Hexagora (audio story): Difference between revisions

Mike arrests Tegan for breaking Zellenger’s by-law about walking the streets unaccompanied. He brings her to him and she asks him where the TARDIS is. He says they have taken it and brings her back to the palace.  

The Doctor and the Queen walk through the palace. She asks him if he’s been to the Luparis before. He comments he has but it was a different planet. She reveals that there are dark spots appearing on the sun and this is causing the planet to cool drastically, as it is no longer hot and tropical as the Doctor had described. She brings him to the nursery and reveals that they are doing work here to deal with the problem of the planet icing over. Astorius arrives and reveals that their solution is to put people into hibernation, or rather that people are already falling into comas as they are not able to deal with the rapid cooling. The Doctor is surprised at the reveal of an electromagnetic locking system. They observe a man in a tank connected to a series of web-like vines that feed them nutrients. The Queen explains that she has put husbands and wives together in adjacent chambers.  

Nyssa describes the fall of Traken to Jezzavar. He comments that she has become quite a fighter given her circumstances and nature, but she denies this saying it is only by happenstance. He exclaims that she is meant to be a ruler as he believes she posses these qualities.  

The Doctor asks how many pairs of chamber there are and they reveal to him that the palace and beyond is full of them. The chambers are sealed as part of the cryo-process. The Doctor notes that only the left chambers are being monitored but the right ones are not, indicating that the occupants could be gone or dead. He also notes that the palace is much warmer than the outside. She explains it is artificial. They ask him to share his knowledge about ice ages and he reluctantly consents. She then reveals that they will be married that evening. The Doctor, confused, is hesitant, but the Queen insists that it was she who asked him. With that she leaves. The Doctor expresses his hesitance to Astorius who says that there is no greater honour than being married to the Queen.  

Jezzavar explains that the ice age falling over the planet has forced the farmers to move to the city when their crops were destroyed. Nyssa explains that this must be the cause of the restlessness but Jezzavar reveals he only cares about the solution, which is increased authority. He asks Nyssa of her opinion on what kind of ruler they require and she suggests a kind and benevolent monarch. Jezzavar agrees with her that a highly efficient society is the best but Nyssa says she has seen societies like that before and they are not as perfect as one might think. He suggests that Nyssa should preside over them as ruler but she declines, citing that she is not in line to the throne and that Queen Zafira loves her people already and is sure she is already, as Jezzavar has revealed, seen to be a great ruler. He says that one may never know what can happen to the Queen, and if she were to pass away it is up to her royal consults to rectify the situation immediately, this time with a hint of malice.

A commoner accuses Zellenger of his misdeeds and tries to harm him. The commoner is arrested and Zellenger heads back to the castle to inform the Queen, wanting to deal with the uprising situation in the current.  

The Doctor is told he will be known as the Queen’s Consult Consellor, and that Luparis is a matriarchal society. They arrive at his pre-marital apartment, and is told to wear his wedding suit, complete with trunk hoes, cartwheel ruff and tights.

The Doctor wants to stay with his own clothes but Astorius warns him that Queen Zafira is would rather he wear what he is told.  

Tegan explains to Nyssa what has happened to Mike and Nyssa reveals to him that Jezzavar intends to lead a revolt and wants to make Nyssa the Queen. The two agree they need to find the Doctor and get back to the TARDIS. They are interrupted by the palace seamstress Anza, who says that the queen would like them to be maids at the wedding. Nyssa points out that Anza and Eva are about their shape and size, after they have left.  

The Doctor puts on his new clothes but is interrupted by Zellenger who introduces himself as Minister of Security. Zellenger is suspicious of him and upset at discovering his sudden marriage. The Doctor explains he wants to leave soon. Zellenger, however, accuses him of being a coward and says that he loves Zafira for who she is, not for the crown, and that they had fought many battles together and he would die for her.  

Nyssa and Tegan are caught walking around the palace in disguise by a guard. They begin to run as the guard chases them, and they climb over the wall of the gate just as Tegan had done earlier.  

The Doctor is taken by Zellenger to the queen’s private rose gallery. There he finds the TARDIS. But then Zellenger unsheathes his rapier, suspicious of the Doctor’s motives, and explains that he is going to frame him, telling the Queen that the Doctor was really after her secrets and planned to run away. Zellenger forces the Doctor to take up a rapier and fight him. The two begin to spar.  

Tegan and Nyssa wander around the city and head down a passage. They hide but then hear the same sound Tegan heard before and run.  

The two watch as the creature goes onto the street. They decide to stay put and wait for the creatures to go away.  

The Doctor and Zellenger continue to spar, with the Doctor eventually disarming him. Suddenly guards come to Zellenger and report the disturbances of several sleepers invading the streets. The Doctor comments that he’s seen the guard before but cannot make any further comment as Zellenger has him arrested on charges of terrorism. Zellenger commands the Doctor be cocooned in the nurseries.  

Nyssa and Tegan hear more strange noises and see a panel move. They realise they’re right in the nest of the sleepers who take on a insect-like form. The two are surrounded. Suddenly a voice whispers out Tegan’s name. It turns out to be one of the insects, and he tells Tegan that it’s him, Mike Bretherton...