Short Trips - The Doctor Who Audio Dramas

K9 scanned the object with his sensors. ‘Object appears to be derelict space
platform created prior to recent galactic war. Data banks classify it as space
debris. Orbit is stable and atmosphere is breathable though nitrogen content is
14% above optimum levels.’
‘Any life signs?’ asked Landon, disinterestedly.
‘Affirmative,’ K9 replied. ‘One intermittent life sign detected.’
Dillion looked up from his book. ‘They must be in trouble,’ he pointed out.
‘Unless there’s a space dock on that thing, they’re trapped there, probably running
low on food and medical supplies.’
‘It’s none of our business,’ Landon reminded them flatly.
‘What does that matter?’ the Doctor demanded, rising to his feet and crossing
to the console. ‘Someone needs our help and they’re going to get it.’
‘You’re leaping to the assumption, of course, they want our help at all,’ the
junior Time Lord replied.
‘If they don’t, we can just leave,’ Dillion suggested with a shrug.
‘That’s not the point,’ Landon retorted.
‘As if you ever have a point,’ the Canisian retorted. ‘You’re just trying to find
excuses to leave people to their fate.’
‘That is what fate is supposed to be for.’
The Doctor and Susie-Jo rolled their eyes as another argument started, and the
Time Lord began to set coordinates on the console as their friends harangued
each other. ‘Every time anything happens, even when innocent people are
suffering needlessly, you’re always telling us to keep our noses out of things,’
Dillion complained.
‘Because you invariably make things worse than they already are!’
‘Don’t you care about anyone except yourself?’
‘I’ve never met anyone worth the trouble,’ Landon sniffed. ‘Present company
very much included. Whatever life form is on that platform, I refuse to believe it
could benefit from our interference -- particularly yours, Dillion.’
‘Anyway,’ the Doctor yawned. ‘Moving on...’
The duo realized that while they had been baiting each other, the Doctor had
been flipping the knobs and switches on the console and the central column of the
console -- which had until now been frozen at its full height -- was now rising and
falling. The ambient hum of the engines was also changing pitch.
The TARDIS was on its way.
‘Oh dear. All those good points of yours just turned out academic. What a pity.’
‘Shut up, Dillion.’
A few minutes later, the police box shape of the TARDIS materialized out of thin
air inside the heart of the gigantic construct. Its flashing blue light swept over the
smooth stone walls and walls of the corridor it had landed inside, the grinding of
its overworked engines drowning out the background sounds of water trickling
and dripping.
After a moment, the door to the TARDIS opened, allowing bright white light to
spill out and illuminate the passageway. The Doctor casually strode out of the