The Domino Effect

David Bishop

2003

Anji's had enough of travelling with the Doctor and Fitz, and the Doctor has managed to get her back to Earth in 2003. OK, it's Edinburgh, not London as she had requested, but the year was right and she had a friend up here so she could visit him before returning to the Capital to see whether she still had a job. All three are too busy saying goodbye to take a really good look at their surroundings and the Doctor's not feeling that well, truth to tell.

Fitz wandered around getting an odd feeling over the type of clothes that people were wearing but it isn't his time, so maybe they're just going through a retro phase...

Meanwhile, Anji's not having much luck looking for her friend and the attitudes of those she asked for directions were not … respectful. Giving up on Edinburgh, she headed for the station and a train for London (it appeared the police had never heard of anyone flying). The station was filled with steam and queues and Anji's credit card and currency were of no use. In sheer exasperation, and realising that there was something seriously wrong, she decided to go back to where the Doctor and Fitz were supposed to be rendezvousing.

The Doctor realised that there was something very wrong and he made his way to a reference library to see if he could work out what was up. However, he's still not feeling well, and the dizzy spells are getting worse. After his latest fainting fit in the Reference Library, the young librarian persuades him that there is a pro science underground movement. At midday, Fitz and Anji are in the tearoom waiting for the Doctor to appear when the manager asks them to leave. Apparently Anji was not welcome. While she was arguing with him, Fitz notices a gentleman had left his bag and gives chase. Before finding him, the tearoom was blown apart.

In the confusion of events, Fitz is arrested as a conspirator and the crowd is willing to see justice done on the spot so he goes with the police. Buried under rubble, Anji is eventually rescued and taken to a hospital where yet again she finds the colour of her skin a matter of trouble.

The Doctor is at the meeting of the conspirators when a television report comes up blaming Fitz and his companions for the earlier atrocity. As the group is unwilling to continue talking to the Doctor, he and his young companion decide to act on their own initiative. As some one has taken the TARDIS, the Doctor is torn between locating Anji or the TARDIS.

But why is history so different from what it should be? And how is he going to get it back on track?

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