Doctor Who: The Mystery Of Time

Scene 3 - Esto

The TARDIS explodes with flames and sparks from the console and wires. CRASH! BAM! POW! BANG! The Doctor fails to do his best in controlling his craft as the TARDIS shakes dangerously.

Doctor:

Ah! No! Stop. Turn around! Stop! Stop this! Woah!

We now see the TARDIS spinning and weaving in the time vortex, and then return to the infernal TARDIS. Finally, after the much unbalancing trip, the TARDIS begins materializing as the ship eventually halts. The console begins frying with smoke again, whilst the Cloister Bell begins to ring eerily. The instrumentation, which suddenly manic, had now died again. The only lighting left remaining was the walls and roof still. The console was dead again, and all the circuitry and readings on the wires. The Doctor listens closely to the haunting of the cloister bells and begins talking to himself and the TARDIS.

Oh dear. This is not good. Not good at all. What have you brought me here for then? You're not dead, that's for sure. If you were, you wouldn't have any lighting. And you wouldn't be sounding the Cloister Bell. I think I'm beginning to regret trying to fix you up, old girl. You clearly don't like it. Or is there something else that appears to be the explanation behind your... your... you know? Thing. You've brought me to this place for a reason.

The Doctor takes out the Sonic Screwdriver from his long green jacket. He inspects the readings of radiation, atmosphere, temperature etc at the top of the mechanical panel. Unfortunately, the systems aren't displaying anything.

Hmph. Even that doesn't display anything. Everything else has gone. Guess I should leave it for a while and see if you have healed a little. Then maybe we can try and get back to Amy and Rory, and sort you out. Good to know you're alright from that House. For now, looks as though as I'm on my own. Let's just take a little look around.

The Doctor exits the TARDIS, and carefully looks around his surroundings. The land is filled with a forest and a long path. The TARDIS is situated in the middle of the path, which seems to be continuing to lead for miles ahead into bleak darkness. Dead, washed out trees and branches fill the planet. The sky is a dark, greyish cloud with touches of red in them. The grass is overlong and discoloured too. The Doctor is cautious about his surroundings. Using the Sonic, he extends it as a flashing light blips from the top. It is slow for now. There is a peculiar screeching sound, it's annoying and far too high pitched, but for the Doctor, this is nothing to him.

Ah. I recognize that screeching sound from anywhere. Esto! The planet Esto! Must be standing in the way of their plants communicating with each other. That would explain the screeching. Bit bleak to still be under protection from the Galactic Heritage. I don't remember it being so dim when my granddaughter and I visited Esto. Now we're going back Doctor, way, way, way back.

The rate of the Sonic's flashing dramatically increases.

Ah. Now that can only mean that something is very, very near in the vicinity of... woah!

A hand grips the Doctor's, and before he knew it, he was running and off on another adventure! The hand saves him from something bursting from the ground, launching its way up and exploding lots of moss and earth with it. The creature is revealed to be a giant Beetle. It reaches up to the top of the surface clicking its mandibles together and completely emerges squealing like a pig. The Doctor looks back at it, before turning around and looking to where he runs. There are more vibrations in the ground, as more and more giant beetles drill their way up, eating everything in their path and all squealing. There are dozens rising up. The Doctor and this other person dash through the path.

Well, well, I look as though I owe you my life there. A quick getaway that was.

As they were safe for now from any more beings, the two both stop. The person turns around to the Doctor – and it was Hope. The same character we saw at the start, but better known from Century 22's Horror Of The GRC 666 Expedition. She is wearing ear pods, probably protecting her from the screeches of plant life. She still wears the same uniform, only it is a little more grubby, stained, and worn.