Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)

Publisher's summary
'You’re on your own, Ace.'

The TARDIS is invaded by an alien presence, and is then destroyed. The Doctor disappears.

Ace, lost and alone, finds herself in a bizarre deserted city ruled by the tyrannical, leech-like monster known as the Process.

Lost voyagers drawn forward from Ancient Gallifrey perform obsessive rituals in the ruins.

The strands of time are tangled in a cat’s cradle of dimensions.

Only the Doctor can challenge the rule of the Process and restore the stolen Future.

But the Doctor was destroyed long ago, before Time began.

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * Has never travelled into Gallifrey's past.
 * He's one of the cousins of the House of Lungbarrow.
 * Ace
 * Can swear in 11 alien languages.
 * The Pythia
 * Ruler of Gallifrey before Rassilon.
 * Rassilon

Characters of the Time Scaphe
 * Shonnzi
 * Vael Voryunsti Sheverell
 * Agent of Pythia.
 * Reogus
 * Pekery
 * Chesperl

Continuity

 * The Doctor says he's never been to Alaska, however BFA: The Land of the Dead is set there. It Depends on the timeline. It's also possible the Doctor simply forgot about that trip to Alaska.
 * No natural born child exists on Gallifrey since Pythia's curse...however; MA: Cold Fusion, PDA: The Infinity Doctors and Lungbarrow question this.
 * Ancient Gallifrey is also seen and described in: EDA: Interference - Book Two.
 * The Sisterhood of Karn first appeared in DW: The Brain of Morbius.
 * Lady Peinforte mentioned mysterious secrets about the Doctor in DW: Silver Nemesis.
 * Ace doesn't like black cats, which were prominent in DW: Survival.
 * This is the first time it is suggested that the TARDIS is to be piloted by six people, this is shown on screen in DW: Journey's End.
 * Ace has, on previous explorations of the TARDIS, found the courtyard that was a central location in DW: Logopolis and the room of cricket supplies seen in DW: Castrovalva.

Timeline

 * This story occurs after DWM: Cathedral Heart
 * This story occurs before DWM: A Cold Day in Hell