A Ghost of Alchemy (audio story)
A Ghost of Alchemy was the first story in the audio anthology Strange Chemistry. It was written by Louise Jameson and featured Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor and Louise Jameson as Leela.
Publisher's summary
When the TARDIS lands in New York in 1921 the Doctor takes the opportunity to introduce Leela to one of the foremost women of the age - the great Marie Curie, visiting America to be celebrated for her work.
But the time travellers are not the only people interested in the famous scientist. Sinister forces are gathering around her and the TARDIS crew will have to work their utmost to keep her safe on her historic journey through the United States.
Plot
Part one
After the Doctor mentions the strict gender roles of early human history to Leela, he decides to take her to New York City on 18 August 1920, the day that women in America were allowed to vote for the first time, but they instead arrive aboard the Olympic in Hudson in 1921. They meet Marie Curie, whom the Doctor hypnotises to help with her anxiety about addressing the crowd outside. Her physician, Dr Rushton, meets with Professor Browman, a critic of hers, and gives him a press pass so that he might be in attendance at the White House when Curie meets Warren G. Harding.
Mattie Meloney gives the Doctor and Leela permission to travel with Curie to Washington, although Dr Rushton objects. As they leave, Professor Browman throws eggs at the car and calls Curie an impostor, believing that she has stolen the achievements of her husband. They arrive at the event at the White House, largely organised by First Lady Florence Harding, and President Harding presents Curie with the golden key to a casket apparently containing radium. However, Professor Browman attempts to assassinate her, claiming that the radium should belong to him and that women have no place in science, and fires his gun.
Part two
Leela pushes Curie out of the path of Professor Browman's bullet chases after him when he runs away with the casket, disarmed by the Doctor. President Harding reveals to the Doctor that the casket is empty as he knew that Browman had gone mad looking for radium and wanted to ensure that none was stolen; the real radium is in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, being prepared for transport to Paris. Dr Rushton takes Curie to her room and informs Professor Browman, who has knocked Leela out and tied her up in a warehouse, by telephone of the true whereabouts of the radium. Ordered to kidnap Curie, he persuades her to leave the White House with him and takes her to Professor Browman and a drugged Leela on a train to Canonsburg.
When it is realised that Curie is missing, the Doctor searches her room with Mattie and notices that the telephone has been used. They ask the Hardings to confirm that telephone calls in and out of the White House are recorded and the President gives away that the recordings are held by the FBI, but, for legal reasons, Florence keeps him from discussing the matter. The Doctor and Mattie go to the FBI and use President Harding's signature on Mattie's invitation to gain access to the recording of Dr Rushton's call, which the Doctor listens to; he hurries away, telling Mattie that they need to commandeer a car and get to Canonsburg to save Leela and Curie.
Part three
With Curie in his custody, Professor Browman deems Leela surplus to requirements and intends to kill her before the nervous Dr Rushton points out that it would be difficult to dispose of her body. She hears the Doctor as he and Mattie jump onto the roof of the train, having missed it at the train station, and Curie spots Mattie looking through the window from above. Using his scarf, the Doctor stops the train's wheels.
Mattie removes Curie's gag and tries to remove her restraints without success, exiting out of the window before Dr Rushton can find her. Leela fights Professor Browman, who incapacitates her and ties her to the track as another train approaches. Mattie tackles him and the Doctor goes to save Leela, but Browman gets up, wielding a knife. The train is close now and Leela says that she, the Doctor and Browman will all be killed.
Part four
The Doctor and Leela get out of the way of the train and, at the Doctor's order, Leela pulls the disarmed Professor Browman to safety as well. Professor Browman is locked in the guard's van with Leela as his jailer and the Doctor and Mattie return for Curie, who has used Dr Rushton's sedative against him. By telephone, the Hardings request that the train and its passengers be returned to Washington immediately, with Dr Rushton too being detained. Locked up with Professor Browman, Dr Rushton injects Professor Browman with a deadly substance.
Curie, who would rather have returned home than the White House, tells the Doctor about her anxieties of public speaking because of the chauvanism that she has experienced. He points out that it is largely women who have gathered to listen to her and tells her to be the inspiration that she was born to be, giving her the confidence to give the speech. The Doctor and Leela consider their mission to have been achieved and slip away, getting a lift with Mattie back to New York. There, they see the Olympic setting sail with the TARDIS till on board.
Cast
- The Doctor - Tom Baker
- Leela - Louise Jameson
- Marie Curie - Holly Jackson Walters
- First Lady Florence Harding - Susan Penhaligon
- President Harding / Train Guard / Newspaper Vendor (uncredited) / Security Guard (uncredited) - Harry Myers
- Doctor Rushton / Officer - Akshay Khanna
- Mrs Mattie Meloney / Servant / Egg Seller - Penelope Rawlins
- Mr Browman - Nicholas Farrell
Worldbuilding
- Mattie has four older brothers.
Notes
to be added
Continuity
- Leela mentions how her people sought counsel from Xoanon. (TV: The Face of Evil)
- Leela says that she is always being dressed up in clothes unsuitable for running and fighting. (TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang)
External links
- Official A Ghost of Alchemy page at bigfinish.com
