2. Crystal of Time
Meanwhile, Susan swam to the other end of the pool, having delightfully soaked herself. She stopped to rest, lifting herself out of the pool and sitting up on the edge, paddling her feet in the water. Susan found she wasn’t alone as she was joined by a young man with chestnut brown hair.
“You’re new here, aren’t you?” the young man observed.
Susan was nervous at first but gave a reassuring smile.
“Yes,” she replied. “Grandfather and I came here with two of my schoolteachers. He just arrived this morning.”
“How fascinating,” the young man remarked. “Normally we don’t get many guests coming to the hotel. They’re usually the boring ones. The admiral; the two old ladies; the dull married couple with no sense of humour. But seeing you here in this pool complex, you’re certainly an unexpected pleasant surprise.”
Susan giggled, “You mean to say there aren’t many girls that come to swim in these pools.”
“No one to talk to at the tennis courts; squash courts; badminton arenas; soccer halls. Not many young people of my age. Just all oldies.”
“That I find hard to believe,” Susan laughed.
“Well,” the young man remarked, “I hope you’ll give me the pleasure of saying how glad I am to meet someone of my own age. You are of my own age, aren’t you?”
“I’m fifteen,” Susan said.
“Fifteen?” the young man began to ponder. “Close enough. I’m about twenty years old.”
“You don’t look it,” Susan remarked.
“What you mean I look younger?” the young man asked.
“No,” Susan teased. “I mean you look like thirty years old.”
Susan and the young man laughed together as they sat on the edge of the pool.
“Sorry, I should have introduced myself,” the young man said. “My name’s Joel. And you are..?”
“Susan. My name’s Susan,” she replied. “It’s nice to meet you Joel.”
“Nice to meet you too, Susan,” Joel said.
They chatted for a bit, talking about this and that. Susan felt glad she was chatting to someone of her age. It was a long time since she had some young company. Joel seemed to be kind and very friendly to her.
Susan then saw something and gasped.
“Susan? Susan, what’s the matter?” Joel asked.
Susan just spotted something in the swimming pool. She stood up as Joel joined her.
“It’s horrible!” she declared. “So terrible! Don’t you see?”
“See what?!”
Susan pointed. “There! In the pool! So horrific!”
At that moment, Barbara and Admiral Brown arrived. Barbara saw how shocked Susan was.
“What is it, Susan?” she asked, concerned. “What’s bothered you?”
“Look Barbara!” Susan said. “There’s a dead body in the pool! There!”
They looked to see and became horrified. They saw the dead body in the pool. It was a man in his forties. He had black hair and wore blue swimming trunks. He lay face downwards, floating on the water. Susan began to sob as Barbara held her gently to comfort her.
“It’s alright, Susan!” Barbara said reassuringly. “It’s alright!”
“And I’d just been swimming in that pool!” Susan sobbed. “Nobody noticed! Why didn’t anyone notice?”
The Admiral watched as he saw what happened.
“This is unheard of!” he said. “Most unheard of! I’ve never known it to happen before at this hotel. In this swimming pool.”
Joel was equally disturbed. “Goodness me! Dad will have a field day when he hears about this!”
Barbara, Susan, Joel and the Admiral remained still, staring at the dead body in the pool, before eventually deciding to get help.
Back in simi-suite #2, the Doctor and Ian hid underneath the window ledge of what appeared to be an old curiosity shop. They were about to listen in as Melbourne and Thomas were inside, talking. The curiosity shop happened to be their hideout. Ian was uncomfortable as he knelt on the gravel floor.
“You know something, Doctor,” Ian said, “I’m not too happy with this spying on people’s private conversations. This could all be innocent.”
“You think so? Hmm?” the Doctor challenged. “Well, if you don’t feel happy about this, why don’t you go back to the others and indulge yourself in some…leisure activity or whatever nonsense you intend pursuing.”
Ian thought about this. The Doctor had obviously given him a choice. But he detected a hint of arrogance in the old man’s voice.
“No,” Ian answered. “I’ll remain for a while. After all, I’m curious as much as you are as to what all this is about.”
“Suit yourself,” the Doctor said. “You and your kind change your minds so easily!”
They continued to listen in as the voices became clearer.
“I don’t like this, Melbourne,” Thomas said. “We should have thought about who we were conducting busines with. It feels like we’re dealing with a dodgy customer…”
“Keep your fears and suspicions to yourself, Thomas,” Melbourne said sharply. “I know what I’m doing, alright?”
“Yes, sure you do,” Thomas said. “We’ve been robbing this sector of space for the past few years. No-one’s dared to stop us as you said. But there’s always a first time, isn’t there?”
The Doctor’s spirits lifted when he heard that.
“I was right!” he whispered. “See Chesterton, I was right! These two are criminals! I knew there was a reason why we had to come here.”
Ian remained silent whilst the Doctor continued to listen. Melbourne and Thomas’ debate began to heat up.
“There isn’t going to be a first time for anyone, Thomas,” Melbourne said. “We have everything under control. We have the crystal.”
The Doctor became thoughtful, wondering what the crystal was.
“Our client wants it though,” Thomas said. “And it’s not going to be easy handing it over. Since we want our demands met.”
“They will be met,” Melbourne reassured him. “The crystal of time is too precious for the alien creature to have. He will be eager for transaction.”
“You think he’ll buy it from us?” Thomas asked. “If we get lucky?”
“Of course we’ll get lucky,” Melbourne said. “Like I said, he’ll want this crystal so badly he cannot resist.”
As Melbourne and Thomas debate further, the Doctor whispered to Ian.
“Crystal of time. Alien creature. Hmm. This seems all very interesting. Don’t you think, dear boy? Hmm?”
“Yes, very interesting,” Ian replied. “But what has it got to do with us? Do you know who their client is by any chance?”
“Not really, no,” the Doctor admitted. “Never met the man really. Can’t go by simply being called ‘alien creature’ now, could he?”
“No that’s true,” Ian chuckled quietly. “And what did they say about…a crystal of time?”
“I don’t know, my dear boy,” the Doctor answered. “I don’t know. But I do suspect. For I know of one crystal of time that was very precious to my civilisation.”
“Your civilisation?”
“Yes! My civilisation, boy. And if what these two criminal have in their possession is what I’m thinking it is then…then…”
The Doctor became worriedly thoughtful. Ian noticed.
“Doctor? Is something the matter?”
“No, no, no,” the Doctor muttered. “It can’t be. It can’t be!”
The Doctor became preoccupied whilst Ian was bemused. Both didn’t realise though that metallic footsteps came up behind them. Bruce the android stood behind them in their hiding place. They turned and gradually stood up once they saw the android.
“My dear boy!” the Doctor declared. “We have some company.”
“Yes,” Ian agreed, before addressing Bruce quite cheerfully. “Hello! You’re probably wondering why we’re here.”
“It’s pathetic, isn’t it?” Bruce said.
“What is?” Ian asked.
“This!” Bruce replied. “All of this. Those two buffoons have to make business when they could easily set the simi-suite in a futuristic environment. Not in some mangy place like this from Victorian times.”
“Yes, yes, it is annoying,” the Doctor agreed. “Now we must go. Come along, Chesterton.”
Ian and the Doctor began to make a move before they got caught by Bruce the android. He held them by the arms, causing them to groan in pain.
“Doctor!” Ian cried. “He’s got me!”
“How dare you, sir?!” the Doctor protested to Bruce. “Take your hands off me! You’re hurting me and my friend.”
“You are both intruders and spies!” Bruce said drearily. “I can’t allow you to escape. It is part of my programming. You are to come with me.”
“I demand to be released!” the Doctor demanded. “Take your hands off me at once!”
Bruce’s grip on the Doctor and Ian tightened further. They groaned more in pain.
“Doctor,” Ian began. “I think we’d better do as the chap says. I can’t bear to be in pain any longer.”
“You are to come with me,” Bruce said. “My masters Mr. Melbourne and Mr. Thomas wish to see you.”
Reluctantly, the Doctor and Ian were escorted by Bruce through the back door of the curiosity shop.
Inside the curiosity shop, the Doctor and Ian were brought in by Bruce the android. They met Melbourne and Thomas.
“I found those two hiding, Mr Melbourne; Mr. Thomas,” Bruce said. “I caught them. I don’t know why I should have done since my life’s not so interesting and I shouldn’t make things better by doing interesting things. Oh I’m so tired.”
Melbourne and Thomas ignored Bruce as they examined the Doctor and Ian.
“Well, well, well,” Melbourne said gleefully. “What a pleasure indeed.”
“We were expecting you of course,” Thomas said delighted. “But not like this.”
The Doctor and Ian struggled to break free. Bruce’s grip on them became harder and tighter.
“Take your hands off me!” demanded the Doctor to Bruce. He turned to Melbourne and Thomas, “Your robot’s causing us pain!”
“Android!” Bruce said abjectly. “I’m not a robot; I’m an android! People keep mixing that up where I’m concerned.”
“Or whatever you’re called,” the Doctor said dismissively. He addressed Melbourne and Thomas again. “Your tin pot’s causing us pain. To me and my young friend.”
Melbourne and Thomas were thoughtful before they addressed Bruce
“Bruce! You’re hurting our guests!” Melbourne said. “Let them go!”
Gradually, Bruce released the Doctor and Ian. The two were relieved once they’d been freed.
“Thank you,” the Doctor said. “Thank you very much. I’m glad you ruffians see sense.”
“Not at all,” Thomas said. “It is our pleasure.”
“Expecting us?” Ian enquired. “You were expecting us?”
“Of course!” Melbourne answered. “For we know you too well. We know all about you…Ian Chesterton of Coal Hill School.”
Ian was shocked to hear this.
“And you…Doctor,” Thomas added. “We were expecting you most definitely. We’re glad you didn’t miss our appointment.”
“I can assure you I have never seen or met you young men in all my life,” the Doctor told them. “And neither do I want to know you.”
“But you are expected, Doctor,” Melbourne insisted. “It is part of the course of events. It was preordained. Predicted.”
“By whom?” Ian enquired. “Just who are you two?”
“We are the Zondor Robbers,” Thomas explained. “The finest criminal duo you can ever expect to find in this part of space.”
“But that’s not the point,” Melbourne interjected. “The point is Doctor that you are here. And you shall give us satisfaction by granting our client the power he needs.”
“Client?” the Doctor was puzzled. “What client? What power?”
Melbourne and Thomas were silent for a bit as they looked at each other knowingly. They turned to the Doctor again to give him their answer.
“The creature who is our client you shall get to know pretty soon,” Melbourne said. “But the power our client needs is held within the crystal of time.”
“Crystal of time?” Ian was intrigued. “You two have it in your possession?”
“Yes.” Thomas confirmed.
“Which you stole of course,” the Doctor deduced. “It’s now in that suitcase you gave to Mr. Rotenhend, isn’t it?”
“Just one thing though,” Ian interrupted. “You asked for this room to be sealed so that no one could get in. How is it we got in so easily?”
“We told you,” Thomas reiterated. “You were expected, Ian Chesterton.”
“We allowed you and the Doctor in,” Melbourne added.
“Allowed?!” the Doctor was outraged.
“Yes.” said Thomas.
“You expect me to help you in this dastardly scheme of yours,” the Doctor admonished, “whatever it is you have in mind.”
“You have no choice in the matter, Doctor,” Thomas insisted.
“You cannot resist the power, Doctor,” Melbourne told him. “The power…of the Zorbius crystal.”
At this, the Doctor became troubled and concerned. Once more, Ian noticed.
“Something the matter, Doctor?” Ian asked. “Is there something wrong?”
The Doctor’s tone becomes harsh. “Yes my dear boy!” he said sharply. “Yes! Don’t you see? It’s all very wrong! Everything’s wrong here! Very, very wrong indeed!”
The Doctor gave Melbourne and Thomas an accusing stare whilst they were gleeful, twiddling their thumbs.
In Barbara and Susan’s hotel room, the two women sat on their beds, terribly worried. They were still recovering from the shock of the man’s death in the swimming pool and how he got there like that in the first place. Barbara leaned over to Susan.
“Susan?” she enquired gently. “Susan, are you alright?”
Susan found it hard to let the words come out. But she soon gained her strength.
“I’m a little better than I was before,” she replied. “Oh but it was so horrible. Seeing the dead man like that. What could have happened to him?”
“It was a shock for all of us, Susan,” Barbara said. “The admiral and your new friend Joel couldn’t work it out either.”
Susan’s eyes became more tearful as she fretted over the incident.
“Why is it,” she said tearfully, “that whenever we go to a new place, there’s always trouble and death? Why can’t we go somewhere nice for a change?”
Barbara put a reassuring hand on Susan’s shoulder.
“Oh come on now, Susan,” she said. “It hasn’t all been that bad. For once I think your grandfather’s brought us somewhere very nice. In fact, somewhere luxurious. It’s just unfortunate that something like this has happened.”
“I know. I know,” Susan replied.
“And it may not have anything to do with us,” Barbara added. “It could all be some simple accident. You’ll see.”
The tears were still welling in Susan’s eyes, but she became happier.
“You’re right,” she said. “Yes of course. It could be an accident. I hope it won’t spoil our little holiday. It’s just horrible to think about.”
“Yes well try not to think about it for a moment, Susan,” suggested Barbara. “The police investigators are still dealing with it. It could take some time. Try to enjoy yourself for a bit before they question us.”
“Alright then,” Susan said. “I’ll try.”
Susan wiped the tears from her eyes as she began to get a hold of herself. She smiled at Barbara.
“You seem to have found a new friend in Admiral Brown,” Susan remarked. “I think he rather likes you.”
“That’ll be the day,” Barbara mock-laughed. “He’s old enough to be my father.”
“Perhaps,” Susan said cheekily. “Or maybe he thinks of you as a lost daughter he lost long ago.”
“I can’t see how that can be,” Barbara replied. “He hasn’t even mentioned it to me.”
“Oh perhaps he will,” Susan pointed out. “If you ever get to see him again.”
“I gather you’ll be seeing more of Joel,” Barbara observed. “Your new friend. He seems to be a nice boy.”
“Yes he is, isn’t he,” Susan said. “Although I wouldn’t put my hopes on that. I don’t think he and I would see eye-to-eye.”
“Why ever not, Susan?” Barbara asked, surprised. “Don’t you like him?”
“Oh I like him well enough,” Susan answered. “As you said he seems to be a nice boy. But I’m not sure whether I should take him seriously. Considering the life he’s led and not being around so many young people. He may not even know how to handle a girl.”
“Well, you can always find out for yourself whether he’s the right one,” Barbara remarked. “And if he isn’t, you’ll work it out for yourself in time.”
“Yes, I suppose so,” Susan said. A moment’s silence ensued before she continued, “I hope I’ll see him again soon. I don’t think it’ll be a romance to last, but…”
“Some holiday romances never do,” Barbara interjected.
Susan then realised, “I wonder what’s become of grandfather and Ian. I hope they’re alright.”
“So do I,” Barbara agreed. “They should be back by now.”
At that moment, their hotel room door slid open as in entered Gordon Rotenhend. He burst in pretty aggressively as he approached Susan and Barbara. They immediately stood up from their beds.
“What do you think you’re doing in here?!” Barbara protested. “Bursting into our room like that!”
“You!!!” Gordon bellowed. “You two women!!! I thought I’d find you here!!!”
“How dare you burst into our rooms unannounced, Mr. Rotenhend!” Barbara protested again.
“What do you want?!” Susan demanded. “If you’ve come to see my grandfather…”
“I don’t care about your grandfather, girl!” Gordon shouted. “Not after I’ve finally learnt what he is! Torches and thunderbolts!”
“What do you mean?” Barbara asked. “Where’s Ian? Where’s the Doctor?”
“Where’s my grandfather please!” Susan pleaded.
“They’re up on the 59th level,” Gordon answered. “In one of the simi-suites. Simi-suite #2.”
Susan turned to Barbara. “Grandfather must still be up there.”
“Ah! So! You admit it!!!” Gordon boomed. “You admit your crimes!!!”
“What crimes?” Barbara asked, perplexed. “What is it we’ve supposed to have done?”
“Earlier, your Doctor friend attacked me!” Gordon answered. “He attacked me!!! Knocking me out unconscious!!! He abused my dignity!!!”
“Never!” Susan protested. “My grandfather would never do such a thing! He’s never violent, my grandfather! He isn’t!”
“He is!” Gordon shouted. “And he did! He knocked me out unconscious! And I know for what reason!”
“Why, what’s he done?” Barbara wanted to know.
“I understand there was a murder in the swimming pool earlier today,” Gordon remarked. “I heard the news from my staff.”
“Yes,” Susan confirmed. “A man has been murdered. It was horrible.”
“Have they found out who it is?” Barbara asked.
“Yes!!!” Gordon bellowed. “They have!!! According to sources, it has been confirmed that the deadly suspects who have committed this terrible atrocity are…you two! You girl and you Miss Wright! You killed the man!!!”
“No!” said Susan shocked. “You got it all wrong! We haven’t done anything!”
“We didn’t even touch the man!” Barbara argued. “We didn’t even know him! We have two other witnesses!”
“Yes, you should ask them on whether we’re innocent,” Susan suggested. “They’re Admiral Brown and Joel…”
“I don’t care about other witnesses!!!” Gordon barked. “All I care about in meteor-storm’s fires is you to be dead, dead, dead!!! To suffer for your crimes!!! You hear me?!!! Suffer!!!!!”
Shocked and horrified by this, Susan and Barbara saw Gordon Rotenhend click his fingers. A number of security robots entered their hotel room.
“Security robots reporting,” said the first security robot. “What is your command, sir?”
“Apprehend these two criminals!” Gordon ordered. “They are to be taken away! Go on!!! Do it!!!”
The robots made their way over to Susan and Barbara. They grabbed them and began to escort them away. Susan and Barbara struggled to break free.
“You can’t do this!” Susan protested. “We’re innocent!”
“Where are you taking us?” Barbara demanded to know. “Where are we to be punished?”
“Fortunately,” Gordon replied, “to the place where your two other friends are in now. Simi-suite #2. In there, you shall be locked up for the rest of your natural lives!!!”
Back in simi-suite #2, the Doctor confronted Melbourne and Thomas. They were insisting that he and Ian listened to their demands. The Doctor adamantly refused.
“What you’re asking me to do is utterly impossible!” the Doctor declared. “You hear me?! Impossible!”
“But you will do it!” Melbourne insisted. “Won’t you, Doctor?”
“You will do it because you have no choice,” Thomas pointed out.
“The creature expects you to do it,” Melbourne said. “You know who we’re talking about don’t you, Doctor? The creature!”
“Yes, yes, yes,” the Doctor said dismissively. “I know all about the creature that wants this Zorbius crystal. I should know since I helped in its making.”
Ian by this point was utterly confused.
“Sorry Doctor, I’m not following any of this,” he said. “You say the Zorbius crystal. May one ask what it is?”
“The Zorbius crystal is the legendary crystal of time,” the Doctor answered before scoffing and harrumphed, “Crystal of time. Huh! It’s what everybody mockingly calls it since it belonged to an ancient civilisation. Lost and forgotten. They should know better.”
“Very interesting,” Ian replied. “But am I to understand this crystal is highly dangerous?”
“Yes Chesterton,” the Doctor said, “I’m afraid so. Highly dangerous. And in the hands of these two ruffians definitely so.”
“Now come now, Doctor,” Melbourne mock-protested. “That’s hardly fair.”
“The crystal’s safely with Mr. Rotenhend in his safe,” Thomas said. “We can ask no more.”
“Safe, yes,” the Doctor rebuked. “And how reliable that safe of Mr. Rotenhend is and how reliable he is, I shudder to imagine.” He then became accusing, “Don’t you realise the power that crystal contains? Not even I can control it. Not ever!”
“Of course,” Thomas agreed. “It only needs one being to control it. Zorbius itself.”
“Zorbius doesn’t exist,” the Doctor said sharply.
“I gather Zorbius is like some…old nursery rhyme,” Ian guessed.
“No, no!” the Doctor answered dismissively. “Far from it, Chesterton. Zorbius is pure energy. Energy of time that can manifest itself into any form it wishes.”
“Sorry I’m just not getting it,” Ian said.
“The Zorbius crystal, if held in the right hand, should grant the person to time travel,” the Doctor explained. “Without any technology or facility of necessity. Just by pure thought. Hypersonics in fact.”
“Hypersonics?” said Ian surprised. “You mean…”
“Yes Chesterton, yes. The thought of time travelling to anywhere and anywhen in this space-time continuum can be placed inside this crystal by anyone who wishes it.”
“I see,” Ian said, sort of getting it. “So you mean…if I were to have this crystal, I can have the means to travel to anywhere beyond my wildest dreams.”
“Exactly. Though I’d strongly advise it.”
“I don’t think I’d even want to take it. I only want to go to one place and that’s home. Where I sit at home; go to a pub with my friends; and teach my favourite subject at school.”
“Admirable, dear boy,” the Doctor commended Ian. “Most admirable.”
“But surely think of it, Mr. Chesterton,” Melbourne said. “Think of it. You can have the chance to go anywhere with the Zorbius crystal. Any place you wish.”
“Even to your own home,” Thomas added. “You can go home and anywhere else you like.”
“Yes. I know,” Ian said.
“Does that even tempt you?” Melbourne asked.
“No, I’ll pass,” Ian replied. “I’d rather go by the safe route or no route at all. And at the moment, the Doctor’s the only chance of getting me and Barbara back home.”
“Very wise if I may so, dear boy,” the Doctor said approvingly. “If you had the Zorbius power, it’d burn your head almost instantly. You wouldn’t even be able to control it.”
“You are both fools!” Thomas said accusingly.
“No,” the Doctor said defiantly. “We have intelligence, this young man and me! Whereas you sirs are scoundrels and vagabonds!”
“We’re wasting time,” Melbourne pointed out. “Do I take it Doctor that you refuse to help us and our client? To help us gain the power of Zorbius?”
“I most certainly do!” the Doctor confirmed. “It’s completely out of the question!”
“Then it seems we are forced to persuade you, Doctor,” Thomas said.
“What do you think we should do with them?” Melbourne asked Thomas.
A moment of silence ensues as Melbourne and Thomas thought about this.
Eventually Thomas said, “I suggest we take the Doctor and his young friend down to the Thames. We dump their bodies in the river, just like they used to do back in the days of Dickens as in ‘Our Mutual Friend’. Remember?”
“Yes,” Melbourne approved. “An excellent idea.”
“No!” Ian said, shocked. “You can’t do this! What good are we to you dead?”
Thomas ignored Ian as he continued, “And with the safety protocols offline, it’ll be even more thrilling to see them drown for real!”
“Chesterton’s right, you can’t do this!” the Doctor protested. “We won’t allow it! It’s cold-blooded murder!”
“You can’t stop us, Doctor,” Melbourne said mockingly. “Unless you agree to our terms.”
“You know I can’t!” the Doctor insisted. “You know it’s impossible!”
“Then there is no alternative,” Thomas declared.
Bruce the android groaned at that point. “I suppose you want me to take these two to the river Thames do you, Mr. Melbourne sir?”
“Yes!” Melbourne confirmed. “You will do it, Bruce. And wait for us there. We want them thrown in once we’ve gathered the crowd.”
“The crowd?” the Doctor enquired.
“Melbourne and I shall gather the locals in the London town,” Thomas explained. “And they shall watch to see you both drown. Why it’ll be new found entertainment all around.”
“Just like a public hanging,” Ian realised. “Please let us go!”
Melbourne and Thomas ignored Ian.
“Bruce, take them away!” Melbourne commanded. “We’ve had enough of their sight. Take them away at once!”
“Alright,” Bruce said drearily. “I’ll take them away to the Thames!”
Bruce began to take the Doctor and Ian away before the Doctor made one more protest.
“What about the wretched creature? Where is he?! I demand to see him!”
“Agree to our terms, Doctor,” Melbourne demanded. “It’s your choice. Then you shall see the creature.”
“Never!” the Doctor defied. “Never!!!”
“Then it’s your life on the line,” said Thomas. “Yours and Mr. Chesterton’s!”
As they were being taken away, Ian pleaded, “Bruce? Please listen to us! You don’t have to do this. Please let us go. You don’t like working for Melbourne and Thomas, do you? So let the Doctor and me go free!”
“You’re right,” Bruce replied. “I don’t like working for Melbourne and Thomas.”
“Good! That’s good,” said Ian.
“But I’ve got nothing else to do,” Bruce said. “So I might as well do this. It’s better than nothing I suppose.”
“What?!” said a shocked Ian.
“It’s no good talking to him, Ian,” the Doctor told him. “He’s a robot. He won’t understand. He has no emotions or concept of compassion.”
“Android!” Bruce protested. “Not a robot! How many times do I have to say it? I’m an android!”
“Let us go at once!” the Doctor said agitated. “I demand it!”
The Doctor and Ian struggled to break free as Bruce kept a firm grip, escorting them to the Thames.
“I’m going to miss the Doctor you know,” Melbourne said mockingly to Thomas.
“Yes, so am I,” Thomas replied. “Didn’t get a chance to chat to him much, did we?”
Melbourne and Thomas laughed away, amused by what was going to become of the Doctor and Ian.
At the corridor of entrances to the simi-suites, Barbara and Susan got forced down the corridor by the security robots with Gordon Rotenhend taking the rear. The two women raised their voices to make their protests clear.
“You can’t do this to us, Mr. Rotenhend!” Barbara protested. “We haven’t done anything! We’re not killers!”
“Please let us go!” Susan pleaded. “Barbara’s right! We’re innocent!”
“Lies!!!” Gordon bellowed. “It’s all lies!!! You’re liars!!!”
“What proof do you have?” Susan challenged him. “What proof is there against us that we’re guilty?”
“Your grandfather hit me on the head!” shouted Gordon. “That’s proof enough!”
“That’s circumstantial evidence!” Barbara protested. “It proves nothing. Besides the Doctor wouldn’t be so violent.”
“You seemed to be so nice to my grandfather earlier, Mr. Rotenhend,” Susan pointed out. “Well, I don’t think you’re nice at all! Grandfather is a far better man than you ever are or ever will be.”
“I have responsibility in this hotel,” Gordon declared. “To keep it running! But nobody cares! Nobody cares!!! Not even my wife!!! And she’s stupid anyway!!!”
Gordon approached the door leading into simi-suite #2.
“Open!” Gordon shouted. “Open I say!!!!!”
At his command, the doors of simi-suite #2 opened. Gordon turns vengefully on Barbara and Susan.
“Now!!!” Gordon shouted. “Inside! Get inside!!!”
At that moment, Admiral Brown and Joel came out of the turbo-lift. They entered the corridor to meet Gordon with Susan and Barbara who were relieved to see them.
“Joel! Admiral Brown!” Susan declared.
“Thank goodness you’ve both come!” Barbara said. “Mr. Rotenhend’s gone mad!”
“Morning Rotenhend!” the Admiral said cheerfully.
“Morning Admiral,” Gordon replied.
“Papers arrived yet, Rotenhend?” the Admiral asked.
“Not yet, Admiral,” Gordon answered. “No sorry.”
“Dad, what’s going on?” Joel demanded. “Why are you treating these two women unfairly?”
“Your dad?” said a shocked Susan. “This is your dad, Joel?”
“Yes, unfortunately,” Joel replied. “I’m Joel Rotenhend, you see.”
“Admiral Brown, please.” Barbara pleaded. “Tell Mr. Rotenhend that this is all a big mistake. He’s accusing us wrongly.”
“Of course my dear,” the Admiral said. “Now see here, Rotenhend…”
“You keep out of this Admiral!” Gordon barked back. “This has got nothing to do with you!”
Suddenly, Gordon cried out in pain. He dropped to the floor in agony. Susan and Barbara stepped back, watching Gordon scream away.
“What is it?” Susan wanted to know. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Barbara replied. She asked Joel, “Has this ever happened to your father before, Joel?”
“Not that I know of, Miss Wright,” Joel answered. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen my father have a fit.”
“What’s going on here then, old boy?” the Admiral asked. “Is your father having a heart attack?”
Gordon screeched in pain before Susan yelped in terror.
“His face!” she cried. “Don’t you see! Something’s happening to his face!”
Gordon turned to the robots as he lay on the fooor.
“Security robots!” he rasped. “Disengage! I repeat! Disengage!”
The security robots complied as they marched away from Susan, Barbara and the others. Susan, Barbara, the Admiral and Joel continued watching as Gordon began a transformation.
“He’s changing!” Barbara realised. “He’s changing into some kind of animal.”
“It’s extraordinary!” the Admiral remarked. “Most extraordinary! I’ve never seen the like of it before.”
“Dad?” Joel tried to get to him. “Is everything alright? What’s happening to you?”
In answer, Gordon growled fiercely as if he were an animal.
“Go away son!” he growled. “Go away!!!”
Joel staggered back as he and the Admiral joined Susan and Barbara. Susan was terrified. Barbara embraced Susan to comfort her.
“There’s only one thing we can do,” Barbara said.
“And what is that, my dear?” the Admiral asked.
“Enter the simi-suite,” Susan realised.
“Yes,” Barbara confirmed. “The Doctor will probably know what this is. He might be able to help.”
“Yes of course,” Susan agreed. “Grandfather will be able to help us. Help Mr. Rotenhend.”
“We can’t just leave my dad out here,” Joel protested.
“Oh we’ll come back for him Joel,” Susan reassured him. “Don’t worry, we’ll come back for him.”
“Yes,” Barbara concurred. “Now all of you. Do as I say and follow me. Into the simi-suite.”
“Okay,” the Admiral replied. “Topping for me.”
With that, Admiral Brown and Joel followed Susan and Barbara inside the simi-suite. Gordon continued his slow transformation outside.
Inside the simi-suite, Barbara, Susan, Admiral Brown and Joel looked around. They saw the wonders of the world they were in.
“It’s London,” said Barbara, amazed. “We’re in Victorian London!”
“This is more to your liking, Barbara,” remarked Susan.
“Why yes,” Barbara said. “I’ve always liked studying this period of history. Though this is more Dickensian than anything.”
“The simi-suite programs cover a range of various types of 19th century London,” Joel explained. “In any style or form you want. To its civilised society to its run-down dumps at the bottom of the Thames.”
“Just like in ‘Our Mutual Friend’,” Barbara remarked. “And the various accounts and reports Mr. Dickens made in those times.”
“Did you say your friends were in here?” the Admiral asked.
“Yes, they were,” Barbara replied. “They were looking for somebody, you see.”
“Then why all this set up? Why this particular period of Earth history?”
Before anyone could answer the Admiral’s question, Susan cried out, pointing to something that terrified her.
“Look!” she cried. “There’s Mr. Rotenhend! Behind us!”
They all turned to look as they saw the hulking form of Gordon Rotenhend, now a ravenous wolf.
“Good God in heaven!” the Admiral said, shocked. “Is that really…?”
“Dad?!” Joel called. “Dad, is that you?!”
All Joel got was a furious roar. Susan was even more terrified.
“He’s a wolf!” Barbara declared, gobsmacked. “A giant wolf!”
“Gordon the wolf!” Susan said. “Oh why couldn’t he just change into a puppy?”
“We have to get away from here!” Joel insisted. “My dad will eat us alive if he gets lucky!”
“Admiral Brown, are you okay to run?” Barbara asked.
“You just watch me, my dear,” the Admiral chortled.
“Then,” Barbara began nervously, “run!!!!!”
The four of them ran deeper into the Victorian London setting as Gordon the wolf chased after them.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and Ian were dragged forward to the edge of Westminster Bridge over the river Thames by Bruce the android. Melbourne and Thomas stood beside them, mocking as they made threats to them.
“Any last words, Doctor?” Melbourne asked.
“We had in mind originally to put your young friend Ian Chesterton to death,” Thomas said. “Then his death would be on your conscience.”
“Listen!” Ian protested. “Do whatever you want with this crystal of time the Doctor’s talking about. But don’t involve us in it! This has got nothing to do with us!”
“Oh, but it has!” Melbourne replied. “Don’t you see, Mr. Chesterton? It does!”
“Our client’s got a long history and is caught up in the Doctor’s timeline,” Thomas said. “So the Doctor can hardly refuse when this matter’s so closely connected to him.”
“Then you’d be condemning us to death carelessly,” Ian pointed out. “What good is the Doctor to you two dead?”
“His time energy and knowledge will suffice for our client,” Melbourne said. “Once we’ve robbed it off him from him!”
Melbourne and Thomas laugh mockingly whilst Ian was distraught. The Doctor remained silent and defiant over this.
“It’s no good trying to reason with these two, young man,” the Doctor said quietly to Ian. “They don’t understand.” He then addressed Melbourne and Thomas. “You can’t understand. I can’t help you, do you hear? Can’t! My being forbids it!”
“We don’t care about your laws of time, Doctor,” said Melbourne. “All we care about is getting our money from our client.”
“Swindlers!” the Doctor rebuked. “That’s what you both are! Swindlers! It’s why people like you cannot have the crystal! Never!”
“Bruce!” Thomas commanded. “Throw them into the Thames!”
“Can’t I have a ham sandwich first?” Bruce asked glumly. “Not that it’ll help since I don’t have any teeth. Or an appetite. Or a stomach…”
“Just get on with it will you, android!” Thomas demanded impatiently.
With that, Bruce began to push the Doctor and Ian forward to the edge. Melbourne and Thomas jeered as Ian and the Doctor struggled to stop going over the edge.
At that moment, Susan, Barbara, Admiral Brown and Joel arrived.
“Grandfather!” Susan called out.
“Ian!” Barbara called. “Thank goodness we’ve found you!”
They then saw the Doctor and Ian in trouble. Barbara and Susan instantly ran over to them. Melbourne and Thomas saw them approach and were shocked.
“Melbourne!” Thomas cried out. “Those two women! They’re going to stop their friends from being drowned! And I was so looking forward to it!”
“Bruce!” Melbourne shouted. “Bruce, do you hear? Don’t let those two women stop you from pushing the Doctor and Chesterton into the Thames!”
Admiral Brown and Joel then stepped in the way. The Admiral grabbed hold of Lord Melbourne.
“Now wait a minute!” the Admiral protested. “Wait a minute, Lord Melbourne! Have you gone crazy?!”
“You!!!” Melbourne said, disgusted. “Take your hands off me!”
“We don’t think so, Melbourne!” Joel retorted.
“Take your hands off me!!!” Melbourne repeated.
Melbourne fought with the Admiral, before getting his shirt torn in the process. She became very angry. Thomas then saw that Bruce had allowed Susan and Barbara to free the Doctor and Ian from his grasp.
“Bruce!” Thomas shouted, flabbergasted. “Bruce, you idiot! What are you doing?!”
Bruce turned to Thomas. “I hadn’t much to do,” he answered. “So I allowed them to escape.”
“But we told you, Bruce!” Thomas rebuked. “We told you to keep watch on them!”
“Yes,” Bruce replied. “But I didn’t particularly want to do it.”
Thomas was fuming. The Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan were delighted to be reunited with one another again. Susan then mentioned the very important news.
“Grandfather!” she said. “We were chased by Mr. Rotenhend the hotel manager! Something’s happened to him!”
“He’s been changed by something,” Barbara added. “Changed into a wolf!”
“Well bless my soul!” the Doctor said astonished. “Goodness! Whatever possessed him to become that?”
“We can ask him if you like,” Ian said. “Doctor, look!”
Ian pointed as Gordon the wolf appeared. Everyone backed away once they saw the wolf.
“Get back!” the Doctor commanded. “Back away I say!!!”
The Doctor backed his friends and his granddaughter away. He then called out to the Admiral and Joel.
“You two gentlemen! Over here I say!”
Admiral Brown and Joel made their way over to the Doctor and the others, dodging past the angry wolf. The wolf turned its attention to Melbourne and Thomas.
“No!” Melbourne shouted. “Keep away! Keep away, you vicious beast!”
“It’s not us you should attack!” Thomas insisted. “It’s them! The Doctor and his friends! Them!”
The wolf however growled, launching onto Melbourne and Thomas mercilessly.
“This is our chance to escape, dear friends!” the Doctor said to the others. “We must get out of this horrid place! This simulation!”
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Ian said eagerly. “Run!!!”
The four TARDIS travellers, the Admiral and Joel made their escape as they headed off from Westminster Bridge to search for the exit out of the simi-suite.
As the Wolf continued to attack Melbourne and Thomas, the two robbers shrieked and howled with fear and pain. They were being ravaged upon pretty severely. Soon the two men were rescued as the Wolf got restrained suddenly. Confused, Melbourne and Thomas got up from the floor. They saw their client. The creature tugged at the large wolf, holding him firm by its neck.
“Dear sir!” Melbourne said, relieved. “Our friend! You have saved us from this beast!”
“It was unfortunate he took us to be the enemy instead of the Doctor,” Thomas stated.
“We hope you are pleased with our efforts in containing…”
“Silence, imbeciles!” the creature said fiercely, interrupting Melbourne. “You are not worthy to become part of my presence! You shall suffer for your incompetence!”
Ignoring a bemused Melbourne and Thomas, the creature turned to the wolf and whispered in its ear.
“You are to capture the white haired man and his young companions! They shall not escape! Do you hear? Not escape! Tear them to shreds! Torture them! Now go! Go!!! Go!!!”
The wolf howled as it charged off, following the trail of the Doctor and his friends. The creature then turned angrily on Melbourne and Thomas as he scolded them.
“You two shall get your second chance if you value your lives!” the creature said. “You won’t like me to blot you out forever.”
“We’ll do better next time,” Melbourne reassured the creature.
“Yeah!” Thomas joined in. “You can’t call us the Zondor robbers for nothing.”
The creature ignored Melbourne and Thomas claims. He looked up at the black night sky in the holographic simulation they were in.
© Tim Bradley, 2020
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