Fabula
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1
S20E13
· Terminus Part 1

Raiders corner the Doctor's group on the bridge

Kari and Olvir blast aboard the space liner’s bridge with weapons drawn, immediately extending their hostility toward the Doctor’s group. Kari demands answers about how they arrived while Olvir urges violence, revealing suspicion and desperation. The raider ship outside begins to pull away, leaving their crew stranded, which forces Kari to momentarily pause her aggression. As the Doctor points out the failing systems around them, the tension sharpens—Kari’s need to communicate with their escaping ship clashes with Olvir’s desire for immediate violent resolution, exposing fractures in their own alliance as the Doctor’s group faces a deadly standoff with no clear escape in sight.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

Tension escalates between Kari's group and the Doctor's companions as Kari questions their presence and Olvir advocates for violence.

curiosity to hostility

The raider ship's engines fire, prompting a reaction from Olvir and Kari, who attempt to communicate with it.

hostility to alarm

Kari tries to contact the raider ship via her communicator, receiving only static, while the Doctor notes a console beeping, indicating an unrelated issue.

alarm to confusion

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
The Fifth Doctor
Time Lord
 primary

Externally placid but internally assessing tactical leverage

Standing calm amid flashing consoles, the Doctor addresses the raiders with measured clarity. His hands remain loose at his sides while machines around him warn of collapse. His tone shifts from cooperative to subtly dismissive as he points out the raiders' inconsistencies, a tactical foil to their aggression.

Goals in this moment
  • • Defuse the immediate threat through dialogue to buy time
  • • Gather information about the raiders' intentions and the ship's condition
Active beliefs
  • • Cooperation reduces violence more effectively than aggression
  • • The raiders’ desperation makes them unreliable and dangerous
Character traits
Composed under pressure Sardonically observant Prioritizing information over confrontation
Follow The Fifth …'s journey
Kari Olvir
Leader of Raider Group
 primary

Tense and calculating, masking fear of abandonment by her crew

Kari bursts in with a rifle leveled, her command presence immediately asserting control. She oscillates between interrogating the Doctor’s group and attempting to secure reinforcements via her communicator. Her commands reiterate discipline and hierarchy even as Olvir undermines them with impulsive demands.

Goals in this moment
  • • Verify the strangers’ presence without inciting further violence
  • • Regain contact with their escaping vessel to prevent abandonment
Active beliefs
  • • Order can be restored through communication and control
  • • Olvir’s impulsiveness risks their survival
Character traits
Assertive leadership under stress Methodical in communication Balancing aggression with tactical restraint
Follow Kari Olvir's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

2
Raider Handheld Communicator

Kari’s rugged communicator crackles with static as she urgently attempts to re-establish contact with their escaping raider ship. The failed transmissions underscore the crumbling alliance and collapsing escape plan, forcing her to pause aggression to address this greater threat.

Before: Functional handheld transceiver in Kari’s grip, charged and …
After: Still failing to connect, its static now a …
Before: Functional handheld transceiver in Kari’s grip, charged and operational
After: Still failing to connect, its static now a symbol of abandoning hope
Raider Pulse Rifles

Rifles hum with lethal charge as Kari and Olvir storm onto the bridge. Their raised weapons immediately frame violent intent, tracking the Doctor’s group before the tension and systems warnings force a reconsideration of outright force.

Before: Securely mounted on raiders’ shoulders, charged and ready …
After: Lowered briefly as Kari assesses priorities, but still …
Before: Securely mounted on raiders’ shoulders, charged and ready to fire
After: Lowered briefly as Kari assesses priorities, but still a looming threat in the hands of Olvir

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Damaged Space Liner Bulkhead

The bridge of the decaying Terminus space liner serves as both a battleground and a trap. Fluorescent lights flicker in sync with console alarms, casting long shadows across corroded metal while distant groans of failing systems underscore the urgency. Its sterile corridors have become a gauntlet where the raiders’ desperation collides with the Doctor’s need to diffuse conflict.

Atmosphere Tense with mechanical distress and interpersonal hostility
Function Command center and flashpoint for escalating conflict
Symbolism Embodiment of decaying order under external and internal pressure
Flashing console lights emitting red and orange hues Echoing metallic groans of stressed bulkheads Peeling gray tubing glowing faintly from residual power

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

"KARI: Be quiet. If you're not members of the crew, how did you get here?"
"DOCTOR: We have a ship of our own."
"KARI: Are you?"