Tending to K9

In a priory near the village of Fetchborough, four scientists, Adam Colby, Maximillian Stael, Thea Ransome and Dr. Fendahlman, are doing tests on a human skull, that is apparently twelve million years old, which was discovered in Kenya. However, when Dr. Fendahlman starts to use a sonic time scan, in an attempt to get an image of the owner of the skull, the skull itself seems to react, locking onto Thea Ransome and releasing something in the priory grounds that kills a passing hiker in the woods, who eventually totally disintegrates.

Meanwhile, The Doctor and Leela are in the TARDIS worrying over a damaged K9 when the TARDIS is affected by a Time Hole. The Doctor traces the source to Earth and so The Doctor sets the coordinates and the TARDIS lands near the Priory, the following day. On exiting the TARDIS, The Doctor and Leela soon come across a man called Ted Moss who informs them of some strange things going on at the Priory. This prompts The Doctor to investigate further.

They separate and Leela finds the cottage of Martha Tyler, a local, modern day witch who seems to be gifted with psychic powers. The Doctor ends up narrowly avoiding death at the hands of the creature created by the skull and all those in priory find themselves trapped inside when Dr. Fendahlman arranges for a detachment of guards to protect the priory after the body of the hiker is discovered.

Dr. Fendelman and Adam Colby

Martha Tyler then encounters the creature, but survives and is saved from going into psychic shock by The Doctor, who by this time has worked out that the creature is a Fendahleen, a creature from his planet’s mythology that lives by sucking the life from others. Following its destruction of life on Mars it had been thought that the Fendahleen had been destroyed by the Time Lords.

When The Doctor makes his way into the priory and finds the skull it tries to kill him but Leela is able to save him. The Doctor realises that Thea Ransome has become affected by the skull which is exerting an influence over her mind. Also each time the scanner operates, the skull glows with power as the connection is strengthened. She is gradually being converted into the new core of the Fendahl.

Martha Tyler

The Doctor realises that the skull is a channel through which the powerful and ancient Fendahl will manifest on Earth. Since apparently disappearing the Fendahl has been subtly affecting and influencing life on Earth, guiding it to a point where the Fendahl could manifest itself. It is no coincidence that the scientist in charge of the Time Scanner is called Fendelman, nor that Thea Ransome is sensitive to the ancient skull. This is all a part of the Fendahl’s plan.

One of the other scientists, Maximillian Stael, who is also the leader of the local black magic cult, recognises this and believes he can control the Fendahl and use it to dominate. He and his followers capture Dr. Fendahlman and Adam Colby shackling them to pillars in the cottage’s basement. Meanwhile The Doctor and Leela use the TARDIS to follow the Time Fissure and find the Fendahl’s home planet. But instead they discover that it had been placed in a time loop – something that only the Time Lords could do.

Back on Earth, Maximillian Stael assembles his cult, preparing to begin their ceremony. Dr. Fendleman realises what is happening, and that he and his ancestors have been used by the Fendahl to regain life. He desperately pleads with Maximillian Stael and his followers to stop, but Maximillian Stael shoots him. As the ceremony reaches a climax Thea Ransome is fully converted into the Fendahl Core. But it starts to convert the cult members into snake-like Fendahleen, to form a full circle of twelve that it needs to be complete and form a gestalt.

Thea Ransome

Returning to the priory, and with the help of Leela and the Tylers, The Doctor manages to free Adam Colby. But he is unable to help Maximillian Stael who has become paralysed by the Fendahl. Realising there is nothing he can do to help him The Doctor helps Maximillian Stael to kill himself.

On realising that the Fendahleen are fatally allergic to salt The Doctor gets the Tylers to defend themselves against the Fendhaleen that are roaming about the priory by using rock salt loaded into shotgun cartridges. After killing one of the new Fendhaleen, so leaving the Fendahl core two short of the twelve it needs to be complete the gestalt, The Doctor rigs the Time Scanner to implode upon itself when it is operated for a final time. The Fendahl Core attempts to stop them, but in its weakened state, they avoid its paralytic effects. The Doctor, Leela and the Tylers manage to escape from the priory just before the resultant power surge destroys the house, the Fendahl Core and the remaining Fendalheen.

The Doctor and Leela then depart in the TARDIS. The Doctor, having grabbed the now dormant skull, on their escape from the priory, plans to dump the skull near a supernova, thus ending the Fendahl race forever.