Read Online Doctor Who: Festival of Death: 50th Anniversary Edition by Jonathan Morris - Free Book Online

Doctor.
    ‘First law. But you’re right. If we don’t go back, we will have altered the whole web of time.’
    ‘And the consequences are too terrible to imagine,’ declared the Doctor bleakly.
    Romana shuddered at the notion. ‘Exactly.’
    ‘What about free will?’ asked the Doctor, like a resentful child. ‘I mean, what if we come back, but fail to save the G-Lock? Hmm?’
    ‘We don’t have any choice,’ said Romana. ‘We have to succeed.’
    ‘Hornswoggled,’ muttered the Doctor. ‘“The order of the acts are planned, and the end of the way inescapable.”’
    The Doctor and Romana sat in silence for some time. Eventually, the Doctor dipped into his coat and produced a packet of jelly babies. He offered them to K-9 and Romana, and selected one for himself.
    He swallowed. ‘You know, ever since we arrived, I’ve had the oddest feeling.’
    Romana nodded. ‘Yes. You mentioned something about the hairs on the back of your neck.’
    ‘Exactly. An uneasy sensation. As if I should recognise things, but was finding them unfamiliar.’ The Doctor crumpled up the bag and pocketed it. ‘I’ve just worked out what it is. Pre-jà
vu
.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Pre-jà
vu
, mistress,’ chirped K-9 helpfully. ‘The sensation that one is going to have been somewhere before. The term applies exclusively to Time Lords, and was coined by Academi Plurix.’
    ‘Oh,’ sighed Romana. ‘Pre-jà
vu
.’
    The Doctor reverted to silence, examining the backs of his hands. He started whistling, badly.
    ‘Doctor, what are we going to do?’ said Romana.
    ‘Do?’
    ‘About the collapsing hyperspace tunnel. We have to get everyone out of here.’
    The Doctor stared back. ‘How long do we have, K-9?’
    ‘The conduit will lose hyperstatial viability in three hours forty-seven minutes and counting.’
    ‘Three hours forty-seven minutes.’ The Doctor closed his eyes, admitting defeat. ‘Unfortunately, Romana, we have the small difficulty of being locked up.’
    ‘Why not use the sonic screwdriver?’ Romana asked.
    The Doctor shook his head. ‘No good. I tried, and the guard confiscated it.’
    ‘What about K-9? He could blast –’
    ‘No good either, I’m afraid.’
    Romana thumped the door in irritation. ‘There must be something we can do!’
    ‘Well, normally, in this predicament I’d blow my dog whistle and K-9 would come and rescue us,’ said the Doctor. ‘But this time K-9 didn’t remain in the TARDIS, so unfortunately we’re stuck.’
    ‘Apologies, master,’ said K-9.
    ‘It’s not your fault, K-9,’ said Romana, glaring at the Doctor. ‘It’s not as if you can be in two places at once.’
    ‘So this is it, then. The end,’ said the Doctor.
    ‘Two places…’ An idea occurred to Romana. She knelt in front of the Doctor. ‘Doctor, we know that at some point in the future we’re going to go back in time and revisit the G-Lock, right?’
    ‘We have to get out of here first.’
    Romana shushed him. ‘But what if, when we go back in time, we also arrange for someone to come and rescue us from this cell?’
    ‘We can’t do that. That’s cheating.’
    From outside the cell, there was a dull thud followed by the clatter of someone falling heavily to the floor. The door rose to reveal a young woman in her twenties with cropped, sandy hair and a milky complexion. She wore functional overalls and an enthusiastic expression.
    Behind her, the guard lay unconscious on the floor.
    ‘Hello. I’ve come to rescue you.’ The woman grinned at Romana. ‘Not too late, am I?’
    Romana was flabbergasted. ‘You’ve come to set us free?’
    ‘Yes. As instructed. For a minute there I didn’t think I’d get here in time, but…’ She popped her head through the cell doorway. Seeing the Doctor, her jaw dropped. ‘But hang on… You’re… you’re…’
    The Doctor extended a hand. ‘Yes, I’m the Doctor. Marvellous to meet you.’
    The woman shook her head in disbelief. ‘No, but you’re… you’re