The Snows of Terror

Hello Doctor,

We’ve still seen no sight of you in Millennius. Where can you be hiding?

I believe Barbara left off as we arrived in the snowy region of Marinus. We soon lost consciousness in the cold, and would have died had Altos not convinced a local trapper, Vasor, to rescue us and bring us to his cabin. Of course, we were unaware of Altos’ involvement until later. It seems he had lost track of Susan and Sabetha and had left us in Vasor’s care while he went to find them.

Barbara woke first, and I woke with her gently massaging my hands to alleviate frost bite. I bartered my travel dial away for some more appropriate clothes and set off in search of the others, leaving Barbara in Vasor’s care.

I found Altos soon enough, but also quickly realized that the bag of provisions Vasor had provided me contained raw meat, which I believe he counted on to draw the wolves in the area to attack me. I threw the bag away, and realising Vasor was not to be trusted, urged Altos to hurry with me back to the cabin.

I suspect I made it just in time. Barbara had apparently found Sabetha’s chain and confronted Vasor. Altos and I forced him to take us to where he had left Susan and Sabetha in a cave in the mountains.

We finally found the girls deep in the caves when Vasor severed the rope bridge that would bring us back out.

Inside we found the third key frozen in a block of ice surrounded by a group of three knights who were equally as frozen in their positions. We set the heat from the volcanic spring to work on melting the ice and set about fixing the bridge. Unfortunately, in addition to freeing the key the heat also re-animated the ice-knights and we had to fend them off as we sought to escape the mountain.

We succeeded, obviously, and now here we are in Millennius anxious to rendezvous with you, but you are nowhere to be found. I’ve followed up on a lead to the fourth key, however, and am on my way to the vault where I believe it is kept. Hopefully, I’ll be able to recover and catch you up soon, so we can return the keys to Arbitan as quickly as possible.

-Ian Chesterton

Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 2nd May 1964

The Screaming Jungle

Dear Doctor,

I hope you won't mind. Susan told us you were keeping a diary. I think it's rather sweet. And obviously of great historical value considering all your travels. Anyway, I thought I should write and let you know what we've been up to while you're in Millennius seeking the fourth key, so you can include these events as well.

Oh, Ian has just asked me to spell his name for you "C-H-E-S-T-E-R-T-O-N," and to say he hopes you're having a wonderful holiday! Seriously, though, we all know you're working very hard on finding the key so we can help Arbitan and get back to the TARDIS.

When we arrived in the jungle, Susan was screaming as if something were attacking her. We didn't see anything at the time, though perhaps we should have looked more closely. Ian took Altos and Sabetha with him to explore, leaving Susan and I waiting just where we'd arrived.

I swear, sometimes he treats us like Dresden china. I know he means well, but we really are capable on our own. While we were searching the area, Susan was attacked by a living creeping vine. I pulled it off her. She knew what it was, but I couldn't believe it at that time.

I pushed through the wall of foliage behind us and found a grotesque idol back there. Upon further examination, I saw it had what looked like one of the key circuits we were looking for implanted on its forehead. Ian and the others arrived about this time, and so I decided to climb upon the idol and snatch the key.

I must have triggered some mechanism in the wall, however, because it swung round, trapping me on the other side. I'd thrown the key aside, though, so Ian sent Altos, Sabetha and Susan on after the second key and soon followed after me by climbing on the idol and re-triggering the mechanism.

The whole jungle here seemed to be booby-trapped, and I was soon captured by a friend of Arbitan's, Darrius, who thought we were working with the Voord to steal the keys. Unfortunately, before we could convince him, he was attacked by one of the creeping tree limbs. Ian managed to arrive and beat the limbs away from him, but it was too late. Darrius was dying.

We had gained his trust, however, and so he told us where to find the second key and gave us a clue, which turned out to be the chemical formula on the jar the key was hidden in. We also found that the people here had apparently mastered "growth acceleration," which changed the natural tempo of destruction. This was the source of the attacking plant life. They could accelerate their growth to approximate attack. It really was very frightening.

Having found the key, we turned our travel dials toward our next destination to re-join the others. When we arrived, however, we were unprepared for the extreme cold. It must be below zero, and neither of us are dressed for this weather, least of all Ian in those clothes Marco Polo gave him.

I fear if we do not find shelter soon, we shall freeze to death!

-Barbara Wright

Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 25th April 1964

The Velvet Web

Dear Diary,

After an initial moment of panic, and against my advice, Chesterton pushed through a set of double doors to find Miss Wright. And find her we did! Lounging on a chaise, attended by beautiful young ladies, and eating grapes! It was a veritable Garden of Earthly, well, Marinusian Delights.

Alas, all was not as it seemed. We were under the spell of a powerful mesmerent, which made us see the place as a new Eden. They said their goal here in Morphoton was to grant everyone’s greatest wish. They promised Susan a new dress and myself a laboratory. Chesterton refused to ask for anything, waiting to hear the price. 

Well, as it turns out he was right.

As we slept, one of the attendants, Sabetha, crept in and placed something called a somnar disk on each of our foreheads. They worked in concert with the mesmerent and would solidify the illusions we saw.

Fortunately, Miss Wright’s disk fell off and when she awoke the next morning, she could see through everything. We had been enjoying a fine, hearty breakfast, but when we offered her some she saw it for the gruel it truly was. We offered her orange juice in fine crystal and she saw it for the unwashed mug it was. Susan showed her her new dress and she saw it as rags.

We were under the spell, however, and thought she was made. One of the fellows took her away, told us she was receiving psychiatric care, and we believed her. In truth, they had taken her for execution!

This city, Morphoton, was apparently run by a group of repellent brain-things which claimed to have outgrown their human bodies. As such they used their power to make humans their slaves by controlling their minds. They could not, however, overcome Miss Wright’s convictions and sought to remove her and also to punish young Sabetha, whom Miss Wright discovered to be Arbitan’s long-lost daughter.

Miss Wright convinced Sabetha to help her escape and she did. When she came to collect us, however, she ran into Chesterton, who, under the influence of the mesmerent, brought her to the “brains” who instructed him to kill her.

He must have struggled inside, because Miss Wright was able to overpower him. She broke free and destroyed the jars housing our captors, breaking the spell.

Riots ensued by the former slaves against their once-masters, and I can’t say as I blame them. We retrieved the first key as well as some spare travel dials, which I have learned to program. Arbitan’s daughter has agreed to join us, and I found and convinced another young fellow, Altos, who had been one of Arbitan’s couriers, to join us as well. Altos had been sent in search of the keys even before Sabetha. He and his partner, a fellow named Eprim, had split up, with him coming here to find the first key and Eprim travelling to the city of Millennius to find the fourth key.

I decided to adopt this strategy as well and, while the rest of our group searches for the second key, I shall journey to Millennius. Susan was not fond of the decision, but I explained to her I would be much relieved to know she was safe with the larger group, while I would be quite safe in the well-ordered society of Millennius. And anyway, we’ve got to do what we can to speed this search along.

Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 18th April 1964

The Sea of Death

Dear Diary,

Having spent a month or so in Earth 1289 A.D. it was nice to once again be back in the TARDIS. Of course, our latest destination has left a bit to be desired.

We arrived here on what we now know as Marinus earlier today on the shores of a great sea of acid, as Susan found out when she dropped her shoe in. As one approached the sea, the shore in fact turned from sand to glass.

We found a few little one-man submarines which were apparently designed to travel beneath the acid, along with the rather gruesome discovery of an empty sort of frog-man suit. It had a rip in it and so we surmised the acid must have gotten to its inhabitant, and, well, I don’t think I need say anymore.

We spotted a great building in the distance and I reasoned that the sea must be some sort of defence mechanism. Susan had gone back to the TARDIS to retrieve a new pair of shoes, so Chesterton, Miss Wright and I went back to the TARDIS to find her and then planned to investigate the distant citadel.
The treacherous child was nowhere about, so we decided to look for her which took us to the building, where we split up.

As it turns  out, several of the frog-men, whom we now know to be called the Voord, were attacking the building, and Susan, Miss Wright and I were all in turn chased or attacked by the creatures, but rescued and then imprisoned by Arbitan, a fellow dressed in Monk’s robes who is the building’s sole inhabitant.

Chesterton was still free, and I must admit he is one resourceful little schoolmaster. He turned the tables by rescuing Arbitan from an attacking Voord, which proved to him we were no enemy and convinced him to let us go free. At least momentarily.

He took us to the heart of the building, a room housing a great construct he explained was The Conscience of Marinus. Their civilisation’s technology had peaked 2,000 years ago with this device which began as a sort of adjudicator machine, an infallible judge and jury. As time went on, it was further developed to influence the people of Marinus, deciding right and wrong for them, eventually eliminating robbery, murder, all crime, even hate and fear from the populace. After about 700 years of this utopian existence, however, there arose one to oppose it, I believe named Yartek. He and his followers, the Voord, began a revolt with the intention of capturing  the Conscience. Knowing how dangerous a weapon the Conscience would be in the wrong hands, the leaders of Marinus scattered the five key circuits throughout Marinus, with only Arbitan knowing the location of all five.

The population of Marinus had dwindled until now only Arbitan remains. He has finally improved the Conscience so it would be immune to Yartek's attempts to subvert it and use it as an ultimate weapon. He must stay to protect the building and the Conscience, however, and so cannot journey to bring back the keys himself. He says he sent his daughter last year, but she has not returned. He asked us to find them for him but we refused, choosing not to get involved and returned to the TARDIS.

When we reached the TARDIS, however, the old blackmailer had placed a force barrier around it, refusing to allow us into our ship unless we helped him find his precious “keys.”

And so we were forced to agree and he outfitted each of us with a little teleportation bracelet, a sort of travel dial, pre-programmed to take us to the hidden location of the keys. Miss Wright, either out of curiosity or impatience, triggered hers first and we quickly followed.

When we arrived, however, Miss Wright was nowhere to be found. Chesterton did find her travel dial, however. With blood on it.


Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 11th April 1964

Assassin at Peking

Dear Diary,

The Khan and I had a delightful time playing backgammon. At one point, I had won 35 elephants with ceremonial trappings, 4,000 white stallions, 25 tigers and the sacred tooth of Buddha! I wagered them all against the TARDIS, however, and lost. Still, he gave me a most interesting cane I think I shall keep.

Chesterton and Ping-Cho finally arrived, in Tegana’s custody. The two-faced villain accused them of trying to steal the TARDIS. As it turned out, he was working with the Khan’s enemy Noghai all along, and had been responsible for many of our delays in transit.

Once Chesterton explained all this to me, I helped him break out of his cell to warn Marco that Tegana was planning to assassinate the Khan. We reached the throne room just in time to scuttle the attack. Rather than surrender to Polo, Tegana impaled himself on one of the guards’ swords. Polo slipped us the keys to the TARDIS and ushered us out quickly.

Looking back, I wonder why we rushed away so. Given the old Khan’s backgammon habit, I’d have won the TARDIS back sooner or later.

Based upon the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 4th April 1964

Mighty Kublai Khan

Dear Diary,

We soon found that the old devil Tegana was holding Susan. Marco arrived and demanded my key, but I refused until Tegal unhanded my granddaughter. Marco eventually persuaded him to let her go, and I relinquished the key.

We then left the TARDIS at the way-station and set out for five hard days' ride on horseback to reach Shang-Tu. My back is in excruciating pain, and I don't care if I ever ride another horse in my life.

A short time after we set off, Ping-Cho disappeared, to find passage to her home in Samarkand according to Susan. Chesterton volunteered to backtrack and find her. When he didn't return Tegana set off to find them both.

And now here we are in the palace of the mighty Kublai Khan. His vizier tried to force me to kowtow at his entrance, but my back wouldn't allow it. While the vizier was incensed, I think I rather amused the Khan. The old fellow seems to have a bad case of gout himself and has offered to let me ride in his carriage of state tomorrow on our way to Peking. He also told me of some healing waters here at the palace that work wonders on his gout, and has offered to see what they will do for my back. I'm quite sure it's all rubbish, but it can't hurt I suppose.

Based upon the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 28th March 1964

Rider from Shang-Tu

Dear Diary,

Chesterton succeeded in cutting a hole in the tent, but when we made our escape we discovered our guard had been killed by bandits. Against my advice, Chesterton decided to scrap our escape plans and warn Polo.

Chesterton, Polo, Tegana and I armed ourselves with swords to defend against the bandits. Knowing we were most likely outnumbered and needed an advantage, Chesterton suggested we throw some bamboo on the fire in the hope that the ensuing explosion would frighten the superstitious devils. It sounded a good plan, and so we waited for the attack. I’m afraid I fell asleep, but they woke me at the appropriate time. Whether it was the explosions that drove them off, or, as I suspect, the death of their leader, we were successful in fending off the attack.

In the morning, we buried the dead and once again set off across the plain, Marco’s prisoners once more.  We soon encountered a messenger from the Khan, who claimed to had ridden 300 miles in one day from Shang-Tu. It’s a seemingly impossible task, most men can ride no more than 25.

His message to Marco was such that the Khan wished him to come to Shang-Tu at once, and so Polo planned to ride six hard days to Cheng-Ting and from there hire horses for the final journey to Shang-Tu. We would need to leave all our possessions, including the TARDIS behind in Cheng-Ting to follow by trade caravan.

I knew Cheng-Ting was our last chance. I knew the idiot manager of this way-station stored the TARDIS in the stable, my work on the circuit was complete, all I needed now was my keys back from Marco, which as luck would have it Ping-Cho stole so that Susan might someday return to her home.

Oh, if only that were possible.

Still, we have more pressing matters. Plans were made and, undercover of night, Chesterton, Miss Wright and I stole for the TARDIS, but Susan isn’t here. We must find her before it’s too late.

Based upon the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 21st March 1964

The Wall of Lies

Dear Diary,

Before Susan and Ping-Cho could panic too much about the eyes following them about the cave, Tegana appeared, asking us what we were doing there. I informed him we were searching for Miss Wright and showed him her handkerchief, which he assumed we’d found in a passageway off the side of the cave. He told us we should leave due to the evil spirits, but Chesterton and Polo arrived before I could discuss the non-existence of ghosts with him.

Chesterton noticed something moving behind the eyes in the rock face as well, and found a hidden chamber revealing a Mongol warrior preparing to slay Miss Wright. Without thinking, Tegana rushed forward and killed the man.

When we returned to the way-station, Polo ordered Ping-Cho and Susan to separate their sleeping quarters. Susan refuses to believe it, but I suspect Ping-Cho may have told him about my spare TARDIS key as well because he and Tegana caught me coming out. He now has both keys, and I am still unable to work on repairing the circuit.

We are now held hostage in our tent, but we shall not give up. Chesterton is attempting to cut our way out using a broken plate, and I have a feeling soon Marco Polo will be only too glad to let us go.

Based upon the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 14th March 1964

Five Hundred Eyes

Dear Diary,

That night I slept in the TARDIS as Marco kept the caravan inching along through the brutal cold toward the oasis. I woke the next morning to water droplets falling on my face. At first I was confused, then I saw water dripping down the walls of the inside of the TARDIS. Condensation! The brutal cold outside had combined with the relative warmth inside to form condensation. I called Susan to help me catch the water and we gathered enough for everyone.

Of course, Marco was suspicious at first, thinking either I'd lied and been hoarding the water or had made it by magic. I let Chesterton try to explain condensation to him. Whether the savage could comprehend it, I don't know, but at least he let me alone about it and we made for the oasis where Tegana seemed quite surprised to see us. He claimed a group of twelve bandits had camped there last night and kept him from returning for us. Miss Wright threw doubt on his story, pointing out that there were no signs of a camp or even a fire on such a cold night but Marco was not persuaded. He seems to trust Tegana implicitly.

Marco decided we must leave the next day to avoid these alleged bandits and insisted I hand over the key to the TARDIS. He really can't understand he's dealing with a man of such superior intellect. Of course, I let him have the key. He needn't know I'd made a copy last night in the TARDIS whilst they thought I slept.

We arrived at the way-station of Tun-Huang, which is apparently the home of the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes of Hashishan legend and Ping-Cho elegantly performed a little play re-telling the history of that dreaded cult.

After the performance, Miss Wright unfortunately wandered off on her own and Chesterton and Marco went to look for her.

I snuck back to my TARDIS to do some work. When I was exiting, unfortunately, Susan entered the room with Ping-Cho. I know she is quite fond of Susan, and seemingly a good girl, but her loyalty surely lies with Marco. I worry she may tell him of my extra key, but for now I must trust her.

They came for me, fearing that Miss Wright had gone to the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes. We consulted the wise man Chenchu and set off. The cave is fascinating, the artwork and craftsmanship very impressive indeed. It also made Susan and Ping-Cho very nervous and superstitious, believing some of the eyes were following us. Preposterous! We were ready to leave when Susan spotted Miss Wright's handkerchief.

So, she has been here. But where can she be now?


Based on the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 7th March, 1964

The Singing Sands

Dear Diary,

I shall have to apologise for my delay in writing to you. It has been nine days since my last entry, and a very difficult nine days at that! Even still, my entry today must be cut short due to my overall lack of energy and strength.

This trek across the Gobi Desert has been, as one might guess, quite treacherous. Add to this my displeasure at Marco's plan to bargain away my TARDIS to the Khan, and my mood has been most foul.

On the third night of our journey, I stopped dining with the others in the evening. I simply could not sit there smiling and making conversation whilst Chesterton played chess with the man who is stealing my TARDIS!

On that night Susan and the young girl Ping-Cho wandered off and were caught in a terrific sandstorm. Chesterton described the sound as that of all the devils in Hell laughing at you, and I must agree. They may call them the singing sands, but I would certainly prefer another tune!

Tegana was out about some mysterious business and rescued the girls. I have grave misgivings about the man, but I am grateful for that.

Unfortunately, the next day we found someone had sabotaged our water gourds, destroying all but one.

We hadn't enough water to complete our journey to the Khan, and so Marco followed Chesterton's suggestion and we are now journeying north to the nearest oasis. The first day we travelled 20 miles, then 15, 10, and 8 each day. Today we made it a mere 2 miles before the water gave out.

We are in quite the perilous situation. Tegana has ridden ahead to try to reach the oasis and bring water back to us. I fear we may not make it. In fact, the lack of water and stress finally overtook me and I fainted dead away. Marco was going to put me on one of his wagons, but Miss Wright has persuaded him to allow Susan and myself to ride inside our "flying caravan," providing she and Chesterton say out.

Now I must rest.


Based on the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 29th February 1964

The Roof of the World

Dear Diary,

I say, trouble follows us everywhere! Everywhere!

I suppose I should start at the beginning, lest you think we've been attacked by snowmen or Yeti.

No, Charlton soon explained the giant footprint in the snow was most likely a normal print that had had its edges melted by the snow,

I made to leave them to their explorations and return to the TARDIS to do some work, but upon re-entering, I found all the lights and heat out, and that we'd gone completely out of water. All due to one circuit that's somehow burned to a crisp! It would take me days to fix, and meantime the sun was setting and I feared we might freeze to death.

We decided to descend to a lower elevation to seek shelter when we encountered a lone Mongol. He fled, but we followed him down to the rest of his group. One of their number, the warlord Tegana, a very treacherous fellow, accused us of being evil spirits and commanded the others to kill us, but their leader stepped up to spare us. As Miss Wright guessed, he was none other than Marco Polo, on his way to Shang-Tu in Cathay (or China, as it would later be called). He called on them to lead us down to their camp, where they fed and sheltered us and explained it was the year 1289 and we were presently on the plain of Pamir, an area commonly called The Roof of the World

It had been a treacherous journey, and I fear the altitude and the thin air affected me quite a bit,giving me what these people call "the mountain sickness." I needed rest the next day whilst Polo asked the others to accompany him back to the TARDIS, or as they call it, my flying caravan. They made a sledge and brought it down the pass to the camp.

At first I thought he was being helpful, bringing it here to me so I might repair it. However, due to the silly superstitions of his Mongol compatriots who think me some sort of wizard or evil spirit, and the TARDIS my source of magic, he forbade me to enter it. As he was our host and had been such a help I agreed whilst we accompanied them along the Silk Road.

But now I've learned the real truth. Despite having no conception of its power or workings, he intends to give the TARDIS to Kublai Khan as a gift in hopes that the Khan will release him and allow him to return to his home in Venice. How foolish! As if they could possibly comprehend it or ever discover how to "fly" that caravan! What will Kublai Khan think then, eh?

Still, he persists in his plan. As Miss Wright knows, Marco Polo does return to Venice. But can this be the way?


Based on the teleplay by John Lucarotti, first broadcast on BBC 22nd February 1964

The Brink of Disaster

Dear Diary,

I’m afraid I must admit I’m not terribly proud of the actions I am about to relate to you, but I must write it down. Yes, yes, I must.

As I bent over the console, I was suddenly throttled from behind.

It was Chesterton!

The sleeping draught I’d prepared hadn’t worked, and he’d come for answers. As fate would have it, Miss Wright also entered the console room at that point, and he promptly fainted. I thought at the time he was play-acting, but I suppose it was a combination of the exertion and the drugged tea I’d given him.

I again accused them of trying to commandeer my ship and told them I would henceforth treat them as enemies.

The danger signal then sounded. When I checked, the entire area of the fault locator lit up, meaning the ship was on the point of disintegration. The danger signal began sounding every fifteen seconds.  The column began moving on its own. I felt there had to be some great force threatening us from without. Miss Wright insisted, foolishly, I thought at the time, that the TARDIS was trying to tell us something.

I wouldn’t listen, and sent Susan and Miss Wright away that I might confide in Chesterton that we had only a few minutes left.

A pattern began to emerge: The danger signal sounded every 15 seconds.  A pleasant scene would appear on the scanner and the doors would open. Then a dangerous scene and the doors would close. Finally, the scene expanded to a planet; then a solar system; and ultimately, a blinding flash! The cycle would then repeat.

It finally struck me. In my rush to leave Skaro, I threw the Fast Return switch. The spring in the switch had malfunctioned and we’d traveled too far back in time, to the beginning of this solar system! It was just a minor squeak, and easily repaired once found, but could have been disastrous.

The TARDIS, however, had refused to let itself be destroyed. It destroyed the clocks to focus our attention on time, and then gave it back to us in 15 second increments. There is no other way to describe it. The TARDIS refused to be destroyed and communicated to us as best it could in order to avert tragedy. Perhaps Miss Wright was right. Perhaps I don’t know everything about the TARDIS.

I am very proud of my companions. Susan was so brave. Even Chartow proved himself in the end. Most especially, however, we all owe Miss Wright our lives. She was right all along. It was difficult, but I forced myself to visit her in her quarters and admit so, telling her she’s quite a valuable person on our team. She is a most remarkable woman, and I fear I have seriously underestimated her.

I then set the coordinates as best I could for Earth. It appears we’ve materialised somewhere in the Himalayas. It really is frightfully cold, so I outfitted everyone with cold weather gear. The women went outside first, whilst I spoke with Chartow. Do you know, he selected that old Ulster I got off Gilbert and Sullivan? It suits him, I must admit.

Susan then called to us from the scanner. It appears they’ve discovered a very large footprint in the snow.

Based upon the teleplay by David Whitaker, first broadcast on BBC 15th February 1964

The Edge of Destruction

Dear Diary,

Almost immediately upon leaving Skaro, a large explosion occurred, knocking all the lights out in the TARDIS and knocking me to the floor, causing me to cut my head open and lose consciousness.

I finally woke with Miss Wright attending me and a terrific pain in the back of my neck. Susan fixed me a bandage for my head. The doors to the TARDIS are open, but no one will admit to doing it, insisting they opened themselves, which is preposterous, as if the TARDIS had a will of its own.

Chesterton insists there’s been a power failure, whilst Susan insists something has entered and is hiding, perhaps even inside one of us. I really have tried to be patient with these people, but I have no time for this. Especially Miss Wright’s ridiculous theories. It was obvious to me at the time that the only fault could be outside the ship.

I asked Chesterton to assist me with the fault locator. Susan activated the scanner and immediately felt a pain at the back of her neck much like mine. The scanner showed a pastoral scene outside, the doors opened once more, then the scanner switched to a photo of the planet Quinnis in the Fourth Universe, which Susan and I had recently visited (and rather narrowly escaped with the TARDIS), and then the doors shut once more.

It is obvious these two humans have been tampering with the ship’s memory banks and are trying to confuse me. I accused them of sabotaging the ship, attacking Susan and myself, and tampering with the controls in order to blackmail me into returning them to England.  Miss Wright became indignant, suggesting that I owed them my life for saving me in the Cave of Skulls, and blaming our misadventures on Skaro on my own curiosity about the Dalek city. The nerve!

Before I could adequately respond, a freak event melted all the clocks aboard the ship and even Miss Wright’s wristwatch. Everyone seemed overwrought, so I took this opportunity to take my leave and prepare some tea to calm everyone’s nerves. Miss Wright took hers and stormed away to her quarters.

Susan and Chesterton begged me to apologise to Miss Wright. I did go to her and explain that in our situation we have no time for codes and manners.

I also, of course, had taken the liberty of adding a harmless sedative to their tea, that I might have the time and liberty to investigate what has happened here without their interference. After all, as I told her, one man’s law is another man’s crime.

And now, to examine the console.

 

Based upon the teleplay by David Whitaker, first broadcast on BBC 8th February 1964

The Rescue

Dear Diary,

I cannot fathom the hatred that must exist inside these creatures. The Daleks and Thals could all live peaceably in this city, but the Daleks will not co-exist with any other species. They planned to irradiate their oxygen distributors and poison the entire planet of Skaro, making it suitable for only one lifeform: their own!

Even manacled and shackled to the wall, I desperately sought to halt this senseless, evil killing; even offering them the TARDIS if they would desist. I told them if they gave me back the link, I would help them, explain its secrets and its philosophy of movement, but they would not differ from their path.

As fate would have it, at this time we spied Chatterton on the videoscope as the the Thals entered the city at Level 8. The Daleks commenced their countdown sequence even as the Thals advanced and prevented the Daleks from sealing off Level 9.

Many Thals died in the ensuing chaos, but the Daleks were overpowered. Chatterton and Alydon freed Susan and myself from our bonds and we were able to disable the Daleks’ power source, putting a final end to five hundred years of destruction and to the Daleks!

In retrospect, I fear what may have occurred had they accepted my offer. The thought of these creatures with access to the secrets of space and time are chilling.

The Thals now have access to the Daleks’ technology, most happily for them the ability to make food by synthetic sunlight. My experiments show the soil is not so dead as we had believed, however, and I told Alydon he may yet live to hear birds amongst the trees and life return to the planet.

In many ways I envy the Thals this chance, this challenge of rebuilding a new world. I was once a pioneer amongst my own people, but I fear I am too old for such things. Perhaps I will return one day and live amongst their grandchildren.

We said our goodbyes, and it appears Miss Wright made quite a friend of Ganatus. Chatterton may be a bigger fool than I thought! (Although he did remember to take the fluid link back from the Daleks.

As I told Alydon, I never give advice but, in addition to telling him to avoid using the “compensators,” the Daleks’ term for their metal shells, I told him to always seek the truth. His is here, on Skaro.

Mine is out there. Amongst the stars.

Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 1st February 1964

The Ordeal

Dear Diary,

Susan, Alydon and I, along with our team finally reached the Dalek city.  Using my binocular spectacles, I could see a great amount of activity and determined that the Daleks are definitely planning something. I organized the Thals about the city with light refraction devices and we were able to interfere with the Daleks’ audio and television waves.

Susan then found the source of their static electricity, which I then short-circuited with the TARDIS key. Dear, dear, dear, this certainly agitated them. It just shows what a few simple tools and a superior brain can do. 

Unfortunately, we were soon surrounded by a group of Daleks, who informed us we’d merely destroyed their videoscope and put one of their lifts out of use. I told them they were responsible for the death of the Thal leader in their earlier ambush and would be responsible for more deaths unless they helped these people.

Their response was chilling: Their only interest in the Thals is in their total extermination.

The Daleks had conducted experiments with the anti-radiation drugs we left behind and found they were poison to them. They need radiation now just as we and the Thals need air. They now intend to bombard the atmosphere with radiation to make the planet safe for only the Daleks. It is sheer murder. I must find a way to stop these mad creatures. But how?

Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 25th January, 1964

The Expedition

Dear Diary,

I’ve tried everything, but it’s no use. We must retrieve the fluid link if we’re to have any hope of piloting the TARDIS again. We do need Mercury, as well, funnily enough.

Whilst I was busying myself in the TARDIS, Chesterton (“Chest-ER-ton” as he reminded me) tried to rally the Thals into mounting a fight against the Daleks, but they would not consent. They are now pacifists and farmers, with no interest in war, still mourning the loss of their old world. The Daleks have more advanced weaponry, but we have speed and agility on our side. It is disappointing. We have a great army at our disposal and with me leading, I know they would fight. They have to. As Miss Wright pointed out, those metallic beasts are not going to remain within the city walls indefinitely. They will develop a method for traveling into the wild, and they will exterminate the Thals!

Chesterton determined to test their pacifist resolve by threatening to take their sacred records and turn them over to the Daleks. It didn’t work, but when he threatened to take them Alydon’s young lady friend, Alydon’s pacifist tendencies vanished and Chesterton received a nice bash on the nose! By this we determined that they would fight, given the right motivation, and Alydon gave a rousing speech to rally them to our cause. It was no St. Crispin’s Day speech, but it certainly sufficed.

The Dalek city is surrounded by the jungle to the front, mountains to the side, and a lake to the rear. The rear entrance is undefended; assuming the large mutated creatures living in that swamp would serve as a reasonable defence. My strategy is this: We should split into two groups. One group of Thals will approach from the rear, where the Daleks will not be expecting it. Alydon and I shall lead the other group to the front and further draw their attention from the rear assault.

And now as Susan and I approach the city, Chesterton and Miss Wright are accompanying the party through the swamp, encountering such beasts as one can only guess at. We shall rendezvous in three days in the Dalek city. I know this plan will succeed. It must!

Based upon the teleplay by Terry Nation, first broadcast on BBC 18th January, 1964