Ice Heist! (audio story)

Ice Heist!
Doctor:	Fourth Doctor
Companion(s):	Leela, Margaret
Main enemy:	Ice Warriors
Main setting:	Terra Glacier
Key crew
Publisher:	Big Finish Productions
Writer:	Guy Adams
Director:	Nicholas Briggs
Producer:	David Richardson
Music:	Jamie Robertson
Sound:	Toby Hrycek-Robinson
Cover by:	Ryan Aplin
Release details
Number of parts:	4
Release number:	12.1
Part of:	New Frontiers (4DA audio anthology)
Release date:	2 March 2023
Format:	1 CD Download
Production code:	BFPTOMCD086
ISBN:	ISBN 978-1-83868-057-2 (physical) ISBN 978-1-83868-065-7 (digital)
The Fourth Doctor Adventures
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Ice Heist! was the first story of the twelfth series of The Fourth Doctor Adventures, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Guy Adams and featured Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Louise Jameson as Leela and Nerys Hughes as Margaret Hopwood.

Publisher's summary

Recently, the world changed for Margaret Hopwood. Everything she knew was turned upside down by the arrival of a strange man in a blue box. And now nothing in her life seems the same. So when he comes back with a lady called Leela and an invitation to an unusual art gallery, she's more than happy to join him for the ride. And what a ride it is. Because it's an art gallery on a distant world...where a deadly plan is about to commence - one involving creatures called Ice Warriors.

Plot

Part one

Margaret Hopwood enters a shop in an attempt to purchase a bottle of wine, only to be told that she has stepped into a newsagent's by mistake. After leaving the newsagent's, the vicar approaches her to check if she's alright, but Margaret insists that she's fine and the vicar should focus on fixing the roof of his church, much to his frustration.

In her house, Margaret ignores the ringing phone in hopes of seeing Harry Mason in court. Once the phone stops ringing, Margaret hears the Doctor's TARDIS materializing outside her house. She opens the door to be greeted by the Fourth Doctor who invites her to an art gallery.

The TARDIS arrives at its destination and Leela explains to Margaret how the Doctor likes to arrive somewhere and then leave after a few minutes before introducing herself and promising to keep her safe along with the Doctor. She asks Margaret about the witch she helped the Doctor defeat at Ravencliff, and after admitting that she enjoyed the experience, Margaret explains that she is a sculptor. Eventually, the Doctors enters talking about how cold it is and both Leela and Margaret decide to follow him.

While the Doctor talks about how everyone in the universe needs pockets, Leela replies that she doesn't need pockets as she has pouches, but the Doctor tells her that she cannot place her hand into a pouch as deeply as a pocket. The trio exits the TARDIS to find themselves at an enormous art gallery inside a climate-controlled dome, outside which is a snowy landscape where anyone who steps outside will be frozen in seconds. Every five minutes, there is an ice burst that causes a rain of ice chunks.

Margaret is completely taken aback at being on a different planet and needs to get her bearings. The Doctor tells her that they are on a planet called Terra Glacier which is known for its exhibitions and auctions, with an auction dedicated to sculpture happening tonight. The Doctor and Leela are looking at a piece of art that Leela thinks is ugly. Margaret suggests that it should have fewer tentacles and mouths, but the Doctor points out that it's a self-portrait of the artist, Baretti Vetzi-Snori. Upon hearing this, Leela apologizes for insulting the artist, but the Doctor tells her that he is used to being insulted.

The group is soon approached by Allerdyce Benexa, the head curator and auctioneer, who asks them if they have invitations. As he tries to see if they have invitations, the Doctor talks about how he wanted to be a zookeeper, but changed his mind when he saw too many bars, likening zookeepers to prison wardens. Just after Allerdyce calls for security, the Doctor produces four invitations, allowing him and his companions to enjoy the auction. Allerdyce hopes that they decide to purchase something of interest at the auction.

In the security office, the chief is told of some strange readings from outside the dome, but he is adamant that no life forms can hope to survive the cold environment outside the dome, though he still asks for the sensors to be patched to central command. After seeing two figures moving outside, the chief orders a full sweep of the area.

The Doctor, Leela and Margaret find themselves at a party which is being held before the auction, much to Leela's displeasure. Among the many non-human attendees is a female Martian named Kaltakk who considers the name "Ice Warrior" to be archaic. Leela is distrusting of Kaltakk due to her previous experiences with the Ice Warriors, prompting Kaltakk to ask for forgiveness for troubling her, before walking off while remarking how Earth is full of racists.

Leela tells Margaret about the time she and the Doctor prevented the Ice Warriors from freezing Blackpool as part of a plan to take over the Earth, but the Doctor believes that not all Martians are evil. He then explains to an amazed Margaret that the Ice Warriors are a military race that are highly concerned with honor and only attempted to freeze Blackpool in order to preserve the safety of their race, adding that the humans are of quite a similar mind when it comes to colonialism, before deciding to go and look for canopies to put things in perspective.

The security chief informs Allerdyce about the anonymous readings that were picked up, but Allerdyce tells him that nothing can survive outside the dome. When she is shown a recording of movement, Allerdyce is unconcerned and tells the security chief to continue with his job while she continues with hers.

The Doctor, Leela and Margaret are relaxing inside a canopy and indulging in some pastries. Leela tells Margaret that when she first met the Doctor, her world was going to be different from how she used to see it. She then gains an interest in a knife that burns as it cuts, which the Doctor explains is used to create ice sculptures.

Allerdyce Benexa welcomes everyone to the auction of what is considered to be the finest pieces of sculpture in the known universe. She introduces Kaltakk, who is the cultural envoy of Mars and is introducing an important piece of Martian social history. After being told that Benexa has no Martian relatives, Kaltakk presents a ten-thousand year old statue of Isskar, one of the most respected Martian generals in history. She goes on to explain that the statue was built to commemorate his death. After the statue was removed by human archaeologists, it was returned to the Martian government to make piece between the humans and the Martians, and Kaltakk tells the attendees that every credit that is raised by the statue will help to rebuild the Martian civilization on Mars.

Up next is Dorn Callister, who presents his first piece of sculpture work, which is inspired by the indigenous people who previously lived on Terra Glacier. The collection, called "Buried", includes representations of the Warrior Queen named Pangladasha and four members of her court who could extend icy sections of their bodies to use as tools and weapons. Dorn explains that the sculptures have been created from liquid contained inside a very specially-programmed force barrier. Leela is suspicious of Dorn and tells the Doctor not to buy his sculptures.

After Allerdyce Benexa says that "Buried" will be one of the final exhibits to be sold during the evening, along with a piece known as "Hope", created by Margaret Hopwood. The Doctor explains to a shocked Margaret that this is the reason he wanted to bring her to this auction. After Benexa says that Hopwood's work has become increasingly rare after her death 300 years ago, a horrified Margaret runs out of the room. Leela tells the Doctor that he showed Margaret her gravestone before deciding to go after her.

Margaret accidentally collides with an alien before coming across a door that opens before she can figure out how to operate it. Another alien steps through the door and Margaret runs off due to her inability to understand it.

At the party, Kaltakk approaches the Doctor who offers her a canopy and apologizes to her for what Leela said to her earlier, but Kaltakk leaves to attend to some things that she has to do.

Margaret tries to open a door with a keypad, only to be found by a security guard who tells her that she is trying to open the main exit and stepping outside would be a fatal mistake. He explains that the blue light above the door shows whether the thermal bubble is in effect so that opening the door doesn't kill anyone in the room that he and Margaret are in. Margaret explains to the guard that she didn't expect to see any of the stuff that she has seen today, prompting him to tell her that whenever he gets twitchy, he reminds himself that he can speak Delphon since the age of ten.

Suddenly, the guard is killed by Kaltakk who opens the main exit doors and allows the cold air to enter the room, along with a squadron of Ice Warriors who are ordered to kill Margaret so that she cannot alert anyone else at the auction about the warriors' arrival.

Part two

to be added

Part three

to be added

Part four

to be added

Cast

• The Doctor - Tom Baker
• Leela - Louise Jameson
• Margaret - Nerys Hughes
• Dorn Callister / Security Guard - Oliver Chris
• Allerdyce Benexa / Pangladasha - Beth Goddard
• Stringer / Skoob - Robert Whitelock
• Kaltakk - Adele Lynch
• Ice Warriors / Vicar - Nicholas Briggs

Crew

• Cover Art - Ryan Aplin
• Director - Nicholas Briggs
• Executive Producers - Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
• Music - Jamie Robertson
• Producer - David Richardson
• Script Editor - John Dorney
• Sound Design - Toby Hrycek-Robinson
• Writer - Guy Adams
• Ice Warriors created by Brian Hayles

Worldbuilding

to be added

Notes

• This story was recorded on 3-4 September 2018 at Audio Sorcery.
• This story depicts the Fourth Doctor's first encounter with the Ice Warriors in performed Doctor Who.

Continuity

• Leela asks Margaret about the witch she helped the Doctor defeat at Ravencliff. (AUDIO: The Ravencliff Witch)
• A statue of Isskar is put up for auction by Kaltaak to help with the rebuilding of Mars. (AUDIO: The Judgement of Isskar)

External links

• Official Ice Heist! page at bigfinish.com

Cover gallery

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  Textless cover

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  Alternate cover