Alit in Underland (short story): Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|range            = The Missy Chronicles
|range            = The Missy Chronicles
|number in range  = 6
|number in range  = 6
|main character  = {{Gomez}}
|main character  = [[Missy]]
|featuring        = {{Simm}}
|featuring        = Saxon Master{{!}}Saxon Master
|featuring2      = Alit
|featuring2      = Alit
|enemy            = [[Cyber-Leader (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Leader]]
|enemy            = [[Cyber-Leader (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Leader]]
|setting          = [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Mondasian colony ship]]: [[superstructure walkways]] underneath [[Floor 0507]], [[Floor 0508]]
|setting          = [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Mondasian colony ship]]: [[superstructure walkways]] underneath [[Floor 0507]], [[Floor 0508]]
|writer          = [[Richard Dinnick]]
|writer          = Richard Dinnick
|anthology        = ''[[The Missy Chronicles]]''
|anthology        = The Missy Chronicles
|release date    = [[22 February (releases)|22 February]] [[2018 (releases)|2018]]
|release date    = 22 February 2018
|prev            = Girl Power! (short story)
|prev            = Girl Power! (short story)
}}
}}
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== Summary ==
== Summary ==
While the [[Twelfth Doctor]] recovers on [[Floor 0507|Floor 507]] of the [[Mondas]] [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Colony Ship]], {{Gomez}} and {{Simm}} hunt for their way out - with a [[Alit |stowaway]] in tow.
While the [[Twelfth Doctor]] recovers on [[Floor 0507|Floor 507]] of the [[Mondas]] [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Colony Ship]], [[Missy]] and {{Simm}} hunt for their way out - with a [[Alit|stowaway]] in tow.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
On [[Floor 0507]] of the [[Mondasian]] [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|colony ship]], the night after the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Bill Potts|Bill]], [[Nardole]], {{Gomez}} and {{Simm}} arrived in a [[SL-16|shuttlecraft]] from [[Floor 1056]], [[Alit]] sneaks out of the farmhouse to follow the Master and Missy, who are attempting to travel to [[Floor 0508]] to stop the [[Patient (World Enough and Time)|prototype Cybermen]] from Floor 1056 attacking the [[solar farm]] and find a means of escaping the ship, despite Nardole and [[Hazran|Hazran’s]] protests that travel to the lower levels was too dangerous. Alit follows the duo to the crashed shuttle and hides behind it whilst the Master and Missy investigate the hole made by the shuttle. Missy recovers the shuttle’s rope ladder, and begins climbing down into the walkways between Floor 0507 and Floor 0508 along with the Master. Alit attempts to flee only to run straight into a prototype [[Cyberman]]; she escapes down the ladder and is confronted by the Master and Missy. Eventually the trio begin journeying down one of the walkways, with Missy reassuring Alit that she shouldn’t be scared of the Master, the scarecrow or the dark as there’s something much scarier than any of them.
One night on [[Floor 0507]] of the [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Mondasian colony ship]], sometime after [[Nardole]]'s [[SL-16|shuttlecraft]] from [[Floor 1056]] crashed on the [[solar farm]], [[Alit]] sneaks out of the [[farmhouse]] to follow {{Simm}} and [[Missy]], who, despite Nardole and [[Hazran]]'s protests, are travelling to [[Floor 0508]] to stop the [[Patient (World Enough and Time)|patients]] and find a way to escape the colony ship. Alit follows the duo to the crashed shuttle and hides behind it while the Master and Missy use the shuttle's rope ladder to climb down into the [[Superstructure walkway|walkways]] between Floor 0507 and Floor 0508. Alit decides to return to the farmhouse, only to run straight into one of the patients. She escapes down the ladder and is confronted by the Master and Missy, who decide to let her join them on their journey.


On their journey, the Master speculates that a service lift is nearby that will take the group to Floor 0508. Alit thinks the Cyberman she ran from earlier - who Missy has begun to call [[Topknot|"Topknot"]] - is still following them, and the group speeds up after hearing it. Eventually, Missy detects a nearby service-cradle, and the Master quickly burns through its seals with his laser screwdriver. Suddenly, Topknot emerges from the darkness and tries to grab Missy; the latter begins parrying it in defence with her sonic umbrella. As Alit dives for the open hatchway, the Master rips off Topknot's chest cloth and burns a small incision into the Cyberman’s [[Chest unit|chest]] with his laser screwdriver; it stops, allowing the Master to locate its [[voice box]] and alter its settings. The Master then orders Topknot to recognise his voice, before unbuttoning the back of its cloth to change the Cyberman’s root command so that it no longer recognises beings with two [[Heart|hearts]] as [[human]], allowing the trio to use Topknot however they wish.
In the walkways, the Master speculates that a service lift is nearby that will take the group to Floor 0508. Alit thinks the patient she ran from earlier - who Missy has begun to call "[[Topknot]]" - is still following them, and the group speeds up after hearing it. Eventually, Missy detects a nearby service-cradle, and the Master quickly burns through its seals with his laser screwdriver. Suddenly, Topknot emerges from the darkness and tries to grab Missy, who defends against it with her sonic umbrella, while the Master rips off Topknot's chest cloth and burns a small incision into the patient's [[Chest unit|chest]] with his laser screwdriver; it stops, allowing the Master to alter its [[voice box]] settings so that Topknot recognises his vocal commands. The Master then changes the patient's root command so that it no longer recognises beings with two [[heart]]s as [[human]], allowing him and Missy to use Topknot however they wish. Alit climbs through a small gap in the hatch‘s bars and unlocks the door. The Master and Missy enter as well, and Topknot operates a control, causing the service-cradle to descend into Floor 0508. Missy questions the Master about his real plan, knowing that he isn’t really going to stop the Cybermen or find an escape; the Master states that he intends to alter the Cybermen’s definition of humanity so they no longer recognise beings with two hearts as human, allowing him to regain control over them and use them to conquer the galaxy.


Noting that the service-cradle is still locked in place, Missy tells Alit to climb through a small gap in the hatch‘s bars, the latter quickly doing so and unlocking the door. The Master and Missy enter as well, and Topknot operates a control that causes the cradle to begin descending into the floor’s sky. As the Master complains about his successor’s upbeat attitude, Missy questions him about their plan, knowing that he isn’t really going to stop the Cybermen or find an escape; the Master states that he intends to alter the Cybermen’s definition of humanity so they no longer recognise beings with two hearts as human, allowing him to regain control over them and use them to conquer the galaxy. Alit questions them out of confusion.
As dawn breaks, the service-cradle lands by a huge rail network. The group spend the majority of the day following and riding on various pieces of automated farming equipment, before stopping at a network of buildings. The Master then orders Topknot to scan for technology that can be used to access the ship’s systems so that he can hack into the patients on Floor 1056. Topknot points to a tower at the centre of the buildings, and the group discover it to be a huge network of storage bays, silos and warehouses.


As dawn breaks, the service-cradle lands by a huge rail network. A large machine with various control panels on its sides arrives, and the group follow it in order to find a means of accessing the ship’s systems; Missy suggests to Alit that she should let Topknot carry her, but she quickly declines. After at least twenty minutes of walking, a cultivator arrives that the group hitch a ride on. As they travel through the fields, dusk begins to fall, and the Master observes a collection of tall, green storage silos in the distance. Eventually the cultivator passes an assortment of warehouses near the silos, and the group departs the machine, Alit ripping her shoe in the process; Topknot also twists its leg after falling off. The Master then orders the Cyberman to scan for technology that can be used to access the ship’s systems so he can hack into the prototype Cybermen on Floor 1056. Topknot points to a tower at the centre of the buildings, and the group discover it to be a huge edifice containing storage bays, silos and warehouses.  
As dusk falls, the group explore a large storage area for farming tools, before hearing voices nearby. They briefly hide before the Master notes that whoever are nearby are looking for life-forms with two hearts, realising they are looking for him and Missy. He then begins walking towards the voices, Missy and Alit following. They find the source of the voices to be a group of six Cybermen, whose [[Cyber-Leader (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Leader]] explains that the [[Cyber-Planner (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Planner]] has assigned them to capture the two Masters for interrogation concerning the change to the Cybermen's programmed definition of humanity. The Cybermen draw their cyber-guns and the Leader orders the group to follow them to the lifts back to Floor 1056. At the lifts, the Master realises that the Cyber-Leader has secondary orders, and as two Cybermen move to trap them, Missy stuns the entire patrol with her sonic umbrella while the Master uses his laser screwdriver to destroy the [[Cyber-Lieutenant (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Lieutenant]]. Alit and Missy hide in a closet down a side corridor, and witness the Cyber-Leader render the Master unconscious before throwing him into a nearby storage cell. The Leader then orders one pair of Cybermen to locate Missy and Alit, and the other to activate the [[Cybermat]]s before returning to Floor 1056. Missy and Alit escape by opening a far wall and venturing down another corridor.


As the sun begins setting, Missy uses her sonic umbrella to access the nearest building, and the Master uses Topknot as a guide through the various chambers. After a short while, the group here voices. Missy immediately ducks, pulling Alit down with her whilst beckoning to the Master; Topknot simply stands hidden from view. The Master notes that whoever are nearby are looking for life-forms with two hearts, realising they are looking for him and Missy. He then begins walking towards the voices, Missy and Alit following. They find the source of the voices to be a group of six Cybermen, all significantly more advanced than the prototypes on Floor 0507. The [[Cyber-Leader (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Leader]] and [[Cyber-Lieutenant (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Lieutenant]] recognise the Master as their former ruler, and when questioned by Missy, the Leader explains that the [[Cyber-Planner (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Planner]] has noted that the Cybermen’s definition of humanity has been altered, and that the source of such tampering must be found in order to prevent its reoccurrence; the patrol has been assigned to capture the two Masters for interrogation. Each Cyberman then draws a Cyber-gun, and the Leader orders the group to follow them to the lifts back to Floor 1056. At the lifts, Missy enquires as to the purpose of a guarded storage cupboard, and a Cyberman explains that the trio will be held within until the lifts arrive. The Master then realises that the Cyber-Leader has secondary orders, and as two Cybermen move to trap them, Missy stuns the entire patrol with her sonic umbrella while the Master uses his laser screwdriver to destroy the Cyber-Lieutenant. Alit and Missy hide in a closet down a side corridor, and witness the Cyber-Leader render the Master unconscious before throwing him into the cell, whilst the other Cybermen form a defensive position around the lifts. The Leader then orders one pair of Cybermen to locate Missy and Alit, and the other to activate the [[Cybermat|Cybermats]] before returning to Floor 1056. Missy and Alit escape by opening a far wall and venturing down another corridor.  
Missy and Alit lead the Cybermen on an erratic path to the central control tower, stopping by a nearby grain store on the way; Missy stuns a group of mice and contains them in small fence wire cages that the pair wear around their necks, two for Alit, one for Missy. The latter explains that the grouping of multiple life signs so close together will briefly trick the Cybermen’s scanners into registering the pair as life forms with three hearts, and as they are searching for life forms with one or two hearts, they will ignore Alit and Missy for a short while. Eventually the duo find Topknot, and Missy orders the Cyberman to locate the control tower and to keep watch for the Cyber-patrol. The pair take a lift to the top of the tower to the hub of a weather system across the entire floor.


Missy and Alit lead the Cybermen on an erratic path to the central control tower, stopping by a nearby grain store on the way; Missy stuns a group of mice and contains them in small fence wire cages that the pair wear around their necks, two for Alit, one for Missy. The latter explains that the grouping of multiple life signs so close together will briefly trick the Cybermen’s scanners into registering the pair as life forms with three hearts, and as they are searching for life forms with one or two hearts, they will ignore Alit and Missy for a short while. Eventually the duo find Topknot, and Missy orders the Cyberman to locate the control tower and to keep watch for the Cyber-patrol. The pair take a lift to the top of the tower to the hub of a weather system across the entire floor.  
Missy explains to Alit that the Cybermen intend to use the Cybermats to weaken the humans on Floor 0507 so that the solar farm can be conquered more easily. Upon hacking into the ship’s systems via the room’s service hatches, Missy discovers that all the cyber-technology the Master set up on Floor 1056 has a failsafe system; in the case of the patients, the system forces them to remain in the hospital if turned on. After discovering this system in the Cybermats, Missy activates it, forcing the Cybermats back to Floor 1056 and preventing their attack. Missy then has another idea, and instructs Alit to fetch some boots they passed earlier while she informs Topknot of their plan to rescue the Master.


Missy explains to Alit that the Cybermen intend to use the Cybermats to weaken the humans on Floor 0507 so that the solar farm can be conquered more easily. Upon hacking into the ship’s systems via the room’s service hatches, Missy discovers that all the cyber-technology the Master set up on Floor 1056 has a failsafe system; in the case of the prototype Cybermen, the system forces them to remain in the hospital if turned on. After discovering this system in the Cybermats, Missy activates it, forcing the Cybermats back to Floor 1056 and preventing their attack. Missy then has another idea, one that she believes will greatly please the Doctor. She instructs Alit to fetch some boots they passed earlier while she informs Topknot of their plan to rescue the Master.  
At the lifts, Missy rescues the Master from his cell and explains that she used Topknot to distract the Cybermen, when Alit arrives wearing some black rubber boots and carrying identical pairs in each hand. The two Masters put on their boots and the trio run for the nearest exit. Missy notes that they have located the lifts, and can use such knowledge to find them on Floor 0507 and reach the Doctor’s TARDIS. Suddenly, the Cyberman patrol reappears and begin firing at the trio. The Master, after being informed by Missy, pulls out his laser screwdriver and fires at the metal deck, creating an electrical discharge which causes the Cybermen to fall to the ground, dead. Alit, in shock, realises that hers, the Master’s and Missy’s rubber boots protected them from the discharge.


In his cell, the Master observes the ceiling to try and find an escape route, when Missy unlocks the door. She explains that she used Topknot to distract the Cybermen, when Alit arrives wearing some black rubber boots and carrying identical pairs in each hand. The two Masters put on their boots and the trio run for the nearest exit. Outside, a storm drenches the entire floor. Missy opens her umbrella, the Master and Alit taking shelter with her. Missy notes that although they'll have to leave Topknot behind, they’ve located the lifts, and can use such knowledge to find them on Floor 0507 and reach the Doctor’s TARDIS. The Master then enquires as to Missy’s plan, the latter pointing upwards. Suddenly, the Cyberman patrol reappear and begin firing at the trio. The Master pulls out his laser screwdriver and fires at the metal deck. The resulting electrical discharge causes the Cybermen to freeze on the spot as the lamps on their heads explode; they all fall to the ground, dead, save for the Cyber-Leader, who takes a few more steps towards Alit before also dying. As the Master poses victoriously, Alit stares in shock at the dead Cybermen, realising that hers, the Master’s and Missy’s rubber boots protected them from the discharge.
The trio manage to locate a conveyor belt system feeding straw bales to the higher floors, and use it to quickly return to Floor 0507. As they ride up and away from Floor 0508, Alit asks Missy why she didn’t stop the Cybermen with the failsafe system if she managed to stop the Cybermats, but Missy simply dismisses the idea as a long shot, before telling Alit to keep it a secret between them. At Floor 0507, the group arrive inside a large stable, home to several horses and carts. They harness a cart to one of the horses and begin riding back to the farmhouse. Alit notices a sinister look in Missy’s eye, as the latter speculates that killing her previous incarnation is the only way things can end...
 
The trio manage to locate a conveyor belt system feeding straw bales to the higher floors, and use it to quickly return to Floor 0507. As they ride up and away from Floor 0508, Alit asks Missy why she didn’t stop the Cybermen if she managed to stop the Cybermats, but Missy simply dismisses the idea as a long shot, before telling Alit to keep it a secret between them. At Floor 0507, the group arrive inside a large storage barn and find a stable of horses and carts. They harness a cart to one of the horses and the Master takes the reins while Missy and Alit ride in the back. Missy wonders how the Doctor is doing, and the Master asks her about why she is travelling with him. Missy explains that she was imprisoned, and the Master believes she intended to betray, or even kill the Doctor. Alit notices a sinister look in Missy’s eye, as the latter speculates that killing her previous incarnation is the only way things can end...  


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
* {{Gomez}}
* [[Missy]]
* {{Simm|c}}
* {{Simm|c}}
* [[Alit]]
* [[Alit]]
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* [[Cyber-Lieutenant (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Lieutenant]]
* [[Cyber-Lieutenant (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Lieutenant]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* The Master, Missy, and Alit wear [[Wellington boot]]s.
* The Master, Missy, and Alit wear [[Wellington boot]]s.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* The story is set during [[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|''The Doctor Falls'']], the night after the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Bill Potts|Bill]], [[Nardole]], {{Gomez}} and {{Simm}} arrived on [[Floor 0507]]. Thus, this is the last story, chronologically, to feature Missy before the episode depicting her death, forming a bookend with ''[[Dismemberment (short story)|Dismemberment]]'', which opened ''[[The Missy Chronicles]]'' as her earliest story.
* The story is set during [[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'', during the two weeks after the [[Twelfth Doctor]], [[Bill Potts|Bill]], [[Nardole]], [[Missy]] and {{Simm}} arrived on [[Floor 0507]]. Thus, this is the last story, chronologically, to feature Missy before the episode depicting her death, forming a bookend with [[PROSE]]: ''[[Dismemberment (short story)|Dismemberment]]'', which opened ''[[The Missy Chronicles]]'' as her earliest story.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The Doctor is still recovering from being electroshocked by a Cyberman. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* [[Twelfth Doctor|The Doctor]] is still recovering from being [[Electrocution|electrocuted]] by a [[CyberMondan|Mondasian Cyberman]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* [[Alit]] thinks the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] are [[Scarecrow|scarecrows]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* [[Alit]] thinks the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] are [[scarecrow]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* The Master tells Missy her [[sonic umbrella]] and hat are reminiscent of [[Mary Poppins]] and she tells him they've always enjoyed children's viewing. The Master then reminisces about the sun from the ''[[Teletubbies]]'' and how he thought it would look the same on the [[Mondasian]] [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|colony ship]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') He then compares ''Teletubbies'' to ''[[Clangers]]''. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sea Devils (TV story)|The Sea Devils]]'')
* The Master tells [[Missy]] her [[sonic umbrella]] and hat are reminiscent of [[Mary Poppins]] and she tells him they've always enjoyed children's viewing. The Master then reminisces about the sun from the ''[[Teletubbies]]'' and how he thought it would look the same on the [[Mondasian]] [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|colony ship]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') He then compares ''Teletubbies'' to ''[[Clangers]]''. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sea Devils (TV story)|The Sea Devils]]'')
* Missy says she recently watched ''[[Frozen (film)|Frozen]]'' with the Doctor. ([[TV]]: ''[[Empress of Mars (TV story)|Empress of Mars]]'')
* Missy says she recently watched ''[[Frozen (film)|Frozen]]'' with the Doctor. ([[TV]]: ''[[Empress of Mars (TV story)|Empress of Mars]]'')
* Missy calls the Master out on not wanting to [[Regeneration|regenerate]] into a woman and the Master says women always stab people in the back. In their near future, Missy will literally stab the Master in the back and he, in turn, will shoot her in the back. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* Missy calls the Master out on not wanting to [[Regeneration|regenerate]] into a woman and the Master says women always stab people in the back. In their near future, Missy will literally stab the Master in the back and he, in turn, will shoot her in the back. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* Missy recalls several women that she's used and abused throughout her lives: [[Galleia]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time Monster (TV story)|The Time Monster]]'') [[Kassia]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Keeper of Traken (TV story)|The Keeper of Traken]]'') [[Chantho]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'') Miss [[Trefusis]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''), and [[Lucy Saxon]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'', ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'') The Master mocks Missy for remembering their names and Missy says she's been making herself remember names lately. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lie of the Land (TV story)|The Lie of the Land]]'')
* Missy recalls several women that she's used and abused throughout her lives: [[Galleia]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time Monster (TV story)|The Time Monster]]'') [[Kassia]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Keeper of Traken (TV story)|The Keeper of Traken]]'') [[Chantho]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'') [[Trefusis|Miss Trefusis]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''), and [[Lucy Saxon]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'', ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'') The Master mocks Missy for remembering their names and Missy says she's been making herself remember names lately. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lie of the Land (TV story)|The Lie of the Land]]'')
* The Cybermen ordered to capture the Master and Missy resemble [[CyberNeomorph]]s and possess similar [[Cyber-gun|Cyber-guns]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'', ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'') They are also following orders from a [[Cyber-Planner (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Planner]]. ([[TV]]: [[The Wheel in Space (TV story)|The Wheel in Space]])
* The Cybermen ordered to capture the Master and Missy are [[CyberNeomorph]]s and possess identical [[Cyber-gun]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'', ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'')
* Missy explains that the Cybermen use [[Cybermat|Cybermats]] to spread disease on human colonies. ([[TV]]: ''[[Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)|Revenge of the Cybermen]]'')
* A [[Cyber-Planner (Alit in Underland)|Cyber-Planner]] leads the Cybermen on [[Floor 1056]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Wheel in Space (TV story)|The Wheel in Space]]'', ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* Missy explains that the Cybermen use [[Cybermat]]s to spread disease on [[human]] [[Colony|colonies]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)|Revenge of the Cybermen]]'')
* Missy reminds the Master that they always "dress for the occasion". ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'')
* Missy reminds the Master that they always "dress for the occasion". ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'')
* Missy decides to kill the Master. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* Missy decides to kill the Master. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* Missy has already planned for the death of her former incarnation once, using Lucy Saxon to shoot him and then to concoct the mixture that prevents his full bodily return. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Unwanted Gift of Prophecy (short story)|The Unwanted Gift of Prophesy]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')


{{The Missy Chronicles}}
{{The Missy Chronicles}}
{{Master stories}}
{{Saxon Master stories}}
{{Missy stories}}
{{Cyberman stories}}
{{Cyberman stories}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[Category:The Missy Chronicles short stories]]
[[Category:The Missy Chronicles short stories]]
[[Category:Multi-Master stories]]
[[Category:Multi-Master short stories]]
[[Category:Cyberman short stories‎]]
[[Category:Saxon Master short stories]]
[[Category:Cyberman short stories]]

Latest revision as of 11:58, 3 April 2024

RealWorld.png

Alit in Underland was the sixth and final short story published in The Missy Chronicles.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

While the Twelfth Doctor recovers on Floor 507 of the Mondas Colony Ship, Missy and the Saxon Master hunt for their way out - with a stowaway in tow.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

One night on Floor 0507 of the Mondasian colony ship, sometime after Nardole's shuttlecraft from Floor 1056 crashed on the solar farm, Alit sneaks out of the farmhouse to follow the Saxon Master and Missy, who, despite Nardole and Hazran's protests, are travelling to Floor 0508 to stop the patients and find a way to escape the colony ship. Alit follows the duo to the crashed shuttle and hides behind it while the Master and Missy use the shuttle's rope ladder to climb down into the walkways between Floor 0507 and Floor 0508. Alit decides to return to the farmhouse, only to run straight into one of the patients. She escapes down the ladder and is confronted by the Master and Missy, who decide to let her join them on their journey.

In the walkways, the Master speculates that a service lift is nearby that will take the group to Floor 0508. Alit thinks the patient she ran from earlier - who Missy has begun to call "Topknot" - is still following them, and the group speeds up after hearing it. Eventually, Missy detects a nearby service-cradle, and the Master quickly burns through its seals with his laser screwdriver. Suddenly, Topknot emerges from the darkness and tries to grab Missy, who defends against it with her sonic umbrella, while the Master rips off Topknot's chest cloth and burns a small incision into the patient's chest with his laser screwdriver; it stops, allowing the Master to alter its voice box settings so that Topknot recognises his vocal commands. The Master then changes the patient's root command so that it no longer recognises beings with two hearts as human, allowing him and Missy to use Topknot however they wish. Alit climbs through a small gap in the hatch‘s bars and unlocks the door. The Master and Missy enter as well, and Topknot operates a control, causing the service-cradle to descend into Floor 0508. Missy questions the Master about his real plan, knowing that he isn’t really going to stop the Cybermen or find an escape; the Master states that he intends to alter the Cybermen’s definition of humanity so they no longer recognise beings with two hearts as human, allowing him to regain control over them and use them to conquer the galaxy.

As dawn breaks, the service-cradle lands by a huge rail network. The group spend the majority of the day following and riding on various pieces of automated farming equipment, before stopping at a network of buildings. The Master then orders Topknot to scan for technology that can be used to access the ship’s systems so that he can hack into the patients on Floor 1056. Topknot points to a tower at the centre of the buildings, and the group discover it to be a huge network of storage bays, silos and warehouses.

As dusk falls, the group explore a large storage area for farming tools, before hearing voices nearby. They briefly hide before the Master notes that whoever are nearby are looking for life-forms with two hearts, realising they are looking for him and Missy. He then begins walking towards the voices, Missy and Alit following. They find the source of the voices to be a group of six Cybermen, whose Cyber-Leader explains that the Cyber-Planner has assigned them to capture the two Masters for interrogation concerning the change to the Cybermen's programmed definition of humanity. The Cybermen draw their cyber-guns and the Leader orders the group to follow them to the lifts back to Floor 1056. At the lifts, the Master realises that the Cyber-Leader has secondary orders, and as two Cybermen move to trap them, Missy stuns the entire patrol with her sonic umbrella while the Master uses his laser screwdriver to destroy the Cyber-Lieutenant. Alit and Missy hide in a closet down a side corridor, and witness the Cyber-Leader render the Master unconscious before throwing him into a nearby storage cell. The Leader then orders one pair of Cybermen to locate Missy and Alit, and the other to activate the Cybermats before returning to Floor 1056. Missy and Alit escape by opening a far wall and venturing down another corridor.

Missy and Alit lead the Cybermen on an erratic path to the central control tower, stopping by a nearby grain store on the way; Missy stuns a group of mice and contains them in small fence wire cages that the pair wear around their necks, two for Alit, one for Missy. The latter explains that the grouping of multiple life signs so close together will briefly trick the Cybermen’s scanners into registering the pair as life forms with three hearts, and as they are searching for life forms with one or two hearts, they will ignore Alit and Missy for a short while. Eventually the duo find Topknot, and Missy orders the Cyberman to locate the control tower and to keep watch for the Cyber-patrol. The pair take a lift to the top of the tower to the hub of a weather system across the entire floor.

Missy explains to Alit that the Cybermen intend to use the Cybermats to weaken the humans on Floor 0507 so that the solar farm can be conquered more easily. Upon hacking into the ship’s systems via the room’s service hatches, Missy discovers that all the cyber-technology the Master set up on Floor 1056 has a failsafe system; in the case of the patients, the system forces them to remain in the hospital if turned on. After discovering this system in the Cybermats, Missy activates it, forcing the Cybermats back to Floor 1056 and preventing their attack. Missy then has another idea, and instructs Alit to fetch some boots they passed earlier while she informs Topknot of their plan to rescue the Master.

At the lifts, Missy rescues the Master from his cell and explains that she used Topknot to distract the Cybermen, when Alit arrives wearing some black rubber boots and carrying identical pairs in each hand. The two Masters put on their boots and the trio run for the nearest exit. Missy notes that they have located the lifts, and can use such knowledge to find them on Floor 0507 and reach the Doctor’s TARDIS. Suddenly, the Cyberman patrol reappears and begin firing at the trio. The Master, after being informed by Missy, pulls out his laser screwdriver and fires at the metal deck, creating an electrical discharge which causes the Cybermen to fall to the ground, dead. Alit, in shock, realises that hers, the Master’s and Missy’s rubber boots protected them from the discharge.

The trio manage to locate a conveyor belt system feeding straw bales to the higher floors, and use it to quickly return to Floor 0507. As they ride up and away from Floor 0508, Alit asks Missy why she didn’t stop the Cybermen with the failsafe system if she managed to stop the Cybermats, but Missy simply dismisses the idea as a long shot, before telling Alit to keep it a secret between them. At Floor 0507, the group arrive inside a large stable, home to several horses and carts. They harness a cart to one of the horses and begin riding back to the farmhouse. Alit notices a sinister look in Missy’s eye, as the latter speculates that killing her previous incarnation is the only way things can end...

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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