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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|adapted from=Crime of the Century (TV story)
|adapted from           = Crime of the Century (unproduced TV story)
|image= Crime of the Century cover.jpg
|image                 = Crime of the Century cover.jpg
|range           = The Lost Stories
|range                 = The Lost Stories
|series in range = Series 2 (TLS)
|series in range       = Series 2 (TLS)
|series number in range = 2
|series number in range = 2
|number in series = 4
|number in series       = 4
|series=[[The Lost Stories]]  
|series                 = [[The Lost Stories]]
|number= 2.04  
|number                 = 2.04
|doctor=Seventh Doctor  
|doctor                 = Seventh Doctor
|companions=[[Ace]], [[Raine Creevy|Raine]]
|companions             = [[Ace]], [[Raine Creevy|Raine]]
|enemy= Colonel Felnikov, The [[Metatraxi]]  
|featuring              = Markus Creevy{{!}}Markus
|setting= [[London]] and [[Kafiristan]], the [[Middle East]],  [[October]] [[1989]]  
|featuring2            = Metatraxi
|writer= [[Andrew Cartmel]]
|enemy                 = [[Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov|Colonel Felnikov]]
|director= [[Ken Bentley]]  
|setting               = [[England]] and [[Kafiristan]], [[October]] [[1989]]
|producer= [[David Richardson]]
|writer                 = Andrew Cartmel
|music = [[Simon Robinson]]
|director               = [[Ken Bentley]]
|sound = [[Simon Robinson]]
|producer               = [[David Richardson]]
|cover = [[Alex Mallinson]]
|music                 = [[Simon Robinson]]
|publisher= Big Finish Productions  
|sound                 = Simon Robinson
|release date= [[May (releases)|May]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]]
|cover                 = [[Alex Mallinson]]
|format= 4 Episodes on 2 CDs  
|publisher             = Big Finish Productions
|isbn= ISBN 978-1-84435-491-7  
|release date           = 18 May 2011
|prev= Thin Ice (audio story)
|format                 = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|next= Animal (audio story)
|production code        = BFPDWLS12
|soundcloudtrailer = https://soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-lost-stories-crime-of-the-century-trailer
|isbn                   = ISBN 978-1-84435-491-7 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78575-885-0 (digital)
}}{{audio stub}}
|prev                   = Thin Ice (audio story)
'''''Crime of the Century''''' was the fourth release in the [[Series 2 (TLS)|second series]] of [[Big Finish Productions]]' ''[[The Lost Stories]]'' range. It featured the [[Seventh Doctor]], [[Ace]] and [[Raine Creevy]], as played by [[Sylvester McCoy]], [[Sophie Aldred]] and [[Beth Chalmers]]. It was based upon a [[Crime of the Century (TV story)|television story of the same name]], which was not produced due to the series' cancellation in 1990.
|next                   = Animal (audio story)
|soundcloudtrailer     = https://soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-the-lost-stories-crime-of-the-century-trailer
|epcount                = 4
}}
'''''Crime of the Century''''' was the fourth story release in the [[Series 2 (TLS)|second series]] of ''[[The Lost Stories]]'', produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was adapted by [[Andrew Cartmel]], from the original script by [[Ben Aaronovitch]], and featured [[Sylvester McCoy]] as the [[Seventh Doctor]], [[Sophie Aldred]] as [[Ace]] and introduced [[Beth Chalmers]] as [[Raine Creevy]].
 
This story was originally intended to be the third story of the original [[Season 27]], but was cancelled along with other planned stories when ''Doctor Who'' itself was cancelled in 1989.


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
Line 37: Line 43:
And on the [[Scottish]] border, a highly guarded facility contains an advanced alien weapon.
And on the [[Scottish]] border, a highly guarded facility contains an advanced alien weapon.


These are all part of the [[Seventh Doctor|Doctor]]'s masterplan. But masterplans can go awry...
These are all part of [[Seventh Doctor|the Doctor]]'s masterplan. But masterplans can go awry...


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
=== Part one ===
''to be added''
In [[October]] [[1989]], [[Raine Creevy]] goes to a [[party]] and, watched by [[Party guest (Crime of the Century)|a guest]] whom she gives a spiked [[maraschino cherry]], cracks her way into a [[safe]] and finds [[Seventh Doctor|the Doctor]] waiting inside. He knew to wait for her there because he read [[Raine Creevy's diary|her diary]], although she has not yet written an entry on this night, and tells her where the [[black pearl]] necklace that she was hired to rob is. Before they can get off the property, the alarm sounds and they flee, throwing [[black pepper]] into the eyes of the [[dog]]s; upon getting away, Raine abandons the Doctor in [[Raine Creevy's car|her car]].
 
[[Ace]] gets the attention of [[Markus Creevy]], sat in [[Markus Creevy's car|his car]], and reminds him of how they met in [[Russia]] in the [[1960s]]. She tells him that the Doctor wants his help, but he refuses until she warns him that eleven or twelve [[CID]] men are in the [[warehouse]] he is watching. He calls off the operation to steal antique coins worth £30,000 and invites Ace into his car; she asks him to use his connections in the [[Middle East]] to get her into [[Kafiristan]], a country at war, and provide her with [[gun]]s, [[map]]s, [[vodka]] and other supplies. They drive away upon hearing [[siren]]s.
 
Several nights later, Raine waits in the cold for her buyer and lifts a [[sword]] which feels warm and natural in her hand. She is only able to put down thanks to the Doctor, who arrives and reveals that he is her client, having hired her to steal several items obtained illicitly to be returned to their rightful owner. He tells her that the sword is [[Mars|Martian]] and that a device she has is a [[human]] [[transponder]]. A man approaches, having found Raine using the transponder, and intends to take the treasures back.
 
Ace travels with [[Nikitin|Lieutenant Nikitin]] to Kafiristan by a terrain vehicle before going by foot. They come across wrecked vehicles which Nikitin tells her are rumoured by the tribes to have been attacked by [[demon]]s. Ace suggests that they have a closer look, but [[Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov|Colonel Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov]] and soldiers of the [[People's Army]], to which Nikitin belongs, stop her and prepare to [[execution|execute]] her.


=== Part two ===
=== Part two ===
''to be added''
Although the man was only sent to retrieve the sword, he threatens the Doctor and Raine into handing over all of the treasures. Raine uses the sword to destroy the man's [[gun]], scaring him away, and has an unhappy reunion with Markus, her father; the items were sold by Markus following [[Black Monday]] and the Doctor needs him solvent to assist him in his plans, which include reclaiming an item similar to a [[Fabergé egg]]. The Doctor keeps the sword, however, as he has a new owner in mind. Raine initially refuses to work with her father, but breaks down in tears after he gives her the black pearl necklace in memory of her mother.
 
On the [[Isle of Dogs]], the Doctor, Raine and Markus break into a replica of [[RAF Spadeadam]], their next destination. The Doctor explains that the real base will be guarded by [[robot]] kill teams and that Raine will have to break into a [[vault]]. Upon completing the mission, they fly to Kafiristan and meet Prince Sayf, to whom the Doctor hands the Martian sword in return for a favour. Sayf is called away and the Doctor and Raine watch him meet outside with Felnikov, with whom he shakes hands.
 
Ace claims to be a [[war correspondent]] with the fictional ''Perivale Enquirer'' and wins Felnikov over by giving him and his men ten litres of vodka, although Felnikov does feel that he recognises her from somewhere once she removes her [[hat]]. Felnikov and his men take Ace and Nikitin with them, first by vehicle and then by foot when they reach a roadblock. Ace and Nikitin climb to a height to keep an eye on the [[palace]] of [[Sayf Udeen|Prince Sayf Udeen]], enemy of the People's Army, and later go to see [[Valentin Abramov|Sergeant Valentin Abramov]], the almost unresponsive survivor of the supposed demon attacks. He can only say ''насекомое'', meaning "insect". They suddenly come under attack from monsters.


=== Part three ===
=== Part three ===
''to be added''
The Doctor and Raine travel with Sayf and [[Walnuf]] by [[helicopter]] to the site of a battle against the demons, where they discuss the fight and the Doctor learns that the demons did not use their guns against the soldiers using swords. He analyses an advanced alien bullet and he and Raine return to the palace by land vehicle whilst Sayf uses the helicopter to go to an isolated valley. There, Felnikov asks Sayf to supply him with one of the demon's weapons in return for guns for his insurgency.
 
The Doctor and Raine arrive at the valley using another of Sayf's helicopters and Felnikov recognises the Doctor, making him realise where he recognises Ace from. Not having been contacted by Ace within an agreed time, the Doctor assumes that she is in danger and gives Sayf the Martian sword. He and Sayf head off in the direction of billowing [[smoke]] whilst Raine takes Felnikov to the palace by helicopter.
 
Ace, Nikitin and Valentin arm themselves, but Valentin soon tries to shoot himself rather than face the demons. The battle outside ends and they flee, chased by the demons, to a cave where Valentin hides at the back. The Doctor and Sayf arrive and the Doctor says that he plans on having Sayf challenge the [[Metatraxi]] to mortal combat, defeat one in a swordfight and force them to leave Earth. However, Sayf and Valentin are killed by ricocheting Metatraxi bullets and the Doctor tells Ace to pick up the sword.


=== Part four ===
=== Part four ===
''to be added''
Ace picks up the sword and hears its voice whispering to her in her mind. The Doctor calls for [[parley]] with the Metatraxi and alters [[Polyglot 7 Version 3|their translator device]], allowing them to communicate better but with the voice and vocabulary of a stereotypical [[surfer]]. He challenges them to a swordfight with Ace and she is able to disarm the Metatraxi champion. The Doctor demands that they leave Earth, which they agree in return for their translator being returned to normal. He complies and they prepare to depart, but the champion is enraged upon learning that Ace is a female and deems the fight invalid.
 
The Doctor goes to a [[gentlemen's club]] and meets a [[Minister (Crime of the Century)|Minister]], accusing him of using Kafiristan as a testing ground for a weapon that his government confiscated from Creevy's contraband, one which looks like a Fabergé egg. The Minister refuses to hand it over and says that it is in a secure facility.
 
The Metatraxi contact Felnikov, whose government has hired them to fight their enemies in return for rare [[metal]]s. As the Metatraxi have also killed Russians, he demands a refund, but is told that it is impossible. He is being held responsible for the attacks and will likely be imprisoned or executed and gives the Metatraxi one final mission. Raine and Felnikov go to RAF Spadeadam with the Metatraxi to steal the weapon. After fighting robots, the Metatraxi leave Earth and the Doctor, Ace and Markus appear, revealing that Raine had manipulated Felnikov. Markus escorts him away to travel to [[South America]] and Raine and opens the vault to steal the weapon.
 
The Doctor checks the robots and sees that they were built by the [[Margrave University Cybernetics Research Unit|Cybernetics Research Unit]] at [[Margrave University]], whom he decides to pay a visit to. Ace and Raine compliment one another's swordfighting and safecracking skills but exchange class-related insults when the Doctor suggests that they could be friends. The Doctor sets the weapon to self-destruct and, after running into the Minister, he and Ace invite Raine to travel with them to Margrave and beyond.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
* [[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Sylvester McCoy]]
* [[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Sylvester McCoy]]
* [[Ace]] - [[Sophie Aldred]]
* [[Ace]] - [[Sophie Aldred]]
* [[Raine Creevy]] - [[Beth Chalmers]]
* [[Raine Creevy|Raine]] - [[Beth Chalmers]]
* [[Markus Creevy]] - [[Ricky Groves]]
* [[Markus Creevy]] - [[Ricky Groves]]
* [[Nikitin]]/[[Parvez]] - [[Derek Carlyle]]
* [[Nikitin]] - [[Derek Carlyle]]
* [[Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov|Colonel Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov]]/[[Party guest (Crime of the Century)|Party Guest]]/[[Waiter (Crime of the Century)|Waiter]] - [[John Albasiny]]
* [[Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov|Colonel Felnikov]] - [[John Albasiny]]
* [[Metatraxi]]/[[Walnuf]]/[[Gunman (Crime of the Century)|Gunman]] - [[John Banks]]
* [[Metatraxi]] - [[John Banks]]
* [[Sayf Udeen|Prince Sayf Udeen]]/[[Valentin (Crime of the Century)|Valentin]] - [[Chris Porter]]
* [[Sayf Udeen|Prince Sayf Udeen]] - [[Chris Porter]]


== References ==
== Crew ==
 
* Cover Art - [[Alex Mallinson]]
* Director - [[Ken Bentley]]
* Executive Producer - [[Nicholas Briggs]] and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Music and Sound Design - [[Simon Robinson]]
* Producer - [[David Richardson]]
* Writer & Script Editor - [[Andrew Cartmel]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
* Raine keeps [[Raine Creevy's diary|a diary]].
* Raine drinks a [[Manhattan (cocktail)|Manhattan]].
* Raine obtained a [[stethoscope]] from a medical student she met at a party in [[Holland Park]].
* Raine has a [[jar]] of [[maraschino cherry|maraschino cherries]].
* Raine learnt some safecracking skills from somebody that [[Markus Creevy|her father]] knew.
* Markus lost a lot of his [[money]] on [[Black Monday]], the biggest financial meltdown since the [[Wall Street Crash]]. Felnikov dreamt up the scheme in an attempt to destabilise the western world, but it caused several of his superiors to lose money and he was sent back to the army.
* The Doctor gets ground [[black pepper]] from the kitchen.
* [[Kafiristan]] is best known for its uses of [[goat]] skin.
* The [[People's Army]] defeated insurgents in Kafiristan.
* Nikitin is an [[interpreter]].
* [[Sayf Udeen]] has seven [[wife|wives]].
* Sayf [[fencing|fenced]] on several [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] teams.
* Sayf serves [[mint tea]].
* [[Valentin Abramov]] is the only person to survive an attack by the "demons".
* The [[Metatraxi]] use [[Polyglot 7 Version 3]], which is notorious as one of the worst translator devices in the galaxy. Most were recalled.
* The Doctor claims that [[dolphin]]s are "one of the few sentient species" on [[Earth]].
* The Doctor claims that [[dolphin]]s are "one of the few sentient species" on [[Earth]].
* The robots were built by [[Margrave University Cybernetics Research Unit]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* This audio drama was recorded on [[13 April (production)|13]] and [[14 April (production)|14 April]] [[2010 (production)|2010]] at [[the Moat Studios]].
* It was released on [[18 May (releases)|18 May]] [[2011 (releases)|2011]].<ref>[https://https://web.archive.org/web/20110519050956/http://www.bigfinish.com/whatsnew.aspx Latest and Upcoming releases - Archived on 19-05-2011]</ref>
* Raine Creevy is based on Raine Cunningham, the companion who was intended to come after Ace in the then-unproduced [[Season 27]]. A feature in [[DWM 255]] gave the character the name Kate Tollinger, but according to an interview with script editor [[Andrew Cartmel]] in [[DWM 433]], the character was always going to be named Raine. The character has been renamed Raine Creevy, as Cartmel had since discovered someone of the name Raine Cunningham existed in real life.
* Raine Creevy is based on Raine Cunningham, the companion who was intended to come after Ace in the then-unproduced [[Season 27]]. A feature in [[DWM 255]] gave the character the name Kate Tollinger, but according to an interview with script editor [[Andrew Cartmel]] in [[DWM 433]], the character was always going to be named Raine. The character has been renamed Raine Creevy, as Cartmel had since discovered someone of the name Raine Cunningham existed in real life.
* Notably, this story deliberately does not give the identity of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] in 1989 in the ''Doctor Who'' universe. In reality, it was [[Margaret Thatcher]], who served in that office continuously from 4 May 1979 to 28 November 1990. This contrasts with several other audio dramas based in the 1980s, including ''[[The Ultimate Adventure (audio story)|The Ultimate Adventure]]'' (in which she is featured as a character) and ''[[Rat Trap (audio story)|Rat Trap]]'' (in which she is mentioned several times). The latter was released in June 2011, only one month after the release of ''Thin Ice''.
* Notably, this story deliberately does not give the identity of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] in 1989 in the ''Doctor Who'' universe. In reality, it was [[Margaret Thatcher]], who served in that office continuously from 4 May 1979 to 28 November 1990. This contrasts with several other audio dramas based in the 1980s, including ''[[The Ultimate Adventure (audio story)|The Ultimate Adventure]]'' (in which she is featured as a character) and ''[[Rat Trap (audio story)|Rat Trap]]'' (in which she is mentioned several times). The latter was released in June 2011, only one month after the release of ''Thin Ice''.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[13 April (production)|13]] and [[14 April (production)|14 April]] [[2010 (production)|2010]].


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* [[Raine Creevy]] was delivered by the Doctor in the [[Soviet Union]] on [[7 November]] [[1967]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Thin Ice (audio story)|Thin Ice]]''), almost twenty-two years before the events of this story. From the Doctor's perspective, those events occurred immediately before his encounter with the adult Raine on [[13 October]] [[1989]].
* [[Raine Creevy]] was delivered by the Doctor in the [[Soviet Union]] on [[7 November]] [[1967]], ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Thin Ice (audio story)|Thin Ice]]'') almost twenty-two years before the events of this story. From the Doctor's perspective, those events occurred immediately before his encounter with the adult Raine on [[13 October]] [[1989]].
* The Doctor and Ace previously met Markus Creevy and the then-Major Felnikov in Moscow in November 1967. Both Creevy and Felnikov take some time to realise that Ace is the same girl whom they had last seen more than two decades earlier, having not aged a day in the interim. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Thin Ice (audio story)|Thin Ice]]'')
* The Doctor and Ace previously met Markus Creevy and the then-Major Felnikov in Moscow in November 1967. Both Creevy and Felnikov take some time to realise that Ace is the same girl whom they had last seen more than two decades earlier, having not aged a day in the interim. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Thin Ice (audio story)|Thin Ice]]'')
* Ace refers to her home of [[Perivale]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Ghost Light (TV story)|Ghost Light]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'')
* Ace refers to her home of [[Perivale]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Ghost Light (TV story)|Ghost Light]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'')
* Ace mentions that she has previously had bad experiences in caves. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dragonfire (TV story)|Dragonfire]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Battlefield (TV story)|Battlefield]]'')
* Ace mentions that she has previously had bad experiences in caves. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dragonfire (TV story)|Dragonfire]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Battlefield (TV story)|Battlefield]]'')
* Ace hates being called "small." ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'')
* Ace hates being called "small." ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'')
* Felnikov calls Ace "[[tovarishch]]", a Russian word meaning comrade or friend or ally. The [[Fenric]]-possessed Captain [[Sorin]] also called her tovarishch. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric]]'')
* Felnikov calls Ace "[[tovarishch]]", a Russian word meaning comrade or friend or ally. The [[Fenric]]-possessed Captain [[Sorin]] also called her tovarishch. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'')
 
== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 07:01, 16 March 2024

RealWorld.png

Crime of the Century was the fourth story release in the second series of The Lost Stories, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was adapted by Andrew Cartmel, from the original script by Ben Aaronovitch, and featured Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor, Sophie Aldred as Ace and introduced Beth Chalmers as Raine Creevy.

This story was originally intended to be the third story of the original Season 27, but was cancelled along with other planned stories when Doctor Who itself was cancelled in 1989.

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

The year is 1989. In London, safe cracker Raine Creevy breaks into a house — and finds more than the family jewels.

In the Middle East, the kingdom of Sayf Udeen is being terrorised by Soviet invaders and alien monsters.

And on the Scottish border, a highly guarded facility contains an advanced alien weapon.

These are all part of the Doctor's masterplan. But masterplans can go awry...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

In October 1989, Raine Creevy goes to a party and, watched by a guest whom she gives a spiked maraschino cherry, cracks her way into a safe and finds the Doctor waiting inside. He knew to wait for her there because he read her diary, although she has not yet written an entry on this night, and tells her where the black pearl necklace that she was hired to rob is. Before they can get off the property, the alarm sounds and they flee, throwing black pepper into the eyes of the dogs; upon getting away, Raine abandons the Doctor in her car.

Ace gets the attention of Markus Creevy, sat in his car, and reminds him of how they met in Russia in the 1960s. She tells him that the Doctor wants his help, but he refuses until she warns him that eleven or twelve CID men are in the warehouse he is watching. He calls off the operation to steal antique coins worth £30,000 and invites Ace into his car; she asks him to use his connections in the Middle East to get her into Kafiristan, a country at war, and provide her with guns, maps, vodka and other supplies. They drive away upon hearing sirens.

Several nights later, Raine waits in the cold for her buyer and lifts a sword which feels warm and natural in her hand. She is only able to put down thanks to the Doctor, who arrives and reveals that he is her client, having hired her to steal several items obtained illicitly to be returned to their rightful owner. He tells her that the sword is Martian and that a device she has is a human transponder. A man approaches, having found Raine using the transponder, and intends to take the treasures back.

Ace travels with Lieutenant Nikitin to Kafiristan by a terrain vehicle before going by foot. They come across wrecked vehicles which Nikitin tells her are rumoured by the tribes to have been attacked by demons. Ace suggests that they have a closer look, but Colonel Maxim Alexandrovitch Felnikov and soldiers of the People's Army, to which Nikitin belongs, stop her and prepare to execute her.

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

Although the man was only sent to retrieve the sword, he threatens the Doctor and Raine into handing over all of the treasures. Raine uses the sword to destroy the man's gun, scaring him away, and has an unhappy reunion with Markus, her father; the items were sold by Markus following Black Monday and the Doctor needs him solvent to assist him in his plans, which include reclaiming an item similar to a Fabergé egg. The Doctor keeps the sword, however, as he has a new owner in mind. Raine initially refuses to work with her father, but breaks down in tears after he gives her the black pearl necklace in memory of her mother.

On the Isle of Dogs, the Doctor, Raine and Markus break into a replica of RAF Spadeadam, their next destination. The Doctor explains that the real base will be guarded by robot kill teams and that Raine will have to break into a vault. Upon completing the mission, they fly to Kafiristan and meet Prince Sayf, to whom the Doctor hands the Martian sword in return for a favour. Sayf is called away and the Doctor and Raine watch him meet outside with Felnikov, with whom he shakes hands.

Ace claims to be a war correspondent with the fictional Perivale Enquirer and wins Felnikov over by giving him and his men ten litres of vodka, although Felnikov does feel that he recognises her from somewhere once she removes her hat. Felnikov and his men take Ace and Nikitin with them, first by vehicle and then by foot when they reach a roadblock. Ace and Nikitin climb to a height to keep an eye on the palace of Prince Sayf Udeen, enemy of the People's Army, and later go to see Sergeant Valentin Abramov, the almost unresponsive survivor of the supposed demon attacks. He can only say насекомое, meaning "insect". They suddenly come under attack from monsters.

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

The Doctor and Raine travel with Sayf and Walnuf by helicopter to the site of a battle against the demons, where they discuss the fight and the Doctor learns that the demons did not use their guns against the soldiers using swords. He analyses an advanced alien bullet and he and Raine return to the palace by land vehicle whilst Sayf uses the helicopter to go to an isolated valley. There, Felnikov asks Sayf to supply him with one of the demon's weapons in return for guns for his insurgency.

The Doctor and Raine arrive at the valley using another of Sayf's helicopters and Felnikov recognises the Doctor, making him realise where he recognises Ace from. Not having been contacted by Ace within an agreed time, the Doctor assumes that she is in danger and gives Sayf the Martian sword. He and Sayf head off in the direction of billowing smoke whilst Raine takes Felnikov to the palace by helicopter.

Ace, Nikitin and Valentin arm themselves, but Valentin soon tries to shoot himself rather than face the demons. The battle outside ends and they flee, chased by the demons, to a cave where Valentin hides at the back. The Doctor and Sayf arrive and the Doctor says that he plans on having Sayf challenge the Metatraxi to mortal combat, defeat one in a swordfight and force them to leave Earth. However, Sayf and Valentin are killed by ricocheting Metatraxi bullets and the Doctor tells Ace to pick up the sword.

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

Ace picks up the sword and hears its voice whispering to her in her mind. The Doctor calls for parley with the Metatraxi and alters their translator device, allowing them to communicate better but with the voice and vocabulary of a stereotypical surfer. He challenges them to a swordfight with Ace and she is able to disarm the Metatraxi champion. The Doctor demands that they leave Earth, which they agree in return for their translator being returned to normal. He complies and they prepare to depart, but the champion is enraged upon learning that Ace is a female and deems the fight invalid.

The Doctor goes to a gentlemen's club and meets a Minister, accusing him of using Kafiristan as a testing ground for a weapon that his government confiscated from Creevy's contraband, one which looks like a Fabergé egg. The Minister refuses to hand it over and says that it is in a secure facility.

The Metatraxi contact Felnikov, whose government has hired them to fight their enemies in return for rare metals. As the Metatraxi have also killed Russians, he demands a refund, but is told that it is impossible. He is being held responsible for the attacks and will likely be imprisoned or executed and gives the Metatraxi one final mission. Raine and Felnikov go to RAF Spadeadam with the Metatraxi to steal the weapon. After fighting robots, the Metatraxi leave Earth and the Doctor, Ace and Markus appear, revealing that Raine had manipulated Felnikov. Markus escorts him away to travel to South America and Raine and opens the vault to steal the weapon.

The Doctor checks the robots and sees that they were built by the Cybernetics Research Unit at Margrave University, whom he decides to pay a visit to. Ace and Raine compliment one another's swordfighting and safecracking skills but exchange class-related insults when the Doctor suggests that they could be friends. The Doctor sets the weapon to self-destruct and, after running into the Minister, he and Ace invite Raine to travel with them to Margrave and beyond.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This audio drama was recorded on 13 and 14 April 2010 at the Moat Studios.
  • It was released on 18 May 2011.[1]
  • Raine Creevy is based on Raine Cunningham, the companion who was intended to come after Ace in the then-unproduced Season 27. A feature in DWM 255 gave the character the name Kate Tollinger, but according to an interview with script editor Andrew Cartmel in DWM 433, the character was always going to be named Raine. The character has been renamed Raine Creevy, as Cartmel had since discovered someone of the name Raine Cunningham existed in real life.
  • Notably, this story deliberately does not give the identity of the British Prime Minister in 1989 in the Doctor Who universe. In reality, it was Margaret Thatcher, who served in that office continuously from 4 May 1979 to 28 November 1990. This contrasts with several other audio dramas based in the 1980s, including The Ultimate Adventure (in which she is featured as a character) and Rat Trap (in which she is mentioned several times). The latter was released in June 2011, only one month after the release of Thin Ice.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ Latest and Upcoming releases - Archived on 19-05-2011

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

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