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The Monster in the Woods (short story) (edit)
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On Halloween, 1973, Ange Barnes is finishing up her little brother, Terry's David Bowie face paint, much to the chagrin of her youngest brother, Ian, who is dressed up as Frankenstein's monster. Ange herself is dressed as a vampire lady and has promised her mother that she would let them show off their costumes. As Mrs. Barnes prepares dinner for her husband, she tells her children not to bang on anyone else's doors. | On Halloween, 1973, Ange Barnes is finishing up her little brother, Terry's David Bowie face paint, much to the chagrin of her youngest brother, Ian, who is dressed up as Frankenstein's monster. Ange herself is dressed as a vampire lady and has promised her mother that she would let them show off their costumes. As Mrs. Barnes prepares dinner for her husband, she tells her children not to bang on anyone else's doors. | ||
Later, the children go down to the woods to meet their secret friend, a [[Dalek]] that they have called "Starman". Starman invites the kids into his den where he informs them that a signal has been sent. Terry introduces Ian to Starman, and Ian calls him the "Monster in the Woods". Ange assures Starman that it's just a story that her mother told them to try and keep them out of the woods. Starman tells the kids that soon there will no longer be a monster in the woods and instructs them to bring one more item to him to make sure that the message repeats. When Ange tells him that they can bring him the item after school, Starman holds Ian hostage until they bring him what he needs. | Later, the children go down to the woods to meet their secret friend, a damaged [[Dalek]] that they have called "Starman". Starman invites the kids into his den where he informs them that a signal has been sent. Terry introduces Ian to Starman, and Ian calls him the "Monster in the Woods". Ange assures Starman that it's just a story that her mother told them to try and keep them out of the woods. Starman tells the kids that soon there will no longer be a monster in the woods and instructs them to bring one more item to him to make sure that the message repeats. When Ange tells him that they can bring him the item after school, Starman holds Ian hostage until they bring him what he needs. | ||
Meanwhile, at UNIT HQ, Jo Grant is dressed as a black cat and is trying to convince the Third Doctor to join her at [[Olive Hawthorne|Miss Hawthorne's]] Halloween shindig, but the Time Lord is focusing on getting his TARDIS in working order, remarking that "humans do have the silliest festivals". Jo notices the Doctor looking at a particular device that she dubs the "Time Fridge", which prevents the temporal circuits from overheating. As the Doctor begins to question Jo's costume, they hear an alarm bell that warns them about erroneous time technology. The Doctor identifies it as a transmitter that's operating from a nearby town and broadcasting into the Time Vortex. Jo is disappointed that they're going out to an investigation instead of a party, but the Doctor puts on his cloak and says that it's still a trip out. | Meanwhile, at UNIT HQ, Jo Grant is dressed as a black cat and is trying to convince the Third Doctor to join her at [[Olive Hawthorne|Miss Hawthorne's]] Halloween shindig, but the Time Lord is focusing on getting his TARDIS in working order, remarking that "humans do have the silliest festivals". Jo notices the Doctor looking at a particular device that she dubs the "Time Fridge", which prevents the temporal circuits from overheating. As the Doctor begins to question Jo's costume, they hear an alarm bell that warns them about erroneous time technology. The Doctor identifies it as a transmitter that's operating from a nearby town and broadcasting into the Time Vortex. Jo is disappointed that they're going out to an investigation instead of a party, but the Doctor puts on his cloak and says that it's still a trip out. | ||
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Jo and the Doctor have been wandering the streets of the estate for almost an hour and are now in a small playground. Jo is shocked to find that there is a Dalek ship nearby that was most likely travelling back from the 22nd century. Jo suggests telling the Brigadier, but the Doctor doesn't want loads of tanks and helicopters swarming the estate, then Ange and Terry show up to tell the Doctor about their little brother being held hostage by Starman. When the Doctor walks up to them asking them about their so-called friend, the children offer to take him to see Starman. | Jo and the Doctor have been wandering the streets of the estate for almost an hour and are now in a small playground. Jo is shocked to find that there is a Dalek ship nearby that was most likely travelling back from the 22nd century. Jo suggests telling the Brigadier, but the Doctor doesn't want loads of tanks and helicopters swarming the estate, then Ange and Terry show up to tell the Doctor about their little brother being held hostage by Starman. When the Doctor walks up to them asking them about their so-called friend, the children offer to take him to see Starman. | ||
In the forest, Ian asks Starman what will happen if his siblings fail to find the Doctor, but Starman tells him that the Doctor has been found. The Doctor almost immediately starts mocking the Dalek who is now stuck in 1973 just like him. Starman tells the Doctor that he knows about his exile to Earth and that his enemies rejoiced, the tells him that his message has been sent into the time vortex to summon the Dalek fleet and that he will stop them if the Doctor helps him as they would come to Earth to try and kill him. The Doctor demands that Starman lets Ian go, to which Starman obliges. The Doctor notices that Starman's arms are just kitchen implements and that his chest cavity has been badly damaged, then asks Jo and the children to help him carry the Dalek to his car so that he can take his enemy back to UNIT HQ to help him.<br /> | In the forest, Ian asks Starman what will happen if his siblings fail to find the Doctor, but Starman tells him that the Doctor has been found. The Doctor almost immediately starts mocking the Dalek who is now stuck in 1973 just like him. Starman tells the Doctor that he knows about his exile to Earth and that his enemies rejoiced, the tells him that his message has been sent into the time vortex to summon the Dalek fleet and that he will stop them if the Doctor helps him as they would come to Earth to try and kill him. The Doctor demands that Starman lets Ian go, to which Starman obliges. The Doctor notices that Starman's arms are just kitchen implements and that his chest cavity has been badly damaged, then asks Jo and the children to help him carry the Dalek to his car so that he can take his enemy back to UNIT HQ to help him. | ||
The Doctor and Jo push Starman through the dark woods while the children carry the radiogram. Starman warns them that he will destroy them if they attempt to stop his message from being sent. Once they reach Bessie, the Doctor loads Starman onto the back seat along with the radiogram. After Starman tells the children to be grateful that they have survived their encounter with him, the Doctor places his cloak over the Dalek's dome before telling the children to return to their parents. As the Doctor and Jo begin to make their way back to UNIT HQ, the Doctor explains to Jo that he can learn a lot from a damaged Dalek, causing Jo to realize that the Doctor is after Starman's time travel codes.<br /> | |||
== Characters == | == Characters == | ||