The Shadows of Serenity (audio story)

 was the sixth story of the fifth season of Big Finish Productions' Short Trips series. It was read by Nicola Bryant.

Publisher's summary
The Guns of Malgar once defended their planetoid from any who strayed too close; just one gun could obliterate an entire star fleet.

The Malgarians are known as a vicious, belligerent species — so when the TARDIS brings the Doctor and Peri to their homeworld, they are puzzled to be greeted by a pacifistic population.

Peri assumes the Doctor has just got his facts wrong, but he is reluctant to accept the Malgarians' uncharacteristic behaviour. What lies behind it, and what is the secret of the Sisters of Serenity?

Plot
The Doctor and Peri are stranded on a planetoid after the TARDIS's number 2 renticular celluprime runs out of charge and, although Peri wants to wait in the TARDIS whilst it powers back up, they go to explore the nearby ruins. Finding bullet holes and scorch marks, Peri's initial belief that they have arrived on a battlefield is confirmed and the Doctor, who has noticed that something is wrong with the stars, realises that they are on Malgar. He explains that the planetoid is encircled by weapons called the Guns of Malgar, each of which is capable of destroying a star fleet and wipe out approaching spaceships because of the Malgarians' paranoia. They try to flee when six Malgarians appear, but they are soon surrounded.

The Doctor is surprised when Hess and the other Malgarians offer him and Peri their help and that they had been protecting them from beasts in the forest. Peri accepts their help and notices auras around the Malgarians which are caused by the interaction of micro-crystals in the air with their biochemistry, changing colour depending on their mood. Upon reaching a Malgarian homestead, the Doctor and Peri learn that the Malgarians are vegetarians and have sworn against killing any living creature, a massive change to their warlike way of life which makes the Doctor suspicious. Hess, overhearing the Doctor's concerns, tells them that the Sisters of Serenity are responsible for the change and arranges an escort to take the Doctor to the abbey.

to be completed

Characters

 * Sixth Doctor
 * Peri Brown
 * Hess
 * Della

Worldbuilding

 * Peri and her friends once drove across the plains of Arizona.
 * Ordinatra Crucis is a constellation.
 * Auras are a vital part of several of Earth's belief systems.
 * Peri wants a hamburger.
 * The Malgarians are vegetarians.

Continuity
to be added