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AMBER: Welcome back. Now, not many of you may know this, but tonight, we've been broadcasting simultaneously on two different channels - both here and on PTTV - and we've had a camera crew from PTTV in the studio all night, covering the show for their station. So now, it's time to hand over to the team from PTTV to find out their take on the night's events... --- [The video screen flickers on... [...only to show a long shot of AMBER's upper chest.] --- BABY AYEKA: [hisses] Fitz! BABY FITZ: Huh? BABY AYEKA: The camera! BABY FITZ: Yeah? What about it? BABY EIGHTH DOC: I believe Ayeka's referring to where the camera's currently pointing. BABY FITZ: Yeah, so? BABY EIGHTH DOC: We're on. BABY FITZ:...Oh, um... must have lost track of things... BABY AYEKA: Of course you did. Pervert. [We PAN away to resettle on BABY AYEKA, a purple-haired little girl with red eyes, and BABY EIGHTH DOC, who looks like a miniature version of his adult self, with long wavy brown hair and spectrally uncertain coat, complete with nappy. [There is much grumbling from the AUDIENCE.] BABY EIGHTH DOC: Ahem. After that... technical difficulty... we'd like to welcome our viewers from the Adult side of things to PTTV's live coverage of the 2002 Adric Awards Ceremony and Charity Telethon. I'm the baby Eighth Doc... BABY AYEKA: And _I_ am the baby Ayeka, Crown Princess of the Royal House of Jurai. Our camerababy - when he's not distracted by Adult boobies - is baby Fitz. BABY FITZ (from behind the camera): Hey! BABY EIGHTH DOC: Be nice, Ayeka. It's nearly nap time. Anyway, accompanying us is our carer Mara. [CUT to MARA, a surly blonde woman who looks more like a biker than a carer, but is, nevertheless, carrying an overnight bag. There are two diagonal red lines on her forehead.] MARA: Yeah, yeah. Hey there. Having a great time. Seriously. Now will you brats get that thing OUT OF MY FACE?! [CUT back to BABY AYEKA and BABY EIGHTH DOC.] BABY EIGHTH DOC: Don't worry about her. She's always like that. Anyway, we're covering this for PTTV - Pirate Toddler Television - which broadcasts on Channel 212, all across the omniverse, all day, every day. Presenting the omniverse through a toddler's eyes. BABY AYEKA: And without your donations, we are unable to keep PTTV going. It is _your_ donations that help us keep the station on the air, that enable us to keep a pinkie on the pulse of the omniverse, to bring entertainment to toddlers throughout the worlds, and make the programmes _they_ want to watch. BABY EIGHTH DOC: [glances at her] Ahm... yes. I think we can take the pledge request as given, Ayeka. [AYEKA looks down at the floor.] BABY AYEKA: My apologies, Lord Doctor. I merely wished to inform the viewing public how their donations would assist us. BABY EIGHTH DOC: I think they've got a good idea of that already... Where was I? Ah, yes... And I'd like to say a big thank you to the Adults who helped make this possible, particularly Amber and the Supervisor, and who have been _very_ helpful in allowing us to film the ceremony tonight. BABY AYEKA: And I would like to express my deepest gratitude to our crew, in particular babies Compassion, Mara, Skuld and Miss Washu, without whom none of this would have been possible. BABY EIGHTH DOC: ...Oh. Looks like our time's up. Ah, well... Now, back to the awards. BABY AYEKA: And if I catch you looking at Adult boobies again, Fitz, I will- --- AMBER: [poker-faced] And now, on with the awards. Our next presenter is a man who's been memorably described as a cosmic hobo, devoted to fighting evil from the deepest, darkest, corners of the Universe. In his spare time, he tries his hand at disguise and learning to play various musical instruments. Here to present the award for 'Best Original or Crossover Character', it's the Second Doctor! --- [JAMIE backs onto the stage.] JAMIE: Over here, over here, just a little bit more... SECOND: [offstage] I assure you, Jamie, I am perfectly capable of doing this by... whoops!! [JAMIE's face pales. [The SECOND DOCTOR gingerly walks on, blindfolded, and juggling four balls. Following JAMIE's voice, he makes his way over to the podium, still juggling.] SECOND: Ah... hello there. I'd like to say it's nice to see you all, but since I can't see you it wouldn't really do much good. I've been sponsored tonight to see how long I can keep juggling all four of these balls. Just to make it that bit more interesting, one of these balls is a bomb that will detonate on impact with the ground... and I have no clue which one it is, right at the moment. [The AUDIENCE goes very, _very_quiet.] SECOND: [oblivious] I was supposed to be here to present the award for 'Best Original or Crossover Character'. Since I, er, can't read the envelope... Jamie, would you mind doing the honours? [JAMIE blinks, then straightens up.] JAMIE: Thank ye, Doctor. I willnae let you down... [picks up the envelope] Now, how does this go...? Um... Ah! Here we go... First, we have that uncanny pair Magnus and Varne in 'Goodnight, Sweetheart'... ---- "...but probably something extreme," Magnus finished. "If this is not a place of blood-magic, I've never seen one. I suggest we pool our two parties' information quickly. If Louhi turns up first, our only real bet right now is probably to blow her away into the pit and try to resurrect her as Xeffy, and even if we were up to that there is far too much that could go wrong with it." "We are *not* doing blood sacrifice!" said Eloise sharply. Something in the looks of Gordon's party, Danik, the Campions and Doctors suggested that she'd be able to carry any argument that might have looked like developing. "Have it your way," shrugged Varne, returning from a quick tour of the walls. "Incidentally, Lord, were you aware that this room is full of seriously defunct shapeshifters?" "I was not, Varne, and by the way do not call me Egbert, for it is no part of my name." ---- JAMIE: Next, that laddie... Lassie? Laddie? Ach, I can never be sure... Number One, in the tale of the 'Dark Carnival'. --- Number One stood, panting over his kills as the madness subsided, feeling himself return to himself once more. His wounds, especially his hand, hurt worse than ever and he was bone-tired. But there was still a lot of work ahead. Nyssa was in here somewhere, after all. And... Adric, too. And Zack. So much work to do, and so little left to do it with. Sweeping off his cowboy hat and flinging it aside, he knelt and pulled a knife out of the midget's belt. It was a long, heavy, double- edged blade of the type known as an 'Arkansas Toothpick'. He bounced it in his left hand, feeling its heft and balance, then straightened, holding his head up despite the protesting of his back. "I believe in the knife," he croaked. "I believe in the strength of my arm. And I. Will. Not. Break." ---- JAMIE: Then we have Lady Vivienne from 'The Book of Taliesin'. [frowns] Still cannae figure why she looks like Sarah, tho'... ---- Vivienne had grown out of the "wait around to be rescued" stage long before she'd taken the fateful steps into this new life. Not that she'd ever really gone _through_ it as such - she'd always put it down to being rescued before she could effect her own escapes. It was all in the timing. Which was why as soon as Mordred dragged her into the suite of rooms he'd taken for himself and dismissed his guard, she promptly twisted herself free of his grip, speared him in the throat with her hand, kicked him as hard as she could in his more vulnerable parts, and high-tailed it out of the room and down the corridor before he'd hit the ground gasping for breath curled around his own pain. By the time his guards had made their way back to his rooms, she'd already got herself well and truly lost in the maze of corridors that made up this wing of the palace, and was trying to find a staircase leading down. Instead, she found herself back where she'd started, in a side corridor just outside the room Kai and Mordred had taken her to when they'd arrived. A small, plain, service door was slightly ajar, and she froze just before passing it, listening carefully before committing herself to walking past it. From inside the room, she could hear Kai's voice, and she edged closer to hear more clearly. ---- JAMIE: Then we have, er... the Lady Nimue, in... [peers at envelope] 'King Arthur In Time And Space'? Have I got that right? SECOND: Yes, Jamie. JAMIE: Ah, right. ---- Nimue spent the shuttle ride in silence. There hadn't been two medical personnel on Excalibur last time. She could have anticipated it. The new medical assistant on Excalibur was Merlin's apprentice before Nimue from the old history, Morgan of Cornwall. Morgan, who'd gone on to wreak havoc on the universe as Morgan le Fey till cured of the Dragon curse that had driven her, and now Lady of the Lake of the sorcerors of Avalon. Nimue should have been expecting it, but there was a reason she hadn't. Merlin had not known her the last time she'd been here, which was chronologically sound. But unconsciously Nimue had begun building up a daydream in herself that perhaps she could live her love for Merlin again. Now, seeing Morgan - and a Morgan who, like Merlin, showed no recognition of Nimue - she became conscious of her wishful scenario, in tandem with her realization of its flaw: One day, soon, her own younger self - changed to some lesser or greater degree by this ongoing history alteration - would arrive in Merlin's medward to steal her daydream away. Except - if this wasn't current-oldhistory-LadyoftheLakeoutoftime Morgan but young-newhistory Morgan, why had she winked at Nimue as Nimue boarded the shuttle? ---- JAMIE: Then, er, we have... um, Ms? Miss Jessica Marlowe, from 'A Family Affair'... ---- "Too late, Hooks," I said coldly. "I'm going and you'd better crukking hope I get away clean, because if I don't, whether you had anything to do with me getting caught or not, they're gonna find out who let me use the comlink to help plan my desertion." I used the word where he hadn't, getting a wince from him. He was more soldier than I'd given him credit for being, apparently. I went on, "It'll be Mutual Assured Destruction, Hooks. If you're lucky, maybe they'll give you a cell with a view, so you can watch when they shoot me." Hooks just stared at me, his flabby face ghost-pale, jaws clenched. "You're out of your damned mind," he whispered. "You have seriously crukking lost your mind." "I wouldn't rule it out," I said with friendly menace. "Or, maybe I'm like Dryden's Achitophel: "He sought the storms; but for a calm unfit, Would steer too nigh the sands to boast his wit. Great wits are sure to madness near alli'd, And thin partitions do their bounds divide. "But that's neither hear nor there, Hooks. Your concern right now is just to tell me when the next outbound ship leaves..." ---- JAMIE: And, er, last, we have... ach, Doctor, I cannae say this! It's got too many letters! SECOND: Why not spell it out? JAMIE: [after a moment's thought] I can give it a try... Mary R O K O S S O V S K Y, known as 'Babydoll'. SECOND: Rokossovsky. JAMIE: Thank ye, Doctor. But it still has too many letters. ---- "Bella!" she cried and ran to where the vampire woman lay beneath the smashed tree. She was writhing among the broken branches, brought down by her fall, half out of Cain's trenchcoat. Large patches of her pallid skin were exposed to the sunlight. Huge blisters were bubbling the skin. The Agonised screaming, pierced Babydoll to the heart. In one fluid motion, she was on her knees beside Bella, pulling the coat closed. "Easy, Fangs!" she soothed. "Easy." "Oh jeels! It hurts!" Bella ground out between clenched teeth. "It hurts! Oh Jeel! It hurts!" Babydoll slid a hand under the coat, and gripped Bellla's hand. "Hang in there, Fangs," she cried urgently. "We'll get you under cover, soon as we can." Bella's fingers tightened on hers. She had stopped screaming, but continued to make whimpering sounds between clenched teeth. "Pig! OH CRUCK, Pig! It...It hurts worse than Old Harry!" "Hang in there, Bell...Cain! For cruck sake...Cain We need you here!" ---- SECOND: And the winner...? JAMIE: Ah... "Winners", Doctor. [Murmurs from the AUDIENCE.] SECOND: Go on. JAMIE: ...Um, Jessica Marlowe and Number One. Together - well, nae together... aw, you know what I mean. SECOND: That was excellent, Jamie. JAMIE: [brightens] Really? SECOND: Mm. Now, er... could you help me with this? JAMIE: O' course, Doctor. [JAMIE leads SECOND off-stage, SECOND still juggling.] --- [AMBER comes back on stage.] AMBER: [murmurs] No clapping, please. We don't want to disturb them. Right. Our next presenter is known for his inveterate tinkering, impeccable taste, and an unwillingness to suffer fools gladly. Here to present the award for 'Best Crossover', it's the Third Doctor. --- [The THIRD DOCTOR walks on in full drag-queen getup - slinky dress, handbag, high heels, fishnet stockings - with lipstick and rouge applied liberally to his face. [Sounds of barely restrained laughter begin coming from the AUDIENCE. THIRD doesn't bat an eyelid.] THIRD: Thank you. I'm here tonight to present the Adric Award for Best Crossover - and, incidentally, to help raise money for tonight's cause - so when it came to decide my turn, reminded of my now-legendary "charwoman" performance from 'The Green Death', I elected to be sponsored for each complete hour I stayed in drag. IRIS WILDTHYME (in the audience): Get 'em off, handsome!! THIRD (not blinking an eyelid): And believe me, after you've seen what _I've_ seen tonight, almost _nothing_ else seems quite so terrifying, not even this. Rather like myself, the nominees for Best Crossover have merged elements from 'Doctor Who' with other fictional series to greater or lesser extent, to create stories that manage to capture something of the essence of all series involved - a gestalt that is greater than the sum of the parts, you might say. With that noted, let's run down the nominees. First, we have Imran Inayat's fusion with the manga series 'Oh My Goddess!', 'Dragon Lines Episode 7: A Hard Day's Night', featuring a rather offbeat take on the relationship between the old girl and my Eighth self. Here, the Eternals Benny and Tarda discuss the consequences of an unusual wish... ---- 'It's not sensible?' Tarda's voice holds nothing more than the question. 'Well, *duh*!' Benny starts counting on her fingers... and frowns. 'For one, a wish like that is gonna make both of you /major/ trouble magnets - that must have /seriously/ warped the probability fluctuations around here, and for second...' She flounders. 'Tard... you barely know the guy! What in the Goddess's name possessed you?' 'Isn't that where any relationship starts?' Tarda says quietly. 'Neither one knowing about the other, not knowing what happens next, only knowing their first response... whatever that might be.' 'But *you*? The girl who has to beat all the boys off with a large stick?' Benny shakes her head. 'Gonna be a lot of broken hearts back home once this gets out.' ---- THIRD: Next, we have Paul Gadzikowski's homage - or spoof - of multi-crossovers, 'On Beyond The Doomsday Syndrome', featuring three different Star Trek series, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', and my own Fourth self. Here, we see the villains of the piece discussing another move in their little scheme... ---- "You see?" said the Master, turning from the visual display screen to the Master. "The mauve-sun energy on this planet gives you incredible vampire powers, such as the ability to seismically seperate these do-gooders from their friends." "I felt the earth move," admitted the Master, "by my will. But I don't see why you wanted their friends immobilized when the ones still free are the more formidable adversaries." "You immobilize the sidekicks because even sidekicks can get lucky sometimes," said the Master. "But crossover heroes, even when there are only two, always bicker and work at cross purposes until the last act. Think how counterproductive to each other and useless *four* in one place shall be, leaving us plenty of time to get *our* ducks in a row!" "I don't understand," said the Master. "'Crossover'? 'Last act'? 'Ducks'?" "Where have you been the last hundred years, a hole in the ground?" asked the Master. ---- THIRD: Then we have B. K. Willis's look at our esteemed Proprietor's hiring skills in 'TTR: Hard Help', as his search for new employees draws applicants from series ranging from 'Blackadder' to 'Slayers', with... ahem... predictable consequences. Here, we see an excerpt from Luna Inverse's successful application... ---- "We said that this isn't any of your business, serving-girl," Nyssa snarled as Yrcanos did his level best to loom menacingly over them both. "Made it mine," Luna replied, unfazed. "Now siddown and shut up." "And what if we won't?" Nyssa demanded defiantly. The waitress held up the butter knife and smiled. The smile wasn't much, just the barest upturning at the corners of her mouth, but it somehow made both the deranged Trakenite's and the berserk Krontep King's blood run cold. "Make ya," Luna said, giving a tiny shrug that seemed to indicate that one way was as acceptable as another to her. ---- THIRD: And finally, we have K. M. Wilcox's crossover with American daytime series 'Gilmore Girls', 'The Cop Box', as the little town of Stars Hollow acquires an unwanted new fixture... ---- Luke stormed out to the large blue box. "Taylor," he shouted, "did you put this thing in front of my diner?" "Me?" Taylor asked, aghast. "A police call box right by the town square? What does that tell people? It tells them Stars Hollow isn't a safe place to bring their families, that's what!" Taylor's vehemence caused Luke, quite naturally, to rethink his position. "Oh, get over yourself. Look at it; it's antique." "Well, it doesn't belong here." "Pardon me," a small man said as he squeezed past them and into the box, which then vanished. "Happy now?" Luke snapped. ---- THIRD: And the winner is... B. K. Willis, for 'Hard Help'. Hm. Again, this will be kept in safe keeping until such time as Mr Willis can collect it. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to reapply my eyeshadow. [THIRD bows, and struts offstage. [When they're sure he's gone, the AUDIENCE breaks out in hysterical laughter, which slowly quiets as AMBER walks back on, her expression serious.] AMBER: Thank you, Third. --- "I think we came off quite good in that, don't you, Buffy?" Dawn observed. "Well, in the story, I mean, not the clip." "Shh," Buffy said, her eyes on Amber. "Buffy?" Giles inquired. "Now." Buffy said, not turning around. "This is it." "What's it?" Xander said. "Shh. Watch." --- AMBER: Now.. it's come to my attention that, while we've had the obligatory helping of gratuitous and apparently accidental innuendo, the comparative lack of violence, bloodshed, fatal accidents and explosions has been less than satisfactory. So, to that end, I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself. [The video screen flashes on behind her, showing a cityscape underneath an orange sky.] AMBER: I started out on Old Gallifrey, in the time before Rassilon, before the Time Lords. It was a time of Heroes, of Monsters, and of Legends. Back then, I had other forms, other faces... and other names. [SCENE: A white-haired girl with white eyes, in a soft grey robe.] AMBER: I was Electra Unchanging, First of the Six, Firstborn of Gallifreya. I was the Lady Amber, who trapped and cherished time unchanging. I was Gallifrey's first Muse, revered by all who honoured the past. And then... ...it all ended. [SCENE: The city erupts in riot and flame, people running for shelter, charred bodies lying in the streets.] AMBER: This was my past Gallifrey - the Gallifrey of "Time's Crucible", of "Lungbarrow". The time of the Intuitive Revolution, as reason rose in revolt against a world of intuition, insight, and magic... ...and won. [SCENE: The domed cityscape of Gallifrey's Capitol.] AMBER: I saw Gallifrey rise and fall, devastation on a scale few other worlds have known. My world was destroyed, with not even ash to mark where it had been. [SCENE: The orange globe of Gallifrey, spiralling away into the void.] AMBER: And then... [She sighs.] AMBER: And then I came to Earth, taking a position among Gaia's Powers - to stand alongside the Muses Nine, to bring to this world my inspiration. I am Amber, Earth's Muse-Goddess of folktale and metafiction. And I thank you. [AMBER lowers her head. [There is silence. [Finally, she takes a deep breath, and continues.] AMBER: And now, to present the award for 'Best Author', the Sixth Doctor. --- [For this occasion, the SIXTH DOCTOR's normal multi-coloured coat has been replaced by a more sedate coat of deep blue. [He strides up to the podium, and takes his position.] SIXTH: Thank you, my lady. I'm here tonight to announce the author you, the newsgroup at large, have voted the Best of this year. But before I do that, I'd like to go over the nominees. Now, our first nominee is Helen Fayle. Helen is best known for the 'Books of Taliesin', a series which well deserves this year's 'Best Series' Award for reasons too many to go into here. Nevertheless, it is in this that we may see Helen's writing at its best, in the creation and development of the Thirteen Worlds from the first beginnings in 'Nine Queens' through to the present day in 'The Invisible City'. But within this world-building, she tells other, more personal stories, too - those of the dragons who shaped these worlds, of Kastchei the Deathless, of Talisein and Vivienne, and of many others besides - never letting the one interfere with the other. Her awareness of her characters and plots is something to note, in the ways she treats of the dynamics which exist within the characters' relationships, while keeping sight of the wider plot beyond - and of the greater setting all are placed within. Not surprisingly, there is a certain mythical element to her imagery - but it is the skill and awareness of that imagery which sets it apart, treating King Arthur, European folktale and 'Doctor Who' alike as _mythologies_, as sources of inspiration for her work. Our second nominee is Imran Inayat. This young man's particular area of specialisation is "alternative settings", alternative takes on our particular mythos. His impressive body of work has encompassed such variant genres as the dark fantasy of the 'Badlands', the anime stylings of the 'Dragon Lines' stories, the metafiction of the various Hoedowns and Round Robins, and his own unique twists on established story arcs, such as TDF. He is best known, though, as the man who first introduced us to the subject of tonight's show, and made Look Who's Talking a name to be reckoned with. He has two specific areas of focus - firstly, my Eighth self and his companions, and secondly, his own cast of original characters, with particular attention given to his Muse Allie and her family. His spare, economic style lends itself best to his introspective, character-focused pieces, exploring the mindsets of his characters - indeed, he has become identified with these pieces to the point where "Imran Angst" is a recognised term on the newsgroup, an indicator that the characters have just been put through the emotional wringer. However, his style also lends itself to a dry, ironic humour, with a tendency to be rather tongue-in-cheek. Potentially, a young man to watch. Our next nominee is Clive May. This gentleman has proven himself as a mainstay of alt.drwho.creative, with such works as 'Bride Quest', 'The Gift of the Garm', and Thoth Agog's Dream' to his name. While his focus typically rests on my Fifth self and his companions - Nyssa in particular - his stories have explored all eras of my adventures in time and space. His ability to evoke setting and character is impressive, establishing these people, this place, clearly, making them come alive as you read. Even when the story is over, something of it still lingers within your mind, leaving its resonance behind. There is a particular sense of whimsy that marks Clive's writing, even in his most serious works - a whimsy that draws you in and carries you along with it, a feeling akin to that of a fairy tale, where reality works by its own laws. The personal, yet transcendental, nature of the spiritual and mystical comes through clear and true in Clive's work - an area rarely explored in the series, yet one that he appears to carry off almost effortlessly. Next up is Bradley Keith Willis, better known as B. K. Willis - a name that has drawn much opproborium in the past, not least from the man himself. However, a closer examination of his work tells a different story. There is the seamless melding of styles, merging drama, comedy, romance and horror - sometimes even within the same story. There is the strength of his characterisation - B. K's characters are memorable figures in their own right, whether they be heroes, villains, or otherwise. There is his wide range of influences - and the way he transcends those influences, forging something unique in its own right. It is the _emotional_ focus of his work that stands out most of all, however. At his best, whether humour or horror, B. K's work strikes a chord in the reader - that frisson of fellow feeling, with both character and situation, that ability to _understand_. We _know_ these characters, their difficulties, we have lived alongside them as they struggled through the vicissitudes of life. We find ourselves _wanting_ them to win through - and yet, at the same time, we recognise what that would mean for them, for better and for worse. And it is these talents, taken together, which have made B. K. one of the most-respected writers - if not _the_ most-respected - on the newsgroup. Next, we have Graham Woodland, better known as the Grey Steward and Trader Grey. The hallmark of Graham's work is its lexigraphical density and complexity, a subject close to my hearts - what is more, there is a _point_ to his use of the English language. The erudition and wit he displays in his stories is comprehensive, working upon multiple levels simultaneously. But there is more, far more, to his works than that. Graham's stories have encompassed all manner of styles, from epics that shake the very foundations of Reality to short comic skits, and much else inbetween. Then there are his settings, complex and intricate, yet which draw you in easily, step by step, such that when the story is over you wish to return, to lose yourself in the world thus created once more, and thereby discover something you had previously missed. But it is Graham's _characters_ who drive his stories. From Jo and my Third self in 'The Space of I', to Nyssa and Tegan in 'Cockatiel', the characters always remain the focus of his attention, never losing himself in the setting. And as for such memorable creations as Fastolf, Simon, and Zaqqum... what more, truly, need be said? Finally, there is Igenlode Wordsmith. For the purposes of this presentation, I shall be describing Igenlode as female - my apologies if I have guessed wrongly. Igenlode is a comparative lurker on alt.drwho.creative, but when she chooses to make herself known, by engaging in a round robin, there may we see her talents best expressed. She can conjure up any mood, whether it be grim, gritty Western, brooding horror, or swashbuckling adventure - her settings take on a reality of their own, such that it almost seems you might visit the place yourself. Where she truly shines, however, is in her original characters - in such people as the Contessa, Danik of Ruritania, or Kid Curry. Her characters are people with lives _outside_ their adventures - something that many authors have a regrettable tendency to overlook. They are characters who have embraced or rejected the call to adventure, and Igenlode shows us what that decision can truly mean, its impact on their lives. Whether they be hero, anti-hero, or villain, Igenlode makes them understandable and believable - if not always sympathetic - and so, it is little surprise when others decide to write for her characters themselves. And the winner of the Best Author Award is... Bradley Keith Willis. --- AMBER: Thank you. [recovers herself] Now, for our final special tenth anniversary award - and the last award of the show - I'd like to present a very special guest... ...your favourite Doctor! --- (CUT TO: THE DOCTOR at the presentation podium. It is, indeed, your favorite DOCTOR.) THE DOCTOR Which do you like better - apples or oranges? Why? The color? The nutrition level? The taste? It comes down to taste, doesn't it. Trying to pick one alt.drwho.creative author over another is like a metaphor with nothing to compare itself to. One writes the genre you like best. Another writes in a different genre, but with consistent brilliance. The next is riotously funny. This one posted one story, years ago, that still haunts you. And some authors, their stories have evolved in such fascinating directions that they seem off-topic to newbies. What's this assortment of people doing on the same newsgroup in the first place? Well, when it's the fanfiction newsgroup for a hero of a thousand faces, what do you expect? 'Tis true, 'tis cliche; and cliche 'tis 'tis true: All of you are winners tonight. Authors and readers alike! Because the real prize here, as much as the formal recognition by one's peers, is the community who bestows it. I'm humbled to have inspired this diversity and so proud of you all. Go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I have not been wrong in mine. The alt.drwho.creative Special Tenth Anniversary Adric Award nominees for Best Author 1993-2002 are: (reads from the outside of the envelope) Graham Woodland Jeri Massi BKWillis Paul Gadzikowski Audra McHugh Lori Summers And the Adric goes to: (opens the envelope and reads the contents) BKWillis. Congratulations. --- [The applause is almost deafening. However, AMBER can still be heard clearly over the noise.] AMBER: And that's just about all we have time for tonight. But before we go, let's see what the final total is... [The screen reads: £11, 238, 937] [AMBER boggles somewhat, but quickly recovers.] AMBER: Wonderful! [The applause intensifies.] AMBER: And keep those donations coming in - the deadline to make a donation is Tuesday, April 1st, Real time. I'd like to thank everyone involved in tonight's telethon - the presenters, the winners, the nominees, and everyone who's been working behind the scenes. I'd also like to thank everyone out there for helping us to raise so much for tonight's cause. Remember, it all goes to the children. Finally, I'd like to give a big shout-out to everyone at Look Who's Talking - the Supervisor, the helpers, the kids, and particularly the crew from PTTV. Thanks for making all this possible, guys, and here's hoping this'll be enough to keep LWT going for the next few years. Thank you all, you've been a wonderful audience, and good night!! [AMBER waves "goodbye" as we... [ROLL CREDITS] --- END --- Part One - Part Two - Part Three - Part Four - Report - Credits
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