Paydirt (short story)

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Paydirt was the nineteenth story in the Bernice Summerfield anthology A Life of Surprises. It was written by Lance Parkin.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

In the 46th century, Stev Grayson, Gould, N-v23 and Professor Kent are excavating a dig site looking for information on Bernice Summerfield.

Later, they discuss the legends they've heard about Benny, and speculate whether an earring they've found belongs to her. Professor Kent tries to explain to the students the nature of fact and legend.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Benny uses "the Professor" as an alias. The Seventh Doctor was often called "Professor" by his companion Ace.
  • Prior to this story, Lance Parkin had addressed the idea of multiple timelines or versions of Benny in Fishy Business, published in Perfect Timing 2 in 1999. A character named Danny the Fish and Mr Saldaamir encounter a version of Benny who had become the Doctor's lover following The Dying Days.
  • In Parkin's Iris Explains, published in the charity anthology Missing Pieces, Iris Wildthyme mentions a version of Benny who had thirteen children with the Doctor.
  • The version of Benny who became "Supreme Commander of all human space" is a reference to two drafts of Parkin's rejected epilogue for The Dying Days, Valeyard of the Daleks[1] and Eulogy of the Daleks[2].

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]