Attack of the GateBots! (comic story)

Summary
While the Doctor is drawn to a shop selling gadgets at a spaceport departure lounge and Amy is thinking of where the Doctor can take her as a reward for saving the Ekthelios from becoming part of the Croidun Expansion (it was her idea to use nail varnish!), she is apprehended by the GateBots. The GateBots are robot ticket inspectors. After Amy is scanned and found not to be on any flight lists, an Execution Pod is activated and she is held in a soundproof holding pod and expected to answer a Customer Questionaire requiring a 100% correct answer rate in order to survive execution. The Doctor intervenes but is unable to secure her release even by invoking ancient Ekthelios Identity laws – because he is unable to verify his own identity. Furthermore the GateBots are immune to the influence of the Doctor’s psychic paper, his library card is still out of date and his membership card to the Thaarg Appreciation Society is not recognised in this quadrant. Pursued around the departure area the Doctor sees copies of the Daily Eon newspaper proclaiming Amy and himself national heroes and being apprehended himself at the gadget show, surrenders himself after modifying some equipment which the GateBot is persuaded to view. This transmits the heroic proof of their identity around the spaceport in time to save Amy and secure their pardon with an apology from the Central Governors of Ekthelios, who announce a special freedom of the planet ceremony in their honour. Offering to make their own way the Doctor and Amy return to the TARDIS and make a quick escape. The Doctor says that he is not really one for fuss!

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * Amy Pond

Original print details

 * Publication with page count and closing captions


 * 1) DWA 175 (4 pages) NEXT WEEK – Trouble on the planet Thelka
 * No reprints to date.

Continuity

 * The Doctor’s psychic paper and out of date library card are mentioned, reflecting the Doctor's use of a library card featuring an out-of-date image (showing the First Doctor) in DW: The Vampires of Venice.
 * The Doctor being drawn to the gadget shop ’Gadjitz’ echoes the Tenth Doctor's love of little shops. (DW: New Earth/Smith and Jones/Silence in the Library)

TIMELINE

 * This story occurs after DWA: Foul Play
 * This story occurs before DWA: Blue Skies Thinking