The Moderator (comic story)

Summary
The Moderator is cruising the galaxy with a cool million in platinum ingots from Intra-Venus Inc, instructed to track down the TARDIS. He casually wastes exotic life forms and temples while the same tune is playing over and over in his head.

Earlier, the Doctor and Gus land on a planet called Celeste where a group of high-tech soldiers called Gaunts pursue them for breaking curfew. They only just escape in time down a tunnel that leads underground. Celeste is a mining planet owned by the mega-rich entrepreneur J.W. Dogbolter, half man-half frog, the most evil being in the universe. He is here to supervise the putting down of a revolt by the Moles, men who work Celeste’s ruby mines. His prime weapon is a combat robot called The Wrekka. Unfortunately this robot, armed with 300 weapons, is also brain damaged. However, it still tracks down the Doctor and Gus and arrests them as ring leaders of the revolt. When the Doctor admits he arrived in a time machine Dogbolter’s greed is aroused. It is revealed that the Moles are Intra-Venus company men who have displeased their boss. During the Doctor’s interrogation the Moles attack Dogbolter’s offices, allowing the Doctor and Gus to retreat to the TARDIS. This is when the Moderator is called in.

Three weeks later he finally tracks the TARDIS to Earth just as the Doctor is dropping off Gus. He makes an attack, running across the sand and shooting Gus who manages to return fire, Three bullets hit the Moderator, whose armour is made to deflect high energy weapons, not lead bullets. As he falls he realizes that the song that has been plaguing him was “We'll Meet Again”, jammed on repeat on his headset. Gus dies and the Doctor picks up his gun and puts a bullet into the headset before leaving. The seriously injured Moderator is taken to hospital where he is given a private ward. There he is visited by Dogbolter’s aide, Hob, who switches off the life-support system as payment for the Moderator’s failure.

Characters

 * Fifth Doctor
 * Gus

Continuity
to be added