He wanders off, leaving the others behind. From a distance, a mysterious figure watches them, before retreating.
Dana: The Doctor, huh? Doesn’t seem like a doctor to me…
Amy: It’s just a name he uses, don’t worry about that, he’s…eccentric.
Rory: you feeling any better?
Dana: Yeah, thanks, bit of a headache though.
Amy: So, can you remember how you ended up here?
Dana: Not really, I remember my ship being shot and sending a distress signal…and the locket.
Amy: The locket, that’s what you hid away in, right?
Dana: yeah…(startled) where is it?
Amy: I’ve got it, don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe.
Dana: …okay.
Rory: so you must have been hiding from somebody.
Dana: yeah, and then the Doctor let me out again…it was some kind of assassin after me, I think. He ran when you three showed up in your box.
Amy: that’s our TARDIS.
Dana: a TARDIS? Really? But how come…?
Rory: that doesn’t matter, if this guy is still around, we’re all in danger.
Amy: The Doctor said he was going to look for the spaceship…
They look at each other, horrified. Meanwhile the Doctor has not found the ship but continues to scour the woods. Suddenly the sonic starts beeping.
Doctor: Hello…what’s this?
The bounty hunter steps out from behind a bush, raising a large blaster.
Doctor: Oh. Hello! I’m the Doctor and you are a scary creature with a gun. Do you have a name?
The hunter makes no reply.
Doctor: Okay then, hello scary-creature-with-a-gun, would you mind lowering your scary-creature-with-a-gun gun please so we can chat like civilised beings?
The hunter powers up his blaster.
Doctor: Never mind.
He runs, the hunter blasting away with his rifle, but missing him. The Doctor keeps running until he meets Amy, Rory and Dana coming the other way.
Amy: Doctor!
Doctor: Down!
A blaster shot ricochets off a tree and the four take cover.
Rory: I take it you found the assassin guy?
Doctor: Captain Obvious strikes again.
Amy: Oi, save the sniping for later, you two, how are we going to deal with this guy?
Doctor: Uuum, Rory, stay with Dana, I’ll distract him whilst Amy hits him with something from behind!
Amy: Will fists work?
Doctor: they’ll have to do. Go!
He gets up and sprints, coming under fire from the hunter. Amy waits a few seconds before charging towards the hunter, but he hears her and, noticing the locket she holds in her hand, tranquilises her and teleports Amy and himself away. The Doctor sees this and sprints towards them, but too late.
Doctor: AMY!!!!!!
He slumps down on the ground where Amy and the hunter were. Rory and Dana approach slowly.
Dana: Doctor?
Doctor: That ‘assassin’ isn’t an assassin, he’s a bounty hunter. But why would he take Amy, what could they possibly gain…?
A sudden expression of realisation and horror crosses his face.
Doctor: The locket…Amy had the locket; the bounty hunter must have assumed Amy was Dana’s new form, so he can’t be too bright. And by the way Dana, your ship is probably kaput, there’s no energy signature I picked up.
Dana: damn.
Rory: Great, my wife has been kidnapped. Again.
Doctor: Rory, this is no time for levity. Amy is in serious danger and we need to find out where she’s gone and who’s behind this. Come on, we’re not safe here, back to the TARDIS!
They head back to the TARDIS.
Amy wakes up in a holding cell somewhere, disoriented and tied up. Taking in her surroundings, she struggles with her bindings but to no avail. The bounty hunter arrives, deactivates the cell, and drags her out.
Amy: Oi, not so rough mate!
She is taken to Maxis, who is waiting in his lab, speaking to a man via a communicator.
General Talok: You’re positive this is her? She doesn’t exactly look like Time Lady material…
Amy: Thanks.
Maxis: She was carrying this (he gives Maxis the locket).
General Talok: aaaah, I have heard of such devices, yesss. But I am still not convinced. Run a full scan on her and the locket, then report back to me.
The General ends the call. The bounty hunter straps Amy to a table and Maxis scans her and the locket.
Maxis: hmm…the locket is empty. And she is human!
Maxis grabs a gun and shoots the bounty hunter in the chest, killing him.
Maxis: (He turns on Amy) In that case, some simple interrogation will do.
Maxis retrieves a strange object that resembles a gorilla pod and places the device on Amy’s head and activates it.
Amy: What is that?
Maxis: It’s a psychic amplifier – it allows me to literally read your thoughts and find out all I need to know. Believe me, it’s a much more preferable way to extract information.
Amy: You could just ask nicely, you know!
Maxis: First off, who are you, where did you come from, and where is the Time Lady?!
The device on Amy’s head activates as she tries to close her mind to Maxis.
Meanwhile, the TARDIS lands away from the woods on the common and the Doctor, Dana and Rory exit and enter a church. Rory goes to look around while Dana walks up to the dais.
Dana: Nice place. (noticing the Doctor’s stony look) What’s up Doc?
Doctor: Last time I checked I was the last of the Time Lords.
Dana: So?
Doctor: You’re alive.
Dana: and?
Doctor: Why?
Dana sighs, then sits in one of the pews. The Doctor sits across from her solemnly.
Dana: (reluctantly) When the war began, I was ten years old. My parents were both members of parliament; well-off, educated and competent time travellers: we even had our own TARDIS – Type 90, state of the art, equipped with an A.I.
Doctor: Type 90? Show-off, mine’s only a type 40 but she gets around well.
Dana: museum piece.
Doctor: Oi, don’t diss my TARDIS!
Dana: anyway, when the Daleks attacked, my parents were called to the parliament building. They never returned, but they left me with instructions to take the TARDIS and leave Gallifrey forever. I did so; our A.I. took care of me. She looked after me, taught me how to fly her, and I went to see the universe. The Medusa Cascade, the lost civilisation of Chaar, The ruby oceans of Samarkand…
Doctor: Oh, those are spectacular, especially at sunrise, all four sunrises in fact!
Dana: You’ve been there?
Doctor: More than once.
They both smile.
Dana: So what’s your story then? How did you escape? Did you blast your way through hordes of Daleks and save the girl of your dreams?
Doctor: I ran.
Dana: You ran? Bit of an anticlimax.
Doctor: I’m not a fighter, Dana, I’m the Doctor – if I was a fighter I would have a different name – like The Lord of Ultimate Death and Killing-ness. I ran because in the dying days of the war it became hell. The battlefield was never my place and then when chaos descended I knew I had to run and I could never look back.
Dana: (sympathetically) I’m sorry.
Doctor: What would you have done in my position?
Dana smiles weakly.
Dana: The same thing.
Suddenly a high pitched whining causes the Doctor to collapse on the floor. Dana rushes to his side and Rory runs back in.
Dana: Doctor!
Maxis: (voice) this is a message to the Time Lord known as ‘the Doctor’. My name is Maxis. I have your companion hostage, the one known as Amelia Pond. For now she is safe, but if you do not meet my demands she will be destroyed.
Rory: Doctor, what is it?
Doctor: (in pain) …inside…my head…!
Maxis: I know you are with Dana, the Time Lady. She is very valuable to me, and I would like her returned. You will meet me at the location I am planting in your head, with Dana, unarmed, and I will return Amelia to you. Failure to meet my demands will result in her death.
Amelia has proven very useful with her information, and I am sure you will not disappoint me, Doctor.
Doctor: why…do you want…her, Maxis?
Maxis: Is it not so obvious to you, my dear Doctor? I want her uniqueness.
Doctor: what do you mean…?
The telepathic message ends and the Doctor slumps weakly and Dana catches him and helps him up. The Doctor staggers away, distraught and vulnerable.
Dana: It was him, wasn’t it?
Doctor: He told me his name; Maxis.
Dana: Doesn’t ring a bell.
Doctor: He also told me why he wants you.
Rory: Why?
Doctor: Time Lords are the only beings in the universe to possess the ability to regenerate – that power alone is dangerous in the wrong hands. Time Lord DNA is wanted by black market dealers, drug barons, warlords and even scientists across the stars. (He turns to Dana) Did you do something to gauge his interest?
Dana: (sighs) my TARDIS leaves a very specific engine signal, unique to its design but still identifiable as that of a TARDIS. He must have locked on to me and followed me.
Rory: That still doesn’t explain his motivation.
Doctor: And we’re unlikely to find out unless we meet with him.
The Doctor contemplates for a moment.
Doctor: I have a choice, and I don’t like either of them. Either I refuse Maxis’ demands and leave Amy to die but save one of my own kind, or I hand Dana over to him and just save one of the most important people in my life. (angrily he lashes out) This is impossible!
Dana: I wish I knew how you felt; I’ve never had a compan- a friend, but I still have a sense of morality. I know what you have to do and so do you.
The Doctor steadies himself against a pew, and closes his eyes.
Back in Maxis’ lab, Amy is back in her holding cell, when a mysterious figure appears from the shadows, deactivates the holding cell and hands her a device, which Amy hides in her jeans. The cell is reactivated and the figure disappears.
A little later the TARDIS lands in a field and the Doctor, Rory and Dana step out and make their way to Maxis’ lab. Maxis moves to the centre of the room.
Maxis: Aah, Doctor, Dana, welcome to my humble abode.
Doctor: You must be Maxis then.
Maxis: Indeed, I congratulate you on making such a hard decision, and for bringing me my prize.
Doctor: Yes, about Dana (he emphasises her name), why exactly do you want her?
Maxis: Let me tell you a story, Doctor. Eons ago my people began to quarrel amongst themselves; there was a huge rich/poor divide, fortunately I was on the rich side. Eventually it escalated into full blown civil war, destroying our culture, economies, and honour. The poor began to win, killing many of our soldiers. My commanders began to seek…less practical methods, and so my expertise was brought forwards.
Doctor: Why?
Maxis: I am - I was my world’s greatest scientist and historian. I was well learned in the history of many races, especially yours, Doctor. The Time Lords had something unique to their genetic structure – the ability to completely redesign it, or as you put it, regenerate. My leaders despatched me to seek out a Time Lord and his or her TARDIS and return as soon as possible. They knew that the war would destroy their world, and they wanted to survive. Stealing Time Lord DNA was an option they could not refuse.
Dana: You’re sick!
Maxis: (ignoring her) so I hired a bounty hunter, and he found me a Time Lady. He followed her for a month or two before I ordered him to move in for the kill. And here we are. And I’m lucky; I don’t have just one Time Lord, I have two!
Doctor: This is wrong, Maxis, Time Lord DNA in the hands of…warmongers is insane!
Maxis: I know you, Doctor; what you would do in their position. You fear death.
The Doctor and Dana are suddenly trapped by a bright light. Their struggles are fruitless. In her holding cell, Amy silently retrieves the device given to her earlier – the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver.
Dana: What the hell…?
Maxis: It’s a biograft, quite illegal in over 50 star systems! I will now steal your DNA and leave your bodies to crumble. Oh, and our deal is off, Amelia will die anyway. Enjoy!
Rory runs forwards as a humming noise begins to build up. Dana and the Doctor both scream in pain.
Doctor: Rory, stay back!
Maxis begins to laugh, but it is cut short by the barrel of a gun placed against his temple, wielded by Amy.
Amy: Are you gonna turn this off or am I gonna have to do it for you?
Maxis growls, then lashes out and knocks her away. Amy recovers quickly and shoots the biograft, destroying it. Maxis screams a denial as the Doctor and Dana are released. Rory runs forwards and knocks Maxis down. The Doctor helps Dana up slowly. Rory goes to Amy and they embrace.
Doctor: This, Maxis, is why you don’t mess with Team TARDIS!
Rory: How did you get out?
Amy: (ignoring his question) Kiddo (she gets the locket and hands it to Dana) this is yours.
Secretly, Amy gives Dana the sonic as well. Confused, Dana accepts. Unknown to them, Maxis is crawling towards a control panel, and presses a button.
Automated voice: Destruct sequence activated, five minutes to termination.
Maxis: If I cannot cheat death, then I will ensure that neither can you, Doctor!
Doctor: Um, Dana?
Dana: Yeah?
Doctor: I’m thinking of a three letter word.
Dana: What?
The Doctor grabs her hand.
Doctor: Run!
The two Time Lords run for the exit.
Doctor: come along Pond!
Amy and Rory grab each others hands and run ahead. They pass through a sliding door but the door slams shut between Dana and the others.
Doctor: no, no, no, no! (sonicing the door has no effect) aaargh!
Dana: Doctor! The door won’t open, what’s going on?
Doctor: I’m working on it, don’t worry, I’ll have you out in five minutes!
Automated voice: three minutes to destruction.
Amy: Doctor, hurry!
Doctor: It’s no use, the doors are fused shut; I’d need explosives to get through!
Rory: do we have any explosives?
Doctor: (panicking) DO I LOOK LIKE A DEMO MAN TO YOU?!?
Dana presses against the door.
Dana: Doctor?
The Doctor presses against the other side, closing his eyes.
Doctor: The door isn’t going to open, Dana, I’m sorry, I can’t open it.
Automated voice: two minutes remaining.
Dana: is there another way?
Doctor: None. All the other doors will be in a similar state.
Dana: (close to tears) is this the end then?
Doctor: Dana…
Dana: Everyone’s time will come, Doctor, and I suppose mine is now.
Dana begins to break down.
Dana: all those places…I’d give anything to see them again.
Doctor: just remember them…the Medusa Cascade…
Dana: (closing her eyes) …the ruby oceans of Samarkand…
Doctor: the sunrises, those fantastic sunrises…
Dana: (crying)…Doctor…I’m scared…
Doctor: Ssshh, it’ll be okay.
Dana: by the way, you left your screwdriver on this side.
Doctor: (puzzled) no I didn’t?
Dana: but I’ve got it here?
The Doctor moves away from the door and faces Amy.
Doctor: Amy, remind me, how did you get out of your cell?
Amy: You gave me your sonic.
Doctor: but I did not make any detours on my way to Maxis’ lab…meaning…
Automated voice: one minute remaining.
The Doctor returns to the door.
Doctor: Dana, you’re right, everyone’s time will come. But you’ve still got a lot longer to live! You will see those sunrises again, I promise you!
He runs out of Maxis’ lab followed by Amy and Rory.
Dana: Doctor, are you still there?
Amy: Doctor, where are you going? Dana’s still there!
Doctor: I know! You escaped that cell with my sonic, and I gave it to you! Not me now, but me from our future! But I know myself too well, and I know I went back for more than just that!
As Dana huddles against the door, the mysterious figure appears again and Dana looks up at him in shock.
Doctor: I went back to save Dana.
Back in the lab, the Doctor is revealed.
Dana: Doctor? I thought…?
Doctor: I have a time machine, honestly.
Dana grins and the Doctor helps her up.
Dana: now, where were we?
Automated voice: thirty seconds to destruction.
The Doctor grins back, takes her hand and they run. As they re-enter the main room, the Doctor approaches a console and calls up General Talok.
General Talok: What?
Doctor: Listen up, buddy, because I have an important message for you; sort things out on your world, no more deaths, no more destruction, end it now!
General Talok: (angry) under whose authority?
Doctor: mine.
General Talok: And who are you exactly?
Doctor: Me? I’m the Doctor.
He runs to the TARDIS as the countdown enters its dying seconds.
Maxis: Nooooooooo!!
The counter hits zero, and the lab explodes.
Later, the TARDIS re-materialises in a back garden and Dana and the Doctor step out.
Doctor: So then, what now?
Dana: I don’t know, to be honest. I was thinking of heading off again to see the universe, but…I kind of like this planet. I think I’ve been travelling for too long. I need a place I can call home.
Doctor: I’m no estate agent, but Earth is a very nice place. In fact this house we’ve landed in looks quite good – not bigger on the inside but you can’t have everything in life.
Dana: but I’d need money.
Doctor: already sorted, don’t worry. I thought a small amount would see you through the next few years – a million. (Dana opens her mouth in protest) And before you say anything, no, it’s not my money. Technically it didn’t exist until at least two hours ago.
Dana bursts out laughing.
Dana: You are full of surprises! (Her smile fades slightly) Will I ever see you again?
Doctor: I’m sure our paths will cross again, Dana, don’t worry about that. I can turn up anywhere, anytime. Just psyche me and I’ll be here.
Dana: What will you do now?
Doctor: I’ll be off travelling again, with these two, seeing the stars.
Dana: I see…do you ever get tired of it?
Doctor: What do you mean?
Dana: Would you ever want to settle down, take a break from travelling? Live a normal life?
Doctor: That depends on how you define ‘normal’. And even if I wanted to I couldn’t; trouble has an uncanny knack for finding me. Too many innocent people get hurt when I’m around; people I don’t know, people who don’t know me.
Dana: Well, if you ever change your mind and trouble leaves you alone, you’re always welcome here, fellow Time Lord.
Dana hugs him for a few seconds, before the Doctor turns and heads back into the TARDIS. Dana suddenly remembers something and calls his name. The Doctor turns around. Dana fumbles for his sonic screwdriver.
Dana: I think you’ll be needing this.
The Doctor smiles, takes the sonic screwdriver, and departs, leaving Dana in her new home.
The scene changes to the TARDIS. The Doctor fiddles in his coat pocket and brings out Dana’s locket. Smiling, he replaces it.
Doctor: Now, where were we?
Amy: B-zazz!
Doctor: Oh yes, the sixth moon in fact.
Rory: Is the entire populace seriously lactose-intolerant?
Doctor: Raxicoricofallapatorians explode on contact with vinegar, trust me, I’m like the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, minus the ‘DON’T PANIC’ instruction on the back.
Amy: Doctor? Do you think there are other Time Lords out there who survived the war? I know about House and the junkyard and stuff but perhaps there are others out there like you two?
Doctor: It’s hard to say, us Time Lords have a habit of disappearing easily, and to be honest I’m pretty sure that most of them died, but anything’s possible, Amy. It’s a mad universe we live in.
The TARDIS flies off on another adventure.
End Credits.