Heliotrope Bouquet (short story)

Heliotrope Bouquet
Main character(s):	Daleks and Cybermen
Main setting:	Soarpath Junction and nearby space, the 26th century
Key crew
Writer:	Dan Abnett
Illustrator:	Lee Sullivan
Release details
Printed in:	Doctor Who Magazine 181 - 182
DWM short stories
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Summary

In the 26th century, the three crewmembers of the space yacht Heliotrope Bouquet II depart Soarpath Junction, only to become caught in the middle of a space battle between Daleks and Cybermen. They escape, but the ship is badly damaged. While making their way to a safe harbour, a Cyber-Leader forces them to return to the battle so he can destroy the Dalek ship. They succeed in tricking the Cyberman, destroy him, and resume course away from the battle.

Characters

• Sym Costain
• Misha Devlin
• Goff
• Haydnn
• Cyber-Leader Klayt
• Daleks
• Cybermen

References

The poster included with the story.

• Planets, colonies and other astronomical locations mentioned include Looking-glass, Soarpath Junction, the Partition Sector, Nyvann, the Davian Systems, the Plaides, Sark and Sadizar.
• Spacecraft mentioned include the Downline Express, the Heliotrope Bouquet II, the Cybership K'voon and the Dalek flagship Urun-hutsaiki Rak.
• The Daleks pilot what appear to be hoverbouts in the poster, but they are called "space maneouvre cradles" in the text.
• Goff had served with Space Tactical and Central Intelligence.

Notes

• A poster depicting the Daleks and Cybermen battling was included with the story.
• "Plaides" is presumably a misspelling of "Pleiades".

Continuity

• At this point in time, the last contact with the Daleks and Cybermen was so long ago that some people no longer believe in them. In TV: The Space Museum, Vicki (who is from 2493) didn't know what a Dalek looked like until she saw one, and in TV: The Tomb of the Cybermen (set in the previous century) the Cybermen are believed to have died out centuries ago.
• Misha had worked three years as an interpreter in the Draconian Disputes. (TV: Frontier in Space)