Hexagora (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|adapted from = Hex (TV story)
|adapted from           = Hex (unproduced TV story){{!}}Hex
|image = Hexagora.jpg
|image                 = Hexagora.jpg
|range           = The Lost Stories
|range                 = The Lost Stories
|series in range = Series 3 (TLS)
|series in range       = Series 3 (TLS)
|series number in range = 3
|series number in range = 3
|number in series = 2
|number in series       = 2
|series = [[The Lost Stories]]
|series                 = [[The Lost Stories]]
|number = 3.02
|number                 = 3.02
|doctor = Fifth Doctor
|doctor                 = Fifth Doctor
|companions = [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]], [[Nyssa]]
|companions             = [[Nyssa]], [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]]
|enemy = [[Zellenger|Lord Zellenger]], [[Jezzavar|Lord Jezzavar]]
|enemy                 = [[Jezzavar]]
|setting = [[Brisbane]], [[1983]]; [[Lupara]], [[1983]]; [[London]], [[1977]]
|setting               = [[Lupara]], [[1983]]
|writer = [[Paul Finch]], from a story by [[Peter Ling]] and [[Hazel Adair]]
|writer                 = Paul Finch, from a story by Peter Ling and Hazel Adair
|director = [[Ken Bentley]]
|director               = [[Ken Bentley]]
|producer = [[David Richardson]]
|producer               = [[David Richardson]]
|music = [[Simon Robinson]]
|music                 = [[Simon Robinson]]
|sound = [[Simon Robinson]]
|sound                 = Simon Robinson
|cover = [[Alex Mallinson]]
|cover                 = [[Alex Mallinson]]
|publisher = Big Finish Productions
|publisher             = Big Finish Productions
|release date = [[November (releases)|November]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]]
|release date           = 9 November 2011
|format = 4 Episodes on 2 CDs
|format                 = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|isbn = ISBN 978-1-84435-574-7
|production code        = BFPDSLS16 (6E/AB)
|prev = The Elite (audio story)
|isbn                   = ISBN 978-1-84435-574-7 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78575-889-8 (digital)
|next = The Children of Seth (audio story)
|prev                   = The Elite (audio story)
|soundcloudtrailer = https://soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-lost-stories-hexagora-trailer
|next                   = The Children of Seth (audio story)
}}{{audio stub}}
|soundcloudtrailer     = https://soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-lost-stories-hexagora-trailer
{{you may|Hexagora|n1=the titular species}}
|epcount                = 4
'''''Hexagora''''' was a [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Big Finish ''Doctor Who'' audio story]] released in [[2011]]. It featured the [[Fifth Doctor]], [[Nyssa]] and [[Tegan Jovanka]].
}}{{you may|Hexagora|n1=the titular species}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the second story in the [[Series 3 (TLS)|third series]] of ''[[The Lost Stories]]'', produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was written by [[Paul Finch]], from [[Hex (unproduced TV story)|the original story idea]] by [[Peter Ling]] & [[Hazel Adair]], and featured [[Peter Davison]] as the [[Fifth Doctor]], [[Sarah Sutton]] as [[Nyssa]] and [[Janet Fielding]] as [[Tegan Jovanka]].


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
When a [[newspaper]] reporter goes missing, the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa uncover a case of alien abduction. The trail leads them to the [[planet]] [[Luparis]], and a city that appears to be a replica of [[Tudor]] era [[London]].
When a [[newspaper]] reporter goes missing, [[Fifth Doctor|the Doctor]], [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]] and [[Nyssa]] uncover a case of alien abduction. The trail leads them to the [[planet]] [[Luparis]], and a city that appears to be a replica of [[Tudor]] era [[London]].


What are the monsters that lurk in the shadows? And what is the terrible secret at the heart of Luparis? To save a world, the Doctor must try and defeat the evil plans of [[Zafira|Queen Zafira]].
What are the monsters that lurk in the shadows? And what is the terrible secret at the heart of Luparis? To save a world, the Doctor must try and defeat the evil plans of [[Zafira|Queen Zafira]].
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== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
=== Part one ===
An [[Mike Bretherton|Australian reporter]] speaks on the phone with someone in his apartment. Suddenly he hears a strange noise and the power goes off in his apartment. He goes to investigate and ends up being attacked by a strange creature.
[[Fifth Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Nyssa]] and [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]] relax in a [[villa]] outside of [[Brisbane]] following the events on [[Florana]], but Tegan reads in a [[newspaper]] about how investigative reporter and [[school]] friend [[Mike Bretherton]] disappeared after reporting a [[meteor]] and enlists the Doctor and Nyssa's help in searching for him. A visit to [[Mike Bretherton's apartment|Mike's apartment]] in [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] reveals that Mike had been investigating a series of disappearances, after which the Doctor uses an [[ionograph]] to detect two [[space pod]]s which travelled to [[Luparis]], a tropical and supposedly empty [[planet]]. They travel there and find that [[Lupara]] greatly resembles [[16th century]] [[London]].


[[Nyssa]] interrupts the [[Fifth Doctor|Doctor]] watching cricket. They are staying in a hot villa just a bit of a ways from [[Brisbane]]. They agree that it is nice to finally be someplace where they can have a relaxing vacation, only to be interrupted by [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]]. She runs into the room exclaiming that her friend from high school, Mike Bretherton, has gone missing. He is a reporter who was always investigating top stories, according to Tegan, trying to expose corrupt officials and law-breaking denizens. The Doctor wants to just relax and take a holiday, but Nyssa insists that they help Tegan investigate his disappearance. 
The trio meet [[Jezzavar|Lord Jezzevar]], one of the two current husbands of [[Zafira|Queen Zafira]], who invites them to a duplicate of the [[Palace of Whitehall]] upon learning that Nyssa is effectively a [[Trakenite]] [[royal]]. Knowing that they are unlikely to find Mike on their own, they accept and are given Zafira's hospitality. Nyssa goes [[riding]] with Jezzevar and the Doctor goes for a walk on the [[veranda]] with Zafira, who indicates that she is attracted to him and advises that he direct any questions about the city to [[Astorius]], the [[Minister of Science]] and chief [[astrologer]]. Meanwhile, the impatient Tegan scales a gate and heads back into the city, finding the TARDIS gone and Mike living as Sergeant Zax, a member of the city watch.
 
They take the [[TARDIS]] to Mike’s apartment which they find is extremely messy. They find articles that Mike has gathered surrounding strange disappearances. Tegan reads from the news article about Mike’s disappearance that his last known contact had mentioned him explaining that he saw a meteor above his apartment before he disappeared.
 
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor retrieves an ionograph that he says can help them. They use it to find the diminishing ion trail of a space pod, which the Doctor dubs "a space eddy" that most likely abducted Mike. 
 
They find that the "space eddy" as the Doctor refers to the space pod as has returned to its place of origin, [[Luparis]]. The Doctor is puzzled about this. This is because Luparis, the Doctor explains to a confused Tegan, is an uninhabited planet with a climate similar to a tropical paradise. They decide to go and investigate.
 
Meanwhile on the planet Luparis, a man named [[Jezzavar|Lord Jezzavar]] makes his way through the streets on horseback as people yell insults at him. He arrives at a palace where he is greeted by Lord [[Zellenger]]. They argue about the unrest going on in the city as Zellenger inquires as to why Jezzavar has twelve guards armed with rapiers following him wherever he goes, even if it's just to see their wife, the [[Zafira|Queen Zafira.]] They continue on with their business.
 
The TARDIS crew arrive on Luparis and find it is not at all what they expected, as it is colder and resembles [[Tudor]] earth. Tegan even notes the uncanny resemblance of the London bridge, visible from  their landing spot. Tegan runs off and the Doctor and Nyssa are forced to follow.
 
Queen Zafira is teaching a dance lesson to her handmaids when Zellenger arrives. He argues with her about the alarming amount of guards Lord Jezzavar is hiring to be in his presence. Zafira accuses him of being jealous of Jezzavar. She explains to him that his duty is to her, and that if she has grown tired of him then he must accept that and move on. The two argue about the public unrest, with Zafira suggesting that they publicly hang the drunkards and vagabonds. Zellenger disagrees and argues with her but she dismisses him. He chides her, explaining that while she has been a strong leader in the past, she is being faced with a challenge never before seen in their planet’s history. He advises her to deal with it rather than simply be affronted by it, but, disgusted, she demands he leave.
 
Tegan accidentally bumps into a rowdy crowd of commoners. One of them is interested in her and offers to buy he a drink. Disgusted, she attempts to leave but the man summons his friends. The Doctor and Nyssa manage to catch up with her. The Doctor intervenes, but the man, insulted, claiming that just because they dress fancy and are royalty means they think they can do whatever they want, demands his friends bring him his weapons. The royal guard then arrives and scares the men away.
 
Their saviour turns out to be Lord Jezzavar. He apologizes for the rudeness of his people, and asks them to identify themselves. The Doctor explains that they are from off-world and were interested in visiting the planet to see their society for themselves. Pleased, Lord Jezzavar decides to give them an audience with the Queen. Tegan protests, but Nyssa defuses the situation by addressing Lord Jezzavar honorific-ally. He is impressed and the Doctor explains that Nyssa herself is also from royalty from the planet Trakken. Lord Jezzavar is pleased to learn that the aristocratic system survives on other planets. They agree to then go see the Queen, with the Doctor quietly explaining to Tegan that if this place is indeed a replica of Tudor London, then there are about 200,000 people here and they are unlikely to find Mike by simply looking around, convincing her that seeing the Queen might give them a better chance to find him. 
 
As they travel to the palace, Lord Jezzavar inquires as to Nyssa's heritage. She sadly explains that her family have all perished. Lord Jezzavar offers some comforting words, but Tegan says he is trying to court Nyssa, having ulterior motives but the Doctor points out Jezzavar's
wedding ring and he explains he is only trying to offer some comfort. They arrive at the palace and the Doctor exclaims that it looks exactly like the Palace of Whitehall "to the T".
 
The TARDIS crew meet the Queen. She is impressed with Nyssa's heritage and the Doctor's knowledgeable background but no so much with Tegan. She sets up chambers for them to stay in close to her own quarters and has her guards escort them there. Talking privately with Jezzavar and [[Astorius]], she comments that the Doctor has the air of a warrior, and when asked whether she would like them to get rid of him, she insists that they may need him, as there are times when powerful men are beneficial to their cause. The two leave and Astorius asks Jezzevar about the "sleepers".
 
The trio of Nyssa, Tegan and the Doctor agree to play along for now in order to try and
gain their hosts’ trust. Lord Jezzavar interrupts and asks that Nyssa accompany him on a ride. He tell the Doctor, meanwhile, that the Queen has requested an audience with him. Tegan asks about herself and Jezzavar hesitantly says that she can admire the palace.
 
The Doctor and the Queen go for a walk on the veranda.
 
Elsewhere, Tegan, upset about having been left out, goes around asking for the garden and with access to the gates to go outside the palace. She talks with a servant who initially warns her about the "sleepers" but when Tegan begins to inquire about them, the servant drops the subject and shows her to the gates. They are locked, and despite being 12 feet high, Tegan decides to climb over them.
 
The Queen explains that she built the city herself. She asks where he comes from and he
tells her that he is a [[Timelord]] from the planet [[Gallifrey]] in the constellation of [[Kasterborous]]. The Doctor asks her about the hexahedron and comments that the mountains in the distance looked well-sculpted. She says that his questions should be directed at
Astorius, her minister of [[science]]. The Doctor requests an audience with him later which she consents to. She changes the subject to the Doctor, however, explaining that she is quite interested in him, seeing him as a fine specimen of manhood as he is handsome, strong yet also a man of science and wide travelling but also a man who has the courage to be a maverick. She asks him for his opinion of her and he comments that she is a remarkable women. She says that this is the correct answer.
 
Meanwhile, Tegan walks the streets, getting into small squabbles with the locals. She arrives at the Dragon's head pub and realizes that the TARDIS must be close by. Rounding a corner she finds it has disappeared. Just then she sees a shadow and hears a noise. Backing into a corner trembling, she is approached by a figure... who turns out to be Mike. However, when she exclaims her relief at finding him, he says that his name is Sargent Zacs of the City Watch and he has never seen Tegan in his life....


=== Part two ===
=== Part two ===
Mike arrests Tegan for breaking Zellenger’s by-law about walking the streets unaccompanied. He brings her to him and she asks him where the TARDIS is. He says they have taken it and brings her back to the palace.  
Zax arrests Tegan for walking the [[street]]s unaccompanied, but [[Zellenger|Lord Zellenger]], head of security and another of Zafira's husbands, learns who she is and takes her back to the palace. Zafira and Astorius explain to the Doctor about how Luparis is rapidly cooling and that people are going into [[coma]]s, leading them to start putting people into [[sleep pod]]s in rooms known as nurseries. The sleep pods are arranged in pairs, one being for the husband and the other for the wife, but only one of each pair seems to be operational. The Doctor is also told that he will become Zafira's next husband and be known as her Consort Counsellor, prompting the upset Zellenger to engage him in a [[duel]]. Although the Doctor is able to disarm him, Zellenger accuses him of [[terrorism]] and has Zax take him to the nurseries.
 
The Doctor and the Queen walk through the palace. She asks him if he’s been to the Luparis before. He comments he has but it was a different planet. She reveals that there are dark spots appearing on the sun and this is causing the planet to cool drastically, as it is no longer hot and tropical as the Doctor had described. She brings him to the nursery and reveals that they are doing work here to deal with the problem of the planet icing over. Astorius arrives and reveals that their solution is to put people into hibernation, or rather that people are already falling into comas as they are not able to deal with the rapid cooling. The Doctor is surprised at the reveal of an electromagnetic locking system. They observe a man in a tank connected to a series of web-like vines that feed them nutrients. The Queen explains that she has put husbands and wives together in adjacent chambers.
 
Nyssa describes the fall of Traken to Jezzavar. He comments that she has become quite a fighter given her circumstances and nature, but she denies this saying it is only by happenstance. He exclaims that she is meant to be a ruler as he believes she posses these qualities.
 
The Doctor asks how many pairs of chamber there are and they reveal to him that the palace and beyond is full of them. The chambers are sealed as part of the cryo-process. The Doctor notes that only the left chambers are being monitored but the right ones are not, indicating that the occupants could be gone or dead. He also notes that the palace is much warmer than the outside. She explains it is artificial. They ask him to share his knowledge about ice ages and he reluctantly consents. She then reveals that they will be married that evening. The Doctor, confused, is hesitant, but the Queen insists that it was she who asked him. With that she leaves. The Doctor expresses his hesitance to Astorius who says that there is no greater honour than being married to the Queen.
 
Jezzavar explains that the ice age falling over the planet has forced the farmers to move to the city when their crops were destroyed. Nyssa explains that this must be the cause of the restlessness but Jezzavar reveals he only cares about the solution, which is increased authority. He asks Nyssa of her opinion on what kind of ruler they require and she suggests a kind and benevolent monarch. Jezzavar agrees with her that a highly efficient society is the best but Nyssa says she has seen societies like that before and they are not as perfect as one might think. He suggests that Nyssa should preside over them as ruler but she declines, citing that she is not in line to the throne and that Queen Zafira loves her people already and is sure she is already, as Jezzavar has revealed, seen to be a great ruler. He says that one may never know what can happen to the Queen, and if she were to pass away it is up to her royal consults to rectify the situation immediately, this time with a hint of malice.
 
A commoner accuses Zellenger of his misdeeds and tries to harm him. The commoner is arrested and Zellenger heads back to the castle to inform the Queen, wanting to deal with the uprising situation in the current.
 
The Doctor is told he will be known as the Queen’s Consult Consellor, and that Luparis is a matriarchal society. They arrive at his pre-marital apartment, and is told to wear his wedding suit, complete with trunk hoes, cartwheel ruff and tights.
 
The Doctor wants to stay with his own clothes but Astorius warns him that Queen Zafira is would rather he wear what he is told.
 
Tegan explains to Nyssa what has happened to Mike and Nyssa reveals to him that Jezzavar intends to lead a revolt and wants to make Nyssa the Queen. The two agree they need to find the Doctor and get back to the TARDIS. They are interrupted by the palace seamstress Anza, who says that the queen would like them to be maids at the wedding. Nyssa points out that Anza and Eva are about their shape and size, after they have left.
 
The Doctor puts on his new clothes but is interrupted by Zellenger who introduces himself as Minister of Security. Zellenger is suspicious of him and upset at discovering his sudden marriage. The Doctor explains he wants to leave soon. Zellenger, however, accuses him of being a coward and says that he loves Zafira for who she is, not for the crown, and that they had fought many battles together and he would die for her.
 
The Doctor then asks to help him leave by taking him to his TARDIS so he may leave.
 
Nyssa and Tegan are caught walking around the palace in disguise by a guard. They begin to run as the guard chases them, and they climb over the wall of the gate just as Tegan had done earlier.
 
The Doctor is taken by Zellenger to the queen’s private rose gallery. There he finds the TARDIS. But then Zellenger unsheathes his rapier, suspicious of the Doctor’s motives, and explains that he is going to frame him, telling the Queen that the Doctor was really after her secrets and planned to run away. Zellenger forces the Doctor to take up a rapier and fight him. The two begin to spar.
 
Tegan and Nyssa wander around the city and head down a passage. They hide but then hear the same sound Tegan heard before and run.
 
The two watch as the creature goes onto the street. They decide to stay put and wait for the creatures to go away.
 
The Doctor and Zellenger continue to spar, with the Doctor eventually disarming him. Suddenly guards come to Zellenger and report the disturbances of several sleepers invading the streets. The Doctor comments that he’s seen the guard before but cannot make any further comment as Zellenger has him arrested on charges of terrorism. Zellenger commands the Doctor be cocooned in the nurseries.  


Nyssa and Tegan hear more strange noises and see a panel move. They realise they’re right in the nest of the sleepers who take on a insect-like form. The two are surrounded. Suddenly a voice whispers out Tegan’s name. It turns out to be one of the insects, and he tells Tegan that it’s him, Mike Bretherton...
Tegan catches up with Nyssa, who informs her that Jezzavar is planning to rebel against Zafira and would like to install Nyssa as her replacement; he believes that Zafira is too soft on her people and intends to rule through Nyssa. When [[serving girl]]s [[Anza]] and [[Eva (Hexagora)|Eva]] inform them of the Doctor and Zafira's [[wedding]] and that Nyssa and Tegan will be maids-in-waiting, they disguise themselves in the maids' [[clothes]] and run from a guard onto the streets. They hide in a dark passage where they they hear a clicking sound which Tegan heard before she met Zax. They flee to another hiding place, but a panel opens and they realise that they are in the [[nest]] of a group of [[insect]] creatures, one of them tells Tegan that he is Mike Bretherton.


=== Part three ===
=== Part three ===
Tegan can’t
Mike explains that the [[Hexagora]] put [[human]]s into insect bodies and did so to him because he was close to discovering them. Nyssa and Tegan go with him into the secret passageways and, whilst Tegan [[sleep]]s, Nyssa tells Mike about the Doctor and how he can help. She goes to Jezzavar's [[party]] without telling Tegan and pretends to join him in his planned [[coup d'état]]; when Tegan awakens, she runs from Mike to go and find her.
believe that this creature is Mike. He eventually convinces her by
saying things only the real Mike could know. Tegan realizes it is him
and asks him how this happened. He explains that this was done to
them by the Hexagora. He was kidnapped because he was getting close
to uncovering the turth while others just happened to be in the wrong
place at the wrong time, and they were taken from their bodies and
put in the insects. They hear lord Zellenger in the distance and Mike
leads them somewhere safe.
 
<nowiki> The Doctor is
brought to the Nursery but Astorius refuses to cocoon the Doctor as
he is supposed to be married to the Queen. When the guard protests,
Astorius chides him for always obeying Lord Zellenger, reminding him
who holds the real position of power. He tells him to put the Doctor
in his solar.</nowiki>
 
<nowiki> </nowiki>The guard brings the
Doctor into the solar room. He wants to get someone to stand guard
over the doctor but Astorius says it will not be necessary as he does
not believe the Doctor will cause trouble. He is surprised by the
Doctor when the Doctor contradicts him saying there likely will be
trouble, so Astorius takes out a flint-lock pistol and assures the
Doctor there won’t be. The Doctor comments about how they have
taken even the technology of 16<sup>th</sup> century Earth, saying it
is a very primitive tool for a race that travels by space pod but
they are interrupted by a sudden commotion. The Guard (Mike’s body)
explains that Astorius that a sleeper has been captured and brought
back to the palace. Astorius demands the guard go help the others and
he obeys.
 
<nowiki> The Doctor and
Astorius have a hostile talk fraught with tension. The Doctor reveals
that he is aware that everything Astorius told him was a lie and that
he suspects that the people in the chambers below are not citizens of
Luparis who have succumbed to the cold but something else entirely,
surmising probably the native species fallen at the hands of Astorius
and his race’s aggression. Astorius confirms his suspicions. The
Doctor continues, angrily explaining that the giveaway was that while
he was talking to Lord Zellenger, Zellenger revealed that they had
waged war with the </nowiki>[[Agellae]] of the [[Acteon Galaxy|Acteon galaxy]] and that the Acteon
Galaxy had never set foot in the [[Milky Way]], so that they must have
fought them somewhere else, as well as the fact that they are only
occupying a small portion of Luparis as further proof. He further
elaborates that if they had lived here by any substantial amount of
time they would have spread out across the planet by now. He suspects
that Astorius and his species’ next move is to take over Earth,
accusing them of being a race of space-travelling conquerors.
Asotrius tells him, however, that the Agellae attacked first, and
they are a race of hideous, moronic ape creatures  Astorius explains
they had just colonized [[Zagara IX]] when they attacked, and the Doctor recalls that tragic event as hundredss of Agellae ships were ripped apart, with bodies and debris floating all around the planet. No one ever knew who had defeated them, until now as the Doctor realizes. Astorius asserts that he is not a man of war and neither are his
people. They are mostly farmers, scholars and such and are merely
citizen soldiers, only taking up the call to arms when threatened. He
further explains that Zagara IX was a paradise, uninhabited and
fruitful, warm winds rippling across fertile meadows. They built a
colony there that flourished, becoming the ideal environment for the
next generation. Meanwhile the Agellae were seeking new conquests and
decided to strike, but Astorius claims that when they attacked they
had this time chosen the wrong species and most certainly the wrong
Queen. The Doctor questions their innocence, asking Astorius to
explain what happened here on Luparis. Astorius elaborates by
mentioning that when the arrived, Luparis was a warm planet with no
intelligent life, but the Doctor counters him by asking about the
mountains in the East he noticed earlier, saying that looked a great
deal like termite hills that one finds on Earth. He further surmises
that when they arrived they discovered an intelligent insect species
already living here and when they tried to exterminate them a war
followed. Astorius takes out the [[gun|flint-lock pistol]] and although the
Doctor begs him not shoot, reminding him that he claimed to not be a
man of violence, Astorius reveals that the Doctor knows too much and
that this is the only solution, despite being a drastic one.
 
<nowiki> </nowiki>Mike escorts Tegan
and Nyssa through the secret passageways. Nyssa asks how this happened but Mike can’t recall much, other than travelling through
space at light speed, and then blacking out and awaking in his
current insect-like body. They see the other insects and Mike
comments that he is one of the only ones who seems to have almost
full control of his new form, and excuses himself to go and try and
help one of the other struggling insects. Tegan is in shock and Nyssa
tries to calm her down by saying that the Doctor may be able to think
of a way to fix the situation.
 
The Doctor is
grateful that Astorius doesn’t shoot, but Astorius says they only
would ever do so in self-defence and that y sparing the Doctor he
hopes there won’t be any more trouble. The Doctor assures him there
won’t. They then head to the nursery. Astorius reveals the real
reason there is no monitoring equipment on the right hand chambers is
because they are empty, which the doctor checks and confirms. When
the Doctor asks about the use of flint-lock pistols and other archaic
weapons, Astorius explains that much of their technology has been
lost in the war and they make do with what they can find. He reveals
that the chambers on the left contain strange insect-like creatures
called “[[Hexagora]]” in hibernation, the species from the termite
mounds. The Doctor reveals his knowledge about the Hexagora, how they
travel in swarms across the cosmos under the leadership of a powerful
Queen and notes he is seeing a pattern. Astorius reveals that they
would move from planet to planet only to farm, never to enslave, only
selecting planets that had no intelligent life. The Doctor, realizing
the Astorius includes himself in the pronoun, asks him about this and
Astorius explains that they, the Hexagora, have always had the
ability to disguise themselves and go unnoticed among a native
inhabitants population, but it was only for reconnaissance reasons,
and if the planet was not suitable they would simply scout out the
next planet. Initially they had arrived on Earth in the 16<sup>th</sup>
century and studied its history as well as current architecture and
societal structure, scouting among the local natives inhabiting
England but eventually Earth was found unsuitable and so they moved
on to Luparis... except that they did not realize that Luparis was
entering a period of its history with extreme cooling. The Doctor
realizes Astorius is telling the truth and asks for forgiveness but
asks why he saw a human being in one of the chambers earlier.
Astroius says that they only did it to trick him and that they are
certainly guilty of that but they only did this because they feared
the Doctor would disagree with them if he discovered the full truth.
When the Doctor asks what this is, Astorius reveals that when they
noticed the climate beginning to drop, they had originally thought
about simply moving to another planet but they still had several
young Hexagorans whom were not fit for space travel yet and were not
sure if many other would be able to handle a second migration, having
already just come out of a first massive one to Luparis. One by one
they began to slip into unconsciousness due to the climate and to
which no end was foreseeable. Queen Zafira contemplated many
solutions, however, they agreed on only way out. They sent a
scry-warp into Earth’s atmosphere to observe humans living in polar
communities an adopt their methods to survive, but soon realized that
this was not possible since humans were mammals who possessed bodies
better-adapted to cold weather since they possessed warm blood and
could grow hair. Queen Zafira, he explains, faced with no other
choice, but the Doctor finished Astroius’ sentence by saying that
the Scry-warps were reprogrammed to select human targets. Hexagoran
commanders would then travel in spacepods to earth and bring the
chosen targets back. At first they would pick randomly, but the
reason the began to target specific groups of humans like athletes
was that they were found to have better standards and provide better
material. He explains that when they targeted randomly, the humans
abducted were not missed but when they began to target groups like
athletes, people began to notice and so those people were abducted as
well. The Doctor comments then that the cocooons are not for health
but Astorius assures him they are, although now their primary
function has become for mind-transference.
 
<nowiki> </nowiki>Nyssa and Mike talk
while Tegan sleeps. She apologizes to him on behalf of Tegan and
explains that Tegan told her that they were very intimate. She also
explains that they had come here with the Doctor as Tegan insisted on
coming when she discovered he had disappeared, showing that she still
cares about him and holds feelings for him. She explains to Mike who
the Doctor is and says that he might be able to fix this if they can
find him. Nyssa suspects he is still in the palace and makes a plan
with Mike to find him, using Lord Jezzavar.
 
Astorius explains
that the material used for the cocoons is called “Hexian”, from
their home-world. They usually use it as food, but in difficult times
they use it on Hexagorans husks too damaged to survive by draining
the Hexagoran’s mind essence into their genetic memory pool, in
which the memory nutrients of the Hexagoran is stored. The Doctor likens this to a pool of memories, and Astorius continues by
explaining that the vast knowledge they have gathered over the eons
is stored in it, which is why they have been able to reconstruct
almost perfectly the many palaces and buildings of 16<sup>th</sup>
century London. He also explains that the minds of the humans are
also in this pool while their Hexagoran bodies lie in repose in the
cocoons in the palace. He also notes that process for switching the
minds between the bodies is quite harmless. Astorius continues,
telling the Doctor that the reason the Queen would like to marry him
is that due to the impending ice age, she believes mating with the
Doctor will give her off-spring the ability to live much longer,
through the Ice age, as the doctor had earlier mentioned that his
people have the ability to live for millenia at a time. The Doctor
berates Astorius, saying that his society is under immense stress, as
it is the only reason that they have hatched such a heinous scheme
but notes that he suspects Astorius has shared this information with
him because it is troubling him. Astorius says the plan was just
originally to occupy the human hosts until the young had matured but
by then it was too late as the cold had so damaged their technology
that for the swarm to move on was too difficult. The Doctor demands
he reverse the process and return the captives but Astorius says it
is not his decision to make. Meanwhile, they hear a commotion outside
as a guard reveals to Zellenger that Astorius refuses to cocoon the
Doctor. The two hear this and Astorius tells the Doctor to go find
the only person who can protect him, Queen Zafira. The Doctor,
infuriated, makes a run for it.  


Jezzavar hosts a
Astorius refuses to place the Doctor in a sleep pod without an express order from Zafira and sends Zax away to help when one of the sleepers is brought back to the palace. The Doctor accuses him of lying about the sleep pods, leading Astorius to admit that his race are the Hexagora and that Lupara is based on their [[memory|memories]] of a temporary stay in London. They have been kidnapping and switching bodies with humans whilst the youngest Hexagora mature enough to leave the planet, but damage to their technology means that they are unlikely to be able to leave and, as a result, the human hosts are to be permanent, a prospect that troubles Astorius. The Doctor is chased by Zellenger and runs to Zafira, telling her that he would love to be her husband.
party as his house consisting of his fellow revolutionaries. He asks
that although they had originally planned to overthrow tonight, and
the wedding presenting a perfect opportunity, they delay the case
given the circumstances. Just then Nyssa arrives and announces that
she would like to aid them in their revolution.  
 
Zellenger barges in
on Astorius and demands the Doctor’s location, but he reveals that
the Doctor has gone and says no more. Zellenger chases after him.
 
Tegan awakens to
find herself alone with Mike. Despite him warning her she runs off to
find Nyssa.
 
The Doctor,
meanwhile, searches for the throne room but is spotted and chased by
a pair of guards.
 
Tegan is pursued by
Mike who tries to stop her from going. She insists on escaping and
continues on.
 
The
Doctor continues looking for the throne room but is found by
Zellenger. He manages to incapacitate Zellenger by pulling a rug out
from underneath him and makes a break for it. He finally finds the
throne room but is stopped by an armed guard. He manages to outwit
the guard and escapes.
 
The
Doctor barges in on Queen Zafira and demands an audience with her.
Zellenger catches up with him and demands the Queen order his arrest
on him being a spy and an alien. The Doctor, however, reveals to the
Queen that he would love to be her husband...


=== Part four ===
=== Part four ===
The
Zafira makes an order that Zellenger will be banished from the inner courts and be made to sleep outside the palace for twenty-five years, after which they will be [[divorce]]d. Upon learning that the Doctor knows the truth, she further explains that the [[hexian]] substance containing the knowledge of the Hexagora is degrading and that their only option, given the short life of humans, is to kidnap [[Gallifreyan]]s and mate with them to produce children who will be able to out-live the [[ice age]] of Luparis. The wedding goes ahead and Jezzavar attacks, holding Zafira at [[knife]]point until Astorius holds a [[flintlock]] into his back and makes him let her go. Zafira sentences him to death, but the Doctor asks for [[mercy]].
Queen chides Zellenger for his ignorance and even reveals she was
aware of his plot to frame the Doctor in the rose garden. She further
belittles him for his jealousy and finally makes an official order
that he is to be banished from the inner courts and denied entry to
the royal hall and chamber and will sleep outside the palace for the
next 25 years after which their divorce will be finalised and finally
that despite his demotion he is to make sure nothing happens at the
wedding ceremony tonight as minister of the guards. Despite his
protests, he obeys. The Doctor thanks the Queen as Zellenger is
dismissed and leaves but she turns to begin questioning him and his
suspicious behaviour. The Doctor admits he tried to escape but then
reveals he has spoken with Astorius and is aware of the current
situation and problems facing the Hexagorans. He consents to having
his “ability” put to their disposal.
 
As
the Doctor and the Queen walk, she explains the two major problems.
The first is that while Hexagorans can live for approximately five
centuries, humans can only last about one, so it will be necessary to
change host bodies a great number of times while the ice age endures
which would involve abducting more humans. Her second one is that as
the climate cools, their technology is beginning to degrade and that
they can only now risk the occasional space pod flight, and even that
is not insurance, they are now trapped on Luparis and the only way to
survive is remain in the mammal bodies.
 
Tegan
finally arrives outside followed by Mike. He asks her why she travels
with the Doctor saying that’s not the Tegan he remembers, a Tegan
who runs away, and that it is not the Tegan he was in love with.
Tegan is slightly shocked and rebuttals but they are interrupted by a
far-off voice announcing the wedding of the Doctor and Queen Zafira.
Tegan decides to go save the Doctor thinking that he is in trouble.
She decides to see if all the sleepers will work together to help her
gain entrance after Mike warns her that she won’t stand a chance
alone.       
 
The
Doctor is curious as to why their technology is being so badly
damaged by the weather, however, the Queen explains that it is not
the technology itself but their knowledge. They proceed into the
inner sanctum. She shows him the genetic memory code, shaped like a
giant tear drop. As they succumb to the code, so do they, and it
becomes more and more difficult to access the knowledge of their
ancestors and as such it is harder to do things like build the
advanced weapons that they used to stop their aggressors, etc. The
Hexian itself is malfunctioning and hence why many of the sleepers
are awakening. She reveals the way by which only she can access,
which is to use a special device that allows her to access the
genetic pool. However, she is able to do this less and less with each
passing day and is soon nearing a point where she will not be able to
at all, and thus will be useless to her people. She asks if the
Doctor can fix it but he explains that given the situation it would
be easier and less time-consuming to simply fix the space pods and
send the Hexagorans to another warm planet to colonize instead. The
Queen fears this plan because it means that the Hexagorans will have
to travel unguarded and alone a few at a time rather than together as
a swarm and is worried about either being attacked or losing the
precious members she has left. She reveals that by mating with the
Doctor and producing an off-spring that will be able to out-live the
coming ice age is the best strategy and further reveals that it is
not just the doctor, but they will use him and his TARDIS to invade
Gallifrey and acquire more Timelords to mate with the other
Hexagorans. The Doctor refuses but the Queen silences him, saying
that he has asked enough questions and that he will now act the part
of a good husband and ready himself for the marriage and follow and
obey every order she gives him from now on. She then sends him away.
 
Tegan
tells Mike the sleepers must distract the guards while she slips in.
 
Zellenger
opens the gates for Consul Nyssa and Jezzevar and they are told they
are to leave their weapons at the gate while Jezzavar teases
Zellenger about his lost position in the Queen’s favour inciting
further animosity between the two. They then proceed through the
gates.
 
The
Doctor enters the Chapel guards and is greeted by Astorius, who also
serves as the Archbishop. He explains to the Doctor that despite his
apparent “betrayal”, his actions are tolerated by the Queen
because he is viewed as a balancing force in matters.
 
Meanwhile
Mike manages to get his wings to work and flies Tegan over the gate.
 
The
parties install themselves in the churches for the marriage. The
Doctor and Nyssa are reunited. The Doctor is then asked to come to
the front.
 
Mike
and Tegan manage to land albeit very clumsily. Mike is injured and
when they hear Zellenger coming, he goads Tegan into fleeing while he
is found. Tegan comes out holding a pitch-fork and threatens
Zellenger who likewise threatens her. But she reveals that Jezzavar
has something big planned and so Zellenger runs off to warn the
Queen.  


When
The Doctor realises that the hexian is increasingly inaccessible because it no longer recognises the Hexagora due to them being in human bodies and that they will have to return to their original forms. The Hexagora act on this and gain the knowledge to rebuild their space pods to travel to a new world and to send the humans home, with Mike asking to be sent home last. This gives Tegan, who saved his life on the way to the palace, the chance to say goodbye and to promise to see him soon. On [[Earth]], [[Beth (Hexagora)|Beth]], the human whose body Zafira used, tells her husband [[Bill (Hexagora)|Bill]], whose body was used by Zellenger, that she had a strange [[dream]] and asks whether they are going to watch the Queen's [[silver jubilee]].
Artorius asks if there is anyone who disagrees with the marriage, the
Doctor objects. First on the grounds that this whole ceremony is
wrong and that they are replicating a ceremony and culture that they
have no understanding or appreciation for and secondly because he has
no best man. The queen orders Jezzavar to fill this position.
Astorius asks the Doctor to present the ring. Jezzavar claims to have
one but instead pulls out knife and attacks them. Zellenger attempts
to stop him and it is revealed that Jezzavar was attempting to kill
them, start a coup and install Nyssa as the Queen. He then takes the
Queen hostage at knifepoint. Mike bursts in and manages to distract
him while Astorius pulls out the flint lock pistol and advises
Jezzavar to release the queen. He concedes. She berates him for what
he has done and orders him to be put to death when the doctor
realizes something. He tries to explain that the failure of being
able to access the memory pool has to do with the foreign bodies they
have been inhabiting for so long. He explains that their race has
always been accustomed to acting as a “hive-mind” but they are
not used to using bodies not equipped with telepathic sensors and so
the Hexagora are no longer a collective but are beginning to think
individually, hence the jealousy, betrayal and all other negative
features manifesting itself. She accuses him of just trying to save
the humans but he assures her that the reaosn they haven’t been
able to access the memory is because they are no longer recognized as
Hexagora by the pool, acting as a single hive-mind and collective. He
says that if they go back to their original bodies then they should
be able to access the memory pool once again and find the knowledge
to repair their space pods which they can then repair and use to
return the humans to Earth and find another safer
planet. When asked about
what to do with Jezzavar, the Doctor says that it doesn’t matter
since Jezzavar is just the victim of the mentality of the body he
inhabits as he is acting like “a true Elizabethan”.
 
Nyssa
and Tegan view the genetic pool and she asks Nyssa where the Doctor
is. Nyssa explains that once Astorius swtiched back bodies and
accessed the pool, he didn’t even need the Doctor’s help to
rebuild the pods. The Doctor then routed the reverse coordinates of
all the abductees that Astorius had kept and re-calculated, being
able to help send the humans home and luckily because they have all
been unconscious the whole time, they won’t remember anything. She
also reveals that Tegan must have really liked Mike and tells her
that he specifically requested to be sent home last. Tegan runs off.
 
Mike
and Astorius chat while they send the humans back to Earth. Tegan
arrives and The Doctor persuades Astorius to assess the memory pool
to give Tegan and Mike some time alone. He offers her a chance to
come back home and he’ll put on the BBQ for the two of them. She
says she will and come see him soon.  
 
A
woman named Beth (the body that had previously served as Queen
Zafira’s vessel) wakes up to find her husband (who’s body had
been used as the vessel for Lord Zellenger) and tells him the
strangest thing happened and she feels like she’s been asleep for
ages. He laughs, and after she asks whether they’re going to watch
the Queen’s jubilee, they lovingly embrace.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 500: Line 64:
* [[Tegan Jovanka]] - [[Janet Fielding]]
* [[Tegan Jovanka]] - [[Janet Fielding]]
* [[Nyssa]] - [[Sarah Sutton]]
* [[Nyssa]] - [[Sarah Sutton]]
* [[Zafira|Queen Zafira]]/ [[Bev (Hexagora)|Bev]] - [[Jacqueline Pearce]]
* [[Zafira|Queen Zafira]] - [[Jacqueline Pearce]]
* [[Mike Bretherton]] - [[Toby Hadoke]]
* [[Mike Bretherton]] - [[Toby Hadoke]]
* [[Jezzavar|Lord Jezzavar]] - [[Richard Mark]]
* [[Jezzavar|Lord Jezzavar]] - [[Richard Mark]]
* [[Zellenger|Lord Zellenger]]/ [[Bill (Hexagora)|Bill]] - [[Dan Starkey]]
* [[Zellenger|Lord Zellenger]] - [[Dan Starkey]]
* [[Astorius]] - [[Sean Brosnan]]
* [[Astorius]] - [[Sean Brosnan]]
* [[Anza|Seamstress]] - [[Caroline Keiff]]
=== Uncredited cast ===
* [[Zax]] - [[Toby Hadoke]] ([[BFX]]: ''Hexagora'')


== References ==
== Crew ==
 
* Cover Art - [[Alex Mallinson]]
* Director - [[Ken Bentley]]
* Executive Producers - [[Nicholas Briggs]] and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Music and Sound Design - [[Simon Robinson]]
* Producer - [[David Richardson]]
* Script Editor - [[John Dorney]]
* Writers - [[Peter Ling]] and [[Hazel Adair]], adapted by [[Paul Finch]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
* [[Graham Sturges]] is Mike's [[news editor]].
* [[Luparis]] is the third planet of [[Proxima Centauri]] and is supposed to be overgrown with no intelligent life.
* [[Luparis]] is the third planet of [[Proxima Centauri]] and is supposed to be overgrown with no intelligent life.
* [[Proxima Centauri]] is the closest [[solar system]] to [[earth]]'s own.  
* [[Proxima Centauri]] is the closest [[solar system]] to [[earth]]'s own.
* Tegan and Mike Bretherton, who were next door neighbours, went to high school together in [[Brisbane]]. They were taught [[physics]] and [[chemistry]] by Miss Anderson. When she was fifteen, she broke her toe during track and gym and Mike carried her books home for her.
* Tegan and Mike Bretherton, who were next door neighbours, went to high school together in [[Brisbane]]. They were taught [[physics]] and [[chemistry]] by Miss Anderson. When she was fifteen, she broke her toe during track and gym and Mike carried her books home for her.
* Luparis is a replica of Tudor [[London]], featuring reproductions of the [[River Thames]] (which has frozen over due to the planet's rapidly falling temperatures, leading to a [[frost fair]]), [[London Bridge]] and the [[Palace of Whitehall]].
* Luparis is a replica of Tudor [[London]], featuring reproductions of the [[River Thames]] (which has frozen over due to the planet's rapidly falling temperatures, leading to a [[frost fair]]), [[London Bridge]] and the [[Palace of Whitehall]].
Line 514: Line 93:
* Tegan and Nyssa each have their own [[TARDIS key]]s.
* Tegan and Nyssa each have their own [[TARDIS key]]s.
* The Doctor says that [[Gallifreyan]]s can [[lifespan|live for "millennia"]].
* The Doctor says that [[Gallifreyan]]s can [[lifespan|live for "millennia"]].
* When attempting to climb the locked 12 foot gate, Tegan comments to herself about "always wearing [[High heel|heels]] at times like these."  
* When attempting to climb the locked 12 foot gate, Tegan comments to herself about "always wearing [[High heel|heels]] at times like these."
* The Doctor uses a device called an [[Iono|ionograph]] to help track down Mike. This is a device that can detect a diminishing ion stream from a spacecraft, or rather [[spacepod]]. The Doctor further explains that "a spacepod isn't made of solid material; it is a spherical force-field, a sort of gravity bubble that uses photonic propulsion, capable of fantastic velocity and ideal for interplanetary travel, expect that it can only usually carry one or two passengers at a time." He likens them to [[eddy currents]]; Nyssa comments that it is similar to a vapor trail from an earth [[aircraft]].  
* The Doctor uses a device called an [[ionograph]] to help track down Mike. This is a device that can detect a diminishing ion stream from a spacecraft, or rather [[Space Pod (Hexagoran)|space pod]]. The Doctor further explains that "a spacepod isn't made of solid material; it is a spherical force-field, a sort of gravity bubble that uses photonic propulsion, capable of fantastic velocity and ideal for interplanetary travel, except that it can only usually carry one or two passengers at a time." He likens them to [[eddy]] made by liquids in flow; Nyssa comments that it is similar to a vapour trail from an earth [[aircraft]].
* Astorius describes the [[Agellae]] as "a race of hideous, moronic ape creatures".
* Astorius describes the [[Agellae]] as "a race of hideous, moronic ape creatures".
* The [[Hexagora|Hexagorans]] use a device called a "Scry warp" to observe other potentially habitable planets.  
* The [[Hexagora]]ns use a device called a "Scry warp" to observe other potentially habitable planets.
* Hexian is a material from the Hexagorans homeworld that they use for both nutrients and technology.  
* [[Hexian]] is a material from the Hexagoran's homeworld that they use for both nutrients and technology.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* After ''[[Prison in Space (audio story)|Prison in Space]]'', this is the second Lost Story in which a female ruler seeks to marry the Doctor. [[Babs]], the Chairman of the [[World Federation of Womanhood]], became infatuated with the [[Second Doctor]] immediately after meeting him in that story.
* After ''[[Prison in Space (audio story)|Prison in Space]]'', this is the second Lost Story in which a female ruler seeks to marry the Doctor. [[Babs]], the Chairman of the [[World Federation of Womanhood]], became infatuated with the [[Second Doctor]] immediately after meeting him in that story.
* After ''[[The Foe from the Future (audio story)|The Foe from the Future]]'' and ''[[The Valley of Death (audio story)|The Valley of Death]]'', this is the third Lost Story to partially take place in [[1977]].
* After ''[[The Foe from the Future (audio story)|The Foe from the Future]]'' and ''[[The Valley of Death (audio story)|The Valley of Death]]'', this is the third Lost Story to partially take place in [[1977]].
* A solar room is a private chamber belonging to a [[Lord]] or Lady.  
* A solar room is a private chamber belonging to a [[Lord]] or [[Lady]].
* This audio drama was recorded on [[10 February (production)|10]] and [[11 February (production)|11 February]] [[2011 (production)|2011]].
* This audio drama was recorded on [[10 February (production)|10]] and [[11 February (production)|11 February]] [[2011 (production)|2011]] at [[the Moat Studios]].
* The original working title for this story was simply ''Hex''.
* The original working title for this story was simply ''[[Hex (TV story)|Hex]]'' and was originally written to feature [[Peri Brown]]. However, the story was adapted to feature Tegan and Nyssa instead.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan spend several days on holiday in [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]] following their ordeal with the Elite on [[Florana]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]'') The three of them and [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] would subsequently visit Brisbane during [[World War VI]] in the early [[51st century]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Butcher of Brisbane (audio story)|The Butcher of Brisbane]]'') Later in his personal timeline, the Doctor would return to the city on [[22 September]] [[2006]], where he would be reunited with Tegan, approximately 22 years after she had left [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] following an encounter with the [[Dalek]]s in [[London]] in [[1984]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Gathering (audio story)|The Gathering]]'')
* The Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan spend several days on holiday in [[Brisbane]], [[Australia]] following their ordeal with the Elite on [[Florana]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]'') The three of them and [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] would subsequently visit Brisbane during [[World War VI]] in the early [[51st century]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Butcher of Brisbane (audio story)|The Butcher of Brisbane]]'') Later in his personal timeline, the Doctor would return to the city on [[22 September]] [[2006]], where he would be reunited with Tegan, approximately 22 years after she had left [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] following an encounter with the [[Dalek]]s in [[London]] in [[1984]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Gathering (audio story)|The Gathering]]'')
* The Doctor tells Lord Jezzavar of the destruction of [[Traken]] in [[1981]] while Nyssa obliquely refers to the death of her father [[Tremas]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'')
* The Doctor tells Lord Jezzavar of the destruction of [[Traken]] in [[1981]] while Nyssa obliquely refers to the death of her father [[Tremas]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Logopolis (TV story)}})
* Nyssa mentions the time of [[Malador]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Guardians of Prophecy (audio story)|The Guardians of Prophecy]]'')
* Nyssa mentions the time of [[Malador]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Guardians of Prophecy (audio story)|The Guardians of Prophecy]]'')
* Tegan refers to the [[Great Fire of London]] in [[September]] [[1666]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]'')
* Tegan refers to the [[Great Fire of London]] in [[September]] [[1666]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Visitation (TV story)|The Visitation]]'')
* The Doctor tells Queen Zafira that he has previously visited the Palace of Whitehall. He did so in [[November]] [[1688]] during his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]] in the company of [[Jamie McCrimmon]] and [[Zoe Heriot]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Glorious Revolution (audio story)|The Glorious Revolution]]'') and again, during his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]], in [[1588]] in the company of [[Leela]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Devil's Armada (audio story)|The Devil's Armada]]'')
* The Doctor tells Queen Zafira that he has previously visited the Palace of Whitehall. He did so in [[November]] [[1688]] during his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]] in the company of [[Jamie McCrimmon]] and [[Zoe Heriot]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Glorious Revolution (audio story)|The Glorious Revolution]]'') and again, during his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]], in [[1588]] in the company of [[Leela]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Devil's Armada (audio story)|The Devil's Armada]]'')
* The Doctor mentions that he has witnessed [[human]]s thriving during one of [[Earth]]'s [[BC#Prehistory|Ice Ages]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'')
* The Doctor mentions that he has witnessed [[human]]s thriving during one of [[Earth]]'s [[BC#Prehistory|Ice Ages]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}})
* Tegan refers to Nyssa being brainwashed by the Elite on Florana. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]'')
* Tegan refers to Nyssa being brainwashed by the Elite on Florana. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Elite (audio story)|The Elite]]'')
* The Doctor has been reluctantly engaged before. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Aztecs (TV story)|The Aztecs]]'') He would get engaged to a royal monarch again, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'') as well as, accidentally, to [[Marilyn Monroe]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[A Christmas Carol (TV story)|A Christmas Carol]]'')
* The Doctor has been reluctantly engaged before. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Aztecs (TV story)|The Aztecs]]'') He would get engaged to a royal monarch again, ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Day of the Doctor (TV story)}}) as well as, accidentally, to [[Marilyn Monroe]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|A Christmas Carol (TV story)}})
* The Doctor would again encounter aliens snatching human bodies. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Unquiet Dead (TV story)|The Unquiet Dead]]'')
* The Doctor would again encounter aliens snatching human bodies. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Unquiet Dead (TV story)}})
* The Doctor and Nyssa have visited a planet resembling a period of England's past. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Spare Parts (audio story)|Spare Parts]]'')
* The Doctor and Nyssa have visited a planet resembling a period of England's past. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Spare Parts (audio story)|Spare Parts]]'')
* The Doctor once sparred with [[Errol Flynn]]. He would mention this again in his [[Twelfth Doctor|twelfth incarnation]] during his duel with [[Robin Hood]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Robot of Sherwood (TV story)|Robot of Sherwood]]'')
* The Doctor once sparred with [[Errol Flynn]]. He would mention this again in his [[Twelfth Doctor|twelfth incarnation]] during his duel with [[Robin Hood]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Robot of Sherwood (TV story)}})
* The Doctor mentions that his home planet [[Gallifrey]] is located in the [[constellation]] of [[Kasterborous]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Voyage of the Damned (TV story)|Voyage of the Damned]]'', ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor mentions that his home planet [[Gallifrey]] is located in the [[constellation]] of [[Kasterborous]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Voyage of the Damned (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Day of the Doctor (TV story)}})
* The Doctor is forced to wear a wedding suit, complete with trunk hoes, cartwheel ruff and [[tights]]. He wore a similar costume under different circumstances when attending a party at [[Cranleigh Hall]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Black Orchid (TV story)|Black Orchid]]'')
* The Doctor is forced to wear a wedding suit, complete with trunk hoes, cartwheel ruff and [[tights]]. He wore a similar costume under different circumstances when attending a party at [[Cranleigh Hall]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Black Orchid (TV story)|Black Orchid]]'')
* The Doctor has visited other planets in the Acteon galaxy before like [[Metebelis III]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Green Death (TV story)|The Green Death]]'', ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'', ''[[Hide (TV story)|Hide]]'')
* The Doctor has visited other planets in the Acteon galaxy before, such as [[Metebelis III]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Green Death (TV story)|The Green Death]]'', ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'', ''[[Hide (TV story)|Hide]]'')
* The [[Tenth Doctor]] later mentioned he would be rubbish at weddings, especially his own, ([[TV]]: {{cs|Blink (TV story)}}) as does the [[Eleventh Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Big Bang (TV story)}})
 
== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
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{{BFA LostStories}}
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{{TitleSort}}
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[[Category:Series 3 (TLS) audio stories]]
[[Category:Fifth Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Fifth Doctor audio stories]]
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[[Category:Stories set in 1977]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1977]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the Peter Howell theme]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the Peter Howell theme]]
[[Category:Posthumous releases]]
[[Category:Stories set in Brisbane]]
[[Category:Stories set in Brisbane]]

Latest revision as of 11:06, 11 February 2024

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You may be looking for the titular species.

Hexagora was the second story in the third series of The Lost Stories, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Paul Finch, from the original story idea by Peter Ling & Hazel Adair, and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa and Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

When a newspaper reporter goes missing, the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa uncover a case of alien abduction. The trail leads them to the planet Luparis, and a city that appears to be a replica of Tudor era London.

What are the monsters that lurk in the shadows? And what is the terrible secret at the heart of Luparis? To save a world, the Doctor must try and defeat the evil plans of Queen Zafira.

And one of her plans is to marry him...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan relax in a villa outside of Brisbane following the events on Florana, but Tegan reads in a newspaper about how investigative reporter and school friend Mike Bretherton disappeared after reporting a meteor and enlists the Doctor and Nyssa's help in searching for him. A visit to Mike's apartment in the TARDIS reveals that Mike had been investigating a series of disappearances, after which the Doctor uses an ionograph to detect two space pods which travelled to Luparis, a tropical and supposedly empty planet. They travel there and find that Lupara greatly resembles 16th century London.

The trio meet Lord Jezzevar, one of the two current husbands of Queen Zafira, who invites them to a duplicate of the Palace of Whitehall upon learning that Nyssa is effectively a Trakenite royal. Knowing that they are unlikely to find Mike on their own, they accept and are given Zafira's hospitality. Nyssa goes riding with Jezzevar and the Doctor goes for a walk on the veranda with Zafira, who indicates that she is attracted to him and advises that he direct any questions about the city to Astorius, the Minister of Science and chief astrologer. Meanwhile, the impatient Tegan scales a gate and heads back into the city, finding the TARDIS gone and Mike living as Sergeant Zax, a member of the city watch.

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

Zax arrests Tegan for walking the streets unaccompanied, but Lord Zellenger, head of security and another of Zafira's husbands, learns who she is and takes her back to the palace. Zafira and Astorius explain to the Doctor about how Luparis is rapidly cooling and that people are going into comas, leading them to start putting people into sleep pods in rooms known as nurseries. The sleep pods are arranged in pairs, one being for the husband and the other for the wife, but only one of each pair seems to be operational. The Doctor is also told that he will become Zafira's next husband and be known as her Consort Counsellor, prompting the upset Zellenger to engage him in a duel. Although the Doctor is able to disarm him, Zellenger accuses him of terrorism and has Zax take him to the nurseries.

Tegan catches up with Nyssa, who informs her that Jezzavar is planning to rebel against Zafira and would like to install Nyssa as her replacement; he believes that Zafira is too soft on her people and intends to rule through Nyssa. When serving girls Anza and Eva inform them of the Doctor and Zafira's wedding and that Nyssa and Tegan will be maids-in-waiting, they disguise themselves in the maids' clothes and run from a guard onto the streets. They hide in a dark passage where they they hear a clicking sound which Tegan heard before she met Zax. They flee to another hiding place, but a panel opens and they realise that they are in the nest of a group of insect creatures, one of them tells Tegan that he is Mike Bretherton.

Part three[[edit] | [edit source]]

Mike explains that the Hexagora put humans into insect bodies and did so to him because he was close to discovering them. Nyssa and Tegan go with him into the secret passageways and, whilst Tegan sleeps, Nyssa tells Mike about the Doctor and how he can help. She goes to Jezzavar's party without telling Tegan and pretends to join him in his planned coup d'état; when Tegan awakens, she runs from Mike to go and find her.

Astorius refuses to place the Doctor in a sleep pod without an express order from Zafira and sends Zax away to help when one of the sleepers is brought back to the palace. The Doctor accuses him of lying about the sleep pods, leading Astorius to admit that his race are the Hexagora and that Lupara is based on their memories of a temporary stay in London. They have been kidnapping and switching bodies with humans whilst the youngest Hexagora mature enough to leave the planet, but damage to their technology means that they are unlikely to be able to leave and, as a result, the human hosts are to be permanent, a prospect that troubles Astorius. The Doctor is chased by Zellenger and runs to Zafira, telling her that he would love to be her husband.

Part four[[edit] | [edit source]]

Zafira makes an order that Zellenger will be banished from the inner courts and be made to sleep outside the palace for twenty-five years, after which they will be divorced. Upon learning that the Doctor knows the truth, she further explains that the hexian substance containing the knowledge of the Hexagora is degrading and that their only option, given the short life of humans, is to kidnap Gallifreyans and mate with them to produce children who will be able to out-live the ice age of Luparis. The wedding goes ahead and Jezzavar attacks, holding Zafira at knifepoint until Astorius holds a flintlock into his back and makes him let her go. Zafira sentences him to death, but the Doctor asks for mercy.

The Doctor realises that the hexian is increasingly inaccessible because it no longer recognises the Hexagora due to them being in human bodies and that they will have to return to their original forms. The Hexagora act on this and gain the knowledge to rebuild their space pods to travel to a new world and to send the humans home, with Mike asking to be sent home last. This gives Tegan, who saved his life on the way to the palace, the chance to say goodbye and to promise to see him soon. On Earth, Beth, the human whose body Zafira used, tells her husband Bill, whose body was used by Zellenger, that she had a strange dream and asks whether they are going to watch the Queen's silver jubilee.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Uncredited cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Graham Sturges is Mike's news editor.
  • Luparis is the third planet of Proxima Centauri and is supposed to be overgrown with no intelligent life.
  • Proxima Centauri is the closest solar system to earth's own.
  • Tegan and Mike Bretherton, who were next door neighbours, went to high school together in Brisbane. They were taught physics and chemistry by Miss Anderson. When she was fifteen, she broke her toe during track and gym and Mike carried her books home for her.
  • Luparis is a replica of Tudor London, featuring reproductions of the River Thames (which has frozen over due to the planet's rapidly falling temperatures, leading to a frost fair), London Bridge and the Palace of Whitehall.
  • The Doctor once sparred with Errol Flynn.
  • Tegan and Nyssa each have their own TARDIS keys.
  • The Doctor says that Gallifreyans can live for "millennia".
  • When attempting to climb the locked 12 foot gate, Tegan comments to herself about "always wearing heels at times like these."
  • The Doctor uses a device called an ionograph to help track down Mike. This is a device that can detect a diminishing ion stream from a spacecraft, or rather space pod. The Doctor further explains that "a spacepod isn't made of solid material; it is a spherical force-field, a sort of gravity bubble that uses photonic propulsion, capable of fantastic velocity and ideal for interplanetary travel, except that it can only usually carry one or two passengers at a time." He likens them to eddy made by liquids in flow; Nyssa comments that it is similar to a vapour trail from an earth aircraft.
  • Astorius describes the Agellae as "a race of hideous, moronic ape creatures".
  • The Hexagorans use a device called a "Scry warp" to observe other potentially habitable planets.
  • Hexian is a material from the Hexagoran's homeworld that they use for both nutrients and technology.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

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The Lost Stories
First Doctor
Second Doctor
Third Doctor
Fourth Doctor
Fifth Doctor
Sixth Doctor
Seventh Doctor
Sara Kingdom
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