Alit in Underland (short story): Difference between revisions

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|featuring2    = Alit
|featuring2    = Alit
|enemy          = [[Cybermen (Mondas)|Cybermen]]
|enemy          = [[Cybermen (Mondas)|Cybermen]]
|setting        = [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Mondasian colony ship]]
|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]]''
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== Summary ==
== Summary ==
While the [[Twelfth Doctor]] recovers on [[Floor 0507|Floor 507]] of the [[Colony ship (World Enough and Time)|Mondas Colony Ship]], {{Gomez}} and {{Simm}} hunt for their way out - with a stowaway in tow.
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.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
On Floor 0507 of the Mondasian colony ship, the night after the Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole, Missy and the Master arrived in a 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 scarecrows from Floor 1056 attacking the solar farm and find a means of escaping the ship, despite Nardole and Hazran’s protests that travel to the lower levels was too dangerous. Alit follows the duo through some nearby woods, and upon arriving at the crashed shuttle, she hides behind it whilst the Master and Missy discover a network of superstructure walkways between the ground of Floor 0507 and the ceiling of Floor 0508. Missy recovers the crashed shuttle’s rope ladder, and begins climbing down to the walkways along with the Master. Alit emerges and attempts to flee, only to run into a prototype Cyberman.
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)|scarecrows]] 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 through some nearby woods, and upon arriving at the crashed shuttle, she hides behind it whilst the Master and Missy investigate the hole made by the shuttle. Missy recovers the crashed 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]]; fortunately, she escapes down the ladder. At the bottom, the Master threatens Alit with his [[laser screwdriver]], but is talked down by Missy, who questions Alit as to why she was following them; the young girl claims that the scarecrow was chasing her. 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.


Alit runs for the ladder, alerting her presence to the two Masters. At the bottom, the Master threatens Alit with his laser screwdriver, but is talked down by Missy. When Missy questions her as to why she was following them, Alit claims that the scarecrow was chasing her. 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.
On their journey, the Master speculates that a service lift is nearby that will take the group to Floor 0508. Alit thinks the scarecrow 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; upon finding that the hatch is [[Deadlock seal|deadlock sealed]], the Master quickly burns through its seals with his laser screwdriver. Suddenly, Topknot emerges from the darkness and tries to grab Missy, who quickly dodges and blocks it with the handle of her sonic umbrella. As Alit dives for the open hatchway, the Master rips off Topknot's chest cloth; the Cyberman tries to grab the Master, but is repeatedly parried by Missy. The Master then burns a small incision into the Cyberman’s [[Chest unit|chest]] with his laser screwdriver, who immediately stops, allowing the Master to locate its [[voice box]] and alter its settings. As Alit peers from the hatch door, the Master orders the Cyberman to recognise his voice, before unbuttoning the back of its cloth to change Topknot's root command so that it no longer recognises beings with two [[Heart|hearts]] as [[human]], allowing the trio to use the Cyberman however they wish.


The trio journey through the various corridors, the Master speculating a service lift is nearby that will take the group to Floor 0508. Alit thinks the scarecrow she ran from earlier (who Missy has begun to call ‘Topknot’) is still following them, and the group speeds up after hearing it. After passing another four-way junction, Missy examines her sonic umbrella and detects a nearby service-cradle, walking down a right-hand corridor until she arrives at a large metal hatch. The Master then enquires to Missy as to her attire, leading to them briefly reminiscing over children’s television. Missy notes that the hatch is deadlock sealed, and the Master quickly burns through its seals with his laser screwdriver.
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. The Master complains to Missy about her personality, his successor noting that he's not keen on regenerating. The Master complains about women being expert betrayers, and asks Alit if she would betray any of the children if she were to marry them (to which Alit shakes her head in response). Missy then questions the Master 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.


Suddenly, Topknot emerges from the darkness and tries to grab Missy, who quickly dodges and blocks it with the handle of her sonic umbrella. As Alit dives for the open hatchway, the Master snatches Topknot’s chest cloth, ripping it off and exposing the Cyberman’s chest unit. Topknot tries to grab the Master, but is repeatedly parried by Missy’s sonic umbrella. The Master then burns a small incision into the Cyberman’s chest with his laser screwdriver, who immediately stops, allowing the Master to locate its voice box and alter its settings. As Alit peers from the hatch door, the Master orders the Cyberman to recognise his voice commands, and then unbuttons the back of its cloth to change its root command so that it no longer recognises beings with two hearts as human, allowing the trio to use Topknot however they wish.
As dawn breaks, the service-cradle lands on a small concrete square adjacent, and the group discovers a huge rail network. A huge machine with various control panels on its sides quickly arrives; the Master believes it to be an automated crop harvester, and theorises that by following it, they can find a means to access the ship's systems. The machine stops by the group, before turning in a ninety-degree arc and travelling down one of the rails into a field, slicing and harvesting huge crops at the front whilst dispersing any waste from the back, into the ground. The group begins walking after it, although Alit finds the long walk difficult; she decides to keep walking after Missy suggests that Topknot carry her.  


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. The Master slides towards Missy and complains about her chipper nature, Missy noting that he’s not keen on regenerating; the Master claims that girls are disappointing, causing Missy to remember some of the many people she has used in the past. The Master calls Alit over, asking about her parents and if she likes any of the children in the farmstead. Alit states that “Omebo’s OK” and the Master asks her if she’d betray him if she married him (with Alit shaking her head in response). Missy then questions the Master 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.
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 Alit names some of the crops growing whilst the Master observes a collection of tall, green storage silos in the distance. Missy questions who the crops would’ve been for, the Master believing they would’ve been for a native human colony as well as the higher floors. Alit explains that the carters would bring them crops, although they don’t deliver as often nowadays. 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 Topknot 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. The Cyberman 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.


Dawn breaks, illuminating a huge network of bronze rail lines and crop fields, as the cradle lands on a small concrete square adjacent to a large circular area where two of the rails cross over. As the Master theorises as to the purpose of the rail lines, a huge machine with various control panels on its sides quickly arrives; the Master believes it to be an automated crop harvester, and proposes that they follow it, as it may lead them to a means of accessing the ship’s systems. The machine stops by the group, before turning in a ninety-degree arc and travelling down one of the rails into a field, slicing and harvesting huge crops at the front whilst dispersing any waste from the back, into the ground. The group begins walking after it, although Alit finds the long walk difficult; she decides to keep walking after Missy suggests that Topknot carry her.  
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, while they begin hearing noises. The Master examines some shovels, noting the variety of equipment. Alit and Missy discover shelves filled with gumboots, when they hear voices nearby. 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.  


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 Alit names some of the crops growing whilst the Master observes a collection of tall, green storage silos in the distance. Missy questions who the crops would’ve been for, the Master believing they would’ve been for a native human colony as well as the higher floors. He asks Alit as to where her crops come from, the latter explaining that the carters would bring them, although they don’t deliver them as often nowadays. 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, and the Master simply pulls it up roughly when Alit tries to comfort it. The Master then orders Topknot 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. The Cyberman 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.
They find the source of the voices: 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 the Leader explains that they have been assigned to capture the Master and Missy, dismissing Alit as of no significance. When asked by the Master and 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. Each Cyberman then draws a Cyber-gun, and the Leader orders the group to follow them to the lifts to the Cyber factories on Floor 1056. Upon arriving at the lifts, Missy enquires to a Cyberman as to the contents of a storage cupboard that it is guarding, the latter explaining that the group will be held inside it 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 group of Cybermen 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 prime the [[Cybermat|Cybermats]] 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, while they begin hearing noises. The Master examines some shovels, noting the variety of equipment. Alit and Missy discover shelves filled with gumboots, when they hear voices nearby. Missy immediately ducks, pulling Alit down with her whilst beckoning to the Master; Topknot simply stands hidden from view. The Master notes that the people 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.  
In the control tower that the group saw earlier, Alit enquires about Cybermats to Missy, the latter sitting on the floor amongst lots of wires and ducting she had pulled from the walls. Missy uses her sonic umbrella to influence the controls and alter the holographic display in front of her, and points to a small cage that Alit is wearing around her neck. On their way to the control tower, the duo passed a grain store and found some mice; Missy stunned them and made some small cages out of fence wire to contain them. She explained to Alit that by wearing said cages around their necks, the Cybermen would believe that they had three hearts due to the mice being so close to them, and as they would be searching for life-forms with only one or two hearts, they would be temporarily fooled. Eventually the duo found Topknot, who located the control tower and remained on the ground floor to scan for any nearby Cybermen before Missy and Alit took a lift to the top of the tower.  


They find the source of the voices: a group of six Cybermen, all significantly more advanced than the prototypes on Floor 0507. The Cyber-Leader and Cyber-Lieutenant recognise the Master as their former ruler, and the Leader explains that they have been assigned to capture the Master and Missy, dismissing Alit as of no importance, noting that she will be converted when the Cybermen return to Floor 1056. When asked by the Master and Missy, the Leader explains that the 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. Each Cyberman then pulls out a Cyber-gun, and the Leader orders the group to follow them to the lifts to the Cyber factories on Floor 1056. Upon arriving at a trio of lifts, Missy enquires to a Cyberman as to the contents of a storage cupboard that it is guarding, the latter explaining that the group will be held inside it until the lifts arrive. The Master then realise that the Cyber-Leader has secondary orders, and as two Cybermen move to force the group into the cell, Missy stuns the entire group of Cybermen with her sonic umbrella while the Master uses his laser screwdriver to destroy the Cyber-Lieutenant. Alit and Missy run and 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 two Cybermen to locate Missy and Alit, and orders two more to prepare the Cybermats before returning to Floor 1056. Missy and Alit escape by opening the far wall and venturing down another corridor.
Missy explains to Alit that the Cybermen intend to use the Cybermats to weaken the humans on Floor 0507 so that they can be captured more easily. After noting that the tower contains controls for the floor’s weather, Missy discovers that all the cyber-technology her previous incarnation 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 something they passed earlier while she informs Topknot of their plan to rescue the Master. Missy goes to kiss Alit’s forehead, but quickly changes her mind.  


In the control tower that the group saw earlier, Alit enquires about Cybermats to Missy, the latter sitting on the floor amongst lots of wires and ducting she had pulled from the walls. Missy uses her sonic umbrella to influence the controls and alter the holographic display in front of her, and points to a small cage that Alit is wearing around her neck. On their way to the control tower, the duo had passed a grain store and found some mice; Missy stunned them and made some small cages out of fence wire to contain them in. She explained to Alit that by wearing said cages around their necks, the Cybermen would believe that they had three hearts due to the mice being so close to them, and as they would be searching for life-forms with only one or two hearts, they would be temporarily fooled. Whilst Missy nicknamed Alit’s mice, the duo found Topknot, who located the control tower and remained on the ground floor to scan for any nearby Cybermen before Missy and Alit took a lift to the top of the tower.  
In his cell, the now-conscious 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, hoping to use one of the farming machines to escape. 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 at least managed to locate the lifts, and can use such knowledge to find the lifts on Floor 0507 and reach the Doctor’s TARDIS. The Master then enquires as to Missy’s plan, the latter pointing upwards. Suddenly, the Cybermen from earlier emerge 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.  


Missy explains the Cybermats to Alit, noting that the Cybermen intend to use them to attack the farmstead on Floor 0507 to make the humans easier to capture for conversion. After noting that the tower contains controls for the floor’s weather, Missy hacks into the ship’s systems and discovers that all the cyber-technology her previous incarnation set up on Floor 1056 has a failsafe system, and the system in the prototype Cybermen forces them to remain in the hospital if turned on. After discovering this system in the Cybermats, Missy activates it, sending the Cybermats back to Floor 1056 and preventing their attack on Floor 0507. Missy then has another idea, one that she believes will greatly please the Doctor. She buttons up Alit’s jacket over her two mice and hides her own under her coat, and instructs Alit to fetch something they passed earlier while she informs Topknot of their plan to rescue the Master. Missy goes to kiss Alit’s forehead, but quickly changes her mind.
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...  
 
Later, the Master, having regained consciousness, observes the ceiling of his cell to try and find an escape route, when Missy arrives and unlocks the door. Over the sounds of Cyber gunfire and strangled robotic cries, 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 to the railroads, hoping to use one of the farming machines as an means of escape. Outside, a torrential storm drenches the entire floor. Missy opens her umbrella, the Master and Alit taking shelter with her. She notes that they’ll have to leave Topknot behind, whilst the Master simply wants to escape before more Cybermen arrive. Missy then explains that they at least managed to locate the lifts, and can use such knowledge to extrapolate the location of the lifts on Floor 0507 and reach the Doctor’s TARDIS. The Master then enquires as to Missy’s plan; she simply points out the rain, and the Master laughs loudly.
 
Suddenly, the Cybermen from earlier emerge and begin firing, explosions occurring around the trio. The Master pulls out his laser screwdriver, blowing Missy a kiss and firing a blast at the damp, metal deck. The resulting electrical discharge disrupts the systems around them, and 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, the Master sits cross-legged, his eyes shut. 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 ==
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== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* The story is set between ''[[World Enough and Time (TV story)|World Enough and Time]]'' and ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]''. 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 ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]''. 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 Cybermen here are the 1980s design, complete with the Cyber-Leader saying ''"Excellent"''.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
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* Missy calls the Master out on not wanting to 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 literally shoot her in the back. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')
* Missy calls the Master out on not wanting to 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 literally 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]]'') 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 resemble [[CyberNeomorphs]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Earthshock (TV story)|Earthshock]]'', [[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]])
* The Cybermen are following orders from a [[Cyber-Planner]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Wheel in Space (TV story)|The Wheel in Space]]'')
* The Cybermen are following orders from a [[Cyber-Planner]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Wheel in Space (TV story)|The Wheel in Space]]'')
* Missy explains that the Cybermen use [[Cybermat]]s to spread disease on human colonies. ([[TV]]: ''[[Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)|Revenge of the Cybermen]]'')
* Missy explains that the Cybermen use [[Cybermat]]s to spread disease on human colonies. ([[TV]]: ''[[Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)|Revenge of the Cybermen]]'')

Revision as of 12:14, 9 January 2020

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

Summary

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

On Floor 0507 of the Mondasian colony ship, the night after the Twelfth Doctor, Bill, Nardole, Missy and the Saxon Master arrived in a 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 scarecrows from Floor 1056 attacking the solar farm and find a means of escaping the ship, despite Nardole and Hazran’s protests that travel to the lower levels was too dangerous. Alit follows the duo through some nearby woods, and upon arriving at the crashed shuttle, she hides behind it whilst the Master and Missy investigate the hole made by the shuttle. Missy recovers the crashed 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; fortunately, she escapes down the ladder. At the bottom, the Master threatens Alit with his laser screwdriver, but is talked down by Missy, who questions Alit as to why she was following them; the young girl claims that the scarecrow was chasing her. 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.

On their journey, the Master speculates that a service lift is nearby that will take the group to Floor 0508. Alit thinks the scarecrow 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; upon finding that the hatch is deadlock sealed, the Master quickly burns through its seals with his laser screwdriver. Suddenly, Topknot emerges from the darkness and tries to grab Missy, who quickly dodges and blocks it with the handle of her sonic umbrella. As Alit dives for the open hatchway, the Master rips off Topknot's chest cloth; the Cyberman tries to grab the Master, but is repeatedly parried by Missy. The Master then burns a small incision into the Cyberman’s chest with his laser screwdriver, who immediately stops, allowing the Master to locate its voice box and alter its settings. As Alit peers from the hatch door, the Master orders the Cyberman to recognise his voice, before unbuttoning the back of its cloth to change Topknot's root command so that it no longer recognises beings with two hearts as human, allowing the trio to use the Cyberman however they wish.

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. The Master complains to Missy about her personality, his successor noting that he's not keen on regenerating. The Master complains about women being expert betrayers, and asks Alit if she would betray any of the children if she were to marry them (to which Alit shakes her head in response). Missy then questions the Master 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 on a small concrete square adjacent, and the group discovers a huge rail network. A huge machine with various control panels on its sides quickly arrives; the Master believes it to be an automated crop harvester, and theorises that by following it, they can find a means to access the ship's systems. The machine stops by the group, before turning in a ninety-degree arc and travelling down one of the rails into a field, slicing and harvesting huge crops at the front whilst dispersing any waste from the back, into the ground. The group begins walking after it, although Alit finds the long walk difficult; she decides to keep walking after Missy suggests that Topknot carry her.

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 Alit names some of the crops growing whilst the Master observes a collection of tall, green storage silos in the distance. Missy questions who the crops would’ve been for, the Master believing they would’ve been for a native human colony as well as the higher floors. Alit explains that the carters would bring them crops, although they don’t deliver as often nowadays. 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 Topknot 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. The Cyberman 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 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, while they begin hearing noises. The Master examines some shovels, noting the variety of equipment. Alit and Missy discover shelves filled with gumboots, when they hear voices nearby. 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: a group of six Cybermen, all significantly more advanced than the prototypes on Floor 0507. The Cyber-Leader and Cyber-Lieutenant recognise the Master as their former ruler, and the Leader explains that they have been assigned to capture the Master and Missy, dismissing Alit as of no significance. When asked by the Master and Missy, the Leader explains that the 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. Each Cyberman then draws a Cyber-gun, and the Leader orders the group to follow them to the lifts to the Cyber factories on Floor 1056. Upon arriving at the lifts, Missy enquires to a Cyberman as to the contents of a storage cupboard that it is guarding, the latter explaining that the group will be held inside it 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 group of Cybermen 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 prime the Cybermats before returning to Floor 1056. Missy and Alit escape by opening a far wall and venturing down another corridor.

In the control tower that the group saw earlier, Alit enquires about Cybermats to Missy, the latter sitting on the floor amongst lots of wires and ducting she had pulled from the walls. Missy uses her sonic umbrella to influence the controls and alter the holographic display in front of her, and points to a small cage that Alit is wearing around her neck. On their way to the control tower, the duo passed a grain store and found some mice; Missy stunned them and made some small cages out of fence wire to contain them. She explained to Alit that by wearing said cages around their necks, the Cybermen would believe that they had three hearts due to the mice being so close to them, and as they would be searching for life-forms with only one or two hearts, they would be temporarily fooled. Eventually the duo found Topknot, who located the control tower and remained on the ground floor to scan for any nearby Cybermen before Missy and Alit took a lift to the top of the tower.

Missy explains to Alit that the Cybermen intend to use the Cybermats to weaken the humans on Floor 0507 so that they can be captured more easily. After noting that the tower contains controls for the floor’s weather, Missy discovers that all the cyber-technology her previous incarnation 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 something they passed earlier while she informs Topknot of their plan to rescue the Master. Missy goes to kiss Alit’s forehead, but quickly changes her mind.

In his cell, the now-conscious 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, hoping to use one of the farming machines to escape. 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 at least managed to locate the lifts, and can use such knowledge to find the lifts on Floor 0507 and reach the Doctor’s TARDIS. The Master then enquires as to Missy’s plan, the latter pointing upwards. Suddenly, the Cybermen from earlier emerge 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 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

References

Notes

Continuity

v • e
BBC New Series Adventures anthologies
 
Tenth Doctor era (2009)
The Doctor
Who Stories
 
Eleventh Doctor era (2013 - 2014)
Summer Falls and
Other Stories
11 Doctors,
11 Stories
Tales of Trenzalore:
The Eleventh
Doctor's Last Stand
The Shakespeare
Notebooks
 
Twelfth Doctor era (2014 - 2018)
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12 Stories
Time Trips
The Scientific
Secrets of
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Heroes and
Monsters
Collection
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Fairy Tales
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of Ashildr
The Legends
of River Song
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Adventures
Twelve Doctors
of Christmas
Myths & Legends
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The Missy
Chronicles
The Day She
Saved the Doctor
The Triple Knife
and Other
Doctor Who Stories
 
Thirteenth Doctor era (2018 - 2022)
Twelve Angels
Weeping
Thirteen Doctors,
13 Stories
The Target
Storybook
Star Tales
The Wintertime
Paradox
I Am
The Master
Adventures
in Lockdown
Origin Stories
 
Fourteenth Doctor era (2023)
Origin Stories
Ten Days of
Christmas
 
Fifteenth Doctor era (2024 - present)
Fifteen Doctors
15 Stories
The Adventures
Before
v • e
The Master stories
Early life
Television
Prose
Comic
Audio
Webcast
"Inventor"
Audio
War Chief
Television
Prose
UNIT era
The cycle
ending
Decayed
Master
Tremas
Master
Old
Master
Television
Prose
Bruce
Master
Android/
Echo
Webcast
Prose
"Preacher"
Comics
Reborn
Master
"Merlin"
Prose
Pryce
Television
Child
Master
Comics
War Master
Saxon Master
Missy
The Lumiat
Audio
Spy Master
Unclear
incarnation

Prose
.
Other
realities
Barusa's universe
Prose
Unbound Master
Inferno Earth
Prose
The Warrior's universe
Audio
From stories
considered
not part
of the DWU
by this Wiki
"DWM"
Prose
"Battle"
Games
"Exclusive!"
Prose
"DWMS"
Comics
According to one account, the Master had the appearance of Roger Delgado while on Gallifrey. According to another, he had Anthony Ainley's likeness. According to another one, the one with James Dreyfus's appearance was the incarnation who ran away from Gallifrey.

Divided Loyalties, A Brief History of Time Lords and The Legions of Death feature, or otherwise acknowledge, the War Chief, but in the process contradicted the notion put forward by other stories that he was an incarnation of the Master.

One account suggests that the incarnation portrayed by Roger Delgado may be the same as the one portrayed by Peter Pratt while some others distinguish them.

According to one account, the incarnation portrayed by Gordon Tipple is the one portrayed by Anthony Ainley, while some others state that the Ainley one was already lost by then.

While fighting to extend his life at the end of his regeneration cycle, many bodies were possessed by the Beevers incarnation, but all kept somehow reverting to his real being until he finally regenerated into the MacQueen one. Hence, these sections cannot be strictly chronological
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