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Freedom (short story)

️Sun Nov 03 2024

Freedom was the sixth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips. It was written by Steve Lyons and featured the Third Doctor, Jo Grant, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Sergeant Benton and The Master

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Jo Grant land in the middle of a prison break, only to find that the Master has hypnotised many people. After their trances are broken, the Brigadier informs the Doctor that they all work for the Freedom Corporation, which had been set up thirty years ago. The Doctor decides to investigate the Freedom Corporation. He attends a demonstration given by Gerald Gooder to show off his time machine. The Doctor is relieved to find that Gooder doesn't know what he's doing, but is still suspicious. Late at night Jo and he sneak in to the building. They find Gooder destroying their prototype time machine. They follow Gooder to find the Master, who traps the Doctor in the construct. The Doctor and Jo are trapped, with no way out.

Meanwhile, the Brigadier attempts to negotiate with the Master in order to rescue the Doctor and Jo. The Brigadier allows the Master access to his time machine, but the Master instead turns on a device that sends out time waves, causing everything on Earth to regress backwards in time. The Master is immune to the effects.

The Doctor has given up hope of getting out of the construct. To his and Jo's surprise and delight, the TARDIS appears, and the Doctor's memory of time travel is fully restored. He realises the Time Lords restored his memory and his TARDIS to him so that he can rescue Earth from the Master's device. The Doctor, seeing his freedom at hand, is sorely tempted to escape from the Time Lords and lose them in the Time Vortex. Jo's pleading, as well as the realisation that the Time Lords will find him anyway, convince the Doctor to come to Earth's aid. He convinces the Master to reverse the device. The Master is recaptured.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

The construct was created by the people of Arbrocknel.
The Freedom Corporation was set up by the Master in 1936. Jo Grant says this was over thirty years ago, placing this story in 1976 or later. See UNIT dating controversy.
Due to time waves coming out of the time machine, the Doctor has visions of previous and future incarnations of himself trying to warn him, including a short, dark man with checked trousers and a tall hat, and a young, fair-haired man wearing a cricket outfit.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

An audio version of this story, read by Nicholas Courtney and Sophie Aldred, was included on the BBC Audiobooks audio duology Tales from the TARDIS.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Stangmoor Prison first appeared in TV: The Mind of Evil.

v • e "UNIT era" Master stories

Television	Terror of the Autons • The Mind of Evil • The Claws of Axos • Colony in Space • The Dæmons • The Sea Devils • The Time Monster • Frontier in Space • Doctor Who: 50 Years

Audio	The Same Face • Master Thief • Terror of the Master • Rivers of Light • The Threshold • The Box of Terrors

Prose	The Legacy of Gallifrey • Doctor Who Fights Masterplan "Q" • Smash Hit • The One Second Hour • Doorway into Nowhere • Listen - The Stars • Out of the Green Mist • The Duke of Dominoes • Night Flight to Nowhere • Reconnaissance • The Dragon of Hyacinth Lodge • Who Killed Kennedy • The Eight Doctors • The Face of the Enemy • Freedom • Legacy of the Daleks • Last of the Gaderene • Verdigris • The Switching • Hidden Talent • The Touch of the Nurazh • Deadly Reunion • UNIT Christmas Parties: Christmas Truce • The Seismologist's Story • The Nameless City • The Spear of Destiny • Harvest of Time • The Christmas Inversion • The Unwanted Gift of Prophecy • Winning • Anything You Can Do • Anger Management • Josephine and the Argonauts

Comics	The Glen of Sleeping • The Time Thief • Fogbound • Doctor Who? (150) • The Man in the Ion Mask • Character Assassin • The Heralds of Destruction • Doorway to Hell • The Master Plan • The Daft Dimension (560)

Video games	Legacy ("Sonic Adventure")

Considered not part of the DWU	Doctor Who Pinball: Time Streams • Doctor Who and the Fangs of Time • Nix View (165 • 199)

* Substantial appearances only; see a full list of appearances here

v • e

Short Trips short stories

BBC Books

Short Trips	Model Train Set • Old Flames • War Crimes • The Last Days • Stop the Pigeon • Freedom • Glass • Mondas Passing • There are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden • Mother's Little Helper • The Parliament of Rats • Rights • Wish You Were Here • Ace of Hearts • The People's Temple

More Short Trips	Totem • Scientific Adviser • Missing, Part One: Business as Usual • Moon Graffiti • One Bad Apple • 64 Carlysle Street • The Eternity Contract • The Sow in Rut • Special Weapons • Honest Living • Dead Time • Romans Cutaway • Return of the Spiders • Hot Ice • uPVC • Good Companions • Missing, Part Two: Message in a Bottle • Femme Fatale

Short Trips and Side Steps	The Longest Story in the World • A Town Called Eternity • The Not-So-Sinister Sponge • Nothing at the End of the Lane • Countdown to TV Action • The Queen of Eros • The Android Maker of Calderon IV • Revenants • Please Shut the Gate • Turnabout is Fair Play • Do You Love Anyone Enough? • Dr Who and the House on Oldark Moor • Gone Too Soon • Reunion • Planet of the Bunnoids • Monsters • Better Watch Out, Better Take Care • Face Value • Storm in a Tikka • Playing with Toys • Vrs

Big Finish Productions

Zodiac	The True and Indisputable Facts in the Matter of the Ram's Skull • Growing Higher • Twin Piques • Still Lives • Constant Companion • Virgin Lands • The Switching • Jealous, Possessive • Five Card Draw • I Was a Monster!!! • The Invertebrates of Doom • The Stabber • Introduction and links

Companions	The Tip of the Mind • The Splintered Gate • The Man from DOCTO(R) • Apocrypha Bipedium • A Boy's Tale • Kept Safe and Sound • The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe • Hearts of Stone • Distance • Qualia • Curriculum Vitae • Notre Dame du Temps • The Little Drummer Boy • Hidden Talent • The Canvey Angels • Balloon Debate • A Long Night

A Universe of Terrors	The Exiles • Mire and Clay • Ash • Face-Painter • Losing Track of Time • The Discourse of Flies • The Fear • Mauritz • The Comet's Tail • Long Term • Soul Mate • Whiskey and Water • The Death of Me • This is My Life • Gazing Void

The Muses	Introduction • Teach Yourself Ballroom Dancing • The Brain of Socrates • Mordieu • An Overture Too Early • Hymn of the City • Confabula • The Astronomer's Apprentice • Katarina in the Underworld • The Glass Princess

Steel Skies	Corridors of Power • A Good Life • Reversal of Fortune • Monitor • Dust • Light at the End of the Tunnel • No Exit • House • Deep Stretch • Inmate 280 • Doing Time • The Ruins of Heaven • Cold War • O, Darkness • Greenaway • Eternity

Past Tense	The Immortals • Far from Home • All Done with Mirrors • CHAOS • Ante Bellum • The Thief of Sherwood • Come Friendly Bombs... • Graham Dilley Saves the World • Bide-a-Wee • Mortlake • White Man's Burden • Of the Mermaid and Jupiter • The Man Who Wouldn't Give Up • One Small Step... • To Kill a Nandi Bear • Fixing a Hole • That Time I Nearly Destroyed the World Whilst Looking for a Dress

Life Science	Syntax • Primitives • The Northern Heights • Observation • Mortal Thoughts • Lant Land • A Star is Reborn • The Southwell Park Mermaid • The Destroyers • The Reproductive Cycle • Jonah • Scribbles in Chalk • The End • The Age of Ambition • Echo • A Rose by Any Other Name

Repercussions	The Time Lord's Story • The Ghost's Story • The Rag & Bone Man's Story • The Seismologist's Story • The Dead Man's Story • The Inquisitor's Story • The Gangster's Story • The Bushranger's Story • The Schoolboy's Story • The Juror's Story • The Farmer's Story • The Republican's Story • The Assassin's Story • The Diplomat's Story • The Steward's Story • The Tramp's Story • Repercussions...

Monsters	Best Seller • From Eternity • Last Rites • The Touch of the Nurazh • Flashpoint • These Things Take Time • Categorical Imperative • Trapped! • Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life • Screamager • The Colour of Monsters

2040	The Nuclear Option • Separation • Thinking Warrior • Observer Effect • Artificial Intelligence • Daisy Chain • Sustainable Energy • Culture War • The Baron Wastes • /Carpenter/Butterfly/Baronet • Outsourcing • Anteus • The Last Emperor • The Ethereal

A Christmas Treasury	Last Christmas • UNIT Christmas Parties: First Christmas • In the TARDIS: Christmas Day • Water's Edge • A Yuletide Tail • Spookasem • Christmas Special • Never Seen Cairo • The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas • Last Minute Shopping • Every Day • The Eight Doctors of Christmas • The Little Things • UNIT Christmas Parties: Christmas Truce • The Clanging Chimes of Doom • Perfect Present • Present Tense • Goodwill Toward Men • It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow • All Our Christmases • Lily • ...Be Forgot • The Feast of Seven... Eight (and Nine) • UNIT Christmas Parties: Ships That Pass • Evergreen

Seven Deadly Sins	The Duke's Folly • That Which Went Away • Angel • Suitors, Inc. • The 57th • Telling Tales • Too Rich for My Blood • Seven Deadly Sins

A Day in the Life	After Midnight • Sold Out • Undercurrents • The Five O'Clock Shadow • The Sooner the Better • Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast • The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac • Waiting for Jeremy • A Life in the Day • Morphology • Making History • One Wednesday Afternoon • How You Get There • The Last Broadcast • The Terror of the Darkness • Visiting Hours • Before Midnight

The Solar System	Mercury • Venus • Earth • Mars • Jupiter • Saturn • Uranus • Neptune • Pluto • Sedna

The History of Christmas	The Lampblack Wars • Home Fires • The Feast • Rome • Set in Stone • The Thousand Years of Christmas • Presence • Danse Macabre • The Church of Saint Sebastian • The Prodigal Sun • Be Good for Goodness's Sake • Ode to Joy • Nobody's Gift • The Innocents • Comforts of Home • Christmas on the Moon • The Anchorite's Echo • The Revolutionaries • The Gift • Callahuanca • Not in My Back Yard • She Won't Be Home • Saint Nicholas's Bones • The Long Midwinter

Farewells	The Mother Road • Father Figure • The Bad Guy • Separation Day • The Very Last Picture Show • Into the Silent Land • Wake • The Velvet Dark • Life After Queth • Black and White • Curtain Call • Utopia • The Wickerwork Man • The Three Paths

The Centenarian	Prologue • Echoes • Direct Action • Dream Devils • Falling from Xi'an • Log 384 • The Church of Football • Incongruous Details • Ancient Whispers • First Born • Dear John • Checkpoint • Childhood Living • The Lost • Old Boys • Testament • Forgotten

Time Signature	An Overture Too Early • The Ruins of Time • Gone Fishing • The Avant Guardian • Second Contact • Resonance • Walkin' City Blues • The Hunting of the Slook • The Earwig Archipelago • DS Al Fine • Certificate of Destruction

Dalek Empire	Kalendorf • Natalie's Diary • Alby • Private Investigations • Suz • The Best Joke I Ever Told • Hide and Seek • The Eighth Wonder of the World • Mutually Assured Survival • Museum Peace

Destination Prague	Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna • Room for Improvement • Life from Lifelessness • The Long Step Backward • Strange Attractor • Gold and Black Ooze • The Dogs of War • Sunday Afternoon, AD 848,988 • Nanomorphosis • Spoilsport • War in a Time of Peace • The End of Now • Suspension and Disbelief • Leap Second • Lady of the Snows • The Time Eater • Fable Fusion • Men of the Earth • Across Silent Seas • The Dragons of Prague • Omegamorphosis

Snapshots	Golem • Indian Summer • All of Beyond • The Eyes Have It • The Misadventure of Mark Thorne • Attachments • There's Something About Mary • My Hero • Plight of the Monkrah • Remain in Light • In Case of Emergencies • Puppeteer • Osskah • Piecemeal • The Report • You Had Me at Verify User Name and Password • She Knew • The Glarn Strategy • Salva Mea • The Sorrows of Vienna • Fanboys

The Ghosts of Christmas	Faithful Friends: Part One • But Once a Year • For the Man Who Has Everything • Tell Me You Love Me • The Cutty Wren • Do You Dream in Colour? • The Nobility of Faith • 24 Crawford Street • The Sommerton Fetch • Faithful Friends: Part Two • Dear Great Uncle Peter • Do You Believe in the Krampus? • They Fell • The Christmas Presence • Snowman in Manhattan • The Crackers • Jigsaw • Dr Cadabra • Far Away in a Manger • All Snug in Their Beds • Decorative Purposes • The Stars Our Contamination • Keeping It Real • Christmas Every Day? • Faithful Friends: Part Three

Defining Patterns	Machine Time • The Time and Tide • Losing the Audience • One Card for the Curious • Séance, or Smoking is Highly Addictive, Don't Start • The Celestial Harmony Engine • Mutiny • Numb • Closing the Account • The Great Escapes • Loose Change • Lepidoptery for Beginners • One Step Forward, Two Steps Back • Homework • The Devil Like a Bear • Stanley • Twilight's End • The Book of My Life • Defining Patterns

The Quality of Leadership	From Little Acorns • One Fateful Knight • The Slave War • Goths and Robbers • Good Queen, Bad Queen, I Queen, You Queen • The Price of Conviction • God Send Me Well to Keep • Peaceable Kingdom • Rock Star • On a Pedestal • Clean-up on Aisle Two • The Spindle of Necessity • Epilogue

Transmissions	Doctor Who and the Adaptation of Death • Policy to Invade • Only Connect • Gudok • Generation Gap • Lonely • Blue Road Dance • Tweaker • Link • Driftwood • Methuselah • Nettles • Larkspur • See No Evil • iNtRUsioNs • Breadcrumbs • Transmission Ends

How the Doctor Changed My Life	Homework • Change Management • Curiosity • Potential • Second Chances • Child's Play • Relativity • Outstanding Balance • The Last Thing You Ever See • The Shopping Trolleys of Doom • The Final Star • The Man on the Phone • The Monster in the Wardrobe • Suns and Mothers • Taking the Cure • Those Left Behind • Evitability • £436 • Time Shear • Running on Empty • Swamp of Horrors (1957) - Viewing Notes • Insider Dealing • The Andrew Invasion • Stolen Days • Lares Domestici

Christmas Around the World	Planet of the Elves • Exclave • A Visit from Saint Nicholas • Instead of You • Christmas Every Day • Mirth, or Walking Spirits • Do You Smell Carrots? • The Doctor's Cross Word • Dateline to Deadline • Autaia Pipipi Pia • No Room • Interesting Times • Revellers of Doom • Lost and Founded • The Best of Days • Conscription • Christmas in Toronto • Companion • Illumination • White on White

Indefinable Magic	Phoenix • The Power Supply • Favourite Star • Hiccup in Time • Shamans • The Fall of the Druids • Priceless Junk • Have You Tried Turning It Off and Then Back On Again? • The Reign Makers • Pass It On • The Science of Magic • Hello Goodbye • Trial by Fire • Death Sentences • Once upon a Time Machine • Mardi Gras Massacre • Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Re:Collections	I Was a Monster!!! • Apocrypha Bipedium • Face-Painter • The Glass Princess • The Ruins of Heaven • The Thief of Sherwood • The Age of Ambition • The Dead Man's Story • Flashpoint • Thinking Warrior • All Our Christmases • Suitors, Inc. • How You Get There • Venus • The Lampblack Wars • Life After Queth • Checkpoint • The Avant Guardian • Museum Peace • Midnight in the Café of the Black Madonna • The Glarn Strategy • Dear Great Uncle Peter • Losing the Audience • The Spindle of Necessity • Lonely • Lares Domestici • Lost and Founded • The Fall of the Druids

v • e

BBC Doctor Who audio stories

Full-cast
stories

Single
releases

Doctor Who and the Pescatons • Exploration Earth • Slipback • The Paradise of Death • The Ghosts of N-Space

The Nest
Cottage
Chronicles

Hornets' Nest	The Stuff of Nightmares • The Dead Shoes • The Circus of Doom • A Sting in the Tale • Hive of Horror

Demon Quest	The Relics of Time • The Demon of Paris • A Shard of Ice • Starfall • Sepulchre

Serpent Crest	Tsar Wars • The Broken Crown • Aladdin Time • The Hexford Invasion • Survivors in Space

Redacted

Series 1	Introducing Doctor Who: Redacted • SOS • Hysteria • Lost • Angels • Interrogation • Recruits • Requiem • Ghosts • Rescue • Salvation

Series 2	Regrets • Apex • Underground • Spaceman • Reboot • Redemption

Narrated
stories

BBC Audio
Originals

First	Men of War

Second	The Elysian Blade • The Resurrection Plant

Third	Horrors of War • Escape the Daleks!

Fourth	The Thing from the Sea • The Winged Coven

Fifth	Dark Contract

Sixth	Fortunes of War • The Flight of the Sun God • River of Death

Seventh	House of Plastic

Eighth	The Scent of Blood • The Code of Flesh • The Teeth of Ice • The Force of Death

Ninth	The Ashes of Eternity • The Beast of Scar Hill

Tenth	The Minds of Magnox • The Lagoon Monsters • The Demons Within

Eleventh	Paradise Lost

Twelfth	The Nightmare Realm • The Ice Kings • The Cuckoo

Thirteenth	The Romanov Project

Fifteenth	On Ghost Beach • Sting of the Sasquatch

Beyond
the Doctor

The Kairos Ring • Bessie Come Home • London, 1965 • Sleeper Agents • The Penumbra Affair • Harry Sullivan's War

Doom's Day

The Steel Cascade • The Martian Dilemma • An Ood Halloween • Dark Space

Tales from
the TARDIS

Volume One	The Curse of Peladon • Kinda • Attack of the Cybermen • Moon Graffiti • Wish You Were Here • Vigil • Freedom • Model Train Set • Glass • Degrees of Truth • Stop the Pigeon • Old Flames

Volume Two	Planet of the Daleks • Warriors of the Deep • Vengeance on Varos • The TV Movie • Bounty • Dead Time • The People's Temple