The Slave War (short story)

The Slave War was the third short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership. It was written by Una McCormack. It featured the Second Doctor, Ben Jackson, Polly Wright and Jamie McCrimmon.

Summary
The Doctor and his friends end up in Italy during the slave rebellion. The Doctor finds himself in the camp of Marcus Licinius Crassus, while his companions are captured and brought before Spartacus.

While the Doctor befriends Crassus' slave Demetrius and tries to distract Crassus, the other three try to help Spartacus in his rebellion. Ben and Polly hope to make a difference, though Jamie is more realistic.

The Doctor convinces Crassus to build a wall, solely for the purpose of distracting him so that it will be Pompey's army that defeats the slaves. Ben and Polly fail in their attempt to save Spartacus and his slaves from the Romans. However, Demetrius and Spartacus' wife, Calpurnia, are able to escape.

The Doctor rescues his companions from the Romans and tells them he allowed Pompey to be the one to defeat the slaves because Crassus wasn't enlightened enough to lead the Roman Empire.

Characters

 * Second Doctor
 * Ben Jackson
 * Polly Wright
 * Jamie McCrimmon
 * Spartacus
 * Demetrius
 * Marcus Licinius Crassus
 * Calpurnia
 * Marius
 * Bigger man
 * Smaller man

Worldbuilding

 * The Doctor uses the alias "Gaius Iunius Faber."
 * Crassus and Calpurnia mention several Roman gods, including Mars, Jupiter, Bacchus and Juno.
 * The Doctor says he came from Rhegium.
 * Mummius is one of Crassus' legion commanders.
 * Polly compares Spartacus to the Kirk Douglas film version of him.
 * Polly says she slept through Latin.
 * Ben mentions the French Revolution.

Continuity
to be added