Havoc (audio story)
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Havoc (disambiguation)for other, similarly-named pages.
Havoc was the first audio story in Time War: Volume Two, the tenth series of Gallifrey.
Notably, it introduced the character of Mantus, who became a regular for the remainder of the anthology.
Publisher's summary
In the aftermath of Rassilon's return, Romana finds herself at the heart of the War Council's machinations, with the High Council, the CIA, and the Lord President's new security force all vying for control.
But then, a mysterious stranger arrives in the Capitol itself. And they bring a terrible warning from the future...
Plot
An Inquisition, led by Cardinal Mantus, is held for Romana and Prime Minister Livia says that, with the full context of her communications with the Dalek Emperor, Romana was acting in the best interests of Gallifrey. President Rassilon makes his judgement, acquitting Romana and reinstating her as Coordinator of the Celestial Intervention Agency, and declares that all planets that do not declare themselves as allies of Gallifrey will be considered enemies. He also announces that there will be a vote tomorrow on the creation of a new internal security agency.
Narvin is delighted at Romana's acquittal, but she is confused about why Livia spoke in her defence when it had to have been her and General Trave who doctored the recordings.
Trave asks Livia about why she exonerated Romana; she says that it was the decent thing to do and that Gallifrey needs a sense of continuity rather than more disruption. He is concerned about how they have not been completely honest with Rassilon, but Livia believes that the President has far more important things to deal with than "backroom skulduggery". Whilst he agrees with Rassilon's proposed internal security agency, Livia is unsure of her feelings towards it.
Commander Jevon is doing his patrol when a TARDIS materialises. He demands to know the pilot's identity and serial name but receives no response and requests backup from the Chancellery Guard. Eventually, somebody steps out and shoots him twice with a staser, killing him.
Romana is summoned by Narvin and Eris, who inform her of Jevon's death. She suggests that they quickly investigate before the War Council can involve themselves.
Rassilon speaks with Mantus about the murder and how it can work in their favour; in a state of crisis, unwritten rules can be ignored and the written rules can be redrafted.
Romana, Narvin and Eris are joined by Castellan Bavari. She tells them that the TARDIS seems to be from the future. and, when Eris says that the War Council need to be informed, Romana stops him and orders that the TARDIS be completely scanned.
Trave hears of the murder but tells Commander Aladra that it is the Agency's case and the War Council does not need to be briefed until after daybreak. He suggests that they use terms such as "tragic senseless death" and avoid saying "aggression" or "provocation" for now. They part ways and Trave enters his quarters where he finds Jevon's killer, who commands him to sit down.
Romana meets with Livia and debriefs her, agreeing to keep her updated. When asked, Livia says that she handed in the unedited recording as she had nothing to gain from Romana's execution or exile. Romana also asks for total jurisdiction over the murder investigation with no interference by the War Council, a request which Livia grants. After leaving, Romana bumps into Trave, who agrees that the murder comes under the Agency's remit and confirms that Eris was the one who told him about it. He asks to meet in private at some point as he has something for them to discuss.
Narvin enlists Bovari's help in examining the TARDIS, the navigation circuits of which have been deliberately destroyed. They detect anachron energy, indicating that the murderer has a paradox blocker or temporal nullifier and can be tracked. Narvin has Eris meet him at the former Matrix Building and determines that the murderer is in the building. Narvin encounters him, but he manages to escape onto the roof. Narvin gives chase but falls and is found and saved soon after by Eris. They go to find Romana at the Panopticon where the vote is being held.
At the Panopticon, Livia sits next to Romana and wonders where Trave is. Mantus calls the room to order and Rassilon uses the Drylands Precedent to circumvent the vote and immediately establish the Interior Defence Unit with Mantus as its director, dissolving the Chancellery Guard and redeploying its personnel across the Agency and the IDU. Livia gives away to Romana that she planned to vote against the formation of the IDU. Romana believes that she and Trave are responsible for this due to them being the ones to resurrect Rassilon.
Narvin informs Romana of what happened at the Matrix Building and says that he is embarrassed at having fallen. He believes that the murderer could be one of the Time Lords already involved in politics, come back in time to give a warning.
Mantus relieves Bovari of her duties as Castellan and declares that the barrack will now become the headquarters of the IDU. Bovari is to be redeployed to the Hall of Records.
Livia is on a call with Cantico and asks to have a report finished by the end of the day. Cantico agrees and informs her that Romana is waiting outside to see her. Romana is shown in and asks for a meeting with Rassilon, saying that she, Livia and Trave must work together to guide the President Eternal. Livia agrees to meet with Trave to discuss the idea.
The anachron energy trail is lost and Narvin says that they are going to have to get help from the IDU. Eris receives a call from Bovari, who tells Narvin that she has something for him and asks to meet at Pandak's Square in ten minutes.
Romana, Livia and Trave decide to suggest that they act as an advisory board and recommend that Rassilon holds regular meetings with them. Trave refuses to confirm Romana's belief that he missed the vote as he did not support the establishment of the IDU and says only that he was giving the matter some thought.
In Pandak's Square, Bovari gives Narvin a full biodata scan of the Capitol at the time of the murder.
Mantus tells Romana, Livia and Trave that Rassilon is preoccupied but that he will pass on their suggestions. He leaves to meet with Rassilon himself and the trio discuss how Rassilon is forming an inner circle which they are not a part of despite their positions.
Narvin analyses the biodata scan and finds the biorhythms of the murderer. Eris is concerned about how he acquired this scan and learns about the Chancellery Guard's dissolution; he says that as a result, the data belongs to the IDU. Narvin leaves him at headquarters to monitor the murderer's whereabouts whilst he hunts for him at a new detention centre for refugees.
At the Hall of Records, Bovari meets Cantico and is asked by Mantus where the biodata scan is. When she pretends that she does not know, Mantus tells her that he knows that she is lying and that she had no right to give the data to Narvin. He places her under arrest.
Narvin finds the murderer, who says that he has something to show him. When he goes into his pocket, Narvin shoots him and he does not regenerate. He orders Eris to send a recovery team for the body and not to tell the War Council or IDU. Upon returning to headquarters, he has Eris place the body in a gene scanner and shows Romana what the murderer had been reaching for: a video comm which was damaged by Narvin's staser fire. The scanner identifies the body as that of Trave.
to be completed
Cast
- Romana - Lalla Ward
- Narvin - Seán Carlsen
- Rassilon - Terrence Hardiman
- Livia - Pippa Bennett-Warner
- Mantus - Samuel Clemens
- Trave - Paul Marc Davis
- Aladra - Jessica Hayles
- Bovari - Lucy Robinson
- Eris - Samuel Gosrani
- Cantico - Rebecca Root
Uncredited
References
- Livia is now Prime Minister of Gallifrey.
- Eris is the Agency's new liaison with the War Council.
- Important Matrix files were removed from the Matrix Building to the Panopticon. Everything else was taken to a facility beneath Mount Perdition.
- A President was once given the power to create a militia to quell a rebellion, giving rise to the Drylands Precedent.
- Narvin's father was an engineer with a life that Narvin thought was boring. He is dead and was not brought back by Project Revenant.
- Bovari becomes an Administrator (First Class) at the Hall of Records.
- Trave has a husband and children.
- Trave is executed at Pandak Square.
- Data is retrieved from Trave's TARDIS.
Notes
to be added
Continuity
External links
- Official Havoc page at bigfinish.com
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