Beachhead (audio story)
Beachhead was the first story in the audio anthology Doom Coalition 2, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Nicholas Briggs and featured Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor, Nicola Walker as Liv Chenka and Hattie Morahan as Helen Sinclair.
Publisher's summary
In an attempt to recharge his batteries after his confrontation with the Eleven, the Doctor takes Liv and Helen to the sleepy English seaside village of Stegmoor. But they find the village in turmoil and, to make matters worse, their arrival uncovers a mystery from the Doctor's past which threatens the future safety of the planet. Can the Doctor prevent the Voord from invading Earth? And more importantly why have they come in the first place?
Plot
In 2017 Stegmoor, Matilda goes to her local shop for toilet roll and is served by Lilly, with whom she has a secret romantic relationship. They discuss the area's poor broadband and Matilda's headache when the river bursts its banks and Lilly is swept away whilst Matilda manages to drive off.
In the TARDIS, the Doctor feels some power trying to work the console, but ignores it to take Liv and Helen for some peace and quiet in Stegmoor, which he recalls having visited some time ago. They materialise at the bottom of a mudstone cliff.
Matilda returns home to her mother, Phillipa, and tells her what has happened, although Phillipa is initially sceptical due to having seen no sign of danger at the reservoir during her last visit. Using binoculars, she spots the TARDIS.
The Doctor, Liv and Helen exit the TARDIS and quickly re-enter when Liv hears the flood. They struggle to close the door and find that the TARDIS has been shut down and is being pushed along the beach by the water. Matilda and Phillipa head to the beach to check if there had indeed been people. Phillipa worries about her daughter's headache, which she has been keeping from her.
Somewhere, a female voice says that "the power is rising".
Matilda and Phillipa reach the TARDIS and see Liv and Helen carry the Doctor, who suffered a headache, out of it. Matilda tells her mother to take the newcomers to the Gregsons' house whilst she goes to the village. Before leaving, Helen takes the Doctor's TARDIS key to lock the door and Phillipa tells Matilda that she remembers a police box showing up once before. Liv and Helen spot the hull of a shiny black spaceship in the sea.
Liv and Helen lay the Doctor by the fire at the Gregsons' house and Phillipa shows familiarity with his name. Matilda says that the phone line is down and is joined on her way to the village by Liv, who offers her skills as a med-tech for the injured. Liv asks Matilda about her headache whilst Phillipa tells Helen of the time she met the Doctor.
To be completed.
Cast
- The Doctor - Paul McGann
- Liv Chenka - Nicola Walker
- Helen Sinclair - Hattie Morahan
- Matilda Gregson - Rebecca Night
- Phillipa Gregson - Julia Hills
- Ishtek / Lilly - Kirsty Besterman
- Voord Guard / Police Sergeant / Mr Rogers - Andrew Dickens
References
- Residents of Stegmoor include Danielle and Doc Ariely.
- The Gregsons own a Land Rover.
- Helen gives the Doctor some herbal tea made by Liv.
- Helen notes that 2017 is still within her personal future, as she's probably an old woman if she's still alive.
- The Voord possess cryo-bays.
- Their ship camouflages by mimicking the molecular structure of the surrounding rocks and sand.
- Ishtek attempts to contact the Voord Survival Flotilla.
- The Third Doctor previously visited Stegmoor with UNIT, the Brigadier, and Liz Shaw.
- The Voord homeworld did not die anywhere near the 2017 time zone, meaning someone has changed established history.
Notes
- This story was recorded at The Moat Studios.
- As of October 2019[update], this is the only Voord story in a performed medium not to feature the First Doctor.
Continuity
- The Doctor has previously encountered the Voord on Marinus and Hydra. (TV: The Keys of Marinus, AUDIO: Domain of the Voord, COMIC: The World Shapers)
- Helen realises that some of her family might still be alive, but she is told by the Doctor not to try to contact them. She would later do just that when they visited Calcot in August 1998. (AUDIO: Absent Friends)
- Helen says she used to work for the National Museum. (AUDIO: The Red Lady)
External links
- Official Beachhead page at bigfinish.com
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