Doctor Who: The Early Adventures, Episode 2
A Gallifreyan Adventure
“Doctor Who! Wait up!” Ezzy struggled through the tangled forest, barely keeping sight of the Doctor as he vanished into the dense cedar ferns.
“My dear gods, Karen!” Ezzy exclaimed, exasperated. “Here I am, lost in the middle of nowhere! On a stupid little planet called…” She looked around, puzzled. “Now where in the hell did he go?”
The Doctor materialized behind Ezzy, startling her. She lost her footing, tripping over a dead branch and falling to the forest floor.
“Oh…sorry, Ezzy,” the Doctor said, grinning mischievously. “But you know, as I’ve always said to my previous companions, there’s something you should understand about me: I’m definitely a mad man in a box!”
Ezzy took the Doctor’s hand, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Oh, come on, Doctor,” she scolded. “You can’t just sneak up on me like that! I might have shot you by mistake.”
The Doctor chuckled. “Do what I do, Ezzy. Hold tight and pretend it was all planned.”
“Yeah, sure, Doctor,” Ezzy replied reluctantly. “Whatever you say. But for future reference, don’t sneak up on me like that again.”
The Doctor climbed onto an old, fallen cedar tree. He took a sliver of cedar, sticking it into his mouth. “Ah, good. Have you ever tasted cedar pick before, Ezzy?”
Ezzy was taken aback by the Doctor’s obliviousness. “What the hell, Doctor? Have you heard anything I’ve said since we’ve been here?”
Of course, I have, Ezzy,” the Doctor replied, his frown deepening. “I’m absolutely thrilled that the TARDIS has located Gallifrey’s sister planet, Taiga.”
The Doctor paused, his expression shifting to one of realization. “Oh dear… this isn’t Planet Taiga at all. The TARDIS has made its first mistake ever!”
“My apologies for not paying attention to your ego,” he muttered, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
“Oh yes, of course… wait a minute,” Ezzy stammered.
“ Did you say… my ego, Doctor?”
The Doctor laughed out loud.
Ezzy wasn’t amused. “Oh, go ahead, Doctor, make fun of me. I don’t care.”
“Oh, please, Ezzy, don’t misunderstand me,” the Doctor chuckled. “It’s just that you’re so comical sometimes. You remind me of my old companion Antimony.”
“And who exactly was he, Doctor?” Ezzy asked, curious.
“Antimony was a dear friend of mine, actually an android I had constructed myself,” the Doctor said, his voice filled with sadness. “You see, Elizabeth… we were battling against Time Lord General Tannis, and one day, the General destroyed my dear friend.”
The Doctor fell silent, lost in thought.
Ezzy realized how deeply the loss had affected the Doctor. She reached out to comfort him. “I see. I understand, Doctor… I really do. I know how it feels to lose someone you love.”
The Doctor snapped out of his reverie. “Well, you know, that was then. And now is now. But you know what was so funny about my dear friend Antimony?”
“No, what, Doctor?” Ezzy asked.
“Antimony would think Allosauruses still roamed the Earth,” the Doctor chuckled. “It brings back good memories.”
Ezzy nodded respectfully. “I’m sure it does, Doctor.” She quickly changed the subject. “So, Doctor… do you think you can tell me why we are here?”
The Doctor jumped off the old cedar tree. “Well, it’s not why we are here, is it, Elizabeth? It’s who’s here.”
“What do you mean, Doctor?” Ezzy was even more puzzled. “Are we going to meet someone? And… Doctor… if this isn’t the sister planet of your homeworld Gallifrey… does that mean Gallifrey is somewhere in this solar system?”
“You know exactly what questions to ask, Elizabeth,” the Doctor said, impressed. “Yes to your first question. We are here to meet someone. And to your second question… No. I’m afraid my homeworld Gallifrey is locked away in a distant galaxy somewhere.”
“Ok, Doctor,” Ezzy twisted her lips, trying to understand. “So, let me get this straight. We are going to meet someone. Who exactly are we going to meet?”
“That question, Elizabeth, will be answered very soon,” the Doctor replied. “But first, we must be off before it gets dark.”
“Why, Doctor? What happens when it gets dark?” Ezzy asked, growing anxious.
“This is just one corner of one country, on one planet that’s a corner of a galaxy that’s a corner of a universe that is forever growing and shrinking and creating and destroying and never remaining the same for a single millisecond. And there is so much, so much 1 to see,” the Doctor explained.(1.)
“Whatever, Doctor,” Ezzy rolled her eyes. “Shouldn’t we be on our way before it gets dark?”
The Doctor nodded. “Quite right, my dear Elizabeth, quite right!”
They both crashed through the depth of the coniferous Redwoods, hastening their steps.
The Search for Gallifrey
As the sun began its descent, casting long shadows through the dense forest, Ezzy and the Doctor hurried on. The air grew heavy with the anticipation of their impending meeting.
“So, Doctor,” Ezzy asked, her voice filled with curiosity, “who exactly are we going to meet?”
The Doctor smiled mysteriously. “You’ll see, Elizabeth. You’ll see.”
As they emerged from the forest, the setting sun painted the sky in vibrant hues of orange and purple. A solitary figure stood silhouetted against the horizon, a mysterious enigma against the breathtaking backdrop.
As they approached, the figure grew larger, revealing itself to be a tall, slender woman with flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes. She turned to face them, her expression serene and enigmatic.
“Welcome, travelers,” she said, her voice carrying across the plain. “I have been waiting for you.”
Ezzy and the Doctor exchanged a glance. They had finally reached their destination.
The woman stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the Doctor. “You have come a long way, Doctor Who,” she said. “I am pleased to finally meet you.”
The Doctor returned her gaze, his expression filled with a mix of awe and trepidation. “And you are…?”
“I am Gallifrey,” the woman replied. “The last of my kind.”
Ezzy gasped. The Doctor’s homeworld, the legendary Gallifrey, was right before them.
Gallifrey extended her hand towards the Doctor. “It is time,” she said. “It is time for us to return home.”
End of Episode 2
If you haven’t already, check out Episode 1 of the Doctor Who Adventures ; or continue the journey with Episode 3
“Are you loving ‘A Gallifreyan Adventure’? Then get ready for even more excitement! Let’s embark on a new chapter in Doctor Who’s journey and discover the wonders of Planet Taiga, the sister planet to his homeworld, Gallifrey.”
Author of ‘Black Angels – The Origin’
A dedicated Dr. Who fan since 1967, Bari Marcus Anthony has written this original story as a tribute to the iconic series.
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Copyright © 2024 Bari Marcus Anthony – All Rights Reserved
Reference Note :
1. References to Adler Planetarium
Dreams and Reality 
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