Morgaine Strip Searched (my fan fiction)

Another story about Morgaine's perpetual imprisonment after Battlefield.


Ganymede Correctional Facility 2192

Vraxoin had been found in the prison. Vraxoin was of course the most dangerous drug known to humanity. Those who consumed it quickly became addicted, an addiction which invariably brought death. The discovery of Vraxoin in the prison was always a cause for alarm. Inmates were selected at random to have their cell, clothes and bodies searched for the substance.

This time Morgaine had been chosen to be searched. She had been taken to the dry room after guards had rifled through her cell and she stood before a guard. The guard was in her early twenties with dark skin. Probably of African descent, but as humanity spread into space, people were getting more and more racially mixed.

"Okay, Morgaine, time to strip off," said the guard.

Morgaine stepped out of her flip flops and removed her yellow inmate pyjamas.

Since she had been sent to Holloway prison in 1999, strip searches had become part of her life. After being Battle Queen of the Thirteen Worlds of the S'rax, it had been a new and humiliating experience for her, but she had grown used to it.

Morgaine held no embarassment about her naked body. She was proud of her muscular form and large breasts. When she had been queen of her realm, she had shared her bed chamber with her handmaidens and bathed with them in chrystal clear lakes. It had been death for any man who had dared to behold Morgaine bathing with her ladies.

In the prisons in which she had been held, they were civilized enough to have female guards carry out searches. Of course, plenty of female guards had taken pleasure in the experience. Morgaine knew she would have enjoyed it had the roles been reversed.

"I'm sending your clothes to the lab. I'll give you a new set of PJs when we're done," said the guard.

"Do you really think you are going to find drugs on me? In two centuries of captivity in this miserable cosmos, I have never used drugs. Is this really necessary, Miss?" asked Morgaine.

"Look, I don't decide who to search. We need to get on with this."

"Alright, Miss," the sorceress replied.

Morgaine did not hold a high opinion of prison guards. In her kingdom, the guards of her dungeons had been the lowest of the lowborn. In this world, it seemed that prison guards were also taken from the lower classes; men and women whose education was limited and for whom opportunities were few. The sorceress felt sorry for them at having been led into such an ignoble occupation. It seemed only fair that they should enjoy what little power they had.

The guard looked up and down Morgaine's body. She seemed somewhat disinterested in the way she looked at the prisoner. Morgaine suspected that the woman had little interest in female flesh.

In this century it was possible for bio-scanners to detect Vraxoin without clothing being removed. However, such scanners were not infallible. Vraxoin could be wrapped in material, mixed with undetectable chemicals or shoved deep into orifices.

The guard then began ruffling through Morgaine's long red hair. Her hair was very thick, so it took her some time.

"Your hair is lovely," said the guard.

"Thank you, Miss," the sorceress replied.

She then lifted one of Morgaine's legs and began looking through her toes.

"Open wide." The guard shone a small light into Morgaine's mouth.

"Okay, we need to go a bit deeper now," said the guard.

This was the bit Morgaine always hated. Having her lower regions examined was probably the worst part of being in prison. Did they do that in the dungeons back in her world? She had no idea. She had never bothered to find out how her dismal prison was run.

Morgaine had experienced a few sadistic guards who made intimate searches as uncomfortable as possible. Of course, she had also had experienced a few who made the experience pleasurable. Morgaine enjoyed the touch of other women when it was gentle.

This guard did not seem to care for this job much either. She got it done quickly.

"Okay, Morgaine. You're clean. Put these fresh pyjamas on and you can go back to your cell."

"Thank you, Miss," she replied gratefully.


Morgaine tried to imagine Merlin submitting to a full body search. She could not do it. Merlin would never have submitted to the indignity.

In her world, Merlin had been imprisoned in many a dungeon. Sometimes by her, sometimes by other lords. He had always escaped after a few minutes. He had even been imprisoned by one of the fairies once. He had no trouble escaping from imprisonment in Fairyland. She began to wonder whether his eternal imprisonment in the ice caves would really have lasted. She felt a certain regret that he would not be going through any intimate body searches in the ice caves.

Merlin lacked spirit. His character was weak. He was unable to stay imprisoned for five minutes while she had submitted to two centuries of imprisonment and humiliation. She could do what Merlin could never do. She would prove to him the depths of her humility.

Let's Talk about Men, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

Another story about Morgaine's perpetual imprisonment after Battlefield.

Madeleine Issigri is from the Troughton story, The Space Pirates



Ganymede Correctional Facility 2192

Morgaine turned to her cellmate, Madeleine. "Was there ever a man in your life?" she asked her.

"I had a couple of serious relationships. I was in love with a naval officer when I was in my twenties. He was nice, but a bit of an idiot. Then I fell for a lawyer when I was a bit older. He turned out to be a selfish bastard. I devoted so much of my life to building up the company that I never had much time for relationships. I dare say some of the men I met thought I was a selfish bitch."

Morgaine smiled. "Do you hope to find a husband after you have served your sentence?"

Madeleine looked thoughtful before answering. "I suppose it might be nice. Perhaps it's a bit late to become a mother, but not impossible. I'm really not altogether sure what to do when I'm free. I just hope any decent chaps won't be put off a woman who has done time in the clink."

"They would be fools if they were," said Morgaine.

"Have you ever been married?" asked Madeleine.

"No, but I have had many lovers in my life. I have won the hearts of kings, princes and many knights. I have also slept with the Lords of the Elder Folk that you would call fairies. I have even given my body up to demons and enjoyed their forbidden and terrible pleasures."

Madeleine shuddered. "I imagine making love to fairies might be nice, but I don't like the sound of sleeping with demons."

"They are not gentle lovers, though they can give pleasure of a kind," explained Morgaine. "None of the men I have loved can ever compare to my brother Arthur, by whom I bore my son Mordred."

"Sorry? You had a son with your brother?"

Morgaine raised an eyebrow, as if surprised by Madeleine's shock. "He was my half-brother. Arthur's mother was mortal, my mother was a fairy woman."

"No, that is still weird," insisted Madeleine.

"The ways of my world are not like yours," said Morgaine in protest.

"Just a bit too weird," said Madeleine. "I still think your the cutest girl in this place though."

The Magic of Morgaine, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

Another story about Morgaine's perpetual imprisonment after Battlefield.

Madeleine Issigri is from the Troughton story, The Space Pirates


Ganymede Correctional Facility 2192

As Morgaine passionately kissed her, Madeleine felt a blast of energy course through her body. The energy seemed to transform every cell in her body, bringing it into a new harmony with the cosmos. It was as though she were being thrust out of her normal course and caught up in a cosmic river. The touch of Morgaine's lips seemed to connect her to the fabric of the very universe.

As Morgaine slowly moved away from her, Madeleine felt so relaxed, so calm, as though she were at peace with the whole universe. She lay on her futon, savouring the experience.

"That feeling- that was magic, wasn't it?" she asked Morgaine.

"Yes, my pretty thing, I'm channelling all my love and joy throuhg you by magic."

"It feels so lovely." Madeleine was curious to know more about her cellmate's strange power.

"You can do that, but you can't use your other powers, can you?"

Morgaine smiled at her. "Very true, my lovely. My powers are restricted by the magic inscription on the walls of this prison," she said, pointing to the strange marks on the walls. "Yet I can still channel my feelings through magic and I can also heal minds and bodies. You know as I do how much some of the women here have needed that."

Madeleine did indeed. Her time in prison had made her realise how privileged she was with her bourgeois background. So many of the women in the prison had experienced years of drug addiction, domestic abuse and plain poverty. Morgaine's healing power had enabled them to know the comfort and beauty of a world far beyond them.

Madeleine was still curious. "So those marks on the wall. What difference do they actually make?"

Morgaine laughed and rose up from the cell floor, "Let me explain them to you. Those markings are writing in the language of the Elder Folk."

"Elder Folk?"

"You probably call them fairies," explained Morgaine.

"Right," said a bemused Madeleine. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would be sharing a prison cell and passionately in love with an immortal sorceress who believed in fairies. Sometimes she had to remind herself that she was in a prison and not a mental hospital.

Her girlfriend continued. "These symbols here; that is Morgaine, my name. Speaking or writing somebody's name gives you a certain power over them. Now if I only knew the real name of Merlin..."

"So what's the next set of symbols?" asked an intrigued Madeleine.

"Those symbols spell the word 'command.' You always have to include them in a magic formula. The next means 'bind' and the final word is 'forbid.' The sum of this formula is to create a magic barrier around the prison. Within it cannot use my magic powers, nor can I leave without permission."

"Is there no way to escape it?" asked Madeleine.

"Perhaps there is, but would that be either right or wise? I dare say that you could find a way to escape this prison. Would you do that? If you were caught you would be sent here again, and for much longer. Besides, you know the things you did were wrong. You accept your punishment," her cellmate replied.

"I suppose so, though I can't imagine being here as long as you have been. I have less than a year to serve."

"And I shall miss you very much when you are gone. You are another reason I do not escape now," said Morgaine with a broad grin. She settled down on the synthgrass mat on the cell floor.

"So what could you do if the barrier wasn't there? Could you turn the guards into toads?"

Morgaine raised an eyebrow. "I suppose I could. I haven't ever thought about turning somebody into a toad. It is a little more complex than you might imagine. I could do all manner of things. I can disappear and appear in another place, I can force the wills of others, I can read minds, I can create magic fire, I can turn people into dust and with the necessary formulas, I can summon demons."

"I'm glad you can't summon any demons in here right now, they sound rather frightful."

"Yes, they are rather frightful my dear," said Morgaine, wriggling her toes.

"I never believed in magic. I never imagined such things could be real."

"I am not sure if there is any magic in your universe," said Morgaine with a frown. "Merlin's kind are like gods in this world. They have shaped it since it was young. They feared things like magic, things that they could not shape and control. They removed such elements from the universe. Even the Elder Folk were banished from this universe by Merlin's race."

"I always thought of Merlin as somebody who used magic," said a puzzled Madeleine.

"In his own way, he does use magic, though he fears it like all of his kind. That is one of the reasons why he keeps me shut up in prison."

"Does everybody in your universe use magic?"

Morgaine looked disgusted at this suggestion. "Certainly not, I am of a special breed. My mother was one of the Elder Folk, a fairy. I have all of the magic of her race. I have also gained much power from the elements of my world, its sea, its air and its red earth. Though I cannot use my power, it is still a part of my very flesh and soul."

"I don't suppose you have enough power to make the food here taste any better?"

Morgaine laughed a deep rich laugh. "If only I did. That would make these long years of imprisonment much easier to bear."

Gifts for Morgaine, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

Ganymede Correctional Facility, 2192

The Doctor was shown to a table in the visiting area of the prison. At the table was sat a woman dressed in the yellow prison uniform. She had long red hair and eyes that burned with a jade fire. Her face was somehow ageless; at first glance she appeared to be a young woman, at the next glance she appeared incredibly old.

Seeing the Doctor, the woman gave a broad smile. "Merlin!" she greeted.

"Morgaine, it's nice to see you again since that business with the Yssgaroth," he replied and sat down. His smile changed to a frown.

"I heard you have been on the punishment wing for beating another inmate," the Doctor said.

"That woman had been abusing othe inmates. The violent bitch got what she deserved," explained Morgaine.

"Am I the only one who ever tries to find a non-violent solution?" complained the Doctor.

"There is no shame in violence," said Morgaine. "The strong must protect the weak. I will not suffer my fellow prisoners to be abused."

"I understand your sentiments, though I'm not sure how consistent you were with them when you were ruling as queen. I haven't come to lecture you, Morgaine. I've brought you some presents."

Morgaine seemed delighted. "How kind of you, Merlin!"

"I have no idea when your birthday is, but I know it's a bit grim in here, so I thought some things might brighten up your day. I did check them with the prison reception. They're all permitted within prison regulations," the Doctor said.

He produced a large shopping bag. From this he took out a pair of gold flip flops and passed them across the table to Morgaine. She smiled with delight, then hastily slipped off her orange prison-issue flip flops to put on the new pair.

"I would have got you some other clothes, but I understand you have to wear those yellow pyjamas. You can at least wear some nicer flip flops."

"How thoughtful, Merlin. These are very nice," Morgaine said.

The Doctor then pulled out a tin of hot dog sausages and a loaf of bread. "You can make yourself some sausage sandwiches." This was followed by a leather-bound book.

" A copy of Emma signed by Jane Austen herself. She told me she was delighted to contribute to the reform and refinement of women in gaol."

"I'm sure I shall be very refined after I have read it, Merlin. Do thank her for me when you next see her."

The next gift was a magazine. The Doctor tried to avert his gaze from the scantily-clad woman on the cover as he passed it to Morgaine. "I know you like this sort of thing, but I was a little embarrassed to buy it."

"Ah, that old lack of spirit in you again," said Morgaine.

"I hope you are not feeling too miserable here?" asked the Doctor

"I do my best to keep my spirits up. My cellmate is good company. Will you let me out some time soon? Prison is alright, but after two hundred years, it is getting a bit old."

The Doctor sighed. He knew he was going to have to remain firm.

"I'm afraid you should have thought about that before you invaded this universe, killed several military personnel, summoned a demon, threatened to launch a nuclear holocaust, not to mention imprisoned my future self in the ice caves for all eternity. Can't do the time? Don't do the crime. Ask me again in five thousand years time."

'Sometimes that little man could be quite insufferable,' thought Morgaine.

Back with her Cellmate, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

Another story about Morgaine's perpetual imprisonment after Battlefield.

Madeleine Issigri is from the Troughton story, The Space Pirates. Madeleine was the head of a mining corporation who turned out to be working with pirates.


Ganymede Correctional Facility, 2192


Madeleine was emptying her bladder in the cell toilet when Morgaine came in. Madeleine had been in prison for over a year, but it seemed like she would never get used to the lack of privacy.

Madeleine pulled up her pyjama bottoms and rushed to Morgaine to give her a hug.

"Wash your hands, you filthy wench!" cried Morgaine, but hugged her cellmate all the same, and kissed her as well.

After beating up the aggressive bully, Mali, Morgaine had been placed in solitary confinement on the punishment wing. She had only been on the punishment wing for two weeks, but it felt like a long time for Madeleine.

"The punishment wing is even worse than that iso-cube they put me in back in Megacity One," said Morgaine.

Madeleine returned Morgaine's kiss.

"I really missed you, Morgaine," she said.

"Not as much as I missed you, my pretty handmaiden," laughed Morgaine.

"I'm not your handmaiden!"

Morgaine smiled. "If we were in the thirteen worlds where I am queen, I would make you my chief handmaiden. You would warm my bed every night."

"You already told me that if this were your world, you would have had me executed for piracy." They both laughed.


Later that night as they snuggled together under a blanket Morgaine thought about her cellmate. Morgaine had indeed missed Madeleine while she was in solitary confinement. She had known so many cellmates during her two hundred years of incarceration. Most of them had been lowborn women; badly educated and often coming from desperate situations of drug abuse and domestic violence. Morgaine had given them love and comfort, but she had especially enjoyed the company of Madeleine. She was an educated and intelligent woman who had taught her much about the ways of this world. Not only that, but despite being a merchant's daughter, Madeleine had a nobility and elegance to her bearing. The humiliation of imprisonment had not robbed her of her dignity. Morgaine admired that deeply.

Morgaine knew that it would only be a matter of months before Madeleine had completed her sentence. She would be set free to rebuild her life, while Morgaine would continue to spend her lonely immortality in confinement. So many women had passed through her life, sharing brief moments with her. It was not easy being immortal, watching other lives pass by so quickly.

Merlin might still be free, but no doubt he also knew that same burden of living an eternity that mortals could never share. Perhaps as he travelled in his Ship of Time, he was also thinking how much longer he had left with his present companion.

Morgaine in Stormcage, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

I have not written about any BBC Wales characters before, but River Song is an obvious choice for a prison series.


Having been incarcerated for 31 centuries, Morgaine was an expert on prisons. Most of that time had been spent at Ganymede Correctional Facility. That was a strict prison. Morgaine valued order and discipline and she admired the regime there. She had seen plenty of other prisons- HMP Holloway in the 21st century, the Lunar Penal Colony with its bizarre lack of segregation of the sexes (apparently they put contraceptive drugs in the food), an iso-cube in Megacity One and Necros Home for Delinquent Ladies. All of them had been marked with the mystical inscription which created the magic field necessary for her imprisonment. Escape had never been a possibility during those long, lonely centuries.

Morgaine was utterly unimpressed with Stormcage Containment Facility. Despite its grim, forbidding grey walls and bars, it was an utterly soft regime. The design of the prison was so antiquated. Holloway prison in the year 2000 would have been harder to escape from than this. The prisoners wore their own clothes. Her cellmate's strappy tops were perfect for distracting male guards. Back at Ganymede Correctional Facility, all of the guards had been female. They knew how to run things. They had sometimes forgotten to confiscate her cellmate's high heels- perfect for attacking guards with. In fact, Morgaine's companion in incarceration must have had a dozen useful objects for effecting an escape. No wonder she was constantly coming and going as she pleased. If Morgaine had been prison governor, there would be a lot more cell searches and a lot more strip searches. She would have done those herself and enjoyed it.

At the present moment, River Song had decided she was happy to stay in her cell. She lounged on the bunk trimming her nails. She was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt.

Morgaine had been telling her cellmate about how she had bound Merlin in the ice caves for all eternity.

"Yes, you have told me all about that a thousand times," said River. "And now you are locked up. However, you keep bumping into Merlin's past self. Very timey-wimey."

"I suppose you might say that," replied Morgaine. Why couldn't she have a cellmate who was young, cute, light and fluffy? Those were the sort of girls whose company she enjoyed on those lonely prison nights. River was too absorbed by her blasted lover to take any interest in more immediately available intimacy.

"Let me guess, sweetie," said River. "Your Merlin looks like a trendy young executive in a pinstriped suit?"

"No," replied Morgaine.

"Okay, how about a sad old man with a massive nose who never got over his mid-life crisis?"

"No."

"A boring young thing who wears a stick of celery?"

"No."

"A tall chap with blond curly hair and terrible dress sense who never shuts up?"

"No."

"Okay. We're narrowing it down. How about a tiny Celtic chap who makes funny faces when he gets angry?"

"Exactly. You finally got it. I take it that is your Merlin?" said Morgaine.

"Oh no, mine is a more advanced model. Much cuter, sweetie. It won't be long before he's mine."

River might have called Morgaine 'sweetie,' but she had no interest in girl-on-girl fun. 'Boring wench' thought Morgaine to herself.

"Enjoy him while you can," sneered Morgaine. "When he falls into my hands I will bind him in the ice caves forever! From my wrath there is no escape."

"You bitch," cried River. "Not if I rescue him!" She threw a slipper in Morgaine's direction.

This was more like it. Morgaine picked up her pillow, ready for a counter-offensive.

Historical Note, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

The opera was mentioned in Ben Aaronovitch's New Adventure novel, Transit.


Taken from "Whispers of the Doctor: Conspiracy Theories regarding a supposed Traveller in Time and Space," by Sydney Scully. Published by Vulcan University Press, 2210

'We mentioned in chapter four the bizarre UNIT Incident 17, where the Doctor and his UNIT allies were alleged to have faced demons and figures from Arthurian mythology. This story inspired the highly regarded opera "Il Dottere Va in Viaggio" by Marconi Paletti (such an incident is ONLY believable in an opera in our opinion). UNIT Incident 17 has a peculiar connection with Ganymede Correctional Facility, one of the largest penal institutions in the Solar System.

Ganymede Correctional Facility, located on the largest moon of Jupiter, was founded in 2170. It had previously been a vast and impregnable military fortress. During the Dalek invasion of the Solar System, Ganymede proved to be so well defended that it remained one of the Earth Military's last bastions, even as the other planets of the Solar System fell into Dalek hands. After the Daleks had been driven from Earth, it was discovered that thousands of men and women had collaborated with the Daleks. There being a lack of suitable prisons on Earth, the fortress was hastily converted into a vast prison complex. After 2187, Ganymede Correctional Facility became solely a women's prison. It has won several awards for the firm discipline and orderly regime that is exercised within its walls.

According to our Doctor-watchers, Morgaine, the evil sorceress behind UNIT Incident 17 has been imprisoned for over two hundred years since the late Twentieth century and is currently held in Ganymede Correctional Facility. According to this conspiracy theory, the Doctor arranged for Morgaine to be transferred from custody on Earth to the military garrison on Ganymede in order to keep her secure during the Dalek invasion. After the conversion of the garrison to a prison, she allegedly remained an inmate there. Not only is it alleged that the incredible Doctor wielded such influence over a course of governments for over two hundred years to ensure the continued imprisonment of this presumably unhappily long-lived individual, but he also provided helpful tactics to the Earth Military to ensure the security of Ganymede, not to mention suggesting using it as a prison for collaborators after the war. As with all Doctor-related conspiracy theories, this ascribes to him almost omnipotent power.

Despite the absurdity of this urban myth, a number of pieces of evidence have been cited by Doctor-watchers. Veterans of the Dalek War testify that an unknown female prisoner was held in solitary confinement in the military garrison on Ganymede. Naturally, this tells us little. Were there no spies or deserters captured during the war? A number of former inmates at the prison have testified that they knew the immortal enchantress. Readers may judge for themselves the reliability of convicted collaborators, fraudsters and smugglers.

Sceptics have frequently pointed out that if Morgaine did exist and had the powers ascribed to her by those who take UNIT Incident 17 seriously, it would surely be impossible to imprison such a person. Doctor-watchers claim that the Doctor used his occult knowledge to provide a means of imprisonment for the sorceress. It is claimed that the walls of Ganymede Correctional Facility are covered in mystical markings that generate a magic field to hold her and prevent the use of her powers. This claim is rather harder to refute. It has been confirmed through photographic evidence that Ganymede Correctional Facility does feature many unknown inscriptions on its walls. Oddly, these markings also match those found in a number of older prisons on Earth. Prison authorities insist that these markings are purely decorative in nature. We might be surprised that a strict prison regime like this would be so concerned about aesthetics, but in our judgment this gives no credence to this altogether implausible story.'

Justice, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

Naturally, you have to have a fight in a 'Girls in prison' series. I kept it short because I don't like violence.


Morgaine slammed her fist into the other woman, knocking her to the ground. Before her opponent could rise, she gave her another kick with her bare foot. Certain that her opponent had been felled, Morgaine stepped away from her and slipped her flip flops back on.

Ganymede Correctional Facility was a tight operation, with discipline strictly enforced. Violence was generally rare, but occasionally it happened. Mali, Morgaine's opponent had been bullying weaker inmates and taking advantage of them. This was not something that Morgaine tolerated on her watch.

Morgaine addressed the other women gathered around. "Hear me. If I hear of any other woman in here abusing others, she will answer to me, Morgaine the Sunkiller. We are sisters in captivity. We are all in this place together and we will live like sisters. Does anybody object to that?"

There were no objections from anyone. Every inmate knew that Morgaine was a strange creature, perhaps slightly mad, but they feared her prowess as a fighter and respected her sense of justice.

At that moment, prison guards burst into the recreation area, shouting for the inmates to return to the cells, while Mali was picked up and carried to the medical wing. Morgaine was harried with the other women back to the cells. She suspected that the guards could have got involved earlier, but they probably thought Mali had it coming.

Morgaine knew the prison staff would examine the video footage and that she would do time in the punishment wing. 'What does that matter?' she thought to herself. In her world she had ruled over millions, in this prison she was determined to be a leader amongst the inmates. It was her duty, as a queen, a warrior and a noblewoman.


Meanwhile in another time and another place, the Doctor thought of Morgaine. From a distance, he had kept an eye on her during her imprisonment. He knew of the kindness she had showed to other prisoners. He knew how she had fought against both prisoners and guards who had been cruel and abusive. He knew how much Morgaine had done to redeem herself.

'Can I leave her locked up forever?,' wondered the Doctor. 'Has she proved her self worthy to be released?' It was a question he had asked himself many times. He had ordered that Morgaine be locked up. She had been locked up for about two hundred years now. How many centuries would he keep her in there for? Was it just for her to stay in prison until the end of the universe? It was a question the Doctor agonised over.

'No, I can't risk releasing her,' decided the Doctor. So many times had he pondered the quandary of Morgaine and come to that same conclusion. Morgaine was a creature of chaos. She was too unpredictable, perhaps too unstable. Even if she returned to her own universe, there was no guarantee that she would stay there. Morgaine was much safer locked up.

Morgaine takes a Shower, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

You can't do a 'Girls in prison' series without a shower scene; it's pretty much obligatory. I think this is pretty inoffensive. Read whatever subtext you like into it.

Madeleine Issigri is of course from The Space Pirates.


Ganymede Correctional Facility, 2191

Twelve inmates stood naked in the sonic shower, their skin prickling and shuddering as the dirt on their bodies formed into fine dust and fell off. They were all human females. There were a few non-human inmates in the prison, Draconians, Alpha Centauri (being hermaphrodites, Alpha Centauri could be found in both male and female prisons), Kleptons and Earth Reptiles (calling them Silurians, Eocenes, or Sea Devils was the height of political incorrectness), but they showered separately from the other inmates.

Morgaine glanced at her cellmate Madeleine. Madeleine always seemed uncomfortable standing naked with the other women in the prison. She was an attractive woman, but she had allowed herself to get flabby during her incarceration. She had also lived a life of privilege before her arrest. Communal showers were something she found hard to get used to. 'She should have thought about that before she fell in with pirates,' thought Morgaine to herself. In her opinion, Madeleine should count herself lucky. In the Thirteen Worlds she had ruled, friends of pirates were always executed. Having to shower with other women and wear a yellow prison uniform seemed a rather light punishment. Morgaine liked her cellmate and counted her as a friend, but she looked down on her as one lacking in nobility. Madeleine was a merchant and a merchant's daughter. As a warrior and a queen, Morgaine had an instinctive distaste for merchants.

Morgaine had no discomfort at being naked in front of the other prison women. It rather reminded her of bathing in the crystal clear lakes of her world with her handmaidens. The penalty was death for any man who dared to behold Morgaine and her maidens washing. Morgaine missed her handmaidens. They were so pretty; chosen from the fairest girls of all her Thirteen Worlds. She shared her bedchamber with all of them. Naturally, being Battle Queen of the S'rax, she always won at pillow fights.

Morgaine liked to flaunt her body before the other inmates. She spent a lot of time in the prison gym keeping it in shape. Her form was strong and muscular, but she had an impressive bust that would make any supermodel envious.

She regretted being a little short. This was especially an inconvenience in prison, where flip flops were the only footwear permitted. Her armoured boots had always helped to give her a boost. Nevertheless, she had always made up for her lack of height by the magnificence of her presence. Her sheer confidence seemed to add a kind of magical glamour, No doubt it owed a lot to the blood of the Elder Folk that flowed through her veins. All of the other prisoners admired and feared her. She might no longer be Battle Queen of the S'rax and Dominator of Thirteen Worlds, but in this joint she was top bitch and every other inmate knew it well.

The sonic shower stopped and the inmates moved, shivering, towards where they had left their yellow prison pyjamas.

"Morgaine, stop prancing around and get your clothes on. I want you back in your cell in two minutes!" shouted a voice. It was the short guard with the long dark hair. The one that seemed to have it in for her.

"Whatever you say, miss," Morgaine snapped in reply. This petty mortal woman could shout at her all she liked. One day she would be old and shrivelled, but she would ever be Ageless and Deathless Morgaine.

A Task for Morgaine, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

Ganymede Correctional Facility, 2191

The cell walls were covered in inscriptions from some strange language. There were no chairs, instead the occupants were expected to sit on the synthetic matting that covered the floor. Two futons were hung from the wall. In the twenty first century, the furnishing might have been described as 'Asiatic,' but in the racially mixed 22nd century, in which humanity had pushed out into space, such geographical designations were irrelevant.

Two women sat on the floor of their cell. They both wore yellow prison pyjamas and bare feet. One of the women was an attractive woman in her late thirties with short blond hair. The other woman had an age that was impossible to identify. At times she looked young, at times she looked impossibly ancient, yet great strength was apparent in her figure. Her hair was long and and a rich red. Her eyes blazed with an emerald green fire. Both women had a dignity that refused to bow to the humiliation of imprisonment, but the red-haired woman had a haughtiness that spoke only of royalty, even sat in a prison cell.

The blond woman glanced at the stange markings on the wall. It looked like some ancient language and was not a little foreboding. She had been told that they were there simply because of the red-haired woman. Apparently, they created a magic field that stopped her using the sorcerous powers she was supposed to possess. It all seemed hard to believe, but then her cellmate was a strange character. At times she would be haughty and a little cruel, at other times she could be kind and compassionate and sometimes she could be filled with tragic melancholia. She often mourned for her deceased brother, who at times sounded more like he was her lover.


The cell door opened and a small man appeared; dressed in a linen safari suit. He greeted the two occupants of the cell. "Madeleine Issigri! Such a long time! And Ageless and Deathless Morgaine! What a pleasure!"

"Merlin!" greeted the red-haired woman with a broad smile. Merlin removed his straw hat and gave a bow.

The Doctor turned to the blond woman. "Madeleine, I do miss that metal cap you used to wear. What a shame they didn't let you keep it. You don't recognise me, but we have met. How much longer have you got left here?" he asked.

"Another twelve months," she answered. "That's half my sentence done and I'm hoping they may let me out early."

"I know it's not easy for you to be here, Madeleine, but I do admire you for giving yourself up and accepting justice. I have seen too many who can never turn back from wrongdoing," he said with a look of sadness.

"Thank you," Madeleine replied. "This place is not as bad as I had feared and it has been good for me to think hard about some of my priorities."

The Doctor turned back to the red-haired woman. "Lady Morgaine, will you come with me? We must talk." He bade farewell to Madeleine and left the cell. Morgaine rose up to follow him. Leaving the cell she slipped on her flip flops.


The Doctor took Morgaine to the plush office of the governor. Inmates who were lucky enough to be invited in there had to remove their flip flops before going in, and Morgaine felt the deep, soft carpet beneath her feet. In the centre of the office was a desk made of genuine wood, a rare luxury in the 22nd century. The Doctor sat down and motioned Morgaine to take a seat.

"Naturally, being a high-ranking official from the government, I am able to evict the governor from her office for an hour or so," he said.

"You are as crafty and deceitful as ever, Merlin. Though last time I saw you, in Holloway prison, you had taken on a different aspect," Morgaine said.

"I visited you in Holloway did I? I must remember to do that. I don't want to allow any temporal paradoxes," he replied with interest. "So how are things here?"

"The prisons of this time are stricter than what I experienced in the years after my capture, though they are kept in good order. I dare say that after a thousand years of incarceration, I will have sampled a great deal of different prisons," Morgaine commented.

The Doctor looked at her with a look of great seriousness. "I will be watching you, Morgaine. I will ensure that you are never ill-treated. But I can never allow you to escape and go free. You are simply too dangerous and you have caused to many deaths."

Moragine laughed. "Merlin, you will say that to me again in your new aspect. You change little. Though you have kept your word. Whatever my humiliations here, I have never been subject to cruelty and I have never had chance to escape," she said. "You must have known that many prisoners on earth escaped when the Daleks invaded. I suppose it was you that arranged for me to be transferred to the military fortress on Ganymede before the invasion."

The Doctor gave a mysterious smile before replying. "That was as much for your safety, Morgaine. You might not be so 'deathless' and 'ageless' if the Daleks had set to work on you."

"I appreciate your concern, Merlin. So what is it that you should like to say to me?" she asked.

"I have obtained permission for you to be temporarily received into my custody. I need your help," he replied.

Morgaine seemed amused. "Merlin seeks help from the evil witch Morgaine? This is a surprise."

"Is it? You have never delighted in needless destruction, even if you have caused plenty of deaths through your petty feuds. You once summoned a terrible demon that could have destroyed the planet earth. There are other demons that threaten this universe. I need your help in defeating them," he explained.

Morgaine's curiosity had been aroused. "Demonology has ever been one of my interests. I have had little opportunity to study it in here. Tell me of your demons, Merlin."

"This universe is very different to yours, Morgaine. Your universe is full of magic and chaos. This universe is different. When it was still young, my people the Time Lords imposed on it order and reason. We fought against the forces of chaos and unreason, banishing or destroying them," he explained.

"Forces of chaos like me. You imposed your order on me quite successfully. You are true to the history of your people, Merlin," Morgaine interjected.

The Doctor seemed a little taken aback, unsure how to respond to this accusation. However, he continued. "The most powerful and dangerous forces of chaos came from another universe that we accidentally accessed. This universe was not like yours, but a hellish place, filled with torment, cruelty and madness. The creatures from this universe were called the Yssgaroth."

"I have some knowledge of this demon realm, though there are many such worlds. I have no fondness for them, though I have trafficked with them," said Morgaine.

"You took risks in doing that, as you know from that incident with the Destroyer," the Doctor chided. "There have been many worlds on which the Yssgaroth have been worshipped as gods. Depraved and deluded beings have followed them throughout history. Occasionally, these fools gain the power to open up access to their universe. In eight years time, one of these monstrous cults will attempt to open up a gateway to the Yssgaroth universe. I need your help to close it. I know that you have the power to do so."

Morgaine considered what the Doctor had said. "This is a task that is to my liking. But what can you offer me in return, Merlin?"

The Doctor sighed. "You are in prison, Morgaine. There are limits to what I can do for you. I can obtain any delicacy you crave. I can probably smuggle in a bottle of wine. They might let you keep a canary if I ask them nicely. I could get you a larger cell all for yourself if you like. Or perhaps it was male company you're missing in here; I doubt you're in want of any female comradeship..."

"These are mere trifles, Merlin," snapped Morgaine. I will do what you ask, but there is something you must do for me.

"I will hear what you ask, Morgaine, but you must give me your word that you will return to prison once our work is done," replied the Doctor.


Later, the Doctor signed the papers of release for Morgaine and showed her to his TARDIS. Morgaine was quite fascinated with the vessel. "Ah, your ship of time. Oft I have desired to see it and many times I have craved to have it for myself," she said.

"Don't count your luck, Morgaine," said the Doctor coldly.

In the console room sat a trunk. He opened it up, revealing a brilliant suit of golden armour.

"I brought your old armour for you to wear. I had an old friend who used to like yellow pyjamas, but I doubt you will want to go into action dressed in those," he said, indicating Morgaine's prison uniform.

"Thank you, Merlin. It is almost two hundred years since I wore that armour. It will please me to wear it once again," said Morgaine.



Khnum 2, 2199

The TARDIS arrived in a patch of woodland. The Doctor and Morgaine stepped out warily. The woodland was deathly quiet. The planet's moon projected a sickly green light over the landscape.

Through the clearing, they saw the ruins of a temple built by the previous inhabitants of the planet. The Doctor explained something of the history of the place to Morgaine.

"Khnum 2 was one of those worlds influenced by the Yssagroth. Thousands of years ago the sentient creatures who lived here worshipped them and knew ways to contact them. Recently human colonists have discovered these secrets. Knowledge can be a dangerous thing," he explained.

As they approached the ruins, they began to hear the sound of eerie chanting. The ruins were not so desolate as they appeared. The sound of the chant seemed to evoke a darker time; a time of war, bloodshed and cruelty. Morgaine was not at all disturbed by these sounds. She had raised up armies and seen all of them wiped out by their foes and had offered return in kind. She had summoned and expelled the foulest of demons. She had no fear of evil gods.

The stone work of the temple was ornately carved, showing depictions of the original inhabitants of the world engaged in various acts of violence and depravity. They also featured monstrous winged serpents with many eyes and huge, bat-like giants.

The Doctor and Morgaine proceeded into the temple courtyard, the source of the terrible noises. They saw a group of about a dozen hooded figures waving their arms in a frenzied fashion. They had erected a monstrous effigy of a serpent astride a globe. The sound of their chanting seemed to having an effect. Dark shadows were forming in the courtyard and the very air itself seemed to be drawn towards it, as though some great vacuum had been accessed.

The Doctor shouted at the participants in the ritual. "This ceremony must stop. You have no idea what you are playing at."

One of the robed and hooded figures ceased his chanting and turned to the new arrivals. "You dare to disturb our ceremony? You will die, but not before the old gods arrive!" he cried.

Morgaine raised her hand and the man crumbled into dust. His fellow cultists moved backwards in fright. Yet they quickly turned around when strange eerie sounds pierced the night. The chanting had done its work. A terrible sound like the beating of huge wings could be heard.

The very air in the courtyard seemed to open up, allowing a gaping maw to emerge, revealing the menacing red light of an alien skyline. The maw was engulfed by a massive shape.

The thing which had appeared from the alien world was something that could not be completely captured by the human eye. It seemed definitely serpent like, though its shape seemed to shift slightly with every glance. It had wings, though sometimes it appeared their were two, sometimes four. Its body was covered in countless eyes. It seemed to have a head, graced with horns, though it was difficult to discern where the long coiled body ended and where the head started. Once in a while, it looked less like a serpent and more like a sea of eyes with no definite form at all.

Morgaine approached the monstrosity without fear. "What are you, demon?" she asked it.

The thing spoke in a surprisingly soft voice. "I am the vanguard of the Yssgaroth host. We are coming for this world. It belongs to us. We shall take it and do with it as we please."

"No. It shall not be permitted. Merlin and I stand against you," Morgaine declared.

The thing noticed the tiny figure of the Doctor. It roared at the sight.

"A Time Lord! The ancient enemy! And what are you, puny woman?" it asked.

"I am Morgaine, Dominator of Thirteen Worlds and Battle Queen of the S'rax and of the blood of the Elder Folk. And your enemy!" she cried.

"None in this world can stand against us," the thing boasted.

"I am not of this world. I am born of another world and wield the powers of chaos! Be gone, demon!" she shouted. She pointed her hand at the thing, conjuring up a ball of emerald green lightning and casting it out. The thing seemed to retreat.

The energy that Morgaine wielded seemed to intensify. The blazing emerald light spread to her whole body, casting it in a terrifying green halo. Again she cried "Be gone, demon!" The thing seemed to get smaller and disappeared into the red maw, which faded into shadow.

"Well done, Morgaine," cried the Doctor.

"Morgaine's body continued to pulsate with green fire. She seemed intoxicated by the magic power. "I am Morgaine! I have vanquished demons and foul gods! I can rule this entire universe! No one in this world can stop me now!" she roared.

The Doctor jumped back and his face contorted with anger. "You gave your word!" he snarled. "You promised to surrender, Morgaine! You must give yourself up and return to prison. Remember what we agreed?"

Morgaine looked shocked and the emerald fire faded. Her body slumped as if through fatigue. "Yes, I gave my word," she said. "Let us return to your ship of time.


Back in the TARDIS, Morgaine sat down in a chair, weary after her battle with the horror. She looked at the Doctor "I have done something to pay off my debt to this world, Merlin."

"Yes, you have," he replied. "I am sure you will have other opportunities."

"You needed me because I am not like you, Merlin. I see this very well. You are a creature of order and reason. I am born of chaos. You needed that power of chaos in your battle. Yet you fear me and thus you return me to captivity," said Morgaine.

"Yes, I fear you, Morgaine," he replied. "Yet I respect you to. I only wish there were another way."

Morgaine looked at her magnificent armour. "Shall I change back now?" she asked

"No," the Doctor replied. "Let them take that armour off you when you get there. It'll make a more impressive entrance."


The TARDIS soon materialised in Ganymede Correctional Facility. When Morgaine and the Doctor left the ship, a guard approached, looking a little startled by Morgaine's golden armour.

"I've brought her back to you safe and sound. Make sure you look after her," he instructed.

As a guard gently took Morgaine's arm to lead her to the booking area, she pointed to the Doctor, "Remember your promise, Merlin."


Some time later, the Doctor arrived at his destination. It had taken him weeks to work out coordinates to enter Morgaine's universe. Even for a TARDIS, entering another universe was seemingly impossible. Yet he knew it could be done. He knew that one day he would go there and take on the role of Merlin for real. There he would be defeated by Morgaine. But not yet.

He let the TARDIS, gazing at the incredible landscape before him. Mountains stretched out into infinity, covered in endless forests. He saw dragons fly across the vast skies. He heard a sad singing from the air; the sound of the stars in their lament.

The Doctor knelt and dug a grave. A grave for Mordred, a foe he had faced in battle. Not dead by his hand, but by the sad ravages of time which all mortals faced.

Prisoner In A Grey World, by Matthew Clarke (my fan fiction)

A lot of fans ridicule the idea of superwitch Morgaine being 'locked up' at the end of Battlefield. I like the idea. It does get wearying seeing characters being killed off left, right and centre, so I thought I would follow up a baddy surviving and being 'locked up.'

HMP Holloway 2011

The prison officer led the visitor across the wing. She suppressed a wry smile at his archaic outfit. He seemed dressed more for a fancy dress party than a prison visit. But then the prisoner he was visiting was a bit of a space cadet herself. The man's soft features expressed a boundless energy, yet his eyes betrayed great wisdom and suggested quite a contrast with his boyish smile.

This was no ordinary visit. It was a private and confidential meeting arranged by the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. This man, Dr. John Smith, was apparently one of their bigwigs.

The bigwig looked at his surroundings. He hated prisons. He was no stranger to being locked up, but attempts to keep him that way would always prove unsuccessful. The Doctor considered prisons to be grim places. To strip a person of his or her freedom was an assault on their dignity as a sentient being. Sometimes prisons would harm rather than reform their charges. However, he knew they could not be dispensed with. There were too many people in the universe who would jeopardise the lives of others in the pursuit of money, power or lust. Such people had to be dealt with and prevented from doing more mischief. Perhaps there was a better way of punishing people, but if so it was not obvious what it was. Even the seemingly all-powerful Time Lords had their own prison on the asteroid Shada.

Many of those who tangled with the Doctor never survived to be incarcerated. It seemed that most of his enemies became so locked into a life or death struggle that in the end their destruction was inevitable. Yet occasionally, his antagonists had lived to face justice. He thought of Miss Winters. Her Scientific Reform Society had tried to use a giant robot to start a nuclear holocaust that would have decimated earth's population. They were willing to sacrifice humanity in the pursuit of their bizarre notions of 'progress.' Miss Winters was a strange, twisted character. No doubt his old friend Sigmund would have seen her as a classic case of sexual neurosis. Whatever the case, UNIT had made sure that she received a lengthy jail sentence for troubles.

Further into the future, he had encountered Helen A. On Terra Alpha she had imposed a cruel, totalitarian regime in which 'happiness' was enforced and misery was a capital crime. She had killed thousands in the name of 'happiness.' Yet despite the bloodshed she had wrought, the only tears she shed were for her dead pet. To the end, she was convinced that her cause was right and just. Helen A had died in prison a bitter and broken woman.

How different from Madeleine Issigri. Industrialist Madeleine had fallen into the too common human trap of letting money come before all else. She had given aid to a vicious gang of space pirates. In the end, she had admitted her wrongdoing and helped him defeat the pirates. The court was lenient with her and she wasted only two years of her life in the clink.

In the case of the prisoner he was visiting, he knew that captivity was the only option. She was simply too dangerous to go free.

The Doctor looked at the strange inscriptions marked on the walls of the prison wing. He himself had given instructions for these markings to be made. The Doctor knew much about the Occult arts. He knew that these inscriptions would create a magic field that would prevent the prisoner using her sorcerous powers.

Finally they came to the private meeting room. Apart from the strange glyphs on the walls, it was bare, graced only by a table and two chairs. A few minutes later, the prisoner was brought in.

The Doctor remembered the brilliant suit of golden armour she wore on the battlefield. This had been replaced by a pink tracksuit. Her long talons had been clipped short. Her long red hair had lost something of it's shine. Yet her eyes still blazed with an emerald green fire.

The woman gave a broad smile and greeted him "Merlin!"

"Ageless and Deathless Morgaine" Merlin acknowledged.

Morgaine looked at her old enemy, who had changed so much. "Your aspect has changed again, Merlin. Your inconstancy will never cease."

"And how are you keeping, Lady Morgaine?" he asked.

Morgaine regarded him coldly "I find it hard to forgive you for the indignities I suffered after my surrender. UNIT had me sedated with their drugs for weeks and I was kept locked in solitude for nearly a year. Even now I am subject to strip searches and drug tests. I must endure the company of women who are lowborn and coarse, however much I value their company."

"Forgive me, Morgaine," the Doctor replied, his face filling with apparent regret. "I'm sorry that it is impossible for you to be treated with the dignity you deserve. Nevertheless, your imprisonment is not only necessary, but just. You summoned a demon that would have consumed this planet. You nearly destroyed it yourself by unleashing a nuclear holocaust. Even though you failed, several UNIT personnel lost their lives through your actions. On the thirteen worlds you ruled, I can only imagine how many you killed. For one who taken as many lives as you have, it is not becoming to complain about the humility of your present circumstances. You have to face these consequences. I will make sure you are never ill-treated, but I can never allow you to escape or go free."

Morgaine's anger resided into sadness "I know that I have done many wrongs. Not least to my own dear brother, Arthur. For that reason alone I submitted to this imprisonment. But it is not easy for one who was Battle Queen of the S'rax and Dominator of Thirteen Worlds to suffer this humiliation, however much it may be deserved. Nevertheless, in answer to your question, I am at peace with myself."

"Have you seen Mordred, your son?" asked the Doctor. The Doctor knew that Mordred was being kept at Belmarsh prison.

"Visits have been arranged between us," she replied. "It is not easy for him to be so separated from me. He was always a soft boy."

"He has become something of the bard, I'm sure you're aware. His poems have been published in many newspapers of this country," the Doctor said with enthusiasm.

Morgaine smiled. "I enjoy his poems. It pleases me that he can at least pursue the craft of the bard if he can no longer be the warrior. Mordred will of course grow old and die. Like me he is of the blood of the Elder Folk, but he has not been touched with the elements as I have. When he is gone, I shall be alone in this world to be imprisoned until the end of time."

"It is regrettable," replied the Doctor.

Morgaine rose from her seat silently, shuffling past the table in her slippers. She stopped by the window and gazed across the prison yard. "This is an harsh world," she said, continuing to stare out of the window. "I know the women in this prison. They have lost their spirit, their sense of joy in life and their knowledge of beauty. This grey world has done this to them. So many of them have suffered abuse at the hands of their menfolk. So many of them have become enslaved to the drugs that this world has made, in the hope of dulling their pain. With the little power that you have left me, I have tried to heal and comfort those that I meet in here. I try to give them hope, telling them of another world where beauty and nobility reign supreme."

"You truly are a noble being, Lady Morgaine," said the Doctor quietly. "This world is as harsh and grim as you say. I sometimes despair that it can ever be brightened."

As Morgaine began to return to her seat, she noticed the Doctor produce a device with a flashing light. "They let you bring that in here? Were you not searched?" she asked.

"I was searched all right," beamed the Doctor "but they don't know how good I am at hiding things." He waved the gadget around, then bent under the table. He pulled out a tiny microphone. "Somebody is apparently interested in what I am about to ask you about, my Lady."

"Ask away, good Merlin. I have all of eternity to answer your questions," she said, folding her arms.

"I need to know what they have been asking you."

Morgaine smiled "You mean whether I have ever taken heroin or thought about suicide?"

The Doctor had not realised that she had a sense of humour. "I mean UNIT and the Ministry of Defence too. Have they asked you about biotechnology?"

"Of course they did, Merlin. The warriors of this world think of nothing but machines. They asked Mordred as well. But we know little of it. We are warriors. Machines are the craft of peasants," she replied with a little disdain.

"Peasants like myself of course. I've been called that before," he chuckled. "Did they ask you about magic as well?"

"I told them as much as I could but it will do them little good. The powers I wield are in my blood or drawn from the native soil of my world. You cannot obtain that power from nowhere, especially not in this world. They asked me about my kingdom too. They were fascinated, but as they can never go there it will be no more than stuff for schoolmen."

The Doctor looked satisfied. "Many thanks, my Lady." He rose to leave.

"Merlin, remember that we will meet again. In my past and your future. I may be a prisoner now, but you will one day meet me again and be bound forever in the Ice Caves," she warned.

"Always be prepared," and gave her a boyish grin as he left the room.

As a prison officer escorted Morgaine back to her cell, her thoughts were far from her victory over Merlin. She thought only of her brother. She thought of their happy childhood together. They had danced with the Elder Folk, watched dragons soar through endless skies and listened to the sad singing of the stars. Both Arthur and her world had been lost to her forever.