Celebrating the Doctor’s fiftieth anniversary … and the Trembling’s in 2013!
Opening credits, fading to a view of the TARDIS travelling through time and space, taking the Doctor and his companion to their next adventure. Suddenly it comes to a screeching halt.
Clara (picking herself up off the floor): What is it, Doctor? Did we hit something?
Doctor (examining a screen at the central console): We seem to have encountered a reality whorl.
C: A what? (She goes to stand next to him and peers at the screen).
D: It’s a discontinuous segment of time / space that has interacted with our temporal flux generator and … (breaks off, seeing her expression). OK, we hit something. (Types on a keyboard, looks at the screen). The problem seems to be centred – here!
C: (Reads screen). The Tremblings? Sounds dangerous. Another threat to planet Earth! The Daleks, the Cybermen, the Silence – and now the Tremblings!
D: Well, they look like a perfectly ordinary family. I’ll do a full scan. Let’s check back over – hmm – the past year – and see what they’ve been up to.
C: There seems to be ten of them.
D: Yes, but four of those are chickens. And one’s a dog named Blaze. What a cute little fellow.
C: He’s not the problem, then. What about the rest of them?
D: There’s Andy. He’s the youngest … talented lad, it seems. Doing well at school – getting into tennis – and plays the piano. Performed an Einaudi solo at a school concert. I love Einaudi! Not an easy piece to play, though.
C: I suppose the harmonics could have set off a space-time ripple that caused the reality whorl?
D: Don’t be ridiculous! If that were possible, you’d get time-fragments splitting off every time someone played chopsticks!
C: OK, just an idea. Who’s next?
D: Matt – he’s another bright spark! Just started sixth form, and he’s really into music himself. Plays piano and guitar, and performs in musical drama. Wow – get this, Clara. He was Bill Sykes in his school production of ‘Oliver Twist’ and he was so good that he scared small children! His drama teacher said it was the best Bill Sykes he’d seen in ten years.
C: Well done Matt, but I can’t see it causing this problem.
D: No. So then we’ve got Tom, the oldest son. His expertise is in computer graphics, and he’s been working in digital advertising since the beginning of the year. Not bad going, it started off as a work placement and they were so impressed with him that they took him on full time! He is very good at creating cool effects, but I can’t see him manipulating the fabric of the universe.
C: What about their Mum?
D: Annie. She’s a very busy lady. Not only Mum, but also a Deacon. That’s full time and then some! She’s even found time to create a new church website – but that hasn’t left her much time to mess around with reality. Oh, and there’s Dad. Paul, that is.
C: Nuclear Physicist? Top Government Scientist? Mad boffin planning to take over the world by changing the past?
D: Nothing like that. He’s a CSI, which is cool, but not normally dangerous. (Frowns). It must be something that they’ve done. Let’s look closer. Visuals on! (More screens light up with pictures).
C: That looks nice. Where is it?
D: Spain. Costa del Luz. They had a family holiday there this year. First time they’ve been abroad all together. Had a great time, it seems. They especially enjoyed the all-you-can eat buffet.
C: Perhaps we should try it out ourselves.
D: Definitely. Or what about this? Rwanda, in Africa. Matt and Annie both went there as part of a Church youth team in the summer. They were getting involved in work with the churches, and in hospitals – did Holiday Clubs with hundreds of kids at a time! Great experience for them both. Oh, and then Paul and Annie managed to get a few days off by themselves in Pembrokeshire. Well, them and the dog. Lovely coastline for walking.
C: It looks like it. But not dangerous, surely.
D: Not at all. Unless – ah, what’s this?
C: What’s what?
D: Here. Look!
C: (reads) ‘The Reality Escape Committee’.
D: It seems that Paul fancies himself as a writer. He’s created a blog called ‘The Reality Escape Committee’ and now he’s published a book of fantasy stories called – ‘Minutes of the Reality Escape Committee’.
C: What’s wrong with that?
D: What’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with trying to change reality? Trying to make people think that their reality might not be the only one there is? Clara – don’t you see how dangerous that is!
C: But they’re just stories!
D: (Excited) Stories are dangerous! Stories can make people think, make them dream, make them imagine! Suppose enough people began thinking of different realities – it could fundamentally change the entire nature of the universe! That’s what’s caused this reality whorl – Dad Trembling’s attempts to escape reality!
C: What can we do about it?
D: Oh, it’s not a problem. Now I know the source of the reality whorl, I can soon compensate for it – (throws switches) – and we’re on our way again!
The TARDIS resumes its journey, whilst Clara stares at the screen.
C: Doctor – shouldn’t we be doing something about Paul’s ‘Reality Escape Committee’?
D: No, it’s OK. I’ve checked his sales figures. Not enough people are reading it to make a difference. (Waves at the screen). Bye, Tremblings. Have a good 2014!
Closing credits.
If you would like to help Paul in his quest to change reality, click the link for 'Minutes of the Reality Escape Committee' (available as an e-book for Kindle, Kobo, Nook or I-books).
Opening credits, fading to a view of the TARDIS travelling through time and space, taking the Doctor and his companion to their next adventure. Suddenly it comes to a screeching halt.
Clara (picking herself up off the floor): What is it, Doctor? Did we hit something?
Doctor (examining a screen at the central console): We seem to have encountered a reality whorl.
C: A what? (She goes to stand next to him and peers at the screen).
D: It’s a discontinuous segment of time / space that has interacted with our temporal flux generator and … (breaks off, seeing her expression). OK, we hit something. (Types on a keyboard, looks at the screen). The problem seems to be centred – here!
C: (Reads screen). The Tremblings? Sounds dangerous. Another threat to planet Earth! The Daleks, the Cybermen, the Silence – and now the Tremblings!
D: Well, they look like a perfectly ordinary family. I’ll do a full scan. Let’s check back over – hmm – the past year – and see what they’ve been up to.
C: There seems to be ten of them.
D: Yes, but four of those are chickens. And one’s a dog named Blaze. What a cute little fellow.
C: He’s not the problem, then. What about the rest of them?
D: There’s Andy. He’s the youngest … talented lad, it seems. Doing well at school – getting into tennis – and plays the piano. Performed an Einaudi solo at a school concert. I love Einaudi! Not an easy piece to play, though.
C: I suppose the harmonics could have set off a space-time ripple that caused the reality whorl?
D: Don’t be ridiculous! If that were possible, you’d get time-fragments splitting off every time someone played chopsticks!
C: OK, just an idea. Who’s next?
D: Matt – he’s another bright spark! Just started sixth form, and he’s really into music himself. Plays piano and guitar, and performs in musical drama. Wow – get this, Clara. He was Bill Sykes in his school production of ‘Oliver Twist’ and he was so good that he scared small children! His drama teacher said it was the best Bill Sykes he’d seen in ten years.
C: Well done Matt, but I can’t see it causing this problem.
D: No. So then we’ve got Tom, the oldest son. His expertise is in computer graphics, and he’s been working in digital advertising since the beginning of the year. Not bad going, it started off as a work placement and they were so impressed with him that they took him on full time! He is very good at creating cool effects, but I can’t see him manipulating the fabric of the universe.
C: What about their Mum?
D: Annie. She’s a very busy lady. Not only Mum, but also a Deacon. That’s full time and then some! She’s even found time to create a new church website – but that hasn’t left her much time to mess around with reality. Oh, and there’s Dad. Paul, that is.
C: Nuclear Physicist? Top Government Scientist? Mad boffin planning to take over the world by changing the past?
D: Nothing like that. He’s a CSI, which is cool, but not normally dangerous. (Frowns). It must be something that they’ve done. Let’s look closer. Visuals on! (More screens light up with pictures).
C: That looks nice. Where is it?
D: Spain. Costa del Luz. They had a family holiday there this year. First time they’ve been abroad all together. Had a great time, it seems. They especially enjoyed the all-you-can eat buffet.
C: Perhaps we should try it out ourselves.
D: Definitely. Or what about this? Rwanda, in Africa. Matt and Annie both went there as part of a Church youth team in the summer. They were getting involved in work with the churches, and in hospitals – did Holiday Clubs with hundreds of kids at a time! Great experience for them both. Oh, and then Paul and Annie managed to get a few days off by themselves in Pembrokeshire. Well, them and the dog. Lovely coastline for walking.
C: It looks like it. But not dangerous, surely.
D: Not at all. Unless – ah, what’s this?
C: What’s what?
D: Here. Look!
C: (reads) ‘The Reality Escape Committee’.
D: It seems that Paul fancies himself as a writer. He’s created a blog called ‘The Reality Escape Committee’ and now he’s published a book of fantasy stories called – ‘Minutes of the Reality Escape Committee’.
C: What’s wrong with that?
D: What’s wrong with that? What’s wrong with trying to change reality? Trying to make people think that their reality might not be the only one there is? Clara – don’t you see how dangerous that is!
C: But they’re just stories!
D: (Excited) Stories are dangerous! Stories can make people think, make them dream, make them imagine! Suppose enough people began thinking of different realities – it could fundamentally change the entire nature of the universe! That’s what’s caused this reality whorl – Dad Trembling’s attempts to escape reality!
C: What can we do about it?
D: Oh, it’s not a problem. Now I know the source of the reality whorl, I can soon compensate for it – (throws switches) – and we’re on our way again!
The TARDIS resumes its journey, whilst Clara stares at the screen.
C: Doctor – shouldn’t we be doing something about Paul’s ‘Reality Escape Committee’?
D: No, it’s OK. I’ve checked his sales figures. Not enough people are reading it to make a difference. (Waves at the screen). Bye, Tremblings. Have a good 2014!
Closing credits.
If you would like to help Paul in his quest to change reality, click the link for 'Minutes of the Reality Escape Committee' (available as an e-book for Kindle, Kobo, Nook or I-books).