The Beast of Babylon (short story)

The Beast of Babylon
Doctor:	Ninth Doctor
Companion(s):	Ali
Main enemy:	Starman
Main setting:	Babylon
Key crew
Publisher:	Puffin Books
Writer:	Charlie Higson
Release details
Release date:	23 September 2013
Format:	E-book
Behind the scenes video
Puffin eshort
← Previous	Spore
Next →	The Mystery of the Haunted Cottage

The Beast of Babylon was the ninth Puffin eshort released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, this time featuring the Ninth Doctor.

Publisher's summary

When a girl called Ali pockets a silver orb that falls from the sky, little does she realise it's her ticket to seeing the universe! Desperate to retrieve the mysterious object, the Ninth Doctor agrees to let her join him on a dangerous trip to ancient Babylon. Together they must join forces to stop a giant Starman from destroying Earth before it's too late!

Plot

to be added

Characters

• Ninth Doctor
• Ali
• Starman
• Zabaia
• Gurgurum
• Hammurabi
• Ali's dad
• Ali's mum
• Gilia
• Rose Tyler
• Mickey Smith

References

• The Doctor mentions some of his previous companions; Susan, Barbara, Ian, Prince Egon, Jamie, Polly, Ella McBrien, Sarah Jane Smith and Leela. Egon and Ella are new companions referenced for the first time in this story; it is not known which Doctor they travelled with.
• The Doctor talks to the Exalted Holgoroth of All Tagkhanastria, pretending to be an emissary from the Crab Nebula.
• Karkinians come from Karkinos.

Notes

• The Doctor describes humans and meerkats as the only two "halfway sentient" creatures on Earth circa 2005.
• This is one of only two of the Eshorts (the other being Spore) in which the Doctor is not depicted as travelling with one of his TV companions, and is the only BBC-licensed story to date to depict the Ninth Doctor in an adventure with a non-TV companion.
• The final chapter retells the final scene from TV: Rose.

Continuity

• The Doctor mentions that he once had a hand similar to that of a crab, in a body "far far away". (PROSE: A Big Hand for the Doctor)
• The Doctor mentions the events of TV: Rose and goes back to visit Rose at the end of the story. This entire story is set within the events of Rose, just prior to his returning to pick Rose up at the end of the episode.
• A Starman's physical appearance depends on the lifeforms it absorbs when feeding on their planets. The Krillitane also have this biological trait. (TV: School Reunion)