Kearvaig Bay. A quiet, secluded beach on the northern coast of Scotland. Strange shadows in the deep are oft spoken of by local fishermen and the area is known to some as 'Devil's Bay'.
What most don't know of is the small hub of activity just near the Bay. Here sits a series of buildings surrounded by a high chain-link fence and patrolled by men in military uniform, wearing a distinctive sand coloured beret. These are the men and women of UNIT, the little known protectors of the human race.
This is 'UNIT Deep Sea Research Facility 7'. A UNIT Science / Military Research base. A group of scientists under the steady hand of Professor Henry Urqhart perform experiments into deep sea equipment, sonar technology and small undersea vehicles. They are supported by a small staff and guarded by a squad of brave UNIT troops, currently under the command of Sergeant John Benton.
Today is like any other normal day at the facility. Quiet. Miss Lympkiss, the brash but efficient facility administrator, organises the staff. Tech Howe is instructed to prepare one of the Mobile Technical Platforms, a Mk.VII 'Seatrack' probe, for testing.
Pvts. Stratton and McBrain chat outside one of the barrack buildings.
Miss Lympkiss, Dr. James and Tech Howe discuss the equipment required for todays work...
...and soon the Mk.VII 'Seatrack' probe is rumbling out of the storage hangar. In a flurry of activity, the science team make their preparations.
Dr. Marks directs Tech Howe as Dr. Allen makes notes. Professor Urqhart joins the team and proudly looks on at his new creation...but it is the last time the team will see 'Seatrack' for it never returns from its latest mission.
Fresh from his recent scrape with The Master (now safely behind bars again) The Doctor arrives in Bessie with his trusted companion / lab assistant Dr. Liz Shaw. He has with him a vital component of The Masters TARDIS and feels this may be of use to the team at Kearvaig. Liz suggests they should have called forward to let the facility know they were coming. The Doctor retorts "My dear Miss Shaw, I never report myself anywhere, particularly not forthwith."
The facility in full swing. The two buildings to the left are the living quarters / barracks. The building to the back/left is the main science archive. To the right, the red roofed building is the tech lab and in the centre is the base administration. To the back/right is the large sea-probe hangar. At the fore by the main gate, UNIT troops train under the watchful eye of Sgt. Benton.
The Doctor discusses the current experiments and events at the base with Dr. Allen. Tech Grealish is told to store the 'item' in a safe place whilst The Doctor speaks to Professor Urqhart and the science team.
The base personnel gather at the main forecourt to welcome the Doctor and Dr. Marks explains the complexities of the new probes sonar equipment and the unusual readings the last (now missing) probe had recorded. None of them can explain the sudden disappearance of a robust piece of equipment, or indeed, what those strange readings actually mean.
His interest piqued, The Doctor decides to lend his expertise to assist Professor Urqhart and his team. Perhaps there is more to this than meets the eye?
As the Technicians bring out the other probes, The Doctor, Urqhart, Liz and the science team examine each in turn. At the request of the Doctor, Sgt. Benton joins the group, but is soon bored by all the 'sciency chit-chat'.
"Pure mathematics can not lie!" After much discussion and deliberation, The Doctor comes to the conclusion that the probe has not simply 'disappeared' and there must be more to it than faulty technology. All the UNIT guards are put on full alert and their presence at the dock-side increased.
As the sun begins to set, The Doctor and Professor Urqhart look out to the cold sea ahead of them. "I fear there may be something out there Professor. Something we have yet to understand..."
To be Continued...
