Moving Target (audio story)
Moving Target was the tenth story in the Torchwood - Monthly Range by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Guy Adams and featured Indira Varma as Suzie Costello.
Publisher's summary
Suzie Costello would never describe herself as a hero. Not even if she were the last woman on Earth. Turns out, she's the second last woman on Earth, and that'll just have to do.
With the Earth frozen in time, Suzie becomes locked in a battle to save the planet and the life of Alex, the last woman alive. Hunted by alien warriors, and, with every hour that doesn't pass, the stakes are only getting higher.
Suzie Costello would never describe herself as a hero. But she would say she's someone who always makes the right choices. Wouldn't she?
Plot
Suzie wakes up to find the world frozen, which she initially worries might have been caused by the time distortion generator that she took from the Hub, and goes outside to investigate. She meets Alex, the only other person unaffected, and they are shot at by an alien as they head towards the Hub, after which they learn from the Referee that Bronkbluff Safaris Ltd are using Earth as a hunting ground. Because the Committee has given humanity the status of pest, the company has been allowed to make Alex the target of a hunt, although Suzie should have been frozen like everybody else. Alex hits the hunter with a lorry and a second hunter is sent.
Using Alex as bait, Suzie lures and brutally kills the second hunter before taking its gun. They hide from a hunter from the Flaviate Cluster on the invisible lift, but they are unable to get into the Hub as it is in lockdown and the hunter tries to drown Alex in the bay before Suzie kills them. They steal a car, with Alex telling Suzie that she is pregnant as they drive away, and Suzie starts reading the Bronkbluff introductory pack printed for her by the Referee after they are chased by and kill another hunter. They continue to evade and kill the hunters, travelling as far away as Bristol, despite the Referee telling Suzie that the hunt will go on until Alex dies.
Suzie and Alex drink vodka together and argue about Suzie's motives for helping, leading to a fight which results in Alex cutting herself on glass and Suzie walking off. The Referee tells her that Alex is future-proof and can be killed with minimal impact to the timeline as her pregnancy is ectopic and she will kill herself by drug overdose in a few weeks upon learning of her fiancé's infidelity. With only one bullet left, Suzie kills Alex and ends the hunt, causing time to resume. She calls Jack and promises to tell him what has happened once she gets to work.
Cast
Worldbuilding
- Suzie tries to call Jack.
- Suzie has taken a time distortion generator from the Hub.
- Alex pulled Foster's trousers down.
- Alex works in PR.
- Suzie rides a bicycle.
- Alex is in a relationship with Kevin.
- Alex and Kevin once had sex in a disabled toilet.
- Kevin is in Brussels.
- Bailey is a friend of Alex.
- Alex has played Call of Duty.
- Alex's sister is a surgeon.
- Alex had an ectopic pregnancy.
- Suzie and Alex go to Bristol.
- Suzie and Alex drink vodka.
Notes
- This story was recorded at The Moat Studios.
Continuity
- Suzie alludes to her father. (TV: They Keep Killing Suzie)
- The Referee has knowledge of Suzie's future. (TV: Everything Changes, They Keep Killing Suzie, PROSE: Long Time Dead)
- The Eighth Doctor previously elaborated that the Web of Time could adapt to the deaths of those who would have made little impact. Lucie Miller's Auntie Pat was said to have lived a quiet, unobtrusive life, and had no children, so, according to the Doctor, "History could blink and miss her." (AUDIO: The Zygon Who Fell to Earth)
External links
- Official Moving Target page at bigfinish.com
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