THE AZTECS

 THE AZTECS.   Written by John Lucarotti.   4 Episodes.
               23rd May - 13th June 1964.
             
 The Temple of Evil, The Warriors of Death, The Bride of Sacrifice,
 The Day of Darkness.

 COMPANIONS:- Ian, Barbara and Susan.

   The TARDIS materialises in 1430 inside the Tomb of Yetaxa, once the
 High-Priest of the Aztecs. The travellers explore the tomb and Barbara puts
 on a gold bracelet. As they exit the Tomb, the door swings shut cutting
 them off from the TARDIS. They meet Autloc, High Priest of Knowledge and
 Tlotoxl, High Priest of Sacrifice. Autloc declares Barbara to be the re-
 incarnation of Yetaxa as she is wearing the bracelet from the Tomb. Tlotoxl
 is far from convinced.
   Ian is made Chief of the Aztec Warriors in direct competition to the
 Chosen Leader, Ixta. Susan is made a hand maiden but causes trouble when
 she denies the last wish of a human sacrifice, to marry her.
   The Doctor rests among the Aztec elders where he meets Cameca, wife of
 the Tomb's architect and flirts with her to gain knowledge of how to enter
 the Tomb.
   Meanwhile, Barbara states her intention to end human sacrifice, against
 the protests of the Doctor who says that such interference would change
 history and affect the future. This action convinces Tlotoxl that Barbara
 is NOT Yetaxa.
   Ixta is killed during combat with Ian and Barbara is denounced by Tlotoxl
 who demands her death. The Doctor however, opens the Tomb with a simple
 wheel and pulley and the crew escape in the TARDIS.
   This was the first story to raise the subject of tampering with the past.
 It is available on BBC Video.