The Warkeeper's Crown (comic story)

The Warkeeper's Crown was a comic story published in Doctor Who Magazine issues 378 through 380. It was written by Alan Barnes. It featured the Tenth Doctor and the Brigadier.

Summary
to be added

Part 1
At Sandhurst Military School, a new batch of soldiers are participating in a "Passing Out" ceremony. The Brigadier is in attendance, standing in front of two soldiers who are talking crassly. The Brigadier yanks them by the ear and tells them off. A vortex appears, catching the Brigadier. He has a vision of his past at his grandfather Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart's house.

The Brigadier appears in front of the Hawk Leader and expresses his dissatisfaction, saying he wants to go home. A few minutes later, the Doctor arrives and is announced as the new Warkeeper's fool. While they're catching up, dragons attack, killing some of the Hawk troops. The Hawk Leader flies the Doctor and the Brigadier over a battlefield, where they see trolls, ogres, orcs, centaurs and goblins fighting. After the Hawks defeat the dragons, the Doctor and Brigadier are taken to the Warkeeper's castle. The Warkeeper is ancient and feeble. This reminds the Brigadier of his grandfather's death. The Warkeeper tells them he summoned the Brigadier to succeed him. The Brigadier says that he is not interested. They meet Michael Yates, but not Captain Mike Yates from UNIT. An army of beasts attack the castle.

Part 2
An all clear siren scares the trolls away as a weakened Warkeeper begins to wake up. The Brigadier, the Doctor and Michael Yates make a "tactical retreat" before the Hawks come around. They stumble into the remains of a battle ground where they find a dying goblin creature, who the Doctor comforts. Because of this, the Brigadier becomes aware the Doctor has recently been involved in a war. They are rescued by a young nursemaid named Tilly, who comments that the Brigadier is very handsome. This reminds him of a time with his wife by the pier of a beach. The arrive at the nurses field station, where two more nursemaids, Gilly and Milly, offer them a feast. Tilly begins to speak a maid of the Warkeeper named Lilly. Lilly suggests that the deputy Michael Yates has the weakest and most suggestible mind. Tilly takes him away, whilst the other nursemaids transform into harpies, who are alien carrion feeders. The Doctor comes to a conclusion that all matter on the planet is recycled, and as he makes this deduction, the hawks open fire on the harpies, who escape. However, because of there intervention, they left the Warkeeper unguarded so the other harpies can kill him. Using the warkeeper's crown, Yates becomes the new Warkeeper and takes the harpies to his "war," in Upper Wardleswick.

Part 3
to be added

Characters

 * Tenth Doctor
 * Is appointed the new Warkeeper's (ie the Brigadier's) fool (or jester) and wears a court jester's hat when first meeting the Brigadier.
 * Offers sound tactical advice during the attack on the Warkeeper's Castle, much to the Brigadier's surprise.
 * Can't use the Warkeeper's Crown due to his alien biology.
 * The Brigadier
 * Realises with a shock that the Doctor has been in a war after he tenderly talks to a wounded soldier.
 * Is disgusted by the poor conduct of a pair of young officers, and knocks their heads together during a passing out parade.
 * Demonstrates accuracy with a rifle despite his age, knocking the Warkeeper's crown off (the other) Mike Yates' head.
 * Isn't allowed to keep his revolver loaded anymore.
 * Feels that he's trotted out only when the armed forces (and possibly UNIT) need someone dignified and old to attend ceremonies.
 * Doris Lethbridge-Stewart
 * Doris appears in a flashback sequence and is shown offering herself to Alistair.

Continuity

 * The Brigadier's appearance is closer to the way he looked in TV: Battlefield than TV: Enemy of the Bane.