the way, I’m more than just a girl, you know. I’m a woman! Doesn’t that appeal to you?”
Jen then stepped closer to Wickham.
The Doctor was fascinated and confused as he watched Jen advance towards Wickham. “Jen, what are you doing? he asked.
“It’s alright, Doctor,” Jen said reassuringly. “Everything’s going to be alright. Isn’t that right, Wickham?”
“Stay away from me, girl!” Wickham said, threatening Jen with the crystal in his hand. “Stay away, I say!”
“What? You don’t like me then, Wickham,” Jen tried to seduce him. “So sad. Most guys I’ve met tell me they’d give anything to be with me.”
“You flatter yourself, girl,” Wickham scorned her. “I’ve no desires of that sort.”
“Oh come off it,” Jen ridiculed him. “You know you want to treat me. To spare a few words of sentiment. You can’t resist a womanly presence, can you?”
“I…I do not…” Wickham stammered.
“See! Even in your eyes, I can see it,” Jen told him as she got closer. “You want someone to share your life with, don’t you? You don’t like being lonely, do you? You want…to feel affection from someone. You want to feel affection for that person too.”
“I…I suppose…I…”
“And I’m sure girls of every sort will fall for you, Wickham,” Jen said. “They need someone strong, magnificent and clever-looking.”
“You…you really think so?” Wickham enquired, intrigued.
“Think so? I know so,” Jen replied. “I mean, I’m attracted to you, Wickham. Think about that. A girl attracted to a man like you. You didn’t even see it coming, did you?”
Jen’s attentive methods to Wickham were working as he was already falling for her. Whilst this was happening, the Doctor slowly got up as he deduced Jen’s distraction in progress. Wickham hadn’t even noticed Stack and Danny coming up behind him.
“Now Stack; Danny!” the Doctor called out. “Do it now!!!”
With that, Wickham got caught off guard as Stack and Danny grabbed him from behind. They snuck out of the TARDIS whilst Wickham wasn’t looking as Jen was distracting him.
“Got you!” Danny cried.
“Aha!” Stack laughed, taunting Wickham. “Didn’t see that coming, did you?”
Wickham struggled to break free as Stack and Danny held him.
“Let go of me, you backstabbers!” Wickham cried. “Let go! Don’t you realise who I am? I am the ruler of infinity! The infinity leader! I’m ruler of everything!”
Wickham then realised he hadn’t got the Zorbius crystal in his hand. Jen had taken it from him whilst he wasn’t looking. Jen waved the crystal in her hand at Wickham, grinning. Wickham became furious.
“Here, Doctor! Catch!” Jen cried as she threw the crystal over to him.
The Doctor caught the Zorbius crystal in his hands. “Thank you, Jen,” he said. “Much appreciated.”
“You tricked me!” Wickham said angrily to Jen, if a little upset. “You and your womanly ways! You tricked me!”
“After the horrible things you’ve done,” Jen said sternly, “it’s only fair that I should play games with you and distract you!”
As Wickham howled angrily, the Doctor took the Zorbius crystal in his hands and placed it up into the sky.
“Thunderclouds!” he began to talk to them. “I command you to stop! Stop your deepening rain! Let infinity restore this planet to harmony as I wish it to be done. Let infinity stop the madness!”
At the Doctor’s command, the Zorbius crystal began to do its work.
Across the battlefields on the planet Grealas, rainclouds began to disperse and separate from each other across the sky. The deepening rain had stopped and the storm finally ceased. Clear blue sky began to slowly appear. The ships belonging to both Davastons and Grealans were also able to break out of the whirlwind they were in and regain control. The atmosphere was returning to normal. The ships were on a stable course through the sky.
Down on the ground below, the soldiers – both Davastons and Grealans – stopped fighting with each other as well as belching out loud from the drinks they’d been having. Some of the soldiers cheered with relief as well as applauded that the war was over. Some even threw their beer bottles to the ground which smashed once they realised what had happened and what the beer had done to them. Two soldiers from two opposite sides spoke to each other on the battlefield.
“It’s over! The war is over!” a Grealan soldier exclaimed.
“Yes! We received a message,” said the Davaston soldier. “Davastos has ordered all troops to return! It’s time for us to go home!”
“Good for you,” said the Grealan soldier. “We’ll be happy to have everything restored to normal.”
“No more beers to kill us,” the Davaston soldier chimed.
“Indeed,” the Grealan soldier agreed. “Let’s look forward to a new future between both Davaston and Grelean people.”
“Yeah. That too,” the Davaston soldier smiled.
The soldiers on both sides cheered again, relieved Davastos and Grealas were saved.
On top of the Blufor Beer Factory, the Doctor popped the Zorbius crystal into one of his frock coat pockets. He went over to Jen.
“Thank you, Jen,” he said. “Thank you so much! You saved us all!”
He immediately kissed Jen on the forehead to which she blushed.
“No problem, Doctor,” she smiled. “Happy to help out.”
“Is that it then?” Danny asked whilst he held Wickham with Commander Stack. “Have we stopped Wickham’s chaos?”
“Absolutely!” the Doctor replied happily. “The Skeletrons are gone; the deepening rain has stopped and the war is over! And I’ve got the Zorbius crystal! It’ll be safe and sound once it’s in my TARDIS. It won’t fall into the wrong hands again. I’ll see to that.”
“I know you will, Doctor,” Jen said, satisfied.
The Doctor looked at Jen curiously. “You believe now that I’m not corrupt. You seemed to infer that earlier, Jen.”
“Yes. But not anymore,” Jen replied. “My faith in you has been restored.”
The Doctor smiled as he said, “Thank you, Jen. You don’t know how much that means to me. Your faith keeps me going.”
“I’m glad it does,” Jen said pleased as she smiled.
Meanwhile, Wickham, who realised he’d failed, became so angry that he managed to break free from Stack and Danny’s grasp as he began to escape. He ran away, heading for the door to lead back inside the building.
“He’s getting away!” Stack cried. “Lieutenant Williams, get after him!”
“No!” the Doctor called out. “Let him go, Commander.”
“But he’s a criminal, Doctor,” Jen protested. “We shouldn’t let him get away!”
“He won’t get far,” the Doctor told her.
“But he’s entering that door,” Danny argued. “It leads back into…”
“Yes,” the Doctor interrupted. “He thinks it’ll lead him back into his own office downstairs. But that’s where he’s wrong, you see.”
“What do you mean?” Jen asked eagerly.
The Doctor pointed at Wickham for Jen to watch. She saw it all. As soon as Wickham pushed through the door and entered inside, the door closed behind him. Soon the sound of a TARDIS dematerialising echoed loudly. Eventually, where there should have been a door, it had now vanished into thin air.
“Doctor! That door!” Stack exclaimed. “It…”
“…vanished!” Danny finished. “That means that…”
“Yes,” the Doctor grinned. “Wickham just walked right into good old Scottos’ TARDIS. He didn’t even realise it as he wasn’t looking where Scottos should’ve been.”
“And now he’s being taken back to Davastos, isn’t it?” Jen surmised.
“Indeed he is,” the Doctor answered. He thought for a moment. “Let’s go and pay our final respects to Wickham back on Davastos, shall we?”
Wickham was living through his own nightmare. He found himself in a prison cell with Miss Gordon. He was also being stared at by Lord Scottos, stuffing himself with pizza.
“Let me out of here!” Wickham shouted. “Let me out of here this instant!”
“Aww, that’s not a nice thing to say, Mr. Wickham,” Miss Gordon teased him. “We’re sharing the same cell together. I thought you would be glad of pleasant company.”
“Let me out, Scottos,” Wickham demanded. “You can’t keep me in here! I won’t be your prisoner! I won’t, you hear me!”
“You will be detained here in my TARDIS – in the court palace of Klingas on Davastos – until the proper authorities arrive,” Scottos informed him. “In the meantime, you’re welcome to a slice of my pizza.” Scottos turned to Watley who was just coming in. “Have you got the pizzas ready, Watley?”
Watley entered with a trolley containing two boxes of pizza on it.
“Two Hawaiian pizzas as you requested, sir,” Watley answered. “They’re ready for our prisoners.”
Wickham howled with anger, just as the Doctor’s TARDIS materialised in the dungeon. It made a loud thump once it landed. Soon, the doors opened and out stepped the Doctor, Jen, Stack and Danny.
“Ah! There you are, Wickham,” the Doctor said cheerfully. “Fallen into Scottos’ trap, I see. Good, good.” He then turned to Scottos. “Very clever and very sly of you if I dare say so, dear old friend.”
“Hello again, Doctor,” Scottos said cheerfully. “Hello Jen. Fancy a slice of pizza since you’re here? Watley can get you a special request.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say no to a slice,” the Doctor said. “Would you, Jen?”
“Doctor, I’m so happy I could eat a million pizzas,” Jen said giddily.
“I shouldn’t advise that, my dear,” Scottos warned her. “You’ll end up big and fat.”
Jen laughed and so did the Doctor. Everyone else laughed in the room. Wickham didn’t laugh as he was so angry and fuming.
“Stop this laughter!” he shouted. “It’s not funny! Let me out of here please!!!”
Commander Stack meanwhile addressed Wickham in his prison cell. “Theodore Janus Wickham! I hereby place you under arrest for the crimes against Davastos and Grealas. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say will be taken down and be used against you as evidence. Is that understood?”
Wickham howled angrily as he was completely upset. Miss Gordon mollycoddled him, placing affectionate arms around him.
“Oh don’t worry, my dear precious Mr. Wickham,” she said. “Everything will be alright. I’m here for you. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Get off me, woman!” Wickham shook her off. “Don’t even touch me! My dreams are ruined! Everything I want is ruined!”
Wickham started to cry like a baby. Miss Gordon, despite the bad treatment she got, continued to care for Wickham consolingly.
As Stack talked to Scottos. Danny talked to Jen.
“Jen, I’m asking nicely,” he began. “Will you have dinner with me? We talked about it once all this was over.”
“Yes Danny,” Jen giggled. “And I’d be delighted to have dinner with you. It’s bound to be the nicest thing I could get after an adventure like this.”
“And thank you all who helped today to save the universe once again,” the Doctor declared. “Well done, everyone!”
“Oh no!” Jen contradicted him. “Well done to you, Doctor! You helped to save us all! Well done!”
Everyone, including Jen, Danny, Stack, Scottos and Watley clapped in honour of the Doctor for all he had done to save them. The Doctor couldn’t help be flattered.
Wickham could see everyone being pleased with themselves whilst he was trapped inside his prison cell with Miss Gordon. He soon went down on his hands and knees, grovelling and sobbing away.
“Please!” he begged. “Let me go! I beg of you! Free me from this place. I promise I can change! Believe me! I can change for the better! Let me out and I will prove it you! I can change; I can change; I can change!” He turned desperately to the Doctor and Jen. “Doctor; Jen! You’ll let me out here, won’t you?!”
The Doctor and Jen looked at each other, smirking as they began to tease Wickham.
“What do you think, Jen?” the Doctor asked her. “Do you think we should let Wickham go? Do you think he can really change?”
“You know Doctor,” Jen said playfully. “I’m not really sure. After all, I’m enjoying my pizza so much that I haven’t even considered the idea.” Jen showed off as he took a bite out of a slice of Hawaiian pizza and said to Scottos, “Great pizza, Scottos!”
“Not at all, my dear,” Scottos said cheerfully. “There’s more for everyone who wants it.”
Everyone continued to enjoy their pizzas whilst Wickham sobbed away.
“Please Jen; Doctor,” he begged, child-like. “Let me out of here please! Let me out!”
Jen looked at Wickham, finding him pitiful and continued to mock whilst she ate her slice of pizza.
“Are you sure about that, Wickham?” she goaded. “Are you sure you want me to let you out of there?”
Wickham’s sobs soon turned into fiery rage. “Yes!” he yelled. “LET ME OUT OF HERE!!! LET ME OUT!!!!!”
“Ask nicely,” Jen said coyly.
© Tim Bradley, 2020
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