Doctor Who is the first television programme I can remember watching, my father watched the first episode of Doctor Who in 1963 at age seventeen, and I watched what I thought might be the last episode in 1989 when I was seventeen. The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker, 1974-81) was my first Doctor. I watched the show as a boy in Canada on an American public TV station, and it was my link to the country I was born in (and to the many alien creatures, worlds and ideas it introduced me to).

Waiting to watch episodes on television didn't give me enough access to the world of the Time Lord, and so I sought out books wherever I could find them. These paperback retellings of earlier Doctor's adventures were the only way for me to experience those stories, long before the advent of them on video. I dreamt of one day writing such stories myself. I'd imagine where the Doctor might go next and other beings he might encounter on far off planets.

Doctor Who returned to television screens in 2005 and has continued to the time of writing (2016), but to fans - who followed it's stories in books, audio dramas, and comics - it never ceased. But as the BBC doesn't accept unsolicited scripts, and I don't yet have any recognition as a writer of science fiction, I am unlikely to get a call from the producers asking me to pen them an episode.

What I do have is my imagination and an eagerness to explore the possibilities of a Doctor Who story that could be, which could revisit some familiar territory, but also speculate about the Doctor's history, his people, and his purpose.

This little little novelette began as a script, mostly dialogue between the Doctor, his companion and occasionally other characters. It was split between the brief descriptions of the scenes they encountered and the actions that took place. I've added some additional text to help make it more readable, but it was never intended to be published.

This is the story I would've liked to have made for my children and friends who love the programme. It is a homage to aspects of the show I have enjoyed and which have interested me, although I hope it will be of interest to others too.

The Story & Characters

This story particularly pertains to the events of the Time War, especially as seen in the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor (2013). However, it contains many references to story elements and characters from early Doctors, especially during the era of the 4th Doctor, Tom Baker (1974-81).

The Doctor spoken of in this story is the twelfth doctor, played by Peter Capaldi (2014+). Capaldi started in the role at the same age as the actor who played the first Doctor, William Hartnell (55).

Preeti, the companion, is a British Indian young woman who has not appeared in any other previous Doctor Who stories. This would seem to be her first venture away from earth, after meeting the Doctor there. The idea was to have someone with the Doctor who didn't seem so impressed by his other worldly origins.

Drax first appeared in the 4th Doctor's story, The Armageddon Factor (1979). He had previously been at the Prydonian Academy with the Doctor in the Class of 92, but failed the exams. His often less-than-legal exploits at one time led to him being held in Brixton prison where he picked up a London accent. He was later imprisoned by an agent of the Black Guardian (of Time), known as The Shadow, who used him to maintain a computer used in interplanetary war between the planets of Zeos and Atrios. It was during this time he again met his old friend, who was seeking a piece of the Key to Time, and together they defeated their common foe and ended the war. Afterward he stayed to assist in rebuilding the world of Atrios. The Drax of this story returned at some point and married Rodan, a Time Lady from another story. Her fate is only hinted at, but it is presumed she died in in the early stages of the Time War from a Dalek attack.

The Type 42 Tardis is significantly bigger inside than the Doctor's Type 40, being almost 10 times the size. Fans of Douglas Adams can guess where the number came from. I thought it would be nice to show a Tardis with a working chameleon circuit, although without working time travel.