The Doctor sat down and sipped on the cup of tea that he had next to him. The TARDIS was gracefully sailing through time and space and even his bumbling companions couldn't stop this calm moment. The TARDIS was the pristine white it was supposed to be, having Barbara on board has its perks.

A small light lit up on the console of the TARDIS. The Doctor caught the light out of the corner of his eye. It was a most curious light, it didn't come on often. The Doctor got up out of his chair to examine the light. Nothing seemed wrong, all of the other sensors showed no disturbance. Given the evidence at hand the Doctor turned around and started to return to his seat.

The cup of tea broke when it hit the group. It felt like the TARDIS had just been hit by something moving incredibly fast. The Doctor knew that this had to be totally impossible. Nothing else should, nay could, be in the time vortex.

"What was that Grandfather?" asked Susan as she came into the console room

"I don't know child, quit your questions and let me figure it out." retorted the Doctor.

"I'll say we must have hit some, does that happen often Doctor?" piped Ian

"No Chesterton, it is absolutely impossible. We don't use roads like your simple automobile. We use dimensions only our TARDIS can use." explained the Doctor.

"The scanners show that we're inside some sort of room." said Susan.

"Maybe we should investigate what's out there" said Ian

"We shouldn't take one step out there until we know what is going on" replied the Doctor

"Half the time we have to go out there to figure out what's going on. We shouldn't just wait in here." interjected Susan.

"Quite right my child, you and Barbara stay here, Ian and I will go and check it out ourselves." Instructed the Doctor.

"What?!" responded Barbara, who had walked into the room just in time to her the Doctor tell her to stay behind, and Susan together.

"We're coming with you whether you like it or not!" said Susan emphatically.

"Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." replied the Doctor with obvious indignation.

The crew ventured out of the TARDIS and into the surrounding room. It was dirty and not very well maintained. Along one wall there was what looked like a very advanced computer and along the other was a type of couch around a checkers table.

"What a piece of junk." said the Doctor while looking closer at the bits and bobs laying around.

Suddenly there was a loud animalistic roar and the Doctor found himself pushed against a wall. He was held back by a large furry arm. He couldn't even see the beasts head he was so large.

"What are you doing and how did you get on my ship?" said a very confident voice.

"We are just travelers, we experienced a technical issue." said Susan.

"Are you sure you aren't Imperial spies?" the voice asked.

"Do we look like imperial spies to you?" Ian said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Well she is prettier than most imperial spies" said the voice looking at Barbara. "But you never know. They hire all sorts."

"Leave Barbara alone you pirate!" yelled the Doctor through the hair of the great beast.

"Oh so I'm a pirate now huh? Guess I'll just have to steal your ship then." said the snarky voice. "Chewie search the old man for a key or something."

The large beast, apparently named Chewie, started searching the Doctor and letting out a couple high pitched growls. The Doctor tried to resist but couldn't overcome the beasts tremendous strength.

"Leave him alone!" yelled Barbara.

Ian then ran up and attacked the man. The man stumbled backwards as Ian tried to tackle him. A fracas ensued. It was close quarters brawling as the 2 men struggle for control. Then there was a sound over head and the man stopped fighting.

"Chewie, it's the Empire we need to hide." The man said.

Chewie then let the Doctor go and he fell down catching his breath. The man and Chewie ran off down a corridor and out of sight.

"Should we follow them?" asked Ian.

"No, we should stay right here. They're some sort of smugglers, this Empire must be the law and order in this quadrant." responded the Doctor.

Soon a door on the ship opened up and several men in bright white armor stepped into the ship. They were imposing to say the least but it's obvious that this empire wanted to strike fear into the hearts of evil doers and criminals.

"We're saved!" exclaimed the Doctor.

"Who are you? Where are your papers?" demanded the soldier.

"I am the Doctor and these are my companions. We are travelers, we don't have any papers"

"All intersolar travel must be accompanied by the requisite paperwork. Please show me yours papers or you will be apprehended and held by the Empire."

"I am sorry but you'll just have to believe us."

"I don't have time for this, wait right here while we search for the contraband. Move and we will not hesitate to shoot you"

The two troopers that were in the room left and continued to search the rest of the ship. The TARDIS crew stayed where they were wondering what had become of the man and Chewie.

"They don't seem like a very nice empire." remarked Ian.

"Quite right, I am not one for their totalitarian restriction on the freedom of their people. said the Doctor.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Susan.

"I think we should just get back in the TARDIS, nobody is watching us." suggested Barbara.

"That would seem like a great idea Barbara, but that will give them just the moment they're looking for to harm us and the other 2." Said the Doctor.

"Why should we help them?" asked Ian "They were nothing but terrible towards us."

"Because everyman no matter how cruel deserves to be free from tyranny." said the Doctor.

"How do we even know that they're alive?" asked Barbara.

"Quite simple my child, we haven't heard the troopers discharge their weapons yet." remarked the Doctor. "But we must find them before they do."

The party went down the hallway where they saw Chewie and the man run off. The rest of the ship was just as dirty as the room they were in. All of this grime must be from years of harsh conditions and very little upkeep.

"AHA!" exclaimed the Doctor. "They are beneath our feet!"

"How do you know?" asked Susan.

"Because there are little bits on the floor where it is cleaner because the floor was lifted up then replaced. Ian help me pick this up." explained the Doctor.

The Doctor and Ian lifted up the floorboards and sure enough there was Chewie and the man along with a bunch of illicit substances. The Doctor let out a vindicated chuckle.

"Hey what's the big idea." said the man "We had it all under control until you showed up."

"I have a better idea, follow me." said the Doctor.

The man and Chewie started to get out of the hole when the soldiers returned.

"Stop right there!" commanded on of them.

"Quick! Follow me!" the Doctor yelled and then ran off towards the TARDIS.

Everyone else caught up with the Doctor while he was opening the door to the TARDIS. After struggling with the lock a little he managed to get the door open as his companions piled in. The man and Chewie looked hesitant.

"I'm sure you'll find it most comfortable inside" said the Doctor.

The man and Chewie walked into the TARDIS followed by the Doctor who pulled the door shut. Chewie let out an amazed growl while he and the man took in their surroundings.

"Yeah, of course I knew it was bigger on the inside." said the man downplaying his obvious confusion.

"All right where would you like to go?" asked the Doctor

"I'd like to get that imperial scum off of my ship." said the man.

"But we can go anywhere, you can get a new ship and take up a beneficial trade." replied the Doctor.

"I'm not leaving my ship, it's my pride an joy." the man said curtly.

"It's plan B then."

The Doctor dematerialized his ship and it rematerialized somewhere else on the ship. "Now you two get off and dump your unsightly cargo, it'll get the bigger ship off your trail, and then go to cockpit and wait for my ship to dematerialize."

"Sounds good old man." said the man to the Doctor before turning to Chewie and saying "Jabba's not going to like this."

The TARDIS dematerialized again and reappeared in the first place it had landed on this ship. The soldiers were investigating trying to figure out where the ship had gone. When the TARDIS materialized they unsure of what to think but decided to investigate. The doors of the TARDIS suddenly swung open and the troopers went to investigate. They walked into the TARDIS. As soon as they walked into the TARDIS the doors shut behind them and it dematerialized. The troopers didn't know what was happening, the box was bigger on the inside and the box was shaking and making sounds. Despite wanting and needing to carry out orders they simply couldn't move out of wonder.

The TARDIS landed again. The doors opened up and Ian and Barbara pushed the soldiers back out the door onto the planet behind them.

"I hope they like their stay on that planet. It was just the nearest inhabited planet. I'm not familiar with this galaxy. Anyways this was a most curious adventure. I hope good things happen to Chewie and that man. Did anyone catch his name?"

All of the companions looked at each other. None of them could remember him introducing himself, and Chewie didn't speak a language they could understand so it's entirely possible none of them knew his name.

"It doesn't matter anyways. It's not a name that's important, it's his character that's important and whether he thinks it or not he has lots of character."