Dr Who: The Apetopus Experiment, Episode 2

The long-awaited opening credits roll... 

Blame the BBC for overwriting old tapes, if you like. But after what seems an age, the long-lost footage of the second episode of the Doctor Who adventure "The Apetopus Experiment" has at last come to light - yes, we finally got round to playing another episode - in January 2022. Yes, it's taken that long to remaster the footage for this blog. If you missed it, the first episode, which aired back in January 1999, is available here.

THE APETOPUS EXPERIMENT

Episode 2

A burst of flame appears through the front window of the Jeep, as the mouth of the Apetopus opens with an ear-piercing, alien shriek. Inside the Jeep, the Doctor and the Brigadier hold their hands over their ears in pain. The camera zooms in until Jo's screaming face is all that can be seen. 

The Jeep has crashed, and the Land Rover pulls up beside it. As the Apetopus somehow squeezes into the back, the Corporal is seen briefly checking over the bodies in the crashed Jeep, as if looking for something, and then he and the possessed bystander pull Jo Grant's unconscious body into the Jeep, and they all drive off.

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The Doctor opens one eye, then the other, finding himself in a bed inside a white room. A nurse leans towards him, raising a stethoscope, about to check his heartbeat. Aware of her likely reaction should she discover his second heartbeat, he abruptly rises, apparently fully recovered.

"No need for that, nurse", the Doctor announces, "Time is of the essence. Where is the Brigadier?"

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The corporal, driving the Land Rover, emerges from a wooded track onto a country road. Jo Grant, unconscious, sits next to him in the passenger seat. He turns suddenly, knocking a policeman off his bicycle into a ditch in a comedy moment. "Bless my soul" The policeman remarks. The Land Rover hurriedly drives on, the policeman following as fast as possible on his bicycle, and the camera pans to a roadsign pointing along the road: LITTLE SODDINGHAM 2 MILES.

On the outskirst of the village, the Land Rover has stopped beside the pub, where some locals sup their pints, pointing and laughing as the corporal examines a punctured front tyre. Their amusement changes as they see the alien, and they are immeditately possessed, and handed weapons from the back of the Land Rover. The sounds of a bicycle bell and "Ere I want a word with you!" become gradually louder as the possessed bumpkins advance, and open fire.

A breathless and dishevelled policeman drops his bicycle and rushes into a phone box. "Get the Chief Inspector on the line now, this is an emergency!"

UNIT troops approach the village

As his men disembark the Jeep, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart and the Doctor, squeezed into the back of the police car, continue listening to DI MacGuffin.

"That's correct", the Tough Detective states with some alarm. "The local Constable followed the stolen Land Rover, only to be attacked by some raving mad villagers with army weapons who seemed to be possessed!"

"No need to panic, Detective Inspector," the Brigadier continues calmly. "We deal with this sort of thing all the time. You can rely on UNIT to take out that alien creature before it causes any more damage."

"I accept that it wanted the Apetopus", the Doctor muses, "But why take Jo? I fear there's a lot more to this whole business than we understand."

All seems safe, though strangely silent

Ahead, the village appears quiet. An abandoned Land Rover, its front tyre obviously punctured, is parked at the roadside ahead.

Alien forces lurk in ambush

But all is not as it seems. Possessed villagers, armed with military weapons, take cover behind buildings and stone walls ready to ambush any who approach. Behind them, their alien commander watches while the Apetopus lurks menacingly amongst the vegetables in someone's back garden. 

"Right then lads, let's arrest these troublemakers"

The police car passes the Jeep and pulls in at the road verge. Spotting some movement in a patch of scrub in a field nearby, the Brigadier orders two of his men to investigate while the others check out the field opposite. 

"All clear. Advance!"

"Don't worry, Detective Inspector," the Doctor reassures, as UNIT soldiers cross the fence and scour ahead for enemies. "The Brigadier really does deal with this sort of thing all the time."

But before MacGuffin can reply, the sound of gunfire intrudes from somewhere behind.

What can possibly go wrong?

The shot, which has come from the scrubby area, misses, and UNIT troops close in on the possessed villager, their intent to subdue rather than kill. Two trained soldiers against one possessed bysyander? What can possibly go wrong?

A cautious advance

Assuring everyone that his men have the situation behind them completely under control, the Brigadier encourages the others to advance across the fields into the village. MacGuffin and this men lead the way, the Doctor following behind.

What (more) could possibly go wrong?

Somehow, the possessed bystander escapes the soldiers, and shoots one of them. Obviously just a minor setback, no need to worry. The fight continues.

This looks like the perfect place for an ambush

The main party approaches the village, which is eerily silent. Keeping their heads down, they expect the inevitable ambush.

What possibly could have gone wrong did

The possessed villager breaks off a second time, and again shoots, this time killing the wounded UNIT trooper, who didn't even get a chance to stand up. With signs of other armed villagers approaching from the distance, the remaining soldier makes the sensible decision to run back toward the vehicles to comparative safety.

"Keep your eyes open, they're here somewhere!"

Our heroes warily advance, knowing the enemy is nearby.

Safe... at last!

The trooper returns fire from the cover of the Jeep. Someone has left the keys in the ignition.

"Mmmmf! Mmmmf!!"

Tied and held by two possessed villagers, Jo Grant spots the Doctor and his companions and knows they are walking into an ambush. As she struggles to shout a warning, muffled by the gag across her mouth, she is ushered further away by her captors.

The soldier leading the way ignores the abnormal shape of his weapon

Cautiously, our heroes cross the last fence and cautiously enter the village. The Doctor and the Brigadier exchange concerned glances. 

"Grrrrr..."

As they scout around the far side of the village, the men of UNIT come under fire. The Apetopus snarls, waiting for the right moment to attack.

"You're saying you brought a truncheon to a gun fight?"

The ambush triggered, DI MacGuffin and his men come under attack. As MacGuffin returns fire, he orders the two unarmed constables to take cover against the building and close the distance to the troublemakers down.

"What did you expect?"

But this is not a safe place for unarmed constables, and one of them falls in the incoming hail of gunfire. Ignoring a wound, MacGuffin returns fire as best he can, as the soldier who was left behind approaches in the Jeep.

The Doctor, still puzzled as to what is really going on in this episode, sagely watches on. 

"Apetopus approaching, nine o'clock!"

A glance to his right alerts him to the danger. 

"Watch out!" The Doctor overdramatically shouts at MacGuffin, pointing towards the approaching Apetopus.

Where did all the others go?

But as the Apetopus emerges into the High Street, UNIT troopers fire on its flank, distracting its attention from the Doctor.  Shrugging off a wound, the creature slowly turns, as possessed villagers take cover nearby.

The devious plan begins to come to fruition

The alien commander, who appears to be in charge, senses a need for protection as the enemy approach. Psychically commanding those around, it sends its minions in while retreating, mysteriously disappearing behind a nearby building, as if it has some sort of devious plan.

"I wondered where you were. Have you seen the Brigadier?"

Possessed villagers form a line, exchanging fire with the UNIT troopers ahead, as the Apetopus appears undecided as to what to do next.

"Ere, I want a word with you!"

Undeterred, MacGuffin and the remaining constable round the corner of the building and confront some of the villagers.

"Put your guns down, lads," MacGuffin shouts. "You're under arrest!"

The policeman beats one of the villagers to the ground with his truncheon.

The Apetopus slinks away

The Apetopus, under the villagers' covering fire, surprises everyone by moving toward safety as fast as it can instead of attacking. The Doctor reacts fast.

"Stop that Cephaloprimate!" he shouts. But the only man who can hear him is the trooper driving the Jeep.

"Ere, I want a word with you too"

With one villager in handcuffs, the constable beats another one down with his truncheon and arrests him too. 

MacGuffin attempts to stop the third before he makes a run for it.

"Come quietly, son," he reassures, "Or we might be forced to give you a kicking!"

CRASH! SQUELCH!

The trooper stamps on the accelerator and the Jeep careers around the corner into the High Street, crashing into a squishy halt against the Apetopus...

Maybe that wasn't such a great idea

...which smoothly turns, smothering the jeep with its tentacles.

"Ere, I want a... urgh!"

The villagers behind arrested, Macguffin spots Jo Grant and her kidnappers in the distance, and races to rescue her. Suddenly, everyone hears a strange, alien sound (which anyone who has heard the TARDIS before will be familiar with). MacGuffin and the constable stop, astonished. What on earth? Unfortunately at this precise moment the constable accompanying him is cut down by an ambushing villager's gunfire as he appears from his hiding place.

"The TARDIS?" says the Doctor, as a disconcerting thought crosses his mind.

"So, we meet again, Doctor!"

"Mwhahaha!" announces the smiling Master as he briefly waves from behind the corner of a building, from which he has mysteriously appeared. "You might think you have won, but you are much mistaken! Goodbye!"

He steps back behind the edge of the building and disappears from view as the TARDIS sound dissipates.

But the Doctor, though annoyed and confused by the Master's surprise appearance, has more important immediate priorities to attend to.

The Doctor saves Jo just before the episode ends... or does he? 

Somehow the Doctor has managed to close with Jo's captors faster than anyone else, and in a flurry of masterful fencing he downs one of the villagers, dispatching the second with an unconventional but imaginative application of his sonic screwdriver.

"Jo, it's alright, you're safe now," the Doctor says, untying the gag across her mouth. And then, backing off. "Oh no!"

Jo's body twitches artificially, and as she sits up it is clear that her skin is some sort of plastic. She stares at the camera, but her expression is wrong, a blank mask, and then, abruptly, her face falls away to reveal robotic, inhuman eyes amongst a tangle of android electronics, as the Dr Who theme suddenly bursts in and the end credits roll.

Until next time (which hopefully won't be in another three years)...

THE CASTS

UNIT

The Doctor (Unearthly Traveller, Star, 9)

DI Jock MacGuffin (Tough Detective, Star, 10)

Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart (Dependable Deputy, Co-Star, 6)

4 x UNIT Privates (Army Private, Extra, 2 each = 8)

2 x Police Constables (Extras, 2 each = 4)

1 x Jeep (Vehicle, 4)

1 x Police Car (Vehicle, 4)

TOTAL 45 points

The Aliens

Alien Commander (Otherworldly Invader, Star, 10)

The Apetopus (Marauding Monster, Co-Star, 5)

The Possessed Corporal (Cultist Leader, Extra, 3)

Possessed country bumpkins (12 Cultists, 2 each = 24)

A Land Rover, abandoned at the side of the road (4)

(The Master is not included in the points count as he only appears right at the end)

TOTAL 46 points 

The Way to Aberillo: Episode 1

Main Street, Aberillo

INTRODUCTION

Since constructing Aberillo and painting a load of western figures to go with it, I’ve been trying to find a set of rules that I like and which will do everything I want. My ideal rule set will be straightforward enough to allow reasonably fast play, yet detailed enough to build its own narrative, flexible enough to accommodate multiple players and uneven sides, as well as including plenty of detail – such as hit locations, fast draws and the like - but I want all this without over-complicating gameplay or enjoyment. To date I’ve not found a single set of rules that does all of this. The closest in my view are Wargames Foundry’s The Rules With No Name, and Wiley Games’s A Fistful of Lead: Reloaded – both of which are admittedly excellent if not exactly what I want. So I have come up with a hybrid ruleset that relies fairly heavily on these two, but with additional ideas derived from other sets of rules, some Western Gunfights, some not.

This post presents the narrative of the first proper game played using these hybrid rules, which I am calling “A Fistful of Dice” in honour of both of the above sets (acknowledging that this is the subtitle of The Rules With No Name, and closest to that set overall). 

I’m not going to talk about the specifics of the rules used here in any detail, just present the story that was generated during play. Feel free to contact me directly if you want more detail on the rules themselves and I’ll be pleased to help. 

Welcome to Aberillo

EPISODE I – This Town Ain’t Big Enough

It is around 1870. Our story begins in the sleepy town of Aberillo, the principal settlement in Aberillo County, an imprecisely defined area somewhere on the frontier between Indian Territory and the Mexican border, where Welsh pioneers and prospectors settled some years ago in the hope of finding gold. With the arrival of the railway, and the occasional successful gold strike, Aberillo continues to steadily grow as more people arrive and trade increases. There are two kinds of people, my friend. Those that prosper, and those that come in by the window.

"Early train's late again..."

As usual, the early train is late. Station Master Jones tuts to himself as he checks his pocket watch for at least the third time this morning. 

All is quiet in town in the early morning

In the town centre, accompanied by two hired guards, Bank Manager Owen Money exits the main door of the Bank, on his way to the station. He carries a fat leather bag containing cash that is to be transferred to a strongbox on the early morning train. He and his men check the area for signs of danger.

A reasonable hotel, but in need of some maintenance

Leaving the comfort of Aberillo's finest Hotel, the KC Duke Gang are up early. KC has just heard that local ruffian "Mad Dog" Madog is soon to be into town, and he wants to be ready for him. To leave Aberillo without a show of strength could be seen as losing face, and that just will not do.

Madog and his gang swagger into town

On the other side of town, "Mad Dog" Madog and his toughs have already hitched their horses and are steadily walking down Main Street. In the centre, their leader is feeling mean, unhappy that a rival gang has spent last night making merry on his patch. This is Madog’s territory, no matter what anyone else might say.

"Let's see what's going on, then..."

Shotgun at the ready, Old Seth moves up to the corner of the street and peers around the wall of the Tobacconist. Some folks have come out of the bank and are looking down the street towards the rival gang. Trouble is brewing, for sure.

"Is that poster supposed to look like me?"

The gunman Doyle casually leaves Madog's side and walks over to the sheriff's office to geta closer look at the wanted posters on the wall. Madog might think he's tough, but there's no price on his head yet - or any other gang members, for that matter.

Just going about my business...

Moving between the Tobacconist and the Belle View Saloon, KC Duke enters Main Street. He lights the stub of a cigar and shakes the match out as he surveys the scene. Despite the early hour, he can hear the sounds of customers inside the saloon. The horses shift at the hitching post as he watches the men outside the bank on the other side of the street, and contemplates the contents of that fat leather bag.

McKenzie advances toward the saloon

To KC's left, his gang member Jimmy Card - "The Kid" - rounds the corner and looks in the Tobacconist's window. At the same time, McKenzie, one of Madog's gunmen, moves along the boardwalk to a closer position, where he has a clear view of the two rival gang members. The soundtrack quietens as their eyes meet and they appraise each other, waiting to see who will make the first move. 

Taking up positions

The other pair of the KC Duke Gang have crossed the street. Expecting trouble, Marty Dean keeps a careful watch, while Old Seth finds a safe and reasonably comfortable position behind the cover of some barrels. The tension is building and it's only a matter of time before someone goes for their gun. Seth, who knows these tense pauses can sometimes be overly long, contemplates taking a short nap.

That move is just too close for comfort

Abruptly, the tension is suddenly broken as a cowboy (who has nothing to do with either gang) bursts out of the saloon, jumps on his horse and makes off down the street. It's a moment that in many westerns would serve to raise the tension another level, but in this case the nervous gunfighters protecting the Bank Manager are just too jumpy, and they both open fire.

The gunfight begins

As the gunfighter on Mr Money's right fires in the direction of the cowboy, his companion swings in Doyle's direction and shoots before he has a chance to react. Doyle is hit badly in the leg and drops to the ground. In the street, the cowboy's injured horse falls down, depositing its rider on the ground. The cowboy really wasn't expecting to find himself in a firefight and, understandably, panic sets in.

"Run away!"

Losing his nerve, the cowboy scuttles off between the buildings to get away from the action.

"Doyle, what have they done to you!" 

Ffion the saloon girl, who for some reason is quite fond of Doyle, just by chance happens to be in the Sheriff's office. She rushes out to try to help him, but all she really achieves is to get in the way.

"This could be my lucky day..."

Clearly the Bank Manager must be carrying a valuable prize in his bag. KC sees an opportunity, if only he can get Madog's men out of the way first. Ducking behind the cover of the edge of the saloon, he opens fire at McKenzie, but finds himself out of ammo at the critical moment.

Shots are fired across the front of the saloon

As Shotgun Sam, Madog's loyal number two, runs inside the saloon, McKenzie is joined by Cheyenne and they both open fire in KC's direction.

McKenzie is hit

But KC's reactions are fast. Cheyenne ducks back behind cover, but McKenzie is too slow and takes a bullet. A flesh wound to the belly and he is forced to the ground in pain.

"Let's get out of here!"

inside the saloon, Shotgun Sam moves to a window with a closer view of KC and The Kid. But he can't do this without disturbing the locals, and a crowd of terrified bystanders rushes out of the saloon and away up the street to safety.

He's behind you...

As Ffion tries to help the injured Doyle, the door to the Sheriff's Office slowly opens and an unfamiliar man emerges. He's a notorious bandit who is taking the opportunity to escape from jail while everyone else is distracted by the gunfight. [It's not quite clear what has happened to the Sheriff, who really ought to have prevented this, but we will assume that he is asleep and Ffion must have left the jail keys within reach of the prisoner when she rushed out to help Doyle - though what she was doing in the Sheriff's office anyway remains a mystery]. The escaped prisoner grabs Ffion from behind and loudly announces that he will kill her if anyone shoots in his direction.

Taking up a new position

KC, aware that Shotgun Sam is likely to attack him from the cover of the saloon, takes the opportunity to move away, and finds a better firing position behind an outhouse at the rear of the saloon where he has a clearer view of Cheyenne and McKenzie.

Time for action

But "Mad Dog" Madog has spotted KC's cunning move. Up to this point he has merely been watching what's been going on, but he's decided now is the time to take action. He moves to a position with a bead on KC from cover next to the oven of Evans's Bakery.

And down he goes

McKeznie is unable to see KC but knows that if he moves into the street he has a clear shot on The Kid. He rushes out bravely, shoots, and promptly misses. On the opposite side, Marty Dean returns fire, and McKenzie is hit again, this time taking a wound that knocks him out. Unconscious, he drops to the ground. The bank guards, who have retreated back inside the building for protection, shoot from the windows at The Kid instead, but also miss. Oblivious, The Kid stands in the open as shots ricochet off nearby objects. He has absolutely no idea any of those shots were meant for him.

The cowboy takes his own back 

Behind The Kid, the cowboy at last regains his nerve. Taking a moment to recover, he turns in the direction of the shooting, intent on revenge, and shoots. The Kid is hit with a shot to the heart.

"I can see you..."

From the cover of buildings, KC and Madog exchange shots. 

"Shhh!"

A bystander leaves the Tobacconist's, heading around the corner of Main Street to safety. Shotgun Sam, finding himself lacking a target, has somehow made his way here. He waves the bystander past as he sneaks toward the corner of the building in search of a better firing position.

Cheyenne runs in

While KC's focus is to shoot Madog, Cheyenne takes the opportunity to test the hand-to-hand combat rules and moves into contact. A fight breaks out as they grapple each other and roll around on the ground behind the outhouse. Madog, who isn't overly concerned about Cheyenne's welfare, continues to fire. Inevitably, perhaps, Cheyenne is hit.

"Escape at last!"

The escaped convict, hostage in tow, has made it to the edge of town. Setting in place an obvious plot hook for a future scenario, he leaves the table. 

"Surprise!"

Old Seth, who has just woken up from his nap to find a gunfight going on, and realised that he is nowhere near the action, retraces his steps. As he rounds the corner of a building he comes face-to-face with Shotgun Sam. Shotguns are discharged at short range.

"I give up!"

Marty Dean has crossed the street, pursuing The Kid's killer, who he knows must be here somewhere. Behind him, though, a drunk has emerged from the saloon and is now tugging at his coat, desperately trying to surrender. Marty is annoyed by the distraction, but the presence of a citizen (even Newt Lush the town drunk) means that the two guards in the bank opposite decline to open fire in case (as is reasonably likely) they hit an innocent bystander. Instead, they take aim at Marty's back and wait for the drunk to move aside.

Getting close and personal

Beside the outhouse KC fights off the wounded Cheyenne, but as he stands, Madog sneaks up behind and aims his rifle at point blank range. KC cannot react quickly enough. Madog fires - and somehow misses. Angry, he makes a noise a bit like a mad dog, and tries again with a second shot - but this time the gun just clicks as he finds himself out of ammo. He roars something unintelligible in frustration.

Noises coming from the direction of Main Street warn that the sheriff is up and about at last and has obviously aroused more men than either gang wish to face. Not wanting an angry mob to take justice into their own hands, the rivals stop their quarrelling with a few choice phrases and angry looks, back off, and usher their remaining gang members to get out of town fast. There’ll be another chance to settle their differences soon enough.

To be continued...