Disappearing Act (short story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Other Short Story|
|image = DWF14 Ood.jpg
story name=[[Disappearing Act]]|
|series = [[Doctor Who Files]]
image = [[file:DWF14 Ood.jpg|250px]]|
|doctor = Tenth Doctor
series=[[Doctor Who Files]]|
|companions=[[Donna Noble|Donna]]
main character=[[Ood]]|
|enemy = [[Fergus Antelect]]
featuring=|
|setting = [[Galactic Royal Hotel]]
year=|
|writer = Justin Richards
writer=[[Justin Richards]]|
|publication=''[[Doctor Who Files 14: The Ood|14: The Ood]]''
publication=[[Doctor Who Files 14: The Ood|14: The Ood]]|
|prev = Blind Terror (short story)
previous story=[[Blind Terror]]|
|next = Speech Day (short story)
next story=[[Speech Day]]|
|reprint = Heroes and Monsters Collection
|}}
|series2 = ''[[Heroes and Monsters Collection]]''
|prev2 = The Planet That Wept (short story)
|next2 = Once Upon a Time (DWAN short story)
|release date = 3 July 2008
}}
'''''Disappearing Act''''' was a story featured in ''[[Doctor Who Files 14: The Ood]]''. It was written by [[Justin Richards]].


==Summary==
== Plot ==
[[Fergus Antelect]], accompanied by his ill-treated assistant [[Ood|Ood Delta]], is about to perform his stage act, once more for the entertainment of some of the Univers’s wealthiest people while they feasted on expensive food and even more expensive wines at their tables. In the audience too, was [[Ratner|Special Agent Ratner]] of the Galactic Enforcement Agency (as usual), investigating the mysterious theft of jewellery from the audience of Ratner’s shows. Just as the act is about to begin [[Tenth Doctor|the Doctor]] and [[Donna Noble]] interrupt and grab a seat at Ratner’s table, and settle down to watch the show. Ratner’s act consists of using the Ood’s telepathy to create illusions which the audience believe in – flowers from a hat that change into a rabbit, limbs on volunteers that just disappear and then reappear. When Lady Delatron is invited onto the stage wearing the famous Gangestic Necklace of perfect crystalline nectar-stone set in diamonds and oolian, Antelect only has to think that the necklace was safe in Lady Delatron’s room and, through the Ood’s telepathic ability the thought would be communicated to everyone in the room. This simple deception enabled Antelect to remove the actual jewellery, undetected, in clear view of everyone – including Agent Rayner, without suspicion. The robberies all occurred when Antelect had a water-tight alibi with dozens of witnesses to back him up. But suddenly the act takes a turn when Antelect hears himself making a confession even explaining how he was able to commit the crimes. He realises that someone in the room has a more powerful imagination and grasp on Ood Delta’s telepathic abilities. Antelect tries to protest but realises that, to deny chronometers were set with a remote digitiser to give him time to commit the offences would give the game away and amount to another confession. Ood Delta is asked to confirm Antelect’s story of innocence which he does by confirming that Antelect did not use a digitiser or change the clocks.  For a moment Antelect believes he may have got away with it because an Ood always tells the truth but then, Ood Delta goes on unstoppable to state that Antelect is however guilty of 37 counts of theft, 92 counts of misleading the public through illegal telepathic manipulation, and 113 counts of cruelty to a sentient life-form – namely Ood Delta. With Antelects crimes exposed, a reviewing of security tapes previously overlooked because of the weight of witness is ordered as Kalrusian guards secure Antelect. As Agent Rayner turns to thank the Doctor and Donna he finds they have vanished into thin air leaving behind empty chairs.
[[Fergus Antelect]], accompanied by his ill-treated assistant, [[Ood Delta]], is about to perform his stage act once more for the entertainment of some of the universe's wealthiest people while they feast on expensive food and even more expensive wines at their tables at the [[Galactic Royal Hotel]]. In the audience is [[Ratner|Special Agent Ratner]] of the Galactic Enforcement Agency (as usual), investigating the mysterious theft of jewellery from the audience of Ratner's shows.


==Characters==
Just as the act is about to begin, the [[Tenth Doctor]] and [[Donna Noble]] grab a seat at Ratner's table and settle down to watch the show. Antelect's act uses the Ood's telepathy to create illusions which the audience believe in: flowers from a hat that change into a rabbit; limbs of volunteers that just disappear and then reappear. Lady [[Delatron]] is invited onstage. She wears the famous [[Gangestic Necklace]] of perfect crystalline nectar-stone set in diamonds and oolian. Antelect only has to think that the [[necklace]] is safe in Lady Delatron's room; through the Ood's telepathy, the thought will be communicated to everyone in the room. This deception lets Antelect remove the actual jewellery, undetected, in clear view of everyone, including Agent Ratner, without suspicion. Like all his robberies, this will happen when Antelect had a water-tight alibi and dozens of witnesses to back him up.
*[[Ood]]


==References==
The act takes a turn when Antelect hears himself making a confession. He even explains how he commits the crimes. He realises that someone in the room has a more powerful imagination and grasp on Ood Delta's telepathy. Antelect tries to protest but realises that, to deny time pieces were set with a remote digitiser to give him time to commit the offences, would give the game away. It would amount to another confession.
* The [[Ood]] show the characteristic red-eye when under the influence of another.


==Notes==
Ood Delta is asked to confirm Antelect's story of innocence. He does by confirming that Antelect did not use a digitiser or change the clocks. For a moment Antelect believes he may have got away with it because an Ood always tells the truth. However, Ood Delta states that Antelect is guilty of thirty-seven counts of theft, ninety-two counts of misleading the public through illegal telepathic manipulation and one hundred and thirteen counts of cruelty to a sentient life-form – namely Ood Delta.
* The original short prose fiction featured in the [[Doctor Who Files]] series of hardbacks from [[BBC Children's Books]] was officially sanctioned by the Doctor Who production office.
 
With Antelect's crimes exposed, security tapes previously overlooked are to be reviewed. Meanwhile, Kalrusian guards secure Antelect. Agent Ratner turns to thank the Doctor and Donna, but finds they have vanished into thin air, leaving empty chairs.
 
== Characters ==
* [[Ood Delta]]
* [[Fergus Antelect]]
* [[Ratner|Special Agent Ratner]]
* [[Tenth Doctor]]
* [[Donna Noble]]
* [[Delatron|Lady Delatron]]


==Continuity==
== Worldbuilding ==
''to be added''
''to be added''


==Timeline==
== Notes ==
*'''Disappearing Act''' occurs after: [[DW]]: ''[[The Satan Pit]]''
* The original short prose fiction featured in the [[Doctor Who Files]] series of hardbacks from [[BBC Children's Books]] was officially sanctioned by the Doctor Who production office.
*'''Disappearing Act''' occurs before: [[DW]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''


==External links==
== Continuity ==
''to be added''
''to be added''


{{prose stub}}
{{DWF}}
{{Heroes and Monsters Collection}}
{{Ood stories}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:DWF short stories]]
[[Category:DWF short stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who short stories]]
[[Category:Ood short stories]]
[[Category:Ood stories]]
[[Category:Tenth Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:2008 short stories]]
[[Category:Heroes and Monsters Collection short stories]]

Latest revision as of 21:01, 1 March 2024

RealWorld.png

Disappearing Act was a story featured in Doctor Who Files 14: The Ood. It was written by Justin Richards.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Fergus Antelect, accompanied by his ill-treated assistant, Ood Delta, is about to perform his stage act once more for the entertainment of some of the universe's wealthiest people while they feast on expensive food and even more expensive wines at their tables at the Galactic Royal Hotel. In the audience is Special Agent Ratner of the Galactic Enforcement Agency (as usual), investigating the mysterious theft of jewellery from the audience of Ratner's shows.

Just as the act is about to begin, the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble grab a seat at Ratner's table and settle down to watch the show. Antelect's act uses the Ood's telepathy to create illusions which the audience believe in: flowers from a hat that change into a rabbit; limbs of volunteers that just disappear and then reappear. Lady Delatron is invited onstage. She wears the famous Gangestic Necklace of perfect crystalline nectar-stone set in diamonds and oolian. Antelect only has to think that the necklace is safe in Lady Delatron's room; through the Ood's telepathy, the thought will be communicated to everyone in the room. This deception lets Antelect remove the actual jewellery, undetected, in clear view of everyone, including Agent Ratner, without suspicion. Like all his robberies, this will happen when Antelect had a water-tight alibi and dozens of witnesses to back him up.

The act takes a turn when Antelect hears himself making a confession. He even explains how he commits the crimes. He realises that someone in the room has a more powerful imagination and grasp on Ood Delta's telepathy. Antelect tries to protest but realises that, to deny time pieces were set with a remote digitiser to give him time to commit the offences, would give the game away. It would amount to another confession.

Ood Delta is asked to confirm Antelect's story of innocence. He does by confirming that Antelect did not use a digitiser or change the clocks. For a moment Antelect believes he may have got away with it because an Ood always tells the truth. However, Ood Delta states that Antelect is guilty of thirty-seven counts of theft, ninety-two counts of misleading the public through illegal telepathic manipulation and one hundred and thirteen counts of cruelty to a sentient life-form – namely Ood Delta.

With Antelect's crimes exposed, security tapes previously overlooked are to be reviewed. Meanwhile, Kalrusian guards secure Antelect. Agent Ratner turns to thank the Doctor and Donna, but finds they have vanished into thin air, leaving empty chairs.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added