The Doctor Of War ³

The Lie Of The Land

"The Monks have been with us from the beginning. They shepherded humanity through its formative years, gently guiding and encouraging, like a parent clapping their hands at a baby's first steps. They have been instrumental in all the advances of culture and technology. They watched proudly as man invented the light bulb, the telephone and the Internet. They were even there to welcome the first men on the moon. And they have defended us too. Who can forget the time the Monks defeated the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Weeping Angels? Two species, sharing a history as happily as they share a planet, humanity and the Monks are a blissful and perfect partnership. How lucky Earth is to have an ally as powerful and tender as the Monks, that asks for nothing in return for their benevolence but obedience" a father, mother and son are sitting on a sofa watching this broadcast. They are all dressed in indigo overalls. There is a banging on the door. The father turns off the TV and gets up to see armed men in Monk-robe-red uniforms break down the front door.

"Go! Go! Go! Get down! On your knees! Hands on your heads!"

"Get down! On your knees! Get down!"

"Search the room!" the Police start making a mess, and a woman walks in through the front door, treading on a family photograph. They make the mother stand up.

"Jane Bishop. You are charged with the manufacture and possession of propaganda intended to undermine the True History. This is in contravention of the Memory Crimes Act of 1975."

"1975? The Monks have only been here a few months."

"Therefore I sentence you to ten years in a labour camp. Take her away."

"Come on!"

"Be a good boy for Mummy! The Monks have only been here a few months! Fight back! It's all lies!"

"Get in!"

"You know it's all lies!"

"In there."

"Right, nothing to see, move along!" Bill is there, staring in horror.

"Keep going" Bill turns and walks away down the rubbish-strewn street with all the other indigo-clad people, and giant Monk statues loom high above the rooftops.

"So relax, do as you're told. Your future is taken care of" the Seer says.

*Time skip*

Bill puts two steaming mugs down on the table under the portrait of a Monk and sits. Outside are distant sirens and occasional automatic gunfire. She relaxes, and puts her fingers to her temples and concentrates. Another woman is now sitting across from her.

"Hello, Mum. The Monks, the Monks have only been here for six months. I can't remember how I escaped, Mum. I asked for their help and then, and then there's nothing. And then I woke up and the Monks were here, and they'd always been here. Everything they told us, all that we believe now, is a lie. But I don't understand it, because no-one's saying anything. It's like... like they've been brainwashed. I travelled with a man and woman called the Doctor and the Seer as well as their friend Nardole, and I did this to save the Seer. I'm trying to stay strong without them, but every day it's harder to remember what's real any more. And I know, I know how it looks, Mum, with all of the stuff that she's been saying on the telly... but it's all right, because I know she has a plan. One day soon, she's going to come back and save us all. One day" a key rattles in her door lock. Her imaginary mum has vanished. Bill grabs a wooden stool and holds it defensively in front of her. The door starts to open and she hides. The door closes. She confronts her intruder, and they scream.

"What are you doing? It's me, Nardie! And the Doctor!" Nardole shouts.

"No. Wait, wait. Shut up. Tell me something. That first time, with the Heather creature chasing us, where did we run away to?" Bill asks.