Fabula
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1
S20E13
· Terminus Part 1

Tegan confronts Turlough over Nyssa's disappearance

Tegan stands in Nyssa and Tegan's shared quarters aboard Terminus, her voice strained as she processes Nyssa's sudden absence. Outside their room, the mechanical whirring of the space liner underscores the eerie stillness left by her companion's vanishing. The moment hangs heavy with unspoken dread, her accusation of the Doctor's recklessness hanging in the air as she searches Turlough's reaction. He feigns confusion, his eyes narrowing as he probes for more detail, testing the fragile trust between them while the ship's decrepit urgency presses forward. "derived_from_beat_uuids": ["beat_c28d6447c2139cd9"]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Tegan expresses concern as Nyssa disappears, prompting Turlough to inquire about the cause, and Tegan attributes it to the Doctor's actions.

concern to inquiry

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Tegan Jovanka
primary

Betrayed and startled, masking fear with indignation as she searches for accountability

Tegan stands rigid in the confined space, her posture tense and defensive as she presses Turlough for answers. Her hands may clutch a nearby object—perhaps a medical vial or a discarded experiment part—her knuckles white with restrained frustration.

Goals in this moment
  • • To expose the Doctor’s alleged recklessness
  • • To uncover the truth behind Nyssa’s disappearance
Active beliefs
  • • The Doctor’s actions are directly responsible for their predicament
  • • Trust in Turlough is fragile and must be tested
Character traits
Confrontational Protective Suspicious
Follow Tegan Jovanka's journey
Turlough
Schoolboy
 primary

Feigned confusion masking calculated inquiry, probing for vulnerability

Turlough reacts with deliberate mildness, his eyes darting to assess Tegan’s demeanor before feigning ignorance about Nyssa’s absence. His posture remains loose but alert, as if weighing whether to challenge or manipulate her.

Goals in this moment
  • • To gauge Tegan’s knowledge and loyalty
  • • To undermine trust in the Doctor without direct admission
Active beliefs
  • • Secrets are currency; revealing too much is dangerous
  • • Tegan’s outburst reveals her as a potential asset or obstacle
Character traits
Deceptive Probing Calculating
Follow Turlough's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Terminus Liner Crew Quarters (shared by Nyssa and Tegan)

The shared quarters becomes a claustrophobic arena for confrontation, its flickering bulb casting shadows that mirror the rising tension between Tegan and Turlough. The persistent mechanical whirring of the failing drive underscores the room’s instability, its rhythmic pounding syncing with the heartbeat of urgency threatening to overwhelm them.

Atmosphere Tense and distrustful, saturated with mechanical urgency
Function Private refuge turned battlefield for accusatory confrontation
Symbolism Represents the fracturing of trust within a confined, perilous environment
Access Limited to those allowed by the Doctor or Nyssa's absence
The mechanical whirring of the failing drive A single flickering bulb casting uneven shadows

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

No narrative connections mapped yet

This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph

Key Dialogue

"TEGAN: Nyssa's gone."
"TURLOUGH: What was that?"
"TEGAN: The Doctor!"