The Revolutionaries (short story)

The Revolutionaries was the eighteenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: The History of Christmas. It was written by John S. Drew. It featured the Second Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon.

Summary
The Doctor has taken Jamie to Trenton, New Jersey for Christmas. Jamie has misgivings about whether the Doctor knows what he's doing, but the Doctor reassures him.

An hour later, the pair are put into a cell. Next to them are a couple from the 30th century who claim to have time travelled to learn about an important historical event. However, when a man that the Doctor recognises as George Washington is put in the next cell, the Doctor realises that the couple have changed history, as this is the night Washington is supposed to defeat the Hessians.

The Doctor convinces a guard that he has important information and is led away. When he returns, he tells Jamie, Washington, and the couple that he convinced the Hessians that Washington had been acting on his own and there will be no attack. The Hessians are now celebrating Christmas.

The Doctor lets everyone out of their cells, and they head off to free Washington's soldiers. The man from the 30th century, Edward, uses a futuristic weapon to destroy a water tower, distracting the guards so that Washington's men can be freed.

The couple return to their time, though not before the woman, Stephanie, wonders if Washington's plan was supposed to have been defeated and they've changed history.

Washington and his men, having defeated the Hessians, have their own Christmas celebration, and Jamie and the Doctor join them.

Characters

 * Second Doctor
 * Jamie McCrimmon
 * Edward
 * Stephanie
 * George Washington

Worldbuilding

 * Edward recognises that Jamie is from before the 1770s.
 * The guards sing "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" in German.
 * Polly Wright once told Jamie that the Doctor looks like a "fifth beetle".
 * Jamie isn't familiar with Christmas trees.
 * The Doctor uses a telescope, his sonic screwdriver and his recorder.

Continuity
to be added