Natalie's Diary (short story)

Natalie's Diary was the second short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Dalek Empire. It was written by Joseph Lidster. It featured the Seventh Doctor, Ace and Hex.

Part one
Holly is taking a course on Dalek history. She has been given extracts from the diary of Natalie Fulton, a survivor of the Dalek attack on Manikis.


 * Natalie is in the pub with her friends Ted and Shona when the Daleks attack Rainbow City. Natalie and her friends decide to head for the tunnels of the old transport system. At the door of the pub, they run into the Doctor, Ace and Hex. Behind them is a Dalek. The Doctor distracts the Dalek while Ace and Hex get Natalie and her friends to the tunnels.

The extract ends here. Suddenly the lights go out in Holly's apartment.

Part two
In the morning, Holly's boyfriend Andrew wakes her. The power is back on, so she resumes reading.


 * Natalie, her friends, Ace and Hex spend a week wandering through the tunnels, surviving on whatever food they can find and searching for a map of the tunnel system. A human converted to a Roboman approaches them, and Ace shoots her, killing her. Natalie is appalled, but later Hex explains that Ace did what she had to do — the woman was already dead.


 * Ace can't accept that the Doctor is gone, though he was captured by the Daleks. As the five journey through the tunnels, they see another Roboman approaching. They hide, but Natalie recognises it as Shona's father. Shona, seeing her dad, runs out of hiding and approaches him. She is killed. The Roboman approaches the other four.

There is no more from this extract. Holly, a little nervous, calls Andrew at work, but in the middle of the conversation the line goes dead.

Part three
Holly watches the news on television, where the announcer explains that the power failures are the result of a technical fault, not an alien attack. Holly wonders how Natalie's group escaped the Roboman, so she begins the next extract.


 * Natalie and her group, having left the tunnels, are going through a cornfield. They got free of the Robomen because Ace gave herself up. When the remaining three reach the edge of the cornfield, they see a house and hide, but the elderly woman from the house, named Theresa, sees them and invites them in. When they get in the house, Theresa pulls a gun on them and puts them in her cellar. She has made a deal with the Daleks — they will keep her family alive if she will capture any escapees that arrive at her house, and they will collect the prisoners once a month. In the cellar are about fifteen other prisoners.


 * Hex starts throwing a tantrum (imitating the Doctor) to get Theresa's attention. When she opens the cellar door, Natalie tackles her and gets the gun. Hex wants Theresa to contact the Daleks and tell them she has found no one this month. However, when she makes the call, she starts to tell the Daleks about her prisoners. Natalie shoots her dead.

After reaching the end of this extract, Holly hears thunder.

Part four
On the news, the newscaster reports an incident in the skies and tells viewers to remain in their homes. Holly opens the last extract of Natalie's diary.


 * When Natalie's group arrives at Lenthorpe, Natalie collapses and is brought to the local pub to recover. Hex tries to comfort her as she is upset over killing Theresa. They hear news of resistance cells popping up that are led by a female — Hex is sure it is Ace. In addition, there are rumours of a virus attacking the Daleks, causing them to self-destruct. Hex tells Natalie that this must be the Doctor's work.


 * Natalie and Hex help the villagers of Lenthorpe build a barricade. The Daleks invade. The extract ends.

The news now reports a Dalek attack. Andrew rushes home, panicking, but Holly, having learned hope from the diary extracts, calmly tells him they are leaving the city.

Characters

 * Seventh Doctor
 * Ace
 * Hex
 * Holly
 * Natalie Fulton
 * Shona
 * Ted
 * Professor Sax
 * Theresa
 * Shona's father
 * Andrew

Worldbuilding

 * Theresa hopes the Daleks will give her pizza as a treat.
 * Vonnie and Martin worked with Natalie, Ted and Shona.
 * The name of the pub is Blue Peter.
 * Natalie's younger brother is named Tam Fulton.
 * In the tunnels, Natalie and her friends find a vending machine with old chocolate bars.
 * Andrew always wears a blue shirt on Tuesdays.

Continuity

 * Hex recalls visiting Ireland in September 1649. (AUDIO: The Settling)