The Clanging Chimes of Doom (short story)

The Clanging Chimes of Doom was the fifteenth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: A Christmas Treasury. It was written by Jonathan Morris. It featured the Fourth Doctor, Romana II and K9.

Summary
Prince Tarvick is on the run from his people. As warp torpedoes head for his spaceship, the Valentine, he vows to avenge his people. The warp torpedoes hit the ship.

In the TARDIS, the Doctor, having saved eleven planets and two space stations in the last week, is ready to enjoy his hobby of autograph collecting, much to Romana's scepticism. He heads for a recording studio, using a bit of hypnosis on the security guard to let himself in. As the technicians record the musicians, Romana and K9 watch on the TARDIS screen. Romana notices someone with pink hair, and K9 is unable to identify him.

After the recording, musicians and crew celebrate. The Doctor notices the man with pink hair. When the Doctor mentions he's not from this time, the man, who is Prince Tarvick, assumes the Doctor is here to bring him back to his planet, Frentos.

Meanwhile, Romana and K9 have also identified the man as Tarvick. They also detect time spirals, indicating that someone is travelling in time. They must warn the Doctor.

At the studio, Romana and K9 learn the Doctor already knows who Tarvick is. Suddenly, three figures appear, saying they are from 120 years in the future and are here to bring Tarvick back to Frentos. Three more figures appear, from 150 years in the future, having come to execute Tarvick. Yet three more figures appear, 210 years into the future, here to prevent the execution. Three figures from 308 years in the future arrive to prevent the prevention of the execution, soon followed by three figures from 407 years in the future, here to "prevent the prevention of the prevention of the execution".

The Doctor pauses to allow for more figures to arrive, but they have now stopped coming. He has to sort this out, with Romana warning him that whatever they do could have serious repercussions.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor tells Romana that he dropped Tarvick off on Frentos where no one has heard of him.

Characters

 * Fourth Doctor
 * Romana II
 * K9 Mark II
 * Tarvick

Worldbuilding

 * The Doctor has met the 19th century Irish playwright Oscar Wilde.
 * Tarvick takes part in the music video for the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
 * The Doctor name-drops Shakespeare, Toulouse, Robin Hood, Cromwell and Anne Boleyn.
 * K9 uses the chrono-historical stress gauge.

Continuity
to be added