A brief explanation: Originally, this was a question on the This Time Round FAQ... but after finding out just how many original/crossover characters _had_ appeared in This Time Round, I decided to make it a page of its own...

This is intended as an introduction to some of the characters of This Time Round: noticeably, original characters, crossover characters from other series, and companions from the audios, books and comics.

Written by: Mags L Halliday, Imran Inayat, Douglas B. Killings, and Bradley Keith Willis.

So... let's start.

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS:

The Adric Defense Force (ADF) is an organization of die-hard Adric supporters who have decided that enough is enough and have taken up arms in the character's defense. The organization is very well armed and funded, but no one (except, perhaps, their fearless leader) knows exactly where it gets all the toys it is allowed to play with (although there are whispered rumors concerning various intelligence agencies, all of which disavow any knowledge of their actions). Nevertheless, the ADF enjoys a staggering amount of influence when it comes to getting local military organizations to play ball with them; unfortunately, they can't seem to use any of it to save Adric's life, nor change fandom's general opinion of him. They have a universal tendancy to shoot first and ask questions later, and are known to leave large amounts of property damage in their wake.

Named ADF members:

Doug -- Aka, "Fearless Leader" and "The ADF Guy". Codenamed Alpha Six. Tall, with a brown pony tail and propensity for making overly dramatic gestures.
Diane -- The ADF's second. Generally follows Doug's lead on everything. Blonde haired, NOT Blonde-brained. Alpha Two.
Vick3ie -- An ADF grunt. Usually the spotter of the team. Alpha Three.
Charlie -- An ADF grunt. Sharpshooter and sniper. Alpha Seven.
Andy -- An ADF grunt. Sharpshooter and sniper. Tends to use armor-piercing rounds. Alpha Five.
Heather -- The ADF's tech wizard, ala McGuyver. Very English and very proud of it. Alpha Four.

Also, the ADF has a liason officer with their unnamed funding and supply source. This person is William Starr, and he is sometimes codenamed Alpha Zero. He is not deployed with the others, but instead works out of a nondescript office "somewhere in Virginia".

NOTE: Alpha One is the ADF's codename for Adric

First stories:
Doug, Diane -- "Friendly Fire"
Vick3ie, Andy, Charlie, Heather -- "Friendly Gestures"
William -- "Friendly Hopes"

NOTE: ADF-Gamma Team is B.K. Willis' creation, but they are a second tier group of grunts and are really nothing more than red-shirts.

Francois the Ogron: Francois is a very large, violent, and capitalistic Ogron who works as TTR's bouncer and occasional bartender. He is much more intelligent and observant than he lets on, despite his rather brutish mannerisms. He sometimes has a sock-puppet cat named 'Mr. Moggie' that he talks to. In the MPT3k plotline, he is Adric's henchman. First appeared in 'TDF: Like Water for Adric'.

Number One: Number One is a high-ranking officer in a secret order of Nyssa-worshippers called 'The Brethren' and is dedicated to opposing Adric and his supporters. Due to his habit of chain-smoking and his extraordinarily bad temper, he is sometimes called 'The Cigarette-Smoking Bastard'. He received the Jusenkyou Spring-of-Drowned-Girl Curse in 'TDF: Like Water for Adric', so he now changes into a girl when splashed with cold water. In male form, he is about 5' 6", with dark hair and skin, and a muscular build.

As a girl, she is 4' 10", well-built, and has red hair. In the TDF plotline, he is fighting the Adric Defense Force while simultaneously using his female form to try and keep Nyssa and Adric apart. In the MPT3k plotline, he is one of Adric's victims aboard the Satellite of Love. First appeared in 'TDF: Cabals-Up'.

Ember Ashe: In TDF, this is Number One's alias when in female form. Also the name of a 'Badlands' character who has made some cameos in This Time Round, starting with 'Letter of the Law'.

The White Dalek: Another of Number One's disguises. First appeared in TTR in 'Five Little Words'.

Alexander Carter: This peculiar man owns Carter's Imports, a small store not far from This Time Round. He sells all manner of strange merchandise, from cheap souvenir ashtrays to weapons to magical artifacts. First appeared in 'TDF: Like Water for Adric'.

He-Who-Is-Never-Named: The mysterious leader of the Brethren; no one knows who he is or what he looks like. He possesses the Brethren's most sacred artifact, the Holy Slip of Nyssa. First appeared in 'TDF: Cabals Up'.

The WANKERs: Wondrous and Adorable Nyssa's Knights-Errant Regiment. This group of incredibly pathetic fanboys consists of Darren Ullman (the leader), Tyson Hendriks (the smart one), Eric Rogan (the big one), and David Ogden (the spineless one). The foursome are all devout Nyssa-worshippers and utter imbeciles. They had a beat-up old car, the TAURDUS, which was blown up in 'TDF: Light Matters'. This was replaced by an even more beat-up old car, called 'Lord Omega', in 'TDF: The Feminine Mistake'. In the TDF plotline, they are theoretically Number One's minions. Darren first appeared in 'TDF: Cabals-Up', while the others debuted in 'TDF: The Knights Who Say 'Nyssa''.

Julia the Saleslady: This young lady runs a women's clothing store not far from This Time Round, and may be involved with Alexander Carter. First appeared in 'TDF: Like Water for Adric'.

Coyote: This is a demonic version of Adric from the 'Badlands' series, who occasionally shows up in This Time Round. First appeared in TTR in 'Split Personalities'.

Jade: One of the sentient TARDISes (TARDISi?) who occassionally visits the 'Round. She is smaller than the others, Oriental and always wears green silk. She has a tendency to look like she wants to escape to the nearest area of safety. She has a sisterly relationship with Compassion i.e. not entirely harmonious. First appeared in 'Grrl Power' (as Jade).

The Author Mafia: A shadowy group, often referred to by the characters, and only occasionally seen (so far). They're the ones who write the stories the (unfortunate) denizens of the 'Round end up starring in. It's suspected that, technically, _all_ Who writers are members of the Mafia... but there seem to be a number of central 'cells', all of whom appear to possess the ability to enforce permanent changes on the Who characters through their stories - at least, those who originate in the medium that a cell writes for...

Their ultimate motives and plans? None of the characters know. However, given the sheer _number_ of known and suspected Authors... probably like any _other_ large organisation.

Uh-oh...

They prefer to be known as the 'Author Legitimate Businesspeople'. First referred to in 'Mary-Sue Syndrome', and appear in 'Of Mice and Mayhem'.

They're opposed by:-

The Fan Ninjas: A group that manages to pull off the not-inconsiderable task of making Team Rocket look _competent_. Their stated mission is to prevent the 'atrocities against innocent characters' they believe the Author Mafia are responsible for.

It'd _help_ if any of them were actually Who fans...

Two of them have appeared so far: Mick and Lisa. Mick's young, idealistic, and an otaku (an anime fan). Unfortunately, his only contact with the outside world comes _from_ that anime... Lisa's older, harassed, paranoid, and utterly devoted to her cause. And a crap map-reader.

First appeared in 'LWT: Invasion of the Fan Ninjas!'

Order of the Cross-Post: Irreverently nicknamed the 'Crossies', the Order, with its unholy fanaticism to the Ultimate Post, and its minions, the monstrous Spamites, were virtually all killed in the long-ago Jihad. However, a few managed to survive, keeping their beliefs alive.

Now, they've returned, to take vengeance on those who outcast them.

However, they're not known for churning out geniuses...

The Order's led by a High Priestess. Compared to most of her followers, she's relatively sane.

Relatively.

Each member of the Order identifies themselves using a letter of the Greek alphabet. They're based in a dark damp subterranean chamber, which none of them really like. The only reason they stay down there is that there's a nameless, formless evil from outside continuity down there. And with its aid, they're unstoppable.

Howvever, one or two of the Order are clued-in enough to realise that thinking like _that_ makes them returning villains. With interesting consequences...

First appeared in 'LWT: Bete Noire'. The High Priestess and the nameless evil first appeared in 'LWT: Fallout'.

The Muses: Originating in Subreality, and embodying the creative impulse, Muses are supposed to work with their assigned authors, inspiring them to create stories.

Note 'supposed'...

Allie is Imran Inayat's Muse. 'Allie' is short for 'Alisandra', but Allie never uses her full name except for very formal situations. She's smart, conscientious, deeply protective, has a tendency to drift off the subject - and is able to shapeshift into any living thing.

She's also a /major/ Sailor Moon otaku... much to her author's irritation. In baseline form, she's about 5' 2", with long brown hair, large grey eyes, an athletic build, and can usually be found wearing Edwardian-style dresses.

First appears in 'Musings'.

Dominic is a currently unaffiliated History Muse, father (in one sense or another) to Allie, Sandra, Xeffy and Ayna. A short, well-built man, apparently in his early forties, with brown hair, a close-cut beard, and a love of Beat culture. He's well-versed in Outside history and politics, particularly when it comes to Musedom, but has a tendency to digress on topics.

Anyone who threatens his daughters, however, will incur the full force of Dominic's wrath - a wrath capable of driving him to face even the Powers.

First appears in 'The Time The Stories Went Dark', though he's first named in 'The Calliope Files: Xeffy'.
Amber is the Terran goddess (and Muse) of folklore and metafiction. Formerly, she was senior Muse to Gallifrey (see Sailor Gallifrey, below).

Looks like Amber Benson - Tara, Willow's lover, from 'Buffy' - apparently in her early twenties, with shoulder-length light brown hair, heavy-lidded eyes, and a well-built figure. The only major difference between her and the original Amber is that her eyes are a warm amber colour.

Amber comes across as warm, empathetic, and understanding, although she's not always familiar with normal social customs, and has an odd habit of mixing formal and informal language. She's loosening up as time passes, though.

She's protective of her little sister, Ana (Danel's Muse), but rather awkward around the other Muses - in her previous incarnation, she tried to bring back Gallifrey at any cost, caring nothing for anyone in her way. She's changed since then - but while the other Muses usually let the subject lie, they still remember what she did... and so does Amber.

Her power doesn't come from the Earth, from human belief, or from her domain (though she could draw power from them if she wanted). Instead, it comes from her nature as a Muse and a goddess.

First appears in 'Goodnight, Sweetheart', the Third Pro-Fun Hoedown.

Sailor Gallifrey: Magical girl, champion of anime and creativity, drama and comedy, defender of This Time Round and out of continuity locales... and Alryssa Kelly's alter ego.

Much to Alryssa's eternal discomfort... :)

Her power, unlike that of other Sailor Scouts, comes from her fusion with the spirit of dead Gallifrey - she /is/ the planet. Fortunately, the inital trauma from her creation has settled down, and Alryssa's reached an equilibrium with her other side.

Adding to the mix, Alryssa has to keep a careful eye on her human side's short temper - if she ever let loose with her full power, she could devastate a galaxy.

As Sailor Gallifrey, Alryssa carries a staff which bears a representation of the Eye of Harmony, and wears a skimpy Japanese schoolgirl's outfit in purple and white.

Which goes a long way towards explaining her discomfort... (sorry, Alryssa...)

First appeared in 'Of Mice and Mayhem', when the Fifth and Eighth Doctors drew on the power of the Editor to fight Shub-Barneyrath (long story).

She's also a member of the Odd Trio, along with Gordon Dempster and Imran Inayat - a group that somehow always seems to be linked together. If two of them are together, the third soon shows up.

And, being the Odd Trio, Gordon and Imran have joined Alryssa in her quest to fight for creativity, silliness, and pro-fun, as the Son of the Ether and the Mirror Knight, respectively.

The Bradleyard: Ahem. Since Bradley Willis is already basically Evil, the Bradleyard is the distillation of his Really, Really Evil side, from between his 29th and 30th years. He's come back through time to destroy his younger Evil self by stealing his Muse, proving himself the better writer, and then beating BKWillis up... unfortunately, he's utterly incompetent.

..And, much to everyone's (including his team's) astonishment, the gullible megalomaniac actually seems to be /succeeding/. Wibble.

Looks exactly like BKWillis, but a little older, with a sinister goatee, a sinister scar on his face, and a vaguely sinister dress sense.

And absolutely /no/ talent whatsoever (/his/ Muse quit...)

First appears in 'Shock Value', the first of the Shock Value sequence.

His pawn, henchgirl, and partner in kinkiness, Lydia, used to be a poorly-defined companion working for BKWillis, until she quit in disgust and teamed up with the Bradleyard.

Has a /very/ clear idea of her boss's talents (zilch), but works for him anyway. (hey, the sex is /great/, and she /still/ wants revenge on that no-talent redneck...)

Looks, strangely enough, like Winona Ryder, but with a fuller figure.

First appears in 'Shock Value'.

Sandra: Sandra is Allie's twin 'sister', working the graveyard shift as one of the 'Round's bartenders.

She's also a ghost.

In physical appearance, she's Allie's exact twin, barring the fact that she's translucent, floats an inch or so above the ground, and usually wears outfits that look like Calamity Jane's handmedowns. She uses her telekinetic abilities to move things around - the stronger her dominant emotion, the more she can move. More romantic - and more pragmatic - than Allie, and attuned to what people deny about themselves.

First appears in 'The Time The Stories Went Dark'.

Which leads us on to Xeffy, Allie's younger sister (short for Xephanya).

Twelve years old, with everything that implies, but more emotionally mature than others sometimes take her for. Couple of inches shorter than Allie, with grey-blue eyes, long brown hair, and an eclectic approach to fashion and music.

And wielding the gifts of a true Siren, channeled through her singing.

She teases her sisters mercilessly - but if they're in trouble, Xeffy will do /whatever/ she can to help. Even if they don't ask first...

_Also_ first appears in 'The Time The Stories Went Dark', though she gets a walkon in 'Both Sides of the Tracks'.

Ayna (short for Aynaphex) is Xeffy's Otherside counterpart. Like Xeffy, she's twelve years old, with dark brown hair, but in her, the Siren gift is fully manifest - she has grey skin, white eyes, two large wings, and long, taloned toes.

Ayna is a mixture of vulnerability and maturity - her upbringing in Otherside's given her experience in emotional and physical survival, as well as a good line in scepticism.

Losing her family or friends, however, is emotionally devastating for Ayna - as is the threat of being returned to Otherside.

First appears in 'Maybe Some Other Time'.

The Proprietor: The Boss. The guy who owns and runs the 'Round.

He's money-grubbing, cowardly, and just a /little/ kinky... and those are his good points.

A big man, in his late forties, and overweight, balding, with a drooping moustache which makes him look just a /little/ like an overweight walrus. Usually found in barman's garb and apron. First name believed to be 'Tyler' - although he's said nothing on the subject.

It should be noted that the only way he appears to keep hold of any staff is usually because said staff are either bored or crazy (apart from Harry Sullivan, who honestly seems to enjoy it).



FREQUENTLY-APPEARING CROSSOVER CHARACTERS

Luna Inverse: Elder sister of Lina Inverse, from "Slayers", and a Knight of Ceipheed - in other words, the champion of a god. However, being a god's champion doesn't pay well, so Lina takes part-time jobs... like her current one, waitressing at the 'Round. She's tall, very well built, and her purple hair covers her eyes completely - you /never/ see her eyes. Manages to scare virtually everyone at the 'Round, through being calm, collected, taciturn - and almost ruthlessly efficient. First appears in 'Hard Help'.

Catbert: From the comic strip 'Dilbert'. This sadistic feline is Brother Number Five in the TDF plotline. He has been placed in charge of Number One, much to the latter's chagrin. First appeared in 'TDF: Behind Every Bad Woman'.

Lucas Buck: From the TV series 'American Gothic'. Lucas is the Sheriff of Trinity County, South Carolina and also a high-level Demon, with the attendant powers of both offices. In the TDF plotline, he is Brother Number Six and is partnered with Catbert. He and Number One _hate_ each other. First appeared in 'TDF: Cabals-Up'.

Nabiki Tendou: From the anime series 'Ranma 1/2'. This enterprising young lady is a bookie, extortionist, and all-round opportunist who is always on the lookout for a way to make money, ethical or otherwise. In the TDF plotline, she is an acquaintance of Adric's who is running a betting pool on his ability to get a date with Nyssa. First appeared in 'TDF: Friendly Advice'.

Death: From the 'Discworld' novels. This deep-voiced version of the Grim Reaper is always on hand to deal with any mortality-related incidents in the 'Round. Technically, he is a Celestial Extension Agent of the Mortality Deferment Office. First appeared in 'TDF: Dead Again'.

Wesley Crusher: From the TV series 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. This young whiz-kid is Adric's 'Star Trek' counterpart. In the TDF plotline, he is one of Adric's best friends and one of the main people encouraging him to try and date Nyssa. First appeared in 'TDF: Friendly Advice'.

Lucas Wolencak: From the TV series 'SeaQuest DSV'. He is another boy genius, and in the TDF plotline is close friends with Adric and Wesley. First appeared in 'TDF: Friendly Advice'.

Ryoko: From the anime series 'Tenchi Muyou'. This centuries-old female space pirate is - or seems to be - some manner of artificial life-form, with various superpowers and strange abilities. In the TDF plotline, she is another of Adric's friends and is the driving force behind the romance-oriented plotting. In the FI/TWP plotlines, she's currently having to deal with her goody-goody 'twin' Minagi... and with Ayeka's attempts to alter their relationship. First appeared in 'Adric's New Role'.

Ayeka: Also from 'Tenchi Muyo', Ayeka is the Crown Princess of the Royal House of Jurai. She's regal, courteous, kind, occasionally vain, a little prim and proper...

With a violent jealous streak a mile wide when it comes to Tenchi.

Her personal force shield and energy blasts enable her to give as good as she gets from Ryoko... although, recently, she seems to be trying to change that.

_Why_ is still a bit of a mystery...

Sasami: Ayeka's baby sister, Sasami looks to be about eight years old, with long blue hair tied back in twin ponytails. Kind, gentle, sensitive... but not without her mischievous and naughty side (although she's more serious than most children her apparent age). A master cook. She's been charged by someone - or some_thing_ - to be gentle to Compassion.

Washu Hakubi: The greatest mad scientist in the Universe, and Ryoko and Minagi's 'mother', Washu usually appears as a twelve year old girl with spiky red hair.

In reality, she's over 20, 000 years old, with an extradimensional lab of her own. Her actual origins are a mystery... perhaps even to herself.

She's obsessed - and we _mean_ that - with gadgets... although dealing with a living time machine is proving a little disconcerting...

Oh, and it's 'Washu-_chan_'.

Kiyone: A Galaxy Police Officer First Class (and Mihoshi's partner), Kiyone took a part-time job at Look Who's Talking... and ended up saddled with _Mara_ as a partner, thanks to a wish she made in her sleep.

Pragmatic and sensible - in other words, almost _designed_ not to get on with kids. Has green hair. First appears in 'FI: Ever Have One Of Those Days?'

Saint of Killers: From the comic book 'Preacher'. The Saint of Killers is his world's version of the Angel of Death, in the form of a tall, craggy-faced Old West gunfighter. He has stood in for the Discworld Death in the past. First appeared in 'TDF: The Substitute'.

Happosai: From the anime series 'Ranma 1/2'. Happosai is a very old (100+ years), very short (2 feet tall), very lecherous martial-arts master, whose main hobby is stealing women's underwear. In the TDF plotline, it was he who obtained the Jusenkyou-Cursed water for Number One, although not all the kind he wanted. First appeared in 'TDF: Like Water for Adric'.

Ryouga Hibiki: Also from 'Ranma 1/2', Ryouga is a teenage martial artist who is very strong (he knocks stone pillars down with his /head/), very lost (he has the world's worst sense of direction), and... an absolute nervous wreck around girls he's attracted to. Which led to him losing the girl he loves, and ending up on Fantasy Island.

Where Skuld recruited him as the Norns' champion.

Has a number of special martial arts moves (including a depression ki-blast), is cursed to turn into a small black pig every time he's hit with cold water...

...and started wandering in time in the FI plotline. Tall, dark, and brooding, with a fanged mouth. First appears in 'TDF: The Feminine Mistake'.

Ukyou Kuonji: /Also/ from 'Ranma 1/2', Ukyou's an okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza) chef. Somehow ended up on Fantasy Island, where she began getting over Ranma choosing someone else (Akane), and struck up a friendship with Izzy - before learning Ranma was getting married, and setting out to settle things with him before the wedding. Somewhat androgynous, with long black hair, she often passes for - or gets mistaken for - a boy. Favoured weapon is the spatula...

Pearl Forrester: From the TV series 'Mystery Science Theater 3000'. This mad scientist/overprotective mother showed up in the MPT3k plotline along with her henchmen, threatening to sue Adric for copyright infringement. She later agreed to drop the suit in exchange for a date with Harry Sullivan. First appeared in 'MPT3k Episode 3'.

Skuld: Youngest of the Three Norns, Goddess of the Future, and general ice cream and mecha freak (not necessarily combined). She has long black hair, is horrifically intelligent - and a little bratty, too...

She's also having a bit of boyfriend trouble: she already has a boyfriend (Sentaro) in her 'offical' timeline... but she's also attracted to Wesley Crusher.

Uh-oh.

First appears in 'The Great Ice Cream Caper'.

Her big sister Urd makes a cameo in the same story... and Urd is a) very impulsive, and b) very determined. What she decides to do, she _does_. Something of an experimenter (especially in the making of magical drugs). Very attractive, very sexy, with long platinum blonde hair.

Their _middle_ sister, Belldandy, first makes an appearance in 'Into the Blue'. She's very loving, and very kind - almost impossibly so - but then she _is_ a goddess. Prefers to make and shape things by hand (and she's an excellent cook to boot). Medium-sized, with long brown-grey hair.

Belldandy's boyfriend, Keiichi Morisato, is an ordinary (well, as ordinary as someone who lives with three goddesses can be) motorbike designer (just graduated) from Nekomi, Japan. Short, with spiky black hair. Is pretty down to earth - well, as far as possible... He's still having trouble taking weird stuff in stride, though...

First appears in 'FI: Hey, Isn't That...?'

All four from the anime/manga series 'Oh My Goddess!'.

...and not forgetting Demon First Class Mara, also from the series. Holds grudges for a _very_ long time, is nasty, short-tempered and sarcastic... A taste for black leather, and wild long blonde hair, top it all off.

She's ended up as (reluctant) assistant helper in Look Who's Talking, thanks to Kiyone's wish... even though she can't _stand_ children...

Priss: Although she did not really appear, the character of Priss was actually a point in one story ("Access Limited"). Basically, she is a hard nosed hardsuit pilot from the anime series Bubblegum Crises.

Other characters who've had at least cameos in 'Round stories include Jay and Silent Bob (the films of Kevin Smith); Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell (Wing Gundam); Kodai/Derek Wildstar and Yuki/Nova (Yamato/Star Blazers); Ranma, Akane, Kuno, the Principal, and Sasuke (Ranma 1/2); Ataru, Lum and Cherri (Urusei Yatsura); Tenchi Masaki, the Guardians and Mihoshi (Tenchi Muyo); Buffy, Spike, Willow and Dawn (Buffy the Vampire Slayer); Vir (Babylon 5); The Dursleys (Harry Potter); Miles Vorkosigan (the novels of Lois McMaster Bujold); Honor Harrington (the novels of David Weber); Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service); Nuku-Nuku the cyborg cat-girl (Nuku Nuku); and Wallace, Gromit, and Gwendolyn (Wallace and Gromit).

(This is still only a partial list...)



NON-TELEVISED COMPANIONS (or the 'Hey! _They_ weren't on TV!' section.)

(For this section, the information in brackets (8:a/b/c) after a character's name... the number before the colon is the incarnation of the Doctor they're most associated with, the letters afterwards are the medium they've appeared in. 'a' is audios, 'b' is books and 'c' is comics.)

Anji Kapoor (8: b) : Anji's an Anglo-Asian City stockbroker in her late 20s from the early 21st century. She's managed to adapt to travelling with the Doctor - _and_ Fitz - after being introduced in February 2001's _Escape Velocity_. She's attractive, with a bob of black hair, and dresses professionally. Her boyfriend, Dave, was into sci-fi and associated stuff; Anji herself can sometimes be a little out of her depth - but she adapts quickly and practically to crises and situations. Her self-appointed role is protecting those caught in the crossfire of the Doctor's battles.

Benny [full name: Bernice Surprise Summerfield] (7: a/b/c) : First and longest-serving of the original book companions, Benny's an archaeology professor from the 26th century. First met the Doctor in _Love and War_, and managed to get two original book series of her own. Short, dark-haired, in her mid-30s, keeps a diary; currently divorced from Jason, their relationship is... dynamic, to say the least, especially now she's looking after baby Peter.

Charley [Charlotte Pollard] (8: a) : Teenage adventuress from 1930, Charley collides with the 8th Doctor in January 2001's _Storm Warning_. Holds a relatively unique position amongst the 8th's companions: she's the youngest of them... and she's managed to appear alongside Paul McGann ten times. Enthusiastic, gung-ho... and really enjoying the way she's being played in the audios.

Chris Cwej [it's short for Christopher] (7: b) : Big, blond, blue-eyed, good-natured, in his early twenties, obsessed with airplanes, and basically a nice guy, Chris is a 30th century Adjudicator (their equivalent of police), who got chased out, along with Roz, on a fraudulent charge (in _Original Sin_). Managed to end up in the 26th century. Seems to end up having a relationship every planet he visits. Not an idiot, despite his looks.

Compassion (8: b) : Originally human-descended, Compassion has evolved into the first (humanoid) sentient TARDIS. She still retains her generally sardonic personality, and a sense of pragmatism developed to the point of amorality... as well as her baseline human form; a redhead, with chubby cheeks, in her mid-20s. Her perceptions, however, are... different... First collides with Fitz, and the Doctor, in _Interference_. (and she _is_ bigger inside than out...)

Destrii [short for Destriianatos] (8: c): Destrii is... warped, to say the least. Given the brutal nature of her homeworld, Oblivion - and the casual attitude to life and death among its natives, both noble and commoner - this was probably to be expected. Her mother is a Matriax - ruler of one of Oblivion's provinces. Destrii is Primatrix - her heir.

And the Matriax is insane.

Understandably, when the first chance of escape came, Destrii grabbed it. She was prepared to do anything not to return - up to and including stealing Izzy's body and attempting to kill her - which doesn't endear her to the Doctor. Adaptable, skilled at survival, and rivals Izzy in the fangirl stakes (though she seems to prefer action movies).

Originally a fish girl, now stuck with Izzy's human body.

Erimem [Erimem ush Imteperem - 'Daughter of Light'] (5: a) : After her half-brothers died, Erimem was next in line to be Pharaoh of Egypt - against her wishes - until the Doctor's intervention in 'Eye of the Scorpion'. Seventeen years old (and younger than Peri, her fellow traveller), Erimem is something of a progressive for c.1400 BCE Egypt - she doesn't believe in the gods, and preferred to study rather than rule - but, in keeping with her time and place, she accepts slavery and torture as aspects of life.

Evelyn Smythe (6: a/b) : In her mid-50s, Evelyn's a divorcee history professor from the present day. Down to earth, experienced, eccentric (and proud of it) ... and _more_ than capable of dealing with the Doctor. Of course, there was the matter of that unstable temporal nexus in her past she learned about in her first meeting with the Doctor (_The Marian Conspiracy_)...

Fey Truscott-Sade (8: c) : Secret agent for George VI in 1939, Fey seems to have a talent for going on the weirdest missions and meeting the most interesting people. Met the Doctor before she finally travelled with him (_Tooth and Claw_). Quick-witted, dedicated, and androgynous, with a tendency to resort to violence. Now symbiotically bonded with a Gallifreyan shadow-construct called Shayde. Moonlights for Rassilon.

Fitz Kreiner [Fitzgerald Michael Kriener] (8: b) : Sometime musician from 1963, Fitz is now in the disturbing position of protecting the Doctor - from himself, and from his memories. Tall, thin, with long dark brown hair, he's something of a cynical dreamer. In his travels with the Doctor, he's been through possibly more shit than any other companion. Occasionally serves as one of the Round's bartenders. Has a long tradition of serial monogamy, but nasty things usually happen to his girlfriends...

Frobisher [Avan Tarklu] (6: a/b/c) : One of a shapeshifing race known as Whifferdills, Frobisher stays in the form of a penguin for 'personal reasons'. A private detective, he tracked the Doctor down for a reward... and then double-crossed the bad guy who'd made the offer. (_The Shape Shifter_). He likes jazz, and has a fondness for chocolate pichards. Also has a classical education. Usually wise-cracking, and enjoys teasing the Doctor.

Izzy S [Isabelle Sinclair; she's usually used the 'S' to stand for 'Somebody' or 'Someone'. Originally, the S probably stood for Sinclair.] (8: c) : A fangrrl (in every sense of the word), from the late 90s. Was adopted at birth by the Sinclairs - and somewhere along the line, she decided to drop the name and keep the initial. Teamed up with the Doctor in a rematch with the Toymaker (_Endgame_). Shorter than the Doctor, with ginger hair (+ blonde streaks) and blue eyes, she somehow managed to get hired as assistant helper at the day care centre outside continuity. Embodies the style of fashion best described as 'chic geek'...

...although recent events in the comic strip (_Ophidius_) caused a major reassessment in self-image.

Especially since Izzy is now stuck in Destrii's piscine body.

Jason Kane (7: a/b) : Not a companion, but important nevertheless; he's Benny's ex-husband. Originally from the 20th century, ended up in the 26th. Positions himself to be a self-serving, shallow little spiv; however, it should be noted that he lies. To himself, and others. Is involved in deep-level, possibly highly illegal activities... or seems to be. More complex than he seems, and not someone to misjudge.

Roz Forrester [Roslyn Inyathi Sarah Forrester] (7: b) : 30th century Adjudicator, who turned her back on her noble family to pursue the cause of justice. Holds the notable position of being the only book companion to get killed (permanently, at least), in _So Vile A Sin_. Short, black, with greying hair, in her early 40s; comes across as perpetually pissed-off, thanks to her air of cynical idealism. Chris was her squire.

Sam Jones [Samantha Angeline Jones] (8: b) : Student activist from 1990s London. Blonde, blue-eyed, keeps herself fit... with something of an aversion for paradoxes, thanks to the circumstances around her becoming the Doctor'scompanion. Hates 'Sam Must Die!' fanfics, thanks to their negative stereotype of her, and the painful things they usually insist on doing to her. Prefers to change things by example. These days, anyway...

Ssard (8: b/c) : An Ice Warrior, Ssard was originally a bodyguard to a noble family from the feudal period of Martian history. Then his lord's son was kidnapped, while under his protection, and the Doctor and Stacy, along with Ssard, attempted to track him down (in the Radio Times strip _Descendance_). Eventually left with them on holiday, and ended up marrying Stacy.

Stacy Townsend (8: b/c): From the 23rd century, Stacy was rescued by the Doctor from a hijack by Cybermen. (The Radio Times strip _Dreadnaught_). In her mid-twenties, with short blonde hair and blue eyes, she's developed a good line in sarcasm. Married to Ssard... and rendered unable to have children, through an unseen encounter with Zygons. Fashion style usually tends to 'future utilitarian' - neon-pink jumpsuits.

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