Weapon of Choice (audio story)

Weapon of Choice was the first story of the first series of Big Finish's Gallifrey audio series. It was written by Alan Barnes.

Publisher's summary
"Time is not the preserve of an aristocracy — it is inviolate! Free! Free Time!"

The Time Lords of Gallifrey were the first to map the Web of Time. Now, under the reforming gaze of President Romanadvoratrelundar, the oldest civilisation is ready to shed its monopoly, sharing its secrets with a coalition of the Temporal Powers — the Monan Host, the Nekkistani and the Warpsmiths of Phaidon among them.

But the coalition is a fragile one, and despised in some quarters. When a team of Time Technology Assessors makes a horrific discovery on the barren moon of Kikrit, it seems their enemies are arming themselves to strike at the alliance. Has a terrorist group really acquired a temporal weapon so terrible the Time Lords forgot about its existence?

In search of the truth, Romana sends the woman called Leela and the robot dog K9 to the enclave of Gryben, a reception centre for temporal refugees. But the truth is war's first casualty — and the fallout could destroy them all...

Plot
On the Third Moon of Kikrit, a TARDIS materialises and Commander Torvald of the Celestial Intervention Agency steps out, joining Ba'aruk of the Monan Host and Scragbite of Nekkistan in investigating a facility believed to be the destination of a time capsule intercepted by Vortex Ops. They are joined by a fourth assessor, Sardonopoulos of Phaidon, who is inhabiting the body of a human named Nepenthe, and enter the facility where they find a briefcase within a containment chamber. Sardonopoulos enters the chamber and reveals that she is Nepenthe, taking a Timonic Fusion Device from the briefcase before teleporting away, shouting "Free Time".

A countdown begins and an alarm sounds for the sterilisation of the building. Torvald, Ba'aruk and Scragbite escape before the facility explodes, after which the real Sardonopoulos arrives, curious about the absence of a building to assess.

Back on Gallifrey, the situation is described to President Romana. Braxiatel remembers secret research done a few centuries ago regarding a Timonic Fusion Device, but he admits that the work was unsuccessful and the device dismantled.

Romana then recruits Leela, Torvald, and K9 to go to the planet Gryben in order to investigate Free Time. There, they encounter Arkadian, who attests to having knowledge of the organisation. Arkadian agrees to give the information in exchange for an audience with Romana.

Leela, K9, and Torvald go to the location given by Arkadian to meet Nepenthe. There Leela learns that the Time Lords wanted the weapon for themselves. Leela also discovers that Nepenthe's lieutenant is actually a Monan in disguise. The Monan sends a signal to his people stating the the mission has been compromised, prompting the High Monan to send troops to Gryben.

Nepenthe then activates the device. In desperation, Romana goes to Gryben under the guise of being Arkadian's hostage. She offers herself in exchange for the device. She then realises that the device may be a bluff, and lets it count down to zero. The device then disarms and disappears into thin air, leaving the threat of the device still hanging despite the immediate relief.

Leela and Romana suspect that a Time Lord group unhappy with Romana's progressive reforms was responsible for the whole incident. Leela then agrees to become Romana's bodyguard, with K9 as chief of security.

Cast

 * President Romana - Lalla Ward
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * K9 - John Leeson
 * Cardinal Braxiatel - Miles Richardson
 * Coordinator Narvin - Seán Carlsen
 * Commander Torvald - Andy Coleman
 * Inquisitor Darkel - Lynda Bellingham
 * Arkadian - Hugo Myatt
 * Nepenthe - Helen Goldwyn
 * Ba'aruk - Daniel Hogarth
 * Scragbite - Stephen Mansfield
 * Outsider - Trevor Littledale

Continuity

 * Leela mentions the events of AUDIO: Zagreus.
 * The Monan Host first appeared in AUDIO: The Apocalypse Element, which also debuted Romana as president.
 * Leela and K9 Mark I have been on Gallifrey since TV: The Invasion of Time.
 * K9 Mark II was last seen on screen in TV: Warriors' Gate, but PROSE: Lungbarrow saw him return to Gallifrey as well, and AUDIO: Shada established that he had been reunited with Romana.