Cascade Effect

Chapter 1 - 4

Prologue I

It had not been a good time for the Xltracxi. Their last three attempts at colonization of hostile worlds had been successfully rebuffed by their native inhabitants. They were in desperate need of a new planet to take the burden off Xlret Prime, where the overpopulation was reaching critical levels. The people were even willing to accept a world which had not first been conquered, something which had not happened in millennia, and caused all Xltracxi great shame.

This large green planet with little water in the Mutters Spiral looked promising, and they could only hope it would be their salvation. So the survey ship touched down and the droids were sent to inspect the new hope. Scant hours had passed by when the first droid returned with the news none of them wished to know. This planet was totally uninhabitable. So they sent the recall order to the droids; they had one hour to return. All but one returned. This they left, and went on to other planets.

The droid chirped feebly, and attempted once again to dislodge the rocks that had fallen, pinning it to the ground. It had been taking samples of rock when the red mountainside had crumbled down onto it. It could feel the mountain vibrating once more, and struggled valiantly to free itself, to answer the recall signal. Boulders tumbled down the slope onto it until it could sense nothing.

Prologue II

The wind whipped through the trees, creating an eerie symphony of night and storm, the mad gibbering of the asylums inmates providing an otherworldly counterpoint. The two orderlies chuckled to each other over their cards. 'The Prophet's really going at it hammer and tongs tonight, huh?' said Dalwood. 'Somethings got him in a foul temper, and sure enough,' replied Hartse. 'Do you think it's the moon? That always sets them off.' Set at the far end of the long building was a small padded door. Through its window could be seen a figure in a straightjacket, his body a rigid arc. Inside the room was filled with the echoes of the storm, and the demented ravings of The Prophet. 'Quiver for he is near he will come in the nighthewillcomeinthenight like a spider at heart of worlds web hewillcome.

Chapter 1

The Doctor looked up from the Tardis console as Sam entered the room.

'So what will it be today?' she enquired sweetly, 'Daleks, talking horsies or just plain garden variety nutters?'

'Sam Sam Sam,' he muttered reproachfully. 'You really should try to have a little faith. It so happens I am taking you to a planet whose inhabitants have been at peace for over seven centuries.'

'Oh great,' she murmured, 'planet of the hippies.'

'Really, Sam, it's true,' he said, pointedly ignoring her remark. 'It's a lovely little planet called Velkam'. He bent over the Tardis controls for a moment, muttering 'scanner switch, scanner switch... ah!'

Sam looked up at the surprisingly antiquated display, which resembled a television from late 20th century Earth. For a machine that could travel through time and space, she thought, the Tardis seemed very low tech, all old fashioned dials and levers.

'Well it certainly looks nice enough,' she said doubtfully. The picture on the monitor showed a large sized world with very few oceans. 'I take it the inhabitants are friendly?'

'Mmm, very,' he replied somewhat absently as he toyed with the controls. 'So friendly, in fact, that they have never been in a single war, between themselves or with another race.'