The Death of Peladon (audio story)

The Death of Peladon was the third story in the Peladon audio anthology, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Mark Wright and featured Colin Baker as the Sixth Doctor, Bonnie Langford as Melanie Bush and Jane Goddard as Alpha Centauri.

Publisher's summary
The Sixth Doctor and Mel arrive on Peladon to discover a world on the brink of environmental disaster. Civil war looms and a dark plot brews in the shadows of the court. Unless they can help avert catastrophe, there seems to be little hope left for one of the Doctor's favourite planets.

Plot
Helais' grandmother expresses concern for the men in the mines and says Aggedor's name before dying.

Queen Minaris, who's suffering from a headache, is trying to make King Peladon's music box work before her daughter, Princess Isabelda, tells her to make herself presentable for the Galactic Federation liaison.

The TARDIS materialises in the tunnels and the Sixth Doctor and Mel step out, unsure of where they are. They go to explore and find disused mining equipment indicating that no work has gone on for some time; despite this, there are lit torches. They come across red water and a Peladonian killed by blunt trauma to the back of the neck.

Helais stops herself weeping, choosing to grieve for her grandmother without shedding tears. She is angry with Minaris for doing nothing whilst her subjects die of starvation and swears that she will hear the roar of the people.

Alpha Centauri arrives at court. Isabelda is impatient to learn what Alpha Centauri wants, earning her an admonishment for Minaris. Alpha Centauri is semi-retired but continuing as liaison to Peladon due to the poor relationship between the Pels and the Federation at present, reassuring Minaris that the Federation considers Peladon an important member world. Isabelda, however, believes that the Federation turned its back on Peladon when the trisilicate ran out.

The Doctor, who now knows where they are, examines the red water whilst Mel covers the body with her jacket. She notices a sound and spots that a rock face has been disturbed; inside of the rock is a thermal detonator which the Doctor tries to defuse as it counts down. Mel refuses to return to the TARDIS.

Helais meets with the people of her village, the miners of the last operational trisilicate mine in Megeshra Province. She rouses them against Minaris, who has barely been seen in public in five years.

Minaris thanks Alpha Centauri, agreeing that they can work on rebuilding the relationship, but Isabelda wants to know what Peladon has to gain and demands reparations for generations of service.

The Doctor is repeatedly stopped by deadlocks as he tries to defuse the detonator and runs back towards the TARDIS with Mel as it approaches detonation. However, they do not reach the ship before the explosion and dive to the floor as the countdown ends. The villagers hear the cave-in and sound the alarm.

Alpha Centauri gives their word that they will pass on Isabelda's concerns to the Federation, but Isabelda believes that words are no longer enough. Minaris feels that something is wrong and hears the emergency sirens at the mine. Her Guard Captain informs her that casualties could be in the hundreds.

The Doctor has been saved from the cave-in by Helais, who says that nobody was with him when they dug him out. He goes looking for Mel, despite Helais following him and telling him that he cannot go back down there. A half-mile-wide sinkhole has opened up and it seems that Mel is dead.

The Captain tells Minaris that more than a hundred people are confirmed to be dead whilst many more are missing. Minaris tells her to do what she can for the village and Alpha Centauri says that they will contact the Federation for aid, which Isabelda suggests is because they have a guilty conscience. The Captain produces an unconscious Mel, who was dug out from the cave and is largely unharmed. Isabelda suggests that she is Alpha Centauri's accomplice.

The Doctor gives Helais, who has heard stories of him and knows of Erimem, his condolences and asks for equipment to allow him to descend into the mine. She refuses as she has people down there already making sure that it is safe. As day begins to break, the Doctor sees that the land is barren and learns of the troubles that Peladon has experienced since the trisilicate began to run out. He says that he will speak with Minaris and drinks some water, which he promptly spits out.

Alpha Centauri says that disaster relief teams are being dispatched and that they would very much like to meet the Doctor again, valuing his counsel. Isabelda is sceptical, believing that he simply causes trouble. Mel asks Minaris to join her in helping at the mine, which Alpha Centauri agrees would be a good idea, but Isabelda says that that is not what the royal family does. Minaris is unsure but has the Captain prepare the royal carriage.

The Doctor looks at the water in the village's well and, as he suspected, the water is tainted by trisilicate and has been increasingly contaminated over decades if not centuries. Peladonians, including Helais' grandmother, have been dying of acute trisilicate poisoning and it is imperative that the Doctor and Helais speak to the royal family.

Mel, Minaris, Isabelda and Alpha Centauri travel to the village in the royal carriage.

The Doctor gives a Pel a medical examination and diagnoses him with acute trisilicate poisoning. He says that they need to find a source of clean water urgently and bemoans the loss of the TARDIS, which could have helped in the short term. The royal carriage arrives and Minaris gives a speech before being interrupted by the Doctor's reunions with Mel and Alpha Centauri. The Doctor introduces Helais to Minaris, but Isabelda is dismissive and has the Captain push people aside so that Minaris can get to the site of the tragedy. The Doctor remarks that he usually gets on so well with royalty.

At the sinkhole, Helais presents the seal of Aggedor which he inherited from her ancestor, Hepesh, and demands Minaris' attention; she tells her that she must embrace Peladonian spirituality to begin the healing process of the world. The Doctor says that Minaris must ask for the Federation's help, which Alpha Centauri supports, but Isabelda refuses and Helais attacks her. Mel, Minaris, Helais, Alpha Centauri and the Captain return to the Citadel.

Minaris having turned her back, Helais supplies the people with energy weapons for an assault on the Citadel in the name of Aggedor. She asks for the Doctor's support, but he refuses. He examines one of the weapons, a focused phase-rifle with a crystalline power regulator, and determines that it certainly is not of Peladonian origin.

Mel and Alpha Centauri try to convince Minaris to help the people, but she is more concerned about trying to get the music box to work. Isabelda refuses to help Mel and Alpha Centauri, not trusting what the Doctor has said, and tells Minaris that she has to cut ties with the Federation. Minaris cannot think straight because of her headache and does nothing when Isabelda, who does not appreciate a Federation ambassador attempting to influence a sovereign, has Mel and Alpha Centauri confined to the ambassador's quarters. Minaris says only that she needs quiet to think.

The Doctor catches up with Helais and pleads with her to stop and turn back. She does not listen and fires her weapon.

Alpha Centauri asks Mel what Earth is like; they had always intended to visit more planets when they retired, but instead dedicated their life to a greater purpose which now seems to have failed. Mel tries to comfort them and they agree that there are no lost causes. Mel suggests that they find a way to separate Minaris from Isabelda and, after Alpha Centauri lures the guard in, Mel knocks him out and they escape.

As the Captain talks to one of the guards, the villagers begin their attack on the Citadel. She orders the gates sealed and the alarm sounded. Mel and Alpha Centauri spy Isabelda emerge from a hidden door and, once she has gone, go through the secret passageway. Meanwhile, the Captain informs Minaris of the attack and Isabelda says to do whatever must be done to stop them. Isabelda tells her sister that the people clearly demand change and that Minaris must appease Aggedor.

The Doctor convinces the villagers to stop firing and asks both sides to come together and negotiate, but Helais continues the attack. The Captain has her men draw their weapons and meet the villagers in battle.

Mel and Alpha Centauri enter the Temple of Aggedor, which Alpha Centauri begins to remember, and find crates filled with advanced weapons including thermic detonators. Mel tells Alpha Centauri of the detonator and the murdered man that she and the Doctor found in the mine and hear an Arcturan attempting to make contact with Isabelda using a communications console. The Arcturan says that their ship has arrived.

Isabelda tells Minaris that she has a ship which they can use to leave Peladon permanently. The villagers breach the Citadel and kill the Captain, prompting Minaris to accept that Isabelda might be right. However, Helais arrives in the throne room and tells them that the Citadel is under their control. The Doctor asks Helais what she wants; she says that she wants fair treatment and prepares to kill the Queen before the Doctor stands in the way. The Doctor reveals that he has taken a power cell from a rifle and that it will soon overload unless Helais drops her gun, in which case he will deactivate it.

Mel and Alpha Centauri enter the throne room. Helais drops her gun, asking her grandmother to forgive her, and the Doctor reveals that the power cell was not really active. Mel presents one of the weapons from the Temple of Aggedor and Minaris demands an explanation from Isabelda, who admits being behind the explosion and planning to sell Peladon to the Arcturans to save her mother from withering and dying on the throne as Isabelda's father had. Isabelda holds a gun to her mother as she escapes, wounding Alpha Centauri first. Mel remains with the ambassador whilst the Doctor and Helais go after Isabelda.

The Doctor and Helais confront Isabelda at the waterfall, which the Doctor points out is red with poison. He says that Isabelda could be part of the healing process, but she wants only to be free of a life of servitude and watching her mother age prematurely as she tries to keep a dead world alive. Helais says that she will not fight and Minaris tells Isabelda to give up, but Isabelda goes to kill her. Helais shoots Isabelda first and she falls over the cliff.

Federation aid arrives on Peladon and the TARDIS is dug up. Having stayed for Isabelda's funeral, the Doctor says that it is time for him and Mel to go. Minaris and Helais, who is offered the post of chancellor, thank them and agree to work together to heal Peladon whilst Alpha Centauri now feels able to continue as special ambassador to Peladon rather than retire. A full environmental health campaign is to be instigated thanks to the Doctor's influence with the Federation. The Doctor hands Minaris the music box, which he has repaired and which plays a Venusian lullaby as the TARDIS dematerialises.

Alpha Centauri says that the Doctor may return. In the meantime, Minaris says, perhaps they will save Peladon together.

Unbeknownst to everybody, Isabelda has survived and returns, badly wounded, to the Temple of Aggedor. She attempts to contact the Arcturans, but they do not answer.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Colin Baker
 * Mel - Bonnie Langford
 * Helais - Liz White
 * Queen Minaris - Sara Powell
 * Isabelda - Remmie Milner
 * Alpha Centauri / Guard Captain / Grandma - Jane Goddard

Crew

 * Writer - Mark Wright
 * Assistant Producer - Dominic Martin
 * Cover Art - Oliver Chenery
 * Director - Barnaby Kay
 * Executive Producers - Nicholas Briggs and Jason Haigh-Ellery
 * Music and Sound Designer - Howard Carter
 * Producer - David Richardson
 * Script Editor - Robert Valentine

Worldbuilding

 * The Doctor quotes The Wind in the Willows.
 * The Doctor once had adventures in Foy with Kenneth Grahame in 1906. He says that it is a magical place and that they encountered talking moles and badgers.
 * References are made to Aggedor.
 * Mel refers to being from Pease Pottage.
 * Queen Minaris mentions King Peladon playing the music box to Queen Thalira.
 * Queen Erimem reigned during a golden age.
 * Isabelda's father "withered and died" on the throne.

Continuity

 * Alpha Centauri refers to their first visit to Peladon during the reign of King Peladon. (TV: The Curse of Peladon)
 * The Doctor refers to having a complicated history with Peladon. (TV: The Curse of Peladon and The Monster of Peladon; AUDIO: The Prisoner of Peladon and The Bride of Peladon)
 * The Doctor recalls Erimem's departure. (AUDIO: The Bride of Peladon)
 * Alpha observes that the Doctor has regenerated once again. (TV: The Caves of Androzani)
 * Helias is a descendant of King Peladon's high priest Hepesh. (TV: The Curse of Peladon)
 * Alpha recalls the Third Doctor being sentenced to death for entering the Temple of Aggedor. (TV: The Curse of Peladon)
 * The Doctor recalls his meeting with Queen Thalira. (TV: The Monster of Peladon)