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24 September 2014

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Doctor Who | Photonovels | The Macra Terror

Episode Two contact sheet

'That proves it,' says Medok, 'I wasn't seeing things!'

As the giant creature lumbers away, the Doctor urges Medok to keep quiet in case he alerts the guards. 'It doesn't matter,' says Medok. 'They can't lock me up again. Now I can prove it – we know they're real.'

Ola hears the sound of Medok's voice and calls out through the darkness.

He orders Medok to come out quickly. Medok tells him to put his gun away.

Medok and the Doctor give themselves up. Medok tries to tell Ola what they have seen. 'It's the Macra, Ola! Ask the Doctor – he'll tell you.'

The Doctor confirms the story. 'We don't want to know what the stranger thinks,' sneers the captain. The guards search the Doctor before the two men are marched to the Pilot's headquarters.

The Pilot is dictating a memo to his secretary. 'Remember, the life of the Colony is dependent on this gas. All industry and activity…' He is interrupted by an emergency message on his intercom.

Ola requests an immediate audience, and the Pilot consents when he learns of what has happened. 'Bring the stranger in.'

The Pilot tells Ola to leave – he will conduct the investigation himself.

'I imagine you can keep track of the entire Colony from here,' says the Doctor, inspecting the Pilot's surveillance equipment. 'You don't seem to realise how serious this business is Doctor,' says the Pilot. 'You have committed a crime.'

The Doctor denies that Medok is either dangerous or suffering from hallucinations. Ola's voice on the intercom announces that Medok has made a statement that completely changes the situation.

'The Doctor wasn't helping me,' says Medok. 'He was trying to make me give myself up.' The Pilot offers the Doctor an apology and tells him he is free to go.

Medok, meanwhile, will return to the hospital for another course of treatment. 'He will co-operate and he will obey orders,' says the Pilot. 'He'll be just like the rest of us.' The Doctor asks the Pilot why he wants everyone to be the same.

The Pilot explains that the Colony was established many centuries ago by people from Earth. 'Our ancestors believed in the virtues of "healthy happiness" and we have tried to keep their ideals alive. Sometimes, alas, it is necessary to use force.' The Doctor leaves and the image of the Controller appears.

Announcement chimes

'The Doctor and his friends are to begin the advantage of high-powered adaptation at once,' says the voice. 'They must begin to think like members of the Colony. We cannot have criticisms from these strangers.' The Pilot initiates the process.

'This is an emergency!' stresses the voice as it is broadcast to the Doctor and his friends in their cubicles. 'No one in the Colony believes in Macra. There is no such thing as Macra. Macra do not exist … There are no Macra!'

'The sleeper must relax and believe,' intones a soothing voice as Jamie, Ben and Polly sleep.

'Everything in the Colony is good and beautiful. You must accept it without question.'

'You must obey orders. The leaders of the Colony know what is best.'

'In the morning, when you wake up you will be given some work. You will be glad to obey. You will question nothing in the Colony.'

Jamie wakes up and tries to tell Ben that he has heard 'an evil voice'. Ben tells Jamie to go back to sleep. 'We've got a hard day's work ahead of us.'

'Why do you say that?' asks Jamie. 'We've got to do something to help in the Colony,' Ben replies. 'We can't just eat their nosh without helping out.'

'You sound just like that voice,' says a concerned Jamie. Ben reassures him that the Colony's all right and goes back to sleep.

The Doctor opens the door of Polly's cubicle to check on her safety.

He hears the calming voice intoning: 'You will not resist the sleeping gas. Breathe deeply. In the morning, when you wake, you will obey.'

The Doctor finds a device embedded in the wall above head. Grabbing a protruding wire he fuses the device and the ensuing noise wakes Polly up.

'I think you've been listening to some very bad advice,' the Doctor tells her as the sweet smell of gas dissipates. 'I want you to forget everything you've been dreaming. It's just possible that you've been given a series of orders while you've been asleep.'

The Doctor checks the walls of Ben and Jamie's cubicle and finds a similar strand of wire. Ben tells the Doctor that what he is doing is against the law of the Colony.

Polly rushes in as Ben angrily points at the Doctor. 'He thinks he know best all the time but this time he's wrong.' The noise wakes Jamie up, and he tells the Doctor his sleep was disturbed by 'wee voices'.

'That's a good sign,' says the Doctor. 'That means they haven't been able to get very deeply into your brain.'

Ben tells them they are all fools, and berates the Doctor for smashing the equipment.

'Control knows what's best for us. They want us to co-operate. We should be helping … The Doctor's causing trouble – I'm going to turn him in.'

Polly and Jamie try to stop Ben and there is a scuffle.

'Violence will get you nowhere,' stresses the Doctor, trying to come between them. 'He's been given a series of instructions and he can't help himself.' Ben purposefully marches out.

He soon returns with Ola, and accuses the Doctor of sabotage. 'This time we've got the evidence from one of your own friends,' smiles Ola. The Doctor is to be taken to the hospital. 'He needs correction more than Medok does!' shouts an indignant Ben.

'He's too far gone to help,' says the Pilot as he watches Medok's indoctrination at the hospital. 'He'll never be happy like the rest of us. All we can do is send him to the pits for life.'

'Can't … hide the truth…' gasps Medok as he endures the treatment.

The Pilot hears news of the Doctor's arrest. 'Keep at it,' he urges the medics before leaving to join Ola.

Polly is furious with Ben for turning on the Doctor and Jamie. She determines to find them, but Ben warns her to stay where she is. 'Go on, report me!' she says before leaving the cubicle. Once outside, she sees Ben following her.

She heads for the construction site.

'Polly, where are you?' calls Ben as Polly hides in one of the unfinished houses.

'You'll be in trouble,' warns Ben as eerie noises fill the night air. 'You must obey Control!'

Polly accidentally dislodges some building material and Ben is alerted to the noise.

She freezes as she hears Ben approaching.

Ben catches up with her and tries to drag her back. 'What's the matter with you Ben?' she asks him. 'Wake up!'

Before Ben can drag Polly back to her cubicle a fearsome sight stops her in her tracks. She screams and points into the darkness. 'It had claws,' she tells Ben, 'like we saw on the Time Scanner.'

A giant crab-like creature emerges and Polly shrinks away. Ben mindlessly states, 'There is nothing evil or harmful in this colony.' Polly is incredulous when Ben affirms, 'There is nothing here.'

The Macra Terror - violent content!

A huge claw holds Polly in its grip and the girl begins screaming. Ben grabs a piece of wood and starts striking the creature.

The creature finally releases Polly and retreats.

Polly clings to Ben and begins sobbing uncontrollably.

She barely has the chance to compose herself before she becomes aware that there is something behind them.

'Ben – behind you!'

Another Macra lumbers towards them, its piercing eyes glowing in the darkness.

'There's another one!' screams Polly. 'They're all around us!' Ben tells Polly to make a run for it.

Elsewhere, the Doctor proudly admits burning out three 'nerve circuits' and soon locates another. 'My dear Pilot, even you are subjected to this form of subconscious control.' The Doctor destroys the device before Polly and Ben enter the room.

Polly relates her story, but Ben calmly adds: 'There are no such things as Macra.' The Doctor explains that Ben has come under the control of the evil forces at the heart of the Colony.

'We've nothing to hide,' says the Pilot, and switches on the image of the handsome Controller. Control's reassuring voice claims that Polly has suffered a hallucination, but Jamie and the Doctor insist on seeing the Controller in person.

The image fades and an old man appears. 'This is your Controller,' continues the disembodied voice. The Doctor's friends insist they hear the old man speak.

Announcement chimes

'Am I to speak?' the frail old man asks nervously. 'Tell the strangers to believe and obey!' insists the voice.

'I'll do what you say,' stutters the old man, but before he can continue a giant claw grips him by the neck and drags him away. 'Macra!' screams Polly as the Pilot orders the Doctor and his friends to be taken to the pits. 'They're in control!'

NEXT WEEK: The time travellers are caught up in a gas panic...

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