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'I know,' said the Doctor sympathetically. 'What happened next?'

'Well, this is the really interesting thing. The mass began to disintegrate, just as you would expect with a meteor. But the fragmentation seemed too uniform - as if it was choreographed. I remember what you said at MIT about looking for anomalies when watching the skies, so I logged it immediately?

But the Doctor wasn't listening. His attention had been drawn to the copy of the Sun that Benton and Private Harrison were busy reading. 'Give me that.' said the Doctor, snatching the newspaper from the hands of the startled soldiers.

'Hey, I was reading it!' said Harrison sulkily, but the Doctor shushed him to silence as he stared at the front page, a huge photo of a pop concert with a headline that screamed NAKED RAVERS SEE STARS!

'Evidence,' said the Doctor, tucking the paper into his pocket. 'What's up, Doc?' asked Sam, suppressing a grin when the Doctor shot him a filthy look.

'What is it, Doctor?' added Benton, slightly more respectfully.

The Doctor removed the paper from his pocket and began to read from it. -Thousands of half-naked hippie kids, enjoying high temperatures at the Redborough '70 pop festival on the south coast yesterday, claimed to have seen unusually bright shooting stars..." Blah, blah, blah. This is appallingly written' He glanced up at Benton. 'Do you read this regularly?'

'Very popular with the lads, sir. Tells us what's going on and let' us get on with our lives. And the sports coverage is very good.'

'Hmmm.... The Doctor sounded unconvinced. 'Anyway, tilt report goes on to say that the crowd witnessed this meteor shower at around eight o'clock in the evening.' He glanced at the date 'This is yesterday's paper, describing the evening when you reported the meteorite. About what time was that, Sam?'

Just before eight... Ah.' Sam purred like the cat with the cream. 'I see where you're coming from'

And where it was going to,' said the Doctor with a flourish. 'Now, this pop festival took place on the Earl of Norton's land. Old Norton's been an invalid for decades, so I imagine that permission for this thing would have been given by his son'

'That would be Viscount Rose,' interjected Benton.

'Very good,' said the Doctor with surprise. 'You know the family?'

'No, sir.' said Benton. 'I read it in the paper yesterday.'

'I know Peter Gillingham-West, the Viscount Rose - or, rather, I've been introduced to him on a few occasions.

Always struck me as something of a decadent young man, but I'm sure he'd be keen to help in an investigation of such importance'

'Investigation?' asked Benton.

'But of course, man,' said the Doctor, as though he were attempting to explain quantum physics to a lobster. 'There may still be evidence at the site of this festival. I would go straight down there but it's probably wise to speak to the viscount first. Now, if I remember correctly, this being Saturday, he's likely to be at the Progressive Club in Mayfair.'

'Do you want me to get the Brigadier to pull a few strings, Doctor? I've heard that the place is quite exclusive.'

'Nonsense,' replied the Doctor. 'I've been a member for thirteen years! I'd better go alone, though, they don't allow riffraff on the premises.'

'Of course not,' said Benton sadly. 'Silly of me...'

'Not to worry, old chap.' said the Doctor, seemingly oblivious to the hurt he had just caused. 'Can you get one of your men to run me into the station? I've got a train to catch.'

* * *

The man Yates showed into the room appeared to be in his mid-B thirties, tanned, with short, dark hair. He removed his expensive-looking sunglasses as he entered, and shook hands with the I Brigadier.

'How do you do?' said Lethbridge-Stewart matter-of-factly.

An honour, sir.' replied the man. 'Bruce Davis. I've been looking forward to meeting you for some time.' His smile seemed genuine enough.

'Have you, by jingo?' asked the Brigadier. He had never particularly got on with Americans.' by and large he considered them loud people, with far too great a sense of their