Danse Macabre (short story)
Danse Macabre was the eighth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: The History of Christmas. It was written by Joff Brown. It featured the Third Doctor.
Summary
After finding, down the back of a sofa in the TARDIS, a 'borrowed' power source that will give him one chance at an illegal launch the Doctor sets the controls for any nearby massive power source and pulls the lever. He blacks out and wakes up clutching the bosom of Minerva, Greek goddess of wisdom. He soon realizes that he is at a masked ball in Naples during the Napoleonic wars and Minerva is, in fact, Emma Hamilton. He tells her that there is a massive power source nearby and, misunderstanding him, she introduces him to Horatio Nelson. The Doctor asks if there has been any unusual activity recently: earthquakes, lights in the sky. Nelson becomes peeved at the Doctor's insolent manner and the two enter a bragging contest about who has traveled further. As Nelson stalks off the Doctor realizes that the room has been invaded by aliens whose feathers, claws and pulsating skin at first appeared to be exotic costumes. As they close in on Emma the Doctor orders everyone to leave but Nelson gathers his men, ready to fight, and has the Doctor tied up.
Nelson's men hold their own in the close quarters combat and the Doctor is untied by Lord Hamilton, Emma's husband. He quickly reconfigures the TARDIS's circuits and the humans and aliens find that they can understand each other's speech. The aliens are repulsed by the primitive humans and the fact that they clothe themselves in the skins of dead animals but most of all by the way they can take their faces off.
Griz Ressin Duccar Tayn, the apparent leader of the aliens introduces them as Freemen of the House of Kark, of the sixth Troupe of the Caressers of the Second Sun, and announces that their purpose is to reacquire the ruby Emma Hamilton is wearing. It is the Star of Tarris, the source of their power, and without it they have been marooned in the galaxy, unable to get home. It slipped through time and space in an accident. Although Nelson is prepared to fight to keep it Lord Hamilton, the true earthly owner of the ruby, tells his wife to give it back. The King of Naples enters abruptly and orders the aliens massacred but Nelson refuses, now standing side by side with the alien leader. The King's men defer to the British admiral rather than their own ruler and the Doctor knocks out the King with a blow to the neck and the aliens depart in peace. Later the Doctor explains that the events of that night have all but drained the TARDIS and he has only enough power to return home but promises to return one day and take Nelson on a trip. He leaves the scene shuddering, like the aliens, at the paranoia, deception and violence of the humans.
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