TTV Series Episode 9: Heaven and Hell

“Hang on, hang on, hang on,” the Doctor cried, waving his arms around.

He climbed over several benches until he was shoulder to shoulder with Crystal. The Death Collectors watched him with nervous expressions, and the Questioner hurriedly returned to his seat in the Jury.

“Yes Doctor?” the Judge sighed.
“I demand you show me where my TARDIS is,” the Doctor said. “And I also have several questions.”

The Judge clicked his claws together, and the TARDIS appeared beside the Doctor, who leaned against it appreciatively.

“Speak,” the Questioner ordered.
“Firstly,” the Doctor began. “Why has my evidence been ignored? I was quite pleased with my Judoon video, took me ages that did.”
“The Judoon are unimportant,” the Judge hissed. “Next question.”
“Secondly,” the Doctor continued. “What will happen to Crystal now?”

One of the other Death Collectors stood up, and walked past the Questioner, turning to address the Doctor.

“I’m the Punisher,” the Punisher announced. “Crystal Harris will be reprimanded. Her locket will be taken from her, and she will be sent to the Doomsworld.”
“She doesn’t even get to go to heaven?” the Doctor frowned. “What’s the word for heaven then, if the word for your hell is Doomsworld?”
“We call it the Salvation Realm,” the Punisher hissed. “But for Crystal to be sent there, we would have to destroy her locket. But it isn’t much of a punishment for an immortal.”
“But why don’t you combine?” the Doctor asked. “The Salvation Realm and the Doomsworld could combine, and anyone bad could go to the Doomsworld, then, if their behaviour improved, they could move to the Salvation Realm. The Doomsworld could be like a little prison or something.”
“Is that your third question?” the Judge asked.
“No,” the Doctor said hurriedly. “My third question is… is… why haven’t the Inner Circle been trialled?”

The Punisher hesitated, and looked at the Judge. The Judge looked at the Questioner, who turned his gaze away.

“I thought so,” the Doctor nodded.
“What?” Crystal asked.
“And I guess that answers my fourth question,” the Doctor sighed.
“What was your fourth question?” Catherine asked from where she was seated.
“Why they attacked Crystal with the gate,” the Doctor replied. “But the answer to that lies in the truth about this trial. Which, being what it is, means it’s officially over! Let’s go!”

Before Crystal could ask what was going on, the Doctor pushed open the doors to the TARDIS, which began to dematerialise. She leapt past the bars of the witness box, and grinned at Catherine, who was running towards her.

“Off we go!” she beamed. “See you later boys.”

She ran into the TARDIS and smiled at the Doctor, who pointed to the doors. Crystal ran back to close them, waiting for Catherine to reach them. But the TARDIS was disappearing fast, and Catherine was too far away.

“RUN!” Crystal screamed.

The Doctor ran and pulled Crystal from the doors, closing them as she hit the floor. He raced back to the console, leaving Crystal on the floor. She swung around, and glared at him.

“Catherine nearly made it,” she growled.
“No time,” the Doctor explained. “We’ve got to escape. I know just where we can go. Forget about Catherine.”

Crystal shook her head – she would not forget Catherine, no matter how much the Doctor attempted to smile. With a sigh, she leaned back, and rested on the grilled floor, wondering where he was taking her.

“Let go of me!” Catherine spat at the Questioner.
“The Doctor was quick to leave you behind,” he smiled menacingly. “Death Collectors, find Crystal Harris!”

Most of the Death Collectors vanished in a white light, tracking down the Doctor and Crystal. The Questioner turned back to Catherine, as the Punisher headed down the steps.

“You’ll never find them,” she said, trying to escape from the Questioner’s grip.
“We’ll see,” the Questioner smiled. “What shall we do with her?”
“I say the Doomsworld,” the Punisher cackled.
“No,” the Judge interrupted. “Let the Inquisitor decide – he’s in charge here.”

The three Death Collectors and one human turned to the stone steps on the left. A larger, more sinister Death Collector almost floated down them, making his way to Catherine. He tore her brooch from her jacket, and examined it in his hand.

“We’ve no further use for her,” he snarled.

And with one movement of his hands, he snapped Catherine’s brooch. Before the young Queen could make any noise, she faded away.

“Let the Salvation Realm have her,” he said. “Now, is Crystal located?”
“I’ve received a report from one group,” the Judge informed him. “They found the Doctor, but he was with several unknown individuals. They attacked the group, until they realised Crystal Harris wasn’t with them. They’re returning here now.”
“Find out who were in the group,” the Inquisitor ordered. “Any further news?”
“One group have located the TARDIS, and are attempting to break into it now.”

The Doctor was thrown to the floor as a Death Collector leapt onto the outside of the TARDIS, attempting to pull the doors open. Sparks shot from the console, as Crystal clambered to her feet. She pulled the Doctor to his feet, still not having entirely forgiven him.

“Where are we going then?”
“To see a friend,” the Doctor smiled. “She’ll sort this mess out.”

The Death Collector clinging to the TARDIS realised where it was heading, and let go. He beckoned to the other Death Collectors, and they flew off.

“They’ve gone,” the Doctor grinned. “But we’d better be sure they won’t come back.”

Madame Rene removed her shawl as the TARDIS materialised in her tent. The Doctor stepped out, followed by Crystal.

“I need your help,” the Doctor said.
“Death Collectors?” Madame Rene asked. “I’ll get rid of them.”
“Thank you,” Crystal smiled.

She threw her shawl to one side, and departed from the tent. Crystal sat down on the small table, knocking the crystal ball from its stand.

“You left Catherine behind.”
“I know,” the Doctor sighed, sitting on the floor. “There was nothing I could do, you know that.”
“What did you mean by the truth about the trial?” Crystal asked.
“It was a lie,” the Doctor replied. “The Inner Circle hadn’t had trials, meaning they’d only just invented it. My ideas were confirmed by the gate – if they had succeeded, the Death Collectors would have had Finley Bradford drag you into the gate. But they failed, and so they had to think of another way to trap you. They decided to invent a trial, which would result in you being sent to the Doomsworld. If the trial was real, why would they send a gate to trap you? It didn’t make sense.”
“I thought it was pretty biased,” Crystal nodded. “They must really hate immortals… Poor Catherine, I wonder what happened to her.”
“They’ve got no use for her,” the Doctor said. “The Inner Circle didn’t even know she existed. I expect she’ll be in the Salvation Realm.”
“I hope so,” Crystal quietly muttered.

Any further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Madame Rene. Other than a strand of hair, nothing seemed out of place, and when she spoke she didn’t sound out of breath.

“They won’t be bothering you again,” she said.
“Thank you,” the Doctor smiled. “We’ll be going now – Crystal, lead the way.”

Crystal stood up from the table, and stepped into the TARDIS, closing the door behind her. The Doctor picked up Madame Rene’s crystal ball, and placed it back on the table.

“We’ll talk later,” he said.
“About what?” Madame Rene asked, somewhat coldly.
“You know what,” the Doctor retorted. “Your appearance at Crystal’s death, how you sped up the car so that is smashed into her…”

Madame Rene sunk to the floor, as the Doctor headed into the TARDIS. As it began to fade away, Madame Rene looked into her crystal ball. She saw the Judge and the Inquisitor talking privately.

“We can’t risk going after her again,” the Judge hissed. “The Doctor’s got Madame Rene on his side!”
“You might be spineless, but I am not,” the Inquisitor said. “If no other Death Collector will assist me, I shall continue alone. Either way, I will have Crystal Harris. Even if I have to destroy the universe to get her.”

The End