Two figures sat and watched the gladiatorial contest in front of them. They booed and cheered along with the other spectators, but they were very different from the rest of the crowd. For a start neither of them were human and secondly they were time travellers. They were here not to abduct people and experiment on them, but to track down the source of a mysterious alien invasion.
The taller of the two looked like an average human male, he was called The Doctor. He had sandy blonde hair which was getting a little long at the back. He was dressed in a sleeveless cricketer's pullover, a white shirt and old fashioned cricketer's trousers. He normally sported a jacket that matched the trousers but due to the warmth of this summer evening he had left it behind, hung up on a coat rack inside his time machine.
The other figure was a petite woman, she was called Nyssa. Her outfit was more contemporary: A thin yellow summer dress with pink flowers printed on it. Her shoes were a similar colour and it had taken her a few minutes to get used to wearing this kind of footwear again. Her handbag didn't contain the usual effects a young lady might be expected to carry with her. Instead of lipstick there was an ion detector and a hair brush was exchanged for a polarity inverter.
They travelled through time in a stolen time machine. The Doctor had borrowed it a long time ago and had not got around to returning it yet. It was currently located outside the stadium in the car park. A bemused security guard was trying to open it but there was no device made on Earth that could open a type 40 TARDIS.
"Tell me again why humans enjoy this Doctor?" Nyssa was curious. Humans had many good qualities but an equal amount of bad traits as well.
"It's relaxing Nyssa. It's entertaining. They're not really trying to maim each other these days. No, the last thing they want is to hurt one another. In many ways it's an art form, a soap opera almost."
"But that man said he was going to pull the other man's arms off."
"They have to play to the audience Nyssa, make it seem more than it really is. I remember telling Julius how wrestling would develop in time. The look he gave me before he threw me to the lions..." The Doctor smiled at this memory.
The two wrestlers finished their bout and exited the ring.
"Ah, the main event. You'll like this one Nyssa, The Rock is fighting The Undertaker."
Nyssa didn't care for the Undertaker at all. He was too brutish looking and reminded her of The Master. However when the Rock emerged from behind the curtain her jaw dropped as she saw how well conditioned he was.
The Doctor was surprised when Nyssa started shouting encouragement for the Rock. He had thought she didn't like this much at all. Then he heard the bleeping of the ion detector. "Come on Nyssa, we have to go."
"Oh but Doctor can't we watch the end of the fight?"
"Come on." The Doctor led the way as Nyssa handed him the ion detector device.
***
"Ah so nice of you to come. It is too late to stop us, this planet is ours." The person responsible for the odd reading was standing in front of the TARDIS doors. He was dressed in nondescript clothes but what set him apart was the lack of colour in his eyes. They were all white.
The Doctor turned around to tell Nyssa to run but she was not there, then he saw her at a merchandise stall buying a t-shirt. "Now perhaps we can talk while my young friend is otherwise engaged."
"There is nothing to say Doctor. There are only actions." The strangers eyes returned to normal and his sneer turned to a frown. He pulled out a crude looking gun and threw it at the Doctor. "Shoot me. Please, it's in my mind eating my thoughts." The eyes went white once more. "Enough, I am in control. This host body is strong and soon others of my kind will arrive and we will take over humanity. You cannot stop us Doctor." It laughed. The eyes went normal once more. "You can, defeat them, go back to 1944, Walmington-on-Sea. Stop it before it starts." The possessed man ran off and the Doctor slipped the gun into a trouser pocket.
Nyssa finally wandered over with her purchases. She had several t-shirts and many posters with which she intended to decorate her room.
"As we suspected Nyssa, its not a coincidence. I have a rough idea of how to stop them as well. This infestation by the Vusso can be traced back to the second world war."
***
Sergeant Wilson emerged from the Captain's office. He was dressed in the regular outfit of the Homeward. "Right Jones, get the men fell in."
Lance Corporal Jones barked the order. He was a veteran of many military campaigns including the Boer war and the Suez crisis. He watched with pride as the regular members of the troop assembled into three ranks and he took his usual position in the front rank on the far left.
Captain Manwaring entered and Sergeant Wilson called the men to attention and saluted. The Captain returned the salute. During the daytime he was a bank manager and well suited for authority; he had tried to pass on the benefits of his leadership to the men wherever possible.
"Right men there's a special envoy inspecting the region all this week to examine our efforts. Yes Pike what is it?"
Private Pike put his arm down. "What sort of envoy Captain Manwaring?"
"Command didn't make it clear in their letter but we are to give them all the co-operation we can."
"Does it say who they are sir?" Sergeant Wilson asked.
"No Wilson it doesn't. He will be travelling with his assistant is all the information we have. I suppose we will get more details when they get here, security is very tight so it's hush hush. We can't have Jerry finding out our secrets. Right that's all. Fall the men out Wilson and organise this weeks patrol roster."
They repeated the attention and saluting business and the Captain retired to his office to read the newspaper and have a drink of tea.
***
"Where are we Doctor?" Nyssa asked. She had changed into a more demure outfit that suited the war years. "What do I need a coupon book for and why are these identification papers made out to Zoe Herriot? I look nothing like her."
"There is a huge war on Nyssa. If we don't have the correct papers we could be taken for spies. These are not the best years in Earth's history. Just try and think like an Astrophysicist."
"Oh that's easy. On Traken that was one of the first things we learned."
"There's someone. "We can ask them for directions. I say can you help?"
Private Frazer saw the two strange people and challenged them. "Have you got a light? My matches have run out." His thick Scottish accent made clear his noble heritage. His normal trade was the local undertaker which given the current state of affairs was a growing business.
"Sorry, we don't smoke."
"Not to worry. I'll get a box off Private Walker tomorrow. Now would you be this special envoy we're waiting for? The Captain said you'd be around these parts inspecting our defences."
"Er, yes as a matter of fact. My assistant and I were sent by the Home Office to investigate a few things in this area. My name is Doctor Smith, Doctor John Smith and this is Zoe Herriot but she goes by her middle name of Nyssa." He handed over their papers.
"Perhaps you'd come back to the hall and have a cup of tea?" A cold wind was stirring up and Frazer preferred to be inside.
"Ok, I'm always partial to a brew." They set off towards the church hall, which was currently serving as the Homeguard's HQ.
***
"My blessed saints, Cooper look at that." ARP Warden Hodges saw a massive ball of fire come streaking down into a field of hay. "Get on the phone to Napoleon's lot, we've got to put that light out."
***
The fire burned brightly, too brightly for Hodges liking. He heard booted feet approaching and turned around to see Manwaring's lot approaching.
"Okay we'll take over from here Hodges. Wilson get the men formed up into two teams. The first will use the extinguishers we brought with us and the second will take the buckets and look for water. Swan's beck isn't too far away from here. Godfrey see to our guests." He left Wilson to sort out all the details.
"Who's those two?" Hodges asked suspiciously.
"Doctor Smith's a special Envoy here to assess our contribution to the nations defences. The girl is his assistant." Manwaring boasted. "Its all top secret so don't tell anyone."
"Yes well how come he's dressed so strange then?" Hodges had the sort of paranoia only the most sceptical of people develop.
"Plain clothes of course. Can't have Jerry taking pot shots at our gallant officers now can we?"
"Well whatever you say Napoleon, looks like your lads have got everything under control. This is the last thing we need."
"I couldn't agree less Hodges. When the top brass hear about our efficiency there will be good words said in high places."
"Yes well the way I saw it a great ball of fire landed in this field. Could be an incendiary device."
"Yes typical Nazi tactic that you wouldn't find our brave boys stooping to those sort of tactics." Manwaring's chest expanded another five inches with pride.
"You haven't heard about Dresden then?" Hodges retorted.
"Well that was different we have to show them they can't bomb our cities and get away with it." Manwaring was a patriot and allowed no other point of view to cloud his judgement.
The Doctor interjected himself into the discussion. "Ahem I hate to intrude but this ball of fire I heard you mention. You wouldn't happen to know exactly where it landed in the field would you?"
"Sorry, I was in town when I saw it land. I rushed out here as soon as I could to see how bad it was, but it was already ablaze."
"Well it seems under control now. Soon have it put out. Perhaps I should examine the field at dawn and see if it was an incendiary device."
"Why do you want to do that?"
"These last few weeks have seen a new and deadly type of device. Not all of the phosphor is burned and a secondary charge can be detonated if it is handled by the unwary."
"Typical German fiendishness, a total lack of respect for civilian lives."
"Yes well I think they can sense things aren't going well for them." The Doctor returned to where Nyssa was standing talking to the elderly Godfrey.
***
They were inside the warmth of the church hall. Nyssa was using the Doctor's coat for a blanket while she slept on a row of wooden chairs. The Doctor paced back and forth, he didn't need to sleep nearly as much as his companions. Private Walker was on the midnight shift, although he was actually in the Captain's office making an inventory of certain items in a large suitcase. Presently Walker came out of the office. "Here Doctor, you don't need a watch, do you? Only I got this mate who sold it to me and, well me being the generous sort and one to help out a mate I bought it off him see, only I already got a watch and so I thought a gent like yourself would like a good quality watch."
The Doctor was rather bemused, having visited Earth so many times he had an intimate and accurate understanding of the time in any time zone he was in. "Thanks but no. I need to travel incognito and a fine watch would make people suspicious, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah I guess you're right. It'll be dawn in another hour. Captain Manwaring says I'm to escort you and your lady friend once Spongey gets here. If there's anything you need while you're here, anything at all, just give me a shout and I'll see what I can do."
"I'll bare that in mind." The Doctor couldn't work out if Walker was taking advantage of the war to make a bit of money or some kind of criminal genius trying to avoid the draft. He didn't want to pry either so he let it go.
***
Once Sponge reported for the morning watch Walker escorted the Doctor and Nyssa back to the field. He was feeling tired now but the sight of the young lady's beauty kept him going.
Bert Hodges followed the three people at a discrete distance. His cousin was involved in the military and his comments on their behaviour had made them appear as rather zealous and too eager to fight. This Doctor seemed the exact opposite but he was relaxed with assuming an authoritative position and he could be genuine. He was taking no chances though.
The field was largely a burned mass of charred roots but near the centre was a large crater. Inside it was a big lump of stone, a meteorite. It was soot black and cracked open when Walker prodded it with the butt of his rifle.
"Most peculiar. Nyssa hand me the polarity inverter." The Doctor stooped forward and activated the small gadget. In more modern times it could be mistaken for a remote control or a cell phone but to Walker it looked like a military device. It caused the strange egg-like object to burst into flames and it burned into a fine ash in seconds.
"That's a great device Doctor Smith," Walker eventually ventured.
"It counters germ warfare Walker. This was even worse than I imagined. The Germans have new missiles they fire up into space. When they re-enter the Earth's atmosphere they behave like shooting stars. They're very hot and very deadly. The fire damage is just a bonus for them. The inside contains a nasty strain of a potent virus. Of course that information is top secret and I must ask you not to reveal it to anyone, not even your Captain. It would decrease morale if the public found out about these terrible devices." The Doctor gave his best grimace. He hated to deceive anyone but he was careful not to disturb history too much.
"Yeah, those Buzzbombs were really bad. Made everyone panic they did."
"Doctor, we should report this to command." Nyssa caught onto the Doctors subtle hand gestures.
"Ah yes. I'm afraid this inspection must be called short. I'll arrange a replacement but they may not have the same clearance as I do, so remember don't tell anyone."
***
The Doctor and Nyssa walked away, towards the TARDIS. Hodges followed them at a distance again.
"Do you think they'll believe you Doctor?" Nyssa asked.
"I hope so Nyssa. I hated to destroy an entire nest of Vusso but we saw their effect on Earth's history. This kind of temporal pollution tends to attract the wrong kind of attention from them." The Doctor spoke of his people, The Time Lords. "We've fixed the problem at the source so history will be back on track."
Hodges saw them enter a police box and he stroked his chin thoughtfully, wondering what they were doing. When it vanished before his eyes a few seconds later he nearly fainted. "The other wardens will never believe this."
***
Inside the TARDIS Nyssa finished her redecorating. She was wearing her favourite t-shirt as a night shirt and she wondered if they could get the bit of the contest they missed on TV the next time they were on Earth in that time zone.
