Doctor and Polly evade Zaroff’s guards in the market
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Doctor and Polly, disguised in local attire, assess their surroundings in the fish people's market, confirming their plan amidst the bustling environment. Polly jokingly critiques the Doctor's disguise, highlighting the challenges of blending in.
The Doctor realizes Zaroff's absence, signaling a potential shift in their plan. Polly spots approaching guards, forcing them to seek immediate refuge and highlighting the constant threat of discovery.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Urgent and focused, his frustration with the Doctor’s feigned ignorance masking his deeper concern for the team’s safety. He feels a sense of relief when the Doctor finally reveals himself, allowing them to act.
Ben, disguised in a wetsuit as one of Zaroff’s guards, enters the market with Jamie and questions the Doctor about Zaroff’s whereabouts. His urgency and frustration are evident as he presses the Doctor for information, only to be met with feigned ignorance. He later follows Zaroff’s orders to chase the Doctor, his role shifting from questioning to active pursuit.
- • Gather information about Zaroff’s whereabouts to coordinate the team’s plan
- • Support the Doctor’s deception to avoid detection by Zaroff’s guards
- • Follow Zaroff’s orders to maintain their cover and pursue the Doctor
- • The Doctor’s plan is critical to stopping Zaroff’s nuclear threat
- • Their disguises are effective but require constant vigilance
Authoritative and vigilant, his actions driven by a sense of duty to Zaroff’s regime. He feels a sense of urgency to capture the Doctor and maintain order in the market.
A Guard patrols the market, questioning stallholders like Nola about strangers and attempting to probe a rug concealing Polly with a trident. His authority is challenged by Nola’s defiance, but he follows Zaroff’s orders to search for and capture the Doctor. His presence underscores the regime’s oppressive control over the market.
- • Search the market for strangers and capture the Doctor
- • Enforce Zaroff’s orders and maintain control over the market
- • Intimidate stallholders to prevent resistance
- • Zaroff’s regime must be upheld at all costs
- • Strangers in the market are a threat to Atlantis’s security
Alert and protective, her focus sharp as she navigates the dangers of the market. She feels a sense of urgency and responsibility for the team’s safety.
Ara, a market-goer, swiftly conceals Polly under a rug when guards approach, coordinating with Nola to shield her from discovery. She later takes the Doctor’s place at the fountain to misdirect Zaroff, her alertness and protective instincts aiding the team’s evasion. Her actions are quick and decisive, reflecting her deep opposition to Zaroff’s regime.
- • Protect Polly from Zaroff’s guards by concealing her under the rug
- • Misdirect Zaroff’s attention to give the Doctor and Polly time to escape
- • Support the rebellion against Zaroff’s regime
- • Zaroff’s guards are a constant threat that must be evaded at all costs
- • The fish people’s resistance is the key to undermining Zaroff’s power
Tense and alert, his frustration with the Doctor’s deception masking his deeper concern for the team’s safety. He feels a sense of urgency to act and protect his friends.
Jamie, disguised in a wetsuit as one of Zaroff’s guards, enters the market with Ben and questions the Doctor about Zaroff’s whereabouts. His tension is palpable as he urges the Doctor to reveal himself, his loyalty to the team driving his actions. He later follows Zaroff’s orders to chase the Doctor, his role shifting from questioning to active pursuit.
- • Gather information about Zaroff’s whereabouts to coordinate the team’s plan
- • Support the Doctor’s deception to avoid detection by Zaroff’s guards
- • Follow Zaroff’s orders to maintain their cover and pursue the Doctor
- • The Doctor’s plan is the only way to stop Zaroff’s nuclear threat
- • Their disguises are fragile and require constant vigilance
Defiant and protective, her frustration with Zaroff’s regime boiling over. She feels a sense of solidarity with Polly and the Doctor, her actions driven by a desire to resist oppression.
Nola, a stallholder, defiantly shields Polly under a rug when guards probe the market, resisting a guard’s trident with a firm grip. She protects Polly from discovery, her sharp defiance and quick thinking buying precious seconds for the team’s evasion. Her outburst about damaged carpets distracts the guards, allowing Polly to escape unnoticed.
- • Protect Polly from Zaroff’s guards by concealing her under the rug
- • Distract the guards to give the team time to escape
- • Challenge Zaroff’s authority and support the rebellion
- • Zaroff’s regime is unjust and must be resisted at every opportunity
- • The fish people’s unity is essential to overthrowing Zaroff’s control
Suspicious and aggressive, his frustration at the Doctor’s presence boiling over. He feels a sense of urgency to capture the Doctor and regain control of the situation.
Zaroff returns to the market and spots the Doctor, immediately recognizing him despite his disguise. He orders his guards to search for and capture the Doctor, his suspicion and aggression driving the chaotic chase. His arrival marks the collapse of the team’s plan, forcing them into immediate action.
- • Capture the Doctor to prevent him from interfering with his plans
- • Regain control of the situation and assert his authority over the market
- • Uncover the Doctor’s allies and disrupt their rebellion
- • The Doctor is a direct threat to his nuclear plan and must be stopped
- • His regime’s control over Atlantis is absolute and must be maintained at all costs
Nervous but resourceful, her humor masking her anxiety. She feels a surge of relief when the guards leave and gratitude toward Ara and Nola for their protection.
Polly, disguised in a sea-shell bodice, seaweed skirt, and decorative headdress, surveys the market with the Doctor, exchanging lighthearted banter to mask her nervousness. She is swiftly concealed under a rug by Ara and Nola when guards approach, lying still as Nola defends her from a probing trident. Once the guards leave, she escapes with Ara’s help, her resourcefulness and quick thinking aiding the team’s evasion.
- • Avoid detection by Zaroff’s guards to continue the mission
- • Support the Doctor’s plan by staying hidden and following his lead
- • Protect herself and the team from capture
- • The disguises are effective but fragile, requiring constant vigilance
- • The fish people’s resistance is a critical ally in evading Zaroff’s forces
Unperturbed, going about her daily tasks without awareness of the tension around her.
A Fish Woman passes by the Doctor with a large basket, briefly interacting with him as he comments on his disguise. Her presence in the market underscores the bustling, crowded environment and the team’s need to blend in. She serves as a neutral figure in the scene, her actions unremarkable but contributing to the market’s atmosphere.
- • Continue her market duties without interruption
- • Avoid drawing attention to herself or others
- • The market is a place of commerce, not conflict
- • Her role is to provide for the city, regardless of political tensions
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Doctor’s cloak, part of his sailor disguise, helps him blend into the Atlantean market. The cloak, paired with a headscarf and recorder, allows him to move unnoticed among the fish people. When Zaroff arrives and spots him, the Doctor sheds the cloak’s pretense, shouting Zaroff’s name and triggering a chaotic chase. The cloak’s role is purely functional—it aids his disguise until the moment of revelation.
Ben and Jamie’s wetsuits, part of their guard disguises, allow them to blend into Zaroff’s forces. The wetsuits enable them to patrol the market unnoticed, question the Doctor about Zaroff’s whereabouts, and later follow his orders to chase the Doctor. The disguises are effective but require constant vigilance, as seen when the Doctor feigns ignorance and Zaroff’s arrival forces them into action. The wetsuits’ role is purely functional—they aid the team’s infiltration until the moment of revelation.
The Doctor’s recorder, used as part of his sailor disguise, serves as a prop to blend into the bustling Atlantean market. He plays it casually to avoid suspicion, feigning ignorance when Ben and Jamie question him about Zaroff’s whereabouts. The recorder’s rhythmic sounds mask the tension of the moment, but its role is purely functional—it helps the Doctor maintain his cover until Zaroff’s arrival forces him to reveal himself.
Nola’s market hiding rug is a critical tool in concealing Polly from Zaroff’s guards. When guards approach, Ara and Nola swiftly drape the rug over Polly, pressing her flat against the floor. The rug’s coarse weave and market grime camouflage Polly effectively, allowing her to evade detection. Nola’s defiance—grabbing the guard’s trident and protesting the damage to her carpets—distracts the guards, giving Polly time to escape.
Polly’s sea-shell bodice, part of her fish-person disguise, allows her to blend into the Atlantean market. The bodice, paired with a seaweed skirt and decorative headdress, helps her evade suspicion as she moves through the crowded stalls. When guards approach, Ara and Nola swiftly conceal her under a rug, the bodice’s texture and appearance aiding in her camouflage. The disguise is effective but fragile, requiring constant vigilance to maintain.
Polly’s seaweed skirt, part of her fish-person disguise, complements her sea-shell bodice and headdress, allowing her to move unnoticed through the Atlantean market. The skirt’s damp, textured folds press against her legs as she lies hidden under Nola’s rug, the disguise’s authenticity aiding her evasion. The skirt’s role is purely functional—it helps her blend into the crowd and avoid detection by Zaroff’s guards.
Polly’s decorative headdress, part of her fish-person disguise, completes her blend into the Atlantean market. The headdress, paired with her sea-shell bodice and seaweed skirt, allows her to move unnoticed among the fish people. When guards approach, Ara and Nola swiftly conceal her under a rug, the headdress’s appearance aiding in her camouflage. The disguise is effective but requires constant vigilance to maintain, as seen when Zaroff’s arrival forces the team into action.
The guard’s trident is used to probe the rug concealing Polly, a tool of oppression in Zaroff’s regime. When a guard attempts to jab the rug, Nola seizes the trident’s shaft, halting the probe and defiantly protecting Polly. The trident symbolizes the regime’s authority and the fish people’s subjugation, but Nola’s resistance challenges its power. The guard’s frustration at being blocked underscores the tension between the oppressors and the oppressed.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Atlantean fish market is a bustling, crowded space where the Doctor, Polly, and the team attempt to evade Zaroff’s guards. The market’s narrow passageways, stalls, and bustling activity provide both cover and tension, as the team navigates the space while disguised. The market’s atmosphere is one of urgency and tension, with guards patrolling and stallholders like Nola and Ara aiding the team’s evasion. The market’s layout forces the team to adapt quickly, using rugs, fountains, and stalls to hide and misdirect.
Nola’s stall in the Atlantean fish market is a critical hiding spot for Polly. The stall, packed with carpets and rugs, provides cover as Ara and Nola conceal Polly under a rug when guards approach. Nola’s defiance—grabbing the guard’s trident and protesting the damage to her carpets—distracts the guards, allowing Polly to escape. The stall’s cluttered space and Nola’s quick thinking make it a sanctuary amid the chaos.
The saltwater fountain in the Atlantean market serves as a landmark and a point of misdirection. Polly samples the water, grimacing at its saltiness, which underscores Atlantis’s submerged reality. Later, Ara occupies the spot to distract Zaroff, positioning herself at the fountain’s edge as a diversion. The fountain’s splashing water and central location make it a focal point in the chaotic evasion, where the Doctor and Polly coordinate their movements.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Zaroff’s Regime is represented in this event through the patrolling guards, their probing tridents, and Zaroff’s sudden arrival. The guards’ routine vigilance and Zaroff’s aggressive pursuit underscore the regime’s oppressive control over the Atlantean market. The regime’s presence forces the Doctor and Polly into evasion, while Nola and Ara’s defiance highlights the resistance against it. The regime’s power dynamics are on full display, as Zaroff’s orders trigger a chaotic chase and expose the team’s vulnerability.
Zaroff’s Forces are actively represented in this event through the patrolling guards, their probing tridents, and their pursuit of the Doctor. The guards’ routine vigilance and their aggressive probing of Nola’s stall underscore the forces’ oppressive control over the Atlantean market. Their presence forces the Doctor and Polly into evasion, while Nola and Ara’s defiance highlights the resistance against them. The forces’ power dynamics are on full display, as their actions trigger a chaotic chase and expose the team’s vulnerability.
The Fish People are represented in this event through Nola and Ara’s defiance against Zaroff’s guards. Their quiet resistance—concealing Polly under a rug, misdirecting Zaroff, and defiantly shielding her from discovery—highlights their role as strategic allies in the rebellion. The Fish People’s actions are driven by a desire to undermine Zaroff’s regime and protect the Doctor’s team. Their involvement in this event underscores their vulnerability but also their agency in the struggle against oppression.
The Rebellion Against Zaroff is represented in this event through the Doctor’s team (Polly, Ben, and Jamie) and their allies (Ara and Nola). The team’s disguises, strategic misdirection, and evasion tactics highlight their role in undermining Zaroff’s regime. The rebellion’s actions in this event—concealing Polly, feigning ignorance, and triggering a chase—underscore their urgency and the high stakes of their mission. The rebellion’s involvement in this event is driven by a desire to kidnap Zaroff and prevent his nuclear plan from being activated.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor's plan to kidnap Zaroff directly leads him and Polly to disguise themselves and assess the market as a location to begin the attempt."
Doctor strategizes fish rebellion to starve Zaroff"The Doctor's plan to kidnap Zaroff directly leads him and Polly to disguise themselves and assess the market as a location to begin the attempt."
Doctor Deploys Fish People Rebellion"The Doctor's plan to kidnap Zaroff directly leads him and Polly to disguise themselves and assess the market as a location to begin the attempt."
Doctor unveils Zaroff kidnapping plan"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Nola conceals Polly from Zaroff’s guards"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor tests Jamie and Ben’s disguises"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Zaroff’s Paranoid Hunt Exposes the Doctor"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor reveals himself to Zaroff"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Nola conceals Polly from Zaroff’s guards"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor tests Jamie and Ben’s disguises"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Zaroff’s Paranoid Hunt Exposes the Doctor"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor reveals himself to Zaroff"The Doctor captures Zaroff, but this leads directly to Zaroff revealing his nuclear reactor, greatly escalating the stakes."
Zaroff’s collapse and reactor threat"The Doctor captures Zaroff, but this leads directly to Zaroff revealing his nuclear reactor, greatly escalating the stakes."
Doctor splits team after Zaroff’s collapseKey Dialogue
"DOCTOR: Are you all right? POLLY: Yes, super. Look what I've got on. DOCTOR: You look splendid. POLLY: Better than you do. Couldn't you find a better disguise than that?"
"POLLY: They're looking for me. NOLA: Everyone's a stranger these days. Why don't they stay away and leave us in peace?"
"DOCTOR: No. As a matter of fact I haven't. BEN: You fool. JAMIE: He's gone. We'd better get in position."
"ZAROFF: Where's that man who has been a moment ago? ARA: What man, sir? ZAROFF: Answer me, girl."