Crash and Burn (episode)
Crash and Burn was the third special season pass storyline in the Lost in Time video game made by Eastside Games.
Synopsis
Join the 10th Doctor and Martha Jones as they investigate a crashed test ship!
Plot
In a Testing Lab on Kerb!am, a project is going wrong. A manager is frustrated that it failed again, asking what the scanners say. An employee tells him that there is no evidence of tampering, another employee tells him that the power levels are at correct threshold. The manager then asks what could be the cause of the pilotless ship's failure. The first employee suggest it could be the plastic alloy cohesion failing. The manager tells them to find out as he wants to know what’s going on. The second employee says they don’t know but will keep searching. The manager says they better do because all of their jobs are on the line if they screw up, and that he needs the data and an expert. At that instant, the TARDIS materialises in the lab.
The manager asks who they are and what they’re doing in his factory. Martha Jones asks the Tenth Doctor where he dropped them off this time. The Doctor tells her not to worry, and tells the manager to look at his psychic paper. The manager is convinced he is a mechanical engineer sent by corporate. The Doctor whispers that psychic paper never fails. The manager asks him what he said, the Doctor replies that he said he never fails at his job, as he’s an expert, asking what's wrong. The manager says to follow him to the prototype shuttle. Martha asks the Doctor what they’re going to do, and he replies to just go with the flow, confident that he can fix whatever is wrong.
The Doctor's tactic does not work, which disappoints him, saying that something is off and they’re missing energy. Martha begins to question him, but the manager interrupts them, asking what they did. The Doctor starts to explain, but the manager tells him this is the first time it has not exploded and that he's doing amazing. The Doctor, surprised, rolls with it, saying that he knew it would worl, and that he now only needs to figure out where the energy is going. The manager is confused, and the Doctor asks him if he has checked the readings and there isn’t enough energy to run it. The manager says that his employees always said that the readings were within the threshold.
The manager asks if there is a power drain to the shuttle. The Doctor confirms, saying someone is redirecting it, but he can’t find where or why. Martha suggest they could follow the cables, but the Doctor says that they can’t with the kind of shielding the platform uses. Martha asks what the Doctor has in mind, and the Doctor asks the manager to ask his employees, since they clearly lied to him. The manager says he will call them, then stops up, asking when this happened. The Doctor asks him what he talks about. The manager says that the employees who monitored the tests passed away two months ago.
Sometimes later, the manager is addressing some Drone Cameras, saying that they don’t know who those people are but that they are impersonating… but he is interrupted, via the Drone Cameras, by SPN who ask him how he pleads about Daleks infiltrating his factory. The manager says that those are merely conspiracy theories and galactic network rumours… but he is interrupted again, this time by BS Galactic News, who asks him if his employees are being replaced by Zygons, but the manager says that there is no evidence to this and that they’re merely dealing with… but is interrupted a third time, now by 4U Space Magazine, asking what the zodiac signs of the criminals are. The Doctor says that the media circus is not going anywhere and that they need to, but Martha interrupts him, telling him to look behind the cameras. The Doctor spots one of the "employees", telling them to get going.
Martha shouts that she's getting away, but the Doctor says that it’s not happening on his watch and that if he knows something, it’s running. The employee begs them to stop and to get away, that she does not want to be involved anymore. The Doctor questions her about what she means, asking if they can help. Martha notices that something is wrong with her, and the Doctor asks her what it is, then notices. The Doctor says that the "employee" has been running but isn’t sweating or panting. The "employee" tries to play dumb, but the Doctor activates a sonic pulse, saying its inoffensive to solid organisms but not to shapeshifters.
Martha asks what’s going on, asking what that thing is, as the Doctor replies that it’s an Auton. The Auton employee asks if the Doctor knows its kind. The Doctor says that he has had encounters before. The Auton tells the Doctor that he won’t stop them, because they have everything they need. The Doctor asks what that would be, but Martha reminds him of the energy, saying that they were taking it. The Doctor calls it brilliant, saying they must have been siphoning it from the platform. The Auton says that it is too late and that they will rise again and take over the company. The Doctor tells it that they won’t while he has anything to say.
The Doctor tells Martha to get away, because they need to overload the console. The manager questions his actions, but Martha tells him that they found out who was draining the energy, the Doctor adds that he knows why, as he activates his sonic screwdriver. The manager asks what the device is, and the Doctor tells him, telling him that he used it to overload the charging platform. The manager protests, saying they will all be blown to smithereens. The Doctor counters, saying there is something beneath them. Martha urges that they move away anyway due to the ground trembling.
In the lower level, the manager asks what he is seeing and how it could be below them. The Auton says that they uncovered the Nestene Consciousness but that it is too late. The Doctor asks if they were draining the power to awaken the Consciousness. Martha asks if there is something they can do, and if there is a peaceful solution. The Doctor says that he can usually parlay, but their intentions clearly aren’t good. The Auton says that they will conquer the planet and extend through the stars. Martha takes the point the Doctor made, asking what the plan is. The Doctor says they need to make the Consciousness inert again before it takes over all the plastics at the lab. The manager says that this would be really bad. The Doctor concurs, saying that he thankfully has a plan.
The manager asks the Doctor if he is sure about what he wants to do. The Doctor says he is, saying that he knows Kerb!am has a vault of dangerous packages, and to give him the list. Martha asks what he’s planning, and he replies that she checks the list and mark anything that is described as acidic or solvent. Martha asks what the Doctor will do. The Auton says that they won’t stop them. The Doctor tells it that his actions might sting a bit, but that it is plastic and can take it, activating the sonic. Martha says she is done, and the Doctor tells her to press send.
A Kerb!am Man shows up with a delivery for the Nestene Consciousness, and the Auton asks the Doctor what he is doing. The Doctor tells it that they are in a large warehouse and that he reckons there are dangerous elements, dangerous enough to make the Nestene intert again. The Auton falls apart as it screams. The Kerb!am Man repeats its phrase, as the Doctor says that the Auton's connection is faltering due to the magic of chemicals. Martha adds that plastic, whether living or not, is susceptible to it, as the Auton keeps screaming about revenge. The Doctor says that they will recycle the Auton into something nice.
The manager thanks the Doctor for saving the factory. The Doctor replies that there is no need, and Martha says the same. The Doctor says they will be going now, but the manager asks him who will finish the shuttle, reminding him that he's the expert. The Doctor starts to explain, but the manager is not listening, saying he will leave it to the Doctor as he needs to start cleaning up. The Doctor gives in, asking Martha if she's ready to do some engineering. Martha says to not involve her, as he's the expert. The Doctor then prepares to get some work done.
Characters
Notes
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- The storyline's title and synopsis weren’t given in-game. However, the synopsis was given in a post by the Lost in Time Instagram account on 15 July 2024,[1] while the title was given by the game's creator in a Twitter post on 26 July 2024.[2]
Continuity
To be added
