Lords of the Red Planet (audio story)
Lords of the Red Planet was the third release in the fourth series of The Lost Stories from Big Finish Productions. It tells the origin story of the Ice Warriors.
The story had originally been intended for TV however it was dropped and the script for The Seeds of Death was created in place of it. The original story had been written by Brian Hayles, the creator behind the Ice Warriors, but for the audio release it was adapted by John Dorney.
Publisher's summary
The TARDIS crew land on Mars, home of the Ice Warriors, far back in its history. The Doctor is convinced it's much too early for them to meet their frozen foes.. but the Doctor is wrong.
Far below the surface of the planet an evil scheme is in motion. A scientist works night and day at the command of an insane despot. A despot intent on creating a terrifyingly familiar army.
What exactly does Zaadur plan? What dark secret lies at the heart of the Gandoran mines? How far will the Doctor go to save his friends? In the deepest caves, the true Lords of the Red Planet are ready to emerge... Can anyone possibly survive their birth?
Plot
Part one
A huge creature screams in the underground city of Gandor as scientist Quendril attempts to save it but he is unsuccessful. He debates with his servant Risor about whether he should continue performing these horrible experiments for Zaadur.
The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe materialize in a strange and dusty red environment. The Doctor deduces that they have arrived on a planet in earth’s solar system, Mars as a matter of fact. Since it is cold out, the Doctor suggests they move around for warmth. As Zoe sprints off, Jamie reminds the Doctor that Mars is home of the Ice Warriors, whom they have encountered before but the Doctor assures Jamie that they don’t exist yet as it is too early in history. They take off after Zoe.
They find an early life-form that looks like a
lizard and chase after it.
Meanwhile Zaadur meets with Quendril in his lab where he protests about continuing the experiments due to the mounting death tolls. She blackmails him to continue anyway, reminding him that the princess Veltreena’s life is on the line. She reiterates that his experiments are for the “good of all” while Risor slips away.
Jamie and the Doctor catch up with Zoe, spotting that the creature is actually a baby and part of a family. They suddenly hear a bugle-like noise. The Doctor fears that these creatures may be being hunted and agrees with Zoe that they should go back to the TARDIS lest they accidentally get caught in the hunt. They begin to run back the way they came.
Zaadur demands Qunedril’s decision whether he will continue his work or not as chief scientist because if he chooses not to, she will cut off his access to “life drink”. Quendril relents and agrees to continue with Zaadur’s scheme. She demands that he speed up the research. He offers to show some of the progress he has made. He reveals Aslor, one of his research subjects, is still in its primitive stage, to which she goads him into finishing it.
Risor stumbles through the crowded streets of Gandor attempting to find someone.
Veltreena sits in a room, being tended to by servants. She observes a screen displaying the Doctor, Zoe and Jamie on the surface. She is intrigued by these estrange creatures, having never before seen anything like them. Risor arrives and warns her that her life is in danger due to Zaadur. Veltreena laughs, assuring him that she is in control of the city and Zaadur is nothing but a joke. Risor tries to explain that Zaadur is in control now but Veltreena laughs again. She reassures Risor that everything is fine and persuades him to stay with her and watch the strangers on the planet’s surface as they are quite entertaining to her.
The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe continue to try and escape the hunt. The hunters, however, get closer. The trio then fall into a large pit, after which Jamie realizes is a trap. The trap is revealed to be a metal box that closes them in and drags them down below the surface.
Veltreena tries to find them, but Risor comments they have fallen into a Saurian pit. Risor realizes that something may have happened to the strangers and attempts to leave, but Veltreena wants him to stay. He convinces her otherwise and leaves, despite her annoyance. She sees that the hunters are now following the stranger's tracks.
The trio remove their environment suits as they descend below and the Doctor surmises that due to the nature of the trap, the people they are dealing with are clearly advanced creatures capable of reason, so perhaps they will understand their predicament. They arrive in a tunnel and venture forward.
Veltreena continues to watch.
The trio enter a chamber. It is revealed to be a laboratory with computers and all manner of scientific equipment with a large box being cooled in the middle. Zoe notices that much of the equipment is for temperature control. Jamie, bored by Zoe and the Doctor’s scientific intrigue and investigations, starts exploring another corridor. The Doctor peers into the box and sees eggs. The two surmise that the eggs are of a species they have never seen before. Suddenly a green creature bursts in and frightens them, followed by several more. It fires at Zoe, sending her flying across the room and knocking her out. The lead warrior then turns to the Doctor....
Part two
A bipedal reptilian hurrying towards them suddenly calls out for the green creature to stop, explaining that they are not Saurians. The creature drops its weapon and stands off to the side. He apologizes for Zoe being hurt to an unamused Doctor. As she comes back to consciousness, she blurts out “Ice Warriors” to the Doctor but he tells her to remain calm as she falls unconscious again. The reptilian creature introduces itself as Quendril and assures the Doctor she will recover within the hour. As he offers the Doctor a hand to shake, the doctor notices the same reptilian-like creatures behind him, one which he notices is a “a broad, muscular and beautiful female reptilian creature with an air of arrogance”, two large creatures behind her which he assumes are body guards, and the the fourth one an entirely different creature, a mixture of the creatures that he, Jamie and Zoe observed on the surface and an Ice Warrior, but looking more weak and without the height and muscle. He introduces himself to the female, named Zaadur, but before being able to say anything else Risor, the fourth creature, remarks that there was one more person traveling with the Doctor. The Doctor explains it is Jamie, and Zaadur commands Risor to go and find him, escorted by one of the Ice Warriors.
Jamie, finding nothing, goes back to the laboratory but notices shadows on the wall that resemble Ice Warriors. He remembers his previous encounters with them darts away to find out what was happening.
The creatures are ordered to move Zoe onto a table and the Doctor, frightened for Zoe’s safety, accidentally comments if it is really safe for the Ice Warriors to move her. Zaadur and all present have never heard of the term before but discover they like the name and decide to call the large green creatures “Ice Warriors”. Quendril explains that the Ice Warriors are merely slaves and will not doing anything without being commanded. Zaadur invites the Doctor and Zoe to come see her when Zoe has recovered because she is interested in studying them.
Jamie, meanwhile, continues to try to evade Risor and the Ice Warrior. Eventually he stumbles on a large chamber filled with the same reptilian creatures walking across a large square, seemingly inter-connecting many tunnels on all sides. Retreating into another tunnel, he sees shadows approaching him from both sides. Pressing himself against the wall, he discovers a hidden door and enters. Catching his breath, a voice from across the room asks who is disturbing her. Jamie looks up to see it is Veltreena. She tells her guards to restrain him, advancing towards him with a laser cutter as Jamie attempts to break free and escape.
Meanwhile, Zoe has recuperated but berates the Ice Warriors for their actions. Qunedril, however, explains they are hunters and were just doing their duties. He believes they are ready to go see Zaadur but the Doctor attempts to prolong the meeting by remarking to Qunedril about his scientific equipment. Quendril, impressed that Zoe and the Doctor are interested, proceeds to show them around his lab.
Jamie fights to break the restraint but fails. He closes his eyes, feeling the laser close to his face when suddenly he is released and sees the princess holding a lock of his hair. She explains she wanted it because it was pretty and half-heartedly apologizes for not telling him earlier. She invites him to sit with her and eat. She reveals that she was created by her father thanks to science.
The Doctor marvels at the equipment while Zoe nervously eyes the Ice Warriors but remarks about how advanced Quendril’s equipment is. Quendril asks whether they are native but reveals he knew they were not. He explains that Gandor used to be made up of many civilizations but only his species and the Ice Warriors are left, further revealing that they are immortal and before the Doctor can find out anymore Qunedril nervously and abruptly changes the subject. He shows them his latest creation, Aslor. Zoe is shocked and the Doctor recognizes that it is an Ice Lord.
Veltreena explains that Quendril took regular Gandorians and made them “special”, genetically modifying them to be “better” and “special”, describing herself as “perfect”, vainly and egotistically explaining that she is Qunedril’s “perfect creation” and that the others are merely defective versions of her, less perfect in fact. However, Veltreena is more keen to find out more about Jamie. He explains to her that he is from earth but they are interrupted by Risor and an Ice Warrior.
The Doctor investigates Aslor. Quendril explains that he is a Saurian, one of the creatures from the surface that the trio were chasing earlier. He further reveals that most Ice Warriors were previously Saurians. He remarks that Aslor is more advanced, a leader. Zoe is surprised while the Doctor is disgusted about them using ‘forced evolution’ to create these creatures, forcibly causing their evolution into Ice Warriors. Quendril then explains that he was in the middle of fixing one of the problems of forced evolution when the Doctor and co arrived, interrupting his work. He elaborates that while the bodies have evolved, the minds of the creatures have not. He demonstrates this to the Doctor and Zoe, sadly, by activating a machine and brings Aslor to life, who screams in pain. Quendril shouts over the screams that most of the creatures at this stage die due to not being able to survive the forced evolution of the brain. Zoe, horrified, demands why Quendril has done this to which he explains that Zaadur is forcing him to but the Doctor counters by saying that Quendril and his people are immortal. Before Quendril has a chance to answer, Zoe, unable to bear the screams of agony any longer, rips the wires out of Aslor’s head and Aslor stands up, almost in a feral, bestial state and lunges at the Doctor.
Risor asks Jamie to come with him but he refuses. Veltreena doesn’t want to give up her new playmate. She tells Risor that if Zaadur wants to see Jamie she can come here. Risor says he will speak with Zaadur, and then goes over to the screen.
Aslor flings the Doctor out of the way and escapes trough one of the doors. Zoe apologizes, saying she couldn’t stand watching Aslor in agony all the while Quendril informs Zaadur by activating an alarm.
Risor runs from the room.
Zaadur instructs Quendril to put Zoe and the Doctor under guard after he timidly and reluctantly blames Zoe for the accident and then orders him to recapture Aslor. Zoe and the Doctor attempt to escape but are captured by one of the Ice Warrior guards.
A tannoy system activates and Zaadur informs the citizens of Gandor to return to their sleeping quarters early so they may receive their life drink. Risor, however, stumbles through the crowd attempting to get back to his master.
The Doctor is brought to and reunited with Jamie in Veltreena’s room while Veltreena then excuses herself to go and receive her life drink.
Zoe, meanwhile, flees through the tunnels, looking for Jamie and the Doctor. She observes how beautiful the city is. Suddenly, two Warriors block her path and stop her escape but Zoe warns them of something behind them. Thinking it is a trick, the warriors ignore her and advance closer but are then knocked out by Aslor, who lurches towards Zoe...
Part three
to be added
Part four
to be added
Part five
to be added
Part six
to be added
Cast
- Jamie McCrimmon - Frazer Hines
- Zoe Heriot - Wendy Padbury
- Quendril - Michael Troughton
- Zaadur - Abigail Thaw
- Veltreena - Charlie Hayes
- Aslor/Risor/The Ice Warriors - Nicholas Briggs
References
to be added
Notes
- This story was recorded on 30, 31 January & 1 February 2013.
Continuity
- Jamie, Zoe and the Doctor recognise the Ice Warriors from their previous meetings with them. (TV: The Ice Warriors, The Seeds of Death)
External links
- Official Lords of the Red Planet page at bigfinish.com
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