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{{real world}}{{Infobox Story
{{real world}}
|name            = The Rani Elite
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image           = 194 The Rani Elite cover.jpg
|image             = 194 The Rani Elite cover.jpg
|series         = '''[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories]]'''
|range            = Main Range
|number         = 194
|number in range  = 194
|doctor         = Sixth Doctor
|series           = ''[[Main Range]]''
|companions     = [[Peri Brown|Peri]]
|number           = 194
|enemy           = [[The Rani]]  
|doctor           = Sixth Doctor
|setting         = [[College of Advanced Galactic Education]]
|companions       = [[Peri Brown|Peri]]
|writer          = [[Justin Richards]]
|enemy             = [[Second Rani]]  
|director        = [[Ken Bentley]]
|setting           = [[College of Advanced Galactic Education]]
|music           = [[Andy Hardwick]]
|writer           = Justin Richards
|sound           = [[Andy Hardwick]]
|director         = [[Ken Bentley]]
|cover           = [[Anthony Lamb]]
|producer          = [[David Richardson]]
|publisher       = Big Finish Productions
|music             = [[Andy Hardwick]]
|release date   = [[17 December (releases)|17 December]] [[2014 (releases)|2014]]
|sound             = [[Andy Hardwick]]
|format         = 4 Parts, 2 CDs
|cover             = [[Anthony Lamb]]
|production code =  
|epcount          = 4
|isbn           = ISBN 978-1-78178-335-1
|publisher         = Big Finish Productions
|prev = Masters of Earth (audio story)
|release date     = 17 December 2014
|next = TBA
|format           = 2 CDs<br/>Download
}}'''''The Rani Elite''''' was the one hundred and ninety-fourth story in [[Big Finish]]'s [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|monthly range]]. It was the first audio story by [[Big Finish]] to feature [[the Rani]], and featured the debut of a new incarnation played by [[Siobhan Redmond]]. [[Kate O'Mara]], the actress who portrayed the original Rani, passed away shortly before she would have reprised her role in the audio range. In the event of her death, O'Mara permitted her character to be recast, so the producers carried out her wishes.
|production code   = BFPDWCD194
|isbn             = ISBN 978-1-78178-335-1 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78575-741-9 (digital)
|prev             = Masters of Earth (audio story)
|next             = Mistfall (audio story)
|soundcloudtrailer =  
}}{{audio stub}}
'''''The Rani Elite''''' was the one hundred and ninety-fourth story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Justin Richards]] and featured [[Colin Baker]] as the [[Sixth Doctor]] and [[Nicola Bryant]] as [[Peri Brown]].
 
It was the first audio story by Big Finish to feature [[the Rani]], and featured the debut of a [[Second Rani|new incarnation]] played by [[Siobhan Redmond]].
 
== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] arrives in the CAGE – not a trap, but the [[College of Advanced Galactic Education]], one of the most prestigious academic institutions in colonised space.
[[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]] arrives in the CAGE – not a trap, but the [[College of Advanced Galactic Education]], one of the most prestigious academic institutions in colonised space.
Line 27: Line 36:
Not a trap. Or is it?
Not a trap. Or is it?


[[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]]’s here to receive an honorary degree in Moral Philosophy. But there’s something rotten at the heart of the Medical Facility. Someone is operating on the [[student]]s. Someone without a conscience. Someone with access to a [[Sidelian Brain Scanner]] – a technology that hasn't been invented yet.
[[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]]'s here to receive an honorary degree in Moral Philosophy. But there's something rotten at the heart of the Medical Facility. Someone is operating on the [[student]]s. Someone without a [[conscience]]. Someone with access to a [[Sidelian Brain Scanner]] – a [[technology]] that hasn't been invented yet.


That someone is the ruthless [[Time Lord]] scientist known as [[the Rani]] – in her [[Regeneration|new incarnation]]. But will the Doctor and [[Peri Brown|Peri]] recognise the Rani’s hand before her trap is sprung?
That someone is the ruthless [[Time Lord]] scientist known as [[Second Rani|the Rani]] – in her [[Regeneration|new incarnation]]. But will the Doctor and [[Peri Brown|Peri]] recognise the Rani's hand before her trap is sprung?


==Plot==
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
=== Part one ===
''to be added''
The adventure opens to Lizzo being experimented on by Reev in an operating room in the Medical facility. Lizzo pleads for him to answer why, but he continues, causing her great pain.
 
The TARDIS arrives at CAGE, and the Doctor and Peri start to make their way to the Vice-Chancellor's office, with the Doctor revealing to Peri that he had been awarded an honorary degree in Moral Philosophy, the subject being a complete mystery to him; and that the ceremony was later on that day. On the way, they are pushed past by a student late to his lecture.
 
Meanwhile, Lizzo manages to break free from her restraints despite being sedated. Reev calls out after her, telling her she was only "delaying the inevitable", and begins to give chase.
 
While in the Vice-Chancellor's office, the Doctor and Peri are queried as to which doctorate they are wanting to study. Realising the mistake, they explain to the Vice-Chancellor that the Doctor is actually there to receive an honorary degree that day. The Vice-Chancellor explained that they got the date wrong - it was actually the next day that the ceremony was due to take place. He said that Professor Baxton was due to take part in the ceremony as well; a name the Doctor instantly recognised, having met her in a previous regeneration.
 
They both leave, and the Doctor finally reveals his motives to Peri - that he had intentionally arrived a day early because he suspected that something was not right about the whole affair. They both arrive at an information booth and find out that his nomination for an honorary degree was pushed through by the Vice-Chancellor, and realise that whatever is happening, it involves them having the Doctor in their possession. However, as soon as they reach this conclusion, Lizzo reaches them, pleading for their help. As the Doctor recognises her as a Garnachian, they learn that she had escaped from the Medical Facility, and proceed to go there to investigate. Lizzo complains of head pain, which leads the Doctor to realise that she had undergone a procedure involving a Sidelian Brain Scanner.
 
They reach the Medical Facility to find where Lizzo was being held. The Doctor starts to suspect that the Vice-Chancellor may be involved, noting that the Sidelian Brain Scanner shouldn't be in this particular time. Lizzo tells them that it was Reev that experimented on her, saying that he was in her class. With Lizzo still experiencing head pain, they find a water basin and a hanky from the Doctor's pocket to try to cool her head down. However, they hear Reev in the medical facility looking for Lizzo, and she gets scared and runs.
 
Leaving the Medical Facility, the Doctor and Peri go towards the Myra Vandaesi Library with the intention of finding out more about Lizzo and what happened to her. They find her diary entry from a few days ago in the University's system, noting she sounded happier than when they met her. They find her class photo, noting that the student who pushed past them earlier was in her class too, named Miklev. The Doctor hands Peri her own diary cube to record her own thoughts in, and she leaves to do so, giving the Doctor time to try to hack into the University systems to find Miklev's timetable. Having alerted the system and disturbed the library, the Doctor played it off as a wrong input, and a student from the University came to help. As he did, the Doctor recognised him as Miklev.
 
Meanwhile, Peri records her thoughts onto the device, reflecting on being with the Doctor again after her time with [[Yrcanos]]. She sees the Doctor return with Miklev, and they begin to question him about Lizzo. Miklev tells them that she and Reev had taken part in special tests and that people who usually take these tests usually return with extreme personality changes. Late for a lecture with Professor Bxton, Miklev runs off. The Doctor decides to check out this lecture to see if Lizzo had returned there.
 
It turns out that Lizzo was still hiding in the Medical Facility while Reev was looking for her. Reev eventually finds her and returns her to the operating facility.
 
The Doctor and Peri eventually reach the lecture where Professor Baxton talks about chaos theory and its implication in Moral Philosophy. She spots the Doctor and wonders if he has any questions. He asks if she was rather avoiding the issue of morality by suggesting that it was chaos theory that defined people's actions. She rebutted that her opinions were her own, and ended the lecture. The Doctor was suspicious of something and went to the Vice-Chancellor's office. Peri instead went to the University grounds and spots Professor Baxton. Trying to talk with her, Baxton refuses to talk, saying she had an appointment in the Medical Facility. Curious, Peri started to follow Baxton.
 
The Doctor reaches the Vice-Chancellor's office and starts to warn him of Professor Baxton, claiming that she is not who she says she is.
 
Meanwhile, Peri finds Lizzo, trapped in the Medical Facility. Lizzo mentions Professor Baxton, and Peri starts to question why. Baxton finds Peri and sedates Lizzo further, calling Peri by name. Knowing she never gave her name, Peri demanded to know why, but Baxton carried on, hinting that she knew the Doctor, but was expecting [[Seventh Doctor|another incarnation]]. She hinted that she was herself a Time Lord, and Peri started to piece together Baxton's true identity. She was not Professor Baxton of CAGE - she was, instead, an old enemy of the Doctor: the Rani.


=== Part two ===
=== Part two ===
Line 47: Line 78:
* [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Colin Baker]]
* [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Colin Baker]]
* [[Peri Brown]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
* [[Peri Brown]] - [[Nicola Bryant]]
* [[The Rani]] - [[Siobhan Redmond]]
* [[Second Rani|The Rani]] - [[Siobhan Redmond]]
* [[Vice Chancellor]] - [[Andrew Bone]]
* [[Vice Chancellor (The Rani Elite)|Vice Chancellor]] - [[Andrew Bone]]
* [[Lizzo]] - [[Becky Wright]]
* [[Lizzo]] - [[Becky Wright]]
* [[Miklev]] - [[Mike Noble]]
* [[Miklev]] - [[Mike Noble]]
* [[Reev]] - [[Charlie Morton]]
* [[Reev]] - [[Charlie Morton]]


== References ==
== Crew ==
* The Rani was expecting to meet the Doctor's [[Seventh Doctor|seventh incarnation]], not the sixth.
 
* Cover Art - [[Anthony Lamb]]
* Director - [[Ken Bentley]]
* Executive Producers - [[Nicholas Briggs]] and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Music and Sound Design - [[Andy Hardwick]]
* Producer - [[David Richardson]]
* Script Editor - [[Alan Barnes]]
* Writer - [[Justin Richards]]
* The Rani created by [[Pip and Jane Baker]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
* The Rani was expecting to meet the Doctor's [[Seventh Doctor|seventh incarnation]], not the sixth. She describes the Seventh Doctor as "the little fellow with the [[hat]] and the [[umbrella]]".
* The Doctor mentions [[the Deca]], including [[Drax]], [[Mortimus]] and [[Vansell]], and calls the Rani "[[Ushas]]".
* The Doctor mentions [[the Deca]], including [[Drax]], [[Mortimus]] and [[Vansell]], and calls the Rani "[[Ushas]]".
* [[Peri Brown|Peri]] is awarded an honourary degree in [[botany]].
* The Rani discusses [[chaos theory]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
[[File:New rani.jpg|thumb|Promotional photo of the [[Second Rani]].]]
* Part 1 of ''The Rani Elite'' was available as a free download before the release.
* Part 1 of ''The Rani Elite'' was available as a free download before the release.
* Big Finish had been discussing the return of the Rani to audio and [[Kate O'Mara]] had agreed to return to the role before her death in 2014. In spite of her passing, she had given her blessing that Big Finish could continue, with a new actress in the role. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/the-new-rani|title=Doctor Who: The New Rani
* Big Finish had been discussing the return of the Rani to audio and [[Kate O'Mara]] had agreed to return to the role before her death in 2014. In spite of her passing, she had given her blessing that Big Finish could continue, with a new actress in the role.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bigfinish.com/news/v/the-new-rani|title=Doctor Who: The New Rani
|author="Big Finish Productions"|date of source=26 June 2014|website name= Big Finish News|accessdate=18 December 2014}}</ref>
|author="Big Finish Productions"|date of source=26 June 2014|website name= Big Finish News|accessdate=18 December 2014}}</ref>
* This is the first appearance of the Rani in an audio story by Big Finish. Her overall first audio appearance was in the [[BBV]] production ''[[The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind]]''.
* This is the first appearance of the Rani in an audio story by Big Finish. Her overall first audio appearance was in the [[BBV Productions]] story ''[[The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind (audio story)|The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind]]''.
* During her photoshoot as the Rani, Siobhan Redmond was brandishing a potato peeler as a hand prop. The device was enhanced in Photoshop to create the final illustration used on the cover of this story. ([[VOR 70]])
* Subscribers whose subscriptions included this story also received the audio short story ''[[A Home From Home (audio story)|A Home From Home]]''.
* Many elements of this story were apparently inspired by the cancelled Rani story ''[[Network (TV story)|Network]]''.
* This was the last release to have the Hartnell-style motif for the logo on the cover.
* This story was recorded on [[28 May (production)|28]]-[[29 May (production)|29 May]] [[2014 (production)|2014]] at [[the Moat Studios]].


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* Peri remembers the Doctor dying for her ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caves of Androzani]]'') and wonders if she would die for him. ([[TV]]: ''[[Mindwarp]]'')
* Peri remembers the [[Fifth Doctor]] dying for her ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caves of Androzani (TV story)|The Caves of Androzani]]'') and wonders if she would die for him. ([[TV]]: ''[[Mindwarp (TV story)|Mindwarp]]'')
* Depending on the order of stories, the [[Sixth Doctor]] and Peri previously encountered the Rani in [[Killingworth]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mark of the Rani]]'') on a duplicate [[Earth]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[State of Change]]'') and on [[Koturia]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Something Borrowed (short story)|Something Borrowed]]'')
* The Sixth Doctor and Peri previously encountered the Rani in [[Killingworth]] in the [[19th century]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mark of the Rani (TV story)|The Mark of the Rani]]'') on a duplicate [[Earth]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[State of Change (novel)|State of Change]]'') and on [[Koturia]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Something Borrowed (short story)|Something Borrowed]]'') However, the Rani had more recently encountered the [[Seventh Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'')
* The Rani and the Doctor mention [[the Deca]], including [[Drax]], [[Mortimus]] and [[Vansell]]. The Rani is also called Ushas by the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties]]'')
* In his delirium, the Doctor quotes his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]] about destroying the [[Dalek]]s, "touch these two strands together...", but doesn't complete the sentence ([[TV]]: ''[[Genesis of the Daleks (TV story)|Genesis of the Daleks]]'')
* The Doctor says, "Leave the girl. Plainly, it's me you want." ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'')
* The Rani and the Doctor mention [[the Deca]], including [[Drax]], [[Mortimus]] and [[Vansell]]. The Rani is also called Ushas by the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties (novel)|Divided Loyalties]]'')
* The Doctor notes that [[Time Lord]]s are "immortal, barring accidents." ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'')
* The Rani recalls her previous incarnation being partly responsible for the Doctor's sixth [[regeneration]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]''; [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Brink of Death (audio story)|The Brink of Death]]'')
* After her arrest, the Rani was imprisoned for 97 years. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Planet of the Rani (audio story)|Planet of the Rani]]'')


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{Bigfinish|/releases/v/the-rani-elite-866|{{StoryTitle}}}}
{{bigfinish|/releases/v/the-rani-elite-866|{{StoryTitle}}}}


== Footnotes ==
== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{Rani stories}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[Category:Sixth Doctor audio stories]]
 
[[Category:2014 audio stories]]
[[Category:The Rani audio stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who monthly audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the Dominic Glynn theme]]
[[Category:The Rani stories]]
[[Category:Sixth Doctor Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:2014 Main Range audio stories]]

Latest revision as of 20:02, 23 March 2024

RealWorld.png

audio stub

The Rani Elite was the one hundred and ninety-fourth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Justin Richards and featured Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown.

It was the first audio story by Big Finish to feature the Rani, and featured the debut of a new incarnation played by Siobhan Redmond.

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

The TARDIS arrives in the CAGE – not a trap, but the College of Advanced Galactic Education, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in colonised space.

Not a trap. Or is it?

The Doctor's here to receive an honorary degree in Moral Philosophy. But there's something rotten at the heart of the Medical Facility. Someone is operating on the students. Someone without a conscience. Someone with access to a Sidelian Brain Scanner – a technology that hasn't been invented yet.

That someone is the ruthless Time Lord scientist known as the Rani – in her new incarnation. But will the Doctor and Peri recognise the Rani's hand before her trap is sprung?

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

The adventure opens to Lizzo being experimented on by Reev in an operating room in the Medical facility. Lizzo pleads for him to answer why, but he continues, causing her great pain.

The TARDIS arrives at CAGE, and the Doctor and Peri start to make their way to the Vice-Chancellor's office, with the Doctor revealing to Peri that he had been awarded an honorary degree in Moral Philosophy, the subject being a complete mystery to him; and that the ceremony was later on that day. On the way, they are pushed past by a student late to his lecture.

Meanwhile, Lizzo manages to break free from her restraints despite being sedated. Reev calls out after her, telling her she was only "delaying the inevitable", and begins to give chase.

While in the Vice-Chancellor's office, the Doctor and Peri are queried as to which doctorate they are wanting to study. Realising the mistake, they explain to the Vice-Chancellor that the Doctor is actually there to receive an honorary degree that day. The Vice-Chancellor explained that they got the date wrong - it was actually the next day that the ceremony was due to take place. He said that Professor Baxton was due to take part in the ceremony as well; a name the Doctor instantly recognised, having met her in a previous regeneration.

They both leave, and the Doctor finally reveals his motives to Peri - that he had intentionally arrived a day early because he suspected that something was not right about the whole affair. They both arrive at an information booth and find out that his nomination for an honorary degree was pushed through by the Vice-Chancellor, and realise that whatever is happening, it involves them having the Doctor in their possession. However, as soon as they reach this conclusion, Lizzo reaches them, pleading for their help. As the Doctor recognises her as a Garnachian, they learn that she had escaped from the Medical Facility, and proceed to go there to investigate. Lizzo complains of head pain, which leads the Doctor to realise that she had undergone a procedure involving a Sidelian Brain Scanner.

They reach the Medical Facility to find where Lizzo was being held. The Doctor starts to suspect that the Vice-Chancellor may be involved, noting that the Sidelian Brain Scanner shouldn't be in this particular time. Lizzo tells them that it was Reev that experimented on her, saying that he was in her class. With Lizzo still experiencing head pain, they find a water basin and a hanky from the Doctor's pocket to try to cool her head down. However, they hear Reev in the medical facility looking for Lizzo, and she gets scared and runs.

Leaving the Medical Facility, the Doctor and Peri go towards the Myra Vandaesi Library with the intention of finding out more about Lizzo and what happened to her. They find her diary entry from a few days ago in the University's system, noting she sounded happier than when they met her. They find her class photo, noting that the student who pushed past them earlier was in her class too, named Miklev. The Doctor hands Peri her own diary cube to record her own thoughts in, and she leaves to do so, giving the Doctor time to try to hack into the University systems to find Miklev's timetable. Having alerted the system and disturbed the library, the Doctor played it off as a wrong input, and a student from the University came to help. As he did, the Doctor recognised him as Miklev.

Meanwhile, Peri records her thoughts onto the device, reflecting on being with the Doctor again after her time with Yrcanos. She sees the Doctor return with Miklev, and they begin to question him about Lizzo. Miklev tells them that she and Reev had taken part in special tests and that people who usually take these tests usually return with extreme personality changes. Late for a lecture with Professor Bxton, Miklev runs off. The Doctor decides to check out this lecture to see if Lizzo had returned there.

It turns out that Lizzo was still hiding in the Medical Facility while Reev was looking for her. Reev eventually finds her and returns her to the operating facility.

The Doctor and Peri eventually reach the lecture where Professor Baxton talks about chaos theory and its implication in Moral Philosophy. She spots the Doctor and wonders if he has any questions. He asks if she was rather avoiding the issue of morality by suggesting that it was chaos theory that defined people's actions. She rebutted that her opinions were her own, and ended the lecture. The Doctor was suspicious of something and went to the Vice-Chancellor's office. Peri instead went to the University grounds and spots Professor Baxton. Trying to talk with her, Baxton refuses to talk, saying she had an appointment in the Medical Facility. Curious, Peri started to follow Baxton.

The Doctor reaches the Vice-Chancellor's office and starts to warn him of Professor Baxton, claiming that she is not who she says she is.

Meanwhile, Peri finds Lizzo, trapped in the Medical Facility. Lizzo mentions Professor Baxton, and Peri starts to question why. Baxton finds Peri and sedates Lizzo further, calling Peri by name. Knowing she never gave her name, Peri demanded to know why, but Baxton carried on, hinting that she knew the Doctor, but was expecting another incarnation. She hinted that she was herself a Time Lord, and Peri started to piece together Baxton's true identity. She was not Professor Baxton of CAGE - she was, instead, an old enemy of the Doctor: the Rani.

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

to be added

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

to be added

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

to be added

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Promotional photo of the Second Rani.
  • Part 1 of The Rani Elite was available as a free download before the release.
  • Big Finish had been discussing the return of the Rani to audio and Kate O'Mara had agreed to return to the role before her death in 2014. In spite of her passing, she had given her blessing that Big Finish could continue, with a new actress in the role.[1]
  • This is the first appearance of the Rani in an audio story by Big Finish. Her overall first audio appearance was in the BBV Productions story The Rani Reaps the Whirlwind.
  • During her photoshoot as the Rani, Siobhan Redmond was brandishing a potato peeler as a hand prop. The device was enhanced in Photoshop to create the final illustration used on the cover of this story. (VOR 70)
  • Subscribers whose subscriptions included this story also received the audio short story A Home From Home.
  • Many elements of this story were apparently inspired by the cancelled Rani story Network.
  • This was the last release to have the Hartnell-style motif for the logo on the cover.
  • This story was recorded on 28-29 May 2014 at the Moat Studios.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. "Big Finish Productions" (26 June 2014). Doctor Who: The New Rani. Big Finish News. Retrieved on 18 December 2014.