The Uncertain Shore (audio story)

Susan and Commander Veklin are on the trail of a spy. Under cover on a ravaged world, they find a weary population, trapped, and waiting for the inevitable. But one among them is a traitor.

The Time War is coming to Florana, and Susan will face a struggle to simply survive...

Plot

Susan and Veklin have been on Florana for some time, trying to work out which of three suspects at a resort is a Dalek spy, and Susan tries to get her colleague to paint and appreciate the desert. Earlier, Susan had allowed Monty to record her and pretended that she and Veklin were humans who gave up their seats on the last ship from Florana to a family as the Time War began to approach. As they return to the resort, Yeorgi gives them apples even when Susan's payment is declined, saying that the systems are not working and that he trusts her.

In Monty's recording of Yeorgi, Yeorgi introduces himself as manager of the Grand Draconian Hotel, until the last guests left, and that he has been running Meer's stall. His message to the people is a request not to forget about him and the other people who remained behind on Florana.

In the bar, Susan goes to speak with Lootsa whilst Veklin gets them both drinks from Faith. Veklin asks about Monty's whereabouts, but Faith does not know where he is nor what he does all day.

In Monty's recording of Faith, Faith showed no interest in sending a message to the people outside and asks him to carry a keg upstairs.

Susan keeps Lootsa company as she tidies up the bar and talks with her about Faith, who had been on a holiday to Raven's World recently. Lootsa too was off-world recently, having returned home for a short while whilst the bar was closed. When customers arrive, Lootsa returns to playing the piano.

Lootsa records a second video with Monty. She addresses her mother, saying that she is not sorry about anything and says that she loves her.

Susan and Veklin discuss what they have learnt about Faith and Lootsa; Veklin has seen pictures of Faith's holiday on Raven's World, which they consider an unusual place to holiday, but they are all of her in a hazard suit. Monty is now in his corner and Susan suggests that Veklin goes over and talks to him.

Monty records Veklin, who says that she is not comfortable sharing her feelings with people that she does not know. Monty says that, if he made his own message, he fears that he would not be able to stop.

Susan takes Monty a drink and asks him about his intentions towards Veklin, whom she describes as a "delicate soul". He says that he is a washed-up journalist who has been to the battlefields of Corbeth, Afresha and the Satellites of Brik and that, as of today, he has spoken with everybody at the resort and has no way of sending what he has recorded off-world.

Susan and Veklin talk more about the three suspects: a woman who went for air on an airless world, the singer who never sings and the journalist who does not file copy. They decide to go and look for the relay station that Monty mentioned to Susan as it could be of use to the Dalek spy. They detect a trace of signal, making Susan wonder if it is a trap and decide that they will have to pretend to be amateur painters who learnt about triangulation at school and are helping Monty by finding the station. They find it and enter, watched by Yeorgi who asks somebody if he should follow them or shoot them when they leave.

Inside, Susan and Veklin find a rack of guns favoured by snipers, as well as explosives and paired comms. They find the relay, which is sending a large file which contains Monty's interviews. The final recording shows Monty being killed by a gun. They find his body and wonder whether it was Faith or Lootsa who killed him. Yeorgi watches them leave and Faith tells him not to confront them yet and to continue to listen for information. Veklin gives Susan a gun, but Susan reminds her that Rasmus wants the spy alive. They return to the bar.

Veklin bangs on the bar's door and, when Faith answers, she tells her that Monty is dead. Faith lets her and Susan in and says that she was there after closing time and that Yeorgi can prove it. Having discounted Faith as a suspect, Veklin says that she is going to see Lootsa but learns that Faith has sent her to a cavern in the desert to be safe if the Dalek invasion is tomorrow. Faith looks for a stylus to draw a map; Veklin waits with her whilst Susan goes to find Lootsa. Faith agrees to talk exclusively to Veklin and smashes both of their paired communicators.

Susan has reached the cavern and found that there are gun installations and automated defences around it. The guns track her as she goes towards the cavern and fire.

Faith explains that she had a friend who came to Florana as a tourist before deciding to stay.

to be completed

Cast

References

Susan's mother produced landscapes in oil of the mountains where they lived. She taught Susan how to paint, but she never got past watercolours.
While claiming to be a human from Earth, Susan says she visited Florana in her youth.
Yeorgi was born on Florana. He was manager of the Grand Draconian Hotel before the people left. Since then, he has been running Meer's stall as she left a week ago.
Faith recently visited Raven's World.
Lootsa's mother does not approve of her daughter working on Florana.
As a journalist, Monty has been to the battlefields of Corbeth, Afresha and the Satellites of Brik. Brik was known for its starlight, but its atmosphere has now gone.
The ruins of Corbeth are visible from Raven's World.
Yeorgi names the robotised Ogrons "Robogrons".

Notes

The Uncertain Shore marks the third Simon Guerrier story to feature a Brancheerian. He had previously written for the Eleventh Doctor's Brancheerian companion Decky Flamboon in the Doctor Who Adventures comics The Runaway Bogey and All Change!.
This is also the first appearance of the Anti-Dalek Force since the Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1979, and indeed their first non-Dalek Annual appearance at all.

Continuity

Florana was first mentioned in TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs.
Faith is an Anti-Dalek Force leader. (PROSE: Terror Task Force, COMIC: Island of Horror, et al.)
Susan remembers that the Daleks used to enslave conquered populations. (TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth, et al.)
The Daleks send Ogrons (TV: Day of the Daleks) with intelligence-enhancing Roboman implants. (TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth, et al.)
Veklin uses the term "robotized" to describe what has been done to the Ogrons. (PROSE: What To Do If A Dalek Attacks You!)
Veklin uses her Respiratory bypass system to fake death. (TV: Spearhead from Space, et al.)
Veklin confirms her identity by telling Susan that Alex Campbell was 93% "Earth human". (AUDIO: Relative Dimensions)
The Dalek agent who planted the parasite on the Sense Sphere (AUDIO: Sphere of Influence) is a shapeshifting Brancheerian from the colony on Donnahee's moon. (COMIC: Meteorite Meeting, The Tail of Decky Flamboon, et al.)
Gallifreyan intelligence suggests that the Brancheerians are still alive. (COMIC: Meteorite Meeting, The Tail of Decky Flamboon, et al.)

External links

Official The Uncertain Shore page at bigfinish.com