The Astronomer ' s Apprentice ( short story ) The Astronomer ' s Apprentice was the seventh short story in the Short Trips anthology " " . It was written by Simon A . Forward . It featured the Second Doctor , Jamie McCrimmon and Victoria Waterfield . Summary . The Doctor , Jamie and Victoria are on Traken for a holiday . They arrive the day before the Feast of Melkur . They meet alien astronomer Neverglade and his companion , the Trakenite Viola . Viola strikes up a friendship with Jamie , while the Doctor accompanies Neverglade to his observatory , where he is making a scale model of the universe . The next evening , they attend the festival , at which several people , including the Doctor and Jamie , perform for the Melkur . Viola reads a poem . Later , Jamie and Viola are enjoying each other ' s company while Victoria searches for the Doctor . She finds him at the observatory with Neverglade . The Doctor and Neverglade are working with Neverglade ' s books and equipment , which uses telepathy . They are mapping the stars . Victoria watches for a while . Neverglade becomes frustrated with the work , thinking he will not be able to finish it in his lifetime . The Doctor convinces him to keep at it . Later , Neverglade retire s to bed , and the Doctor continues working . Victoria , though nervous about the Doctor using Neverglade ' s equipment , heads to bed . The next day , Jamie and Viola are riding the Trakenite equivalent of horse s . Jamie sees a tower in the distance , and they head for it . Meanwhile , Victoria wanders in the Grove , looking for flowers . She is surprised by the appearance of a tall , dark handsome man . She is unnerved by the fact that he knows who she is . She hurriedly leaves . Consul Symia arrives at the observatory to discuss with the Doctor and Neverglade some strange things that are happening on Traken . People are behaving unusually , and she wonders if the presence of aliens on Traken is affecting the biomatrix of the planet . Neverglade sarcastically says that his companion Viola is the disturbance , and describes how her presence in the observatory disrupts the balance of his model universe . The Doctor becomes alarmed at hearing this . At the tower , Viola tells him of the Traken legend of Araken . She thinks that the setting needs a knight , so she conjures up a rainbow knight that she knows cannot hurt Jamie . Jamie is surprised to see she can conjure up illusions , but Viola is surprised when her illusion destroys part of the nearby cliff face with its sword . Victoria is in her rooms when the handsome man returns . He brings her a flower and tells her he is the Keeper . He wants her to stay with him on Traken . Frightened , Victoria runs out to the balcony . Jamie and Viola destroy the knight , and Viola realises something is wrong with the biomatrix . They head back to find the Doctor . Victoria finds the Doctor and tells him about the Keeper . Symia and the nearby Trakenites are interested in what she has to say , but the Doctor fears that the Keeper is being affected by whatever is disturbing the biomatrix . Suddenly , they see that the Melkur has come to life and is heading for them . Meanwhile , Jamie and Viola are being chased by creatures from Viola ' s poem . The Doctor hurries everyone inside their villas , while the Melkur climbs the balcony of one of the buildings . Jamie and Viola arrive , chased by the Jabberwock . Jamie turns to fight it , and the Doctor throws a fireplace poker to him and tells him to imagine it ' s a blade . Later , when the Doctor and his friends are congratulating themselves for their victory , Symia approaches and asks them to leave Traken . The Doctor tells Neverglade that his miniature universe was responsible for disturbing the biomatrix . Victoria apologises to the Keeper for her behaviour . The TARDIS crew makes their farewells to Viola . She admits to conjuring up Neverglade as a companion who can take her travelling in time and space . Some time later , Victoria attends a play with Mr and Mrs Harris . She misses the Doctor and Jamie , and the Harrises hope the play will cheer her up . Unknown to Victoria , the Keeper has given her a piece of his mind , a part of Traken , that becomes Viola . At this , the moment of her creation , Viola is ready for her future adventures .