On a Pedestal (short story)
On a Pedestal was the tenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership. It was written by Kathleen O. David. It featured the Second Doctor, Jamie McCrimmon and Victoria Waterfield.
Summary
Three young men, Willie, Bran and Malcolm, steal Sir Douglas' prized bull.
In the TARDIS, Jamie and Victoria have an argument about whether William Wallace was a hero or villain, and both storm off separately. When the TARDIS lands on Earth, the Doctor goes out to explore.
Later, when Jamie discovers the Doctor is missing he goes out after him, but Victoria refuses to help. Jamie gets captured by Duncan, Sir Douglas' guard, who accuses Jamie of stealing the bull.
Victoria feels guilty and leaves the TARDIS to search for Jamie. She encounters Willie, who offers to help her find her friends.
Jamie is questioned by Duncan, and even meets a cousin of his, Ewan McCrimmon; but when Sir Douglas arrives, he accuses Duncan of being drunk on duty. Sir Douglas has Jamie prove his innocence by proving that he is a piper.
Victoria finds Willie to be a pleasant companion. They meet up with the Doctor, and Willie introduces himself as William Wallace, to Victoria's shock. They head for the village to help Jamie.
Jamie, after piping a couple of songs, is freed. The Doctor and his friends arrive, and the Doctor takes Sir Douglas to the set of tracks that show Jamie's innocence. Willie admits to taking the bull as a joke, and the Doctor and Willie's father David make an agreement with Sir Douglas.
David invites the Doctor and his friends to dinner. Victoria and Willie dance while Jamie plays the bagpipes. Willie invites the Doctor and his friends to go fishing the next morning. During the party, English Captain John Fitzroy accuses David of breaking the law by holding an unlawful assembly. The Doctor talks Willie out of any violent act towards Fitzroy.
Next morning, Willie takes the trio to fish in a place claimed by the English. After they catch several fish, Fitzroy and his men show up and threaten the four. Willie kills him, but the Doctor convinces the other two men to leave because they are outnumbered, and he offers them the caught fish as well.
They take Willie home; he now has to go on the run. His parents send him to his uncle's monastery.
Back in the TARDIS, Victoria is now convinced that Wallace was a good man. Jamie plays a funeral dirge for Wallace on the bagpipes.
Characters
- Second Doctor
- Jamie McCrimmon
- Victoria Waterfield
- Ewan McCrimmon
- William Wallace
- Captain John Fitzroy
- Bran Shaw
- Malcolm
- Duncan
- Brian
- Colin
- Sir Douglas
- David Wallace
- Margaret Wallace
References
- The Doctor catches a trout. Victoria catches a salmon.
- The Doctor believes in catch and release.
Notes
to be added
Continuity
- The Doctor says he loves fishing, a pastime he later pursues in TV: The Androids of Tara and The Two Doctors.
