Planet of the Drashigs (audio story)

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Planet of the Drashigs was the second story in the eighth series of the Fourth Doctor Adventures, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Phil Mulryne and featured Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Jane Slavin as Ann Kelso and John Leeson as K9.

Publisher's summary

When the TARDIS lands on an alien planet, the Doctor's intentions to show Ann Kelso an advanced future society are thrown into disarray. Because they have arrived on DrashigWorld - a park where every known species of the terrifying predators has been gathered together to entertain and thrill the public. The familiar wetland Drashigs, the albino burrowing Drashigs of the desert, and deadliest of all, the tiny Emerald Drashigs of the rain forests.

And it's not the best day to have arrived. The park has been shut down due to a visitor fatality. A Galactic Attractions inspector is on site meaning everyone is extremely tense and under pressure.

It's exactly the right circumstances in which someone might make a mistake. And on Drashigworld, mistakes are deadly.

Plot

Part one

Dr. Vaneesa Seaborne records an observation log of the experiments being observed in the park. After failing to gain access to something, she storms off in a rage to get a drink. Some strange noises begin to come from the computer but no one is around to hear the.

Inside the TARDIS, Ann complains to the Doctor that they are not going anywhere interesting.

The Doctor introduces Ann to K9. They take off to Newmenor minor, but the TARDIS suddenly goes berserk, shaking and rattling around.

Lord Braye and Trencher walk through the wetlands enjoying the nice weather and lack of visitors. They discuss that park has been closed due to an accident in which a visitor was killed for turning off their energy shield. They check if the teleport pad is operating properly. They then use it to teleport to the next region. After making sure everything is working properly before the inspector arrives, they prepare to teleport to inspect the next area.

The TARDIS manages to land. Ann sees through the view screen and is apprehensive about going outside into the cold, damp weather. The Doctor orders K9 to stay but Ann tells him quietly to follow along. Ann is unimpressed by the barren landscapes in front of them until she sees a rocket. They follow the rocket on foot. Ann complains why they can’t just take the TARDIS but the Doctor says he doesn’t want a journey like the one they just had. They find a field that vaporizes anything that tries to pass through and the doctor walks along the perimeter to find a way through/past it.

Lord Braye decides Trencher will greet the inspector, much to Trencher’s sarcastic enthusiasm. Lord Braye practices his introduction, mentioning that he has achieved his life’’s dream of opening a park devoted to the most dangerous creature in the galaxy... the Drashig.

Meanwhile the Doctor and Ann stumble upon a piles of dead bones. The Doctor, a little unnerved, believes they should head back to the TARDIS. They hear something and the Doctor decides it better to try and avoid the new creature potentially stalking them.

Lord Braye practices introducing the four kinds of Drashigs. He then goes to find professor Seaborne, who is having a late lunch. She mentions he should look through the view-screen at the emerald Drashigs hunting. He asks her for how she would describe and emerald Drashig as he would like help for his introductory speech to the inspector.

He notes that they’re attacking, using a hunting technique where the rest of a pack drive the prey straight into the teeth of one emerald Drashig. He notes she is eating a lot to which she says is because she has been working hard. She doubts the inspector will be much impressed with their string of failures but he tries to keep hope.

The Doctor and Ann continue running but the Doctor trips. Ann is frightened as she sees the creature behind them getting closer and the Doctor warns her not to look back, explaining it is a Drashig.

The Galactic inspector Titus Wayland lands and is greeted by chief game keeper Trencher. The two go to find Lord Braye who will explain everything. Lord Braye and Dr. Seasborne discuss the inspector. She then shows him that she has finished their holographic 3-D map of all of Drashig world that also displays the positions of all Drashigs in the park. Suddenly they notice two unidentified human presence dots on the map just as Titus arrives.

The Doctor and Ann have stumbled on a teleport pad. Ann wonders why the Drashig has stopped but the Doctor explains that it is waiting for the others since they hunt in packs. The Doctor cannot hack into the teleport pad in time but K9 arrives in the nick of time and gets it working. However, K9 must enter energy conservation mode and shuts down.

Lord Braye introduces himself to Inspector Titus Wayland. Titus questions why a death has occurred on the vicinity despite Lord Braye’s insistence of the highest level of safety and security and why the family of the deceased party was offered money by Lord Braye to keep quiet.

The Doctor explains he should have left K9 to charge up last night. Ann does not wish to leave K9 behind but they have no choice. The Doctor gets the next telepad working and they leave. Ann feels slick from the teleport despite the warning. Suddenly the voice of Titus rings ask, wondering who the two travellers are?

Vanessa goes down to the park but suddenly hears strange voices and loses focus for a minute. Meanwhile Trencher has found a metal dog. She goes to investigate.

Lord Braye fumbles in his attempt to explain the presence of the Doctor and Ann. The Doctor explains they are tourists. Inspector Titus prods Lord Braye into continuing his explanation of Drashigworld, despite the appearance of the new guests. Lord Braye continues by explaining that Drashigworld is a theme park split into four “worlds”, each containing a different type of Drashig. Titus then asks the Doctor how he ended up here, even though the park is supposed to be closed to visitors, but the Doctor declares his dislike for the park, calling the operation insane.

Trencher asks K9 some questions, such as who he’s with, however, K9 is in no condition to talk so she brings it back to the lab.

The Doctor asks Lord Braye what the flashing red light on the holographic map is which Lord Braye, panicking,assures them it’s nothing and calls Vanessa, asking if there’s a problem. She says the Emerald Drashig enclosure has been opened up. The doctor berates Lord Braye for keeping some of the most dangerous creatures, Emerald Drashigs, in his park. The Doctor orders Ann to stay with Titus while he goes off to investigate, Lord Braye following.

Trencher fixes up K9 and K9 requests power from a power source, so Trencher takes him to one.

Lord Braye takes the Doctor to a research lab. The Doctor asks what kind of research but Lord Braye won’t reveal it.

Titus and Ann talk, where she reveals she’s a police officer. Trencher arrives with K9. Ann is glad to see him but upset over his condition. K9 insists it needs power.

The Doctor and Lord Braye go into the lab. The Doctor activates the cameras and they see that the gate to the enclosure has been opened. They find Vanessa, who had fainted, and the Doctor notes that it doesn’t look like the system has been hacked. They question Vanessa and she claims she can hear the Drashigs and that they are hungry and free. They hear the emerald Drashigs, all five of them, in the distance and prepare to try and escape...

Part two

The Doctor orders Lord Braye to stay when he tries to run. Vanessa notes the one with the white marking is the alpha, the leader. The Doctor asks if the taps on the workbench are gas taps. Confused, but soon understands when the Doctor ignites the gas with the sonic screwdriver and the flames scare the Drashig back.

Cast

Uncredited Cast

References

  • DrashigWorld is a planetoid or dwarf planet, one of the 700 Wonders of the Galactic Hub. It is divided into four quadrants separated by energy barriers, with telepads for transportation.
  • The TARDIS arrives in the wetland.
  • There are dozens of Drashigs on the planet, and they are fed on goats.
  • Vanessa designed a catalytic fusion reactor that powers the park.
  • Emerald Drashigs are the smallest and deadliest, more vicious than any predator in the known universe. They travel in packs of five, with the alpha having a white marking.
  • Wayland claims Braye paid the family of the victim 1000 credits not to talk.
  • The door to Vanessa's lab is double-plated romalian alloy, the only metal Drashigs can't bite through.
  • Vanessa's project involved a remote electroencephalograph and a neural oscillation detector, which allows the user to connect to the Drashig's neural oscillations, their higher and lower beta waves. The user can then experience the co-ordination and thrill of the Drashigs hunting.
  • Drashigs are non-sentient, the Doctor explaining that they don't have a consciousness or imagination.
  • K9 assimilates the 3D map schematic of the park.
  • Trencher uses a grenade to kill an alpha emerald, and the others mourn it.
  • Trencher had a dog once, but a Manussian ligrid tore her to pieces.
  • A single Emerald wiped out a group of soldiers in the jungles of Hydroxus 3.

Notes

  • This story marks the Drashigs' first appearance in an audio, and is reminiscent of Jurassic Park. Behind-the-scenes material makes this connection explicit. Nicholas Briggs also compares the Emerald Drashigs to the velociraptors of that film and franchise. (BFX: Planet of the Drashigs) There is also a cheeky reference within the script: the Doctor notes that Lord Braye had "no expense spared" in DrashigWorld's lab, echoing a recurring line from the film.
  • While the Doctor's use of air vents to escape is a running joke, in this story characters use "atmospheric distribution tunnels."

Continuity

External links

v • e
Big Finish Fourth Doctor Adventures
Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
Series 5
Series 6
Series 7
Series 8
Series 9
Series 10
Series 11
Series 12
Series 13
Dalek Universe
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