Doctor Who: Dictatormocracy
Chapter One
Sami and Alice were rather confused. The Doctor (in a complete reversal of fortune) had allowed them to choose their next destination – so long as it wasn't Earth of course. This simple task (or so it seemed at the time anyway) involved browsing the TARDIS' Databanks.
'The databanks' explained the Doctor 'contain all of the knowledge that I have accumulated over my travels'
There was one very obvious flaw with consulting the Databanks though – to their minds the Doctor had never visited a place where he would like to go again. It seemed that there was an ongoing curse which made any visit to any place and any time turn into another battle against some alien menace. Luckily, there was a brief and unexplained reference to the 'Union of Satellite Acolytes', which aroused their interest.
'Doctor' asked Sami 'What is the "Union of Satellite Acolytes"'
'Oh just a collection of small planets that share a governance' came the muffled reply from underneath the TARDIS console. 'There's nothing particularly interesting about there'
'Ah! I've done it' shouted the Doctor gleefully
'Done what?' asked Alice; more than a little confused
'I've managed to reset the perceptional danger circuitry' he replied
'The what?'
'It's the device that determines whether our destination is safe or dangerous. It alerts us to any possible risk of unfortunate happenings that may or indeed shall occur as a result of us landing there. It keeps the TARDIS from going to dangerous places inadvertently'
'So that's why we've always encountered danger! The circuit was back-to-front'
'No. Well almost. It certainly wasn't working properly'
At that point the Doctor disappeared into the engine room leaving Sami and Alice by themselves.
'I wonder what the real reason that he doesn't want to go to the USA is?' pondered Sami.
'The USA?' asked Alice, clearly puzzled
'Union of Satellite Acolytes' Sami replied
'Oh! I don't know. Maybe we should probe a little more'
On the small dusty planet of Extas, Rob Byron was standing in front of a mirror shaving the half-beard that had grown on his face as a result of his high workload over the past five days. He was part of the campaign team for the presidential candidate Jack Kelly. There were six Acolyte months left until the elections and the campaign had reached a pivotal moment. He knew that whatever happened in these last six months would determine the result of the election. Moreover, he knew that the rival campaign team would be putting as much work in (if not more) as he at this moment.
After his shave, he went downstairs into his horridly small Kitchenette, where he placed a packet of some breakfast meal into the microwave cooker. The food tasted foul because he had overcooked it yet again! Despite this, he felt compelled to eat it all up as he would be getting little nourishment until late at night. His long day was about to begin.
'So why are you against going there?' asked Sami as she abruptly entered the engine room of the TARDIS.
'I'm not against going there' replied the Doctor level headedly 'I just don't think that it would make for a very interesting visit that's all'
'So will you agree to take us there then?' Sami replied gleedully
'If you insist' replied the Doctor cheerfully
The Doctor picked himself off the floor and placed the various tools back inside his jacket before entering the console room.
'One trip to the planet Extas coming up' he said comically
'Extas?' asked Alice
'Yes it's one of the small planets in the Satellite Acolytes' he replied.
The Doctor then flicked the various switches, turned several other controls and pulled back the lever sending the TARDIS on another journey through time and space.
Upon his arrival to the Hotel that hosted the campaign for the short time that they would be on Extas, Rob was greeted by the normal prep-talk that was conducted every morning to instil confidence and determination into the publicity team. These prep-talks were laborious in the extreme. Every day that wretched woman by the name of Cordineezer Mite would shout and scream at the top of her voice informing them that they must work harder. Rob already knew this and assumed that the same must be true for the rival campaign team. That team would of course be trying to keep President Shrub in power. His publicity was meant to show that the current administration as useless and irresponsible and therefore unfit to govern for another term of office, because it would only make matters worse.
After the meeting, he went into the overcrowded hall that contained the large group of campaign members. Rob's principle job was to discuss new strategies for promoting Jack Kelly and scathing Gorge Shrub (the rival).
'Oh for goodness sakes! Won't she just go away!' thought Rob as Cordineezer strode relentlessly towards he and his fellow promotion strategists.
'They've made a fresh accusation' said the short, black haired demonic woman'
This was something that regularly started the day. This attracted a fresh; loud sigh from the four of them.
'Don't do that!' she barked 'We pay you to be more creative. We will lose if you don't come up with something that will ruin those despicable Caliprebun's chances of re-election'
'We are aware of that!' shouted an outraged Rob. The stress was clearly getting to him and; clearly this additional stress was impairing his ability to conjure up an amicable retort to the Caliprebun campaign (whatever it was!)
Luckily, Cordineezer stormed out of the hall and slammed the door behind her allowing Rob to regain his concentration and focus on the task at hand. Where to begin; where to begin…
In the clearing of a small wood, a strange mechanical whining sound could be heard. The sound of course signalled the arrival of the TARDIS.
Inside the girls were getting ready to go outside, whilst the Doctor checked the instrumentation.
'Come along you two, we've landed!' he called in the direction of the living quarters.
'Just a minute' came Alice's reply who was trying to put on her boots, which had shrunk after she had put them through the polishing machine on the Doctor's advice – something she would never do again!
Ten minutes later, the girls appeared wearing the sort of attire associated with going to a nightclub on Earth.
'Oh dear!' sighed the Doctor, knowing all too well that those were hardly the clothes to wear on this planet.
He turned on the scanner to reveal the wonderful wood around the TARDIS.
'It's beautiful' remarked Sami in awe. This was a sight that she rarely saw on Earth by living in London. It's replacement was the sight of hoards of Cars belching out stinking fumes. The Doors opened and the three of them stepped outside.
'That's much better' said Alice, satisfied that they had arrived on a trouble free planet.
'There are certainly not going to be and Cybermen; Daleks; Autons or dangerous renegades here' replied the Doctor equally satisfied with his choice of destination.
They strolled casually through the wood until they reached a road. Further down the road was a sign indicating that the largest town; Shuton was one kilometre away.
'Doctor; What is there to see in Shuton?' asked Alice
'I honestly have no idea. But since it's not too far away it wouldn't hurt to pay a visit would it?' he replied mischievously.
When they reached Shuton, they found the local population amassed in a square in the centre of the town awaiting a speech. It appeared to be six months from an election, shown by the various posters plasted all over the place. They stood in the amassed crowd as a short almost child like man walked up to the podium. He tapped the microphone head thrice and the noise of the crowd died as he did so. The square was now silent in anticipation of his speech.
'Over the past four years' began the speaker 'our government has improved the living standards for everyone in our system of planets. Nominee Kelly wants to end all of that. Today, I have received news of an affair. The details although sketchy reveal that he had spent the last six months of his campaign visiting his personal assistant in her room every night. His wife Sareta only knew about this because a member of my staff felt it was her duty to tell the truth'
'This doesn't sound like an election speech!' said an outraged Alice.
The Doctor didn't reply. Instead he just watched as the crowd screamed and applauded. He gestured to Sami and Alice to walk away from the square.
They passed through the crowd with some considerable difficulty and walked into what appeared to be the main shopping street.
Alice was not interested in shopping. She was deeply troubled at the speech. Sami however was in her element darting around each shop pointing at almost everything. The Doctor went along with Sami's enthusiasm, hoping that he could forget the speech. It was not his place to question the affairs of a planet's government.
'Aren't we going to do anything?' asked Alice hesitantly
'About what?' replied Sami cheerfully
'About that speech. That's no way to get elected!'
'I'm afraid that there is nothing we can do' replied the Doctor 'If we interfere, there shall be grave repercussions for us all'
Alice looked at the Doctor and then Sami before walking out of the clothes shop they were in and in the direction of the square. Sami was puzzled and she looked worriedly at the Doctor.
'We better follow her' said the Doctor apologetically.
They left the shop and after spotting Alice, walked after he hoping to catch her up.
When the three of them reached the square, another man was on the podium. This man looked older, but just as devious thought the Doctor. The question on the Doctor's mind was what Alice was intending to do? He was about to find out.
The man on the podium regained his composure after some more loud cheering from the crowd.
'Citizens of Extas thank you. As we have learned today there is only one choice in these elections. The alternative is full of deceit; lies and prone to disloyal tendencies towards the people and even towards his wife. Vote for President Shrub'
Just before the cheering began, Alice flared up full of rage. The volume of her voice; easily matching that of the microphone retorted 'That is no way to conduct an election! You cannot win by making childish; libellous remarks about your opponent! I doubt that any of them were actually true! Where is your proof?'
The square stood silent. The Doctor was extremely worried. He would have made her back down, but he knew that he couldn't stop her from saying what she had said.
The man at the microphone quietly conversed with the aid standing behind him
'Find out who she is' he said 'She must work for the Comradetic party. Have her and her friends followed'
'Do I take any further action?' replied the aid
'No. Not yet. I want them humiliated publicly first. Then we shall take further action'
END OF CHAPTER ONE
