Comforts of Home (short story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Story
|name=Comforts of Home
|series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
|series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]]
|doctor=Fifth Doctor
|doctor = Fifth Doctor
|companions=[[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]]
|companions=[[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]]
|setting=
|enemy = [[Lucius Casler]]
|writer=[[Pete Kempshall]]
|setting = [[Virginia]], [[December]] [[1861]]
|anthology=''[[Short Trips: The History of Christmas]]''
|writer = Pete Kempshall
|prev=The Innocents (short story)
|anthology = Short Trips: The History of Christmas
|next=Christmas on the Moon (short story)
|release date = 26 November 2005
|prev = The Innocents (short story)
|next = Christmas on the Moon (short story)
}}
}}
'''''Comforts of Home''''' was the fiteenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: The History of Christmas]]''. It was written by [[Pete Kempshall]]. It featured the [[Fifth Doctor]] and [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]].
'''''Comforts of Home''''' was the fifteenth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: The History of Christmas]]''. It was written by [[Pete Kempshall]]. It featured the [[Fifth Doctor]] and [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]].
 
== Summary ==
== Summary ==
''to be added''
[[Samuel Elkins]], fighting for the South in the [[American Civil War]], has been fatally wounded by fellow soldier [[Lucius Casler]], who has taken a photo of Elkins' wife [[Charlotte Elkins|Charlotte]] and, along with several other deserters, has headed for the Elkins home. As Elkins lies dying on the battlefield, the Doctor comforts him, and promises to keep Charlotte safe.
 
At the Elkins home, Casler approaches Charlotte's father, [[William Watkins]], pretending to be friendly, but when he slips up, Watkins is suspicious, and is immediately killed by one of the deserters, [[Earl Baker]]. Charlotte, who saw this happen, shoots Baker, killing him. She shoots at the men, temporarily keeping them at bay at the front of the house.
 
When she checks the back of the house, two men are approaching. She shoots one in the leg, wounding him, while the other implores her to leave the house, telling her that Samuel would have wanted her to listen. He introduces himself as the Doctor, and his wounded friend is Turlough.
 
Charlotte doesn't believe him, so the Doctor and Turlough return to the TARDIS. Meanwhile, Casler has taken a cart from the barn and set it on fire, hoping to burn Charlotte out of the house. The Doctor, however, appears in the house with Turlough and Samuel, having retrieved him from the battlefield before he was killed. Samuel defeats Casler, who is shocked to find Samuel alive. Casler accidentally sets himself on fire and runs off, but dies before he can put out the fire.
 
The Doctor allows Samuel and Charlotte to spend [[Christmas]] together before he has to return Samuel to the battlefield.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
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* [[Samuel Elkins]]
* [[Samuel Elkins]]
* [[Charlotte Elkins]]
* [[Charlotte Elkins]]
* [[Pullman]]
* [[Earl Baker]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
''to be added''
* Samuel taught Charlotte how to use a [[rifle]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
''to be added''
* This story is a "[[pure historical]]" featuring no science fiction elements apart from the presence of the Doctor, Turlough and the TARDIS.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
''to be added''
''to be added''
{{ST prose}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{prose stub}}


[[Category:Fifth Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:Fifth Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:2005 short stories]]
[[Category:Short Trips: The History of Christmas short stories]]
[[Category:ST short stories]]
[[Category:Stories set at Christmas]]
[[Category:Stories set in the United States]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1861]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1861]]
[[Category:Historical stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in Virginia]]

Latest revision as of 21:32, 26 October 2024

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Comforts of Home was the fifteenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: The History of Christmas. It was written by Pete Kempshall. It featured the Fifth Doctor and Turlough.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Samuel Elkins, fighting for the South in the American Civil War, has been fatally wounded by fellow soldier Lucius Casler, who has taken a photo of Elkins' wife Charlotte and, along with several other deserters, has headed for the Elkins home. As Elkins lies dying on the battlefield, the Doctor comforts him, and promises to keep Charlotte safe.

At the Elkins home, Casler approaches Charlotte's father, William Watkins, pretending to be friendly, but when he slips up, Watkins is suspicious, and is immediately killed by one of the deserters, Earl Baker. Charlotte, who saw this happen, shoots Baker, killing him. She shoots at the men, temporarily keeping them at bay at the front of the house.

When she checks the back of the house, two men are approaching. She shoots one in the leg, wounding him, while the other implores her to leave the house, telling her that Samuel would have wanted her to listen. He introduces himself as the Doctor, and his wounded friend is Turlough.

Charlotte doesn't believe him, so the Doctor and Turlough return to the TARDIS. Meanwhile, Casler has taken a cart from the barn and set it on fire, hoping to burn Charlotte out of the house. The Doctor, however, appears in the house with Turlough and Samuel, having retrieved him from the battlefield before he was killed. Samuel defeats Casler, who is shocked to find Samuel alive. Casler accidentally sets himself on fire and runs off, but dies before he can put out the fire.

The Doctor allows Samuel and Charlotte to spend Christmas together before he has to return Samuel to the battlefield.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Samuel taught Charlotte how to use a rifle.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This story is a "pure historical" featuring no science fiction elements apart from the presence of the Doctor, Turlough and the TARDIS.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added