Coal for Skaro (episode)

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
RealWorld.png

Coal for Skaro was the thirteenth event in the Lost in Time video game made by Eastside Games. It featured the Twelfth Doctor, Bill Potts and Santa Claus.

This event was the Lost in Time Christmas Special.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

Merry Christmas!

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

On their way back to the TARDIS, the Twelfth Doctor says that his actions should now handle the Draconians and asks if anyone is up for chips. Bill Potts says she would love some fish and chips, but Nardole is worried and says they should rather be going now. The Doctor says that there's always time for… but becomes horrified by his sight. Bill asks what's wrong and asks if that is a bag in front of the TARDIS. The Doctor continues to be horrified. Nardole points out a note and says it must be from… but the Doctor interrupts him, telling him not to say it, saying they're going back and no chips. Bill continues to ask what's going on, saying she will keep asking. The Doctor says that he won't, and orders them into the TARDIS.

(the above paragraph documents a later addition to the storyline which wasn’t present in the originally released story)

The Doctor and Bill leave the TARDIS, the Doctor telling her that for the last time he will not tell her, then is horrified by who he sees, as Bill interrupts, asking where they are. They encounter Santa Claus who tells them they are at the South Pole. The Doctor is horrified, while Bill excitedly asks him if she is seeing who she thinks she is seeing. An annoyed Doctor confirms. Santa Claus tells him that he can't skip on their arrangement. The Doctor says he can and will as a previous "bleeding heart" version of him set it up, but caught in the technicality that he said he would, the Doctor reluctantly agrees to it.

Bill wonders why the Doctor never told her that he knows Santa, or that he is real, which the Doctor brushes off as him knowing many things, while not all are for human ears. Nardole chimes in saying that if the Doctor could forget, he would, due to the arrangement. A disbelieving Bill asks him if he made a deal with Santa, to which he says he did not, to which Nardole chimes in again, explaining that a couple of incarnations back he asked Santa for a favour. As the Doctor continues being annoyed, Nardole continues, saying that Santa takes gifts to his companions and in exchange the Doctor delivers coal to some of the nastier people on the naughty list, which the Doctor deems "a curse placed upon [him] by a thin man in sand shoes".

Meanwhile on Skaro, the Daleks prepare for an invasion, only needing the invasion plans approved, exclaiming "total extermination of all life". The plans get approved and they exclaim the extermination will commence in glory of the Dalek Empire, when the TARDIS lands with the Doctor and Bill exiting. The Daleks identify the sound as being from the TARDIS and the individual as the Doctor, and threaten extermination.

The Daleks prepare to attack ther TARDIS and exterminate the Doctor, but find their weapons non-functional. The Doctor taunts them, saying the Christmas spirit is flowing through them, to which Bill says that if that was the case they should bring Santa more often, to which the Doctor says he whipped up a disruption field from the TARDIS. As they call for his extermination, he tells them to save it until after New Year, as he's just there to deliver something. He wishes them a "Merry Christmas" and tells them not to invade any planets, even if they can’t with their weapons disrupted.

On the UNIT Moonbase, a Cyberleader, accompanied by a Cybertrooper, tells Kate Stewart and Petronella Osgood to surrender and be upgraded. Kate tells them to check their records on previously failed missions, they do so and sees the Doctor has defeated them before. Kate says this is a good example to follow and Osgood starts routine 1973 which causes their servo motors and enhancements to malfunction. The CyberLeader demands to know what is happening, to which Kate explains that the routine installed gold dust canisters into their ventilation system as sooner or later, the Cybermen always show up. The TARDIS then lands.

Kate thanks the Doctor for coming, but tells him they handled the situation. He tells them to send the Prime Minister his regards for when she gets her commendation for service. He then explains to a confused Osgood that he is just there to make a delivery. Kate claim she understands but won’t ask further. The Doctor gives the Cybermen coal and wishes them a "Merry Christmas".

In Victorian London, Vastra and Jenny Flint are having a situation, with Vastra saying she wouldn’t have done what she did if she knew what would happen, to which Jenny sympathises, but is interrupted when Sontarans attack, exclaiming glory to the Sontaran Empire. Jenny chastises them for interrupting when she’s talking, to which one Sontaran tells her that it doesn’t matter which tactics they use as the Sontarans will triumph. Vastra says sending Strax on holiday was a bad idea, to which Jenny replies he must be having fun in Scotland, Vastra wishing they could say the same. The TARDIS then arrives.

The Doctor and Bill steps out, with the Doctor realising he has interrupted something. The Sontaran says that this will not even the odds. The Doctor says he’s just making a delivery, which the Sontaran wonders could be a weapon. He delivers coal to the Sontarans, telling them they deserve it and leaves, asking them to play nice. Vastra asks if he won't help but he says he already did, disrupting their weapons upon landing. She thanks him, telling him they'll handle it, and he wishes them a "Merry Christmas", which Jenny returns.

The TARDIS returns to the South Pole and to Santa, the Doctor saying they're done and assume Santa's end of the bargain is too. He replies, stating that it was done before he started. The Doctor offers same time next year. Bill is surprised he accepts it without complaints, this being a first. Nardole chimes in, saying it must be the spirit of the season, to which the Doctor replies he might as well not fight it as he can’t escape it. Nardole says that this is very mature of him, to which the Doctor retorts that he is the picture of maturity, which Bill says is a Christmas miracle

Later in the UNIT Lab, he tells Missy he didn't mean to make her wait, which Missy says she doesn’t mind but had imagined a better scenery for a date. The Doctor retorts that it isn’t a date but that he got her a present. She asks him if it is that time of the year again and tells him to hand over the coal already, but he tells her it isn't coal. Missy sarcastically asks if the "jolly red grifter" is cutting his budget. The Doctor tells her that Santa told him to give her a genuine present, and wishes her a "Happy Christmas". Missy is surprised by her genuine present, claiming it can only mean one thing. The Doctor tells her she deserves it even if she’s only trying.

Back on Skaro, the Daleks are analysing the coal, but reaching an inconclusive answer repeatedly. They come to understand it is a sedimentary rock with a carbon base, but find the insufficient, but find that analysis has been repeated 20 times. They attempt extermination of the sample, but find this impossible. They study the pattern and come to understand that the Doctor delivers with regular interval. They find the research inconclusive and repeats.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Event Tips[[edit] | [edit source]]

Christmas Town gives Victorian London Cards, Dalek City gives UNIT Lab Cards, and UNIT Moonbase gives Snowcap Base Cards!

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor says that the arrangement with Santa is a curse placed upon him by a "thin man in sand shoes", referring to the Tenth Doctor as he was called "Sandshoes" in The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (TV story)"].