Narrative Web
S20E13
· Terminus Part 1

Raid mission unravels on derelict ship

Kari and Olvir’s efforts to secure escape via their raider vessel collapse as the ship’s compromised airlock fails to link. Their desperation grows when the Doctor’s abrupt command from the TARDIS intercept breaks their plan, highlighting the alien vessel’s structural collapse and escalating the immediate threat. This forces the strangers into an uneasy alignment, though underlying tensions simmer as control slips from everyone’s grasp. key_dialogue: [ KARI: Advance party to raider. We're coming back. This isn't the ship you described. OLVIR: We can't go back if he doesn't link with the airlock. DOCTOR: Er, this way. ]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Kari attempts to communicate with the raider to facilitate their return to the ship.

determination to concern

Olvir voices his concern that they cannot return if the airlock does not link, escalating the tension.

concern to urgency

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
The Fifth Doctor
Time Lord
 primary

Focused interference masking underlying strategic calculation

The Doctor’s disembodied voice crackles through the communicator, crisp and momentarily confusing as it diverts attention from the raiders’ crisis. His intervention is abrupt yet purposeful, disrupting their tactical focus with a simple directional command.

Goals in this moment
  • • Reassert control over the TARDIS environment
  • • Redirect the raiders’ attention away from immediate violence
Active beliefs
  • • The raiders’ plan is flawed and dangerous to all aboard
  • • Clear directives can realign unfolding chaos
Character traits
analytical clarity unexpected interruption practical urgency methodical intervention
Follow The Fifth …'s journey
Kari Olvir
Leader of Raider Group
 primary

Panic masked by crisp commands, teetering between resolve and dread

Kari issues urgent orders into her rugged communicator, her voice sharp and authoritative while her eyes betray mounting alarm at the failed airlock synchronization. Her body language conveys defiance mixed with rising panic as the escape route vanishes.

Goals in this moment
  • • Regain control of the raider boarding party by securing the airlock link
  • • Reassess the raider's structural integrity before committing the advance party to return
Active beliefs
  • • The airlock malfunction is unnatural and warrants immediate verification
  • • Olvir’s insistence on violence risks exposing deeper systemic threats
Character traits
methodical under pressure adaptable skeptical of easy explanations reluctant to abandon protocol
Follow Kari Olvir's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Raider Handheld Communicator

Kari’s rugged handheld communicator crackles with static as she attempts to rally her advance party back to the failing raider. The device bears the brunt of her frustration, its weak transmission revealing the raider’s structural collapse mid-sentence.

Before: Functional but unreliable, positioned securely in Kari’s grip …
After: Still active but compromised, its weakened signal mirroring …
Before: Functional but unreliable, positioned securely in Kari’s grip with crackling signals indicative of atmospheric interference.
After: Still active but compromised, its weakened signal mirroring the crumbling alliance and escape plan.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

2
Damaged Space Liner Bulkhead

The derelict Terminus space liner forms the claustrophobic backdrop where Kari’s raiders scramble amid failing systems and flickering lights. Its decaying corridors and titanium scarring amplify the desperate urgency of their stalled escape, as groaning metal and the acrid stench of overworked circuits permeate the air.

Atmosphere Clammy with desperation and metallic decay, heavy with the scent of overheating machinery and the …
Function Confined tactical battleground for captive escape planning under catastrophic decay
Symbolism Embodiment of systemic collapse and irreversible decay, mirrored in the raiders’ fraying ambitions
Access Restricted to raider boarding parties exploiting vulnerable ingress points
Flickering fluorescent strips casting spasmodic shadows over corroded bulkheads Groaning machinery and distant structural tremors punctuate tense dialogue
Terminus Space Liner

The raider escape vessel clings to the Terminus like a parasite, its airlock stubbornly misaligned and systems warning red. This compact refuge becomes a symbol of false hope, its cramped corridors amplifying Kari’s frustration as the linkage fails and the Doctor’s voice slices through the tension.

Atmosphere Cramped and suffocating, thick with the metallic tang of fear sweat and the sour bite …
Function Failed sanctuary and symbolic coffin for the raiders’ last gamble at survival
Symbolism Represents the illusion of escape and the immediate danger of systemic collapse
Access Limited to sealed docking collars, vulnerable to structural failure
Hissing vents venting warm breath into stale air creating condensation on bulkheads Status lights flicker red in time with distant tremors shaking the alien structure

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

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