Doctor Who: The Wounded Earth - The History of the Doctor

Chris McKeon
DOCTOR WHO: THE WOUNDED EARTH
‘Unfortunately, yes. You’ll have to see it for yourself.’ Lethbridge-Stewart walked
over to Benton’s desk, lifted the receiver from the telephone placed in the table’s upper right
corner, and spoke into the mouthpiece.
‘Lethbridge-Stewart here. Are my associates ready Good. Please send them to
Benton’s office, would you Thank you.’ The Brigadier replaced the telephone and the
Doctor spoke, annoyed at the delay in information.
‘Who are these associates of yours, Brigadier’
‘Just more familiar faces, Doctor.’
There was a brief knock at Benton’s office door, which promptly swung open to
reveal none other than Mike Yates and a grinning Harry Sullivan carrying a small metal case.
Both men were dressed in the military uniforms of their respective branches of service: the
olive green UNIT suit for Mike and the black jacket, trousers, and black and white cap of the
Royal Navy for Harry. Sarah Jane swelled with joy to see her old friends once more; as Mike
and Harry entered the room she hurried over to offer warm greetings. The Doctor, however,
remained still and brooding, although he acknowledged their arrival with a distracted nod.
Sarah Jane was not in the least surprised by the Doctor’s absence of enthusiasm: even when
Harry had travelled with them in the TARDIS she had always got the sense he had rather
annoyed the Doctor, or at least failed to impress him. And as for Mike…well, even though
the Doctor had helped the Brigadier reactivate Yates to UNIT service, somehow Sarah Jane
felt the Time Lord had not yet regained complete trust in his old comrade’s loyalty, and
wondered if he ever would. Oh well, best to be the friendly face in the room.
‘It’s so good to see you, Captain Yates. Oh wait; you’re a Major now, aren’t you’
‘I was, yes, but I’m afraid there’s more to tell, Sarah. Thanks to a good word from
the Brigadier my superiors have seen fit to promote me to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.’
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