Storm Warning (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image=Storm Warning cover.jpg  
|image = Storm_Warning_revised_cover.jpg
|series=[[Doctor Who]] -<br /> [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Big Finish Audio Dramas]]  
|range          = Main Range
|number= 16  
|number in range = 16
|doctor=Eighth Doctor  
|series         = ''[[Main Range]]''
|companions= [[Charlotte Pollard|Charley]]
|number         = 16  
|enemy= {{il|[[Peter Rathbone]],| [[Uncreator]]s}}
|doctor         = Eighth Doctor  
|setting= The ''[[R101]]'' over [[France]]<br />[[4 October|4]]-[[5 October]] [[1930]]
|companions     = [[Charlotte Pollard|Charley]]
|writer= [[Alan Barnes]]
|enemy           = [[Peter Rathbone|Rathbone]]
|director= [[Gary Russell]]
|setting         = The ''[[R101]]'' over [[France]], [[4 October|4]]-[[5 October]] [[1930]]
|post production= [[Alistair Lock]]
|writer         = Alan Barnes
|cover= [[Clayton Hickman]]
|director        = [[Gary Russell]]
|publisher= Big Finish Productions  
|producer        = [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]] and [[Gary Russell]]
|release date= [[January (releases)|January]] [[2001 (releases)|2001]]
|music          = [[Alistair Lock]]
|format= 4 Episodes on 2 CDs  
|sound          = Alistair Lock
|production code= [[List of production codes|8B]]  
|cover           = [[Clayton Hickman]]
|isbn= ISBN 1-903654-24-6
|publisher       = Big Finish Productions
|trailer={{StoryTitle}}.ogg
|release date   = 22 January 2001
|prev= The Mutant Phase (audio story)  
|format         = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|next= Sword of Orion (audio story)}} {{audio stub}}
|production code = [[List of production codes|8B]]
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the sixteenth [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|monthly ''Doctor Who'' audio story]] produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. Released in [[January (releases)|January]] [[2001 (releases)|2001]], this was the first audio story to feature [[Paul McGann]] as the [[Eighth Doctor]], his first time reprising the role in a full cast story since the 1996 [[Doctor Who (TV story)|television movie]], which was his first on-screen appearance as the Doctor.  
|isbn           = ISBN 978-1-90365-424-8 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-84435-704-8 (digital)
|trailer         = {{StoryTitle}}.ogg
|prev           = The Mutant Phase (audio story)  
|next           = Sword of Orion (audio story)
|made prev      = Sword of Orion (audio story)
|made next      = Minuet in Hell (audio story)
|epcount = 4
}}
{{spotify|album=7qSHZT5e3J61aI5fPR17Xf|height=350}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the sixteenth story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Alan Barnes]] and featured [[Paul McGann]] as the [[Eighth Doctor]] and introduced [[India Fisher]] as the new companion [[Charlotte Pollard]].
 
Released in [[January (releases)|January]] [[2001 (releases)|2001]], this was the first audio story to feature Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, his first time reprising the role in a full cast story since the 1996 [[Doctor Who (TV story)|television movie]], which was his first on-screen appearance as the Doctor.


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
[[October]], [[1930]]. [[George V|His Majesty]]'s [[Airship]], the ''[[R101]]'', sets off on her maiden voyage to the farthest-flung reaches of the [[British Empire]], carrying the brightest lights of the Imperial fleet. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a breathless nation.
[[October]], [[1930]]. [[George V|His Majesty]]'s [[Airship]], the ''[[R101]]'', sets off on her maiden voyage to the farthest-flung reaches of the [[British Empire]], carrying the brightest lights of the Imperial fleet. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a breathless nation.


Not to mention a ruthless spy with a top-secret mission, a mysterious passenger who appears nowhere on the crew list, a would-be adventuress destined for the [[Singapore]] Hilton... and a [[Time Lord]] from the [[planet]] [[Gallifrey]].
Not to mention a ruthless [[spy]] with a top-secret mission, a mysterious passenger who appears nowhere on the crew list, a would-be adventuress destined for the [[Singapore]] Hilton... and a [[Time Lord]] from the [[planet]] [[Gallifrey]].


There's a storm coming. There's something unspeakable — [[Vortisaur|something with wings]], crawling across the stern. Thousands of feet high in the blackening sky, the crew of the ''R101'' brace themselves. When the storm breaks, their lives won't be all that's at stake...
There's a storm coming. There's something unspeakable — [[Vortisaur|something with wings]], crawling across the stern. Thousands of feet high in the blackening sky, the crew of the ''R101'' brace themselves. When the storm breaks, their lives won't be all that's at stake...
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== Plot ==
== Plot ==
Travelling alone, the [[Eighth Doctor]] is having a difficult time in the Vortex when he tries to save a strange timeship that is stuck in a time-loop. He manages to push the ship out of its loop, but his own TARDIS is damaged, and attacked by Vortex-dwelling saurians called Vortisaurs.
=== Part 1 ===
The [[Eighth Doctor]] sifts through the bookshelves in [[the Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] control room looking for the [[TARDIS Instruction Manual|TARDIS manual]], noting that all the shelves are in complete disarray. The TARDIS suddenly stops mid-flight in [[Time Vortex|the vortex]]. The Doctor turns on [[TARDIS scanner|the scanner]] to discover a time ship trapped crashing in a space/time glitch. A pack of [[Vortisaur]]s swarm the ship to pick at the debris and the Doctor flies the TARDIS at them to send them away. He then tries to use the TARDIS to knock the ship out of the glitch it's caught in, but misses the mark and loses control. The Vortisaurs swarm at the TARDIS and its defenses begin to fail; before the Doctor has time to do anything, a Vortisaur breaches the [[Dimensional displacement system|dimensional shielding]].
 
Elsewhere, the announcement of the airship ''[[R101]]'' is being broadcast. Aboard the recently launched aircraft, the ship's designer, [[Frayling]], approaches [[Tamworth|Lord Tamworth]] in privacy about the fact that the airship didn't complete its trials and the extra weight Tamworth demanded for the mission, as well as questioning him about the details of the venture, but he merely brushes off Frayling's suspicions. Tamworth calls over Rathbone and requests he tend to the passenger in Cabin 43. Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor notices the Vortisaurs swarming again, and attempts a risky emergency landing to get away from them.
 
Aboard the airship, a young girl, [[Charlotte Pollard]], is tending to writing her memoirs when the Chief Steward [[Weeks]] comes to her cabin, expecting her to be someone that Charley had stowed away in place of. Charley disguises herself and plays along. The TARDIS lands somewhere else on the airship, and the Doctor leaves to investigate his surrounding. Above him, Frayling has noticed the extra weight of the TARDIS in the ballast tank and orders it emptied. The Doctor emerges from the ballast tank and the hatch slams shut behind him. The ballast tank is then emptied, ejecting the TARDIS in the process. Frayling informs Tamworth of a storm approaching, and he reveals more details of the mission. As Charley enters the room, disguised as the steward, the airship is hit by something. Charley spills a drink on Tamworth and accidentally gives herself away.
 
Charley stamps on Tamworth's foot and runs, while he sends Weeks after her. The Doctor explores the airship and hears a slight moaning from Cabin 43. Pulling a stethoscope belonging to [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]] from his pocket, he listens to Rathbone talking to someone. When he rounds the corner, he runs into Charley and helps her to hide. After Tamworth has gone, Charley is humoured by the Doctor eccentricities and seemingly absurd experiences. Frayling tries to convince Tamworth of something outside the airship in the storm, but Tamworth puts it down to him being intoxicated. Charley tells the Doctor about the venture, and he deduces that they are on the ''R101'' in [[October]] [[1930]], the night before the airship is due to crash and burn over France, but Charley thinks the Doctor isn't being serious. In Cabin 43, Rathbone is still attending the mysterious passenger, when he alerted by a noise outside. Suddenly, a Vortisaur breaks through the window and wraps its jaws around Rathbone's [[arm]].


It’s October, 1930, and a massive British airship, the R101, is on its maiden voyage. Its co-designer, Lieutenant Colonel Frayling, goes to the dignitary in charge, [[Tamworth|Lord Tamworth]], with fears about the condition of the ship, but he is shrugged off. There is a mysterious passenger in cabin 43, and unaccounted cargo in the holds...Tamworth sends his valet, Rathbone, to check on the passenger in 43. Meanwhile, a junior steward has been replaced; a girl named Charlotte Pollard has taken his place, seeking adventure.  Unfortunately, she’s found out by Tamworth and the head steward, Weeks. At the same time, the Doctor lands, barely escaping the Vortisaurs; but, minutes later, ballast tank three is purged, sending the TARDIS plunging out of the ship.
=== Part 2 ===
The Doctor and Charley hear the screams and go to help. Rathbone tries to get the Vortisaur to release him, to no avail. The Doctor, along with Charley and Weeks, break into the Cabin and the Doctor throws hot coffee on it to get it to release him. The Doctor and Charley spot the passenger and Rathbone points his gun at him. He sends the Doctor and Weeks to deal with the Vortisaur and demands Charley stays behind with the passenger. After the Doctor and Weeks break a window to lure the Vortisaur, Frayling becomes certain that the ship can't survive these conditions and demands Tamworth abort the flight, but he threatens him with arrest. The Doctor coaxes the Vortisaur with his blood and has Weeks secure it once it's sedate; afterwards, they go to see Tamworth.


A storm is coming, and Frayling’s concern increases, but Tamworth insists on proceeding to a rendezvous that is only an hour away. The ship, meanwhile, is struck by something:  A vortisaur has followed the TARDIS out of the Vortex!  The Doctor passes by cabin 43 and is intrigued by strange sounds from inside; as he eavesdrops, Charley runs into him.  She decides to join him in his efforts, escaping Weeks in the process, although she doesn’t accept his odd claims about the past and future.  However, she is alarmed when he warns her that the R101 is due to crash in the early hours of the next morning.  Inside cabin 43, Rathbone is having a problem with his passenger; but the Vortisaur breaks through the porthole and grabs him.
Charley tries to connect with Rathbone, but he continues to torment and threaten her and she rebuffs him. The Doctor approaches Tamworth and questions Frayling about the construction of the airship. Tamworth questions the Doctor about being a spy for the Zeppelin company, thinking him to be German. The Doctor manages to get Tamworth to open up about details of the mission and asks him about the passenger in Cabin 43. Tamworth allows the Doctor to examine the passenger and orders Frayling to raise the airship's altitude beyond what it was designed to manage. They proceed to the Cabin.
Weeks, Charley, and the Doctor all burst into the cabin, and the Doctor drives the Vortisaur away; but it has now tasted blood, and will inevitably return. The Doctor is now interested in the passenger, which is--oddly--sealed inside a deep-sea diver’s suit.  Rathbone threatens the Doctor with a gun; Charley, meanwhile, calms the passenger.  Therefore Rathbone allows her to stay (and soon makes unwelcome sexual advances toward her), and sends the Doctor and Weeks to deal with the Vortisaur. The Doctor is able to draw it back to the airship with his own blood, and knocks it out with a heavy dose of morphine, he locks it in the galley. He meets with Lord Tamworth, who believes him (and, later, Charley) to be a German spy, the Doctor goes with the role, calling himself “Doctor Johann Schmidt” of the Zeppelin company.  He offers to see to the passenger in 43; Tamworth agrees, but before leaving with the Doctor, orders Frayling to take the ship up to 5000 feet.


Back at Cabin 43, the Doctor realises that the oxygen mix necessary for the clearly-extraterrestrial passenger is not safe at this altitude, due to the pressure difference.  He removes the helmet, allowing the passenger to breathe...and revealing that it is not human. Rathbone is revolted, but Charley is sympathetic; her kindness earns her the creature’s favour.  However, they have reached the rendezvous point. Tamworth escorts them all to the passenger lounge, where he speaks to the assembled VIPs, and tells them that they are now ambassadors for Britain to an otherworldly civilisation. They are met, then, by an enormous flying saucer.
The Doctor brings Charley in on his plan and examine Rathbone's injury, before turning his attention to the passenger. Charley gets strange feelings off the creature, as does Tamworth. The Doctor turns off the gases to the passengers helmet and removes his helmet, revealing them to be an alien. Charley is amazed by the creatures appearance and notes its temperature. The alien passenger awakens and speaks to Charley. Unexpectedly, the airship altitude signal goes off, alarming the alien. Tamworth tells them that the rendezvous has been met and tells the Doctor and Charley to bring the alien. Rathbone is angry about the fact, but Tamworth threatens him back into submission.


Facing the saucer, the alien has recovered.  It announces that its people are the Triskele, and its title is Engineer Prime.  The Doctor outs Rathbone as a British Intelligence agent, whose job--to keep the alien safe--is now at an end.  The saucer admits the R101 to its interior.  Charley now sees that the Doctor’s claims were true, and she believes him.
Tamworth addresses the crew about upcoming unusual events, and has the Doctor and Charley bring the alien into the room before the crew. Suddenly, a large spaceship flies over the ''R101'' and the alien tells them that '[they]' have arrived.
The Engineer Prime allows only three representatives on the Triskele ship; it chooses Tamworth, Frayling, and the Doctor.  Tamworth admits to the Doctor that he is worried about what Rathbone may do if left unattended on the R101; and indeed, Rathbone sends the crew to unpack the mysterious cargo crates--which are full of weapons.  Tamworth explains the circumstances that led to contact with the aliens, via the Engineer Prime; he also mentions something called “Uncreators”, which the Engineer fears.  The Engineer uses a travel platform in the shape of a three-armed symbol, commonly called a triskelion, to get them around the ship; the Doctor has seen such symbols on many worlds, and realises the Triskele are old indeed.  But soon they learn a greater wonder:  The Triskele, once unified being, split themselves into three parts after a history of terrible conquest.  There are the Engineers, the creative and mostly peaceful aspect; the Uncreators, the destructive and warlike aspect; and the Lawgivers, who control both.


The three aspects have chosen the three from the R101 as their representatives. Frayling, a builder and designer, represents the Engineers; the Doctor, a neutral party, represents the Lawgivers; and Tamworth, an old soldier, represents the Uncreators.  But Tamworth admits that, though he once fought in a war, he has no taste for it; the Uncreator Prime insists the Engineers have cheated the Uncreators.  It summons Rathbone instead, as it considers him a true Uncreator.
=== Part 3 ===
Frayling is astonished by the scale of the spaceship and the appearance of the alien. Charley asks the alien about its origin. The alien introduces itself as [[Engineer Prime]] of the [[Triskele]], having been made better by its proximity to more of its race. She cannot get traces of the minds of the Doctor and most of the crew, but does reveal Rathbone's also being a spy. Charley is amazed by the idea of there being millions of planets out in the universe and realises that the Doctor had been telling the truth about having a time and space machine; she tells the Doctor about her plan to go to Singapore to meet a man which influenced into stowing away on the airship. The Triskele opens the ship and the ''R101'' is piloted aboard.


Only one Lawgiver remains, and it is dying; of the three parts, only the Lawgivers cannot reproduce. Therefore they have summoned the humans (and the Doctor) to reorder their society and provide a new solution. A lawgiver chosen from Engineers or Uncreators would represent only one side, and that is unacceptable. When the Uncreator Prime mentions Rathbone, Tamworth remembers that he must get back; Rathbone had orders to be carried out if Tamworth was gone more than half an hour, and they are not good.  But it is already too late.  Rathbone is leading the airship’s crew out to take the Triskele vessel by force. Charley and Weeks follow him.  Charley tries to warn the others of Rathbone’s actions, but he shoots at her and demands to speak to the leader of the Triskele. Once facing the Lawgiver, Rathbone shoots and kills him...freeing the Uncreators to attack.
Tamworth declares his intention to have a diplomatic party disembark, but Engineer Prime states that only three will disembark; Tamworth, Frayling and the Doctor. Before leaving the airship, the Doctor warns Charley to be weary of Rathbone. Engineer Prime takes the Doctor, Tamworth and Frayling to the Triskele ship. Aboard the craft, the Doctor notices the ship has had a special mooring for the ''R101, ''while Tamworth and Frayling are impressed by the scale of the ship. Engineer Prime and Tamworth explain that their races got in contact when Tamworth located the Engineers crashed craft and spent months trying to get through to her, to no avail. The pair only got in contact when Rathbone got in contact and got a woman to get the Engineer to speak. Engineer Prime explained the only one she had spoken to before were Uncreators. Tamworth then reveals he added to modifications to the ''R101''{{'}}s specifications to make the meeting with the Triskele ship. The Doctor is impressed by Tamworth's tenacity.


Weeks and the crew fire on the Uncreators, but there are far too many of them. However, Tamworth discovers that they can be repelled by roaring at them--this generation has always lived in captivity, and has no concept of predators of any kind. The Uncreators back off, but the Uncreator Prime is not so easily discouraged; and the triskelion symbol it wears is secretly an energy weapon, with which it will kill the Doctor. Tamworth interrupts it by challenging it for the position of Lawgiver; and to everyone’s shock, he beats the Uncreator Prime, using skill to counter instinct. The Uncreator Prime prompts Rathbone to shoot Tamworth, but he breaks free of control, and shoots the Uncreator Prime instead.
Back on the airship, Rathbone has Weeks and other member of the crew place large crates of weaponry in the main hall and Charley deduces that he is planning something. The Doctor's party finally reaches the main section of the ship, finding proof that the Triskele had been to Earth previously. Engineer Prime brings the Doctor, Tamworth and Frayling before the Engineer Triskele by moving the deck of the ship around the inhabitants. The Doctor asks about the other subspecies of the Triskele, the [[Uncreator]]s, which also appear in the same room. The [[Uncreator Prime]] questions Tamworth about his military history and explains the purpose of the Uncreators, the dark, destructive side of the species, feared by the Engineers. When Tamworth states he feels remorse for the casualties of the war, the Uncreator Prime feels cheated and scavenges Engineer Prime's mind, looking for another candidate, learning of Rathbone.


Tamworth is now the Lawgiver; but instead of claiming the Triskele for the British Empire, he orders the ship back into space. He will instead help the Triskele regain their individuality and autonomy. He sends the humans back to the ship--but that means they will die in the crash, which the Doctor knows is still impending.  He tries to get Charley to stay with Tamworth, but she refuses.  He promises to get the airship down safely, but knows it is hopeless.
Rathbone hears the Uncreators in his head aboard the airship, but is interrupted by Charley's arrival. He begins to get paranoid about the Doctor's party and prepares to act. The third part of the Triskele triad appears before the Doctor, the [[Lawgiver]]. The Engineers are the brains of the triad, the Uncreators are the instinct, while the Lawgiver governs to the subspecies with his law. While the Engineers and Uncreators regularly change and progress, the Lawgiver remains the same. The Uncreators wish the Lawgiver dead, wanting merely death and destruction. The other subspecies of the Triskele cannot act without the consent of the Lawgiver. The Doctor deduces that the Triskele have summoned them not just for diplomacy with humanity, but to find a replacement for the Lawgiver, who is on the verge of death.


Rathbone, however, has claimed the Triskele energy weapon. Knowing it can change history, the Doctor takes it back and runs, avoiding the Vortisaur on the way, and enters the heart of the ship. Rathbone corners the Doctor and Charley near the airship’s gasbags, and attacks them, but punctures one of the bags, starting the crash of the ship. Rathbone falls to his death, and the weapon is lost.  The Doctor and Charley escape on the back of the Vortisaur but all others are lost.
Rathbone considers time up and orders the crew to arm themselves, ready to storm the Triskele ship. He hands Weeks a rifle to direct the diplomatic members of the crew elsewhere with orders to shoot Charley if she doesn't comply with his orders. Charley still wants to know his intention; Rathbone wants a reward for bringing Engineer Prime back to them, the Triskele become part of the British Empire. However, Tamworth hasn't returned in the predicted time and so he plans to seize the ship for the empire, personally. The Lawgiver informs the Doctor that as soon as he dies, the Uncreators will be released to wreak havoc, while the Doctor deduces that that they want him to replace the Lawgiver, as neither an Engineer nor Uncreator can do it and the Doctor is not of Earth. Uncreator Prime, however, dismisses the Doctor's nomination as neither he nor Tamworth serves as a symbol of an Uncreator. He then detects Rathbone aboard the ship and Tamworth tries to retreat himself, Frayling and the Doctor to the ''R101''. Rathbone is brought before the Triskele and the Uncreator Prime was impressed with his nature. Rathbone shoots at Charley, further impressing the Uncreators. Rathbone tries to threaten the Lawgiver into compliance, but, when this fails, he shoots and kills the Lawgiver. As soon the Lawgiver dies, the law dies with him and the Uncreators are released from his influence. Uncreator Prime declares Engineer Prime to be a traitor to the Triskele and breaks free from its chains. It brings all the Uncreators forthwith and declares the life of the Human race forfeit for crimes against the Triskele and that the two races are now at war, ordering the Uncreators to kill everyone.


The Vortisaur is agitated. The Doctor realises that Charley was meant to die on the R101, and has now cheated it, becoming a temporal anomaly, thus agitating the time-sensitive Vortisaur. Though it pains him to do so, he determines to get her back there in time for the crash, thus restoring her timeline--and the Vortisaur calms down. But he can’t bear to do it now, and takes her with him; the Vortisaur, able to sense the TARDIS, carries them away in search of it.
=== Part 4 ===
Weeks and the others raise arms at the advancing Uncreators, but it makes no difference. Rathbone finds himself unable to move, his mind having been broken by the Uncreator Prime. The Uncreators advance on Tamworth, but retreat in fear when he shouts at it. The Doctor deduces that the Uncreators hadn't encountered another predator and has the entire crew scare them away by roaring at them. Once the Uncreators had retreated, the Uncreator declares that one day soon, the Uncreators would achieve their potential, before firing a concealed energy weapon at the Doctor. Tamworth demands the Uncreator Prime relinquish the weapon as well as his candidacy for the position of Lawgiver, telling the Doctor to take the crew members and passengers back to the airship.
 
The Uncreator Prime and Tamworth get involved in a fist fight, with the Uncreator influencing Rathbone to murder Tamworth, but Rathbone manages to resist, shooting the Uncreator Prime instead. Tamworth is then declared Lawgiver by the Triskele. However, Tamworth abolishes the position, opting instead to advise the Triskele for the rest of his days. The Doctor and Charley return to the airship as it leaves the Triskele ship, which then leaves Earth. The Doctor and Charley go to arrange an evacuation of the airship.
 
Weeks goes to visit the Vortisaur to feed it, when it becomes over-excited and attacks him. While Frayling, Rathbone and the crew and passengers celebrate, the Doctor discovers that Rathbone had stolen the Uncreator Prime's weapon and begs him to throw it overboard, but Rathbone doesn't listen. He makes one last appeal to Frayling, who also doesn't listen, so he punches Rathbone, takes the weapon and he and Charley flee. Frayling sends the crew after them. The pair run into the Vortisaur, who got loose after attacking Weeks and spot Rathbone coming after them. Rathbone corners them, but the Doctor threatens to ignite the airship using the Triskele weapon and tells him about the airship's ultimate fate. Even after this, however, Rathbone attacks them both with a fire axe. The Doctor throws him the Triskele weapon and he falls through a hole he made in the hull. The damage he caused sucks him out and he falls to his death, while the airship begins to fall.
 
Before the Doctor and Charley are sucked out too, the Doctor coaxes it with his blood again, and they ride it, bareback away from the crash. Frayling acknowledges it's too late for them now, and has one last drink before the ship crashes. The Doctor lands the Vortisaur not far from the crash site and it starts to become afraid of Charley. When Charley goes to catch it, the Doctor muses that it's fearing her because she was supposed to die in that crash. He ponders whether or not to stash her back aboard the airship before the crash, so as to preserve the [[Web of Time]]. However, before he can broad the subject to her, Charley delightfully states that she would love to go with him, to which the Doctor reluctantly agrees. They both mount the Vortisaur (which Charley affectionately names 'Ramsey') and the Doctor flies them in the direction of the TARDIS...


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
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* [[Tamworth|Lord Tamworth]] - [[Gareth Thomas]]
* [[Tamworth|Lord Tamworth]] - [[Gareth Thomas]]
* [[Frayling|Lt-Col Frayling]] - [[Nicholas Pegg]]
* [[Frayling|Lt-Col Frayling]] - [[Nicholas Pegg]]
* [[Peter Rathbone|Rathbone]] - [[Barnaby Edwards (actor)|Barnaby Edwards]]
* [[Peter Rathbone|Rathbone]] - [[Barnaby Edwards]]
* [[Weeks|Chief Steward Weeks]] - [[Hylton Collins]]
* [[Weeks|Chief Steward Weeks]] - [[Hylton Collins]]
* [[Triskele]] - [[Helen Goldwyn]]
* [[Triskele|Triskelion]] - [[Helen Goldwyn]]
* [[Announcer (Storm Warning)|Announcer]] - [[Mark Gatiss]]


== References ==
== Crew ==
 
* Cover Art - [[Clayton Hickman]]
* Director - [[Gary Russell]]
* Executive Producer - [[Jacqueline Rayner]]
* Music and Sound Design - [[Alistair Lock]]
* Producers - [[Gary Russell]] and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Writer - [[Alan Barnes]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
* The TARDIS lands in [[Dieppe]].
* The TARDIS lands in [[Dieppe]].
* Tamworth mentions the ''[[Hindenburg]]''.
* Tamworth mentions the ''[[Hindenburg]]''.
* Weeks hints to Charley that he fought at the [[Battle of the Somme]].
* Weeks hints to Charley that he fought at [[the Somme]].
* The Doctor flips a double-headed "[[Alterian Dollar]]", the currency from [[Douglas Adams]]' ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]''.
* The Doctor flips a double-headed "[[Alterian Dollar|Altarian Dollar]]", the currency from [[Douglas Adams]]' ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]]''.


=== The Doctor ===
=== The Doctor ===
* The Doctor finds a signed first edition of the [[Agatha Christie]] novel ''[[The Murder of Roger Ackroyd]]'' on board [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]]. He also finds ''[[War and Peace]]'' and ''[[The Wizard of Oz]]''. He played Tiddlywinks with [[Alexandra (The Wages of Sin)|Tsarina Alexandra]] and later with [[Vladimir Lenin]] on an overnight train from [[Switzerland]] to [[Petrograd]]. He has also met [[Geronimo]].
* The Doctor finds a signed first edition of the [[Agatha Christie]] novel ''[[The Murder of Roger Ackroyd]]'' on board [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]]. He also finds ''[[War and Peace]]'', ''[[The I-Spy Book of British Birds]]'' and ''[[The Wonderful Wizard of Oz]]''. He played Tiddlywinks with [[Alexandra Fydorovna|Tsarina Alexandra]] and later with [[Vladimir Lenin]] on an overnight train from [[Switzerland]] to [[Petrograd]]. He has also met [[Geronimo]].
* The Doctor states that he learnt to ride [[Vortisaur]]s bareback at the [[Time Lord Academy|Academy]].
* The Doctor states that he learnt to ride [[Vortisaur]]s bareback at the [[Time Lord Academy|Academy]].
* The Doctor uses the alias "[[Aliases of the Doctor|Doctor Johann Schmidt]]."
* The Doctor uses the alias "[[Aliases of the Doctor|Doctor Johann Schmidt]]".
 
== Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
Storm_Warning_cover.jpg|Original cover with the copper logo
Storm_Warning_revised_cover.jpg|Revised cover with the blue logo mentions [[India Fisher]]
Storm Warning comic preview.jpg|Illustrated preview by [[Lee Sullivan]] from [[DWM 300]]
Storm Warning DWM preview clean.jpg|Textless version of the DWM preview art
Storm Warning (DWM 302).jpg|Review illustration by [[Roger Langridge]] in [[DWM 302]]
</gallery>


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* The theme arrangement was composed by David Arnold, who has composed a wide range of impressive film scores, such as ''Stargate'', ''Independence Day'', ''Godzilla'', ''Hot Fuzz'', ''Paul'' and ''Sherlock. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003417/#Composer (David Arnold's IMDB page)] ''This is the Eighth Doctor's second theme; besides the TV Movie arrangement, Nicholas Briggs composed a third one for the 2nd-4th series of ''The Eighth Doctor Adventures, ''based on the Fourth Doctor's theme tune,'' ''whilst [[Jamie Robertson]] composed a rock-inspired arrangement for the 2011 Mary Shelley trilogy of stories. The Arnold arrangement was used again for ''[[The Company of Friends (audio anthology)|The Company of Friends]] ''and ''[[Dark Eyes (audio anthology)|Dark Eyes]]''. This was the first time that an original theme has been used for the Big Finish audios; the first fifteen releases had used the standardised Fourth Doctor theme.
* This release introduces an original theme arrangement, which was composed by David Arnold. This was the first time that an original theme has been used for the Big Finish audios; the first fifteen releases had used the Delia Derbyshire theme.
* [[Alistair Lock]]'s score to this story was released on the CD ''[[Music from the Eighth Doctor Audio Adventures (soundtrack)|Music from the Eighth Doctor Audio Adventures]], ''alongside the other three initial Eighth Doctor audios.
* [[Alistair Lock]]'s score to this story was released on the CD ''[[Music from the Eighth Doctor Audio Adventures (soundtrack)|Music from the Eighth Doctor Audio Adventures]], ''alongside the other three initial Eighth Doctor audios.
[[File:Storm Warning comic preview.jpg|thumb|Illustrated preview by [[Lee Sullivan]] from [[DWM 300]].]]
* The 2001 Eighth Doctor audio drama covers carry the ''Doctor Who'' logo in copper. The BBC only noticed this halfway through the season, and were not happy. Gary Russell persuaded them to let Big Finish keep the logo for these four plays, if he promised never to use them again.{{fact}}
* Although the events portrayed are based on an actual occurrence, all of the characters involved are fictional.
* Although the events portrayed are based on an actual occurrence, all of the characters involved are fictional.
* The Doctor states several times that there were no survivors of the ''R101'' crash. In actuality, eight people survived the crash itself. Two of these individuals later died from injuries sustained in the crash, bringing the total number of survivors to six.
* The Doctor states several times that there were no survivors of the ''R101'' crash. In actuality, eight people survived the crash itself. Two of these individuals later died from injuries sustained in the crash, bringing the total number of survivors to six.
* As the first Eighth Doctor audio drama, this was also the first Big Finish audio drama to take place after the events of [[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'', then the most recent televised appearance of the Doctor.
* As the first Eighth Doctor audio drama, this was also the first Big Finish audio drama to take place after the events of [[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'', then the most recent televised appearance of the Doctor.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[18 May (production)|18 May]] 2000 at Christchurch Studios.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[18 May (production)|18 May]] [[2000 (production)|2000]] at Christchurch Studios.
* An illustrated preview of this story appeared in [[DWM 300]] illustrated by [[Lee Sullivan]].
* An illustrated preview of this story appeared in [[DWM 300]] illustrated by [[Lee Sullivan]].
* This is the first Big Finish audio drama to feature the [[sonic screwdriver]].
* This is the first Big Finish audio drama to feature [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver]].
* The story formed part of an Eighth Doctor series on [[BBC Radio 7]] in 2005, alongside the stories ''[[Shada (audio story)|Shada]], [[Sword of Orion (audio story)|Sword of Orion]], [[The Stones of Venice (audio story)|The Stones of Venice]], [[Invaders from Mars (audio story)|Invaders from Mars]] ''and ''[[The Chimes of Midnight (audio story)|The Chimes of Midnight]], ''and has been repeated on multiple occasions since. This led to the commissioning of the original series ''[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories#The New Eighth Doctor Adventures|The Eighth Doctor Adventures]], ''debuting on the digital station in December 2006. Due to a limited timeslot, scenes were edited out of these versions; excluding ''Shada ''and ''The Chimes of Midnight, ''these were collated into ''The Eighth Doctor Collection ''in 2008 with an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary and booklet. ''[[Minuet in Hell (audio story)|Minuet in Hell]] ''was excluded from broadcast due to its adult themes.
* The story formed part of an Eighth Doctor series on [[BBC Radio 7]] in 2005, alongside the stories ''[[Shada (audio story)|Shada]]'', ''[[Sword of Orion (audio story)|Sword of Orion]]'', ''[[The Stones of Venice (audio story)|The Stones of Venice]]'', ''[[Invaders from Mars (audio story)|Invaders from Mars]]'' and ''[[The Chimes of Midnight (audio story)|The Chimes of Midnight]]'', and has been repeated on multiple occasions since. This led to the commissioning of the original series ''[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories#The New Eighth Doctor Adventures|The Eighth Doctor Adventures]]'', debuting on the digital station in December 2006. Due to a limited timeslot, scenes were edited out of these versions; excluding ''Shada'' and ''The Chimes of Midnight'', these were collated into ''[[The Eighth Doctor Collection]]'' in 2008 with an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary and booklet. ''[[Minuet in Hell (audio story)|Minuet in Hell]]'' was excluded from broadcast due to its adult themes.
* This story was originally available on CD. It is now available as a download, as well as to stream on [[Spotify]].
* The first episode of this story was available as a teaser alongside ''[[Last of the Titans (audio story)|Last of the Titans]]''.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* According to [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Terror Firma (audio story)|Terror Firma]]'', the Eighth Doctor had numerous adventures prior to this story. During this time, he travelled with siblings [[Samson Griffin|Samson]] and [[Gemma Griffin]] as well as [[Mary Shelley]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Mary's Story (audio story)|Mary's Story]]'', et al)
* According to [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Terror Firma (audio story)|Terror Firma}}, the Eighth Doctor had numerous adventures prior to this story. During this time, he travelled with siblings [[Samson Griffin|Samson]] and [[Gemma Griffin]] as well as [[Mary Shelley]] ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Mary's Story (audio story)|Mary's Story}}, et al)
* Although this story depicts the Doctor's first supposed meeting with Charley, it is later revealed that, earlier in his personal timeline, she had not only met but became a companion of the [[Sixth Doctor]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Condemned (audio story)|The Condemned]]'' to [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Blue Forgotten Planet (audio story)|Blue Forgotten Planet]]''). The fact that Doctor does not recognise her later in his timeline was due to his memories of travelling with Charley being supplanted by fabricated memories of travelling with [[Mila]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Blue Forgotten Planet (audio story)|Blue Forgotten Planet]]'') Still earlier, in an [[Alternate timeline|alternative timeline]], the [[Fourth Doctor]] met both his eighth incarnation and Charley while he was travelling with [[Leela]]. On that occasion, he was very impressed by Charley, telling her that he considered her to be very clever. However, he lost all memory of this encounter when the proper timeline was restored. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End]]'') Furthermore, the [[Seventh Doctor]] informed Charley's parents [[Richard Pollard|Lord Richard]] and [[Louisa Pollard|Lady Lousia Pollard]] of her supposed death aboard the ''R101'' but was unaware of her status as a living [[temporal paradox]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac (short story)|The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac]]'')
* Although this story depicts the Doctor's first supposed meeting with Charley, it is later revealed that, earlier in his personal timeline, the [[Sixth Doctor]] had not only met her but took her on as a companion. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Condemned (audio story)|The Condemned}} to [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Blue Forgotten Planet (audio story)|Blue Forgotten Planet}}) The fact that Doctor does not recognise her later in his timeline was due to his memories of travelling with Charley being supplanted by fabricated memories of travelling with [[Mila]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Blue Forgotten Planet (audio story)|Blue Forgotten Planet}}) Still earlier, in an [[Alternate timeline|alternative timeline]], the [[Fourth Doctor]] met both his eighth incarnation and Charley while he was travelling with [[Leela]]. On that occasion, he was very impressed by Charley, telling her that he considered her to be very clever. However, he lost all memory of this encounter when the proper timeline was restored. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Light at the End (audio story)|The Light at the End}}) Furthermore, the [[Seventh Doctor]] informed Charley's parents [[Richard Pollard|Lord Richard]] and [[Louisa Pollard|Lady Louisa Pollard]] of her supposed death aboard the ''R101'' but was unaware of her status as a living [[temporal paradox]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac (short story)|The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac}})
* The Vortisaur known as Ramsay stays in the TARDIS until [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Minuet in Hell (audio story)|Minuet in Hell]]''.
* The Vortisaur known as Ramsay stays in the TARDIS until [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Minuet in Hell (audio story)|Minuet in Hell}}.
* In the [[far future]], radio broadcasts concerning the launch of the ''R101'' could be accessed via the [[Gogglebox]] inside the [[The Moon|Moon]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Gathering (audio story)|The Gathering]]'')
* On [[Whoisdoctorwho.co.uk]] in [[PROSE]]: {{cs|Have You Seen This Man? (short story)|Have You Seen This Man?}}, "El Pinguino" mentioned that there are records of the Doctor aboard the ''R101'', although he noted there was no description to directly match it to the [[Ninth Doctor|same man]] the site was looking into
* The Doctor recalls his encounter with Mary Shelley and [[Lord Byron]] near [[Lake Geneva]] in [[Switzerland]] in [[June]] [[1816]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Mary's Story (audio story)|Mary's Story]]'')
* In the [[far future]], radio broadcasts concerning the launch of the ''R101'' could be accessed via the [[Gogglebox]] inside [[the Moon]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Reaping (audio story)|The Reaping}}, {{cs|The Gathering (audio story)|The Gathering}})
* The Doctor finds a copy of ''[[The Murder of Roger Ackroyd]]'' which is missing its last page. This would later be revealed to have been a birthday present from his former companion [[Samson Griffin]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Terror Firma (audio story)|Terror Firma]]'')
* The Doctor recalls his encounter with Mary Shelley and [[Lord Byron]] near [[Lake Geneva]] in [[Switzerland]] in [[June]] [[1816]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Mary's Story (audio story)|Mary's Story}}) The Doctor would go on to meet them again, in that same year, in their [[Thirteenth Doctor|Thirteenth Incarnation]] ([[TV]]:{{cs|The Haunting of Villa Diodati (TV story)|The Haunting of Villa Diodati}})
* The Doctor mentions that he was onboard the [[RMS Lusitania|RMS ''Lusitania'']] when it sank on [[7 May]] [[1915]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Sirens of Time (audio story)|The Sirens of Time]]'')
* The Doctor finds a copy of ''[[The Murder of Roger Ackroyd]]'' which is missing its last page. This would later be revealed to have been a birthday present from his former companion [[Samson Griffin]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Terror Firma (audio story)|Terror Firma}})
* In an [[alternate timeline|alternative timeline]] in which the [[Nazi]]s won [[World War II]], an [[Johann Schmidt|alternative version of the Eighth Doctor]] likewise used the alias "Johann Schmidt." ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Colditz (audio story)|Colditz]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Klein's Story (audio story)|Klein's Story]]'')
* The Doctor mentions that he was onboard the [[RMS Lusitania|RMS ''Lusitania'']] when it sank on [[7 May]] [[1915]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Sirens of Time (audio story)|The Sirens of Time}})
* The Doctor compares the ''R101'' to the [[Sandminer]] [[Storm Mine 4]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Robots of Death (TV story)|The Robots of Death]]'') and the ''[[Hyperion III]]'' ([[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Vervoids (TV story)|Terror of the Vervoids]]'').
* In an [[alternate timeline]] in which the [[Nazi]]s won [[World War II]], an [[Johann Schmidt|alternative version of the Eighth Doctor]] likewise used the alias "Johann Schmidt". ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Colditz (audio story)|Colditz}}, {{cs|Klein's Story (audio story)|Klein's Story}})
* The Doctor mentions that he was in [[South Africa]] during the [[Boer Wars|Second Boer War]] and met several Afrikaans. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Players (novel)|Players]]'')
* The Doctor compares the ''R101'' to the [[Sandminer]] [[Storm Mine 4]] ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Robots of Death (TV story)|The Robots of Death}}) and the ''[[Hyperion III]]''. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Terror of the Vervoids (TV story)|Terror of the Vervoids}})
* Charley would later tell the Doctor that she stowed away on the ''R101'' in order to meet a young man named [[Alex Grayle]] in the [[Singapore]] [[Hilton]] on [[New Year's Eve]] [[1930]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Seasons of Fear (audio story)|Seasons of Fear]]'')
* The Doctor mentions that he was in [[South Africa]] during the [[Boer Wars|Second Boer War]] and met several Afrikaans. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Players (novel)|Players}})
* At the time that she boarded the ''R101'', Charley was attending a finishing school run by [[Lime (Zagreus)|Miss Lime]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]'')
* Charley would later tell the Doctor that she stowed away on the ''R101'' in order to meet a young man named [[Alex Grayle]] in the [[Singapore]] [[Hilton]] on [[New Year's Eve]] [[1930]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Seasons of Fear (audio story)|Seasons of Fear}})
* The ''R101'' was launched from the Cardington airbase. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]'')
* At the time that she boarded the ''R101'', Charley was attending a finishing school run by [[Lime (Zagreus)|Miss Lime]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus}})
* Suffering from [[survivor's guilt]] after the crash of the ''R101'', Simon Murchford later became an Anglican minister in the hopes of reconciling his guilt. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Next Life (audio story)|The Next Life]]'') He succeeded Reverend [[Matthew Townsend]] as the Cardington airbase's chaplain following his death in [[1951]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]'')
* The ''R101'' was launched from the Cardington airbase. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus}})
* Charley would later be haunted by the expression on Rathbone's face as he fell from the ''R101'' to his death. Although he was the first of many people who attempted to kill her, she was eventually unable to even remember his name. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Next Life (audio story)|The Next Life]]'')
* Suffering from [[survivor's guilt]] after the crash of the ''R101'', [[Simon Murchford]] later became an Anglican minister in the hopes of reconciling his guilt. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Next Life (audio story)|The Next Life}}) He succeeded Reverend [[Matthew Townsend]] as the Cardington airbase's chaplain following his death in [[1951]]. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus}})
* The Pollards' cook [[Edith Thompson]] was the only person who knew that Charley intended to stowaway aboard the ''R101'' and helped her to prepare for the adventure. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Fall of the House of Pollard (audio story)|The Fall of the House of Pollard]]'')  
* Charley would later be haunted by the expression on Rathbone's face as he fell from the ''R101'' to his death. Although he was the first of many people who attempted to kill her, she was eventually unable to even remember his name. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Next Life (audio story)|The Next Life}})
* Lord Richard Pollard spent years researching the ''R101'' and can name everyone onboard from Lord Tamworth to "the lowliest cabin boy." Several letters mentioned a rendezvous with a foreign power but he was never able to get to the bottom of it. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Fall of the House of Pollard (audio story)|The Fall of the House of Pollard]]'')
* The Pollards' cook [[Edith Thompson]] was the only person who knew that Charley intended to stowaway aboard the ''R101'' and helped her to prepare for the adventure. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Fall of the House of Pollard (audio story)|The Fall of the House of Pollard}})
* Lord [[Richard Pollard]] spent years researching the ''R101'' and can name everyone onboard from Lord Tamworth to "the lowliest cabin boy". Several letters mentioned a rendezvous with a foreign power but he was never able to get to the bottom of it. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Fall of the House of Pollard (audio story)|The Fall of the House of Pollard}})
* While browsing through the TARDIS library, the Doctor finds a signed copy of Agatha Christie's "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" with the missing last page, which he comments: "Now I'll never know who'd done it". Later, the Eleventh Doctor will mention that he always rips out the last page of the book. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story)|The Angels Take Manhattan}})


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{bigfinish|releases/v/storm-warning-641|Storm Warning}}; note that it is out of print and is available as download only.
{{bigfinish|releases/v/storm-warning-641|Storm Warning}} (download only)
{{dwrefguide|who_bf16.htm|Storm Warning}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf16.htm|Storm Warning}}
* {{tetrap|8/storm.html|Storm Warning}}
{{tetrap|8/storm.html|Storm Warning}}
{{ChakoteyaWM|20150309054954/http://www.chakoteya.net/8Doctor/Main16CD.html|Storm Warning}}
 
{{BFA monthly}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[cy:Storm Warning (stori sain)]]
[[cy:Storm Warning (stori sain)]]
[[ru:Штормовое предупреждение]]


[[Category:Eighth Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who monthly audio stories]]
[[Category:2001 audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1930]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1930]]
[[Category:Stories set in France]]
[[Category:Stories set in France]]
[[Category:Pseudo-historical stories]]
[[Category:Vortisaur audio stories]]
[[Category:Vortisaur audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the David Arnold theme]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the David Arnold theme]]
[[Category:Charlotte Pollard audio stories]]
[[Category:Eighth Doctor Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:2001 Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:The Doctors and Monsters, Aliens, Robots stories]]

Latest revision as of 23:11, 17 November 2024

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Storm Warning was the sixteenth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Alan Barnes and featured Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor and introduced India Fisher as the new companion Charlotte Pollard.

Released in January 2001, this was the first audio story to feature Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, his first time reprising the role in a full cast story since the 1996 television movie, which was his first on-screen appearance as the Doctor.

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

October, 1930. His Majesty's Airship, the R101, sets off on her maiden voyage to the farthest-flung reaches of the British Empire, carrying the brightest lights of the Imperial fleet. Carrying the hopes and dreams of a breathless nation.

Not to mention a ruthless spy with a top-secret mission, a mysterious passenger who appears nowhere on the crew list, a would-be adventuress destined for the Singapore Hilton... and a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey.

There's a storm coming. There's something unspeakable — something with wings, crawling across the stern. Thousands of feet high in the blackening sky, the crew of the R101 brace themselves. When the storm breaks, their lives won't be all that's at stake...

The future of the galaxy will be hanging by a thread.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part 1[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Eighth Doctor sifts through the bookshelves in his TARDIS control room looking for the TARDIS manual, noting that all the shelves are in complete disarray. The TARDIS suddenly stops mid-flight in the vortex. The Doctor turns on the scanner to discover a time ship trapped crashing in a space/time glitch. A pack of Vortisaurs swarm the ship to pick at the debris and the Doctor flies the TARDIS at them to send them away. He then tries to use the TARDIS to knock the ship out of the glitch it's caught in, but misses the mark and loses control. The Vortisaurs swarm at the TARDIS and its defenses begin to fail; before the Doctor has time to do anything, a Vortisaur breaches the dimensional shielding.

Elsewhere, the announcement of the airship R101 is being broadcast. Aboard the recently launched aircraft, the ship's designer, Frayling, approaches Lord Tamworth in privacy about the fact that the airship didn't complete its trials and the extra weight Tamworth demanded for the mission, as well as questioning him about the details of the venture, but he merely brushes off Frayling's suspicions. Tamworth calls over Rathbone and requests he tend to the passenger in Cabin 43. Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor notices the Vortisaurs swarming again, and attempts a risky emergency landing to get away from them.

Aboard the airship, a young girl, Charlotte Pollard, is tending to writing her memoirs when the Chief Steward Weeks comes to her cabin, expecting her to be someone that Charley had stowed away in place of. Charley disguises herself and plays along. The TARDIS lands somewhere else on the airship, and the Doctor leaves to investigate his surrounding. Above him, Frayling has noticed the extra weight of the TARDIS in the ballast tank and orders it emptied. The Doctor emerges from the ballast tank and the hatch slams shut behind him. The ballast tank is then emptied, ejecting the TARDIS in the process. Frayling informs Tamworth of a storm approaching, and he reveals more details of the mission. As Charley enters the room, disguised as the steward, the airship is hit by something. Charley spills a drink on Tamworth and accidentally gives herself away.

Charley stamps on Tamworth's foot and runs, while he sends Weeks after her. The Doctor explores the airship and hears a slight moaning from Cabin 43. Pulling a stethoscope belonging to Conan Doyle from his pocket, he listens to Rathbone talking to someone. When he rounds the corner, he runs into Charley and helps her to hide. After Tamworth has gone, Charley is humoured by the Doctor eccentricities and seemingly absurd experiences. Frayling tries to convince Tamworth of something outside the airship in the storm, but Tamworth puts it down to him being intoxicated. Charley tells the Doctor about the venture, and he deduces that they are on the R101 in October 1930, the night before the airship is due to crash and burn over France, but Charley thinks the Doctor isn't being serious. In Cabin 43, Rathbone is still attending the mysterious passenger, when he alerted by a noise outside. Suddenly, a Vortisaur breaks through the window and wraps its jaws around Rathbone's arm.

Part 2[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Charley hear the screams and go to help. Rathbone tries to get the Vortisaur to release him, to no avail. The Doctor, along with Charley and Weeks, break into the Cabin and the Doctor throws hot coffee on it to get it to release him. The Doctor and Charley spot the passenger and Rathbone points his gun at him. He sends the Doctor and Weeks to deal with the Vortisaur and demands Charley stays behind with the passenger. After the Doctor and Weeks break a window to lure the Vortisaur, Frayling becomes certain that the ship can't survive these conditions and demands Tamworth abort the flight, but he threatens him with arrest. The Doctor coaxes the Vortisaur with his blood and has Weeks secure it once it's sedate; afterwards, they go to see Tamworth.

Charley tries to connect with Rathbone, but he continues to torment and threaten her and she rebuffs him. The Doctor approaches Tamworth and questions Frayling about the construction of the airship. Tamworth questions the Doctor about being a spy for the Zeppelin company, thinking him to be German. The Doctor manages to get Tamworth to open up about details of the mission and asks him about the passenger in Cabin 43. Tamworth allows the Doctor to examine the passenger and orders Frayling to raise the airship's altitude beyond what it was designed to manage. They proceed to the Cabin.

The Doctor brings Charley in on his plan and examine Rathbone's injury, before turning his attention to the passenger. Charley gets strange feelings off the creature, as does Tamworth. The Doctor turns off the gases to the passengers helmet and removes his helmet, revealing them to be an alien. Charley is amazed by the creatures appearance and notes its temperature. The alien passenger awakens and speaks to Charley. Unexpectedly, the airship altitude signal goes off, alarming the alien. Tamworth tells them that the rendezvous has been met and tells the Doctor and Charley to bring the alien. Rathbone is angry about the fact, but Tamworth threatens him back into submission.

Tamworth addresses the crew about upcoming unusual events, and has the Doctor and Charley bring the alien into the room before the crew. Suddenly, a large spaceship flies over the R101 and the alien tells them that '[they]' have arrived.

Part 3[[edit] | [edit source]]

Frayling is astonished by the scale of the spaceship and the appearance of the alien. Charley asks the alien about its origin. The alien introduces itself as Engineer Prime of the Triskele, having been made better by its proximity to more of its race. She cannot get traces of the minds of the Doctor and most of the crew, but does reveal Rathbone's also being a spy. Charley is amazed by the idea of there being millions of planets out in the universe and realises that the Doctor had been telling the truth about having a time and space machine; she tells the Doctor about her plan to go to Singapore to meet a man which influenced into stowing away on the airship. The Triskele opens the ship and the R101 is piloted aboard.

Tamworth declares his intention to have a diplomatic party disembark, but Engineer Prime states that only three will disembark; Tamworth, Frayling and the Doctor. Before leaving the airship, the Doctor warns Charley to be weary of Rathbone. Engineer Prime takes the Doctor, Tamworth and Frayling to the Triskele ship. Aboard the craft, the Doctor notices the ship has had a special mooring for the R101, while Tamworth and Frayling are impressed by the scale of the ship. Engineer Prime and Tamworth explain that their races got in contact when Tamworth located the Engineers crashed craft and spent months trying to get through to her, to no avail. The pair only got in contact when Rathbone got in contact and got a woman to get the Engineer to speak. Engineer Prime explained the only one she had spoken to before were Uncreators. Tamworth then reveals he added to modifications to the R101's specifications to make the meeting with the Triskele ship. The Doctor is impressed by Tamworth's tenacity.

Back on the airship, Rathbone has Weeks and other member of the crew place large crates of weaponry in the main hall and Charley deduces that he is planning something. The Doctor's party finally reaches the main section of the ship, finding proof that the Triskele had been to Earth previously. Engineer Prime brings the Doctor, Tamworth and Frayling before the Engineer Triskele by moving the deck of the ship around the inhabitants. The Doctor asks about the other subspecies of the Triskele, the Uncreators, which also appear in the same room. The Uncreator Prime questions Tamworth about his military history and explains the purpose of the Uncreators, the dark, destructive side of the species, feared by the Engineers. When Tamworth states he feels remorse for the casualties of the war, the Uncreator Prime feels cheated and scavenges Engineer Prime's mind, looking for another candidate, learning of Rathbone.

Rathbone hears the Uncreators in his head aboard the airship, but is interrupted by Charley's arrival. He begins to get paranoid about the Doctor's party and prepares to act. The third part of the Triskele triad appears before the Doctor, the Lawgiver. The Engineers are the brains of the triad, the Uncreators are the instinct, while the Lawgiver governs to the subspecies with his law. While the Engineers and Uncreators regularly change and progress, the Lawgiver remains the same. The Uncreators wish the Lawgiver dead, wanting merely death and destruction. The other subspecies of the Triskele cannot act without the consent of the Lawgiver. The Doctor deduces that the Triskele have summoned them not just for diplomacy with humanity, but to find a replacement for the Lawgiver, who is on the verge of death.

Rathbone considers time up and orders the crew to arm themselves, ready to storm the Triskele ship. He hands Weeks a rifle to direct the diplomatic members of the crew elsewhere with orders to shoot Charley if she doesn't comply with his orders. Charley still wants to know his intention; Rathbone wants a reward for bringing Engineer Prime back to them, the Triskele become part of the British Empire. However, Tamworth hasn't returned in the predicted time and so he plans to seize the ship for the empire, personally. The Lawgiver informs the Doctor that as soon as he dies, the Uncreators will be released to wreak havoc, while the Doctor deduces that that they want him to replace the Lawgiver, as neither an Engineer nor Uncreator can do it and the Doctor is not of Earth. Uncreator Prime, however, dismisses the Doctor's nomination as neither he nor Tamworth serves as a symbol of an Uncreator. He then detects Rathbone aboard the ship and Tamworth tries to retreat himself, Frayling and the Doctor to the R101. Rathbone is brought before the Triskele and the Uncreator Prime was impressed with his nature. Rathbone shoots at Charley, further impressing the Uncreators. Rathbone tries to threaten the Lawgiver into compliance, but, when this fails, he shoots and kills the Lawgiver. As soon the Lawgiver dies, the law dies with him and the Uncreators are released from his influence. Uncreator Prime declares Engineer Prime to be a traitor to the Triskele and breaks free from its chains. It brings all the Uncreators forthwith and declares the life of the Human race forfeit for crimes against the Triskele and that the two races are now at war, ordering the Uncreators to kill everyone.

Part 4[[edit] | [edit source]]

Weeks and the others raise arms at the advancing Uncreators, but it makes no difference. Rathbone finds himself unable to move, his mind having been broken by the Uncreator Prime. The Uncreators advance on Tamworth, but retreat in fear when he shouts at it. The Doctor deduces that the Uncreators hadn't encountered another predator and has the entire crew scare them away by roaring at them. Once the Uncreators had retreated, the Uncreator declares that one day soon, the Uncreators would achieve their potential, before firing a concealed energy weapon at the Doctor. Tamworth demands the Uncreator Prime relinquish the weapon as well as his candidacy for the position of Lawgiver, telling the Doctor to take the crew members and passengers back to the airship.

The Uncreator Prime and Tamworth get involved in a fist fight, with the Uncreator influencing Rathbone to murder Tamworth, but Rathbone manages to resist, shooting the Uncreator Prime instead. Tamworth is then declared Lawgiver by the Triskele. However, Tamworth abolishes the position, opting instead to advise the Triskele for the rest of his days. The Doctor and Charley return to the airship as it leaves the Triskele ship, which then leaves Earth. The Doctor and Charley go to arrange an evacuation of the airship.

Weeks goes to visit the Vortisaur to feed it, when it becomes over-excited and attacks him. While Frayling, Rathbone and the crew and passengers celebrate, the Doctor discovers that Rathbone had stolen the Uncreator Prime's weapon and begs him to throw it overboard, but Rathbone doesn't listen. He makes one last appeal to Frayling, who also doesn't listen, so he punches Rathbone, takes the weapon and he and Charley flee. Frayling sends the crew after them. The pair run into the Vortisaur, who got loose after attacking Weeks and spot Rathbone coming after them. Rathbone corners them, but the Doctor threatens to ignite the airship using the Triskele weapon and tells him about the airship's ultimate fate. Even after this, however, Rathbone attacks them both with a fire axe. The Doctor throws him the Triskele weapon and he falls through a hole he made in the hull. The damage he caused sucks him out and he falls to his death, while the airship begins to fall.

Before the Doctor and Charley are sucked out too, the Doctor coaxes it with his blood again, and they ride it, bareback away from the crash. Frayling acknowledges it's too late for them now, and has one last drink before the ship crashes. The Doctor lands the Vortisaur not far from the crash site and it starts to become afraid of Charley. When Charley goes to catch it, the Doctor muses that it's fearing her because she was supposed to die in that crash. He ponders whether or not to stash her back aboard the airship before the crash, so as to preserve the Web of Time. However, before he can broad the subject to her, Charley delightfully states that she would love to go with him, to which the Doctor reluctantly agrees. They both mount the Vortisaur (which Charley affectionately names 'Ramsey') and the Doctor flies them in the direction of the TARDIS...

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This release introduces an original theme arrangement, which was composed by David Arnold. This was the first time that an original theme has been used for the Big Finish audios; the first fifteen releases had used the Delia Derbyshire theme.
  • Alistair Lock's score to this story was released on the CD Music from the Eighth Doctor Audio Adventures, alongside the other three initial Eighth Doctor audios.
  • Although the events portrayed are based on an actual occurrence, all of the characters involved are fictional.
  • The Doctor states several times that there were no survivors of the R101 crash. In actuality, eight people survived the crash itself. Two of these individuals later died from injuries sustained in the crash, bringing the total number of survivors to six.
  • As the first Eighth Doctor audio drama, this was also the first Big Finish audio drama to take place after the events of TV: Doctor Who, then the most recent televised appearance of the Doctor.
  • This audio drama was recorded on 18 May 2000 at Christchurch Studios.
  • An illustrated preview of this story appeared in DWM 300 illustrated by Lee Sullivan.
  • This is the first Big Finish audio drama to feature the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.
  • The story formed part of an Eighth Doctor series on BBC Radio 7 in 2005, alongside the stories Shada, Sword of Orion, The Stones of Venice, Invaders from Mars and The Chimes of Midnight, and has been repeated on multiple occasions since. This led to the commissioning of the original series The Eighth Doctor Adventures, debuting on the digital station in December 2006. Due to a limited timeslot, scenes were edited out of these versions; excluding Shada and The Chimes of Midnight, these were collated into The Eighth Doctor Collection in 2008 with an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary and booklet. Minuet in Hell was excluded from broadcast due to its adult themes.
  • This story was originally available on CD. It is now available as a download, as well as to stream on Spotify.
  • The first episode of this story was available as a teaser alongside Last of the Titans.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • According to AUDIO: Terror Firma [+]Loading...["Terror Firma (audio story)","Terror Firma"], the Eighth Doctor had numerous adventures prior to this story. During this time, he travelled with siblings Samson and Gemma Griffin as well as Mary Shelley (AUDIO: Mary's Story [+]Loading...["Mary's Story (audio story)","Mary's Story"], et al)
  • Although this story depicts the Doctor's first supposed meeting with Charley, it is later revealed that, earlier in his personal timeline, the Sixth Doctor had not only met her but took her on as a companion. (AUDIO: The Condemned [+]Loading...["The Condemned (audio story)","The Condemned"] to AUDIO: Blue Forgotten Planet [+]Loading...["Blue Forgotten Planet (audio story)","Blue Forgotten Planet"]) The fact that Doctor does not recognise her later in his timeline was due to his memories of travelling with Charley being supplanted by fabricated memories of travelling with Mila. (AUDIO: Blue Forgotten Planet [+]Loading...["Blue Forgotten Planet (audio story)","Blue Forgotten Planet"]) Still earlier, in an alternative timeline, the Fourth Doctor met both his eighth incarnation and Charley while he was travelling with Leela. On that occasion, he was very impressed by Charley, telling her that he considered her to be very clever. However, he lost all memory of this encounter when the proper timeline was restored. (AUDIO: The Light at the End [+]Loading...["The Light at the End (audio story)","The Light at the End"]) Furthermore, the Seventh Doctor informed Charley's parents Lord Richard and Lady Louisa Pollard of her supposed death aboard the R101 but was unaware of her status as a living temporal paradox. (PROSE: The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac [+]Loading...["The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac (short story)","The Heroine, the Hero and the Megalomaniac"])
  • The Vortisaur known as Ramsay stays in the TARDIS until AUDIO: Minuet in Hell [+]Loading...["Minuet in Hell (audio story)","Minuet in Hell"].
  • On Whoisdoctorwho.co.uk in PROSE: Have You Seen This Man? [+]Loading...["Have You Seen This Man? (short story)","Have You Seen This Man?"], "El Pinguino" mentioned that there are records of the Doctor aboard the R101, although he noted there was no description to directly match it to the same man the site was looking into
  • In the far future, radio broadcasts concerning the launch of the R101 could be accessed via the Gogglebox inside the Moon. (AUDIO: The Reaping [+]Loading...["The Reaping (audio story)","The Reaping"], The Gathering [+]Loading...["The Gathering (audio story)","The Gathering"])
  • The Doctor recalls his encounter with Mary Shelley and Lord Byron near Lake Geneva in Switzerland in June 1816. (AUDIO: Mary's Story [+]Loading...["Mary's Story (audio story)","Mary's Story"]) The Doctor would go on to meet them again, in that same year, in their Thirteenth Incarnation (TV:The Haunting of Villa Diodati [+]Loading...["The Haunting of Villa Diodati (TV story)","The Haunting of Villa Diodati"])
  • The Doctor finds a copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd which is missing its last page. This would later be revealed to have been a birthday present from his former companion Samson Griffin. (AUDIO: Terror Firma [+]Loading...["Terror Firma (audio story)","Terror Firma"])
  • The Doctor mentions that he was onboard the RMS Lusitania when it sank on 7 May 1915. (AUDIO: The Sirens of Time [+]Loading...["The Sirens of Time (audio story)","The Sirens of Time"])
  • In an alternate timeline in which the Nazis won World War II, an alternative version of the Eighth Doctor likewise used the alias "Johann Schmidt". (AUDIO: Colditz [+]Loading...["Colditz (audio story)","Colditz"], Klein's Story [+]Loading...["Klein's Story (audio story)","Klein's Story"])
  • The Doctor compares the R101 to the Sandminer Storm Mine 4 (TV: The Robots of Death [+]Loading...["The Robots of Death (TV story)","The Robots of Death"]) and the Hyperion III. (TV: Terror of the Vervoids [+]Loading...["Terror of the Vervoids (TV story)","Terror of the Vervoids"])
  • The Doctor mentions that he was in South Africa during the Second Boer War and met several Afrikaans. (PROSE: Players [+]Loading...["Players (novel)","Players"])
  • Charley would later tell the Doctor that she stowed away on the R101 in order to meet a young man named Alex Grayle in the Singapore Hilton on New Year's Eve 1930. (AUDIO: Seasons of Fear [+]Loading...["Seasons of Fear (audio story)","Seasons of Fear"])
  • At the time that she boarded the R101, Charley was attending a finishing school run by Miss Lime. (AUDIO: Zagreus [+]Loading...["Zagreus (audio story)","Zagreus"])
  • The R101 was launched from the Cardington airbase. (AUDIO: Zagreus [+]Loading...["Zagreus (audio story)","Zagreus"])
  • Suffering from survivor's guilt after the crash of the R101, Simon Murchford later became an Anglican minister in the hopes of reconciling his guilt. (AUDIO: The Next Life [+]Loading...["The Next Life (audio story)","The Next Life"]) He succeeded Reverend Matthew Townsend as the Cardington airbase's chaplain following his death in 1951. (AUDIO: Zagreus [+]Loading...["Zagreus (audio story)","Zagreus"])
  • Charley would later be haunted by the expression on Rathbone's face as he fell from the R101 to his death. Although he was the first of many people who attempted to kill her, she was eventually unable to even remember his name. (AUDIO: The Next Life [+]Loading...["The Next Life (audio story)","The Next Life"])
  • The Pollards' cook Edith Thompson was the only person who knew that Charley intended to stowaway aboard the R101 and helped her to prepare for the adventure. (AUDIO: The Fall of the House of Pollard [+]Loading...["The Fall of the House of Pollard (audio story)","The Fall of the House of Pollard"])
  • Lord Richard Pollard spent years researching the R101 and can name everyone onboard from Lord Tamworth to "the lowliest cabin boy". Several letters mentioned a rendezvous with a foreign power but he was never able to get to the bottom of it. (AUDIO: The Fall of the House of Pollard [+]Loading...["The Fall of the House of Pollard (audio story)","The Fall of the House of Pollard"])
  • While browsing through the TARDIS library, the Doctor finds a signed copy of Agatha Christie's "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" with the missing last page, which he comments: "Now I'll never know who'd done it". Later, the Eleventh Doctor will mention that he always rips out the last page of the book. (TV: The Angels Take Manhattan [+]Loading...["The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story)","The Angels Take Manhattan"])

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

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