Wildcard: Time's Assassin

There is a dark legend whispered on a hundred worlds, the deep and midnight tale of a creature who leaves naught but dust in his path. Perhaps its all just bravado or a modern myth but sometimes a story is a warning that has lost its meaning. Perhaps this is for the best because what if the terrible deeds were true and Wildcard was more than just a legend?

Episode One
by Trivial Keithy

Earl Marcus Aurilian lounged inside the wooden coach. The rough track gave even the hardiest of travellers discomfort. He heard the crack of the whip and the coach found extra momentum. Inside the coach were his manservant - Jenkins - and the liquidated value of the estate he recently inherited. There had been a scandal and now Marcus found himself in the coach bound for a fresh start.

Nearly there sir. Jenkins examined his pocket watch. He had kept a careful track of the time since their departure. He had arranged the journey in his usual meticulous manner. It was not for him to wonder or suppose about recent events, he had his duty to his master. He had a good and kind master, not like Duke Farnright who was generally described in the servants circle as the nearest to the devil a mortal man may reach.

Thank you Jenkins. Marcus tried not to think too much. The past was the past. He had given the girls father a large amount of money to cover eventualities. The father had demanded he marry his daughter but Marcus was a man of breeding and nobility, he could no more marry a commoner than he could a beast of burden. It just wasnt the done thing.

Lightning flashed across the sky and rain started to fall, heavier and heavier until the earth was turned into a thin runny mud. The coach slowed and stopped. The drivers face appeared at the window. Sorry your grace, but the rain has washed the road out, well have to continue on at a walking pace until we reach the nearest inn.

Yes, yes. No sense in taking any risks, carry on.

The driver went to say something but he suddenly became frozen before collapsing outside.

Jenkins, find out whats wrong with that cur. If hes beyond help leave him here and drive the coach yourself to the nearest house.

Very good sir.

Jenkins hoped the driver was all right, he would prefer the warmth of the inside of the coach in this weather. He looked down and saw that there was a gaping hole in the drivers chest. Jenkins made the sign of the cross on reflex. There was a sharp pain in his neck as someone grabbed a hold of him from behind. The pain suddenly stopped.

Get a move on Jenkins, Id prefer not to hang around here any longer than possible.

Something was thrown inside at him. He caught it and shrieked when he discovered it was Jenkins head. He dropped it and ran away screaming.

Bill the smith was about to lock up for the night when he saw a pale figure come running towards him. He caught the distressed man and took him back to his home. His wife and eldest daughter saw to making the stranger comfortable while Bill walked to the nearby garrison house. When he returned with Corporal Wood he discovered the man even further out of his mind. His wife and daughter were nowhere to be seen but the large amount of blood on the walls, floor and ceiling made him grab the man by the scruff of his neck and start to shake him about.

All Marcus could say was 'Wildcard' over and over.

After a year in captivity Marcus finally told his story to a priest as last rites were given before his execution. The priest finished his blessing and watched on solemnly as Earl Aurilian finally found peace in gods arms.

No, not that button Leela.

You said press a button, any button Doctor. Why did you say that if you wished otherwise?

If you had let me finish I would have said any button but that blue one there. That was the emergency stop. We could be anywhere.

I am sorry Doctor. From now on I will listen to everything you have to say.

Oh thats very kind of you and Im sure you will benefit from my wisdom.

K9 entered the console room. Danger master, there is danger here.

Leela knelt down to listen what the mechanical dog had to say. What kind of danger K9?

It is a generalised field of tachyon particles about to engulf us mistress.

The Doctor examined the TARDIS controls. You know I think hes right Leela. I wonder why the old girl didnt detect it before now?

Unknown master, perhaps TARDIS sensors are not operating at peak efficiency.

Oh rubbish K9, I run a tight ship. Everything ship shape and Bristol fashion.

That is not true. My room keeps on changing places with other rooms. You said you would fix it last week.

Did I really? I must remember to remember these things. Jelly baby? The Doctor produced a bag of the multi-coloured sweets from his coat pocket.

Thank you. Leela took a yellow one.

The TARDIS lurched suddenly and its occupants fell about as the tachyon field engulfed them. Once the room had stopped spinning, literally, the Doctor stood up. A smooth landing Leela, come on stop lying around.

I was not lying down on purpose, I tripped over K9. A Sevateem warrior does not loose her balance easily especially when you pie-lot this ship. She remembered the word the Doctor had used to describe how he made the TARDIS work.

Apologies mistress. A brief residual magnetic charge caused my chassis to become fixed to the floor.

Thats intensely interesting K9. Neither your chassis or the TARDIS floor are made of metal. I wonder how that could have happened.

How could it have happened Doctor.

For a moment the laws of physics were changed.

Thats what I thought.

Really?

No, but thats what the voice in my head told me.

You have voices in your head? Must have hit your head when you fell over K9.

No, it was after that. The voice told me just after I asked the question. Now it has told me to tell you to go outside. There is something you should see.

The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors and emerged. They were in a dark alleyway which was badly illuminated by the street light above them that wasnt working. Hello...my friend said you wanted to see me.

Yes Doctor.

So, youre real then.

Yes Doctor.

Have you been waiting here long for me?

About five minutes and thirty seconds.

Well thats not too long. Jelly baby? He offered the bag to the stranger.

There is a problem Doctor. There is an anomaly moving backwards and forwards through the history of Earth. We had tracked it from several other planets to here. In its path has been a trail of death and destruction. Several very important people in the history of those planets have been eliminated, severely altering their futures. It is too late to save those worlds but you were, how can I put this, in the neighbourhood - and so we felt you could save Earth.

How many more times must I do your dirty work? Karn was bad enough and all those years in exile on Earth was very difficult.

We realise your situation. We are asking you do what we put you on trial and sentenced you for. We have no means of helping Earth Doctor, once more you are its only hope.

Ok, ok. What must I do?

Each world has left behind a name: Wildcard. This entity has the potential to alter history, to literally kill time.

Thats a little dramatic dont you think?

Those worlds were supposed to develop into major races in the future but now that will never happen. Kelmet 4 has already plunged into civil war just when it should be implementing global peace. Sewai Prime has started to adopt an extreme government dedicated to working its people into the ground just as a bill of liberty was about to be announced. I could go on but I think you get the picture.

Yes, youve made yourself very clear. Does the high council have any suggestions?

All data concerning this matter has been uploaded into your TARDIS.

Thats very efficient.

You must hurry Doctor and good luck.

What is it Doctor? Leela saw the worried look on the Doctors face and became concerned.

Ive just become an errand boy again. I thought I was rid of their meddling for good. Theyve asked me to track down some kind of creature that causes death and destruction. Its called Wildcard.

I have never heard of such a beast but we can track it down together and kill it. You have not been on a hunt before?

No and theres to be no killing Leela, not if we can help it. You should learn to be more passive and not so zealous. The Doctor set the relevant controls and left the alleyway. And besides I have a feeling Ive not been told the whole truth.

That explains why you are so grumpy.

Leela.

What?

Your vocabulary is expanding.

Thank you. She smiled.

Vernon Drake ran as fast as he could. It was behind him and gaining fast. It was a predator and he was sure it was playing with its prey as a cat does with a mouse. There was a snarl and something heavy pounced on him. He saw its terrible face for a second and screamed.

Only its hand burying into his chest to pull the beating heart out finally silenced Vernon Drake.

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Episode Two
by Iris Wildthyme

Detective Inspector Joanna Lasky pushed her car door open and stepped straight into a puddle. She looked down at the muddy water slopping over the tips of the shoes she'd cleaned only last night, and considered sourly to herself that today was going to be another one of those days. Just lately it seemed that every day was 'another one of those days'. She looked up and around the wasteground she was in and swore. A uniformed officer wandered over to her puddle. Just let him smirk, just a bit, she thought vindictively. But the expression on the man's face told her that no one was going to be doing any smirking that morning.

She followed him to the crime scene, which was buzzing with activity. A figure pulled itself out of the throng of uniforms and raincoats and came over to her. "Mornin', Guv. It's another bad 'un." She'd only been working with Detective Sergeant Mike Chambers for a month and already she was starting to dislike him for his cheery enthusiasm and his perpetual insistance to refer to her and anyone else in authority as 'Guv'. She put it down to too much 'Sweeney' as kid.

"Good morning, Sergeant. Another "bad 'un"?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Fraid so. Heart pulled clean out, just like before." He led her over to a body covered by a plastic sheet. Chambers nodded to a PC who pulled the sheet back. Lasky blanched. "Jesus  what a mess." She gestured to the PC who lowered the sheet back down. "Does it have a name?"

"Vernon Drake. Wallet was still in the jacket pocket, money, cards, the lot still untouched." He moved closer and said more quietly: "Did you see his face? Just like that geezer we found yesterday." Lasky shuddered at the memory and regretted her decision to quit smoking again last week. "Yes  yes. I've seen terror on dead faces before, but that " she shook her head. "OK, get it down the lab. Let's see if we can determine anything from this one." A large spot of rain struck her square in the face. She glowered at the darkening sky. "Looks like we're heading for another bloody storm "

A quiet, deep voice beside her. "Yes you are, Inspector. You are indeed. Take a look at this." Something was thrust into her hands. It looked like a TV remote control, covered in a myriad of flashing lights. It burbled musically. Lasky blinked, bewildered. "What the devil ?" A finger jabbed at the device. "Here, look. Extraordinarily heavy traces of negative chronon energy." A large face, all teeth and curly brown hair, dipped close to hers. "I don't have to tell one of Scotland Yard's finest what this means."

"Scotland Yard's finest  I'm not with - hey!" Lasky spluttered. She flung the device back at the man. "Who the hell are you? And what are you doing on my murder scene! Chambers " Chambers, as surprised as she was by the man's sudden arrival, seized his arm, pulling it up behind his back savagely to make up for his earlier lack of reaction to the stranger. The man yelped. Chambers was about to propel him towards the waiting cars when strong hands grasped him and suddenly he was lying down in the mud. Shouts and yells, scuffling. He picked himself up only to be flattened by a PC falling on top of him.

"Look out, Doctor! More of those blue guards!" "Leela, Leela! Put that away  don't hurt them." Leela reluctantly sheathed her knife as the Doctor held up his hands placatingly to the advancing ring of police officers, and pleaded loudly: "Inspector, listen to me  I'm on the trail of whatever killed that man, much the same as you are. Now with this " he held up his device, "I can track it down. But we have to move quick - the trail is getting colder as we speak! Time is imperative!" His voice rang loud across the wasteground. More blobs of rain struck Lasky's face.

She decided that today was definitely one of those days.

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Episode Three
by Trivial Keithy

I say listen to me. The Doctor was being loaded into the back of a Police owned Ford Transit van. I can help you find the killer.

Take him down to the station Mike and take that knife off that woman and give her something to wear, shell catch her death in his weather.

The Doctor and Leela were not charged or even cautioned. Instead they were taken to a custody room and given a cup of tea each. You remember tea Leela? Well this is its poor relation. I doubt its never even heard the names India and Sri Lanka.

Yes Doctor. Leela felt uncomfortable without her knife. She knew how to fight with out weapons but she had grown acustomed to the security it brought and the fear in her enemies eyes. Not good traits in a warrior of the Sevateem and so she made herself hand it over.

It is very good Doctor.

Really? I think its a touch to earthy for my palette.

No Doctor. I was trying to be polite. Never refuse a free cup of tea you said. Leela found the rough uniform of the blue guards to be itchy and uncomfortable. What does WPC mean?

Lasky finished watching the autopsy. She hated suprises and so here she was watching a private and personal act. She felt like she was intruding but she promised the dead man she would bring his killer to trial. It wasnt a career with this string of murders, it was a crusade. She saw her name in the papers and imagined the award from the queen.

Devon Thinnes was a small thin man and stood to inherit a vast estate from his terminally ill parents. He loved them dearly and had spent quite a lot of his own money keeping them alive this long but the latest test results were bleak to say the least. He hoped to set up a charity to fund research into finding a cure for other people striken by this terrible disease one day. It was such a terrible disease Whooping Cough and someone should have found a cure to it long ago.

The Doctor picked up a medical brocure and leafed though it idly. Leela look at this. It says here theres no cure for a lot of diseases.

That does not worry me. Remember you said I was immune to almost every disease thanks to my ancestors.

Yes, yes I know. Theres only one problem, a lot of these diseases had cures found for them a long time ago.

It is this Wildcard you suspect? Leela was curious.

Yes. If this keeps up Earth will become a plague world and life as we have known it will not evolve. You may never be born Leela...

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Episode Four
by Iris Wildthyme

Lasky dropped heavily into a chair and tugged open a drawer, rummaging through the clutter within for her emergency pack of Silk Cut. She found two empty packs before finding one with something inside it. She pulled a cigarette out and lit it, taking a deep drag. She coughed, picked up the pack again and peered at it.

Menthol? Bugger! Oh well ...

Someone coughed in the doorway. Detective Sergeant James was looking at her over the top of his spectacles and was pointing to a sign on top of a filing cabinet: NO SMOKING PLEASE. Lasky regarded him balefully and gestured at the offending object with her cigarette, spilling ash all over her desk top.

Throw that bloody thing in the bin.

Yes, Maam, James said stiffly, and swept the sign into a wastebin. He sat at his desk and gazed at her, lips pursed. You know the stations anti-smoking policy extends throughout the building, dont you?

Cobblers, she muttered. She looked round for an ash-tray and had to settle for a half-empty plastic cup. The hot ash spluttered and hissed on contact with the congealed coffee within. James cleared his throat disapprovingly and got on with his paperwork. Lasky examined the statement taken from the two new guests down in the interview room.

What do you make of this, James? Time travellers and evil alien demons?

Time wasters, more like. Its science fiction, maam. Reckon we should find out which hospital theyve got out of and stick em back in before the rest of their medication wears off. He started pecking labouriously at his typewriter.

Hmmm. She picked up a tattered card-board pass the man had given her. Ever heard of UNIT, James?

He grunted, intent on applying tippex to one of many spelling mistakes on his document. More science fiction. More time wasters too, if you ask me.

Hmmm. She took a drag and grimaced. Like inhaling polo mints. She reached for her phone. Still, worth checking out.

A cold draught suddenly blew through the room. Lasky swayed for a moment in her chair, dropping the receiver back onto its hook with a clunk. James wobbled too, the tippex brush slipping from his fingers and falling down the front of the typewriter. He blinked and shook his head, before noticing what had happened. Bugger! he shouted, and started fishing for the brush, getting sticky correction fluid and ink on his fingers in the process.

Phew, murmured Lasky, shaking her head. Must be getting tired. She sniffed at her cigarette. Maybe theyd been in the drawer too long. She looked down at her desk. It was empty save the report on the two prisoners downstairs. She could have sworn she was looking at something else. What was I about to do?

James looked up briefly from the mess his arrest sheet had become and gazed at her blankly. Dunno. Felt a bit funny meself there for a moment.

She got up and crossed to the window, tugging it open. Just a bit hot in here, dont you think?

Hot. And smoky.

Lasky frowned at him, then flicked the half-smoked butt out the window. She looked at her desk again, but still couldnt remember. She shook her head. Ill be with the prisoners if anyone needs me.

James nodded absently as she left the room, dabbing at the mess with a paper tissue. A faint sound met his ears and he looked up briefly before returning to his work with a tired shake of the head. Hearing things as well now.

The cold breeze wafted through the room again, following Lasky down the corridor. This time, it was accompanied by a low chuckling...

When are you going to release us?

Leela folded her arms and glared at the Inspector. The heavy police coat shed been given to cover herself up with barely concealed the tension in her muscles. The PC on guard at the door eyed her warily and thought of the truncheon in his pocket.

Lasky sighed. When Im satisfied that you have absolutely nothing to do with the murder.

The Doctor, up until now sprawled in his chair with his feet up on the interview desk, suddenly brought his feet down to the ground with a bang and leaned forward urgently towards Lasky. Satisfied? My dear Inspector, Ive done everything possible to satisfy you of our good intentions in this affair. What about my UNIT pass? Have you got in contact with them yet? They will convince you that I mean what I say.

Lasky blinked. Unit pass? What are you talking about?

The pass I gave to you - ahhhhh.... The Doctor leaned, face suddenly grave. You dont remember, do you?

Lasky rubbed the bridge of her nose as a small knot of pain started to thud behind her eyes. Great, thats all I need now, a flaming headache. Look, there was no pass or any sort of documentation among the stuff you gave the Sergeant. So naturally, I dont remember it!

But you dont know why you dont remember it, do you?

Lasky sighed, exasperated. Look, pal, Ive had about enough of you and your fairy stories, so lets cut the crap and-

The Doctor cut in urgently. Have you just experienced anything strange? Flashing lights, dizziness, disorientation, a strange chill ... the Doctor noticed a flash of recognition on Laskys face. You have! Where, in your office? Quickly, our lives may be in grave peril!

Y-yes ... a weird breeze, and then I came over funny...

The Doctor snapped round to look at Leela. Its here, with us. It must know Im after it and its trying to stop me getting help.

Leela shrugged out of the police coat and bunched her fists, eager for action. Then if it is here, we must track it down and destroy it!

Lasky shook the cobwebs from her mind and stood up, determined to regain charge of this situation.. Now hold on! The only help youre going to get is psychiatric help. Constable ...

But before she could continue the lights started to flicker. They all looked up. Fear crossed Laskys face, and, more disturbingly, the Doctors as well.

We wont need to track it down, Leela. The Doctors voice had dropped to a deathly whisper. Its tracked us down ...

A cold draught suddenly blew through the room, raising the hair on everyones necks. Accompanying the draught was the sound of low, evil, chuckling ...

And noise like knives being clashed together, ready for a carving.

Doctor! breathed Leela.

The Doctor was about to reply when the lights died and the room plunged into darkness. Someone screamed ...

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Episode Five
by Trivial Keithy

The room burst back into light and it stung Leela's eyes. When she was used to the harsh neon glaze she looked around the room, she smelled blood. She found it too, the blue guard at the door lay dead, his heart torn out of his chest and his neck torn out with one bite. She checked the body, it was still warm except for the wounds. "He is dead." She said mournfully.

Bitterness and bile clogged Laskey's throat. "You think?" She said sarcastically. She tried the desk phone but it was out.

Leela turned to seek the Doctor's wisdom but he was gone. The creature must have him and she failed to protect him. "We must hunt now, gather your strongest warriors together."

Laskey took out a cigarette and lit it up, taking the smoke all the way into her lungs for comfort. "We'll get the sick bastard who's done this don't you worry, but I can't have a psycho with a knife out there on my streets."

He was in a bizarre landscape of bloody muscles, sinew and bones. It was like being inside of a living creature. The Doctor looked at the creature which had scooped him up like a rag doll. "Would you like a jelly baby?" He asked it, trying to catch it off balance. It just stared at him. "You know I've always said there must be something wrong with someone who doesn't like jelly babies." He waited for it to do something but it did not. "What do you want with me?"

"YOU ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD."

The Doctor grinned. "So you can talk, I was wondering. I'm the Doctor."

"I KNOW."

Frowning the Doctor started to whistle a few bars of Colonel Bogey. The dark blue creature didn't seem to like that so he changed to the Dambusters. "This place, it's your lair isn't it? You built all of this with the remains of your victims."

"YOU KNOW TOO MUCH."

The Doctor took out his yo-yo and performed a few tricks. "Annoying isn't it. At least that's what they tell me. Leave the Earth alone, it is too important to meddle with." His frown turned to shock when the creature started to laugh.

"IT'S HISTORY IS OVER."

Leela paced around the room they had put her inside of. The light brown coloured walls seemed to close in on her and she found herself trying to pull the metal covering away from the window so that she could be free. She had almost freed it when the Blue Guard woman returned.

"I trust you're not trying to escape?" Laskey commented. "Can you really track this beast?"

Her chest swelled with pride. "I can track any creature, I am a warrior of the Sevateem."

"A fruitcake more likely." Laskey muttered to herself as her hair colour changed to the ginger it had suddenly always been.

Leela smelled the air carefully. "It is still near, I can smell it's presence."

The Doctor gasped at the creature's last comments. "Your lair is inside my companion? This is a miniature universe inside of Leela?"

"YES."

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Episode Six
by A Time Gentleman

The creature skittered around the edge of the Doctor's line of vision like a spider in a box, always just keeping out of his direct sight. It was extremely wearying trying to keep up with it, and the Doctor guessed that that was the reason why it did it. But the Doctor was wise to such mind games.

"You'll tire yourself out doing that, you know," the Doctor said helpfully, in as offhand a manner as he could.

"I NEVER TIRE."

"Really! I used to think that about myself, but the centuries catch up with you end. How long are you planning to inhabit Leela's body?"

"UNTIL THE TIME IS RIGHT."

"When will that be?"

It didn't answer. He cleared his throat noisily. "Come on, don't you want to tell me about clever and all-powerful you are, hmm? Evil mass-murdering maniacs like you usually like a little gloat - ow!"

Something razor sharp nicked his cheek. He touched a hand to his face and it came away bloodied. "Is this your way of telling me to shut up?" A high-pitched grating sound shivered through the air. He shuddered to think it might be laughter.

"I DO NOT NEED TO TELL YOU HOW CLEVER AND ALL-POWERFUL I AM. YOU HAVE SEEN FOR YOURSELF. PROOF IS NOT NECESSARY."

"That's what they all say," he said flippantly.

"I HAVE OTHER MATTERS TO ATTEND TO. YOU WILL REMAIN HERE AND WE WILL  INTERACT  LATER."

That dreadful sound of clashing blades filled his ears again and then faded to silence.

"Interact? Why can't you just say talk?" he bellowed. No response. He was alone.

He sat down cross-legged and rested his chin on his hands. "What am I going to do now? Must think of a way to stop it Leela is the key, here. Leela Leela if I could get her away, somewhere safe - the TARDIS!" he yelled, then clapped a hand over his mouth. He peered around. He was still alone. "The TARDIS," he repeated, whispering this time. "But how do we get there?"

He started to go through his pockets, hoping to find inspiration in the junk accumulated within. He held up a grubby teaspoon and gazed at it forlornly. "I could murder a cup right now," he murmured glumly. He noticed a kink in the spoon and set about straightening it. "Must have been one I got from that Geller feller  spoon bending, pah! Child's play on Gallifrey mind control, hypnosis, bunkum! Telekinesis  telepathy"

The spoon dropped from his hand with a clatter and he smacked the side of his head. "Telepathy! Of course! I haven't done it for a while, but in this situation, and with Leela's mind being so primitive it might work it has to work!" he hissed.

He relaxed, closed his eyes, and allowed his head to fall forward onto his chest.

Leela was sick and tired of the cell. It was small and cramped and smelled sharply of disinfectant. She wanted very badly to get out of here, to find the Doctor and hunt the creature that had taken him. Revenge was foremost in her mind.

We should never have left the TARDIS, a small voice told her. It was safer in there. The TARDIS. Halfway across town, probably untouched by the blue guards. She shook her head. It was not the warriors' way to run and hide. She slapped the wall with frustration. "Let me out!" she howled, but there was no response. She hadn't seen the woman Laskey for what seemed like hours, though everytime she did see her it was as if she'd changed every time. Facially she was still the same, but things seemed to shift around her. Hair, clothes, accent even. It ought to have baffled her but she sensed that it was all to do with this creature and accepted it as such in her own, simple way.

K-9 would know, she thought. If I could get back to the TARDIS, K-9 would help me.

Back to the TARDIS. The TARDIS TARDIS

The word echoed through her mind. The voice that spoke it became clearer, sharper.

"Doctor?" she whispered. She sagged down onto the narrow padded shelf that served as a bed, the voice overwhelming her senses

Bolts were thrown back and the cell door swung open, breaking her from her trance. Laskey strode in. Her hair was still red, but it was almost crew-cut short and flecked with grey. She was now wearing some kind of blue overall with plastic body armour over the top that clattered when she moved. Some kind of respirator hung below her throat.

"I'm transferring you to a psychiatric unit. The PsychOps boys are gonna take the case now. It's been deemed too tricky for us Home Security types!" she laughed bitterly at that, though Leela could only guess at why.

"You are not going to release me?"

"Do me a favour! Come on" she beckoned her up.

Something came crashing down somewhere above them, followed by yells and gunshots.

"The creature!" yelled Leela.

"Creature, hell! It's the zombies - they're attacking again!" Laskey grabbed a man running past in the corridor. "Robertson, stay here and watch her. Don't let her out of your sight!"

At that she ran down the corridor towards the sound of the violence. Robertson, a hostile looking young man with pitted face, scowled at her back and turned to face Leela, slapping a large baton into his hand.

"Right, you, don't give me-"

Leela cut him off with a single chopping blow to the neck and dashed past his falling body into the corridor, pausing only to snatch up his baton for defence. A stairway leading up seemed to be the only exit, so she ran for it.

"TARDIS!" she muttered fanatically as she ran. "I must reach the TARDIS!"

Augusta Melchiot looked up from the battered microscope and rubbed at her tired eyes. Damn, she thought, I nearly had it there! For decades man had been searching for a better anti-biotic to fight some of these filthy diseases, and here tonight she was desperately close to finding it.

"Try, try again" she muttered, and reached for a new slide.

Something stirred in the shadows behind her, and a chill wind rustled the notes on her desk

Laskey ran into the station lobby, where other officers were milling around armed with a variety of weapons. A set of large steel double doors shuddered under the impact of heavy blows. A couple of men were working on it with acetylene torches, trying to patch up the damage. Other men were jumping up onto steps around the walls and pulling back steel shutters and pushing guns through, firing at what was going on outside. Someone tossed Laskey a Sterling SMG and she jumped up onto a step as well and peered through a hatch at the scene outside the station. "Zombies," she murmured.

The man beside her turned and nodded. "Biggest group yet! Reckon they came up out of the sewers in foxtrot zone."

She looked out at the angry, hideous tide of 'humanity' battering against the side of the police station with mounting pity. A sewer, for God's sake one of the few places on Earth deemed suitable for the Z-Grades, dubbed 'zombies' a long time ago by the unfeeling Press, and a name which stuck. They weren't too far removed from the shambling monstrosities that haunted film screens in years of old.

But these people weren't dead - yet. They were those who were deemed genetically and physically by government medical agencies, unfit for contact with 'normal' human society for fear they would infect and harm the normal 'stock'. Laskey hated the concept and all it stood for. Medical science had failed them in a big way, and the government didn't care what happened to them. They were simply left to rot out in the streets, away from the enclaves of civilisation. She was one of the 'lucky' few, an A-Grade, declared sound in body and mind, but it still didn't make her feel any better about protecting people from other people whose only crime was to be terminally sick. Most of the zombies were content merely to eke out a miserable existence scavenging and getting by on the pitiful handouts the government provided, but many were driven - mainly through mental disease - to attack the normal, and the healthy. Like at this station. The Home Security Force - police, as was - were always a popular target, suicidal though it invariably was to attack. Perhaps that's why they did it, she thought.

"Where did it go wrong?" she murmured to herself. "You poor bastards"

A jet of flame whooshed overhead, and the howling throng started to retreat. The roof-mounted flame-throwers usually did the trick. Laskey turned away, not wanting to see the effect the burning substance had on the twisted, pain wracked bodies outside. Their screams invited madness, and Laskey clapped her hands over her ears to blot them out. But it was becoming harder every time.

Behind her, someone retched.

The man next to her suddenly cried: "Hey, who's that going out down there?"

Laskey looked round to see a slight figure appear from the side of the building and run into the night. She recognised it in an instant.

"Hey!" she yelled, and dropped down, running towards the side exits to pursue Leela.

Leela barely recognised the streets from before. They were rubble strewn, smashed and ruined. A sickly smell of rot and decay hung in the air, prickling her keen warrior senses. It was bad, a dreadful place, and she instinctively knew the creature was behind it. "You shall pay dearly for this," she murmured, angry, sad and sickened at the same time.

Something gurgled and hissed behind her and she twisted and ducked in time to miss the club that was aimed at her head. A tall twisted figure, features mercifully obscured by the darkness, raised the weapon to strike again, but Leela struck out with her own weapon and sent it spinning to the ground.

More cries and shouts. More twisted figures emerged from the darkness around her, surrounding her. She looked for a gap to run through but there was none. She backed up against a wall and raised her baton. There were too many...

The creature suddenly swung its attention away from the back of Augusta Melchiot's neck.

"THE HOST IS IN DANGER!"

Chattering angrily, it vanished back into the darkness

Augusta shivered suddenly and drew her wrap closer around her. She really must do something about that draught from the door, she thought.

Laskey ran into the street, hugging the Sterling close to her body, respirator strapped tight across her face. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have dreamed going onto the street, especially at night and especially alone but what counted as normal circumstances these days?

"Hell's teeth!" she swore, when she saw the situation Leela was in. She raised the machine gun but knew it probably wouldn't be enough. What she needed were some grenades

Abruptly, the girl seemed to sag and fall, although there was no-one yet with striking range. Then a shadow seemed to pass over the street and a cold blast of foetid air, like that from a tomb or charnel house unsealed after a long passage of time, blew across her.

Then there was the sound. That dreadful sound of clashing knives, and champing teeth. Laskey dived to the ground and buried her face in the rubble. Horrible screams and shrieks cut through the air for several long minutes, then all was silent. When Laskey dared to look up, the girl Leela was standing dumbfounded in the middle of a large semi-circle of broken and torn corpses. Laskey could see the shock and dismay etched across her face, before she turned and loped off into the night.

Laskey ran after her, trying not to look at the corpses and the bloody holes where their chests once were. "I knew it was you!" she muttered grimly to herself. "I knew it!"

Leela was unsure, with the landscape being in such a state, that she would be able to find the TARDIS again. But that voice in her head seemed to guide her on, and there it was, in the dark alley were they'd left it. She hammered on the doors. "K-9, it is Leela. Open the door, quickly!"

"Hold it!"

A low panting voice behind her. Laskey stood, gasping for breath after the long chase. She reached up and whipped down the respirator, taking the chance in return for deeper lungfuls of chill air. Her body was trembling with the effort, but the gun in her hands pointed unerringly at Leela.

"I must enter the TARDIS!" emplored Leela.

"I don't think so. I think you're coming back with me. And don't try anything, or I'll cut you in two."

"But I must! The Doctor the voice in my head"

"Voice in your head, yes, that's what they all say. Now move it, or I'll shoot you where you stand."

But Leela didn't seem to hear. Her face drained of colour. "The voice has stopped. The Doctor the Doctor is in danger!" she cried.

Sharp claws dug into his shoulders as he was lifted bodily up. The Doctor's eyes snapped open and he came face to face with a nightmare.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" it bellowed, shaking him like a rag doll.

"Trying to stop you!" the Doctor managed to blurt through the terrible shaking he was receiving.

"YOU CANNOT! NO ONE CAN!"

The Doctor grinned toothily. "Want to bet?"

It shrieked the sound cutting through his head like a scythe. "I HAVE SUFFERED YOUR INTEFERENCE TOO LONG! TIME TO DIE, TIME LORD!"

Its massive jaws split open to reveal a hideous gaping maw, a foul slaughterhouse stench welling up to make the Doctor gag, as mighty limbs thrust him forward to meet the rows of crimson-stained razor sharp teeth grinding within

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Episode Seven
by BlameLewis

Leela snapped back to herself at the sound of a snick from behind her. The TARDIS door had been opened. She smiled at Laskey.
"I hope you find a better world, Old Warrior." She said, then threw herself backwards over the threshold of the TARDIS, yelling "Take off K9!"

The door of the police box slammed closed as the barrage of fire struck it.

***

"YOU SHALL NOURISH ME FOREVER TIMELORD! I SHALL KEEP YOU IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF REGENERATION WITHIN MY MAW!" roared the beast, as the Doctor was pulled inside it's gaping mouth, and the huge jaws began to bite down...

***

Leela lay on the console room floor, gazing back at the doors and breathing hard as the groans of the TARDIS engines receded into the hum of steady flight. Her eyes closed for a second, then snapped wide open. She leapt to her feet.

"Mistress?" whirred K9. "Where is the Doc-tor?"

Leela didn't answer, she was looking down at herself in horror, then determination crept back into her and she raced from the console room. Down corridors, the pain in her belly increasing, Leela ran as fast as a warrior can. She plunged into her room, and grabbed a knife from her collection.

"Trapped!" She cried, seizing a knife, hesitating long enough only to see the light glint from the long blade, and then plunging it into her stomach with all her force.

***

The Doctors eyes were squeezed tight shut, he felt the many pinpricks as the beasts teeth pierced his skin, and...
...the creature let out a wordless bellow of pain and rage, and the Doctor felt himself flying backwards and... outwards.

***

Leela roared in pain, and flew backwards as an impossibly huge torrent of blood burst from her wound. She felt as though she were being torn apart, but gasped with disbelieving joy as the huddled shape of the Doctor unraveled from the torrent and fell with a heavy thump to the floor in a pool of gore. She choked back her joy as the huge pool of blood rose up and formed into livid red strands, knitting and winding together impossibly fast, building a monster. Wildcard.

The creature threw back it's massive head and roared at its rebirth. All the blood in the room was being pulled into its mass, and it towered over the Doctors inert form and Leela.

"I SHALL UNMAKE EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR LIFE FOR THIS!" It screeched.

The Doctors blood-soaked curls raised slowly from the floor.
"There's... no time... to unmake in... here." He gasped, "Temporal Grace..."
He slumped back to the floor, as the monster swayed uncertainly above him, seeming to shrink at his words.

"PERHAPSSS DOCTOR," hissed the creature, "BUT THERE'S NO GETTING PAST BLOOD AND SINEW AND SHARP, SHARP BONE"

It's hesitation past, it towered up over the slumped forms of the Doctor and Leela, claws and nails and teeth unfolding from within its clotted mass, filling the room to the high ceiling, just as the tiny box shape of K9 trundled into the doorway.

"Danger, Mistress, Danger!" squeaked the robot.

"K9 - Destroy the beast!" Leela yelled, choking on the blood bubbling up into her mouth.

The robots nose extended, as the creature turned to face the newcomer. A blast of fierce light shot out from K9s weapon, and the creature was transfixed in the light, the blood and flesh it was composed of bubbling away to red steam under the intense laser light. With an inhuman scream of dying rage the creature boiled away to vapour, until all was still in the room. Slowly, a trickle of thick red blood crept down over the round indentations in the wall. It pooled slowly onto the floor, then seemed to sink into it and vanish.

***

"Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"Are you well?"
"Oh yes. I should think so."
"Why are your eyes still closed?"
"Oh. Are they? I thought it was dark."

The Doctor sprang up, and regarded his companion. "You look awfully well for someone with a self inflicted stomach wound." He whispered.
Leela looked disconsolate. "I have been found unworthy, Doctor. The ancestors have not allowed me to join them in death."
"Unworthy?"
Leela bowed her head.
"I think you're very worthy! Your courage saved me, and probably saved many others." The Doctor lifted Leela's chin until her fierce gaze met his. "You should walk proudly, Leela of the Sevateem."
A spark lit in Leela's eye, and a smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. "It was a worthy hunt."

***

Detective Inspector Joanna Laskey coughed politely, and tapped the "NO SMOKING" sign in the office. Her colleague groaned and stubbed out his cigarette. "Nothing worse than a born again non-smoker," he muttered, as she passed through the office, and sat down at her cluttered desk.
Chewing on a pen, she turned to her colleagues. "Right. Wilde - murder in the old town - where's that report? Redhead - make sure you get that dog bite seen to - and get a tetanus shot. Lake - any results from the samples in the missing persons case?"
A cold breeze blew across the office. Laskey paused, frowning.
"Reid, close the damn window would you?"

The End.

