Resonance (short story)

Resonance was the sixth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Time Signature. It was written by Ben Woodhams. It featured the Fifth Doctor.

Summary
While being watched by Kel Xhixa of the Directorate of State Security, Isaac meets with a man in a café. He is thrilled to recognise the Doctor, though the Doctor is less than excited to meet Isaac. He warns Isaac against telling him anything from the Doctor's future.

They exit the café and head to the TARDIS. Inside, the Doctor is unable to dematerialise due to some kind of localised disturbance for which he blames Isaac. They exit the TARDIS to investigate.

Meanwhile, a woman doing laundry is pushed through a disturbance by a man with a white tulip in his lapel.

When the Doctor and Issac leave the TARDIS, they are captured by two of Xhixa's men, Buza and Pashko. En route to the Directorate, a disturbance appears, through which Buza is dragged. Xhixa's superior, Rexhepi, questions Xhixa about the incident and takes the Doctor and Isaac away.

The Doctor and Isaac are taken to a laboratory where they meet Professor Hu, who claims to be trying to neutralise electrons. He demonstrates the power of his experiment by sending a lab assistant to his death in the disturbance, then he threatens to do the same to the Doctor unless he gives Hu the information he needs. Isaac realises from Hu's description of the disturbance events that they occur during the times that Isaac's orchestra rehearses.

When the Doctor and Hu recreate the experiement with a copy of Isaac's music, a disturbance opens. A man wearing a black rose comes through and takes the music. Isaac fights with the man and both are pulled back into the disturbance.

The Doctor wants to get Isaac back but Hu is only interested in recreating the experiment, which according to the Doctor is a nullfield. The Doctor recruits Xhixa to help him and conducts Isaac's orchestra. However, the portal in Hu's laboratory has been closed off, so the Doctor and Xhixa head for the site of the one that swallowed Buza, chased by Directorate personnel as they go.

They create another field at the site and the Doctor goes through. He grabs Isaac and exits the field, asking for Xhixa's help. However, Rexhepi has arrived and kills Xhixa. The Doctor tells Isaac that he removed the music from Isaac's memory as it is too dangerous. Rexhepi is about to kill Isaac and the Doctor, but he receives a message on his radio that Isaac is not to be harmed. Isaac tackles Rexhepi and shouts for the Doctor to run. At first reluctant, the Doctor heads for the TARDIS. As it dematerialises, Isaac begins humming a melody.

Characters

 * Fifth Doctor
 * Isaac
 * Inspector Kel Xhixa
 * Sergeant Buza
 * Hu
 * Pashko
 * Mama Nukshiqui
 * Commander Rexhepi
 * White Tulip
 * Black Rose

Worldbuilding

 * Hu's laboratory has lots of Tesla coils.

Continuity

 * The Doctor is alarmed to see Isaac, knowing that Isaac has already met a future version of himself. (PROSE: An Overture Too Early)
 * The message about keeping Isaac safe comes from Ettyn and Mila. (PROSE: The Earwig Archipelago)