Junkyard Demon

STORYLINE

A salvage ship comes across the TARDIS floating in space. Pilot Flotsam isn't quite sure what the blue box is, but he knows he wants it. The Massive salvage ship quickly scoops the TARDIS up in its holding bay. Flotsam's partner Jetsam joins the pilot as they both take a look at their new acquisition. Their robot, Dutch, suggests they use a drill to bust in, but the effort proves ineffective. However, the Doctor chooses that moment to emerge from the TARDIS and begin scoping out his current surroundings. After introductions by his would be abductors, he discovers a dormant Cyberman on a nearby scrap heap. Flotsam assures him that it is completely de-activated, but is it?

The Doctor wonders if the scrappers might also have a spare part he is looking for. It so happens they have just the thing. The Doctor offers to take them inside the TARDIS to show them why he needs the part. The Doctor quickly installs the part and is now able to provide his visitors each a cup of hot chocolate. Before they can enjoy the drink, they are scattered by a blast from a now activated Cyberman. They are caught dead to rights, things look grim. Dutch bravely steps up and takes on the Cyberman. He doesn't stand a chance, but at least he gives the Doctor and Flotsam a chance to slip past the Cyberman and out of the TARIDS. Jetsam isn't so lucky. and he is held captive as the Cyberman steals the TARDIS away.

The Time machine rematerializes on a rocky planet and the Cyberman forces Jetsam to accompany him on the surface. The Cyberman leads Jetsam to the wreckage of a great cyber fleet, where inside they find the remains of Zogron, a great cyber leader. The Cyberman's goal is to have Jetsam restore his leader to his former glory. Jetsam has other plans. Instead of restoring Zogron, he reprograms him into an excellent butler. A furious cyberman wants to kill Jetsam for his betrayal. As Jetsam makes a break for it, the Cyberman fires his blaster at him. Luckily, the Doctor and Flotsam show up just in time in their scrap ship. They have tracked the Cyberman to his current location, and now a hastily repaired Dutch has a chance to get revenge for his earlier treatment. The robot sprays the Cyberman with a plastic liquid that disrupts the Cyberman's functions and stops him dead. The Doctor is able to recover his TARDIS, and Flotsam and Jetsam have a whole planet full of scrap to keep them busy for a year...

Yonder...the Yeti

STORYLINE

The Fourth Doctor, as ever wandering into trouble like it’s been left out specially for him, arrives in the Himalayas (because of course he does). He’s barely had time to complain about the temperature before he stumbles across a group of explorers being stalked by something big, hairy, and suspiciously fond of dramatic entrances.

And yes—it's a Yeti. A proper, shaggy, classic Web of Fear-style Yeti, which immediately gives the Doctor war flashbacks to subterranean robot mind-control fungus days. But this Yeti isn’t stomping, roaring, or hurling boulders with professional flair. Instead, it sort of… wanders around. Loiters. Gives off the vibe of a confused woolly mountain tourist who took a wrong turn ten years ago and never recovered.

To the explorers, this is still terrifying. To the Doctor, this is Tuesday.

It doesn’t take long for the Doctor to discover that the Yeti isn’t acting under the control of the Great Intelligence. In fact, it doesn’t seem to be acting under the control of anyone. It’s rogue. Wild. Untamed. Pure. The kind of creature that would definitely be fired from the official Yeti Union for lack of initiative.

This is both a relief and a problem, because without an evil mastermind behind the scenes, the Doctor is forced to accept the less dramatic truth: this particular Yeti is just doing its best to live its fluffy, isolated mountain life—and the puny humans are the ones messing up the ecosystem by existing.

Rather than immediately setting something on fire or starting a fight (which, to his credit, is growth), the Doctor tries diplomacy. Against all odds, it works. Possibly because even the Yeti seems confused about why it’s being aggressive. Possibly because Tom Baker’s scarf has a hypnotic effect on wildlife. The comic does not clarify.

Still, the Doctor successfully negotiates a ceasefire between the explorers and the woolly mountain giant, ensuring everyone goes home with all limbs attached.

With the threat defused and no ancient intelligence puppeteering the situation, the Doctor wanders off into the snow, scarf flapping heroically, leaving the explorers to ponder the existential horror of almost being mauled by a creature that wasn’t even committed to the bit.

The Yeti returns to doing Yeti things:

• stomping around,

• standing in dramatic poses,

• and probably wondering why human beings are so loud all the time.