Survival of a Monster

by Cynical Classicist

The Doctor and Norine, while aiming for a nice time on the Moon 2846, end up on the Moon in 2287 and find it under attack by someone they have already met... 18th in my series. Please read my other stories before this.

In a corridor on the Moon there was a wheezing, groaning sound as the TARDIS started to appear. Inside the Doctor played with the controls like a five-man band on a piano. The TARDIS was shuddering and making a very unpleasant sound. "You haven't got the brakes on?" asked Norine. "It's fine!" yelled the Doctor, hitting the console. There was a puff of smoke into his face, a crack, and the TARDIS materialised. "Feels like some temporal instability" said the Doctor. "Odd for such a still point." He spun round and smiled at Norine. "But here we are! The Moon, 2846!" "Knowing you're driving we'll be lucky to even get the right century or be on the Moon" muttered Norine. "This is clearly the Moon!" said the Doctor as he opened the doors and stepped out... To hear alarms and see red lights flashing around them. Norine stepped out as well and closed the door. "So, peaceful area?" she said sarcastilly, while the Doctor looked around in amazement. "Maybe it's just a misunderstanding!" he said. "Or a Training exercise!"

A door at the end of the hall slid open and four soldiers burst into the room, pointing their weapons at the time travellers. "So much for the peaceful era of 2846" muttered Norine snarkily.

"I might be just a few years off" said the Doctor.

"What? Years off? Are you a time traveller or something?" a Guard, who seemed to be in command, asked sarcastically.

"Yes" replied the Doctor pleasantly. "I'm a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey..."

"Never heard of it!" said the Guard. "Well, it's in another Galaxy" explained the Doctor.

"And is she a Time Lady?" asked the Guard, pointing at Norine.

"No, she's a human from Earth in 2020" said the Doctor. He looked the soldier over. "From your uniforms I'd say this is some time during the 23rd century. First half."

The Guard looked at the Doctor suspiciously. "This is 2287" he said. "Right" said the Doctor. "Close enough. 2287. Well..." "OK then Time Lord" said the Guard in a stern way that showed he wouldn't stand any nonsense. "How did you get in here without a pass? Transmat?" "You could say that" said the Doctor. "We just materialised!" "They're illegal!" said the Guard. "I must warn both of you, you're..."

There was a loud bang and the room shook. The lights flickered and a huge chunk of ceiling fell in front of the TARDIS, sealing the corridor. "The TARDIS!" cried Norine. "Don't worry old thing!" shouted the Doctor, running over to the TARDIS. "I'll find a way back to you soon enough! We've got through much worse loads of times!" "You're coming with us!" said the Guard, sounding frantic. "You may consider yourself under arrest. And if you can't give a good explanation of your actions you'll be on trial." "Doctor, the paper..." began Norine. "Yes! Just a moment..." said the Doctor, rummaging through his pockets. The Guards pointed their guns at him. "No weapons!" shouted the Doctor. "Just searching for my identification!" The Doctor rummaged for a while longer but finally with a sigh he withdrew his hands. "Must have left it in the TARDIS. Just take us to your Leader." "You really are from another planet" said the annoyed Guard. "But you will be taken to our Officer. I wonder what Lieutenant Williams will make of you."

Norine and the Doctor were taken through the corridor at gunpoint, until they came to a door. Via retina scan, voice ("Open Up! This is Corporal Reginald Green!"), code, fingerprints, and pass, the door opened and they were taken into a large room filled with soldiers. A booming voice emanated through the Moonbase. "Attention! The last bombardment has caused severe casualties, including the death of General Meena! Colonel Kobayashi is now highest ranking Officer!" "Those Bluebearded Barbarians!" said the young Lieutenant Williams. Norine and the Doctor turned sharply. "Bluebeards?" said Norine in a worried tone. "Are they the Tufgup?"

The soldiers looked at her with amazement and laughter was heard. "What a surprise! You've paid some attention to what's been happening to the Moon you are on!" said Williams sarcastically. "In case you haven't paid attention to any more local news we've had to declare a state of total war." "Total War. Don't like total war" said the Doctor. "Nobody sane does but you have to take actions many don't like in war" said Lieutenant Williams. "I know that well" said the Doctor, caught in an old memory. Then he snapped back to the present. "But this shouldn't happen, it just shouldn't! I know that in the 23rd Century there was no Tufgup space fleet." "Might have made a historical mistake" said Norine. "I just know this is wrong!" said the Doctor. "You are clearly insane or a very good actor" said Lieutenant Williams. He stepped forward and spoke severely. "Under the Earth War Act of 2287 I am arresting you both for suspicious activity. We are authorised to use extreme force against you."

The Doctor rummaged in his pockets again and smiled suddenly. "This should explain things!" he said, taking out his psychic paper and opening it to the Lieutenant. "Your paper? But why didn't you..." "Had it in another pocket" the Doctor told Norine. "Doctor Major Harold... Shelley?" read Lieutenant Williams. "Performing test to see how you would act under pressure. And you passed!" The Doctor shook the bewildered Lieutenant's hand. "Congratulations! Have a Jelly baby!" He rummaged in his pockets then looked awkward. "Sorry don't carry those any more." "I understand" said the Lieutenant, still not sure what to make of the Doctor. "But how did you get into the corridor? There are no T-Mats allowed. Especially not in a state of war!" "Optical illusion, can't explain, would ruin trick!" the Doctor babbled quickly. "It's top secret" said Norine quickly. "Yes! Top secret!" said the Doctor. Williams looked more confused, but deciding to run with it, turned to her. "And she is..." "Captain Norine Clarke. Special agent" said the Doctor. "Came here from the next city. Would have been more warning but transmitter wasn't working."

The booming voice came over the speaker again. "Entire Tufgup fleet within 200 Kilometres! Heightened emergency!" Through the windows huge ships could be seen swooping over the surface. From them poured hundreds of smaller and very swift ships, resembling Tufgup helmets, but the tusks were firing energy blasts, ripping apart buildings mercilessly. Human ships flew against them but they could only take down a few smaller ships and they were being picked off with horrible swiftness. The Doctor and Norine watched in horror as they saw buildings shatter and people being hurled outside. "This area's the strongest" said Williams. "We should be quite..."

The whole room shook violently and dust fell from the ceiling, the lights going out. "When will emergency power get here?" asked Williams angrily. A few seconds later the lights went on. The Doctor turned to Williams with a serious expression. "Take us to the Colonel!" he commanded.

"He's through there" said Williams, opening a door through the same security process with which Green had entered the room. The Doctor and Norine ran through.

Colonel Kobayashi was receiving reports from the other Lunar colonies, as they tried to repel the Tufgup. He had not intended to be an Officer, and had only been working in Lunar security until he had enough for a Martian Archaeology course. But a lot of people had been thrown into the army. The Colonel looked up as two new people entered. "Major Shelley?" he said politely. "Yes!" said the Doctor, shaking enthusiastically. "Colonel J.D Kobayashi I presume! Doing anything with Martian Archaeology?" "I'd love to. But in this present climate it's unlikely I'll ever go to Mars" said Kobayashi sadly. "There's been so much trouble. We recover from two Dalek invasions last century, then there's floods on Earth and an interstellar recession... And now the Tufgup Invasion! This is turning into a really bad century."

"So, those Tufgup..." asked the Doctor. "Causing a lot of trouble. How are things going?" "Badly. We simply can't beat them!" replied Kobayashi. "There are even calls for final Action." "What's that? Blowing yourself up?" said Norine sarcastically. The Colonel turned to her sharply. "How could you possibly know that? It's top secret information!" "Wild guess" said Norine awkwardly. "They had something like that on the Bowie Base on Mars in the late 21st Century" said the Doctor. "Thank you. I know basic history" said Kobayashi. "Are you really going to blow this place up?" asked Norine. "What about the people here?" "The Moon has always been kept well-defended, for fears it could be a base to attack Earth" said Kobayashi. "For example, 200 years ago Cybermen attacked the Moon." "Remember that, though I think it was 217" corrected the Doctor. "Yes, about then" said the Colonel, clearly annoyed at being corrected. "The Officers have to be ready for final action. We thought, we hoped, we prayed, this would never be used. But now it might have to be."

"Colonel!" cried a young technician. "A transmission is coming from the Tufgup!"

"Relay it to me" said Kobayashi, looking at a large screen in front of him.

On the screen appeared a Tufgup on a metal throne, wearing the usual elaborately-tusked helmet and carrying a spear-staff, surrounded by soldiers. "I am King Kowet-Horp, ruler of the Tufgup! My fleet controls the skies above this moon. The rest of your forces have been defeated. You will surrender to us or this city will be destroyed!"

Kobayashi glared at the Tufgup. "We're not surrendering to you Bluebeards!" snarled Kobayashi. "We'd rather die then be your slaves!"

"Speak for yourself" muttered Norine.

Kowet gave a horrible smile. "You have five Earth minutes..."

"Hello! Sorry to butt in but could I just know what you plan to do?" asked the Doctor, leaping in front of the screen.

"Doctor!" cried Kowet, with fear and amazement. "How can you..."

"Doctor?" said a slippery voice, and a creature wriggled in front, a creature with a head shaped like the ship it was on. "The Time Lord is here" said King Wurzin with glee. "After all these years. I had hoped we would meet again."

"King Wurzin" said the Doctor angrily. "How did you survive?"

Wurzin laughed. "You expected the fall to kill me? I simply climbed out. There is surprising swiftness when life is at stake. I was badly wounded from being in the pit, but the Worm Kings are tough. The Guard who the girl escaped from repaid his foolishness as he helped me recover. As for the bomb I easily deactivated it! And then another ship was detected above our planet. I shot it down personally. The Rutans were at first reluctant to give us the secret."

"The Rutans that were chasing us!" said Norine.

"They were chasing you? How delightful irony is!" sneered Wurzin with a cruel laugh.

"What happened?" asked the Doctor.

"They proved tough at first. But I prefer a challenge. They soon gave us their secrets as more of them was removed" said the Worm King, speaking like it was describing a succulent meal. "I found the taste of Rutan so delightful! Soon, with three billion slaves, we were able to form ships like theirs. Now a fleet of spaceships is at my command! The Tufgup rule an interstellar Empire. I rule the Tufgup!" It looked directly at Kobayashi. "And your world is next."

"This can't be happening" said the Doctor. "But it is" laughed Wurzin. "Right you bug-eyed worm!" shouted Kobayashi angrily, pushing the Doctor aside. "We are demanding you surrender now! We'll blow this city to smithereens before any bluebeards or bugs get their bloody hands on it!" "You think you can stop us?" sneered Wurzin. "We have conquered Argolis, Shinus, the Ood-Sphere! Countless billions have died fighting our fleet! We determined that for the invasion of Earth it would be better to take control of the Moon first. With the Lunar Defences down, with such a useful base, Earth will soon fall!" The Doctor glared defiantly at the screen, looking more fearsome then a young-looking man in a tweed jacket and bow tie should. "You think you're such a powerful figure, acting like you're a God. I destroyed Skaro. I've toppled Empires, faced evil from the Dawn of Time and tricked Gods" said the Doctor, glaring at the Worm King.

"You think to challenge me?" laughed Wurzin. "Entire planets surrendered to my forces!"

"I've met and beaten the most terrible things in this and other Universes" replied the Doctor. "And I don't rate you very highly."

"Don't threaten us!" snarled Kowet, wanting to get some attention back. He pointed to the tusks on his helmet. "These are carved from the claws of a Raxacoricofallapatorian I personally killed when we invaded their world!" "Really? It makes you look like a Sycorax" replied the Doctor. "Those superstitious fools?" sneered Kowet. "I personally beat a Leader in a duel and took his head! That makes up part of my helmet. His tribe are now ruled by me." "The Sycorax taste so crunchy" said Wurzin with relish, a look of hunger on his face. He turned to a soldier. "Bring a Prisoner!" it snarled. "Now!" A soldier hurried away.

"So, what was that about?" asked Norine. Wurzin glared through the screen. "Something I have to do every day. I have consumed something from every planet we invaded!" replied Wurzin, trying to sound threatening, though they noticed his voice sounded slower, and he was becoming less active. "I am looking forward to a feast of humans! You have five minutes Colonel, before we utterly devastate your city. And surrender the Doctor and the female with him." "Surrender people to you?" replied Kobayashi. "You can't expect us to..." "You will be one of the meals Colonel, unless you comply to my demands exactly! Five Minutes!" The transmission ended.

"You should fight on!" said Norine to the Colonel. "You can't let them take over! I know how horrible they are." "I'm sorry but you may have to" said a female Captain. There was a bang as something hit the dome and fell off the side. They looked out and saw one of the smaller Tufgup ships. There had been a pilot and two soldiers manning the blasters. They were lying in a mess on the Moon. "See! We can take them down!" said Norine. "There are still hundreds above us!" said another Captain. "We should surrender! They may let us live!" "They killed that General on Mars despite the surrender!" said the Colonel. "But they let most of the Officers live!" said the female Captain. "And anyway they had fought longer then us. They'll take over anyway and where can these two run to? At least like this we'll probably survive!" "Don't you get it?" Norine shouted at the Captain. "He only wants us because he's at stake!" The Colonel considered. "Let us go!" said the Doctor. "We can stop this happening I promise you! You just have to let us get back to the blue box we came in." "Blue Box? I heard it was an illusion." "It's like T-Mat but more advanced" said the Doctor. "You just can't comply with them!" He thought back. "Remember the Dalek invasions last century!" "I remember my Grandfather speaking of the second one. His parents died during it" said Kobayashi. "I know the heavy cost it took to repel that" said the Doctor, with terrible sadness in his voice. "You can't give in to the invaders! Just trust me on this. You can't!" "Surrender! They'll destroy us all anyway!" said the male Captain. The Colonel thought for a moment, as there was another bang and several cracks appeared in the dome.

"I will surrender..." said Kobayashi. "But..." He turned to the Doctor and Norine. "I will let you go. You don't sound like mad people or liars. And if those Bluebeards want you it will probably be better for humanity if they don't get you. If it weren't for this I may even order final action." "Great!" said the Doctor. "Well, not great but at least we may be able to fix this." "Well, how can we get back to the Section where our TARDIS is!" said Norine. "TARDIS?" said Kobayashi. "The blue box we came in." "Corridor 3" said the Lieutenant. "Sergeant Lancaster" said Colonel Kobayashi, causing an efficient looking man to run forward and salute. "Take these 2 to Corridor 3 via Hobson Way." Lancaster turned to go, but the female Captain whipped out a gun. "If you go the Tufgup will kill us all!" she said. Her gun waved at Lancaster and Kobayashi. "Captain Renwick" said Kobayashi. "Please be sensible." "You can't!" she said desperately. "I'm surrendering, throwing away the vow I made" said Kobayashi. "Is that not enough?" "Anyway you can't fire with the safety on" said Norine. "I would know if the safety's on!" said Lancaster. "You see..." But as she glanced down Norine, moving with incredible speed, head-butted her, despite the Captain's armour. The two women was dazed for a moment, but in that moment the Sergeant snatched Renwick's gun from where it had landed. "I am placing you under arrest" said Kobayashi. "Go now Doctor! Before I surrender!"

As they ran through the Moonbase a booming version of the Colonel's voice was heard. "Attention citizens of Campbell! I have been forced to surrender to the Tufgup! They will be arriving shortly at the North Side." The ships had stopped firing and were gliding down. "Our cue to get to Hobson Way" said Lancaster. They dashed down, passing soldiers and civilians running about in worry. "Doctor, you still haven't explained what you mean by stopping this happening" said Norine. "Didn't you say that you can't change history?" "I'll explain later" said the Doctor. "You can explain this when you're back at your Tard-thing." "TARDIS" said the Doctor. "Whatever!" The Sergeant came to the door and fumbled for his pass as the Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver. "Get away from..." began Lancaster, stopping as the door opened. "What is that?" he said. "Sonic screwdriver" said the Doctor. "Opens doors, unscrews things..." "We know what it does!" said Norine as they heard shouting and shots behind them. As they went through the door a trio of Tufgup came round the corner. They roared and ran at the three, the Doctor only just closing the door in time.

They ran through another door, hearing bangs as the last door was shot. Their last sight of the door was a hole large enough for the Tufgup to climb through. "Good thing you had that sonic thing" said Lancaster, as they turned to the left. They ran on through another two doors and finally came to a bend. "Just go round that corner and through the door at the end" said Lancaster. They turned into the room but as the Doctor opened the door they heard a laugh. A quartet of Tufgup strode out of a door to the right. They parted and a fifth figure moved forward, King Wurzin. "How wonderful to see you again Time Lord!" said Wurzin. "Kobayashi should not have tried to hide you. He made an excellent meal." Lancaster looked horrified and pointed his gun at the Worm King. "Take this you Vermin!" he shouted, firing. The blast was powerful enough to smash a skull wearing a bulletproof helmet like a melon getting hit by a hammer. Wurzin was hurled back, pieces of armour torn off, while Lancaster, slightly shocked at shooting, dropped the gun. Wurzin reared back with remarkable agility. "I will take the debt from the human!" it sneered. It reared up, opened its jaws to an incredible degree, and like a snake striking shot down at Lancaster. Norine gasped, nearly being sick, as blood poured down the Sergeants body, while his paling limbs waved about like a grotesque puppet. The Tufgup watched with unsettling interest, though still had their weapons pointed at the TARDIS crew. The Doctor shuffled sideways and stood next to a control panel next to a crack in the dome. Finally Lancaster fell to the ground, his head gone. Wurzin reared up, replenished. "Now it is time for you" it snarled at the Doctor. "Humans have so much flavour. Reminds me off the celebratory banquet after Koturia fell to us!"

The Doctor looked up and shuffled away. "Didn't catch that all! Becoming a bit repetitive. You may have invaded a lot of worlds" said the Doctor. "But you don't think this can continue?"

"I will be the one who finally finishes the Time Lords" said Wurzin. "It is a most delightful prospect. And perhaps your regenerative energies will replenish me more then a human does."

"Yes, keep thinking that" said the Doctor. Wurzin looked at the control panel the Doctor had just been next to.

"What did you do there Doctor?" snarled Wurzin suspiciously. "I would advise you go over there and check" said the Doctor, barely hiding a smile. "You seek to trick me fool" said the Worm King, with an edge of amusement. "You hope I will do the opposite. Well..." It reared up, but still seemed unsure how the Doctor was using reverse psychology. "Go over there!" it yelled at two Tufgup, who trooped over there, while it slithered a few metres closer. The Doctor pressed a button on his sonic screwdriver and there was a small explosion, enlarging the crack. Air began to rush out. The Tufgup all began running in the opposite direction. "Stop him!" screamed Wurzin, as the Doctor ran round the corner at the TARDIS, while an automatic voice boomed AIR LEAK DETECTED. AIR LEAK DETECTED. As Wurzin shot through the door after them it closed automatically, no life being detected in the room. "I will crunch your bones! I will..." Norine hurled a stone at the Worm King's open mouth and it coughed, before rearing up again in fury. "You dare! To the mightiest King in..." "The Galaxy! Heard it before!" said the Doctor, opening the TARDIS doors with a click of his fingers. He smiled and ran through, followed by Norine. "Hope to see you in the past!" said the Doctor, running up to the console. "Bye!" With King Wurzin less then its length from them the TARDIS doors closed. A thump was heard from the other side and a furious scratching on the door. "Back to Lumgost!" said the Doctor, quickly activating dematerialisation.

"So, explain changing history?" said Norine.

"Imagine a line, but it's not like a line. Imagine time is a big maze, or a honeycomb" said the Doctor.

"With Time Lords as bees?"

"Like that" said the Doctor. "But not exactly like that. Basically, when we landed on Lumgost we became part of events. King Wurzin was part of events. At that point there were two possibilities. The space travellers go to Lumgost, or it comes to them. Wurzin had the potential to create a new timeline, the Tufgup Empire. But we could have stopped him. However we left before the potential, Wurzin, had died. So the possibility for the Tufgup Empire remained."

"I think I'm getting it" said Norine.

"The main fact is we need to go back and stop the Tufgup Empire timeline forming" said the Doctor, pulling more levers. "We need to do it quickly!" "But this is time travel? Why quickly..."

"It's timey-wimey" said the Doctor. "In our personal timestream this timeline is becoming more solid. We can still stop it happening now. The Time Lords used to solve problems like this. Now it's just me."

"How is this like a honeycomb?" said Norine.

"If you delay long enough going down one tunnel you get stuck in honey" said the Doctor. "Or something like that. It's not really like a honeycomb. I need to think up a better way of explaining this without a complicated chart and using up my chalk."

"No need to explain!" said Norine, just deciding to go with what the Doctor was saying even if she didn't understand, as usual.

A thought struck Norine. "We could tell our previous selves to make sure Wurzin dies. If we're already changing history..." "No, that would make it even more complicated!" shouted the Doctor. "My timestream is already complicated enough without meeting myself again." "No need to make it more so." He ran round the controls. "I've set it to an hour after we left Lumgost" he said. "Just have to hope I can do this right. We've only got one shot to stop the Tufgup getting to an interstellar capability. Got to make it good."

As the Doctor steered the TARDIS back a mass of sparks flew from the console. "Come on old girl! You can do it. I've stopped the Daleks and Nimon doing this. I can stop the Worm King. I must stop him!" yelled the Doctor.

Norine watched the worried Doctor running round frantically. She had barely seen the Doctor in such a state, so she knew how urgent it was that they got to Lumgost.

They were soon there, materialising despite temporal turbulence. They stepped out of the TARDIS, which was behind a rocky slope a few metres high. But over the slope they saw the cannon was quite close.

"Remembered this stone from when we were last here" said the Doctor. "We could get a good view of the area. But keep your head down."

"Alright, Alright" said Norine angrily. She and the Doctor walked up the slope stealthily and looked around. They saw about 70 metres away was a globular ship, with a pool of green fluid leaking out and green chunks in the pool. Around it many Tufgup were gathered. Wurzin was meanwhile covered in green slime, next to a mass of chunks. "Find the other crew-member" it snarled.

"But there is already one captive" said a Tufgup with a scarred face.

"One of them is not captive and could attack us. I intend to feed on Rutan again. It will either be you or it!" said Wurzin.

The Tufgup ran off, followed by four others. As the Doctor and Norine sat watching, a green tendril swiftly coiled round both their throats. "You are responsible for this! You will die in pain!" said a furious voice. "It wasn't... us... Rutan!" the Doctor choked back through. "We aren't... working..." "You lie!" The grip tightened. "But they want to find... how... ship works" pointed out Norine. "We... want... to stop... them" coughed the Doctor desperately. The Rutan released them both and they fell to the floor, coughing. "There seems to be truth in your words."

"We want the Tufgup stopped as well" said the Doctor, jumping up. "Why do you think we came back here?""

Though I wish your bodies to fry, I will consent to an alliance to prevent these foul creatures getting Rutan technology" said the Rutan. "But if you betray me..."

"...You won't live long. I'm getting used to this" said Norine.

"Forward. But in front of me!" said the Rutan.

They moved toward the Tufgup Palace. Even now the Tufgup were examining the ship. "Do you have self-destruct?" Norine whispered. "Of course" said the Rutan. "But I doubt even a Rutan could get past those guards. This will take cunning." "As a lot have said, Sontarans use strength, Rutans use cunning" said the Doctor. The Rutan turned. "Yes Doctor. We are more cunning. If not for the way the Sontarans churn out troops we would have won a thousand years ago. And already a plan is already forming in my mind."

They soon found the scarred Tufgup examining the area, by now joined by many other Tufgup. "King Yelt-Crod" said one of them. "We have found traces of Rutan!" Yelt ran over and saw patches of green slime. "Good. I will personally find this Rutan!" he said, whipping out his electric spear and moving forward proudly into a gorge. As he did so the Doctor used his sonic and a small rockslide happened. As the Tufgup King and another soldier whipped round, briefly cut off from their troops, a large green mass shot at them and there was a scream and sizzling.

Meanwhile Wurzin coiled delighted next to the Rutan Pilot, held in a small cell, it's electric power nullified. "Now Rutan!" it sneered. "Tell us how to work the ship!"

"You will not have me say anything!" said the Rutan. He had been co-pilot and had many years of experience in war. He had undergone training to endure torture. "The Rutans will rule your world eventually!"

Wurzin signalled to Kowet-Horp, who pulled a lever. The sharp edges of the restraints round the Rutan's tendrils and body tightened and next to the Rutan there was a clash of cymbals. Rutans do not like loud noises and the Rutan jerked horribly, green blood dripping down its sides.

"Eventually you will tell us everything" said Wurzin. "Pain breaks down everyone eventually. You might as well tell us now."

"I would rather die!" Again the edges tightened and the clash happened.

"You will die eventually. But I will be merciful and allow it to happen soon if you just tell me what to do with the ship!" shouted Wurzin, wriggling forward. Kowet-Horp watched, delighting in the pain being inflicted. Being able to inflict such pain gave him such a sense of power. He had kept enemy Kings alive for a day, so they could be broken down gradually. His ruthlessness was why Wurzin had decided his tribe would rule Lumgost.

"King Wurzin. Should we make the process longer?" he said.

"No. We do not want them to ride away from life on a wave of pain."

"Could we cut of a tendril?" said Kowet. "This is hungry work!" King Wurzin turned to him with delight. "Cut of two tendrils. But leave some time between each cut. And don't make it a clean cut." "I was hoping you'd say that" said Kowet-Horp, taking out his blade while the Rutan shivered nervously. Cries of scream soon emanted from the palace.

"King Yelt-Crod!" cried another member of the Crod tribe. Over the rocks climbed the King, limping badly and with green slime on him, holding a broken spear. "I defeated my enemy" he said. "The other soldier was killed immediately. But the Rutan is not dead. I didn't see where he went."

"We'll find him King!" said another soldier. "But why should we go after the Rutan? Why should we obey the Horp Tribe?" said Yelt. "Because they have the greatest weapons. And under King Wurzin we will conquer other worlds!" came the reply. The Crod warriors cheered at this. "But we will still be their Vassals!" said Yelt. "We should strike them down!" "But their weapons..." "We will take them by surprise!" said Yelt. "When Wurzin sees we are the greater tribe, he will make us the supreme tribe! Down with Kowet-Horp! Down with Kowet-Horp!" The Tufgup loved fighting and didn't much care who they fought. Wurzin had even left many tribes to form resistance so there was someone to fight. A chant went up and the Crod turned back to the palace.

As Kowet-Horp ate a roughly-cut piece of tendril like a piece of mince yelling and shouting was heard outside. "What? Has the Rutan returned?" he yelled. King Wurzin was already at the window, sucking up a piece of tendril like spaghetti. "It appears King Yelt-Crod does not agree with you!" it sneered. "We are under attack!" cried a Guard, running in with blood on his armour and his sword broken. "Great King Wurzin!" came a cry from outside. "The Crod are better warriors then the Horp!" Wurzin seemed to be considering this. "We will see how true their words are" leered the Worm King at the Horp King. Kowet knew his power came from Wurzin, and that he could easily be replaced. He grabbed his spear, sword, and gun and ran out. The Worm King picked up the piece of tendril left behind and sucked it up. "Anything to say?" it asked the Rutan, who was hanging limply, covered in its own blood and barely conscious. "Die..." The cymbals clashed, drowning out its voice. The Rutan was in such pain, it didn't even feel like it could shapeshift free.

Kowet-Horp burst through the doors, shooting two Crods dead. Another Crod ran forward in a berserk state but Kowet nimbly sidestepped and with a mighty blow decapitated it. "You dare to stand against the supreme Tufgup!" he yelled, brandishing his spear. "I'll crack your bones! The two Kings of this world will feast on you!" He roared and charged at Yelt. A shot was fired, ricocheting of his armour but bringing him down. "You dare to face me, King of the so-called greatest tribe!" screamed the Crod King. "I'll wear your skull and bath in your blood!" "I'll skin you alive!" snarled the Horp King, staggering up and brandishing his weapons. "We'll fight away from the palace!" cried Yelt, moving back, followed by his Crods. "You coward!" sneered Kowet. "Tonight I dine on Crod!" Followed by his forces he ran after the Crods, giving a blood-curdling scream and shooting wildly. The madness of battle was upon him.

As the fight moved away Norine and the Doctor moved towards the ship, which all the soldiers seemed to have left. "We just need to remember what we were told about self-destruct" said the Doctor. Suddenly hands seized them both. "You two!" said a Horp. "King Wurzin will be delighted!" It patted them over to check for weapons and found the sonic screwdriver. "I'll take this!" it laughed, throwing them down. As the Horp turned round to call for Wurzin Norine seized her chance. She pulled the knife from her shoe and stabbed the Tufgup in the leg. It yelled with pain. A push from Norine brought it down. The Blue bearded Warrior's head hit a stone, and it was left stunned.

"Not my methods but they will do" said the Doctor. He reached down and took out his sonic screwdriver and turned. "To the Rutan ship!" The time travellers ran in. The Doctor had been in a Rutan ship before in this incarnation, but this one was much smaller, though still had the green walls, and pods for the crew. The Doctor stepped over the tangled mess of wires and began working with the control panel.

"Is it really this difficult to set self-destruct?" said Norine. "I don't just want this ship to be destroyed. I want all the technology, Wurzin, and the Palace to be destroyed!" said the Doctor. "None of this should be here." "But surely a lot of weapons will be spread over the planet" said Norine. "Well, the Tufgup won't be able to advance much further anyway" said the Doctor. "They aren't much for inventing. They were just at air-flight by the time other powers got to their planet. History will get back on track without Wurzin." The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver at two points on the panel. "Now just a bit more rewiring..." he began, but a familiar voice cut in. "I wouldn't do that Doctor."

They spun round to see King Wurzin standing in the entrance. "You returned Time Lord" it said. "Your TARDIS is not needed. Soon interstellar travel will be ours!" "I've seen what will happen if you do" said the Doctor. "You have?" Wurzin was delighted. "Then I will succeed in conquering an interstellar Empire!" "You will disrupt history..." "So do you Doctor" said Wurzin. "But I leave things as I should be" said the Doctor. "And I haven't killed billions of innocents..." He stopped. "Can you be sure Doctor?" said Wurzin. "Can you be sure your actions are always..." "SHUT UP YOU WORM!" shouted Norine. "Don't give that sort of talk! The Doctor isn't a tyrant, you are. Simple as that!" "Yes. Exactly!" said the Doctor. "You're just another tyrant, like Morbius, Davros, the Master, or Kim Jong-Un." The Worm King dragged itself forward slowly. "A tyrant I may be, but right will fall against might!" It reared up, opening its jaws. The Doctor quickly held up his sonic screwdriver, and the Worm King stopped, unsure what to do. "I'll blow this ship apart if I have to!" said the Doctor. Wurzin at first seemed worried but then gave an unsettling nervous laughter. "You'll die too, as will the female." Norine remembered the future she had seen, the Moon under Siege, the buildings being torn apart, the death of Sergeant Lancaster. "Do it Doctor!" she said. "Just do it! Anything's better then that happening." But the Doctor remained uncertain, holding his sonic screwdriver up. None dared to move. it was horribly tense. Norine felt sweat on her neck, but she didn't dare to make any sudden movements.

There was a flash of electricity from behind and Wurzin fell to the ground. Behind him was a Rutan. The Doctor and Norine moved past the Worm, but jumped as it rose again. "The Rutan!" it said. "You performed your part to perfection!" said the Doctor. "So, you impersonated that King?" said Wurzin. "We Rutans can take many forms" said the Rutan. Wurzin lunged forward terrifyingly, the Rutan just dodging. It fired another blast of electricity, striking some of the Worm's carapace off. It roared and slashed the Rutan's sides. The two creatures, the Worm and Jellyfish, battled, with flashes of claws and electricity. They each took punishment that could kill a human easily. Wurzin knew that with the damage he was taking he needed to feed soon. He couldn't take this much longer. The Doctor watched this, not wanting to act until he saw what would happen.

"King Wurzin!" cried a voice behind them. They saw Kowet-Horp leading Horp and Crod towards them. "We found the body of Yelt-Crod" said Kowet-Horp angrily. "The Crod soon agreed I was to be their new King."

Wurzin took advantage of the distraction and broke free of the Rutan, wriggling away in desperation, despite being badly hurt. "Shoot it!" cried the Worm King in a cracked voice. Several shots were fired, bringing the Rutan down. Wurzin lunged at the weakened Rutan, opening its mouth hungrily. The Doctor and Norine were unable to turn away from the horrific sight of Wurzin feeding. It rose rejuvenated, green slime dripping from its mouth, and turned to the time travellers. "Take them alive!"

As the Tugfud ran forward, led by Wurzin, the Doctor and Norine ran round them, towards the cannon. The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver at the ship and pressed the button. The ship vanished in a fireball which raced outward, enclosing those pursuing the Doctor and Norine, and blowing them of their feet. The Doctor looked back at the scorched Earth. "I hope that's the last... Oh No!" he groaned as, impossibly, Wurzin crawled along, leaving a trail of blood and bits. It stuck its face into a horribly-burnt corpse, trying desperately to get enough organic matter, eating most of the corpse. But this was still not enough. With its own blood dripping down its side it glared at the Doctor and Norine. "I... will... kill..." "You sound like you'll die before us" said the Doctor. "Don't sound too good. I'd say you should see a Doctor but last time I treated Worm Kings I ended up killing them." The last Worm King crawled forward, slower then humans could run but still fast for its condition. The Doctor and Norine ran along, the Monster pursuing them furiously. "If we can get to the TARDIS I'll make sure it's dead on the scanner" said the Doctor as they passed the pit.

But to their horror they heard shouts, and saw, in the distance, scores of Tugfud running towards them. Wurzin pushed itself up and laughed. "One of those should provide enough nourishment!"

"Killing your own soldiers?"

"It won't matter. I am still their ruler!" A groaning was heard. The Time Lord, Worm King, and Human turned to see the last Rutan from the ship dragging itself towards them. It was such a mess that even the Doctor, who had seen the Rutans commit countless atrocities, felt sorry for it.

"You escaped! How?" asked Wurzin.

"Never underestimate the Rutan Host" said the Rutan. "I shapeshifted from my restraints..."

"You will die!" snarled Wurzin.

"I may die but I'm taking you with me" screamed the Rutan. With incredible effort it elongated its tentacles and grabbed the Worm King. "Push it into the pit!" yelled the Doctor. The Rutan complied, and once again the Worm King fell into the pit. There was a flash of electricity and smoke rose as the chemicals were ignited. The Doctor looked down to see the Worm King moving faintly. "Doctor..." it snarled fiercely, but there was a creaking sound as the Cannon, its lower circuits overloaded by the ignition, slid into the pit.

"Well, that looks like the last we've seen of the Worm King!" said the Doctor. "Err Doctor... The Tufgup?" said Norine, pointing to the Tufgup who had seen them and were moving forward angrily. "Yes! What to do? RUN!" yelled the Doctor, running with Norine back to the TARDIS.

Again with a click of his fingers the door opened, and he ran inside just as a Tufgup hurled a spear at him. He ducked and it struck the console. The Doctor leapt over it and closed the doors as another spear nearly entered the TARDIS, but instead was embedded in the door. The Doctor watched on the scanner as the sound of bullets was heard outside and laughed. "The assembled hoards of Genghis Khan couldn't get inside! What could they do?" "You could just leave" said Norine. "Yes. Right. Off we go old girl!" said the Doctor. Soon the TARDIS was again spinning through the vortex.

"Are you sure that Worm's dead?" asked Norine. "I'm just making sure of this" said the Doctor. "I'm going back to make sure. Or should I say going forward." "Time travel tense trouble" said Norine, smiling. "2287 then?" "The Moon. Where we materialised before we returned to Lumgost. Same Lunar Day."

Soon they were walking out of the TARDIS doors in Corridor 3 of Campbell. "No cracks, no giant worms, looks fine to me" said Norine. "Just need to make sure" said the Doctor. He walked through the corridors and met a familiar woman in uniform, strolling along. "Hello, I'm the Doctor!" he said. "And this is Norine Clarke." "Captain Renwick?" asked Norine, recognising the woman. "Just Sergeant for the moment" she said. "But I hope you're a good future-teller."

"Those people are mostly con artists" said Norine.

Renwick looked annoyed but the Doctor bounced over. "Special Lunar Security!" he said flashing his paper. "Just want to ask, do you know a Kobayashi? Might work in military?"

"Yes. But I'm afraid he just left for Mars to do an Archaeology course" said Renwick. "Would you like to send a message to him? I could give you his address."

"No thanks" said the Doctor. "Just making sure he's all right. No invasions happening of the Moon then?"

Renwick gave him an odd look. "No. This part of the Solar System's been quiet for some time now. Nice and quiet. Almost makes me wish someone would start stealing windows so I have something to do." She and the Doctor gave a slight laugh. "Well, I'll be of then" said the Doctor. "Bye!" "Wait!" said Renwick, but the Doctor had already turned the corner. She ran after them but heard a groaning sound and turned the corner just in time to see a blue box vanish. She looked round in amazement. "I thought that tea tasted odd. Or maybe it's some sort of prank. If this is a hidden camera stunt you'll be in big trouble!" Renwick yelled. Nobody replied so she walked away.

Inside the TARDIS the Doctor was running upstairs. "Where are you going?" called Norine. "Just getting something from the Library!" shouted the Doctor. Norine sat down next to the console and a moment later the Doctor was back, holding a large book. "Here is what I was looking for!"

Norine glanced at the cover. "An Archaeology Book?"

"Look at who wrote it! I thought I remembered Kobayashi from somewhere!" said the Doctor. The cover said

Martian Archaeology

A Basic Study

By James David Kobayashi

"He was one of the foremost Archaeologists of Mars of the late 23rd Century" said the Doctor.

Norine looked at the Archaeology Book amazed. "But he was a Colonel..."

"That timeline no longer exists" said the Doctor. "All those deaths, the Tufgup conquests, never happened thanks to us. Just like that!" As Norine looked at him awkwardly the Doctor mused "I should have put a fez on for that. Anyway that timeline is gone! Like a... a..." He was obviously desperately trying to think up a better comparison then honeycomb. "Like a tree!" said Norine. "We've gone back and cut of a branch. And a new one has grown." "Yes! It's like that!" said the delighted Doctor. "I'll remember that comparison." He smiled and put down the book. "You should read it at some point. I've got a whole section of the Library about Mars, it's history, it's stories... It's a great planet!"

As Norine flicked through the book the Time Lord turned back to the console. "Well we'll travel along the branch a bit more and get to 2846."

"Just hope we don't land there and find monsters have invaded" said Norine as she put down the book.

"Ending up in invasions are normal when you're travelling with me" said the Doctor. "It's when they're quoting Shakespeare that it's worrying."

"Shakespeare?" said Norine.

"Well the Daleks had... I'll tell you soon" said the Doctor. "The main fact is things are back to how they should be! And we'll soon be in a nice era. For once."

Soon they materialised again on the Moon and stepped out to a nicer, larger, corridor. There were bright holograms on the walls and cheerful music was playing. "Looks like the TARDIS agrees we deserve a reward!" said the Doctor as they walked through the Lunar Entertainment centre. "So, Daleks and Shakespeare?" said Norine. "What exactly happened?" "I'll tell you that now!" said the Doctor. They went to the Cyberslayer Café, which had a gold-plated Cyberman on the sign, and ordered Selene Cream Shakes and a plate of Jammy Dodgers. The Doctor sat down and after eating a dodger started speaking excitedly. "It all started when I was in the TARDIS looking through The Murder of Roger Ackroyd..."