#Jagaroth

[georgiacooked]

It's been a while since the last one, so have a new Doctor Who sticker sheet! Classic Aliens and Monsters. Featuring Susan Q, Jagaroth, a Menoptera, a Rutan, Helen A, Soldeed and a Gell Guard!

[doctorwhogirlie]

Doctor Who - Jagaroth

[doctorhuh]

Sorry everyone, Scaroth of Jagaroth compromised Sam's internet to a permanent end so we cannot record or upload anything until it gets fixed :(

We'll be back with our Utopia episode asap!

[barnables]

“City of Death” reads like the fourth has a crush on the Jagaroth, Doctor you messy thing.

[type40capsule]

Every palaeontologist wants a time machine. The tantalising, scrappy bits of biology that survive in the fossil record are a tiny fraction of what I could find out from a quick field trip to the Cretaceous. I’ve got my list prepared of the first four or five trips I’ll make when such technology becomes widely available. And being forty-something and British, there’s one time machine that’s been a constant in my life: the Tardis.

Doctor Who has explored ideas in evolution and the fossil record many times. Old school fans will be happy to explain how the origins of life of Earth are not in hydrothermal vents in the deep oceans four billion years ago, but were actually triggered by Scaroth, last of the Jagaroth, taking off in his faulty spaceship which promptly exploded, causing a cascade of new organic molecules to form.

Read more

[vintage1981]

New Doctor Who 'TARGET' Style Novelisations Officially Announced 

April sees a whole new range of novelisations of Doctor Who television episodes in the style of the classic 'Target' book range.

The five new releases see the debut Doctor Who novelisations from former Doctor Who showrunners Russell T Davies and Steven Moffat. The books are also the first novelisations of the show's post-2005 era.

During the 'classic' era of Doctor Who, Target novelisations of episodes were regularly released with almost every story being adapted. For three decades this series of books delighted Whovians with exciting adventures and iconic cover artwork.

Rose

By Russell T Davies

In a lair somewhere beneath central London, a malevolent alien intelligence is plotting the end of humanity. Shop window dummies that can move – and kill – are taking up key positions, ready to strike.

Rose Tyler, an ordinary Londoner, is working her shift in a department store, unaware that this is the most important day of her life. She’s about to meet the only man who understands the true nature of the threat facing Earth, a stranger who will open her eyes to all the wonder and terror of the universe – a traveller in time and space known as the Doctor.

The Christmas Invasion

By Jenny T Colgan

When a British space probe is intercepted by a sinister alien vessel on the eve of Christmas, it marks the beginning of an audacious invasion of the Earth by the Sycorax – horrifying marauders from beyond the stars. Within hours, a third of humanity stands on the brink of death with not a single shot fired.

Our planet needs a champion – but the Doctor is not fit for service. He’s just regenerated, delirious in a new body and a dressing gown. Forced into his battered shoes is his friend, Rose Tyler, a girl from a London council estate. Will she save the world from this nightmare before Christmas – or see it destroyed?

The Day of the Doctor

By Steven Moffat

The Tenth Doctor is hunting shape-shifting Zygons in Elizabethan England. The Eleventh is investigating a rift in space-time in the present day. And one other – the man they used to be but never speak of – is fighting the Daleks in the darkest days of the Time War. Driven by demons and despair, this battle-scarred Doctor is set to take a devastating decision that will threaten the survival of the entire universe ... a decision that not even a Time Lord can take alone.

On this day, the Doctor’s different incarnations will come together to save the Earth ... to save the universe ... and to save his soul.

Twice Upon A Time

By Paul Cornell

Still reeling from his encounter with the Cybermen, the First Doctor stumbles through the bitter Antarctic wind, resisting the approaching regeneration with all his strength. But as he fights his way through the snowdrifts, he comes across the familiar shape of a blue police box, and a mysterious figure who introduces himself as the Doctor ...

Thrown together at their most vulnerable moments, the two Doctors must discover why the snowflakes are suspended in the sky, why a First World War Captain has been lifted from his time stream moments before his death, and who is the mysterious Glass Woman who knows their true name.

The Doctor is reunited with Bill, but is she all she seems? And can he hold out against the coming regeneration?

City of Death

By James Goss

Visiting Paris in 1979, the Doctor and Romana’s hopes for a holiday are soon shattered by armed thugs, a suave and dangerous Count, a plot to steal the Mona Lisa and a world-threatening experiment with time.

Teaming up with a British detective, the Time Lords discover that a ruthless alien plot hatched in Earth’s pre-history has reached its final stage. If Scaroth, last of the Jagaroth, cannot be stopped then the human race is history, along with all life on Earth ...

All titles are released on April 5, 2018

[cleowho]

“History cannot change.”

City of Death - season 17 - 1979

[constantvigilante]

The Jagaroth design is so stupid. And the fact that this dude disguised himself with human masks, and all the masks had the same face, and had two eyes while he had one... bonkers. Idiotic. Nonsensical. I love it.

[rassilonwatchathon]

Scaroth the Jagaroth in the Classic Doctor Who serial City of Death. Tune in next week to The Watch-A-Thon of Rassilon and listen to us talk about him.

RSS • Patreon • iTunes • Stitcher • Google Play • ESO Network

[thedoctorwhocompanion]

Reviewed: The Whoniverse by George Mann and Justin Richards

Reviewed: The Whoniverse by George Mann and Justin Richards

It takes a brave soul to attempt to piece together the shambles that is Doctor Who continuity. The task of bringing together often contradictory scraps of information across the shows fifty-plus years of history can, in the hands of someone with a unique perspective, an engaging manner, or interesting artistic choices transcend the arduous nature of the task in hand. The problem is, a lot of what…

[doctorwhogirlie]

Doctor Who: Jagaroth

Favourite Episode: City of Death (Only tv Story)

Home Planet: Mutter's Spiral

Scary Factor: 0/10 - I should start up a creepy factor, just for this one...

My Personal Rating: 0/10 mean yucky not a fan

(Please don't take these too seriously, it's just a bit of fun)

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

Barcelona is for Lovers - Chapter 1

Welcome to my new multi-chapter fic!  Thank you for joining us.  @stupidsatsuma is my beta, and a major help in getting this thing off my computer and into the world!

General warnings for: hanky panky.  Take the ‘lovers’ part of the title seriously.

Masterlist

AO3

Summary

Three months after Rose and the Doctor are reunited and promptly ditched on a beach in Norway, they are still trying to find their feet.  Rose plans a trip to Barcelona for them to relax, reconnect, and hopefully consummate their relationship.

Rose sank into the window seat, arranging her rolling bag at her feet.  Her present view was just of the train at the next platform, but once they were out of the station she anticipated gorgeous views of the English countryside.

“Good spot.”

Rose looked up at the approving tone, smiling slightly as the Doctor settled next to her.  “Thanks.”  She’d chosen the spot specifically with him in mind; they were at the head of the traincar, with nothing in front of them but plenty of space for him to stretch his legs.  His own bag went next to hers, and he reached for her hand.  She gave it willingly, lacing their fingers together and resting the joined palms on her thigh.

She could already see the difference this impromptu trip was making in him.  He’d been here, in this universe, for almost three months now. The first couple of weeks had been good, catching up and getting him settled.  Shopping and paperwork had been interspersed with tours of London and playing with Tony, telling stories and relearning each other.  But once the dust had settled he’d grown restless, and she had to give credit where it was due – he’d tried very hard to hide it.  She knew him, though, could still recognize that longing look in his eye that he’d have when they’d stay on the TARDIS for too long a stretch.

She’d booked this trip the next day.  They’d had to wait until his passport came in, but that was yesterday and today they were on their way.

Now he was calm, looking around in interest at their fellow passengers and out the windows.  “How long’s this leg?”

“Two and a half hours,” she checked their travel documents.  “Then a forty-five minute layover, then another five on the TGV.”

“The ‘TGV’,” he scoffed, “what an original name. ‘High speed train’.  Brilliant.”  His free hand carded through his hair, ruffling the strands he’d spent twenty minutes on that morning to the point of nearly making them late.

“You’re right, ‘Underground’ is much cleverer,” she teased, grinning up at him.  “It’s almost as if someone thought it might be a good idea for the name to be descriptive.”

The Doctor’s jaw dropped, staring down at her for a moment before pursing his lips and harrumphing.  “Go ahead and mock, Rose Tyler.”

She waited, but he didn’t say anything else, just determinedly staring out the window over her head.  “No need to pout, love, we’re on holiday! You should be happy.”

His expression softened, and he beamed at her.  “I am happy, my love,” he emphasized the endearment, and Rose suspected their faces would crack any moment from so much smiling, “cause I’m with you.  Plus, we’re finally alone.”

That was true; after four years of bedtime stories from his big sister about her heroic alien ‘friend’, Tony had been in awe of meeting the Doctor in the flesh, even more so than the time they took him to meet Elmo.  Every second that her brother was awake he clamored for the Doctor and Rose’s attention, barely letting them have a moment to themselves.  The odd times that they did find themselves alone for the day, inevitably one of her parents would interrupt, hijacking them until Tony woke from his nap.

But now they had ten uninterrupted days alone.  They were on their way to Barcelona (the city not the planet), where Rose had rented a house for the week.  No parents, no brother, hopefully no alien encounters – other than what she had planned for the one next to her.  Sightseeing, sunbathing… and, she crossed her fingers, hopefully some shagging.  Or at least brilliant snogging.

The train started moving then, and she squeezed his hand in excitement.  “Here we go!”  Rose let go momentarily to shove up the armrest between them, and they cuddled together by the window as the train left the station and made its way through the city.

She was so distracted by his long, lean body pressed against hers, she almost missed a point of interest.  Using the GPS on her mobile to verify they were in the right spot, she nudged him before gesturing out the window.  “See this park here?”

“Yeah?”

“You can’t quite see it but if you follow these paths, they’ll take you around towards the construction.”

“Oh?  And what are they constructing?” he murmured in her ear, sending a rush of warmth through her veins.

“The Olympic park.”

“Oh, are they doing that here?” he asked in delight.  “I didn’t ask.”

She grinned at him in the reflection of the window.  “Yep! Next summer now.  Coming soon.”

“Think they’ll let me carry the torch?”

“They didn’t let you the first time,” she shot back, “and hopefully, the Isolus won’t get lost in this universe.”

He hummed softly.  “Well, actually, all things considered, it wouldn’t be that big a deal if it happened again.  I mean, no one died, and honestly, I think it helped that family more than it hurt.  What was their name?”

“Webber,” Rose said promptly.  “Chloe and Trish.”

He went still behind her for a moment before pressing his lips to the side of her head, hard.  “I love that you still remember that,” he whispered. “I love you.”

Her heart skipped a beat as it always did, and she took a moment to savor those words, how easily he said them, how often he said them.  “I love you too.”

They’d had breakfast before leaving the house, but shortly before they entered the Chunnel the Doctor stood, stretching.  “I could use a cuppa – you?”

Rose didn’t hesitate to sprawl out across both seats.  “Sure, ta.”  She watched him walk away, whistling, before calling him back.  “Wait!”

“What’s wrong?”  He hurried over to her.

She dug in her purse.  “One – the galley’s the other way, and two – d’you have cash?”  She glanced up to see him grinning, wallet in hand.

“As a matter of fact, I do,” he said smugly, as if two days ago he hadn’t almost gotten them arrested because he’d forgotten to pay for lunch.

Rose relaxed, sinking back in her seat, unable to wipe the happiness from her face.  “Great.  Oooh, I could go a chocolate croissant though, if they’ve got any.”

He blinked down at her, looking almost offended.  “We’ll be in Paris in an hour, and you want a croissant from a train?”

“Yep!”

He shook his head, walking away muttering under his breath.

“I heard that!”

In Paris they changed trains, stopping to grab pastries and lunch to go.  Settled in their seats on the TGV, Rose immediately pulled out one of the croissants and tore it in two, offering half to the Doctor.  She had the window again, and they snuggled together to watch the French countryside fly by.

“So this is probably a ridiculous question, but have you ever been to Paris?” Rose asked, leaning back against his chest.

“Of course,” he answered as expected.  “A number of times. Once, I came with my friend Romana.  Was it before? No-  not long after she regenerated.  We were here as tourists-”

“Wait, regenerated?  She was a Time Lord?” Rose bolted upright, turning to stare at him.

The Doctor ruffled his hair, an uncertain expression on his face.  “Yes- well, Time Lady.  She traveled with me for a while in her first and second incarnations.”

“Oh,” she exhaled, mind whirling.  For some reason, she’d never pictured him travelling with anyone but a human.  “Were you… involved?”

“What, romantically?”  His concern seemed to be fading, only to be replaced with confusion.  “Ugh, no.  She is- well, was, I suppose- one of my best friends, and a good ally whenever I had to return home, but- decidedly not.”

“Okay.”  Rose shook her head, resettling herself in his arms.  “Sorry, minor jealous freakout over.  You were tourists?”

He kissed the side of her head, arms tightening around her.  “Right. Anyway, we were wandering around, taking in the sights, when we realized someone was messing with time.  Long story short, an alien of the species Jagaroth had tried to take off in his spaceship some odd 400 million years ago, the ship blew up, and fragments of his consciousness were scattered forward through the centuries.  The one in 1979 Paris was posing as a Count, trying to raise funds to build a machine that would send him back to just before the explosion to stop it.”

“Did he succeed?”

The Doctor scoffed.  “The ship exploding mixed with the amniotic fluid on the ground, creating amino acids and effectively life on Earth.”

“So it was a paradox,” Rose guessed, tilting her head back to see his chin.  “He could never succeed ‘cause if he did he wouldn’t have been splintered in the first place, and there would’ve been no humanity to help him get back to the explosion.”

“Exactly,” the Doctor confirmed after a moment.  “I must say, Rose, you follow this a lot better than you used to.”

“Experience,” she replied simply.  “I spent two years hopping from dimension to dimension.  I had to understand – it was do or die.”

He traced his finger over her face, starting with her cheek before skating over her lips, nose, and brow, feather light.  The touch still made her shiver, leaning heavier into him.  He never spoke, and eventually she turned to look out the window again, the countryside flying by.

The slight rocking of the train must have lulled her to sleep, because she jerked awake at the conductor announcing, “Gare de Narbonne!  Narbonne!”

Struggling to untangle herself from the Doctor’s grip, she sat up, blinking.  The sky was beginning to darken, and she realized it was the last stop before their own.  “Doctor?”  She gently shook him awake as the train began to move again.  “Wake up, please.”

His eyes cracked open, a loud yawn echoing in the otherwise quiet car.  “Where’re we?”

“Narbonne, we’re next.”

“How long?”

“Bout thirty minutes, I think.”

“Oh, okay.”  And his eyes drifted shut again.  Rose waited a moment, before viciously pinching his side.  “Oi!”

“Don’t fall back asleep,” she hissed, “we’ll be there before we know it.  Come on, let’s clean this stuff up.”

He grumbled, still yawning, but did as she asked.  By the time all the trash had been discarded and they’d each made a trip to the loo, they were pulling into the station.

“Gare de Perpignan!  Perpignan!”

The train stopped and they stood, the Doctor snatching Rose’s bag before she could.  “Lead the way,” he nudged, and she did, stepping off the train and quickly locating the car rental booth.

“Erm, bonjour- ah, bonsoir, je m’appelle Rose Tyler, j’ai une reservation?”

Getting the car was relatively painless, despite being able to sense the Doctor’s desire to jump in and take over.  Thankfully he was wise enough to let her handle it, merely following her to the rental car where she froze, keys in hand.

It was exactly what she’d ordered: a midnight blue, sparking convertible in a shade as close to the TARDIS as she could get.  But looking at the vehicle reminded her of a key difference between England and the Continent – the steering wheel was on the other side.

“D’you want me to drive?” the Doctor offered, already popping the trunk and loading the bags.

“No, I can do it, I just need you to navigate for me,” Rose said, biting her lip.  How hard could it be?

“Alrighty, then.”  And he opened the right-side door with a flourish, waiting expectantly.

Smiling, she shook her head, walking around to the left and opening the door for herself.  “Thanks, love.”

“Right.”  He yawned again, ruffling his hair sheepishly as he slid in.  “This is nice.”

“I wanted to feel the wind in my hair,” Rose explained, carefully adjusting her mirrors and seat before starting the car.  “Okay, we’ve got about thirty kilometers to go tonight so we cross the border into Spain.  Then we can drive along the coast in the daylight.”

“Molto bene.”

She eased the car out of the space, watching carefully as she got out onto the street.  Fortunately traffic was light, just enough cars on the road to remind her which side to be on.  She deliberately drove out of her way for a few minutes as practice, before making her way over to the divided highway, holding her breath until she’d smoothly merged with traffic.  So long as she kept going straight she wasn’t too worried, and was soon comfortable enough to steal glances every so often at the farmland on the side of the highway.

“So, you haven’t said what all you’ve got planned for this week,” the Doctor mentioned, startling her; he’d been quiet for so long, she’d thought he’d fallen asleep again.

“Oh, the usual,” she said flippantly, “sun, sand, se- spending time alone with you.”  Rose bit her lip hoping he couldn’t see her blush, and more importantly, hadn’t caught her slip of the tongue.  She wanted to discuss their physical relationship with him, but hurtling down a motorway at 100 kph didn’t seem like the best time.

“That it?”  His voice was warm, and to her surprise, he settled his palm on her thigh, thumb stroking at the sensitive skin.

“Sightseeing!  We’re not too far from Barcelona, so I figured we could drive in a couple days, do the tourist thing.”  She swallowed, warmth pooling in her stomach.  His gaze was heavy on her, but not uncomfortable – more of a cozy duvet during the winter type of weight, rather than oppressive.  Could he, possibly, already be on the same page?

“Yeah, all right,” he was nodded approvingly when she snuck a peek at him, “also, love the alliteration.”

“Just for you, babe.”  Her laugh was off, too high-pitched and breathless, but it was genuine, and he giggled along.

They rode in silence after that, Rose focusing as the traffic picked up around her, the Doctor a steady but still presence next to her but for the occasional direction.  They made it to the hotel soon enough, and once again he rushed to carry her bag for her, dutifully trailing behind as she checked them in.

Despite the fact they’d been sleeping in the same bed since his arrival, anticipation sparked between them as they reached the room.  For the first time, there would be no risk of interruption – no Tony to come bounding in, no Jackie to pester them down to breakfast.

Rose threw open the door, nearly dancing inside – until she stopped dead, the Doctor crashing into her back in his own haste.

“Oi!  Why’d you stop- oh.”  His chest was warm against her back as they stood there, staring at the twin beds.  A beautiful antique nightstand stood between the beds, and Rose had a nasty feeling that it would be quite heavy, if not impossible, to move.

“They were supposed to give us a king,” she moaned, as the two bags dropped to the ground behind her.  “Shit.  And the girl said we were the last to check in, too.”

“We can make do,” the Doctor said bravely.  “It’s one night.”

“Yeah.”  Rose supposed it was for the best, as she lifted her weekender onto the bed closer to the window.  The anticipation and impatience was making her ache, and if they slept curled up together she couldn’t promise to control herself, and she didn’t want that.  She wanted to have a conversation about it first, a likely excruciating and humiliating conversation, and make sure they were on the same page.

Plus, she didn’t want anyone to overhear them – she suspected they would be loud.

She couldn’t wait.

[magsdomino]

Ska-roth the Jagaroth

Opening acts:

Horns of Nimon

Cult of Ska-ro

[tlv-dd]

The Knight, The Fool, and The Dead.

A novel from BBC Books, the first of two, arguably forming the core narrative.

Prologue

On Destran, Estinee is witness to The Kotturuh, who she thought a myth, bringing death to the world. As she withers and dies her mother informs her they will now live for just 40 years. As the Kotturuh come for her, Estinee falls from a window trying to evade them.

Chapter One

The Tenth Doctor is in the Tombs of the Ended, a monument to the dead of Andalia he meets and Andalian in meditation, and talks about being a long way from home in a tomb that has only had 50 bodies interred ever, while holding onto the memory of a woman entering her home on Davies Street and the sound of a gun firing. He's trying to get away from Fixed Points, and noted for the most part the Andalians don't die. The Andalian mentions a demonstration taking place which he scoffs at as being based on superstitions. The Doctor steps out into the light of Andalia's two suns, one red and one blue, confirming he is in the Dark Times.

He follows crowds of Andalians heading to where a spacecraft sits to watch the Demonstration, while thinking of how little he knows of the Dark Times beyond the First Proliferation, the rise of the Old Ones, stragglers of which he has dealt with a few of, Exxilons, Eternals, Jagaroth and Racnoss, and revels in the chance to explore this little known era even as the TARDIS begged him not to go through the Fracture. He feels the Andalians have conquered life, a truly United people.

The craft, looking like a metal cockroach, opens up into a stage, and The Doctor enquires about the demonstration to someone in the crowd, who explains it is called Lifeshroud, and is supposed to protect one from Death, as people are scared with The Kotturuh coming.

Chapter Two

The Doctor knows of the stories of The Kotturuh, even knows that they exist, hidden in his own time, but realises now this is a time where Death is new. An AI constrict in the image of an Andalian presents to the audience, and warns of The Kotturuh.

An estimated 4000 worlds have been visited by The Kotturuh, and limits on their life placed. The AI shows an image of hundreds of bodies strewn about some other world. The Doctor recognises that almost no civilisation could adjust to the sudden change in their realities, changing from eternal life barring accidents to finite lives. Different peoples have had different responses on trying to hold on to those lost. The AJ presents a way to reject the "Gift" of Death in the Lifeshroud.

A girl of about 15 appears on stage, on a bodysuit under golden chainmail and overlaid with circuits. The AI declares Lifeshroud protects from all necrosis, Death Can't Touch It. The AI tells of the Kotturuh bringing death to Destran, and presents the girl, Estinee, fated to die in weeks without Lifeshroud.

Estinee speaks of her experience, and shows she was touched by The Kotturuh, but Lifeshroud will allow her to live her "natural" eternal life. When the Doctor questions if it works, the AI demonstrates using a high power torch on Estinee, who is protected from dying bits burnt, as people on the crowd start purchasing their own, The Doctor tries to treat Estinee, as the AI stops him from analysing her for fear of accessing Lifeshroud proprietary secrets.

The AI voice is suddenly replaced by a real voice warning her it is coming, and to activate. The AI explodes, and the Doctor witnesses the one responsible, holding a laser rifle and wearing a dinner suit, an orb on his lapel. An Ood.

Chapter Three

The Doctor is reminded of Ood Sigma appearing to him on Davies Street, but realises this is another Ood, billions of years before the Ood Brain exists. He's insure if the Ood was targeting the AI or himself. The Ood tells Mr. Ball that, having confirmed the deadliness of the weapon, he can test the Lifeshroud. It fires at Estinee, she is again defended but her body and hair burn. The Doctor sends vending machines at the Ood to knock him down, he is then mobbed by Andalians trying to get free Lifeshroud. The Doctor sees Estinee heal before his eyes,and tries to run from the Ood with Estinee. She wants to go with the stage, but it's already moving away, Estine knowing Fallomax has called it back to the Polythrope. Estinee admits it still hurts and begs him to get her to the ship.

He gets her to a hovercar, which she takes control of, The Doctor barely getting aboard, as some sort of tracker appears and follows them. In a desperate bid to get away, they swerve into the desert, crashing in to a temple, but the Tracker catches them.

Andalians appear, horrified of the loss of their temple, The Doctor tries to say he honours history as the image of a tombstone of one Captain Adelaide Brook appears in his mind. Estinee screams, as the insects all across the world die as one, and suddenly Andalians around him start to die. Seeing strange new arrivals, The Doctor confronts them, and they announce themselves as The Kotturuh.

Chapter Four

The Doctor finds himself incensed by The Kotturuh's judgement of the Andalians, condemned to live but a Lunar Cycle. The Kotturuh can tell he comes from the future, his people already gifted Death. He tries to keep their focus from Estinee, but they throw him away, mocking his attempts to be a Knight when he seems more a fool. He returns to the hovercar to find The Kotturuh and Estinee gone.

The Ood approaches, introducing itself as Brian. Brian explains he was testing the Lifeshroud, not trying to kill Estinee. The Doctor wonders if any Abdalians survived in Lifeshroud, but another tracker approaches, announcing that the Lifeshrouds need a certain crystal to work based on analysis, sold separately. The tracker projects an image of Brian's current client, Verv-Hoondai Chalskal, the High Ambassador of Skalithai and Standing Throne-Being of the Pan-Victis Defensive Alliance. He apologises that he did have Brian try to kill the Doctor, having thought he was trying to steal the Lifeshroud for himself, professing his personal aim was to acquire Lifeshroud so it could be put in the Public Domain, for the good of his people. Their best guess for the Kotturuh taking Estinee is that it is to hold her over Professor Hana Fallomax, the Lifeshroud designer, who survived her people due to working on the technology off world. She sold Lifeshroud in bulk on seven worlds, The Kotturuh appeared on each world before the crystals were supplied. The other possibility is so they can bypass it before it can be implemented.

Chalskal has a lock on Estinee's DNA, and requests The Doctor and Brian rescue Estinee for the good of all peoples.

First Interlude

In a cave fire from torches burns through 3 skulls, Barbara holds a fourth. She compares the skulls to her fellow outsiders in this time, regretting the circumstances she finds herself in in the Cave of Skulls. At the Old Man's bidding she puts the skull over another torch, as Ian and Susan keep watch for their captors, as they hope to terrify then when they return. She sits with the old man, and starts talking about a story, while the Old Man derides it, he does ask to hear, a story of a tailor seeking a godfather for his newest child, rejecting God and the Devil, he chooses Death.

Chapter Five

In the TARDIS, the Doctor hooks it up to the DNA tracker while contemplating the loss of life, Brian relates the similar devastation seen on other worlds. Brian reveals he came to the Dark Times in the TARDIS with the Doctor, leading him to conclude Brian is from his future. They travel Estinee to Mordeela, a world from which The Kotturuh operate.

Estinee is captive on Mordeela for the 3rd time and is witness to a nabob representing the Turska Gordansis pleading for long lives, and given little, the nabob dying and becoming like a living statue following their will.

Chapter Six

The TARDIS breaches the time-phase barrier around Mordeela, bring The Doctor and Brian about a mile from Estinee's position. The two follow the signal to a room filled with calculations, The Kotturuh's grand design. As the Doctor reads he unknowingly becomes possessed, Brian forcing him to the ground and snapping him out of it.

They proceed further, finding The Kotturuh's revenants, one of each species they have judged, all speaking the same language and reciting something. Mr. Ball determines an Andalian is reciting the coordinates to Andalia at the moment The Kotturuh arrived, another reciting coordinates his planet will not reach for some years.

Chapter Seven

The Doctor attempts to surrender to revenants unsuccessfully, and as they are grabbed a robot tank suddenly rolls in, knocking revenants over. Brian stuns it and they hijack it, working out it's a mining vehicle, and try to get away to the TARDIS. As they get near the operator takes control back, and Estinee's head pops out before her and the tank teleport away.

With Kotturuh converging they rush to the TARDIS, and prepare to dematerialise, but a Kotturuh appear in front of The Doctor. As The Doctor's mind has seen the design, they now intend to give the gift of death...

But is then gone, Brian having dematerialised, and not having seen any Kotturuh. The Doctor is now occasionally reciting coordinates, Brian believes them to be Andalia's in the near future, where The Doctor will die.

Second Interlude

Rose awakens from a nightmare about Death, and sees The Doctor. Her dream reminded her of the Godfather Death story, which the Doctor tells her. Thanks to Death the Tailor wanted for nothing, and he told the boy at 18 to be a doctor, giving him a special herb, if he goes to a patient and Death is at the head of the bed, give the herb to cure them, if Death is at the foot there's nothing to do.

One day the man was called to the King's bed, and saw Death at the foot, but he doesn't agree with this, turns the bed so Death is at the head, and cures the King. Death warns not to do that again.

The King's daughter became ill, and the king promises the tailor's son her hand if he cures her. But Death was at the foot of her bed.

Chapter Eight

The Doctor starts convincing himself he can avoid any fate. Brian has followed Estinee's transmat signal to a ship, and see a revenant that had clung to the vehicle vanish from the hold. They find a number of mined crystals, and recognise they are on the Polythrope.

Estinee sits as Fallomax works, planning another stop on their show thanks to coordinates from the captured revenant. Fallomax wears the original Lifeshroud, and wants to have Estinee do multiple shows, next world, but she refuses.

The Doctor and Brian burst in, Brian disarms Fallomax and The Doctor expresses righteous indignation at both using Estinee for demonstration and to get more dates, and preying on fears of those set to be next.

Brian suddenly shoots Estinee, The Doctor is furious at him, especially as Estinee wasn't wearing Lifeshroud. Brian notes she is breathing, and she starts healing, Mr. Ball having determined Estinee is the source of the healing.

Chapter Nine

The Doctor gets Estinee to a medipod, Brian explaining Lifeshroud had seemed totally inoperative when he first attacked. The Doctor marvels at a child immune to death, this is why The Kotturuh kept capturing her.

The ship is suddenly boarded, The Doctor and Brian meet the boarders, Brian kills 3 before Chalskai appears, having secretly been tracking Brian's DNA.

Fallomax and Estinee emerge, Fallomax revealing that she heard the coordinates of his people's judgement from Chalskal's predecessor years ago, they will be judged in 2 weeks, Chalskal horrified that there is no Lifeshroud. The Doctor insists they will make Lifeshroud work.

Third Interlude

In Moslin, the Doctor sits next to a man in a dark cloak, a woman laid next to him. The Eighth Doctor tells Brian he looks like the image of Death, and with himself a Doctor was reminded of the story, this time the tailor's child is a girl. She defies death and repeats the trick to save the Princess. Death takes the daughter to a cavern, where a candle burns for every life, and snuffs her out. Brian views it as telling of life finitude, the Doctor argues it means to keep running and have a trick up your sleeve.

Chapter Ten

Chalskal has everyone confined while he consults his government. Fallomax in contemplating things, Estinee talks about how The Kotturuh wanted to use her to feed the revenants life. Fallomax believes the crystals from Mordeela power the Kotturuh with death energy. Eloii, Fallomax's world, was rendered short lived and sterile. Fallomax and her Papa had been studying a meteor he suspected was a chunk of Mordeela, which allowed them to develop Lifeshroud, which can really only protect from Kotturuh's gift.

Chalskal declares work is to begin in secrecy aboard his ship, and everyone is escorted at gunpoint.

Chapter Eleven

As Fallomax attempts to increase the crystals energy retention and Brian calculates, The Doctor studies other methods, Estinee keeping him company. After a few days they talk about pain, loss, death and running from it, as The Doctor contemplates possibly destroying the calculation.

After an alert on the sonic screwdriver The Doctor suddenly leaves. Estinee walks around and finds him secretly meeting Brian, who has found that Chalskal has told no one in the government about the attack or making Lifeshrouds, and his fleet is privately owned. The Doctor plans to act on this, but is also contemplating using Lifeshroud offensively. The two leave and Estinee sees a Kotturuh saying the design cannot be broken.

Estinee tells Fallomax and the Doctor, and the 3 adults discuss what it means. The Doctor decides they should limit The Kotturuh's lifespans as they have everyone else.

Chapter Twelve

The Doctor hopes to combine Estinee's healing with Lifeshroud's energy use to send the Kotturuh wave back at them, though to have a good idea of how the wave affects DNA they need to head to Andalia and study various bodies, though they can't leave until they give Chalskal what he wants.

After a lot more testing, Fallomax grabs Estinee for the demonstration for Chalskal. At the demo, the 3 take down Chalskal's guards and equip the prototype on Chalskal, to test how long the crystals will last before exploding, Brian promising to free him of he surrenders his forces to the Doctor. The Doctor doesn't want it, but is convinced by Brian of the necessity, and heads to Andalia with Estinee and Fallomax.

Chapter Thirteen

On Andalia the survivors seem almost feral. DNA is collected and the changes observed, the Doctor is ale to use a sample of Kotturuh DNA to successfully induce a killing wave. With this they can make a field to drive the Kotturuh back, or wipe them out of they attack. The Doctor seems to consider this almost a necessity, to stop death. He thinks he can stop the Time Lords falling, and the Daleks and Cybermen coming to be. He decides this has to be the plan, and gets to work, Fallomax following him. Estinee is hesitant even about killing Kotturuh, and does not see one hover behind her.

Chapter Fourteen

Fallomax, outside the lab, hears The Doctor contact Brian and instruct to prepare a blockade on Mordeela. Chalskal has been handed over to the authorities, and The Doctor is officially covering the costs of the fleet.

The Doctor has prepared two methods of attack, one a sentence of death, the other of life. As Fallomax is about to criticise his will to use the mercenaries, the TARDIS dematerialises.

The Doctor finds they've moved forwards 5 days, and Estinee has seemingly left the TARDIS, he runs out.

Fallomax is called out by Estinee, holding the weapon used on her at the demonstrations, Fallomax tries to run but is vapourised by Estinee, as Lifeshroud only protects from The Kotturuh.

The Doctor hears Fallomax scream and rushes back, Estinee admitting to having hates Fallomax for using her, which the Kotturuh had used to control her, and sees the Doctor as wanting to use her against the Kotturuh.

She steps towards him with the weapon, as 8 Kotturuh appear, he warns that once he's dead they'll take her prisoner forever.

The Kotturuh order her to kill him.

Chapter Fifteen

Estinee, being compelled, can see The Doctor's concern for her. Despite being willed to she has not yet killed The Doctor. He tries to get her in the TARDIS, but is knocked back. The Doctor begs for her, and Estinee, angry, takes control of herself and fires the weapon at her Lifeshroud crystals.

The resultant explosion causes The Doctor to see one of The Kotturuh's face. Estinee is vapourised, Fallomax's Lifeshroud crystals absorbed the energy. The Doctor loses one of his prepared sentences, life. He uses the other one.

The Kotturuh say they will change their plans for his species. They start being affected as he throws Adelaide Brook's condemnation of him at them, and declares himself the Time Lord Victorious.

Unknown to The Doctor, Estinee is still alive as dust.

Chapter Sixteen

The Doctor returns to the flagship in his Time Lord robes. He asks himself if he has the right, and decides he does. The ship and fleet are above Mordeela, a Kotturuh fleet behind the barrier, more appear as he considers them to have to, if anything, act like Fallomax had for so long.

The Doctor explains The Kotturuh's fate is sealed, but he intends to seal away Mordeela so no-one else can use its energy. The Doctor readies a device as a Kotturuh ship makes contact only for all aboard to die.

The device is ready to reflect their energy back, and he prepares his first act as Time Lord Victorious, while still allowing himself some doubt.

Before he can order an attack, a familiar saucer appears, and makes contact. The Eighth Doctor, who Brian recognises, announces he's hear to stop them. With the Daleks.

Another ship makes contact, a Coffin Ship. The Ninth Doctor in command.

Both Doctors tell Ten he's not doing the right thing, he's not saving the future but breaking it.

He decides they are wrong

He orders Brian to attack, even if his past selves oppose him.

(Continuity Notes: Ten is very fresh off the events of Waters of Mars. The gap between that story and The End of Time is uncertain, but this is almost immediately after. Brian has evidently traveled to the Dark Times with the Eight Doctor, who has now allied with the Daleks, some time after Defender of the Daleks for them. Nine has come from after the events of Monstrous Beauty. While the Kotturuh have clearly been doing this for a long time, on terms of story all their subsequent appearances take place after this.)

[type40capsule]

City of Death by T-RexJones

[icewarrior2000]

City of Death

(Series 17, Episodes 5-8)

Summary: Doctor Who meets its first crack in time as Romana, inexplicably dressed like a 1920s' schoolgirl, and the Doctor take a romantic trip to France.  The soundtrack made me momentarily think I was watching a seventies' arthouse film about people running urgently around Paris but then the saxes kick in and we’re in a sleazy crime thriller about a convoluted art heist.  Some famous art lovers turn up to critique the TARDIS, spaghetti head Scaroth the Jagaroth is splintered across time and poor old Duggan just needs a drink.

Watch it because: Doctor Who’s French Connection: we’ll always have Paris.

Original Air Date: 29 September – 20 October 1979.

Doctor: Tom Baker.

Companions: Romana (Lalla Ward).

Writer: “David Agnew” (David Fisher, Douglas Adams & Graham Williams).

Director: Michael Hayes.

Producer: Graham Williams.