This particular feature was an idea I had at the same time that I was determined to have another go at a DOCTOR WHO fanzine. The basic premise is to feature a prologue to an existing television story, especially if there is an untold story. This first example is probably the best and should give an idea of what I am looking for. Again, from the very start, I wanted to do a prologue to Kinda, one of my favourite DOCTOR WHO stories as I had always felt that the novelisation had done the idea little justice. The only other prologue I can think of which I would like to see tackled is the tale of the Doctor’s first visit to the Det-Sen monastery. If anyone would like to tackle this or help me out with this one, feel free. Other ideas are welcome and again, the premise is not restricted to DOCTOR WHO. Just tell a good story.
According to Todd, Roger Annica recalled, Allen’s Syndrome was brought on by too much green. Sanders, of course, had laughed at this.
`There’s no such thing,’ he would rumble, `Isn’t that right, Mister Hindle?’
Hindle would then throw a salute and reply `Yes, sir.’
It was Hindle’s first real mission since leaving the Academy and everything was still done by the rulebook. If Todd was to be believed then Hindle’s adherence to the rules would not last long under Sanders. As to what would happen to Hindle if the pressure combined with the Allen Syndrome - Todd had said nothing simply because she was only there on sufferance. Sanders had initially been opposed to her being there, after all, what did scientists know about reconnaissance? And that was all that this mission was to him - another military expedition, have a quick look around, see if the place is habitable and whether or not the locals posed any threat. Scientists just complicated things, insisting on studying how the local flora and fauna would react to external influences and whether or not there should be a ceiling on the numbers allowed on the planet so as not to upset the status quo of the biosphere.
Annica, as a representative of the Department of the Exterior, ensured that everything was done according to procedure with perhaps a little leeway to fulfil the requirements of the investors. Space travel and colonisation was still an expensive business and a fine balance had to be maintained between the ideals of the scientists and the pragmatism of the military. At the same time he could not allow anyone to believe him to be anything other than impartial, so although he was listening to Todd explaining to him about Allen’s Syndrome again he gave no indication that he didn’t really want to know.
`Sanders should remember that Dr Allen postulated that it was part of human nature to be surrounded by green things. We evolved from forest dwellers, we feel secure among trees and grasses. Out in space and back on Homeworld we are cut off from this protective green. According to Allen there is an inherent danger involved with planet surveys. Imagine a team that has spent many years in varying artificial environments, and then one day they are left on some planet surrounded by nature. No engine noise, no ventilation system humming in the background, no sterile, recycled air - it can come as a shock and for some people it can be overwhelming.
`Sanders’ insistence that we should endure a two year tour of duty out here could endanger us all. I’ve noticed that at least three members of this expedition are showing early signs of Allen’s Syndrome - that’s fifty percent of the team.’
Annica smiled, `I don’t suppose you would like to tell me the names of these individuals, in order that I may verify matters for myself? I do have scientific training with some grounding in basic space psychology.’
Todd shook her head, `You know that I have little authority when it comes to the physical and medical welfare of the team...’
Perhaps a little more sternly than he had intended, Annica interrupted her, `Dr Anatta knows her business. To my knowledge she has made no indication that this expedition is under any threat from within. I think you will also find that Sanders knows how to run the show - he’s a veteran of many similar colonisation programs.’
He did not mention that Sanders was also a veteran of a number of military campaigns too including the rather infamous Dremada incident when the natives had rather violently taken exception to the colour of the dome. Sanders had simply pooh-poohed the very idea that colour could be so important and had immediately set out to show the natives how harmless things were by ordering the construction of many similar domes. The natives had immediately attacked the dome and Sanders’ troops had been forced to leave the planet.
Unfortunately Sanders had ordered the destruction of the domes by the use of missiles and had wiped out a great many natives. If it hadn’t been for his other successes Sanders probably would have been given more than just a verbal reprimand. After all, one Councillor had concluded, how could anyone expect natives to grow restless over bright orange domes - even if it was the same colour as their sacred bird?
Todd said nothing, at least not verbally. It was the way she had shifted when he had mentioned Dr Anatta. Could it be that Todd suspected that Anatta was falling prey to Allen’s Syndrome? It was the only possible reason why Todd would discuss the health of the team with him and not through Dr Anatta.
Voicing his concerns Annica also added that Dr Anatta was another veteran of exploration, `You have to admit, if you believe that she is suffering from Allen’s Syndrome then your reasoning starts to sound very shaky. If this is the sort of evidence you want to present before Sanders then I’ll warn you now that you won’t be doing your standing as a member of this team any good. Your competence will come into question.’
There was an uneasy silence, during which Annica allowed his gaze to fall upon the world visible outside the dome. As with any expedition although the dome was sealed from the outside world, windows were seen as an essential element to combating Allen’s Syndrome. There were those who felt that the syndrome was more than likely a new variant of "stir crazy" - that some individuals, aware that there was a world outside rather than the normal vacuum they were used to, tended to feel imprisoned and then claustrophobic.
Then there was the other body of opinion, which Todd seemed to pay heed to, that it was the tantalising glimpse of a world so totally different from their surroundings, a world that appealed to the beast within and upset the normal workings of the mind.
Utter nonsense, he concluded, as he watched a bird leap from the branch of one tree to another. Amazing, the way that its feathers seemed to catch the light. It reminded him of some dancers he had seen many years ago on Antax IV, of the way their dresses had shimmered under the lights as if they were performing a dance all of their own in opposition to the wearer.
`Roger?’
Annica turned to look at Todd.
`I am seriously concerned about the team. You have some influence on Sanders, you can make him listen.’
Shaking his head, Annica replied, `I’m an observer. You only think I have influence on Sanders. He does as he thinks best, and in his experience the full two year tour will enable us to fully determine the viability of this planet as a future colony.’
`What about the natives? What if they don’t like the colour of our domes?’ She had remembered, very clever.
`Sanders isn’t some narrow-minded bigot. He has achieved his rank and position by being able to make sound judgements - and he is as human as the rest of us. Like anyone else he can make a mistake, and like anyone else he isn’t necessarily prone to repeating his mistakes. Anyway, the Kinda have expressed little interest in us, and they certainly haven’t displayed any hostility toward us. You haven’t forgotten the fact that we have two specimens in the examination room - and we haven’t heard a peep from the rest about it. I think we can call a halt to this discussion.’
As he was about to get up he noticed that Todd was staring at the door that led into the main lab where the two "specimens" were currently being held.
`Nobody else has seen this native you claim comes to watch from the forest. Has it ever occurred to you, that perhaps you are suffering from Allen’s Syndrome?’
`He’s definitely out there, perhaps you should remain in the lab and you can see for yourself. He appears around the same time every day.’
Annica laughed, `It is rather inconvenient for you that he appears around the time that everyone else is working on their routine seventh program.
`On the other hand, perhaps I have some good news for you. Both myself and Dr Anatta will be going outside for the first time today. The environment suits have been thoroughly checked and authorisation has just come through from Homeworld. I should have a better view from outside, don’t you think, of this visitor?’
Todd said nothing until Annica had reached the door, and even then it was nothing more than a "take care".
If there was one problem with the environment suits it had to be the fact that while they protected you from being bitten by insects or punctured by thorns they also tended to make it quite difficult to properly grip anything not to mention the condensation that built up inside the helmet which eventually made it unbearable to wear.
Annica rested against a tree and examined the wrist unit. According to it everything was okay, the air was non-toxic. Surveys had continually reported the benign nature of the planet. So far he had found nothing to say otherwise. All that remained was the word from Sanders that he could remove his helmet and become the first human to breathe the air of planet S14.
Planet S14 - he preferred the name Deva Loka, one which had been deciphered from native writings spotted on a few ruins. Once a planet had a name it seemed to become more friendly. Although the suit’s audio systems filtered the sound from outside there was an ethos of tranquillity - the sound of wind in the trees, like a lover’s gentle whisper; the rush of some distant river, reminiscent of the "womb-noises" used in Tranquo-Tapes...
`Mister Annica, respond?’
There was an insistence to the voice which aroused Annica from his reverie. A glance at his wrist chronometer indicated that some fifteen minutes had passed since he had last looked at it. Peculiar, it had seemed like only a few seconds...
`Mister Annica, respond?’
`I’m here, sir.’
`Asleep on the job, eh?’ in spite of the apparent jocularity of the tone there was no mistaking the undercurrent in Sanders’ voice.
`Its this suit, sir, its making me drowsy. I’m sorry, sir, it won’t happen again.’
`It had better not. Not that it matters, I’ve been in communication with Dr Anatta and I have decided, based on the data that it is perfectly safe to remove your helmet. I want a full report, smells, tastes, everything. Sanders, out!’
With a gasp of relief Annica reached up to the seals on his helmet and undid them. Cool air brushed against his skin as he removed the helmet. Taking a deep breath he tried to interpret the information reaching his brain. There was a variety of smells, a tangle which he was having difficulty sorting out. There was a hint of cinnamon, perhaps a touch of apple, yes - there were several distinct fruity smells of which apple seemed to be the strongest.
His nose led him to an orchard and in spite of himself Annica resisted the urge to take a bite out of one. When Sanders had mentioned "taste" what he had actually meant was the flavour of the air, whether or not the planet had a tangible atmosphere. There were many worlds where the air could actually be tasted because certain chemicals dissolved in the saliva whenever you breathed in through your mouth.
Opening his mouth, Annica inhaled but, to his disappointment, there was no discernible flavour. Nevertheless his mouth was watering and he put it down to the proximity of the apples. Surely one bite wouldn’t hurt?
As he reached out for one his communicator bleeped at him. Reluctantly, and with a childlike guilt, he replaced the helmet as the mike was fixed inside.
`Sir?’
`Still awake, Annica?’
Grinning wryly, Annica reported what he had discovered so far.
`Doctor Todd would like you to pick some for sample purposes. She’ll test them in the lab. For the moment stick to standard procedures - do not eat or drink anything until we are absolutely sure that local consumables are compatible with our biology.’
Confirming the order, Annica broke contact and looked at the enticing red apples. Such a deep, inviting red...
Shaking his head, Annica dug into one of the hip pockets on the outside of his suit and removed a bag. Into this bag he placed a number of apples - some of them red, some of them green, some large and some small. His mouth wouldn’t stop watering and he almost whimpered.
What is happening to me?, Annica thought. Todd’s voice echoed through his head, warnings about Allen’s Syndrome tolled away. Angrily, Annica blanked his mind. He took a couple of deep breaths and focused on his heart beat. Slowly he began counting to ten. When he finally reached ten he took another couple of deep breaths. There, he felt much better now.
Removing his helmet again he looked around him and caught a glimpse of something glistening deeper in the forest. Moving towards it he searched in his pocket for a suitable container. After he had moved some ten metres towards the glistening he found himself standing beside the stream that had been tantalising him at the periphery of his hearing. Scooping up some water with the container he suddenly became aware that he was being watched. Looking up quickly he saw a branch shiver as if it had been let go. There was no-one to see, but even if it had been one of the Kinda they had been shown to be quite passive so there was no likelihood of anything sinister occurring.
It took Annica half an hour to return to the dome. He deposited the samples in the special bin which could be rotated into the dome allowing the samples to be retrieved from inside. To the right of the bin was a window and as Annica looked towards it he saw Roberts signalling to him and then to the microphone around his neck.
For a moment Annica didn’t know what to do, then he recalled the microphone inside the helmet which he was carrying in his right hand.
`Annica, have you seen Doctor Anatta within the last hour?’
`No, is there something wrong?’
Roberts shrugged, `She hasn’t called in and she won’t respond to any of our calls. The last time we heard from her was nineteen - fifteen, standard. She was in sector three, about two kilometres away from you. Sanders wants you to try and find her.’
`She could be anywhere, an hour is a long time...did she say anything that might tell you where she has gone?’
Again Roberts replied with a shrug, `Todd entertained us with her pet theory that Allen’s Syndrome has struck. She says that Doctor Anatta has gone native.’
As if, thought Annica, `Okay, I’ll go and look for her. Annica out.’
Sighing he turned around, took a bearing and then headed towards the region of the forest designated as sector three.
On the way to sector three Annica had noticed something catching the light on the other side of a lake. Using his binoculars he made out the shape of some long thin, hollow, glass-like tubes dangling from a nearby tree. He could almost swear that they were beckoning to him - it was the way in which they gently swayed in the wind, playing with the light and reflecting it at his eyes...
As he stood there the world seemed to go quiet, those tubes grabbing his absolute attention. There was a beep from his communicator and he broke free of his reverie. It was the second time that day, but Annica responded quickly, not wanting to give Sanders any reason to doubt his abilities. While it was true that he was no longer as young as he had been he was as good an explorer as he had ever been. The past ten years as a desk jockey had not dulled his senses, or so he hoped.
`Annica here, I’m approaching sector three now. Any word from Doctor Anatta?’
`Nothing yet, Sanders says that he wants you to report back every half hour. If you haven’t found anything by twenty-two hundred you are to return to the dome. I say again, report every half hour until twenty-two hundred when you must return to the dome.’
`Acknowledged, Annica out.’
His chronometer read twenty-thirty, and he set it to alert him every thirty minutes so that he could call in. Technically he had another hour to search for Anatta and then it would be time to return to the base. Whatever had happened to Anatta would have to be serious otherwise Sanders would throw the book at her.
It took him only a couple of minutes to reach the marker which indicated sector three. It had been placed there by a survey drone, but a small disc attached to it was proof that Anatta had been this way. Annica forged his way through some of the bushes and then he emerged into a clearing. To either side of the clearing there was a path. Annica spent the better part of ten minutes checking to see if there was a marker to indicate which path Anatta might have taken, but he found nothing, just bare footprints. The soil was disturbed on both paths, the marks indicative that the Kinda had been along here. Was this a portent that the Kinda were capable of hostility?
Annica was about to call in when he noticed something glittering further along the right hand path. Moving towards it he emerged into another, smaller clearing. There was a tree, larger than the rest, which marred the near-perfect circle of the clearing. Hanging from the branches of this tree were more glass tubes like the ones he had seen across the lake. Annica stared at them and found himself drawn towards them. Music filled his mind and he remembered his younger days, his dreams of exploring the universe, of discovering the lost secrets of some long-dead civilisation...and he saw Anatta beckon to him. He stared and she vanished. He blinked slowly - there she was again. Closing his eyes more firmly he saw her again, beckoning to him.
`Checkmate,’ Annica smiled, `I win again.’
Anatta leered at him, `You only think you have won, but I let you win. See how hollow your victory truly is?’
Annica stared at the board, momentarily sure that there was something else he was meant to be doing, and then the thought was gone. The pieces had reverted to the starting positions and he nudged a pawn forward, `Stop dreaming, the game has only just started.’
Behind them a figure watched from the shadows, watched and waited. These people were not strong enough for his purpose, their minds belonged to this world. Even the game they played was a product of the remnants of their minds - an attempt to prove that they still possessed some faculty of mind.
No, he needed a strong mind, he needed something that sought a sense of purpose. These minds were wasted, used-up. In time, a better mind would have to come along
This story is my own interpretation of some of the events that transpire prior to those which take place during the television adventure DOCTOR WHO - KINDA originally transmitted in February 1982 and subsequently released on BBC Video in late 1994. It is not meant to be an official addition to Chris Bailey’s material. Before anyone writes in asking about the TSS, there is nothing in the TV story to state that all of the missing members used the device, in fact quite the opposite. Nor is there anything to discount the use of personal environment suits.
This story is my own interpretation of events preceding the TV story and in my version of events Sanders decided to use the heavier TSS as a result of the disappearance of Annica and Anatta. Furthermore, it is my interpretation that Roberts turned "native", walking off into deepest Deva Loka, a "victim" of the Allen Syndrome.
All the characters, the TSS, the planet name and designation © Chris Bailey 1981
This particular prequel, story content © D.S.Carlin 1995
Background © Patrick Herron 1998