The Case of the Twelve Gold Crosses: PRELUDE

PRELUDE“THE CASE OF THE TWELVE GOLD CROSSES”

The cold, dank fog hangs like a shroud over the cold streets of Victorian London, its narrow alleys eerily lit by flickering gaslights. The gloomy bricks of the dull houses echo with the hopes and dreams of the dead generations and pools of dank water lie in the filth-drenched gutters. In the corner of one such gloomy side-street stands a blue police box from another time. Inside, the Doctor is handing psychic paper to Ben and Kyle:
“… so I’ll be back in a weeks time, same place to pick you up. Should give you long enough to soak up the delights of Victorian London” the Doctor comments.
Ben smiles,“Thanks Doctor. I really need this break and meeting Sherlock Holmes is like a dream come true for me. We’ll use the psychic paper to pretend to be from the police.”
Kyle looks uncertain:“I’d still rather ‘ave gone to somewhere hot with beaches and stuff like.”
Ben frowns:“Oh come on Kyle, that sounds like you’d rather just go on holiday to Spain or something. This will be a real cultural break for you, a chance to see London as it was in the nineteenth century and to meet the finest English detective ever.”

They leave the TARDIS and walk through the dank, fog-drenched streets. Kyle stares at the shadowy buildings, dimly lit:
“This is really cold and damp innit. We could always run back to the TARDIS *sound of the TARDIS leaving* , or not *frowns*”
Ben grins:“Look Kyle, I’m sure that you’ll enjoy this more than you think. I know Anselm wishes he could have come with me , however he felt obliged to stay for his cousin’s wedding.”
As they walk through the dim side streets, they pass by a noisy tavern with women drunk on gin dancing on tables while rough men in battered hats with Victorian sideburns armwrestle each other. As they move on a woman approaches:
“Ere would you to gentlemen be wanting a girl to warm you up?”
The haggard looking woman lifts up her skirt to show her ‘wares’. Ben moves along quickly.
“That, Kyle, was one of the many prostitutes of this era. She probably has a low-paid job such as matchmaking and is topping up her income to pay the rent. It was from this social group that most of Jack the Ripper’s victims came from. This is living social history Kyle!”

Eventually they emerge onto a wider street with carriages passing by.
“And this is Baker Street! Come Kyle, this is the house we want.”
Ben rings the ornate Victorian doorbell and waits as the door slowly opens. A middle aged ‘motherly’ woman stands before them:
“Ah, you must be Mrs Hudson. We’ve come to see Sherlock Holmes” Ben says, “we’re from the police” *shows her the psychic paper.*
“Oh come in gentlemen, you’ll catch your deaths in the cold. I’ll just show you upstairs.”
Mrs Hudson leads them upstairs by candlelight and the sound of a violin being played badly echoes round the house. She bangs on a door:
“Mr Holmes, Mr Holmes, two gentlemen to see you.”
“Show them in then Mrs Hudson.”
The door opens and Ben sees a tall man with dark hair and a long chin in a dressing gown: the legendary Sherlock Holmes………….

.……………. To be continued

"Midnight": Absolutely brilliant!

For once this gets a 5/5 for me. It was absolutely excellent , a brilliantly scripted depiction of the pack mentality in action . Those people, when faced with a crisis, mostly acted dreadfully and very true to life. I like the way that even some of the more thoughtful ones like Jethro & David Troughton's character turned selfish and followed the crowd eventually. It was better that we didn't learn much about the alien. This was brilliant writing from RTD - more like this earlier would have been welcome. Loved it.

Forest of the Dead

That was better than the first part . The stuff with Donna in the computer world was creepy and it was all quite cleverly written. At the same time though it was a bit frustrating - the shadow creatures didn't really make sense and it would've been better to have chopped out the 'happy ending'.

New Characters Gallery

Shakey Jake Craig Chatham Barry Tuck

As yet Isobel remains uncast.

"VAMPIRE PLANET": Prelude

Ok, here is a brief taster of the next Ben Chatham adventure folks.

VAMPIRE PLANET : Prelude

Through the vastness of space they move. Formed by intellects vastly superior to homo sapiens and focused with the certainty of a sleepwalker. As they reach the atmosphere of earth the objects slow for their final descent, homing in on their targets......

Ben is lying across the sofa in his dressing gown enjoying a cup of Blue Ridge columbian coffee and reading RJ Griffiths' definitive biography of Henry VI. As he reads, he occasionally looks up at Craig, who is sitting with his head resting on his knees and staring mournfully out of the window. Kyle enters the apartment with some shopping and approaches Craig:
"Ere I got that magazine you asked for. Hows about you help me unpack all this."
Craig stares out the window:
"It is of no concern. My life is frozen and pointless. I am alone."
He gets up and walks out and slams the door of his room.
"Aw he's still pining for Isobel Ben. Can't you ask Jack if he can visit her again like?"
Ben looks up:
"And what good do you think that will do? Use your head Kyle. The more time he spends with the girl the more he misses her later. Its best if he forgets her."
"But it ain't that simple, 'e loves her Ben."
Ben is irritated:
"And I'm worried about him too Kyle, however there is no point in pretending he can ever be with her all the time."

Ben turns on the tv to catch the news and is intrigued by the lead item:
".... and all over the world, reports are coming in of the strange metallic cylinders appearing in roads, gardens, fields. So far 14 have been reported in the UK and all are resisting all attempts to move or dislodge them. The M25 remains partly closed....."
"Hmm.... interesting" Ben muses. I think I'll ring Jack after all....

..... to be continued

Goodbye RTD, hello Moffatt

Thanks are undoubtedly in order to RTD for relaunching the show.

Album recommendation: Phil Ochs "Rehearsals for Retirement"

A stunning album from 1969. Includes 'Pretty Smart on My Part', 'Another Age' & 'Rehearsals for Retirement'.