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{{Infobox Story SMW | |||
{{Infobox | |image = Ma-23.jpg | ||
|range = Virgin Missing Adventures | |||
image= | |number in range = 23 | ||
|number = 23 | |||
number= 23 | | |doctor = Sixth Doctor | ||
doctor= | |companions = [[Grant Markham|Grant]] | ||
companions= [[Grant Markham]] | | |enemy = [[CyberNomad]]s | ||
enemy= [[ | |setting = [[Agora]], [[2191]] | ||
|writer = Steve Lyons | |||
|cover = [[Alister Pearson]] | |||
publisher= | |publisher = Virgin Books | ||
release date= | |release date = 20 June 1996 | ||
format= Paperback Book, | |format = Paperback Book; 16 Chapters, 256 Pages | ||
isbn= ISBN 0-426-20474-3| | |isbn = ISBN 0-426-20474-3 | ||
|series = [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] | |||
|prev = The Sands of Time (novel) | |||
|next = The Scales of Injustice (novel) | |||
}} | |||
{{prose stub}} | |||
{{you may|Killing Ground (comic story)|n1=the comic story of the same name}} | |||
'''''Killing Ground''''' was the twenty-third novel in the [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] series. Continuing on from the final events of author [[Steve Lyons]]' ''[[Time of Your Life (novel)|Time of Your Life]]'', it showed what happened when the [[Sixth Doctor]] gave [[Grant Markham]] his "one trip" in [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]] — a journey back to Markham's home of [[Agora]]. | |||
Unlike ''Time'', however, ''Ground'' featured Markham as a prominent narrative element, and the book jacket formally dubbed him a "[[companion]]". Still, it proved to be his final outing in a licensed work, despite the fact that it ended in a way that promised more adventures for Markham and the Doctor. | |||
Notably, it was one of only three novels published under [[Virgin Publishing]]'s control of the ''Doctor Who'' licence to feature the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]]. The others were ''[[The Crystal Bucephalus (novel)|The Crystal Bucephalus]]'' and ''[[Iceberg (novel)|Iceberg]]''. | |||
== Publisher's summary == | == Publisher's summary == | ||
:"Imagine that you can [[Immortality|live forever]] and life is totally free from [[pain]]. You can [[see]] all things with clarity, unblinkered by irrelevant details. You will never [[fear]], never [[sickness|sicken]], never lose control. That is what the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] are offering." | |||
[[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] takes his new companion, [[Grant Markham|Grant]], back home to [[Agora]] | [[Sixth Doctor|The Doctor]] takes his new [[companion]], [[Grant Markham|Grant]], back home to [[Agora]] — only to find a world in the thrall of some of his oldest and deadliest foes. | ||
The Cybermen have taken control and set up a breeding colony to propagate their own race. While the Doctor languishes in a cell at the mercy of the sadistic [[Overseers]], Grant joins up with a group of rebels and works on a desperate rescue bid. | The Cybermen have taken control and set up a breeding [[colony]] to propagate their own race. While the Doctor languishes in a cell at the mercy of the sadistic [[Overseer (Killing Ground)|Overseers]], Grant joins up with a group of rebels and works on a desperate rescue bid. | ||
With time running out, the rebels move into action. But will their solution prove more deadly than the problem itself? | With time running out, the rebels move into action. But will their solution prove more deadly than the problem itself? | ||
== Plot == | |||
Ninety-one [[year]]s in [[Grant Markham]]'s past, the ''[[New Hope]]'' successfully launches from [[Earth]]. The [[Sixth Doctor]] and Grant observe the launch from inside [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]], which is [[orbit]]ing [[Mars]]. The Doctor comments that the ''New Hope'' will travel to the [[Centraxis system]], and its [[crew]] will establish "the most remote of the [[prototype]] [[Colony|colonies]]", which Grant immediately identifies as [[Agora]], his [[planet]] of origin. The Doctor comments that with [[human]]ity now beginning to expand into [[space]], the numerous [[alien]] threats that Earth's [[government]]s have kept secret for [[Century|centuries]] will be eager to exact [[revenge]] on humanity at a [[time]] in which humans will be less equipped to fight them. However, he confirms that the ''New Hope'' will arrive safely. Meanwhile, the majority of the ''New Hope''<nowiki/>'s [[Administrative Council]] [[Voting|votes]] in favour of establishing a more primitive [[society]] on their new [[home]], and eschewing the advanced [[technology]] of Earth. | |||
In the midst of a [[rebellion]] on Agora, [[Ben Taggart]] flees from [[Population Control]], having been driven out, along with the other surviving rebels, by the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]]. Falling over in the [[mud]], he eventually gets up, believing the fighting to have passed him, only to be confronted by a Cyberman; the creature is shot [[death|dead]], however, by [[Arthur Lakesmith]], the [[leader]] of the rebellion against the Cybermen, who forces Taggart to accompany him back inside Population Control with a crude [[bomb]], with the intention of blowing up the entire complex and potentially the [[Cyber-ship (Killing Ground)|Cyber-ship]]. However, inside the complex, the duo are attacked by more Cybermen, one of whom brutally maims Lakesmith, forcing Taggart to take the bomb and detonate it himself. Taggart flees, but is trapped by two Cybermen within an [[Overseer (Killing Ground)|Overseers]]' rest area, preventing him from reaching the control centre. [[Fear]]fully contemplating that detonating the bomb, and [[Self-sacrifice|sacrificing]] himself, here, may end up being for nothing, he places the bomb on the floor and [[surrender]]s. | |||
''More to be added'' | |||
== Characters == | == Characters == | ||
* [[Sixth | * [[Sixth Doctor]] | ||
* [[Grant Markham]] | * [[Grant Markham]] | ||
** | * [[Jean Markham]] | ||
** | * [[Ted Henneker]] | ||
* | * [[Hegelia]] | ||
** | * [[Graduand Jolarr]] | ||
* [[Arthur Lakesmith]] | |||
* Ted Henneker | * [[Ben Taggart]] | ||
* [[Vincent Madrox]] | |||
* [[Maxine Carter]] | |||
* [[Cyberman|Cybermen]] | |||
== Worldbuilding == | |||
=== Biologically modified species === | |||
* [[Ted Henneker]] helps create the [[Bronze Knight]]s. | |||
* | === Cybermen === | ||
* [[Hegelia]] is an expert on the [[history]] of the [[Cyberman|Cybermen]]. She is one of the most respected [[ArcHivist]]s from the [[ArcHive]]. | |||
* Hegelia undergoes [[cyber-conversion]] to record a first-hand experience of the process. | |||
** | * The Cybermen that have conquered [[Agora]] are [[CyberNomad]]s, a [[Cyber-subspecies]] that fought in the [[Vogan War]]. The [[Sixth Doctor]] recalls encountering them on [[Nerva Beacon]] as the [[Fourth Doctor]]. | ||
* According to [[Graduand Jolarr]], the CyberNomad attack on [[Nerva Beacon]] occurred three-hundred [[year]]s after the end of the Vogan War. | |||
* Hegelia proposed a hypothesis that a group of CyberNomads travelled to [[Telos]] and re-opened the [[Cyber-tomb]]s. They subsequently merged with the [[CyberTelosian]]s inside to become the [[CyberNeomorph]]s, which proliferated throughout the [[26th century]]. | |||
* The CyberNomads have been severely weakened by the Vogan War, in numerous ways: | |||
** They use more organic material than any variants of Cybermen before them since the [[CyberMondan]]s, which has also led to the CyberNomads regaining the CyberMondans' weakness to strong levels of [[radiation]]. | |||
** The cyber-conversion technology used by the CyberNomads is significantly more primitive. | |||
** The CyberNomad reinforcements that travel to Agora following the first force's destruction arrive in a [[Selachian]] battle cruiser, rather than a [[Cyber-ship]]. | |||
=== The Doctor === | |||
* | * The Doctor contemplates [[suicide]]. | ||
* The Doctor spends weeks in [[The Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] recovering from the [[radiation poisoning]] he sustained onboard the Selachian battle cruiser. | |||
* | |||
== | === Individuals === | ||
* | * Grant has severe [[Grimwade's Syndrome|robophobia]], as a result of witnessing the Cybermen [[murder]] [[Jean Markham|his mother]] when he was a [[child]]. | ||
* [[Arthur Lakesmith]] was the original rebel leader and was mutilated as a warning to other colonists following a failed rebellion in [[2176]]. | |||
* | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
* This | * This is the second and final appearance of companion [[Grant Markham]] in the ''[[Virgin Missing Adventures|Missing Adventures]]''. He would later appear in one more short story, ''[[Repercussions... (short story)|Repercussions...]]''. | ||
* The cover by [[Alister Pearson]] | * The cover, by [[Alister Pearson]], contained the only official image of Grant. Pearson based Grant's appearance on his own. | ||
* The character Hegelia was from [[David Banks]]' book ''[[Doctor Who: Cybermen|Cybermen]]''. | |||
* This story is set between ''[[Season 23 (Doctor Who 1963)|The Trial of a Time Lord]]'' and ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]''. | |||
== Continuity == | == Continuity == | ||
* The Doctor | * The Doctor [[exile]]d himself to [[Torrok]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ultimate Foe (TV story)|The Ultimate Foe]]'') and was forced to leave when the [[Time Lord]]s revealed him to the Watchers. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Time of Your Life (novel)|Time of Your Life]]'') | ||
* The Cybermen | * The Cybermen are [[CyberNomad]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Revenge of the Cybermen (TV story)|Revenge of the Cybermen]]'') | ||
* The Doctor refers to the painful beginnings of his third [[regeneration]] in the TARDIS. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Spiders (TV story)|Planet of the Spiders]]'') | |||
* When discussing the subjects of government cover-ups with Grant, the Doctor mentions the [[Great Intelligence]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Web of Fear (TV story)|The Web of Fear]]'') the [[Auton]]s, ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space (TV story)|Spearhead from Space]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Autons (TV story)|Terror of the Autons]]'') the [[Axos|Axons]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Claws of Axos (TV story)|The Claws of Axos]]'') and the [[Zygon]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Terror of the Zygons (TV story)|Terror of the Zygons]]'') | |||
* '' | * Earth is still rebuilding after the [[2150s Dalek invasion of Earth]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dalek Invasion of Earth (TV story)|The Dalek Invasion of Earth]]'') | ||
* '' | * Grant had a recurring [[nightmare]] about being hunted by robots, which was cured. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Time of Your Life (novel)|Time of Your Life]]'') | ||
* The TARDIS has an emergency exit. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Original Sin (novel)|Original Sin]]'') | |||
* The Doctor recalls his visit to [[Thoros-Beta]] in [[2379]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Mindwarp (TV story)|Mindwarp]]'') | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
{{dwrefguide|who_ma23.htm|Killing Ground}} | |||
* {{whoniverse| | * {{whoniverse|ma23|Killing Ground}} | ||
* [http://mysite.science.uottawa.ca/rsmith43/cloister/kgro.htm The Cloister Library: '''Killing Ground'''] | |||
{{MA}} | {{MA}} | ||
{{Cyberman stories}} | {{Cyberman stories}} | ||
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[[Category:Sixth Doctor novels]] | [[Category:Sixth Doctor novels]] | ||
[[Category:1996 novels]] | [[Category:1996 novels]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Novels set in Mutter's Spiral]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in the | [[Category:Stories set in 2191]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in 2100]] | |||
[[Category:Novels set in the Sol System]] | |||
[[Category:Cyberman novels]] | |||
Latest revision as of 02:42, 3 July 2024
- You may be looking for the comic story of the same name.
Killing Ground was the twenty-third novel in the Virgin Missing Adventures series. Continuing on from the final events of author Steve Lyons' Time of Your Life, it showed what happened when the Sixth Doctor gave Grant Markham his "one trip" in the TARDIS — a journey back to Markham's home of Agora.
Unlike Time, however, Ground featured Markham as a prominent narrative element, and the book jacket formally dubbed him a "companion". Still, it proved to be his final outing in a licensed work, despite the fact that it ended in a way that promised more adventures for Markham and the Doctor.
Notably, it was one of only three novels published under Virgin Publishing's control of the Doctor Who licence to feature the Cybermen. The others were The Crystal Bucephalus and Iceberg.
Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
- "Imagine that you can live forever and life is totally free from pain. You can see all things with clarity, unblinkered by irrelevant details. You will never fear, never sicken, never lose control. That is what the Cybermen are offering."
The Doctor takes his new companion, Grant, back home to Agora — only to find a world in the thrall of some of his oldest and deadliest foes.
The Cybermen have taken control and set up a breeding colony to propagate their own race. While the Doctor languishes in a cell at the mercy of the sadistic Overseers, Grant joins up with a group of rebels and works on a desperate rescue bid.
With time running out, the rebels move into action. But will their solution prove more deadly than the problem itself?
Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]
Ninety-one years in Grant Markham's past, the New Hope successfully launches from Earth. The Sixth Doctor and Grant observe the launch from inside the TARDIS, which is orbiting Mars. The Doctor comments that the New Hope will travel to the Centraxis system, and its crew will establish "the most remote of the prototype colonies", which Grant immediately identifies as Agora, his planet of origin. The Doctor comments that with humanity now beginning to expand into space, the numerous alien threats that Earth's governments have kept secret for centuries will be eager to exact revenge on humanity at a time in which humans will be less equipped to fight them. However, he confirms that the New Hope will arrive safely. Meanwhile, the majority of the New Hope's Administrative Council votes in favour of establishing a more primitive society on their new home, and eschewing the advanced technology of Earth.
In the midst of a rebellion on Agora, Ben Taggart flees from Population Control, having been driven out, along with the other surviving rebels, by the Cybermen. Falling over in the mud, he eventually gets up, believing the fighting to have passed him, only to be confronted by a Cyberman; the creature is shot dead, however, by Arthur Lakesmith, the leader of the rebellion against the Cybermen, who forces Taggart to accompany him back inside Population Control with a crude bomb, with the intention of blowing up the entire complex and potentially the Cyber-ship. However, inside the complex, the duo are attacked by more Cybermen, one of whom brutally maims Lakesmith, forcing Taggart to take the bomb and detonate it himself. Taggart flees, but is trapped by two Cybermen within an Overseers' rest area, preventing him from reaching the control centre. Fearfully contemplating that detonating the bomb, and sacrificing himself, here, may end up being for nothing, he places the bomb on the floor and surrenders.
More to be added
Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Sixth Doctor
- Grant Markham
- Jean Markham
- Ted Henneker
- Hegelia
- Graduand Jolarr
- Arthur Lakesmith
- Ben Taggart
- Vincent Madrox
- Maxine Carter
- Cybermen
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
Biologically modified species[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Ted Henneker helps create the Bronze Knights.
Cybermen[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Hegelia is an expert on the history of the Cybermen. She is one of the most respected ArcHivists from the ArcHive.
- Hegelia undergoes cyber-conversion to record a first-hand experience of the process.
- The Cybermen that have conquered Agora are CyberNomads, a Cyber-subspecies that fought in the Vogan War. The Sixth Doctor recalls encountering them on Nerva Beacon as the Fourth Doctor.
- According to Graduand Jolarr, the CyberNomad attack on Nerva Beacon occurred three-hundred years after the end of the Vogan War.
- Hegelia proposed a hypothesis that a group of CyberNomads travelled to Telos and re-opened the Cyber-tombs. They subsequently merged with the CyberTelosians inside to become the CyberNeomorphs, which proliferated throughout the 26th century.
- The CyberNomads have been severely weakened by the Vogan War, in numerous ways:
- They use more organic material than any variants of Cybermen before them since the CyberMondans, which has also led to the CyberNomads regaining the CyberMondans' weakness to strong levels of radiation.
- The cyber-conversion technology used by the CyberNomads is significantly more primitive.
- The CyberNomad reinforcements that travel to Agora following the first force's destruction arrive in a Selachian battle cruiser, rather than a Cyber-ship.
The Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Doctor contemplates suicide.
- The Doctor spends weeks in his TARDIS recovering from the radiation poisoning he sustained onboard the Selachian battle cruiser.
Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Grant has severe robophobia, as a result of witnessing the Cybermen murder his mother when he was a child.
- Arthur Lakesmith was the original rebel leader and was mutilated as a warning to other colonists following a failed rebellion in 2176.
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- This is the second and final appearance of companion Grant Markham in the Missing Adventures. He would later appear in one more short story, Repercussions....
- The cover, by Alister Pearson, contained the only official image of Grant. Pearson based Grant's appearance on his own.
- The character Hegelia was from David Banks' book Cybermen.
- This story is set between The Trial of a Time Lord and Time and the Rani.
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Doctor exiled himself to Torrok (TV: The Ultimate Foe) and was forced to leave when the Time Lords revealed him to the Watchers. (PROSE: Time of Your Life)
- The Cybermen are CyberNomads. (TV: Revenge of the Cybermen)
- The Doctor refers to the painful beginnings of his third regeneration in the TARDIS. (TV: Planet of the Spiders)
- When discussing the subjects of government cover-ups with Grant, the Doctor mentions the Great Intelligence, (TV: The Web of Fear) the Autons, (TV: Spearhead from Space, TV: Terror of the Autons) the Axons (TV: The Claws of Axos) and the Zygons. (TV: Terror of the Zygons)
- Earth is still rebuilding after the 2150s Dalek invasion of Earth. (TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth)
- Grant had a recurring nightmare about being hunted by robots, which was cured. (PROSE: Time of Your Life)
- The TARDIS has an emergency exit. (PROSE: Original Sin)
- The Doctor recalls his visit to Thoros-Beta in 2379. (TV: Mindwarp)
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Killing Ground at the Doctor Who Reference Guide
- The Discontinuity Guide to: Killing Ground at The Whoniverse
- The Cloister Library: Killing Ground
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