Sincro: wyxchari
That's horrible. It's a corpse.
Not exactly. There's a living mind enslaved in the middle of that lot.
That face... I recognise it from somewhere.
It's... Captain Revere...
Two specimens have come down to us from the world above in an undamaged state.
This is a rare pleasure.
How do you do. I'm the Doctor.
Oh, er, this is Tegan.
We know you Doctor - at least by reputation.
Then perhaps you won't mind telling us who you are.
I am... the Gravis.
HELP!
This is our centre of operations. You see, Doctor,
I do not fear you would take this information back to Gallifrey. You will never leave Frontios now.
Well, you could be right, Gravis.
Considering the state of the TARDIS...
TARDIS? You have... a TARDIS?!
Not anymore!
Ah, not anymore than... any other Time Lord. You like travel?
Only those who have been isolated for millennia truly appreciate the power of mobility.
Yes... I should like to see your TARDIS.
We have been marooned out here on Frontios for nearly 500 years
as I'm sure the Time Lords already know.
Yes, I'd better put you right on one thing, Gravis: the Time Lords didn't send me to investigate
Gallifrey operates a policy of strict... non-intervention these days.
And besides, Frontios is completely outside our... normal sphere of influence.
You're practically telling him to carry on as is.
Well, we mustn't take the narrow viewpoint, Tegan.
After all, Gravis and his friends were here long before the Earth colonists.
You can't side with them! They built the excavating machine!
Slight... communications problem here, Gravis.
My assistant hasn't been programmed in the ways of the world. Please forgive the naivety.
But Cockerill, you're an Orderly!
Retired from active duty.
Doctor, you can't let them do this to me.
I'm terribly embarrassed about all this.
Not at all, Doctor.
It must be the humidity causing the malfunction.
These serving machines are perfectly reliable on Gallifrey.
The guard Tractator here will restrain it while I show you more of our work here.
It is certainly a very convincing replica of the humanoid life form.
Oh, you think so. I got it cheap because the walks not quite right...
and then there's the accent of course...
But, when it's working well, it's very reliable
keeping track of appointments, financial planning, word processing, that sort of thing...
Leave it. There's time enough for that when we've taken the ship.
Listen to me; this isn't the way to do it!
Please stop him somebody!
Why is he doing this?
Look, the earth began to suck him down and then returned him.
Cockerill's the man to save this planet.
All clear. Ready?
No, you don't understand!
Keep her quiet!
Once mind functions are extinct the entity is no longer useful as a motive force.
Yes, he seems dead enough...
A waste... but we had the best of him. You can watch us fit the replacement.
Come on, Mr. Range, I've got five good men dependent on you.
No, I'm lost. I don't know the way.
I'm sure we can pick up the trail again... I'll trust your judgement.
Let's rest for a while, hmm?
Better for morale if we keep on the move, eh? We can take it slowly.
Quiet! There's someone coming!
Turlough!
But you're supposed to be with Norna! You've left her alone!
I thought you might need me.
Well, what about Norna?!
We do need you - to show us the way.
I'm going back, someone should be with her.
NO, IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!
Leave him be! He's not the man for the job... You show us.
We will now demonstrate how the drive mechanism is installed.
Ah, yes... if I could just inspect the linkages...?
Why Doctor?
Ah yes! It's very efficient, Gravis.
You certainly know your mechanics. No shortage of spare parts either, eh?
Not on Frontios.
If it weren't for the bombardment...
Oh, but it is for the bombardment, isn't it Gravis? No accident that.
The existence of a heavy asteroid belt in the Veruna system was fortuitous.
But the rest, Doctor, has been our gravitational engineering.
You know, I guessed as much - useful asteroid belt up there,
some additional gravity beams down here and you're knocking them over like ninepins.
I curse the unhappy chance that brought us to this planet.
Ooh, not chance... eh Gravis?
You're right, Doctor. Our skill steered the ship here.
You?!
Their gravity beams again. Which explains why the colony ship's systems failed... before the crash.
But at the beginning... there was no bombardment...?
Oh, they gave you ten years to establish yourselves, and then they started making their collection.
No. NO!
We are almost ready, Doctor. I shall demonstrate the final adjustment.
I'm here to help you.
I don't believe you.
Well, you'll have to trust me. When the time comes, do exactly as I say.
Yes, but when will the time come?
Doctor!
I was rather wondering that myself.
Get down!
It's seen me. It knows I'm here!... Help! HELP!
It's tearing me apart!
Idiot! The Doctor had a plan. You've ruined it now!
Save the bickering until we're out of here!
He's probably in great danger. Mr Brazen! The Doctor needs your help! This way!
Let us show you how we smooth our walls, Doctor.
Yes, I've been wondering why you needed such a fine polish.
More of your gravitational engineering, I suspect?
You're getting ahead of yourself, Doctor;
we will have to know one another much better before I can discuss that stage of our plans.
Do you know, I think I can guess, Gravis. The tunnels act as wave guides.
You're concentrating your gravitational forces.
... Possibly.
Why, the combined power would be astronomical.
Yes. When the tunnel system is complete, and the work is nearly done...
No no no, stay back!
Please, there are far too many of them.
How do we get him OUT of this, Doctor!
Well, theoretically it's highly complex. Practically...
NO DOCTOR! I FORBID YOU TO TOUCH THE MACHINE!
What's happening to them?
Is he dead?
No no, just stunned.
We'll have to work quickly...
Careful!
Come on you two! We're getting out of here.
TURLOUGH! TURLOUGH!
BRAZEN!
Doctor, the Gravis!
Get out of here, sir, while there's time!
Give me your hand!
Go... that's and order...
Look men, this is the beginning of a new Frontios.
I never wanted to be a second Plantagenet, but it seems there's no choice.
We won't need a 'second Plantagenet'.
What do you mean?
He's still alive. Chief Orderly Brazen and my father have gone to rescue him.
What? Down there?
I don't believe you.
It's no good. Tractators everywhere! Frontios is doomed!
Doctor! I remember everything! I must tell you!
Yes, all in good time, Turlough.
I know what they are!
And I know what they're trying to do.
Well, that sounds promising - put the two things together and we may find a way of stopping them.
The excavating machine - it's going berserk!
I think it's time we left. Come on.
My machine... my machine.
We will find you, Doctor! You will pay dearly for this disruption to our plans.
No sign of them.
Well, these aren't Tractator tunnels; we should be safe here for a while. Keep watch that end!
Now, what do we know about these creatures?
The tunnel system is a gigantic ring - smooth and mathematically precise.
Yes... they're building a gravity motor.
A motor?
That's what they do to planets. They're going to drive Frontios.
Steer it through the galaxy under the power of gravity.
To steal and plunder wherever they go.
And breed - infesting new planets. Nowhere in the universe will be safe from them.
But if their excavating machine is wrecked, they can't complete the ring?
They have another. All they need is a driver.
And anyone of us will do for that.
That was the Orderly.
No no, Tegan, it's too late! Follow me.
The TARDIS!!
... bits of it anyway. DOCTOR, LOOK WHAT I FOU...
Oh no, not you again.
Perhaps I have been deceived. I think we have found our new driver.
Glad you could join us.
Doctor! There you are.
Turlough, Plantagenet and I have been working out a plan.
Well, it had better work because they're right outside.
Oh, I rather hoped they would be.
Turlough has remembered the secret of the Tractators!
Hmm, apparently they're not really dangerous.
It's the Gravis they draw their strength from.
Without him, they're... harmless burrowing earth creatures.
Well, they certainly fooled me.
So - all we have to do is find a way of isolating the Gravis from the others.
That should be fun.
He's not trying to take off, surely?
Unfortunately not.
None of the controls are functional.
You mean, it just looks pretty.
That's the idea.
Well, that's it.
Now, this should either sort out this whole Tractator problem and repair the TARDIS...
... or?
... Or it won't. I suggest you all get under cover.
It is useless to hide!
We have you completely in our control now.
Yes, quite. I'd er... I'd like to negotiate... a surrender.
There is nothing to negotiate.
Oh absolutely, you can have it all: Frontios, its unhappy occupants, the lot.
I don't think it's fair for us Time Lords to interfere.
You admit you were sent?
Why should we let a bunch of stuffed shirts deprive you of your own form of transportation?
Hmm? However primitive.
Primitive?
Well... in comparison to Gallifreyan time technology of course. But... then, what isn't?
The... The TARDIS!!
What, this? Oh yes, well, as I was saying, you can have Frontios,
all the fixtures and fittings appertaining thereunto,
and I'll pull my TARDIS together and get off your patch, hmm?
I should like to see it... this TARDIS.
Well, it's not all here at the moment, you understand.
It's, er... it's been spatially distributed to optimise the, um...
the packing efficiency of, er... the real time envelope.
The power of travel is beautiful, Doctor - very beautiful.
Yes, yes indeed.
Well, as you can see, from this panel Gravis I control all of the main TARDIS functions.
The time coordinates, spatial coordinates... all inoperative at the moment,
of course, because the spatial distribution circuits are switched in.
Ah. Now you really will have to be more careful, Gravis.
Now the auto-scan is picking up all the locations of the concealed TARDIS components.
Oh well, not to worry. I shouldn't think it's even within your powers to reassemble them.
Besides, what would you want with an old Type 40 Time and Relative Dimension in Space machine, hmm?
But I do want it, Doctor! The TARDIS - infinite travel within my grasp!
Oh no, Gravis, please. Take everything else but leave me the TARDIS.
I will have it.
Oh no, Gravis, please, I beg you!! Spare me the TARDIS!!
I will have it!
What's he doing, Doctor?
Shush, this isn't the time to disturb his concentration.
Doctor, what have you done?
Brace yourselves.
What was that?
The end... the end of Frontios.
Or the beginning, Father...
The TARDIS can't stand this, Doctor.
It's kill or cure.
The TARDIS is coming together!
That's impossible.
For you and me maybe, but when the Gravis really wants something...
The TARDIS will be repaired?
With a bit of luck, any moment, the plasmic outer walls of the TARDIS will seal.
We'll be in our own dimension!
If your theory is correct, Turlough,
the vital link between the Gravis and his Tractator chums... Hold on!
Is he dead?
Oh no no, but quite harmless...
and as long as we keep him isolated from the other Tractators, he'll stay that way.
We can't go dragging around the universe with a dormant Gravis on the console...?
Well, the first thing we'll do... is drop him off on some uninhabited planet.
Brave man, this Doctor - travelling with the Gravis on board?
Oh, it's quite harmless now. I inspected the creature myself.
Now all we need... is a console room to go round it.
Well the Doctor and Tegan are due back any minute...
He's got a present for you.
A present? But it is enough that he has given us our freedom.
Yes, no more terror - descending from the sky.
Not unless you count... the TARDIS.
Well that's that. The Gravis is safe and well on the uninhabited planet of Kolkokron,
exercising his animal magnetism on the rocks and boulders.
There's nothing but rocks and boulders out there.
All the planets are deserted according to the TARDIS scanner.
Well it's better than being among enemies as we thought.
So, the last of mankind is after all quite alone.
Alone, but in good hands Plantagenet.
Speaking of which, I know it's not much, but er... a farewell token.
Frontios is honoured, Doctor.
But surely you'll stay a while longer and enjoy some of the new colony we're building?
Oh no no, far too much repair work of my own to be done.
Besides, time and the time laws don't permit it.
There's an etiquette about these things which we've rather overlooked, I'm afraid.
But Doctor, you've done so much for us.
Yes, quite. Don't mention it.
After all he's done, he just says 'don't mention it'?
He means it, literally.
Don't mention it... to anyone.
Now, listen you two, if the Time Lords ever hear about our little trip to Frontios...
they'll be serious trouble.
What would have happened if we hadn't been there, Doctor?
Well, the TARDIS engines would be working properly, for one thing.
Oh, there's nothing wrong with them...
Then why are they making that funny noise?
We're going far too fast Doctor... STOP THE ENGINES!
No no no, leave them, they're alright.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?!
The Gravis?
Oh no, this is something much more powerful:
we're being pulled towards the middle of the universe! I'm trying to pull against it.
Against what?
I don't know. I think we're about to find out...