Opens on a scene in a futuristic city, a grubby human

populace stand at the foot of a great, important looking

building, seemingly in waiting.
Seconds pass and the man they await emerges. He wears a
bow tie and a tweed jacket. His face is somber. The mob,
terrified, silence themselves as he prepares to speak.

Doctor: Humanity, you have been conquered. From now on you

will bow down to me. I am your king. I am the Doctor.

Days earlier, The TARDIS makes its way through time and
space, The Doctor at the controls, Alicia standing beside
them.

Alicia: So, why Earth, then?

Doctor: That's an interesting question. Maybe. (dismissive)

I don't actually know what you're talking about. That
happens a lot with you.

Alicia: Well, why earth? You say it yourself, you say it a

lot 'everywhere in time in space,' and yet you're always on
earth!

Doctor: Loads of reasons! I haven't thought about it. I

really, really like Eastenders.

Alicia: (laughs) You've never seen Eastenders! Come on, you

can tell me, what's going on, are you half human or
something?

Doctor(snorts): Don't be ridiculous, ridiculous is my thing.

Alicia: Well why, then?

Doctor: There's a very good reason for it, actually.

Unfortunately, something interesting is happening and we're
about to get awfully sidetracked.

Alicia: What?

Doctor: Someone's sending out a distress signal, someone

needs help, and seeing as that's kind of what I do...

Flicks the controls and the TARDIS lands.

Doctor: Well here we are, out you get.

Alicia: The whole 'anywhere in time and space,' thing is
all about avoiding awkward conversations, isn't it?

Doctor: You catch on quick. Out you get.

They emerge in a great, empty dining hall. It's grey and

dreary, but futuristic.

Alicia: Well?

Doctor: Well, what?

Alicia: Do the information thing. The whole 'year is 2633,

planet Jupiter six.'

Doctor: Ah yes, I like that bit. (sniffs the air) Well

we're on a space ship. A prison ship, at that. Year, in
relation to your time, is 2292 AD. But that's not the good
bit, would you like to know the good bit?

Alicia: Go ahead.

Doctor: Well, as you may know, I've broken into my fair

share of prison ships in my time. And the reaction aboard
is always different. Sometimes you get alarms, sometimes
you get panic, now and again you wind up having to make
friends with a big fella who goes by the nickname
'Strangler,' just to get by. It depends. But one thing you
always, absolutely always get, Alicia, is people.

Alicia: Ah, but this one's empty. I see...

A voice: Not entirely empty, miss!

They turn to see a young man, roughly Alicia's age, walking

across the dining hall towards them.

Sam: Hello, I'm Sam, welcome!

The Doctor walks to Sam and begins to inspect him with his
eyes, getting far too close for comfort.

Doctor: Sam. Hi Sam.

Sam(uneasy): er... Hello?!

Doctor: Tell me, Sam, big ol' prison ship, one prisoner.
All by yourself, no guards. All of this suggests that you
must be really, very dangerous. Are you really, very
dangerous, Sam?

Sam politely steps backwards.

Sam(laughing): Unfortunately, I'm not nearly that

interesting. No, I got in a fight back home. Hurt the guy
quite badly, he'd started it but I should have known to
stop. I got three years on this ship as a sentence.

Doctor: Alone?

Sam: No. In the middle of my second year there was a riot.

A vicious one, fires were started, flooding too. But I'd
hidden myself away. It lasted only one day but everyone was
killed. The guards, the prisoners, I was the only survivor,
except for the ship's cat, Chief, wherever the little
devil's gotten to. That was ten years ago now. I've been on
this ship for ten years.

Alicia: I'm so sorry! Couldn't you have tried to pilot the

ship? Or call for help?

Sam holds up his wrist for them to see. On it is a metal

wristband.

Sam: This little thing right here. Keeps me from piloting

the ship or even entering the cockpit.

Alicia touches her head.

Alicia: (in pain) ow...

Sam: That's probably me too. The wristbands cloak your

identity. It was to stop fights between inmates and bias
among the guards. The bands hide our names, our history,
even our species. Makes your head go a bit funny when you
look straight at whoever wears it.

Doctor: But you called for help?

Sam(sighing): Well there's a reason for that, before I tell

you how.

Sam takes them to the reason. Through a great window they

see that the ship has fallen into the orbit of a sun.

Doctor: Ah... That looks rather warm.

Sam: Which is why I called you. I'd say I have about a year
before I'm dead. So I ignored the built-in electrocution
that kicks in whenever I get too close to the cockpit and I
managed to send out a weak distress signal.

Doctor: And then I arrived, dashingly, and saved the day.

Not to ruin the ending or anything, but Sam, it's you're
lucky day! Though, considering you've been on a prison ship
alone for the past ten years, a lucky day would be
literally anything even a little bit nice. Though you did
have a cat. Which we haven't seen so it could be an
imaginary cat. Sorry, rambling. Basically, you're not going
to die.

Sam: Thank goodness... But what can you do?

Alicia: We can just put you on the TARDIS and fly straight
out of here.

Sam: I don't know. The band is programmed to kill me if it

registers that I'm no longer on the ship. I have no idea
how they remove it, it's top secret.

The Doctor grabs Sam's wrist and waves the sonic

screwdriver over it triumphantly. Unfortunately, nothing
happens.

Doctor(frustrated): Oh come on, there's no reason that you

couldn't do this, you can tint sunglasses for goodness'
sake! Right, new plan! Well there wasn't really an old one
so just, Plan! We have a plan.

Alicia(slightly irritated): What is it, Doctor?

Doctor: Right... Hang on... Right, yes, this shouldn't be

too hard. What we're going to do- Actually, it'll be me
who does everything, but you know what I mean- I'll have to
shut down the ship's entire system to get Sam off and the
only way to do that is to connect it to the TARDIS and
override the power. Once it's down, the band will shut off,
we can take Sam away in my magic machine!

Sam: You're a lifesaver!

Alicia: Don't. Trust me, if he needs an ego boost, he has
plenty of speeches lined up to do it himself.

Sam: Well... Well thanks, anyway. Is there anything I can

do to help?

Alicia: Not unless you have a fez...

Doctor: Good idea! Stick with Alicia, she knows what I

like, I'll be off saving your life!

The Doctor pops into the TARDIS and emerges seconds later,
a mug in his hand. He places it on a table nearby.

Doctor: Always nice to have a cup of tea while you're

saving lives, if it wouldn't be too much trouble! And a
biscuit!

Sam: Oh, I'll have a look but as far as I know there's no

tea on board!

Doctor: There never is...

The Doctor leaves the mug where it is and pops back into
the TARDIS, which dematerialises, leaving Sam and Alicia
alone.

Sam: He seems...

Alicia: I know. Trust me, I know... So, Sam, what do you do

for fun around here?

Sam(Laughs): Well, there's been a lot of walking about, a

lot of daydreaming. You want the tour?

Alicia: Sounds good.

Sam takes Alicia down a corridor.

Sam: We'll start with the engine, that's my favourite bit.

I'll show you my cell last, seeing as I'll have to be back
in there for lock down soon enough.

Alicia: Is that because of the wristband?

Sam: Yes. Every night from eight until six in the morning,
I have no choice but to get into my cell and stay there.

Alicia: And what do you eat? And, actually, what happened

to all the dead bodies... Oh lord, I really hope those two
questions don't answer one another.

Sam(amused): Haha, no, I've not eaten anyone. There's a

furnace that they used for disposing of criminals who died
on board the ship, I cleared them up with that. As for what
I eat, they stocked this thing with enough tinned food for
over nine hundred prisoners, tons of whom weren't even
human and regularly ate their weight in food.

Alicia: Wow... You've really been through Hell, haven't you?

Sam(distantly): Yes... But thanks to your boyfriend, it'll

all be over soon enough.

Alicia: My... Oh no, the Doctor isn't... We aren't a

couple, I mean.

Sam(sweetly): Really? Wow, today really is my lucky day,

isn't it?

Meanwhile, the Doctor is in the cockpit, tinkering with the

controls of the ship.

Doctor: Right. Always good to start off without a clue

about what you're doing...

A Loud noise as, suddenly, A cat jumps down onto the

dashboard in front of him.

Doctor: Well hello there, I'm the Doctor, you must be

Chief. I take it you're not an imaginary cat, after all.

Suddenly, there is another noise, an apparent movement,

from behind the Doctor. Turning quickly, he sees that there
is nothing there.

Doctor:(quietly, pensively) Four people on this entire

ship, Including you, Chief, and the screens for the
security cameras are all right there... So explain to me
why I get the feeling I'm being watched.

The Doctor moves slowly around the TARDIS to the other side
of the room, where the movement has seemingly come from. He
pauses as, upon a table, sits his mug, full to the brim
with tea.

Doctor: Polite and spooky at the same time. Wonderful.

In the engine room, Alicia marvels at what is powering the

ship. The room consists of a rail which surrounds a great
mass of black that seems to be floating in the air.

Sam: What do you think?

Alicia: It's... Well, it's beautiful... But how does it

work?

Sam: No idea! But I like to look at it... It seems to be

made of some sort of dark energy. Still, in all the time
I've been on this ship, it's worked, non-stop, no need for
fuel.

Alicia: Sending you Straight into a sun...

Sam: Ye- Never thought of that, actually...

There's the sound of a movement behind them, Alicia jumps.

Alicia: What was that?

Sam: What?

Alicia: There was a noise, something ran past.

Sam: No, you're imagining things. It was probably Chief or

something... Trust me, I've spent years imagining there was
someone for me to talk to on this ship. But no, I'm alone.

Alicia: Sam, what if you're not? Maybe I'm paranoid but if

there's one thing I've learned while traveling with The
Doctor it's that, chances are, there's something going on
that you don't expect... What if someone wanted you alone
on this ship? What if they're mad that we've arrived?

Sam:(solemnly) Alicia... I've been happy enough pretending

that all the strange sounds I've heard on this were in my
head... If someone wants me on this ship then fine, but
unfortunately for them, I'm leaving soon. For the time
being, let's be happy that it's all in our heads. Now, care
to see my cell?
Alicia: Well that's a bit forward isn't it? You haven't
even asked me to dance yet.

Sam(embarrassed): No, sorry that's not what I...

Alicia(chuckling): I'm joking, Sam, let's see your cell.

Sam(thinking): ...Actually, no, you've given me an idea!

Follow me!

Sam takes her hand and leads her back to the dining hall.
He begins to push chairs and tables out of the way in order
to clear a space. He places a single chair beside Alicia.

Sam: (enjoying himself) Please take a seat, I'll only be a

second.

Sam runs to a control panel on a wall and starts to tamper

with it as Alicia looks on, perplexed. This continues,
though nothing happens. In the control room, The Doctor is
going about his plan.

Doctor: (casually) You know, Chief, I don't usually trust

anything that sneaks about, especially if it isn't supposed
to be wherever it is, but that was a very nice cup of tea.

He turns and sees the scene unfolding in the dining hall,

as Sam continues to fail in his endeavours.

Doctor: What are they doing? He's getting frustrated and

she's getting bored... Ah, this must be romance! Hmm, maybe
If I- Bet he takes credit for this...

The Doctor points his sonic screwdriver at the control

panel of the cockpit and below, in the dining hall, the
machine with which Sam has been fiddling jumps to life. It
is a radio(music begins to play)

Sam: Ah, I did It! How about that dance?

Alicia rises and takes Sam by the hand, they begin to dance
together.

Alicia: You're a good dancer.

Sam: I've been here ten years, I spent a lot of time in the
library. Year six, from February to March, Annabelle
Carroll's 'Teach Yourself to Move, A guide to Human
Dancing!' I enjoyed it, even if Chief didn't really like
being my dance partner.

Alicia: (laughs sweetly) Well it's paid off anyway, hope

I'm better than the cat?

Sam: As long as you don't bite me and run off we should be

okay.

The Doctor watches the dancing from the cockpit, when,

suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he spies something
flying past on one of the other screens. He looks, but it
is gone. He searches the other screens, moving the cameras
around as best he can, but to no avail.

Doctor: Well, Chief, I suppose if there's something on here

it'll show itself eventually.

He sets about his work once more, as Alicia and Sam finish
their dance.

Sam: Thank you.

Alicia: Oh, stop, I enjoyed it.

Sam: No. You know what I mean, thank you and thank The
Doctor, if he can hear us, (shouts) which he probably can!

Doctor(voice over intercom): He's right, I can. I can see

you, as well, now shut up I'm busy...(silence, then the
intercom switches back on) Also, be careful, I keep
thinking I see something from the corner of my eye, which
is where all the scariest things hide if you ask me.
(further silence, then it switches on once more) Also,
Chief says hello.

Alicia glances at Sam as if the Doctor has shown her to be

correct, that they should be worried.

Sam: Don't look at me like that... Listen, I've been seeing

things from the corner of my eye for I-Don't-know-how-long,
it's the normal reaction to being so alone somewhere so
big...

Alicia: What are you hiding?

Sam: I'm not-

Alicia: Sam, tell me or so help me I'll get the Doctor to

leave you on this ship.

(intercom switches on) Doctor: I wouldn't do that!

Alicia: Shut up, Doctor! Come on, Sam, you can tell me.

Sam: Okay, but walk with me, this is private...

They walk, and leave the dining hall, emerging in a long

corridor of cells, Sam leading Alicia along.

Alicia: Can't The Doctor hear us now?

Sam: The speakers down this way were broken in the riot...
It's not that I don't want us to be heard, I just don't
want it to be recorded... I'm being paranoid, I know...

Alicia: And there's the fact that this ship is being sent
into the heart of a sun, but never mind that. What are you
hiding?

Sam: It might not seem that important but... Ok, look,

sometimes I see things from the corner of my eye on this
ship and I ignore it, but there's been other times, times I
couldn't ignore. At night, when it's too dark for your eyes
to adjust down this corridor, I hear whispers. It's as if
they know my name... I can't see anyone through the
darkness but sometimes it's almost like there's someone
standing right outside my cell, just watching. A lot of the
time it's just the sound of breathing, usually I can't tell
whether or not it's just my own. But last night, from the
other end of the ship, I could hear an echo... It sounded
like someone was laughing.

Silence

Sam: Well, what do you think? I've chalked it up to being

insane 'till now.

Alicia: I- Sam- We have to tell The Doctor. Right away.

Sam: Well I can't... Sorry, but times ticking and I've ten
minutes to get to my cell before, well, ZAP!
Alicia:... Okay, well Would you like me to walk you to your
cell?

Sam: Think I've earned it after a dance like that!

Alicia(laughs): I suppose you have.

They continue towards Sam's cell. Alicia finds herself

slowly pushing Sam's revelation to the back if her mind.

Sam: So, you and your Doctor, what do you do? I mean,
besides arriving out of nowhere and saving the day?

Alicia: Hmm... I think you just summed us up quite well.

But there are other things too. Mainly we travel, the
TARDIS, the big blue box we came in, it's his. He's shown
me some...(sighs) some really wonderful things.

Sam: Yet you don't seem too happy about it?

Alicia: I- Well I am happy with him, of course I am... The

things I've seen. But it doesn't make sense. I'll say that
much. All the amazing things I've seen, it doesn't add up.

Sam: Then why bother with it?

Alicia: I- What?

Sam: If it's so much stress then why let it bother you?

I'll have nobody once he takes me home, I'll be all alone.
Seems as if you are too. And if the Doctor's machine is
amazing as you say he is then I'm sure he'll have no
problem meeting someone new...

Alicia: What are you getting at?

Sam: Alicia, why not come with me? I know we just met but I-

Alicia: Okay.

Sam: What?

Alicia: Okay, I'll come with you. I'm an orphan, I've

nowhere else to go. And the Doctor is fun... But it's too
much stress, all the time I spend with him is leading
towards a memory that I don't want to relive... I'll go
with you.

Sam steps backwards into his cell and smiles, looking out
at Alicia in the corridor. Leaning forward, he hoes to kiss
her. He leans in to reciprocate, but is stopped as the cell
door slams automatically.

Sam: I really hate this place.

Alicia chuckles and kisses him on the cheek through the

bars. He leads her face to meet his lips and kisses her
passionately. After seconds, they each pull away, content.

Sam: You should go break it to the Doctor. He won't be too

upset, will he? He seems like a good man.

Alicia: He- He does seem like a good man, doesn't he?

In the control room, The Doctor continues with his work, as

the door slides open, revealing Alicia. He doesn't look up,
but busies himself with the machine, seeming somewhat
frustrated.

Alicia: Hey.

Doctor: Shut up. Sorry, I mean hi...

Alicia: How are things going?

Doctor: I'll be done fairly soon, just have to reverse the

polarity of- I've just got a bit more to do.

Alicia: Well that's good. So It'd be okay if I talk to you

about something?

Doctor: Always. 'Cept when I'm busy. Or cross. Sorry,

what's the problem?

Alicia: Well it's about what happens once we've fixed the
ship?

Doctor: Well, we'll detach the TARDIS from the ship an

transport him home. Then, well, anything and everything,
you know the story.

Alicia: Pure amazement at out doorstep... Yeah... But,

listen, what if I didn't come with you?
The Doctor stops and spins on his heels to face her. His
face is blank but hiding sadness.

Doctor(hidden pain): What do you mean?

Alicia: Well... Well I think I'm going to stay with Sam. I

like him...

Doctor(perplexed): Him? Why him, he hasn't even got a time

machine! Is it the beard? Because I could get a beard, I've
never had a beard before...

Alicia: It's not about that, Doctor... I like him. And he

likes me. And it's normal, more normal than traveling space
and time with the man who killed your father.

Doctor:(audible sadness, though not needy) But I didn't...

I promise, I didn't.

Alicia: Not yet. You haven't killed him yet. And I've been
thinking, living that again... Well I wouldn't enjoy it.
Let's leave whatever happened a mystery. And I can remember
you like this. (reassuringly) Showing up and saving the
day, like an idiot.

Doctor: Okay, fine. Yeah, no that's good. It was good

having you, Alicia... You were... I've had fun.

The Doctor goes to hug her, but pauses, then takes her hand
and shakes it awkwardly.

Doctor: See you, then.

Alicia shakes her head, pulls him into a hug and pecks him
on the cheek. The Doctor lets the hug last, the turns bak
to continue his work.

Doctor: Now I'm busy...

Alicia: I'm sorry about this. Really sorry, Doctor. And

thank you.

The Doctor doesn't answer, and Alicia leaves solemnly. The

Door slides shut.

Doctor: Well, what do you think of that, Chief? How about

you, you've nowhere to go now, ever feel like seeing a
neutron star collision?

(silence)

Doctor: Yeah, that's never really been a cat thing. I

suppose we could go see some twine?

He clicks a button, and the lights go out, the ship's power

has been shut down. Just before they go down, however, he
sees a man walking along a hallway. The man is unfamiliar,
though only seen briefly, and is walking quickly along the
cells.

Doctor: Oh no... Probably shouldn't have ignored the

arrival of the tea. (urgently) Come on, Chief, we've to
save the day.

The Doctor takes the cat under his arm and sprints to Sam's
cell as quickly as possible. He bursts into the area.

Doctor(shouting): Freeze, I have a cat!

However, the man is nowhere to be seen, as Alicia stands

perplexed, while Sam is in his cell, but out of sight.

Alicia: Doctor, what-

Doctor: There was a man.

Alicia: Sam?

The Doctor marches past Alicia.

Doctor: No, a well dressed man. Sorry, Sam, you know what I
mean... A different man, clean. Sorry again. We should
leave, whatever's going on. The-

But, as the Doctor turns to look at Alicia and Sam, he

pauses, shocked.

Doctor: (Laughing) Well, that's unexpected.

Sam: Hello, Doctor. We were just talking about how you met
Alicia. Her father. Wow.

Doctor(cheerful): Alicia, listen to me. I need you to step

away from Sam, slowly. Walk towards me.

Alicia: What? Why?

Doctor: Well, it turns out he's the most dangerous man in

the universe next to me.

Alicia: What?

Sam: What?

Doctor: The Master. That's his name, like 'The Doctor,' but
bad, you see.. He's my oldest enemy... I just don't see how
he hid from me.

Alicia: Where is this coming from?

Sam: This is nonsense.

Doctor(slaps forehead): Of course! The band, it hides

everything, your history, your species! Ah you always were
clever! So, what's the plan, Master? Actually, I don't
care, Alicia, come on, we're leaving him here.

But Alicia doesn't move.

Doctor: Alicia, you haven't moved, we can't leave if you

don't move.

Alicia: Sam... Is he telling the truth?

Doctor: Of course I am!

Sam: Of course he's not! That's ridiculous! He's lying!

Doctor: Alicia, he's dangerous.

Sam: Alicia, he killed your dad!

Doctor(frustrated): No, I haven't! I didn't do that yet,

why don't people listen!?

Sam: Alicia, he's jealous, you told him you were leaving
and he can't handle it. He's obviously unstable.

Doctor: (pleading) Alicia... Come on, trust me. It's not

just him, there's someone else here, something else, we
have to leave!

Sam: Why is this only coming out now?

Doctor:(shouts) Because you weren't the Master earlier!

(calmer) I couldn't leave or solve the mystery because Sam
couldn't leave and we hadn't got time! Alicia, we have to
go.

Alicia hesitates looking back and forth. Ultimately,

though, she steps back, into Sam's arms.

Alicia:(Chokes at first) I'm sorry... Doctor I don't

know... You'll still take us home, though?

Doctor(quietly): Tell her the truth.

Sam kisses Alicia passionately on the lips.

Sam: My dear, word to the wise. Always, always, listen to

The Doctor.

Alicia: What?

Sam grabs Alicia as two men appear at each side of the

Doctor, restraining him.

Doctor: See? I may be mad, but I'm not mental.

The Master: To the control room!

The Master and the two men, who are dressed in suits and
remain silent, carry Alicia and The Doctor towards the
control room, The Doctor dragged backwards by the strangers
while The Master pulls Alicia behind him.

Doctor: Alicia, did 'Sam' tell you his last name?

Alicia: It- it was 'Tether'.

Doctor:(sarcasm) Anagrams. Wonderful. Should have seen that

coming. Couldn't you have gone with 'Yana' and made the
whole thing much easier?

Alicia: Doctor I'm sorry.

Doctor: Well, obviously! Never mind that now. You, Not-Sam!

Who are your friends?

Master: I'm afraid I can't say. Not yet.

Doctor: Right, I'll work it out, then. Okay... I'll assume

you were arrested and put on this ship. So the prison
riot... Oh, there was no riot! It was you! You wiped out
this entire ship! Single-handedly...

Master: Correct.

Doctor: Wow, that's.... That would almost be impressive if

it wasn't so twisted... Anyway you were stuck, alone on a
ship, drifting through space, alone, when- when-

A voice: When a mysterious group of strangers showed up

offering to free him from his prison and destroy his worst
enemy in the process!

They have entered the control room, where another suited

man stands, leaning against the TARDIS smoking. The voice
belongs to him.

Doctor: It's bad for you, you know.

The man: A smoke isn't going to harm me.

Doctor: I was talking about taking me captive.

The man(amused): Wonderful, very threatening. (To The

master) Should we commence the plan?

The Master steps into the TARDIS and suddenly the lights of
the prison ship once again come on.

The man: Now, Doctor, have we got a surprise for you!

Doctor: You know the Master isn't one to take orders.

Man: Unless it's from someone who saved his life.

Doctor: Who are you?

Man: You'll figure it out. You really shouldn't have ticked

us off, you know. (calling) Onwards!!

The TARDIS sounds and suddenly the night sky outside the
window of the ship disappears and is replaced with the
skyline of a futuristic city.

The Man: Now, here's what's going to happen...

To be continued.