A Dog's Life (short story)

Summary
K-9 Mark lll unit is active in Sarah Jane Smith’s lounge with limited functionality, efficiency rating iof only 11%. Its universal-charging, extra powerful, high-energy battery cells are old and desperately need replacing. Like Sarah Jane, K-9 is beginning to show signs of age. Increasingly shutting down to conserve what remaining battery life it has, K-9 periodically awakes to update memory bank images of Sarah Jane. Self-repair systems have failed and cannot be repaired due to failure of self-repair systems. K-9 increasingly spends more time in power saving mode. He feels he is failing and Sarah grows sadder. Before long K-9 is boxed up, but still close to hand in the lounge, albeiteventually hidden behind the television…. K-9 is alerted to movement and awakes. Voices of two unknown human males are detected. Audio sensors pick up the strangers' conversation as they move around, unauthorised, in search of money and jewellery in Mistress Sarah’s absence. Intruders are identified as burglars and K-9 powers up, making an automatic call to the police for assistance with two intruders. K-9 warns the intruders before setting his blaster to stun and successfully immobilising them just as Sarah Jane arrives home, closely followed by the police who were nearby. The Police believe Sarah Jane alone had managed to overpower the intruders (without leaving a mark!). She is asked whether she has a dog, which she denies but reflects fondly on one she “used to have. A very good dog, a girl’s best friend…” The K-9 unit is now exhausted and shuts down. Once more woken by sensory movement and with less than five minutes energy remaining before the K-9 unit will enter permanent shut down, K-9 struggles to identify the young male humanoid examining and tinkering with him in a location he is unable to identify. Too weak to defend itself or speak, K-9 is able to detect the eyes of an older, more experienced man than his apparent age. Visual data detects eyes showing a man displaying kindness, care and concern, audio data is able to identify the humanoid’s double heartbeat. Analysis of situation confirms humanoid’s identity is the Doctor Master. Analysis of situation confirms self-repair systems functioning. Analysis confirms K-9 will be restored to 100% efficiency!

Characters

 * K9
 * Sarah Jane Smith

Continuity

 * K-9's power supply depletes at the end of they story and leads into the events of School Reunion where he is fixed by the Doctor.

Timeline

 * A Dog's Life occurs after: KAC: A Girl's Best Friend
 * A Dog's Life occurs before: DW: School Reunion