An Overture Too Early ( short story ) An Overture Too Early was the fourth short story in the Short Trips anthology " " . It was written by Simon Guerrier . It featured the Third Doctor , Sarah Jane Smith and the Brigadier . Summary . Isaac is being interviewed by a reporter , Sarah Jane Smith , and her " assistant " . Her questions deal with his music and his attempts to gain asylum in Britain . The assistant makes a rude comment , and when Sarah scolds him , Isaac realises he is the Doctor . To the Doctor ' s surprise , Isaac reveals that he travelled with the Doctor twenty years ago . The Doctor leaves quickly with Sarah , trying to avoid finding out about his future . As they leave , they fail to notice two strange - looking grey men standing nearby that enter Isaac ' s building . The next day , the Doctor has breakfast with the Brigadier . The Doctor is convinced that Isaac is in fact English . He obtains the Brigadier ' s help in investigating Isaac by pointing out that , because Isaac worked with the Doctor , he must have been a UNIT agent by proxy . Meanwhile , Sarah follows up her interview with Isaac . He is reluctant to answer any questions , not wanting to give Sarah information about the Doctor ' s future . However , he does give her his sheet music , entreating her to take care of it for him . Sarah heads back to UNIT , and on arrival she learns that Isaac is dead . The Brigadier takes Sarah to the police station . They rule Isaac ' s death a suicide . The Doctor and Sarah talk with Nikolai Faro , who sponsored Isaac ' s asylum request . He tells them that Isaac had been involved in a coup and was persecuted in their country . Faro was greatly impressed by Isaac ' s music . The Doctor asks Faro if the music is familiar , and Faro is shocked to realise that it " is " familiar . To Sarah ' s surprise , her investigation is shut down by a D - notice , issued by the government or military for the sake of national security . The Brigadier is on the phone , trying to find out who issued the order . He is angrier than Sarah has ever seen him . He hands the phone to the Doctor , who starts his conversation angrily but then meekly subsides . The Brigadier informs Sarah that the issuer of the D - notice was — the Doctor . The Brigadier and Sarah lose interest in the investigation , but the Doctor is haunted by Isaac ' s music . While working in his lab , he is accosted by the two grey men , who overpower him and take all copies of Isaac ' s music . The Doctor determines that the two men entered his lab by way of a hyperspace tunnel . He creates a device to open a tunnel , while the Brigadier and Sarah watch him . Suddenly he opens a tunnel , and time seems to have stopped for the Brigadier and Sarah . The Doctor tries to enter the tunnel , but he is stopped by a Time Lord , who tells him that he cannot learn any more of this matter for now . The tunnel vanishes , and the Brigadier and Sarah realise the Doctor wants to be left alone . He decides to keep working on the music . Weeks later , Sergeant Benton stops by the nearly empty laboratory . Things are very different around UNIT now that the Doctor has regenerated . He and Sarah are no longer around , and soon there will be computer s installed . Benton decides he may retire soon and do something hands - on . As he looks around the room , he sees a smoking jacket . He takes it , not wanting it to be stolen . In the pocket he finds a scrap of paper covered in the Doctor ' s handwriting . References . " to be added "