Absolute Power (audio story)

Absolute Power was the two hundred and nineteenth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Jamie Anderson and featured Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor and Miranda Raison as Constance Clarke.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Two thousand years ago, all civilisation on the planet Teymah was wiped out in an AELE – an Anomalous Extinction Level Event. Now, the galactic entrepreneur Lyam Yce hopes, at last, to learn the reason why the ancient Teymahrians went extinct – by funding a huge archaeological dig.

While the Doctor probes a strange sphere found by Yce's diggers, his companion, former Bletchley Park cryptographer Constance Clarke, agrees to help translate symbols written in the lost ancient language of the Teymahrians. And soon, they'll learn that ancient Teymah's secrets were best left buried deep beneath its shifting sands...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part One[[edit] | [edit source]]

Lyam Yce is frustratedly conversing with a customer of his, who is filing against his corporation with emotional trauma. His wife then enters, and urges him to calm down as she takes him to rest. Lyam proceeds to ask his wife just how he came to win her over, as she claims that it's because of his vast amount of cash. She then abruptly asks where they could visit and sightsee next; casually mentioning that she would adore to visit a new Ultra-Mall on Certis Major, or tickets to see the Outer Systems Low Gravity Polo Finals, claiming that the two could "make a weekend of it". Her husband, Lyam, quickly turns down the offers as he claims that something has cropped up down at his project on Teymah. Florrie proceeds to get very excited over this news, claiming how she adores ancient ruins and that for her husband to take her down there is very romantic. Florrie then rushes off to get dressed, claiming that she'll only be 20 minutes and she shall see him shortly.

In the TARDIS, the Doctor plays around with some form of radio device as it shifts frequency erratically. Constance arrives, asking if it was appropriate to not let her in on the fact that Broodvaakian Yaks are capable of spitting, her presumably being spat on upon one of their latest adventures unheard of. The Doctor then refers to her as Constance, to which she is very much unhappy about, correcting him to say 'Mrs Clarke'.

Yce steps from his ship and on to the shifting sands of Teymah, conversing with yet another complaint-filled client, offering to cancel any and all relations between his industry and theirs in a forceful manner. They then proceed to approach the highest point of the Landing Bay, where the most striking view of the ancient city of Teymah can be spotted, described to be primarily just mud-huts and sludge streets. Florrie seems visibly surprised and taken aback at the apparent wondrous sights, while Lyam seems to be in a rush and flustered with business calls. Over the phone, he claims that perhaps his wife Florrie will be possibly disappointed at the news he's been given, whereas he seems perfectly at home with it. His wife continues to ask what it is that she could be disappointed by, and Lyam simply refuses to answer. He claims that a man he has presumably hired is arriving down to the surface of Teymah two days early, who goes under the name Professor Aryan Wyke. Florrie knows of him, and claims she would love to meet him. Lyam claims that he is going to have a busy day, especially with the newly-arrived archaeological party.

The Doctor's electronic gizmo continues to whir and fizz spontaneously, and Constance comes back in to the control room, asking if he's thought about an apology to what he's said. He says he almost has, and she becomes even more frustrated with him. The Doctor finally gets his gizmo in to somewhat of a working order, as it rhythmically beats.

Part Two[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Part Three[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Part Four[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

• The Doctor - Colin Baker
• Constance Clarke - Miranda Raison
• Lyam Yce - Paul Reynolds
• Florrie / Medical Doctor - Jenny Bede
• Ammar Elkady - Arian Nik
• Professor Aryan Wyke / Mine Worker - Neil Edmond
• Kohrbal - Gary Martin
• Pheenan - Esther Hall

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

• Cover Art - Simon Holub
• Writer & Director - Jamie Anderson
• Executive Producer - Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery
• Music and Sound Design - Joe Kraemer
• Producer - David Richardson
• Script Editor - Alan Barnes

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

• The Doctor is over 900 years old.
• The TARDIS says that the year is approximately 3319, which the Doctor explains is the Earth equivalent of "2190-ish," with the A.E.L.E taking place around 1300.
• Sontaran scout vessels are considerably smaller than nine metres in diameter.
• The Doctor claims that he has "the acute directional hearing of a bat with a SatNav".
• Florrie claims to have learned about bullet entry wounds and exit burns from watching an episode of Galactamedics.
• While at Bletchley Park, Constance attended an escapology course but she paid little attention during it.
• The Ninexie reproduce by electromitosis. Their homeworld is in Galaxy Three.
• Wrechon Four, also in Galaxy Three, fought the Nine Hundred Year War against the Ninexie. The clean-up crew, if not the entire race, is known as the Genocide Squad.
• The Doctor and Constance cancel the destruct sequence of the category nine destruction rig.
• Constance compares the Cloister Room to "an ugly industrial cathedral".
• The Doctor invents fictional planets called Hurquasias and Rathbyle III.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Textless cover

• This audio drama was recorded on 31 May and 1 June 2016 at the Moat Studios.
• This is the first Big Finish Main Range release to be written and directed by Jamie Anderson.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

• Once again, the Doctor uses his olfactory sense to gather information on his surroundings. He had previously used it to identify the planet Molaruss on their second visit. (AUDIO: Elevation)
• The Doctor refers to Constance's qualifications as a cryptographer and linguist. (AUDIO: Criss-Cross)
• Constance tells Yce that she and the Doctor have only been on a few trips together. (AUDIO: Criss-Cross, The End of the Line, Planet of the Rani, Shield of the Jötunn, Order of the Daleks)
• The Doctor tells the Ninexie that fishing is one of his hobbies. (TV: The Talons of Weng-Chiang, The Androids of Tara, The Two Doctors; AUDIO: Arrangements for War, Criss-Cross)
• The Doctor asks the Ninexie if they're related to the Nix. (AUDIO: The Waters of Amsterdam)
• The Doctor keeps a yo-yo in his pocket. (TV: Robot, et. al)
• The Ninexie populate planets by acting like gods and manipulating civilisations, much like the Nimon. (TV: The Horns of Nimon)
• The Cloister Bell sounds when the Ninexie attack the TARDIS. (TV: Logopolis)
• The TARDIS mentions the Hostile Action Displacement System as a clue to the Doctor. (TV: The Krotons)
• The Doctor returns to the power room, remembering that it used to be closer to the console room. (TV: The Mind Robber) It resembles an industrial cathedral, reminiscent of the dynormorphic generators. (PROSE: The Quantum Archangel)
• Constance refers to Strellin. (AUDIO: Order of the Daleks)
• Constance wants to discover the fate of her husband Henry Clarke, who was reported missing in action during World War II in 1944. (AUDIO: Criss-Cross, Quicksilver)

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

• Official Absolute Power page at bigfinish.com