1. Circus of Clowns
Jo was trying to make sense of it. She seemed to be doing that quite often whenever she was with the Doctor. She wondered why he decided – quite out of the blue – to go to the circus. He asked her and Mike Yates to accompany him.
Mike Yates couldn’t help wonder either. He always knew the Doctor to be eccentric. But somehow he always liked him for that. At least this gave him a chance to go off duty. As captain of the UK branch of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce (U.N.I.T. for short), he deserved a break.
Jo saw the Doctor focused and looking very serious. He was watching the various circus acts taking place. They’d seen quite a range of acts, including acrobats doing acrobatics; trained animals like elephants, lions and monkeys doing their tricks; trapeze artists; musicians; hoofers; tightrope walkers; jugglers; unicyclists – anything that you could think of to do with the circus.
But Jo observed, as certainly did Mike, there seemed very little point to these circus acts. Apart from the fun and the excitement of it all, Jo and Mike didn’t quite get what the Doctor was up to.
Jo nudged the Doctor, catching his eye. “Doctor, was there something in particular you wanted to see here?”
The Doctor, in his frilly shirt and flowing cape, shook his head as he acknowledged Jo’s curiosity. He continued his focus at circus ring whilst talking to her.
“Me, Jo?” the Doctor said innocently. “No, no. I was just curious, that’s all.”
“Curious about what?” Jo asked.
“There was something in the newspapers that caught my curiosity,” the Doctor explained. “An act connected to a special kind of project related to Greek philosophy.”
“Greek philosophy?”
“Yes. Socrates, Plato and all that. It got me thinking and I wondered why not come here and see for myself what it was like.”
Mike shook his head. “Surely all that mumbo-jumbo is legendary. All the Greek myths and philosophy. You can’t take it seriously.”
“Never underestimate the legends of the past, my dear Mike,” the Doctor told him. “Legends of the past have their scientific value if you know where to find it. Jo and I experienced that with Kronos, remember?”
“Is that why you got your gadget tucked underneath your cloak, Doctor?” Jo asked.
The Doctor felt embarrassed. He eventually took out a little pocket device from his cloak and showed it to them both.
“Just a little item I’ve been working on. It detects energy emissions in the space-time continuum.”
Mike was puzzled. “Why did you bring that thing along with you, Doctor?”
“Just in case something should crop up,” the Doctor told him. “You never know, do you?”
“Well, don’t let it spoil the fun,” Mike insisted. “I’m rather enjoying myself here. All those dancers, acrobats and talented musicians. I’ve missed going to the circus. It’s nice to get out and about now and again.”
“I don’t know about you, Mike,” Jo told him, “but I feel scared.”
“Why should you be scared, Jo?” the Doctor asked. “Don’t you like going to the circus?”
“Not really,” Jo said, nervously. “Circuses always make me feel uncomfortable. I don’t know why, but I’ve always wanted to avoid going to one with my parents. Something scares me about the circus. I never knew what though.”
“Perhaps we’ll find out the answer here, Jo,” the Doctor suggested. “With this nifty little gadget of mine, it can do anything.”
“You’re not seriously saying you’re going to scan the whole circus tent with that thing, are you?” Mike asked.
“Oh no,” the Doctor began wryly. “No, I’m just doing this to amuse myself, that’s all. I’ve got nothing else better to do than tinker about in that lab of mine.”
“Well, this makes a change from the times we’ve spent in that TARDIS of yours,” Jo smiled.
The Doctor eyed Jo in mock contempt. “Jo, you’ve yet to see the wonders of the universe. Why, I still haven’t taken you to Metabellis III yet.”
“Surprised you didn’t invite me, Doctor,” Mike said.
The Doctor looked embarrassed. “My apologies, dear Mike. There wasn’t enough room for three of us.”
Jo laughed. “Don’t believe a word he says, Mike.”
Before the Doctor could retort, Mike Yates interrupted. “Doctor; Jo, look! Something’s happening! I think they’re about to start again!”
They watched as they saw a gang of clowns entering into the ring. They had bright red grins on their faces – slightly comical yet quite frightening to see. The clowns were led by a tall ringmaster – one Terry Alexander MacDonald. He was about to show off his special clown act.
Born of Scottish descent, Mr. Alexander MacDonald was proud and dignified as he stood in the centre of the ring with his clowns. He looked up at his audience. He couldn’t quite believe it. The actual number of seats being filled. He was ready to give them the best show of their lives. He waved at them and began to address them in his show-like manner.
♪ “Hail to you loving-go circus goers,” ♫ he sing-songed. ♪ “Welcome to Terry’s Go Circus! If you wish to have a good clean show; best to leave your dirty underwear outta here!” ♫
Laughter ensued as members of the audience cheered and applauded.
“Make sure you pay with happiness and glee,” the ringmaster continued. “For you, tonight’s the night you get the thrill of your lives!”
The audience were enamoured of him. MacDonald smiled appreciatively and beamed at them. He waved as he carried on with the show.
“Now everyone prepared to be entertained,” he called. “As you can see, my friends have come out to play. My clown friends, do your worst! Make people laugh at Terry’s circus!”
More cheers came from the audience. MacDonald turned away. No-one noticed that he raised his hand to the temples of his forehead. It was as if he was in some sort of pain. Without anybody realising it, he could hear a voice inside his head. He spoke quietly in response. “Yes. I hear you. What is it you want?”
The voice was cold and dark. Almost as if it were wheezing and groaning rather than speaking. It was also sinister. Chilling and frightening to even cope with.
“You waste too much time in your petty banters and words,” the voice said. “I can sense him, MacDonald. Even now I can sense him.”
“Sense who?” MacDonald asked.
“Who we have been seeking all this time, you fool,” the voice told him. “Think, MacDonald! Think back to when this started! What our primary objective is!”
MacDonald was confused and baffled. Then he began to realise. It was the man they’d been waiting for. He spoke quietly again to the voice. “Do you mean…the Doctor? He is here in the audience? The Doctor in my audience? Watching my circus.”
“You are to carry forth your instructions,” the voice commanded. “Make the clowns do their acts. Let the Doctor become suspicious. Very soon, he will know something is amiss. He must fall for the trap! For the lure! My lord insists on it! I insist on it!”
“Yes sir,” MacDonald replied. “Then all the money will be mine! You will grant me the reward I seek.”
“Your reward shall be given to you,” the voice said. “That is what my lord does. He grants all who wants desires fulfilled. Now do as I say! Carry out your instructions! Make the clowns catch the Doctor’s attention!”
MacDonald nodded before he turned back to look at his audience. He watched as the clowns performed their act.
With the Doctor, Jo and Mike, they were captivated by what the clowns were doing in their act. The Doctor particularly as he nudged Jo and Mike, pointing at the clowns.
“This is what I wanted to show you both,” he said. “Now watch very carefully.”
They watched as the clowns began to do their tricks.
“Now friends!” MacDonald cheered. “Watch as these two chums amaze you with their funny tricks!”
At that moment, two clowns stepped forward. One was called Tricksey and the other was called Bobsey. Tricksey looked to his partner.
“Hey Bobsey!” he said cheerfully. “Would you care for some honey?”
“Honey?” Bobsey said. “Darn sure I do!”
Bobsey stepped forward and looked at Tricksey.
“Well then,” Tricksey said. “Just stand there; close your eyes and open your mouth!”
“Right!” Bobsey said happily.
Bobsey stood still where he was; closed his eyes and did as Tricksey told him, opening his mouth. Tricksey grinned mischievously.
“One jug of honey! Here we come!”
With that, Tricksey lifted up from behind his back…a jug…filled with water. He threw it at Bobsey’s face. Bobsey cried with shock. Everyone in the audience, except the Doctor, Jo and Mike, laughed. Bobsey’s face then became sad as Jo observed.
“That wasn’t very nice, Tricksey,” Bobsey sobbed.
“Wasn’t it?” Tricksey asked.
Tricksey waved his hand in front of Bobsey’s face. Suddenly, the water on Bobsey’s face turned into honey. Everybody gasped once this happened.
“There you are, Bobsey!” Tricksey said. “Doesn’t that make you happy?”
Bobsey licked his lips with honey on them before cheering happily. Everyone else in the audience cheered too with wonder at this sight. The Doctor; Jo and Mike didn’t cheer but were quite astonished.
“Did I just see an illusion, Doctor?” Mike asked.
“Was it an illusion, Doctor?” Jo asked.
“No,” the Doctor said gradually. “I’m afraid what you two saw actually happened. That clown’s face was covered in water. Then it became honey within a second.”
They continued to watch as back in the circle, Tricksey now was going to perform another trick on poor Bobsey. This time…with a coin!
“Now Bobsey,” Tricksey said. “I want you to balance this coin on your head. Can you do that?”
“Anything you can do,” Bobsey laughed, “I can do better!”
“Right then!” Tricksey said mischeviously. “Let’s see you try it, shall we?”
With that, Tricksey held up a coin in his hand for everyone to see. He stretched his hand towards Bobsey and placed the coin on his forehead. Once Bobsey had the coin on his forehead, he stood as still as he could. Everyone gasped and muttered once they saw this balancing act take place.
“Still think you can balance that coin of mine there, Bobsey?” giggled Tricksey.
“Sure I can!” Bobsey replied.
“Yeah? How about now?!”
With that, Tricksey clapped his hands together and with a sudden crash, a shower of coins came pouring down onto Bobsey’s head. Bobsey cried out loud in shock as he lost his balance and fell to the floor. Everyone laughed once they saw this happen. Tricksey laughed too once he saw Bobsey fall to the floor.
“Ha, ha!” Tricksey laughed. “Didn’t balance the coin on your head did you now, Bobsey?”
Bobsey looked up at Tricksey, annoyed and upset as he growled bitterly. “Why you!!!”
With that, Bobsey chased after Tricksey around the circus ring. Tricksey was still laughing whilst Bobsey chased him about.
“Jolly good show hey, Doctor?” Mike said. “Finest bit of entertainment I’ve seen in ages!”
“You really think so?” questioned the Doctor.
“But what’s going on, Doctor?” Jo asked. “Why is this happening?”
“Keep watching, Jo,” the Doctor encouraged her. “Just keep watching.”
Like school children, Jo and Mike did as they were told. They kept watching what was going on with the clowns mucking around in the circus ring. They then saw something that totally shocked them.
“Here we are, Bobsey!” Tricksey said. “Lie down on this bed here!”
A bed was now placed in the centre of the ring. Bobsey made his way over to it before lying down on it. He felt relaxed.
“There we are, Bobsey,” Tricksey said. “How do you feel?”
“Much better now thanks, Tricksey!” Bobsey said, relaxed. “I need the rest!”
“That’s good that is,” Tricksey said. “That really is great!”
Tricksey laughed mischievously as he took out from behind his back…a sharp jagged saw blade. He howled manically before immediately cutting up Bobsey’s body in half. Everyone gasped in shock. Women screamed, including Jo who hid her face in the Doctor’s velvet jacket. The Doctor patted Jo on the back.
“There, there now, Jo,” the Doctor said reassuringly. “It’s alright, Jo. Trust me, it’s alright!”
“Alright?!” Jo said, alarmed and shocked. “A clown being cut up in half so violently and you say it’s alright?! You saw the blood!”
“Jo, control yourself!” the Doctor told her. “I tell you, I know what I’m saying!”
“This has gone on long enough, Doctor,” Mike said. “We should probably go. You can see Jo’s upset…”
“You haven’t seen the finish of the act, Mike,” the Doctor said.
“Finish?” asked Jo, puzzled.
“Watch, Jo!” the Doctor told her. “Watch carefully!”
They watched as they saw the clown Tricksey do something remarkable. First, he picked up the body halves and its parts of the cut-up Bobsey. Within minutes, Bobsey the clown became a complete person again. No scratches; no cuts. Everyone was astonished as they witnessed Tricksey putting Bobsey back together again.
“How do you feel Bobsey pal?” Tricksey asked.
“I feel…I say,” Bobsey said cheerfully. “I feel mighty hungry!”
There was a huge round of applause in the circus. Everyone clapped and cheered in admiration. Everyone, except the Doctor. Jo and Mike.
“I just can’t believe what we just saw!” Mike exclaimed. “It was amazingly impossible!”
“Yes my dear Mike,” the Doctor agreed. “That’s exactly what it was! Amazingly impossible!”
“What do you think happened, Doctor?” asked Jo.
“I’m not sure yet,” the Doctor said gradually. “But what you just saw was an abomination to the law of physics and reality. Quite frankly, not only do I find this intriguing; but also quite horrifying!”
Jo and Mike were puzzled as the Doctor watched on with interest.
At U.N.I.T. HQ in London, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart walked into the Doctor’s lab. He was looking for him. Something major was happening and he needed the Doctor’s help to sort it out. He was disappointed to find nobody in the lab. Neither the Doctor nor Miss Grant. The Brigadier fumed for a bit. Whether it was the sound of footsteps approaching or the small sound of breathing nearby, he called out, “Sergeant Benton!”
He got a response. “Sir!”
Benton walked into the Doctor’s lab and stood to attention, saluting the Brigadier. The Brigadier saluted back.
“Any sign of the Doctor today, Benton?” the Brigadier asked.
“No sir,” Benton replied. “Not since this morning.”
“Really?” the Brigadier said, frustrated. “What is he doing this morning?”
“Well he and Miss Grant were heading into Central London to attend a circus performance,” Benton told him.
“Circus performance?” the Brigadier enquired. “What the devil is he doing there then?”
“Not sure, sir,” Benton replied. “Just said he fancied a day out.”
The Brigadier stood there, looking completely puffed out as he held his swagger stick in his hand.
“Really, this is most inconvenient,” the Brigadier said irritably. “Fine time for the Doctor to go gallivanting off like this. I need his help on a certain energy project being conducted using matter and transference particles. All that mumbo-jumbo.”
“Is that the one where Plato’s theory is concerned, sir?” Benton asked.
“Yes,” the Brigadier replied. “Where’s Captain Yates? Is he around?”
“Oh he’s gone with them too, sir,” Benton told him.
“What?” the Brigadier said, astonished.
“Well it’s his day off, sir. You said he could have one.”
The Brigadier coughed embarrassed. “Oh yes, so I did.” He paused for a moment. “Alright Benton, thank you. That’ll be all.”
“Very good, sir,” Benton acknowledged and saluted.
Just as Benton was about to leave, the large desk’s intercom blared. A voice crackled through saying, “Greyhound Two to Track One, do you read me? Do you read me over?”
It was Mike Yates’ voice. Benton went over to the large desk and switched on the intercom. He picked up the intercom’s microphone to speak into it.
“Track One receiving you, over,” Benton answered. “Come in, Greyhound Two.”
Mike’s voice spoke again. “Sergeant Benton? Is that you, over?”
“Yes sir,” Benton replied. “Receiving you loud and clear, Captain Yates. Over.”
“Is the Brigadier there, Sergeant?” asked Mike on the intercom.
“Hang on, sir. Over.”
Benton looked to the Brigadier. But the Brigadier was one step ahead of him. He took the microphone from Benton and spoke into it to speak to Yates.
“Captain Yates, this is Lethbridge Stewart,” the Brigadier said. “Where are you?”
“I’m at the circus, sir,” Yates replied. “In Central London. Sergeant Benton told you I pressume.”
“Look here Yates,” said the Brigadier irritably, “just what do you think you’re playing at? Why are you calling on this frequency…?”
“Sorry sir, but I need to keep this short,” Yates interjected. “I advise an emergency stand-by.”
“Emergency stand-by?” said the Brigadier puzzled. “What for?”
“Something very odd is happening, sir,” Yates told him. “Something to do with the circus. The Doctor suspects something.”
A thought suddenly occurred to the Brigadier. He spoke into the radio again, but more carefully this time.
“This wouldn’t by any chance be related to the energy project connected to the circus would it, Yates?” he asked.
“Why yes, sir,” Yates replied.
The Brigadier had another thought occuring to him. He spoke again. “Are you on your way back here to U.N.I.T. HQ?”
“Almost, sir,” Yates told him. “The circus performance has just ended. The Doctor’s gone off to speak to someone. The circus owner I believe. Jo’s gone with him too.”
“Right, Yates,” the Brigadier began to command him. “Get back here as soon as possible; then give me your full report.”
“Right sir,” Yates answered. “Over and out.”
With that, Mike Yates went off. The Brigadier eventually turned to Benton.
“Sergeant Benton.”
“Sir?” Benton stood to attention.
“Order all units to stand by. The Doctor; Miss Grant and Yates are to return. We may expect anything. See it to at once.”
“Yes sir,” Benton complied. “All units to stand by. Right sir.”
With that Benton left the lab. The Brigadier remained in the lab, being thoughtful and wondering what mysterious surprises were awaiting U.N.I.T. this time.
Back at the circus, the Doctor and Jo found themselves backstage of the circus once it was announced it was over. They searched to find Ringmaster MacDonald who was talking to the circus owner, Mr. Jimmy Phillips. Once the Doctor called to them, MacDonald became nervous. Phillips on the other hand was more open.
“Yes, my good man,” Phillips answered. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
The Doctor approached Phillips and shook his hand, being very polite.
“Excuse me, my good man. Are you the owner of this circus?”
“That’s right. Mr. Jimmy Phillips at your service. And you are…?”
The Doctor became embarrassed at first. Then Jo obliged and shook Phillips’ hand, smiling sweetly. “I’m Josephine Grant and this is the Doctor.”
“Doctor?” Mr. Phillips was puzzled. “Doctor what?”
“Smith,” the Doctor answered. “Dr. John Smith. And may I say how impressive that circus performance was out there.”
“Oh it’s all the work of Mr. MacDonald,” Phillips told them. “And this is he! Mr. Terry Alexander MacDonald! Say hello to them, Terry.”
The Doctor and Jo looked at MacDonald. He seemed resistant to them. Phillips prodded the man. “Come on, Terry! Say hello to them! No need to be impolite, is there?”
“I told you, Phillips,” MacDonald said abruptly. “I don’t give interviews! Especially to circus goers!”
“But I’m not just an ordinary circus goer, Mr. MacDonald,” the Doctor said. “I’m a scientist. And a very interested scientist in your project, which I’ve heard all about…”
“I don’t care who or what you are,” MacDonald interrupted. “I’ve got better things to do than waste my time with you people.”
Jo then interceded. “But people are amazed with what’s happened, Mr MacDonald. Clowns doing those fancy tricks and illusions. A clown just got chopped in half and now he’s been brought back to life again. That’s astonishing!”
“Mind you Jo,” the Doctor pointed out, “it’s never been done before.”
“What are you implying, Doctor?” MacDonald asked.
“Well, all those fancy tricks,” the Doctor explained. “Seemed like magic to most people. But we know the story of ‘The Wizard of Oz’, don’t we? A man using machines to make his illusions. I suspect that’s what your project’s involved with isn’t it, Mr MacDonald, if you don’t mind me saying so.”
“I do mind you saying so,” MacDonald said abrasively. “I think you Doctor have an infernal cheek. Suggesting I’m a con man.”
“Oh no, Mr. MacDonald,” the Doctor reassured him. “I would never dare accuse you of such a thing.”
“What is this project anyway?” Jo asked. “Something to do with Plato’s theory, is it?”
MacDonald was about to object before Phillips stepped in.
“That’s right, Miss err…Grant, is it?” Phillips said. “The project MacDonald’s working on is to do with matter and transference particles.”
“Connected to the theory of forms and change, I presume,” the Doctor enquired.
“Exactly,” Phillips answered. “I admit I don’t understand the principles of the theory myself, but MacDonald certainly knows what he’s talking about. Don’t you, Terry good man?”
“You have to broadcast it don’t you, Phillips?” MacDonald said bitterly.
Phillips was quite taken back. He’d never known MacDonald to speak this way before. Especially in front of the public. The Doctor interceded.
“If you could show me and my friend your technology Mr. MacDonald, we would be most grateful. Wouldn’t we, Jo?”
Jo nodded. MacDonald however began to walk away.
“If you’ll excuse me, I must go.”
“What’s the matter with you, man?” asked Phillips, baffled.
“I must go!” MacDonald insisted. “I have to send a message to someone.”
And with that, MacDonald left, applying his fingers to the temples of his forehead. The Doctor noticed this. Phillips became worried, before turning to the Doctor.
“I’m terribly sorry, Doctor; Miss Grant,” he said. “Terry’s so dedicated to his project. I’ve never known him to be so resistant to embracing the success he’s achieved with his project to my circus before. It’s most curious.”
“Indeed it is, Mr Phillips,” the Doctor agreed. “Thank you so much indeed. We’ll see ourselves out.”
“I hope you’ll come again to see another circus performance, Doctor; Miss Grant,” Phillips encouraged them. “You’ll be most welcome.”
“Thank you, Mr Phillips,” replied the Doctor. “We’ll certainly bear that in mind.” He turned to Jo. “Come on, Jo.”
The Doctor took Jo by the arm as he led her away from backstage. Phillips headed off after MacDonald. Once Phillips was out of earshot, Jo turned to the Doctor.
“You’re thinking of coming back here aren’t you, Doctor?”
“Yes Jo,” the Doctor replied. “I have every intention of coming back. To see what our friend Mr MacDonald is up to.”
“That gadget of yours,” Jo enquired. “Will it tell us something?”
“I hope so,” the Doctor said. “Come on. Let’s find Mike and head back to Bessie.”
They made their way out of the circus tent to find Mike Yates and return to U.N.I.T. HQ.
In a darker part of the backstage area, MacDonald was communing with the dark cold voice inside his head again. He had his fingers to his temples as he communicated with the voice.
“I hear your voice, master. What do you wish to say?”
At that moment, Phillips entered as he saw MacDonald. He was very annoyed with him as he approached.
“That was downright rude, Terry!” Phillips said. “What’s the matter with you, man? You could have shown those people more politeness. And another thing, how dare you speak to me in that manner!”
Phillips then noticed that MacDonald wasn’t responding to him. He shook him by the shoulder.
“Terry? Terry, can you hear me? Are you alright?”
But MacDonald was transfixed. He was hearing the dark voice saying to him, “You have done well, my servant. My lord is pleased with your efforts. Now the Doctor has become suspicious. He will return with the intention of exposing you out in the light. Be prepared, my servant. Be prepared!”
MacDonald eventually came out of his trance. He saw Phillips beside him. Returning to his senses, MacDonald became normal again.
“Mr. Phillips,” he said. “Yes, Mr. Phillips. What can I do for you?”
Phillips was puzzled. “I…I was…” he stammered. “I was worried about you, Terry. You seemed to be in a trance. I tried to wake you. Is something wrong?”
“Wrong? Not at all,” MacDonald answered. “I feel perfectly well. It’s time to prepare for my next show, isn’t it?”
MacDonald then went off to prepare. Phillips watched him go with curiosity.
Back at U.N.I.T. HQ, the Doctor was speaking to the Brigadier with Jo beside him. The Doctor related everything that had happened recently at the circus with the clowns and their astounding trickery. Jo added more to the proceedings with her own observations. Once they’d finished, the Brigadier puffed out breath.
“Well this is all very fascinating, Doctor. If not fantastic.”
“Nevertheless true, Brigadier,” the Doctor interjected. “We saw a clown act like you’d never seen before. Where objects come into existence with pure thought and technology.”
“Yes well, I’m sorry Doctor,” the Brigadier said sceptically, “but I just can’t take it in. It’s all too hard for me to grabble with.”
A thought then struck Jo. She tugged softly on the Doctor’s velvet arm.
“Doctor, you don’t suppose this could be like…well you know, anti-matter? Where you can create objects with your own free will. Like Omega did.”
“No Jo, I wish it were the case,” the Doctor answered. “But matter and anti-matter colliding with each other would cause an explosion. And that would be catastrophic.”
“Yes well, it’s a mercy all of us are still standing here, isn’t it?” the Brigadier remarked.
Jo had another thought. “Of course, it could be magic.”
“Really Jo,” the Doctor gently scorned her. “I thought our visit to Devil’s End would’ve taught you something about that notion. Magic is not the answer to anything, you know. Especially not with this case we’re dealing with.”
“Then what is it, if not magic?” Jo asked.
“Yes well,” the Doctor said gradually. “That’s what I intend to find out.”
The Doctor then produced the gadget he had with him in his jacket at the circus. He showed it to the Brigadier and Jo. The Brigadier was bemused.
“Is that gizmo meant to do something, Doctor?” he asked.
“It’s not just meant to do something, Lethbridge-Stewart,” the Doctor told him. “It detects and analyses energy emissions within the space-time continuum. And in the normal reality of this universe.”
“You think you might’ve picked something up from that then,” Jo wondered.
“Yes Jo, I’m certain that I have,” the Doctor answered. “Now, let’s see, shall we?”
The Doctor made his way over to the lab desk with Jo and the Brigadier joining him. He then attached a wire to his energy detector and connected it up to a small computer beside him. He switched on the computer to set it all up, checking all the connections were fitted in correctly. Satisfied, he turned his attention to the device.
“There. That should do it,” he said. “Now, if I switch on this device, the computer readouts should be able to pick up…”
As soon as the Doctor switched on the device, the computer was immediately processing information. The Doctor was astonished.
“Good grief,” he said. “It’s working already at the speed of five hundred rads per minute.”
Jo and the Brigadier saw the Doctor quite fascinated if a little disconcerted by the whole thing. Suddenly, the readouts began running on a printer nearby the computer.
“Brigadier,” the Doctor requested, “be a good chap and fetch those print outs for me, will you?”
The Brigadier obliged and made his way over to the printer, tearing off the printout as swiftly as he could. He brought them over and passed them to the Doctor. The Doctor thanked him and began looking over the printouts with Jo leaning beside him.
“Well, Doctor?” the Brigadier enquired. “Does it make sense to you?”
“Not sure yet, Brigadier,” the Doctor replied. “The figures and data are all quite frankly jumbled up at the moment. Unless…”
The Doctor trailed off, as if he remembered something. Jo noticed his expression.
“Yes? Unless what, Doctor?” she asked.
“I wonder,” he remarked. “I just wonder.” The Doctor paused for a moment before saying, “Yes, it might be just that. After all this time.”
The Brigadier became annoyed. “You know sometimes Doctor, if you could make sense for once. What is it, as you say, ‘might be just that’ I might ask?”
The Doctor ignored the Brigadier’s question as he made his way over towards the TARDIS. It was sitting tucked away in the corner of the lab.
“Excuse me a moment, will you?” he said. “I won’t be a moment.”
At that, the Doctor entered his blue box time and space machine. Jo pondered and eventually went after him, calling his name.
“Doctor? Doctor, what’s the matter?”
As soon as Jo entered the TARDIS, the Brigadier became thoughtful. He was intrigued by the Doctor’s behaviour, if a little bemused.
“Yes well, just in case you get into any mischief, Doctor,” he said, “I’d better take some precautions. For your safety that is.”
With that, the Brigadier left the lab and headed off down the corridor.
Inside the TARDIS meanwhile, Jo waited in the console room as the Doctor was fumbling through the storage cupboards in a deeper part of the ship. Jo could hear the Doctor muttering and cursing as he was searching through his belongings. She started to become anxious.
“Doctor?” she called. “Are you alright in there? Do you want any help?”
The Doctor however gave a cheer of triumph as Jo heard him coming back to the console room.
“It’s alright, Jo,” he said. “No need for help. I found it.”
The Doctor re-entered the console room and smiled appreciatively at Jo. She noticed he was carrying a rather shabby-looking crystal in his hand. It was all jarred and roughly patched together. The Doctor held it carefully in his hand before he placed it on one of the console sections.
“There you are, Jo,” he said. “Just what I was looking for. And I was right. The energy emissions are strikingly familiar to me.”
“What is that, Doctor?” she asked. “It…it looks like a crystal. Only it seems crumbled and broken.”
“That’s right, Jo,” the Doctor replied. “It’s the legendary crystal of Zorbius – a star of time.”
“Zorbius? Star of time?” Jo enquired, puzzled.
“Yes. Or more accurately, a star of mystery,” the Doctor elaborated. “It’s a legend now reality held in the history of my own people – the Time Lords.”
“So this crystal is part of you then?” Jo checked. “Part of your people.”
“Yes. Or I should say the bane of my people,” the Doctor clarified. “I took part in its construction and formation. And I have regretted it ever since.”
“But…what does it do?” Jo wanted to know. “And what has it got to do with our problem – the circus and the clown acts?”
“On the surface, very little,” the Doctor told her. “But the energy emissions I detected from my gadget are very similar to the ones of the Zorbius star crystal from many years ago. I recognised the pattern on the computer readouts when I saw them on the printouts in the lab.”
“I don’t get it, Doctor,” Jo stated.
“Yes well,” the Doctor said slightly embarrassed. “It is difficult to explain really.” He paused for a moment. “You see…Zorbius is a time crystal, allowing its owner or anyone in possession of it to have control of any space-time event in the universe. You can control any part of your life or anyone else’s life with the power of the crystal at your fingertips. Without a second thought or any limit. It can allow you to create objects and anything you wish without a bother.”
Jo started to realise what the Doctor meant. “Oh I see! You mean, those clowns were able to do the things they wanted to do, like with the coins act and the water turning into honey act as well as the cutting up the clown in half act, by making the impossible happen. With that crystal.”
“Well…I didn’t exactly mean it like that Jo,” the Doctor hesitated, “but yes! Your desires can be fulfilled with the power of this crystal I have here. The energies inside them grant it.”
“But…the clowns haven’t got the crystal,” Jo pointed out. “Nor does Mr Phillips or that ringmaster Mr MacDonald. It’s here with us! How can they manage to do those fancy tricks without the crystal to help them?”
The Doctor became thoughtful as he placed a hand on the back of his neck. “I’m not sure, Jo. I’m really not sure.”
A moment of silence ensued.
“Doctor?” Jo then asked. “How exactly did you come by the crystal?”
“Oh I merely encountered the crystal by chance, Jo,” the Doctor told her. “Twice in fact. The first time was when I confronted a demented creature on a space hotel in the far future…your future. It wanted the crystal for itself and the crystal got smashed in the process with its energy released into space.”
“And the second time?” Jo prompted.
“Well, the second time was when I was on an underwater planet and rain containing the released energy caused people to sleep,” the Doctor told her. “Fortunately I managed to retrieve the crystal energy from the rain and placed it inside this makeshift crystal I put together.”
“And you haven’t used it since,” Jo checked.
“No,” the Doctor replied. “I intended to keep the crystal safe in case I should ever need it. I placed blocks around the crystal to prevent the Time Lords from ever detecting it before; during and after I was exiled to Earth.” He paused for a moment. “I left the crystal to sleep. Thinking I would never hear of it since.”
“So, what do you intend to do now?” Jo asked. “With our current problem?”
The Doctor thought for a moment. “Well as you said, Jo. These people, Mr. MacDonald and the clowns are performing these tricks by a method in relation to the Zorbius crystal energy. So we’ve got to find out how and why they’ve managed to do it.”
“Ah!” Jo realised. “So that means…”
“Yes?”
“We pay another visit to the circus!”
“That’s right!”
“But we go undercover this time!”
“Of course! We will need a map to find our way around there. We can’t just walk in blindly, can we?”
Jo then took out something from the back pockets of her jeans. It was a sheet of paper containing a layout of the circus tent.
“Have no fear, Doctor,” she said. “I did a check up on that circus and got the layout for the whole area. Including backstage.”
The Doctor smiled. “Well done, Jo. And thank you. Now it’s just a matter of getting to Bessie and making our way to the circus.” He stopped for a moment before saying, “I can always do this by myself, Jo. You don’t have to come along. You’d be safe at U.N.I.T. HQ.”
Jo was having none of it. “No chance of that, Doctor. Besides, you can’t solve this mystery by yourself, can you? I’m tagging along, so there.”
“And I suppose there’s nothing I can do to dissuade you, is there?” he asked.
“No,” Jo beamed. “Absolutely nothing at all.”
The Doctor smiled again. With that, he allowed Jo to tag along. Both he and Jo made their way out of the TARDIS, heading back to the circus in Central London.
The Doctor and Jo eventually arrived back at the circus tent. They travelled in Bessie, the Doctor’s little yellow roadster. The Doctor drove Bessie into the car park of the circus, parking carefully into a free parking space. He tooted Bessie’s rubber horn once he stopped and parked the car and turned off the engine. He and Jo got out as they made their way to the circus, attempting to find the back door entrance.
“I think we should probably be heading in that direction,” Jo told the Doctor, looking at the map. “Around the circus tent. Then we’ll be able to find the back entrance.”
“One thing at a time, Jo,” the Doctor said. “May I see that map of yours?”
Jo was about to pass the map over to the Doctor for him to see. Then she noticed something about the map and became puzzled.
“Oh, that doesn’t look right,” she said. “The map seems different to when I first saw it. It looks more complicated now.”
“Probably because you’ve got it upside down, dear Jo,” the Doctor said, smirking.
Jo realised and giggled, apologising. Though she almost felt like an idiot, she knew the Doctor’s condescending and parental tone whenever she messed up. Turning the map the right way up, the Doctor saw clearly what the layout of the circus tent was as he held one end of the map with his gloved hand.
“Right yes,” he said. “Well, now I see where we are. I think we should make for that direction.” He pointed. “Around the circus tent. We’ll be able to find the back entrance from around there.”
“Isn’t that what I just said, Doctor?” Jo said confused and almost teasing him.
“Come on. No time to lose,” he said.
The Doctor and Jo made for the rear of the tent. They then saw coming their way a bunch of clowns. They had big grins on their faces as they approached the Doctor and Jo. They made funny expressions, blew whistles at them and even decorated them with variations of coloured ribbons around their necks. Jo laughed nervously whilst she was being decorated. But the Doctor was rather apprehensive and determined to move on.
“Thank you, gentlemen,” he said politely. “It’s really kind of you, but…”
The clowns didn’t say much. They kept on being silly and ridiculous towards the Doctor and Jo. Jo’s nervous appreciation of the clowns gradually turned into fear. The Doctor started getting agitated.
“Look,” he began. “I know how delightfully cheerful chaps you can be, but me and my friend must be going. We have to…”
Suddenly, Jo saw something strange and disturbing happen. One of the clowns who got close to Jo took out a sharp knife from underneath his jacket. He raised it up high in the air. Realising what the clown was doing, she cried out, “Doctor! Help!”
The Doctor turned and saw this happen. He lashed out at the clown, giving him one of his karate chops. “Ay ya!”
Striking him, the clown toppled and fell over to the ground. Jo then saw the other clowns draw sharp knives from their jackets. They aimed at her and the Doctor.
“Doctor, there’s more of them!” she called out. “They’ve all got sharp knives!”
Seeing this, the Doctor saw the clowns lunging forward to attack him and Jo. So he fought back.
“Ayke!”
The Doctor gave swift blows to the clowns, knocking them over; pulling them in and tripping them up in somersaults. There were eight of them. With a number of karate moves, the Doctor knocked out all eight clowns. Once they’d been dealt with, ending up on the ground, the Doctor cradled Jo in his arms for comfort. They looked down at the fallen clowns.
“Venusian aikido, gentlemen,” the Doctor told the unconscious clowns. “I hope it wasn’t too painful for you. I try my best not to hurt anyone.”
He turned to Jo as he began to lead her away. “Right Jo, come on. Whilst they’re out, we make our way to the back entrance, shall we?”
“But what got into them, Doctor?” Jo wanted to know. “Why did they attack us? They were trying to kill us, weren’t they?”
“No time to explain, Jo,” the Doctor said. “Come on!”
The Doctor led Jo away as they both headed for the back entrance of the circus tent – hopefully to get safe inside.
Eventually, the Doctor and Jo managed to get safely into the back area of the circus without being seen. They made their way further into the tent, looking around to check to see nobody was following them. It all seemed safe at present.
“This seems to be easy, doesn’t it?” Jo remarked.
“Too easy I think,” the Doctor said suspiciously. “Let’s try over there.”
The Doctor made his way over to one of the dressing room doors. Jo read the notice on the door. It was written in bright, bold yellow letters.
“Hey Doctor!” she said. “Look! This is Mr. MacDonald’s dressing room! It says ‘T. A. MacDonald’ clearly.”
“Yes, well spotted, Jo,” the Doctor said. “Let’s check to see if he’s inside.”
The Doctor knocked on the dressing room door gently. No response. He knocked again, a little hard this time. Still no answer.
“Hello?” the Doctor called. “Anybody in?” Still nothing. “Mr. MacDonald? It’s the Doctor and Miss Grant. We want to talk to you.”
Whilst they were unanswered, the Doctor and Jo looked at each other, intrigued. Eventually, the Doctor touched the knob and turned it as he decided to go in. He went in, followed by Jo, cautiously into MacDonald’s dressing room.
Inside, the Doctor and Jo began to look around, trying to find any indication of technology connected to the miraculous circus acts MacDonald had done with the clowns. They didn’t need to look far as they saw before them a huge tripod-like device in the room. They moved cautiously towards it, feeling the tremendous power emanating from it. The Doctor examined it carefully whilst Jo looked on in wonder.
“Doctor, what is this machine?” she asked.
“Obviously the source of MacDonald’s power,” the Doctor replied. “A field generator to initiate the brainwave particles. In this case, the brainwaves of MacDonald’s mind. He channels his thoughts through this machine.”
“I don’t get it,” Jo said.
“Well, try and understand this,” the Doctor began to explain. “This circus has a connection to a project, right? A project related to Plato’s theory of form and change.”
“Yes Doctor, I got that aspect to it,” Jo replied.
“Well then,” the Doctor continued. “Let’s say that MacDonald used those principles to conduct the tricks and illusion he wanted for his clowns to perform their acts.”
“Doctor, what is Plato’s theory of form and change?” Jo wanted to know.
“Really Jo,” said the Doctor exasperated. “I would’ve thought you might have learned a little about Greek philosophy.”
Jo shook her head, if a little apologetically.
The Doctor continued, “Plato suggested that non-material abstracts and not the material world of change can possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality. Through our ideas, we can think of anything.”
“And this machine provides that,” Jo tried to make sense of it. “For our ideas to become reality?”
“Exactly,” the Doctor said. “The theory of form and change maintain two distinct levels of existing reality. The visible world and the intelligible world of forms that stand above visible world to give it being.”
Seeing Jo’s confusion, the Doctor tried a different tact. “Say for example with beauty. If I told you Jo, you’re beautiful…”
“Aww Doctor, you’re so sweet,” Jo smiled.
“Please Jo, try and pay attention,” he said a little impatiently. “Now, I say you’re beautiful because you physically look it.”
“Oh.”
“But it can also mean you’re beautiful on the inside. In terms of personality; charm; loveliness; compassion and kind-heartiness. Well, these things are another form of beauty. They’re derived from the ideas we have about beauty depending on our personal belief and how we see the world.”
“As in the eye of the beholder,” Jo clarified.
“Exactly,” the Doctor concurred. “Now the intelligible world – the world of ideas – is sent through that machine there. Whatever we wish to think up of, whether it’s dreams and desires, the machine can turn that into reality.”
“So you’re saying,” Jo wanted to be sure, “our thoughts give this machine life. When the clowns want honey; a fountain of coins or an imaginary body of a clown to be chopped up in half and put back together again, they have to think of those things to happen. For the machine to create them.”
“Got it in one, Jo!” the Doctor cheered.
“But it’s bizarre,” Jo said. “It’s so unreal to imagine. Like a fantasy.”
“Yes,” the Doctor agreed. “On the surface of it. But the machine like we’re seeing here gives the ultimate scientific proof that Plato’s theories can be reality. Even though I personally don’t agree with it myself.”
“Well, who would do such a thing?” Jo asked. “Who would want to have a machine to make thoughts come into reality? MacDonald; Phillips; the clowns?”
The Doctor became thoughtful. “Possibly, Jo. I’m not really sure you know.”
At that moment, the door burst open and in entered Mike Yates. He was panting. He still wore his civvies when he attended the circus performance earlier. He looked to see the Doctor and Jo.
“Jo; Doctor!” he sighed with relief. “Thank goodness I managed to find you!”
“Mike!” exclaimed Jo, astonished. “How did you get here? And why did you run in here all of a sudden?”
“I listened in on the door,” Mike told them. “I heard what you Jo and the Doctor said. I then heard voices nearby from outside. There was somebody coming. I had to get in before I was spotted.”
“Spying on us, Mike Yates?” the Doctor said ruefully.
“Hardly spying, Doctor,” Mike mildly protested. “The Brigadier ordered me to keep an eye on you.”
“The Brigadier ordered you?” Jo questioned, teasingly.
“He suspected you might get into trouble,” Mike added. “So I caught up with you to make sure you were alright. Nobody’s seen you at all, so you needn’t think I’ve given the game away.”
“Well Mike,” the Doctor gradually said. “Since you heard everything me and Jo said whilst eavesdropping, I suppose it’s not too much to let you take part in our undercover operation, is it?”
“But what do we do, Doctor?” Jo asked. “Where do we go from here? We found the machine doing the illusions. What now?”
“We must find out where MacDonald is,” the Doctor replied. “And Phillips. They must have the answers on why they’re using this machine for atrocious purposes to perform magic tricks without logic.”
“There’s a circus performance going on at the moment, Doctor,” Mike told him. “MacDonald will be ring-mastering out there at the moment.”
“Is that so?” said the Doctor intrigued.
“I managed to overhear some of the chorus girls mentioning it whilst tracking you two in the tent,” Mike explained. “If you want to find MacDonald, I suggest trying there.”
“We can’t just barge in like that whilst a circus performance is going on, Doctor,” Jo objected. “Can we?”
“No need to, Jo,” the Doctor said. “We’ll just watch behind the curtain. And if Mr Phillips is there, we can explain ourselves quite amicably. Come on.”
The Doctor led Jo and Mike out of the dressing room. They made for the circus ring. Not realising the trap they walked into, they didn’t hear the low laughing, mocking voice echoing nearby as they left the dressing room.
© Tim Bradley, 2020
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