Making History (short story)

Making History was the eleventh short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: A Day in the Life. It was written by Trevor Baxendale. It featured the First Doctor and Steven Taylor.

Summary
The Doctor and Steven materialise on an asteroid on which a peace treaty is about to be signed between humans and Omwanar. However, Space-General Robert Simmons, the only human trusted by the Omwanar, who was to sign the treaty, has just died of a heart attack. His personal assistant, Harlow, is afraid this means the war will continue, but the Doctor has an idea.

The Doctor convinces Harlow and Space-Colonel Rufus Malvin to allow Steven to masquerade as Simmons, as the Omwanar probably can't tell one human from another.

Face to face with Lyshur Lysus, the leader of the Omwanar, Steven at first has trouble getting through to Lyshur. The translator device is making a hash of both their statements. But when Steven destroys the device, and shows an ability to speak Lyshur's language, the two begin to get along, with Lyshur calling Steven "Bob".

As the Doctor takes a closer look at the body of Simmons, Lyshur tells Steven of her pregnancy and asks permission to lay her eggs in Steven's body.

The Doctor announces that Simmons was murdered, and accuses Malvin of poisoning him. His motive was his mistrust of the Omwanar, and his desire to keep the war going. He storms into the negotiation room and shoots Lyshur, wounding her. Steven knocks the gun away and the two men struggle. Lyshur uses her tentacles to separate the men, and in the process lays her eggs in Malvin's body. Lyshur is dying, but not from the gunshot wound. Rather, it is part of the Omwanar biological process. The Doctor helps her sign the treaty and Steven signs for the dead Simmons.

Characters

 * First Doctor
 * Steven Taylor
 * Robert Simmons
 * Rufus Malvin
 * Harlow
 * Lyshur Lysus

Continuity

 * The Doctor mentions having faced the Zarbi, (TV: The Web Planet) the Rills (TV: Galaxy 4) and the Sensorites. (TV: The Sensorites)
 * Steven mentions having faced the Daleks. (TV: The Chase, The Daleks' Master Plan)