Following his regeneration, the Doctor wants to go to Melbourne to get some chocolate biscuits with his new companion – Hartleigh. The Doctor also needs to test a new device he constructed – The Bamboobalizer – so going to Melbourne on Earth will kill two birds with one stone. The TARDIS needs to refuel.
Upon using the Bamboobalizer to locate the nearest ‘Aldi’ supermarket, the duo discover that Aldi doesn’t sell them, but they are obtainable from China (where everything appears to be made in China). The Doctor scurries back, pedantically, to discover the TARDIS is gone, but a clue suggests the Master has stolen it. The Doctor takes the clue (a blue ball) with him.
Meanwhile, the Master (in all his nefariousness) wants to use the TARDIS to create a time freeze which, as it’s name suggests, will freeze time and matter except for the Master. The time freeze would only seal around Earth however, making the planet a ‘cosmic capsule’. The Master plans to hold Earth to ransom. This would happen easily – but he needs time – and a human worker.
The Doctor uses his Bamboobalizer to trace down the TARDIS; yet unaware that the Master has planned a trap for him and Hartleigh. Upon discovering the TARDIS, he and Hartleigh get knocked out with a stick.
The Master, eager to hash his egotistic plans, imprisons the Doctor and Hartleigh upon the Doctor’s own TARDIS. The Master needs Hartleigh, not only because he is human, but also because he is a companion to the Doctor. He exploits Hartleigh’s mind using hypnosis and a time lord trick called “Pragmatikoloon”. Thus obtaining all of Hartleigh’s memories so he now can function the TARDIS, the Master inserts a chip in Hartleigh’s skull. The chip gives total control of Hartleigh to the Master. The Master manoeuvres the TARDIS so it’s directly beneath the rift, which is essential for the ‘timefreeze’ to work.
Meanwhile, the Doctor has used his sonic toothbrush to escape his own TARDIS. Unaware of his escape and wanting to exploit Hartleigh to gain further information from the Doctor, the Master returns to the ‘prison room’ of the TARDIS only to discover the Doctor’s escape. This doesn’t matter, however, because when Hartleigh gets released, he is instructed to spy on the Doctor and monitor his actions.
The Doctor uses the Bamboobalizer to track the Master’s energy source. He stumbles across a mini-nuclear generator that is disguised as an ordinary household battery. Using his sonic toothbrush to destroy it, he realises that the Master-controlled-Hartleigh is missing. The Doctor uses his Bamboobalizer to track him down. The Doctor begins to suspect Hartleigh as being controlled when Hartleigh acts strangely.
The Master, from the Doctor’s TARDIS, decides to order Hartleigh back to his TARDIS. He hopes that the Doctor will follow; with Hartleigh telling him the Master is gone. Both the Doctor and Hartleigh return to the TARDIS placidly, but the Doctor smells something fishy.
The Doctor walks into a trap. As soon as he enters the TARDIS, the Master orders Hartleigh to seize him. The Master explains the need for the Doctor’s knowledge to create a ‘timefreeze’. The Master needs the Doctor’s DNA to operate the TARDIS controls to open the timefreeze. The Doctor says he can’t as the TARDIS can detect whether the Doctor’s genes are being used against his will or not, provided they’re on his body. The Doctor can’t be utilised because it is against his will. They talk on ‘the old days’. The Master orders Hartleigh to take the blue ball (the clue which The Doctor found) and Hartleigh hands it to him. The Master uses the DNA, from when the Doctor touched it, to operate the TARDIS controls. The Doctor is in peril.
Whilst the Master is distracted putting together a ‘timefreezer’, The Doctor uses his sonic toothbrush to remove the chip from Hartleigh and thus freeing him. Hartleigh, under the Doctor’s guidance, pretends he is still under the Master’s control. He can still hear the Master’s commands, but has a choice of doing them. The Master initiates the final stage of the ‘freeze’. It fails, since the Doctor has turned off the power. The Master realises he has been beaten runs for it.
The Doctor, unconcerned, tells Hartleigh that he can always bring the Master back using the Bamboobalizer. He does so. The Master appears out of nowhere once the Doctor has activated it. He then locks the Master in a ‘timefreeze’ and sends him, using the Bamboobalizer to the time lords for trial.
A day later, The Doctor and Hartleigh are in the TARDIS. The Doctor wants to go to China – as he originally planned – to get some of those Chocolate biscuits. Upon de-materialising, The Doctor thinks he is in China, but Hartleigh knows otherwise. Mistakenly materialised back in Melbourne, the Doctor insists he is in China; but in “Little-Melbourne upon Shanghai”. Hartleigh tells him to check using the Bamboobalizer. The readings suggest they are still in Melbourne. Notwithstanding the readings, the Doctor decides to ask somebody for directions. This backfires. The two end up getting lost in the city – until they meet something very sinister.
The cliff hanger should be good.