Lord Arrnei was the first to board the flagship. He led his troops from the front, not like some of the other Ice Lords who preferred to send in their troops first and then come out of hiding and claim the honour of victory. His body was scarred, burned and pitted from innumerable campaigns but that mattered not because honour was worth far more. The Conquest of Earth was a glorious campaign and its success would mean dominion over the blue planet once and for all.


The Doctor and Hannah strolled down the road, away from the TARDIS that had landed on the green outside the Cathedral.
“Durham?” Hannah asked. “I don’t see beaches Doctor.”
The Doctor merely smiled. “The last time I was here, they had just laid good old Cuthbert to rest. He liked to smoke a good pipe did Cuthbert.”
“Why are we here?” Hannah asked, wanting to know why the Doctor had brought them to the middle of nowhere.
“New shopping precinct.” The Doctor said, explaining everything. “I thought we could do with a good shopping expedition after the rigours of the last few days.”
“Any more captures by fanatical women obsessed with my body and I’ll turn into a gay icon.” Hannah mused. “Just for once I’d like to have a nice relaxing day out. So which shop do you suggest we demolish first? BHS or The Sock Shop?”
“Oh BHS I think.” The Doctor opened her purse and took out a Triple Platinum Galaxy Express credit card. “This should do I think.”
Hannah gasped. “Unlimited credit and two shopaholics, they don’t stand a chance.” She headed straight over to the racks of blouses and could barely contain herself before holding up a green and yellow flowery one up to her chest and looking at herself in one of the mirrors.
The Doctor watched her companion admiring the look of the outfit against herself. “That really suits you, what about the lavender and blue one? Oh yes, that one’s even better.” Leaving her companion to examine the skirts the Doctor headed towards the trouser suits section. She was currently wearing a simple yellow sundress, which felt comfy, especially as it was high summer but she wanted to get something more practical. Spotting a bright pinky/purple silk outfit the Doctor gravitated to it like it was a black hole.


The first wave of ships hit the thick atmosphere and the temperature increased inside the ship dramatically. The refrigeration circuits compensated of course, but even maximum setting was very uncomfortable. Arrnei would not hold it against any of his troops for fainting in this hellish heat but none did and his respect for them grew even more. “Nearly there my warriorsss, nearly there.” He saw that his words inspired confidence in his troops. “Sssoon this blue planet ssshall feel the bitter cold of winter and the land shall be carpeted in a blanket of ice and sssnow.”


Hannah waited outside the changing room for the Doctor. Finally the curtain was drawn back and the Doctor emerged. “It’s very colourful.” Hannah had to admit that.
“Yes, well this is an outfit to be noticed in. I think I rather like being the centre of attention when there’s a crisis going on.” The Doctor kept the outfit on. “I think I’ll wear it now you know. This blouse too, it’s not warm enough to just wear a bra.”
The Cashier struggled to remove the security tags but she managed it. The Doctor put her dress inside a carrier bag before stuffing her purse inside one of the jacket pockets. “How about I treat the two of us to ice creams?” The Doctor suggested as they left the store. “We can shop for frillies afterwards.”
“I’ll hold you to that.” Hannah said, before trying to decide which flavour ice cream she wanted.


The Ice Lord looked out of the shielded view screen. “Are co-ordinatesss checked?” Lord Arrnei demanded. “That sssmall island is our dessstination?” To think that such a small place was of such strategic importance.
“Yesss my Lord.” The pilot confirmed. “That is our dessstination?”
“Try to land in a more appealing part of it then.” Arrnei left the command deck to check that the troops were ready for the initial assault.


“Look Doctor, there’s a big shooting star!” Hannah pointed up at the sky. “And another and another. Wow this is great.”
The Doctor looked up at the streaks of flames in the sky. “Those aren’t meteors, they’re spaceships! We should go and find where they land, they could need my help.”
Hannah panicked. “Or they could be little blue Martian invaders come to impregnate us with their children.”
“Where do you read such fanciful nonsense?” The Doctor asked. “Martians don’t ravish Earth women, well maybe Staci. They’re probably just lost and need directions or something. Besides the Ice Warriors are actually green.” The Doctor set off in the direction of the ships.


“The trajectory isss too sssteep.” The Pilot stated. “Controlsss will not ressspond.”
The Co-Pilot rechecked to bank of instruments. “There isss a fault in the flight ssstabilisersss.”
“I’ve got a little control.” The pilot watched as the landscape in front of them moved downwards, showing that they had pulled up a little. “Initiate emergency landing proceduresss.”
Flicking a row of switches the confirmation lights twinkled on and off before the Co-Pilot assisted the Pilot to bring the ship down safely.


“Look Hannah, the ship’s having difficulties.” The Doctor pointed to the lead craft as it’s nose dipped and raised. “I hope the dears are all right in there.”
“If you end up waddling about in a maternity frock don’t blame me Doctor.” Hannah muttered. “We should get in the TARDIS and leave.”
“We can’t leave Hannah, there could be lives at risk. Besides you know what affect an encounter with an alien species will have on your people. The people of Earth haven’t matured yet, as a society. They would react poorly to the whole situation.” The Doctor stuffed her hands into her pockets and headed towards same area as the ships.
“I wonder what their females look like.” Hannah pondered. “I wonder what their fashions are like.”


“There’s a what?” The Brigadier shouted down the phone line. “Well where is it man? Durham? I see...do we have any operatives in the area? Red Company is on manoeuvres nearby? Well get on the phone to them and tell them to investigate, yes it’s a priority order.” Slamming the phone down the Brigadier swore loudly in several languages.
“Is there a problem?” Captain Andrews popped his head in the Brigadier’s office.
“Don’t you knock anymore Ralph?” The Brigadier snapped. “Sorry, it’s been one of those mornings. You had better postpone your leave for the next few days, there’s a situation brewing.”
“What is it?” Andrews sat down opposite the Brigadier’s own chair. He was dressed in his civvies, an overnight bag in his hand.
The Brigadier sat down behind her desk. “Three ships sighted in the North, they’ve come down just outside of Durham. I want you to set up an advance HQ. Red Company is on manoeuvres at Otterburn, they will be there within the hour. I want you to take charge of this, issue D-notices if necessary. The last thing we want are newspapers reporting bug-eyed aliens have landed again. The last one was hard enough to contain. No this one must be kept out of the media spotlight at all costs.”
“Very good sir.” Captain Andrews stood up and left, heading back to his barracks to get changed into his UNIT uniform.
The Brigadier marked the three sightings on the incident board. Red pins for extreme caution. There was too many of them these last few years, too many by far. Another telephone rang and she answered it. “A police box?” She clenched her other hand into a fist. “Are you sure? Have you seen the Doctor? A woman?” Winifred Bambara put the phone down slowly. What the hell was going on? Only one thing for it, she’d have to go and see for herself. Oh shame, she was supposed to be delivering a report to Geneva tonight. They will have to wait, Winifred decided, better call Ancelyn too and tell him not to expect her home this afternoon.


“Over there.” The Doctor pointed at the crashed ship and the other two, which had landed safely nearby. “I hope that fire doesn’t spread very far.”
“Can’t we call the cops and let them deal with this? Please lets no go any closer to it.” Hannah begged the Doctor not to endanger their lives. “I can feel great danger coming from those ships.”
“I don’t feel anything, I’m sure who ever it is, and they’ll be far more scared of us than you are of them.” The Doctor walked across a busy road, narrowly avoiding been run over by startled drivers.
“Will you be careful?” Hannah pleaded. “Look, yeah I’m scared. I admit it. So if they’re as terrified as you say then they could do something, scared people do not react rationally do they?” Hannah stood in front of the Doctor, her eyes searching for any sign of understanding in the Doctors.
“We’ll be cautious then.” The Doctor conceded. “Rendering assistance is the right thing to do Hannah.”
Hannah stood firm. “I’m not going. You might be willing to throw away your own life on a whim, but you’re not taking me with you.”
“Yes, fine. You stay here. I’ll only be a minute.” The Doctor set off alone towards the crashed ship.


Lord Arrnei lifted the head of the Pilot. It was no good; his neck was broken, same with the Co-Pilot. Several of his troops had also been killed or wounded; those not able to stand and fight were dispatched honourably. Their last words recorded for their families. The other two ships had survived intact and now they should begin the simple task of taking over this hot world. He picked up a radio and spoke to the troops. “Prepare for victory, today we will ssseize thisss planet and make it oursss. Take no prisonersss, but do not kill dishonourably. Your foesss may not be worthy of it but we will ssshow them that we fight with honour and we fight to win.” He heard the cheers of his troops and his pride in them increased ten fold.


The Doctor knocked on the airlock door. “Hello, do you need help in there?” When there was no answer she knocked again. The airlock swung open and she smiled sweetly until a gun was pointed in her face. “Oh.” She said, her smile vanishing.
Lord Arrnei looked at the warrior who had captured the prisoner. “I ordered that no prisonersss ssshould be taken.”
“Ssshe is unarmed Lord, I could not kill without sssacrificing my honour. I brought her to you to ssseek your wisssdom.” Ssisha explained her actions.
“You have done well. Had you killed her you would alssso join her in death.” Lord Arrnei looked at the mammal. “What isss your name and function?”
“Ice Warriors, I should have listened to Hannah. Well not about the ravishing part obviously. I’m the Doctor and I’m here to help you, unless your aims are hostile. Then I’ll have to stop you.”
“You know our race?” Lord Arrnei demanded. “How isss that?”
The Doctor went to pull a bag of black bullets out of her jacket pocket when three guns were trained on her. “No need to shoot, the only damage they can cause is toothache.” She offered the bag to the leader. “Would you like one? They’re very nice.”
Arrnei knocked the bag of foods out of the annoying woman’s hand. “You insssult me.” He shouted.”
The Doctor stared at the Ice Warrior noble before sitting down. “I offered them to you first, to do otherwise would have insulted your honour.”
“Very well. Enough of thisss, you will explain how you know of usss or I will have you ssshot asss a ssspy.”
Crossing her legs the Doctor relaxed in the metal chair. “I’ve encountered your people in several of my lives, both in the past and the future. Mainly the future though. Your people have not all left Mars have they? Nova Martia is still in its infancy so you need resources to establish yourself.”
“I know not of what you ssspeak.” Arrnei hissed. “You are either lying or mad.”
The Doctor jumped to her feet and swung her fist at the Ice Warrior. “I never lie,” she roared. “That is an unacceptable slur on my character.”
“You know of honour then.” Arrnei smiled. “A calculated insssult for which I apologissse. Your name is not unknown to usss, as you defeated our preliminary expedition one sssolar orbit ago.”
“Of course.” The Time Lady smiled. “I was quite different then of course. It was several me’s ago. However there is no time for reminiscing, any hostile action towards Earth will be more costly to your people than you might ever know. Time is not on your side. Leave this world and travel into the stars. There is a place for your people out there, a need for your strong character and resolve. The Darkness that is coming here will need your help to rebuild.”
“What darknesss do you speak of?”
“In less than a centaury and a half the most evil and hated creatures ever to stalk the galaxy will invade. Compared to them you are but a spring shower. Like a hurricane they will sweep over this world before being denied their goal. Then they will turn their attention to Mars. Many of your people will still be there of course but your civilisation will flourish elsewhere. Nova Martia, at the moment a laughed upon colony will become the focus of one of the major forces for law and order in the cosmos. That is your future, a noble purpose. It is your destiny for the taking. If you try to claim this world then that dream could die.”
“Who are you to tell usss what happensss a hundred yearsss from now? What makesss you ssso certain of thisss dessstiny?”
“Because I have seen it, I have lived it and I have survived it. I am a Time Lady of Gallifrey and I tell you these things so that you will leave not to deny you a chunk of dirt but to save you and the lives of your warriors. This is not your world, nor will it ever be. The humans will one day help to create a Federation of worlds to stand against the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Sontarans and the Rutan. You must be there to make sure it happens, you must be there to make sure it works or the galaxy will burn in the fires of destruction.”


Hannah paced about. She couldn’t leave the Doctor, nor could she go any closer. There was a noise, grass rustling and she found a soldier pointing a gun at her.
“Who are you?” Captain Andrews demanded. “Why are you standing here?”
Hannah relaxed when the soldier lowered the gun. “I’m Hannah, my friend went inside one of those ships. I think something may have happened to her.”
Andrews listened to the girl’s explanation of events; his interest was peeked when she referred to her friend as The Doctor.
“The Doctor is inside that ship?” Andrews wanted confirmation.
Hannah was overcome with emotion and dabbed at her moistening eyes with her fingers. “Yes, I warned her not to go near it but she didn’t listen to me.”
“And the Doctor is a woman you say?”
Hannah looked at the man before shouting at him. “Of course she is. What are you deaf or something?”
A female NCO, a sergeant, hurried over and saluted her superior officer. “Red Company has surrounded the alien vessels sir.”
“Hi.” Hannah waved. “I’m Hannah. This may sound like a corny line but what the hell’s going on? The Doctor’s in there, she may get hurt. I like the uniform by the way.” She winked slyly at the sergeant.
“Very good Sergeant Stein, take charge of this civilian. Make sure she doesn’t get in the way of anything.” Captain Andrews walked off, looking for Corporal Yates – his batman.
“This way please miss.” Sergeant Stein took hold of Hannah’s arm before returning the wink. “The Captain gave me explicit orders to see to you.”
“You may have to restrain me.” Hannah joked.
Stein laughed at the American girl’s wit. “I’m sure we can arrange something restrictive.”


Corporal Peter Yates saluted. “Sir, we’ve had a report that the Brigadier’s on her way.”
Captain Andrews returned the salute. “Very good, can you see anything inside than damn ship?”
Yates shook his head. “Not a thing sir.” He handed the field binoculars over to the officer. “As you can see one of the ships crash-landed while the other two landed normally.”
“Yes, well inform me if anything happens. I have to prepare for the CO’s arrival.” Andrews stood up and left.


“My Lord, there are native troops outssside. The sssensorsss reveal that they are heavily armed.”
“Ssso you ssseek to delay usss Doctor. You hoped to keep me distracted until the humansss could mobilise their forcesss.”
“No!” The Doctor shouted. “It is natural that the armed forces would investigate but my arrival is of my own free will. I came here to see if you were injured and in need of help. I do not deceive people, it’s just not tennis, I mean cricket. Have they attacked you? I think not otherwise we would not be having this pleasant little chat. I can go and tell them that you are here because your ship developed a fault and it was necessary to land here and repair the fault. Then you can go back to your people and tell them what I have told you.”
“Unacceptable.” Arrnei decided. “The humansss do not have honour. They sssay they will do one thing and then they do another. I feel that thisss day will yet sssee fighting.”

“Listen to me very carefully. There will be no fighting, do you understand? I will not allow it. If either side attacks the other then they will have me to deal with and trust me, hell hath no fury like a Doctor scorned.”


Captain Andrews watched as the helicopter touched down before running over, crouched down of course, to greet the Brigadier. “The perimeter is secured and the men await your orders.”
“Very good Captain. Any sign of the Doctor?”
“Apparently she’s already inside one of the spaceships. She was there when we arrived. We have detained the Doctor’s associate if you wish to interrogate her.”
Bambara shook her head. “Not necessary. If the Doctor runs true to form then she will try and negotiate some sort of peaceful resolution.”
“If that fails?”
“If you need to ask that question then you’re in the wrong line of work.” Bambara headed towards the makeshift HQ.


“What’s going on?” Hannah asked the soldier watching the spaceships. She had ‘borrowed’ the uniform from the sergeant. She tried her best to sound like the German woman.
“Not a lot Sarge.” Yates replied looking up. “Hey you’re not Sergeant…” He stopped speaking when Hannah hit him over the head with some piece of equipment.
“Sorry about that, but I have to get the Doctor out of there.” Hannah ran over to the space ship.


“One of the humansss approachesss.” Ssisha reported. “It is another female, ssshe is a warrior but does not carry weaponsss.”
“Capture her. I will requessst that they leave usss alone until our ssshipsss are ready to depart.”
“Thank you.” The Doctor breathed a heavy sigh of relief, until Hannah walked through the door. “What are you doing here?” She demanded.
Hannah looked at the aliens and gulped. “I’m here to rescue you.” She replied weakly. “You don’t appear to be a hostage. They didn’t, you know, did they?”

“Certainly not. The Ice Warriors are a noble people. Besides I’m just not his type.” The Doctor gestured to Lord Arrnei. “Oh Ssisha there is one of their females. I believe you were interested in their attire. As you can see it’s a standard carapace in a delicate shade of leaf green.”

“Human.” Arrnei looked at Hannah. “My ssspaceship was damaged and we needed a place to land. “We will leave here asss sssoon asss repairsss are completed. The Doctor hasss explained mattersss to usss. Do not initiate any activity you will later regret.”
“Very nice I’m sure but I’m not actually a soldier. I borrowed this outfit from one of those UNIT people outside.”
“You attacked a soldier?” The Doctor gasped.
“She didn’t need any help getting out of her uniform.” Hannah mused.
“Thisss isss sssome sssort of deception.” Arrnei hissed loudly. “You will watch Doctor, asss my troopsss extract the price of your treachery.” Picking up the radio he activated it. “Attack the humansss, do not ssshow mercy. You two will be the lassst to die. Guard them Ssisha while I join the attack. My place is leading my warriorsss into battle.”
“I don’t suppose there’s anyway I can get you out of your uniform?” Hannah asked the Ice Warrior guard.


The first thing Bambara noticed was the sudden chill. Looking outside she saw streaks of snow lying on the ground and several of her troops opening fire. “Oh shame.” She muttered before checking her sidearm. Rushing outside to marshal her troops she came across the frozen body of Captain Andrews. There was a walkie-talkie nearby and she picked it up. “Bambara to all UNIT troops lay down a suppressing fire and retreat to the fallback position. Artillery I want those 25 pounders ready ten minutes ago.”


The Doctor pulled a small flask out of her pocket and poured herself a cup of tea. She stood up and walked over to Ssisha before throwing the hot liquid infusion into the Ice Warrior’s face. “Ooops.” She said. “Sorry about that but it was necessary. Come on Hannah, lets get out of here.” The Doctor pushed the inner airlock door open and emerged into a winter landscape. “They’re using projected cold rays, I wonder why?”
“What difference does that make?” Hannah asked. “Hey we could make a snowwoman.”
The Doctor explained things briefly to Hannah. “They prefer a type of sonic device that quite literally destroys internal organs. This is most unusual. Of course it is high summer, the heat would normally be too much for them. They’re making it more like the surface of Mars as it was long, long ago.”
“Doctor, duck.” Hannah screamed before tackling the Doctor to the floor with a move a Linebacker would be proud of. A beam of cold passed over their heads, had they still being standing they would have been frozen solid.
“Thank you.” The Doctor said, picking herself up.
“Lets get out of here.” Hannah set off away from the combat zone, towards safety.


“Come on you soft Nellie’s, give it some.” Bambara shouted at her troops to do better. “I’ve seen better accuracy from the regular army.” In the distance she saw a civilian making their way over, escorted by one of her troops.
“Brigadier Winifred Bambara, how are you?” The Doctor held out her hand. “I haven’t seen you in ages. This is my friend Hannah, she borrowed one of your sergeant’s uniforms so that she could rescue me.”
Bambara shook the Doctor’s hand. “Yes well there isn’t time for pleasantries Doctor. Those weapons are too much for us.”
“The Doctor say’s that they’re not exactly weapons.” Hannah started. “They need to cool this place down as it’s too warm for them.”
Bambara looked at the Doctor. “Is this true?”
The Doctor nodded slowly. “Yes, I’m afraid so. These aren’t their main weapons.”
Bambara started to pace around her office. “Then we’re finished. I’ve lost too many men already. We need a full-scale air assault. I’ll give the RAF a call.”
“No need for that.” The Doctor smiled. “I have an idea. I’ll need the biggest mirror you can lay your hands on.” The Doctor began to detail her plan.


“Ussse the sssonic gunsss.” Lord Arrnei ordered. He fired at a human and watched as its body succumbed to the deadly vibrations. “Thisss isss almossst to easssy.”


Hannah stood on top of the raised platform that was on the very top of the Cathedral. She quickly knelt down as vertigo took hold. “Why are we up here? She asked the Doctor.
“Look over there, in the distance.” The Doctor pointed to a faint patch of white in the middle distance.
“The Ice Warriors!” Hannah exclaimed. “I still don’t understand about the mirror though.”
The Doctor sat down next to Hannah. “The mirror reflects the suns rays at the Ice Warriors. They are from a very cold place and have evolved to survive in colder climates than you or me. They could feel perfectly at home at the Earth’s poles where as you or I would freeze to death. The heat from the sunlight will reverse the zone of cold they have created. They will not be comfortable at all; I’m hoping that they will get in their two working ships and leave.” The Doctor stood up and took another look at the great view. “Hey you can see Pimlico from here.”
Bambara took charge of the mirror once it was fitted to the special apparatus that would enable it to be aimed. “Lets see how you like this then.” She carefully aimed the spot of light at the flecks of green.


A bead of sweat rolled down Lord Arrnei’s forehead. His breathing became laboured and difficult. The frosted grass beneath his feet became green once more and he realised the effects of the cold guns had worn off. Bullets ricocheted off his armour. His vision swam but he took a step forward. “Attack.” He ordered. Several Warriors broke rank and ran back to the nearest ship. He would not tolerate such behaviour and he fired his sonic gun at the ship, the blast of heat searing his lower face. “We die with our honour or we die like animalsss.”


“That’s enough.” The Doctor said, moving the beam of light away from the Ice Warriors. “Anymore and it’s murder.”
Bambara moved the beam back on the Ice Warriors. “They killed my men, good people all of them.”
“Winifred let the killing end. If you slaughter them like this you will risk a court martial.” When the Brigadier did not act, the Doctor took matters into her own hands. She levelled Bambara with a single punch before moving the beam of light away from the few remaining Ice Warriors. “Hannah get on the radio and order a cease fire.”
Hannah faked the German sergeant’s voice once more and ordered the UNIT soldiers to let the green aliens to escape in their remaining ship.


Bambara grappled the Doctor when she walked into her office. “You have a lot of explaining to do Doctor, why did you stop my soldiers from finishing them off?”
“To save you from doing something I know you would later regret.” The Doctor smoothed her jacket lapels as best she could. “We sometimes do things, in the heat of battle, that we later regret. I stopped you from crossing the line Winifred. I stopped you from becoming the next Borad, the next Salamander, or the next Carrington. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my past but this isn’t one of them.”
“I lost seventeen soldiers Doctor, how the hell can you justify their deaths with that crap?”
The Doctor glared at the Brigadier. “By not letting you take away their honour, by not letting you destroy your own honour and by letting those few surviving Ice Warriors retain their honour. What is a soldier without honour?”
“Nothing.” Bambara answered slowly. “That still doesn’t take the pain away though does it? It doesn’t bring Captain Andrews back from the dead does it?”
“No it doesn’t, but it makes life bearable. It means that you can sleep a little easier knowing that you didn’t cross that line.” The Doctor turned to leave.
“I doubt I’ll sleep anyway. One day I might be able to say thank you, but not today. Today I have to go out their and tell their loved ones that their relatives won’t becoming home.”

The Doctor paused. “I never envied Alistair that particular burden for one second. The responsibility of command weighs heavy on the strongest of shoulders.” She found Hannah wandering about outside, dressed once more in her usual clothes. “I hope you apologised to that poor girl.”
Hannah smiled and handed the Doctor her shopping bag. “Yeah, well it took some doing but she’s quite satisfied now.” Hannah led the way back into town. “I believe we still have some shopping to do. I’ve seen the perfect thing you’ll love.”
“Oh very well,” the Doctor gave in. “I’m sure we can find a few things to buy. Somehow after today I don’t think even retail therapy is enough.”


Ssisha gave a full report to the Grand Marshall. She waited for her inevitable execution but it did not come. Instead she found herself assigned to the colony at Nova Martia. She was dismissed the space fleet and reassigned to the colony’s civilian security service.


Winifred Bambara sat on the edge of the bed and cried. The heat of battle had gone from her now and she watched Ancelyn sleeping as soundly as a baby. The Doctor had been right, as usual; her actions had been disgraceful. She toyed with the revolver in her hands for a while, before realising that she knew what she had wanted for a while now. Carefully she put the gun down on the desk, on top of the maternity leave forms. She woke Ancelyn up and smiled at him sweetly before kissing him and cradling him in her arms.


The TARDIS dematerialised, it was late at night and no one noticed it departing. Inside it’s occupants, both thankfully unravished by alien invaders, put away their new clothes before enjoying a cup of tea and a chocolate digestive together.

An Ice Warrior story.  I’ve always felt they’ve been underused in the series.  The duality of them as heroes and villains has always been something interesting I’ve liked about their warrior culture.  It’s also set in my home city of Durham, so you know the geography is spot on.  I’ve climbed up to the top of the cathedral tower before and you can see all the sites mentioned from there.  I also wanted to use Brigadier Bambara as I felt I’d written enough with her predecessor in the last 3 seasons.  I had also established a basic ‘look’ for the Doctor as a crushed green velvet trouser suit for a while and so I decided to give her something different, enter Hannah – fashion monger to the colour blind and the bright pink suit…Of course the Doctor doesn’t wear the same outfit in every story, but she does have a fancy suit for all the serious adventures when she wants to make herself heard, and what better than a suit that can cause eye injury?

The premise of the story is a simple one, miscommunication, fear and arrogance cause a lot of unnecessary deaths, deaths the Doctor tries to prevent and fails.  Hannah again uses her mind and her sexuality to free herself from danger and imprisonment, more subtle indications that she’s becoming something more than what she was.