Inter-Galactic Cat (short story)

Inter-Galactic Cat was a short story in the Doctor Who Annual 1982. It made use of the cliché story in which a supercomputer attempts world domination in blind belief that it is doing good. This bares some similarity to The War Machines with the difference being that Genesis III wants to benefit humanity, rather than replace it. It also had similar themes to Planet of Giants and others, as it features miniaturisation.

Although a cat does not appear in the story, they are important. The abbreviated form of Composition Adjustment Teleport is C.A.T and the Doctor uses the story of Puss in Boots and the idea of a talking cat to befuddle the Genesis III.

Summary
Genesis III, a supercomputer, brings the Fourth Doctor and his companions to Space Station Alpha. There he plans to use the TARDIS to gain dominion over the universe in a miniaturised form. Meanwhile, Adric must venture through a war zone the size of an atom...

Plot
The Fourth Doctor, Adric and K9 decide to head to a party. The chosen destination in the Earth's 1000 years of space-travel festival in 2957. However, the TARDIS is drawn off course to Space Station Alpha. Exploring the Doctor finds he did in fact get the date right. The party decides to split up with the Doctor and K9 together and Adric exploring alone. After some time Adric comes across a Composition Adjustment Teleport and is miniaturised by it.

Meanwhile, the Doctor finds himself faced with a Genesis III; a computer the size of a room. The Genesis III declares that it brought the Doctor and the TARDIS to the station as it desires him to help miniaturise humanity to solve their problems of overpopulation. He plans to have them live on an atom of carbon.

Adric finds himself on this atom, in a war zone. The war two faction: the Green Army and the Blue Army. Adric is captured by soldiers of the Green Army, but in turn they are captured by the Blue Army.

The Doctor works out that time in the miniaturised world is much faster than that of his and therefore Adric has long been dead. The Doctor is granted permission by the Genesis III to travel back in time and save Adric. He does so just as Adric is on trial by the Blue Army. He also rescues Daneman who was also on trial.

Returning to full size, the Doctor tells the Genesis III the story of Puss in Boots. Unable to comprehend a talking cat the computer breaks down. The Doctor tells Daneman that it's up to him to return his people to full size.

Once again the travellers set of in the TARDIS.

Characters

 * Fourth Doctor
 * Adric
 * K9
 * Genesis III
 * Daneman

Story notes

 * This story was the first in the Doctor Who Annual 1982. It saw the Fourth Doctor, Adric and K9 Mark III travelling alone, a scenario not shown on screen.

Continuity

 * Adric recalls Varsh's death. (DW: Full Circle)
 * This is another case of the TARDIS being drawn off course by an external force. In this case, by the Genesis III. Such events have frequently occurred before.

Timeline

 * Inter-Galactic Cat takes place after DW: The Keeper of Traken
 * Inter-Galactic Cat takes place before DWAN: Planet of Paradise