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edits
→Prisoners of Conciergerie (6)
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Lemaitre reveals that he has been orchestrating the releases and recapture of the Doctor's companions since the beginning. When Ian questions why he would do this Lemaitre reveals he is in fact James Stirling. Stirling was placed deep undercover and was supposed to intercept Webster at the prison but was too late. Ian relays Webster's message that Stirling should return to England immediately. The spy agrees but presses Ian for more detail on Webster's last hours. Initially, Ian can't remember any details, but when Stirling begins to talk about the fact he was called to follow Barras for Robespierre, Ian recalls the words, "Barras, meeting, and [[The Sinking Ship|the "Sinking Ship.'"]] Stirling recalls that this is the name of an inn on the Calais Road and they realise that is where the conspiracy against the First Deputy will take place. It is decided that Jules, Ian, and Barbara be placed there undercover in order to gain information from the meeting. | Lemaitre reveals that he has been orchestrating the releases and recapture of the Doctor's companions since the beginning. When Ian questions why he would do this Lemaitre reveals he is in fact James Stirling. Stirling was placed deep undercover and was supposed to intercept Webster at the prison but was too late. Ian relays Webster's message that Stirling should return to England immediately. The spy agrees but presses Ian for more detail on Webster's last hours. Initially, Ian can't remember any details, but when Stirling begins to talk about the fact he was called to follow Barras for Robespierre, Ian recalls the words, "Barras, meeting, and [[The Sinking Ship|the "Sinking Ship.'"]] Stirling recalls that this is the name of an inn on the Calais Road and they realise that is where the conspiracy against the First Deputy will take place. It is decided that Jules, Ian, and Barbara be placed there undercover in order to gain information from the meeting. | ||
Jules, disguised as a guest, and Ian and Barbara, disguised as landlord and serving-woman, are undercover at the inn. When Barras appears he seems unsure at first but soon warms to the place. Eventually a young man enters, and initially Ian and Barbara don't know who it is. However, they soon find out it is [[Napoléon Bonaparte]]. Through a hole Ian made in the wall, Ian and Barbara hear Barras seek to persuade the young general to take the mantle of leadership after the overthrow of Robespierre as one of three consuls. Napoléon urges Barras to topple Robespierre but warns him that if this fails to happen he will deny this meeting ever took place. | Jules, disguised as a guest, and Ian and Barbara, disguised as landlord and serving-woman, are undercover at the inn. When Barras appears, he seems unsure at first but soon warms to the place. Eventually a young man enters, and initially Ian and Barbara don't know who it is. However, they soon find out it is [[Napoléon Bonaparte]]. Through a hole Ian made in the wall, Ian and Barbara hear Barras seek to persuade the young general to take the mantle of leadership after the overthrow of Robespierre as one of three consuls. Napoléon urges Barras to topple Robespierre but warns him that if this fails to happen he will deny this meeting ever took place. | ||
The following day Jules and Ian speed off to stop Robespierre's imprisonment — an act which Barbara finds amusing because she knows history cannot be changed. By the time Jules and Ian get there, the coup against Robespierre has begun, and the tyrant has been shot in the mouth before being seized himself and sent to the Conciergerie. | The following day Jules and Ian speed off to stop Robespierre's imprisonment — an act which Barbara finds amusing because she knows history cannot be changed. By the time Jules and Ian get there, the coup against Robespierre has begun, and the tyrant has been shot in the mouth before being seized himself and sent to the Conciergerie. | ||
While this is happening, the Doctor reaches the prison, where he outwits the jailer one more time by convincing him that Lemaitre has been captured as a traitor and that the jailer is an associate of his and will be soon thrown | |||
While this is happening, the Doctor reaches the prison, where he outwits the jailer one more time by convincing him that Lemaitre has been captured as a traitor and that the jailer is an associate of his and will be soon thrown into prison himself. The Doctor then wins the jailer around by being lenient with him. He suggests that the prison be cleared in preparation for the huge influx of traitors that will be brought — ensuring that Susan is freed in order to escape with them. As they leave through one door, the bleeding Robespierre is brought in by another, his body broken and his rule ended. Soon, he will be guillotined himself. | |||
The escape chain now demonstrates itself to best effect and smuggles several people out of Paris. Stirling will head for Calais and thence to England; Jules and Jean will lie low as they measure the future now that Robespierre has fallen; and the Doctor and his companions are to return to the TARDIS in the woods near Paris, reflecting on another brush with history and their role within it — especially the fact that history has a way of remaining resilient to human change and that their journeys in the future are up to the stars. | The escape chain now demonstrates itself to best effect and smuggles several people out of Paris. Stirling will head for Calais and thence to England; Jules and Jean will lie low as they measure the future now that Robespierre has fallen; and the Doctor and his companions are to return to the TARDIS in the woods near Paris, reflecting on another brush with history and their role within it — especially the fact that history has a way of remaining resilient to human change and that their journeys in the future are up to the stars. | ||