The Moderator (comic story)

Summary
The Moderator is cruising the galaxy with a cool million in platinum ingots from Intra-Venus Inc on a mission 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 had landed 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 mega-rich entrepreneur J.W. Dogbolter, who also owns Intra-Venus. 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 demented 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. This allows the Doctor and Gus enough time to escape to the TARDIS. This is when the Moderator is called in.

Three weeks later, the Moderator has finally tracked the TARDIS to Earth just as the Doctor drops off Gus. The Moderator runs across the sand and shoots 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