Exiles on SangC’lune is a change of pace in the ongoing story arc. It takes a step back from the heat of battle and shows Chris and his friends arriving on SangC’lune. It served two main purposes apart from that.

First, I wanted to seed a future story arc by drawing attention to the white pyramid growing in the Oakdaene line. This, of course, as Davie explains at the end, is Marton’s. He is the Master reborn, and sooner or later, well, sooner, actually, people are going to want him to manifest his destiny.

The second reason was to have that touching and elongated scene with Chris and Davie on the balcony of the veranda, with Chris noticing the changes in his brother. Davie has become a seasoned warrior. He has learned to kill or be killed. That contrasts with Chris, who has set himself up as a man of peace who won’t fight – unless he must. They truly are a perfect ying and yang – dark and light – two opposites making a whole now, just as I always intended them to be. Between them, also, of course, they represent The Doctor’s psyche. Peace if he can, war if he must.

Chris and Davie’s relationship has been criticised by the very pernickety as being ‘gay’. They hug each other a lot, and in this story, sleep together on the veranda. Well, yes. Absolutely so. Chris and Davie are twin brothers and their love for each other is as strong in adulthood as it was when they were children. They show that love to each other in hugs and affectionate gestures, even though Chris has committed himself to celibacy and Davie has Brenda and Spenser to give his affection to. And ok, if people think that’s ‘gay’, then so be it. Some of my best friends are gay. And so are The Doctor’s.

It is a story that doesn’t really have a lot of plot, but it marks time before the second part of the Dominator story arc when the Time Lords and their friends fight back.