Lies (audio story)

Lies (identified on the cover simply as Chapter Five) was the first story of the second series of Big Finish's Gallifrey audio series. It was written by Gary Russell.

Publisher's summary
"I don't believe in destinies foretold and all that. I am a rational, straightforward thinker."

Some time has passed since the events surrounding the Timonic Fusion Device threatened Romana's presidency with impeachment, and life has calmed down on Gallifrey. Well, apart from Romana's latest scheme, the opening up of Gallifrey's famed Academy to the students of alien races with the ability, or the potential, to harness temporal powers.

Unfortunately, deep below the Capitol, Leela, confused and morose over the truth about her husband Andred, disturbs a malevolent power. Something from the Dark Days of Ancient Gallifrey.

Something that wants to be reborn and will use any and every means that is at hand. Including the past of Gallifrey's incumbent President...

Plot
In the Vaults below the Capitol, Tutor Braxiatel looks for his student, young Romanadvoratrelundar, who only reveals herself when he threatens to fetch one of the castellans. He empathises with her hatred of studying at the Time Lord Academy and says that he will tell whichever cardinal is waiting for them that he got them both lost on a field trip. Before they leave, however, Romanadvoratrelundar hears a ghostly voice say her name and offer her help. She goes back, saying that she needs to collect her data pad, and the voice tells her to remember the word "imperiatrix"; together, they would one day have the future.

In the present day, Narvin and Darkel watch the non-Gallifreyan students at the Time Lord Academy, the presence of whom Narvin disapproves. Darkel too disapproves of Romana as her liberalisation has made her largely redundant, but Narvin nonetheless remains loyal to Romana, even though he is irritated to learn that Braxiatel has been appointed head of the Academy. Darkel says that Romana has gone one step too far in having the oldest scriptures of Gallifrey amended by the High Council and asks Narvin to stand beside her when she is ready.

Wynter, Castellan of the Arcalian Chapter approaches Romana in the cells, reminding her that it is customary for the president to be escorted by a castellan when they visit. Romana speaks with Andred, who has been a prisoner for seven weeks and now has no trace of Torvald in his system. Andred disapproves of Romana and her toleration of Braxiatel interacting with his past and future selves and asks to see Leela, who has been away since learning of his regeneration. He demands to be released and exiled, but she refuses.

In the Vaults, Leela asks K9 Mark I if he likes being on Gallifrey and he says that it is satisfactory, finding regular contact with K9 Mark II to be advantageous for his data banks. Leela wishes that she could be like him to escape her pain about Andred, who she feels has become an entirely different person and refuses to visit. She feels a presence which K9 does not, but then they both hear a voice which says that it is "the past and the present of this planet" and that they are coming home.

Andred speaks with Darkel, who admires his opposition to Romana's policies but finds his lingering sympathy for Free Time concerning.

Braxiatel addresses the students from off-world in a speech in which he calls himself Chancellor. Romana picks up on this and tells him that she will not grant him the office as she does not wish to be seen giving heightened offices to her political allies. He is, nonetheless, appreciated. When she mentions her nickname from the Academy, "the Ice Maiden", Braxiatel wonders why it has come to her mind, having first heard of it in the Vaults from her first incarnation.

Narvin invites Wynter to his office and learns how little experience in security he actually has, having graduated from the Academy only three months earlier. He says that he hopes that they can find a way to work together, but Wynter is dismissive and leaves when he says that Romana's liberal policies will have them crossing paths often. Narvin talks to himself about Wynter being wet behind the ears and hopes that he will not have another sleepless night.

Leela seeks out the source of the voice, which K9 can hear despite not being able to detect any presence. Following it, she disappears and K9 calls out for her. He sends a message to K9 Mark II, who tells Romana that Leela has vanished in the Vaults. She tells K9 to locate his counterpart and to call Wynter so that they can find her.

to be added

Cast

 * President Romana - Lalla Ward
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * K9 - John Leeson
 * Romana - Mary Tamm
 * Inquisitor Prime Darkel - Lynda Bellingham
 * Cardinal Braxiatel - Miles Richardson
 * Coordinator Narvin - Seán Carlsen
 * Andred - Andy Coleman
 * Castellan Wynter - Ian Hallard
 * The Archivist - Trevor Littledale
 * Pandora - Brenda Longman

Continuity

 * Valyes attended the Academy with the First Doctor. In year fifty, the Doctor fed a snapping wart fowl to his summer project. Valyes has held a grudge ever since. (AUDIO: The Next Life)
 * There are references to TV: The Ribos Operation (when Romana was sent to assist the Fourth Doctor's quest for the Key to Time) and TV: The Armageddon Factor (when Romana was tortured by the Shadow).
 * Braxiatel informs Narvin that, in direct contravention of the First Law of Time, he has been supplying his future self with alien artefacts for his collection and makes a veiled reference to his future self's associates. This refers to the events depicted in the Big Finish Bernice Summerfield series as well as establishing that his experiences with Bernice Summerfield, Jason Kane and Adrian Wall occur or rather will occur many years after the events portrayed in Gallifrey in Braxiatel's personal timeline. Furthermore, he claims that he will be more adept at hypnotism in the future, as shown in AUDIO: The Mirror Effect. This confession would later have major ramifications for Braxiatel in AUDIO: Pandora.
 * Maxil has been promoted to Castellan since the events of TV: Arc of Infinity. He would later make his first and only appearance in Gallifrey in AUDIO: Appropriation, in which he was played in an uncredited cameo by Colin Baker.
 * Wynter mentions Romana exposing the Oubliette of Eternity and disbanding its use. (AUDIO: Neverland)