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Mike Yates was sat at the Duty Officer's desk when the phone rang. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, wandering past the door, heard the phone, and paused to find out the result. Yates looked up at his superior officer. "That was C Section, sir." "C Section? They don't usually have any dealings with us. What's the matter?" "Apparently they've sealed off a village called Ambridge in Borsetshire." "And why does this concern us." "Well, it seems that the Doctor's in this village. I can't tell for sure, but it might have been his idea to seal it off."

"Ah. Benton," the Brigadier called. "Get the car ready. We're going to Ambridge. Yates, put the men on alert." "Do you think that's wise, sir? We don't know if this is anything important yet. After all, the Doctor hasn't contacted us directly yet." "How long have you worked for UNIT, Yates?" Yates thought for a moment. "Very good sir. Full alert." "Oh, and Yates? Put the Doctor's TARDIS on a low-loader. He may ask for it."

* * *

"I think I might need the TARDIS, Jo." In the end, they had requisitioned the village hall, and laid the bodies out there. Jo wasn't sure why, as they were using a very small corner of the hall, but she suspected the Doctor was expecting more bodies. To tell the truth, so was she. "So, you need equipment out of the TARDIS to work out how these people died?" "That's part of it, Jo, but only part of it. There's something very wrong in this village." "What do you mean?" "Haven't you noticed? The way of life, the social attitudes? It's like nothing has changed since the 1950s. Doesn't that strike you as a bit odd?" "Well, I suppose. So what do you think is happening? Is it connected with these deaths?" "Now that last question I can't answer yet. But I rather suspect someone's been messing around with Time."

* * *

Clarrie Grundy entered the cottage, where her husband and father-in-law were polishing off some bacon and eggs. "Oh, there's such a lot of fuss in the village. They found some bodies out by Grey Gables. And they've taken over the Village Hall to find out what's going on. And there's some feller up from London, calls himself the Doctor." "Got a name, this Doctor?" said Joe, looking up from his plate. "Doesn't seem to have one. Folks just call him 'the Doctor'." Clarrie didn't notice the odd expression on Joe's face. "Oh Eddie, you don't think it's to do with that thing you found, is it?" "What thing, son?" "Oh nothing, dad. No need to worry about it." Joe Grundy took his son's arm. "I think you'd better show me, Eddie lad."

Reluctantly, Eddie pulled the trunk out of its hiding place, and opened it. Inside the plastic sphere was still glowing. Joe looked at it in silence for a moment. "Get me a thick blanket, son," he said eventually. "Dad?" "Just go get it son." "What's the matter, Joe? I ain't never seen you like this, Joe." "And I hope you won't never see me like this again. Got the blanket?" "Here you are Dad." "Right." Joe picked up the sphere and wrapped it in the blanket. "You two stay here, and don't go nowhere. You'll be safe once I've got this out of the way." And with that he was out the front door.

* * *

Jennifer Aldridge had taken an instant dislike to the dark stranger who called himself the Graf von Meister. Oh, he was polite enough, but there was something very sinister about his whole demeanour. He was now stood outside the house, by his car, shaking hands with Brian. "So, you know what to do?" "Yes, I know what to do." With that, von Meister got into his car, and drove off. What an odd conversation, thought Jenny.

* * *

"Come on, come on," Siobhan said to herself, as she cradled the mobile phone on her shoulder. "Hello, Brian Aldridge?" "Brian, at last. Look, there's something very odd going on. Tim's involved in something strange that's taking place in the Village Hall. No idea what it is; it's all very hush-hush. But it means I can't predict Tim's movements, which makes it very difficult for us." "That's all right. We can't see each other any more. Goodbye." And he hung up.

"Don't you dare hang up on me, Brian Aldridge," she shouted at the phone, dialling his number again. But his mobile was now switched off, and she was too angry to leave a message. In high dudgeon, she stormed down to the front door, and opened it to find a young woman stood outside. "Oh, I'm sorry –" she started saying, and then realized she was looking at herself.

* * *

"Look, Mummy, there's Mr Grundy." Shula Hebden Lloyd looked out of the window, and saw a very serious looking Joe Grundy stride rapidly past, showing the energy of a man half his age. Under his arm was something wrapped in a blanket. "He was in a hurry, wasn't he?" said her son Daniel. "I'm sure he has a reason for what he's doing." Daniel stayed by the window, whilst his mother returned to clearing up his toys. "Look mummy, two new men."

Shula put a large toy aeroplane back in a cupboard, and came over again to look out of the window. Daniel was pointing to a couple of men who dressed in blue overalls, as they turned the corner of the road. She didn't get a good look at them, but they looked very odd – both bald, and the seemed to have rather blank expressions.

* * *

"Typical Lethbridge-Stewart. All the subtlety of a sledgehammer. We've no idea if there's any need for them yet." "Nevertheless, Doctor, I thought it might be better to have UNIT handle the quarantine, so I've asked him to take that over." "What I really need from him is some specialized laboratory equipment." "Yes, well, he also said that your, erm, TARDIS is it?, is on the way." "Really? Sometimes that military mind is useful, after all." "Doctor, don't be like that," said Jo. The Doctor looked up at her. "You're right, Jo, I'm sorry."

He turned back to the table, on which had been assembled a motley collection of equipment, most of it taken from the doctor's and vet's surgeries in the village. "So, do you know what we're dealing with yet?" Jo asked. The Doctor held up a test tube full of the blue material taken from the mouths of the dead boys. "I'm not sure. I've never seen anything like this before. But I am sure that it did not originate on this planet." "And it's what killed the boys?" "No, it seems not. I think they died of shock."

There was a sudden commotion at the entrance to the hall. Inspector Coverdale could be heard saying, "I'm sorry sir, you can't come in here." "Don't you tell me where I can and can't go in me own village, Jim Coverdale." An old bearded man in threadbare clothes came into the hall, followed by the Inspector and a uniformed policeman. "Now, Joe," said Sterling, "I'm afraid you can't come in here." "Don't you tell me what to do, Oliver Sterling. You the Doctor?"

"Yes."

"You might want to see this." Joe put his bundle on the table in front of the Doctor, and unwrapped it. "Good lord!" "It's a Nestene energy unit!" said Jo. "And active, as well. Inspector, find me a lead-lined box! Quickly man, time is of the essence."

* * *

He looked at the display screen. It showed the Village Hall, as seen by the lead Auton. "No," he said. "Do not attack. The unit will be recovered later, in secret." He turned to the replica of Siobhan Hathaway. "That will be your task."

* * *

Part Four>>