Room for Improvement (short story): Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 23:06, 1 March 2024

Room for Improvement

Key crew

Writer:

James A. Moore

Release details

Part of:

Short Trips: Destination Prague

Release date:

30 June 2007

Short Trips short stories
← Previous	Next →
Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna	Life from Lifelessness

Room for Improvement was the second short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Destination Prague. It was written by James A. Moore. It featured the First Doctor and Ian Chesterton.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Ian visit Prague in 2908 to find the streets mostly deserted. As they walk the streets, the Doctor tells Ian about the three political factions in Prague. They soon learn that there is a plague, named the "Blue Plague", that has put many patients in a coma. As the Doctor does not remember a plague in Prague's history, they go to a hospital to investigate.

At the hospital, the Doctor looks at a patient and takes a sample of his tears. He uses a computer to investigate the virus, convincing a security guard that he has permission. Meanwhile, Ian eavesdrops on a conversation between two doctors, who eventually come to blows. While the guard investigates, the Doctor and Ian head to the lab to study the tear sample.

The Doctor tells Ian that the virus was created by one of the political factions, the Technological Front, using nanotechnology. The Doctor, inspired by a chance comment from Ian, figures out the antidote, giving it first to Ian, who has by now caught the virus. He then inoculates several patients, attracting the attention and thanks of the hospital administrator, Dr Korshinski.

When the Doctor reveals to the staff the source of the infection, an argument starts between most of the staff and a doctor from the Technological Front who was unaware of the source. While they sort out their dispute, the Doctor and Ian make a discreet exit.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor references the Black plague.
The Doctor is in search of a good bowl of goulash.
The Doctor notes that Koursha's has been replaced.
Susan and Barbara remain in the TARDIS during this adventure.
The other two factions are the Metamorphosis Front and the Naturalist Front.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Barbara Wright and Susan Foreman are mentioned, although neither appear.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

The First Doctor had previously visited 16th century Prague with Susan (PROSE: Life from Lifelessness) and would later visit Prague in 2348 in the company of Vicki Pallister and Steven Taylor. (PROSE: The Long Step Backward)
The Doctor and Ian previously encountered nanotechnology on Avalon. (PROSE: The Sorcerer's Apprentice)

Short Trips short stories

BBC Books

Short Trips	Model Train Set • Old Flames • War Crimes • The Last Days • Stop the Pigeon • Freedom • Glass • Mondas Passing • There are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden • Mother's Little Helper • The Parliament of Rats • Rights • Wish You Were Here • Ace of Hearts • The People's Temple

More Short Trips	Totem • Scientific Adviser • Missing, Part One: Business as Usual • Moon Graffiti • One Bad Apple • 64 Carlysle Street • The Eternity Contract • The Sow in Rut • Special Weapons • Honest Living • Dead Time • Romans Cutaway • Return of the Spiders • Hot Ice • uPVC • Good Companions • Missing, Part Two: Message in a Bottle • Femme Fatale

Short Trips and Side Steps	The Longest Story in the World • A Town Called Eternity • The Not-So-Sinister Sponge • Nothing at the End of the Lane • Countdown to TV Action • The Queen of Eros • The Android Maker of Calderon IV • Revenants • Please Shut the Gate • Turnabout is Fair Play • Do You Love Anyone Enough? • Dr Who and the House on Oldark Moor • Gone Too Soon • Reunion • Planet of the Bunnoids • Monsters • Better Watch Out, Better Take Care • Face Value • Storm in a Tikka • Playing with Toys • Vrs

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Zodiac	The True and Indisputable Facts in the Matter of the Ram's Skull • Growing Higher • Twin Piques • Still Lives • Constant Companion • Virgin Lands • The Switching • Jealous, Possessive • Five Card Draw • I Was a Monster!!! • The Invertebrates of Doom • The Stabber • Introduction and links

Companions	The Tip of the Mind • The Splintered Gate • The Man from DOCTO(R) • Apocrypha Bipedium • A Boy's Tale • Kept Safe and Sound • The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe • Hearts of Stone • Distance • Qualia • Curriculum Vitae • Notre Dame du Temps • The Little Drummer Boy • Hidden Talent • The Canvey Angels • Balloon Debate • A Long Night

A Universe of Terrors	The Exiles • Mire and Clay • Ash • Face-Painter • Losing Track of Time • The Discourse of Flies • The Fear • Mauritz • The Comet's Tail • Long Term • Soul Mate • Whiskey and Water • The Death of Me • This is My Life • Gazing Void

The Muses	Introduction • Teach Yourself Ballroom Dancing • The Brain of Socrates • Mordieu • An Overture Too Early • Hymn of the City • Confabula • The Astronomer's Apprentice • Katarina in the Underworld • The Glass Princess

Steel Skies	Corridors of Power • A Good Life • Reversal of Fortune • Monitor • Dust • Light at the End of the Tunnel • No Exit • House • Deep Stretch • Inmate 280 • Doing Time • The Ruins of Heaven • Cold War • O, Darkness • Greenaway • Eternity

Past Tense	The Immortals • Far from Home • All Done with Mirrors • CHAOS • Ante Bellum • The Thief of Sherwood • Come Friendly Bombs... • Graham Dilley Saves the World • Bide-a-Wee • Mortlake • White Man's Burden • Of the Mermaid and Jupiter • The Man Who Wouldn't Give Up • One Small Step... • To Kill a Nandi Bear • Fixing a Hole • That Time I Nearly Destroyed the World Whilst Looking for a Dress

Life Science	Syntax • Primitives • The Northern Heights • Observation • Mortal Thoughts • Lant Land • A Star is Reborn • The Southwell Park Mermaid • The Destroyers • The Reproductive Cycle • Jonah • Scribbles in Chalk • The End • The Age of Ambition • Echo • A Rose by Any Other Name

Repercussions	The Time Lord's Story • The Ghost's Story • The Rag & Bone Man's Story • The Seismologist's Story • The Dead Man's Story • The Inquisitor's Story • The Gangster's Story • The Bushranger's Story • The Schoolboy's Story • The Juror's Story • The Farmer's Story • The Republican's Story • The Assassin's Story • The Diplomat's Story • The Steward's Story • The Tramp's Story • Repercussions...

Monsters	Best Seller • From Eternity • Last Rites • The Touch of the Nurazh • Flashpoint • These Things Take Time • Categorical Imperative • Trapped! • Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life • Screamager • The Colour of Monsters

2040	The Nuclear Option • Separation • Thinking Warrior • Observer Effect • Artificial Intelligence • Daisy Chain • Sustainable Energy • Culture War • The Baron Wastes • /Carpenter/Butterfly/Baronet • Outsourcing • Anteus • The Last Emperor • The Ethereal

A Christmas Treasury	Last Christmas • UNIT Christmas Parties: First Christmas • In the TARDIS: Christmas Day • Water's Edge • A Yuletide Tail • Spookasem • Christmas Special • Never Seen Cairo • The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas • Last Minute Shopping • Every Day • The Eight Doctors of Christmas • The Little Things • UNIT Christmas Parties: Christmas Truce • The Clanging Chimes of Doom • Perfect Present • Present Tense • Goodwill Toward Men • It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow • All Our Christmases • Lily • ...Be Forgot • The Feast of Seven... Eight (and Nine) • UNIT Christmas Parties: Ships That Pass • Evergreen

Seven Deadly Sins	The Duke's Folly • That Which Went Away • Angel • Suitors, Inc. • The 57th • Telling Tales • Too Rich for My Blood • Seven Deadly Sins

A Day in the Life	After Midnight • Sold Out • Undercurrents • The Five O'Clock Shadow • The Sooner the Better • Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast • The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac • Waiting for Jeremy • A Life in the Day • Morphology • Making History • One Wednesday Afternoon • How You Get There • The Last Broadcast • The Terror of the Darkness • Visiting Hours • Before Midnight

The Solar System	Mercury • Venus • Earth • Mars • Jupiter • Saturn • Uranus • Neptune • Pluto • Sedna

The History of Christmas	The Lampblack Wars • Home Fires • The Feast • Rome • Set in Stone • The Thousand Years of Christmas • Presence • Danse Macabre • The Church of Saint Sebastian • The Prodigal Sun • Be Good for Goodness's Sake • Ode to Joy • Nobody's Gift • The Innocents • Comforts of Home • Christmas on the Moon • The Anchorite's Echo • The Revolutionaries • The Gift • Callahuanca • Not in My Back Yard • She Won't Be Home • Saint Nicholas's Bones • The Long Midwinter

Farewells	The Mother Road • Father Figure • The Bad Guy • Separation Day • The Very Last Picture Show • Into the Silent Land • Wake • The Velvet Dark • Life After Queth • Black and White • Curtain Call • Utopia • The Wickerwork Man • The Three Paths

The Centenarian	Prologue • Echoes • Direct Action • Dream Devils • Falling from Xi'an • Log 384 • The Church of Football • Incongruous Details • Ancient Whispers • First Born • Dear John • Checkpoint • Childhood Living • The Lost • Old Boys • Testament • Forgotten

Time Signature	An Overture Too Early • The Ruins of Time • Gone Fishing • The Avant Guardian • Second Contact • Resonance • Walkin' City Blues • The Hunting of the Slook • The Earwig Archipelago • DS Al Fine • Certificate of Destruction

Dalek Empire	Kalendorf • Natalie's Diary • Alby • Private Investigations • Suz • The Best Joke I Ever Told • Hide and Seek • The Eighth Wonder of the World • Mutually Assured Survival • Museum Peace

Destination Prague	Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna • Room for Improvement • Life from Lifelessness • The Long Step Backward • Strange Attractor • Gold and Black Ooze • The Dogs of War • Sunday Afternoon, AD 848,988 • Nanomorphosis • Spoilsport • War in a Time of Peace • The End of Now • Suspension and Disbelief • Leap Second • Lady of the Snows • The Time Eater • Fable Fusion • Men of the Earth • Across Silent Seas • The Dragons of Prague • Omegamorphosis

Snapshots	Golem • Indian Summer • All of Beyond • The Eyes Have It • The Misadventure of Mark Thorne • Attachments • There's Something About Mary • My Hero • Plight of the Monkrah • Remain in Light • In Case of Emergencies • Puppeteer • Osskah • Piecemeal • The Report • You Had Me at Verify User Name and Password • She Knew • The Glarn Strategy • Salva Mea • The Sorrows of Vienna • Fanboys

The Ghosts of Christmas	Faithful Friends: Part One • But Once a Year • For the Man Who Has Everything • Tell Me You Love Me • The Cutty Wren • Do You Dream in Colour? • The Nobility of Faith • 24 Crawford Street • The Sommerton Fetch • Faithful Friends: Part Two • Dear Great Uncle Peter • Do You Believe in the Krampus? • They Fell • The Christmas Presence • Snowman in Manhattan • The Crackers • Jigsaw • Dr Cadabra • Far Away in a Manger • All Snug in Their Beds • Decorative Purposes • The Stars Our Contamination • Keeping It Real • Christmas Every Day? • Faithful Friends: Part Three

Defining Patterns	Machine Time • The Time and Tide • Losing the Audience • One Card for the Curious • Séance, or Smoking is Highly Addictive, Don't Start • The Celestial Harmony Engine • Mutiny • Numb • Closing the Account • The Great Escapes • Loose Change • Lepidoptery for Beginners • One Step Forward, Two Steps Back • Homework • The Devil Like a Bear • Stanley • Twilight's End • The Book of My Life • Defining Patterns

The Quality of Leadership	From Little Acorns • One Fateful Knight • The Slave War • Goths and Robbers • Good Queen, Bad Queen, I Queen, You Queen • The Price of Conviction • God Send Me Well to Keep • Peaceable Kingdom • Rock Star • On a Pedestal • Clean-up on Aisle Two • The Spindle of Necessity • Epilogue

Transmissions	Doctor Who and the Adaptation of Death • Policy to Invade • Only Connect • Gudok • Generation Gap • Lonely • Blue Road Dance • Tweaker • Link • Driftwood • Methuselah • Nettles • Larkspur • See No Evil • iNtRUsioNs • Breadcrumbs • Transmission Ends

How the Doctor Changed My Life	Homework • Change Management • Curiosity • Potential • Second Chances • Child's Play • Relativity • Outstanding Balance • The Last Thing You Ever See • The Shopping Trolleys of Doom • The Final Star • The Man on the Phone • The Monster in the Wardrobe • Suns and Mothers • Taking the Cure • Those Left Behind • Evitability • £436 • Time Shear • Running on Empty • Swamp of Horrors (1957) - Viewing Notes • Insider Dealing • The Andrew Invasion • Stolen Days • Lares Domestici

Christmas Around the World	Planet of the Elves • Exclave • A Visit from Saint Nicholas • Instead of You • Christmas Every Day • Mirth, or Walking Spirits • Do You Smell Carrots? • The Doctor's Cross Word • Dateline to Deadline • Autaia Pipipi Pia • No Room • Interesting Times • Revellers of Doom • Lost and Founded • The Best of Days • Conscription • Christmas in Toronto • Companion • Illumination • White on White

Indefinable Magic	Phoenix • The Power Supply • Favourite Star • Hiccup in Time • Shamans • The Fall of the Druids • Priceless Junk • Have You Tried Turning It Off and Then Back On Again? • The Reign Makers • Pass It On • The Science of Magic • Hello Goodbye • Trial by Fire • Death Sentences • Once upon a Time Machine • Mardi Gras Massacre • Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Re:Collections	I Was a Monster!!! • Apocrypha Bipedium • Face-Painter • The Glass Princess • The Ruins of Heaven • The Thief of Sherwood • The Age of Ambition • The Dead Man's Story • Flashpoint • Thinking Warrior • All Our Christmases • Suitors, Inc. • How You Get There • Venus • The Lampblack Wars • Life After Queth • Checkpoint • The Avant Guardian • Museum Peace • Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna • The Glarn Strategy • Dear Great Uncle Peter • Losing the Audience • The Spindle of Necessity • Lonely • Lares Domestici • Lost and Founded • The Fall of the Druids

Retrieved from "https://tardis.wiki/w/index.php?title=Room_for_Improvement_(short_story)&oldid=3725195"

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{title dab away}}
 {{real world}}
-{{TitleShortStory}}
+{{Infobox Story SMW
-{{Infobox Short Story|
+|range                  = Short Trips (series)
-name=Room for Improvement|
+|series in range        = Short Trips: Destination Prague
-series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|ST short stories]]|
+|series number in range = 20
-doctor=[[First Doctor]]|
+|number in series       = 2
-companions= [[Ian Chesterton]]|
+|doctor                 = First Doctor
-year=|
+|companions             = [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]]
-writer=[[James A. Moore]]|
+|setting                = [[Prague]], [[16 November]] [[2908]]
-publication=''[[Short Trips: Destination Prague]]''|
+|writer                 = James A. Moore
-prev=Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna (short story)|
+|anthology              = Short Trips: Destination Prague
-next=Life from Lifelessness (short story)|
+|series                 = [[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
-|}}
+|release date           = 30 June 2007
+|prev                   = Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna (short story)
+|next                   = Life from Lifelessness (short story)
+}}
 '''''Room for Improvement''''' was the second short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: Destination Prague]]''. It was written by [[James A. Moore]]. It featured the [[First Doctor]] and [[Ian Chesterton]].
 == Summary ==
-The Doctor and Ian return to Prague to find it is the time of the plague. Ian soon discovers it's not the plague the people should be worried about. It's something much more deadly.
+The Doctor and Ian visit [[Prague]] in [[2908]] to find the streets mostly deserted. As they walk the streets, the Doctor tells Ian about the three political factions in Prague. They soon learn that there is a plague, named the "[[Blue Plague]]", that has put many patients in a [[coma]]. As the Doctor does not remember a plague in Prague's history, they go to a [[hospital]] to investigate.
+At the hospital, the Doctor looks at a [[Patient (Room for Improvement)|patient]] and takes a sample of his tears. He uses a computer to investigate the virus, convincing a [[Security guard (Room for Improvement)|security guard]] that he has permission. Meanwhile, Ian eavesdrops on a conversation between two doctors, who eventually come to blows. While the guard investigates, the Doctor and Ian head to the lab to study the tear sample.
+The Doctor tells Ian that the virus was created by one of the political factions, the [[Technological Front]], using [[nanotechnology]]. The Doctor, inspired by a chance comment from Ian, figures out the antidote, giving it first to Ian, who has by now caught the virus. He then inoculates several patients, attracting the attention and thanks of the hospital administrator, Dr [[Korshinski]].
+When the Doctor reveals to the staff the source of the infection, an argument starts between most of the staff and a [[Doctor (Room for Improvement)|doctor]] from the Technological Front who was unaware of the source. While they sort out their dispute, the Doctor and Ian make a discreet exit.
 == Characters ==
 * [[First Doctor]]
 * [[Ian Chesterton]]
+* [[Patient (Room for Improvement)|Patient]]
+* [[Security guard (Room for Improvement)|Security guard]]
+* Dr [[Korshinski]]
+* [[Doctor (Room for Improvement)|Doctor]]
-== References ==
+== Worldbuilding ==
-''to be added''
+* The Doctor references the [[Bubonic plague|Black plague]].
+* The Doctor is in search of a good bowl of [[goulash]].
+* The Doctor notes that [[Koursha's]] has been replaced.
+* [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] and [[Barbara Wright|Barbara]] remain in the TARDIS during this adventure.
+* The other two factions are the [[Metamorphosis Front]] and the [[Naturalist Front]].
 == Notes ==
-''to be added''
+* [[Barbara Wright]] and [[Susan Foreman]] are mentioned, although neither appear.
 == Continuity ==
-''to be added''
+* The First Doctor had previously visited [[16th century]] Prague with Susan ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Life from Lifelessness (short story)|Life from Lifelessness]]'') and would later visit Prague in [[2348]] in the company of [[Vicki Pallister]] and [[Steven Taylor]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Long Step Backward (short story)|The Long Step Backward]]'')
+* The Doctor and Ian previously encountered [[nanotechnology]] on [[Avalon (planet)|Avalon]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Sorcerer's Apprentice (novel)|The Sorcerer's Apprentice]]'')
-== Timeline ==
-* ''Room for Improvement'' occurs after [[ST]]: ''[[The Mother Road]]''.
-* ''Room for Improvement'' occurs before [[ST]]: ''[[The Reign Makers]]''.
-{{prose stub}}
+{{ST prose}}
 {{TitleSort}}
 [[Category:First Doctor short stories]]
-[[Category:Stories released in 2007]]
+[[Category:Short Trips: Destination Prague short stories]]
-[[Category:ST short stories]]
+[[Category:Stories set in 2908]]

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Room for Improvement (short story): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 23:06, 1 March 2024

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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