AUTHOR'S NOTE

This tale is a sequel to the comic story 'Black Legacy', originally written by Alan Moore and published in 'Doctor Who Weekly' issues 35-38. However, it is written to work as a standalone, so it would be easy to follow without reading the original story.

Featuring the Fourth Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith, this adventure is set between the TV stories 'The Seeds Of Doom' and 'The Masque Of Mandragora'.

The planet Goth was one of the most feared and desolate planets in the whole of the universe. It's surface largely consisted of dead trees and dull grey rocks, while high in the sky, dark clouds bloated out the sunlight. The stench of death and decay still hung in the air, adding to the foreboding scene.

Standing out from the majority of the barren landscape was an enormous statue, as large as a mountain and sculpted into the form of a hunchbacked creature, with an outstretched clawed hand and a misshaped head looking up at the stormy sky. Exactly what kind of creature the statue was meant to represent is unclear, as time has weathered the statue, making it even more contorted than it was when it was first built. But even in its current dilapidated state, it still resonated with an air of evil, as if to warn species of other worlds to stay away from this planet. For over two hundred years it had stood there, quite alone on this ravaged planet.

But today was going to be quite different. Today, Goth was going to have some visitors.

A huge gleaming diamond-patterned ball abruptly drops out of the gloomy sky and hovered near to the huge statue. Inside the smooth sphere, various short stocky creatures with bald dome-shaped heads and dressed in shiny space armour were busying themselves at the flight controls, making preparations to land onto the surface of Goth. One of the creatures gestured with its three-fingered hand towards the monitor screen, upon which could be seen the towering statue that would cause any other race to tremble in fear.

"Look Field Major! The Black Colossus of Goth! We are the first beings to view this spectacle in over two hundred years!" said the creature in awe.

Field Major Vaux of the 15th Sontaran Space Squad nodded with a devilish smile on his face. "Indeed Quaarl... And soon the legendary lost weapons of the Deathsmiths will belong to us! The Sontarans will reign supreme!"

"A pleasant thought, Field Major," answered Sergeant Quaarl. "We are indeed fortunate that the Daleks or the Cybermen did not beat us to it!"

And with that, the Sontaran ship began to make its descent, unaware that out on the surface, hidden amongst the withered vegetation, something was watching them. From the shadows it watched them land, its blood-red eyes glowing intently in the darkness as a sense of eagerness began running through its entire body. This time it would escape to spread its blight across the heavens. It would be free to do the job it was created to do. It would be patient for now and observe these beings first before making its move, but it would not wait forever...

As soon as the ship had landed, the squad of Sontarans worked at once to secure their camp. They worked with the same militaristic precision that would be expected of any Sontaran soldier, constructing various dome-shaped shelters and making sure that the perimeter was well-defended, with next to no chance of an enemy catching them by surprise. As the troops continued with their appointed tasks, Vaux and Quaarl took the opportunity to take a closer look at the Colossus that had once acted as the milestone of the awesome Deathsmiths of Goth.

"Truly a magnificent structure," breathed Vaux in what seemed to be admiration. "It is easy to imagine why lesser races used to cower in fear before the Deathsmith Empire."

"It is a great pity that the Deathsmiths themselves no longer exist," remarked Quaarl in regret. "They would have made worthy adversaries for the might of our Sontaran military forces."

"Quite so, Quaarl," agreed Vaux. "But unfortunately they are now all dead, their civilisation gone almost as if it never existed. So we shall have to settle for obtaining their magnificent weapons and all the priceless secrets hidden away on this miserable world. Even after all these centuries, the legacy they have left behind is formidable. Weapons that can blast whole planets to pieces, reduce dozens of Rutan fleets to less than micro-dust!"

"Indeed, Sir," said Quaarl. "With such weapons, no race in the Universe will be able to deny the strength of the Sontaran Empire!"

Vaux nodded. "But enough reverie for the meantime. We will commence the search for the Deathsmiths' weapons at dawn, but for now we will secure the area and make camp. But there is one task to be performed first."

With that, Vaux held up a long silver pole that he had in his hand and planted it firmly into the ground. A pair of flags popped out of the top of the pole and the two Sontaran officers held up their arms in salute.

"By the authority invested in me by the Grand Strategic Council of Sontar," declared Vaux, "I hereby claim this planet and all its moons and colonies for the greater glory of the Sontaran Empire."