Red Dawn (audio story)

 was the eighth story in Big Finish's main range. It was written by Justin Richards and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor and Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown.

Though Ice Warrior stories were not uncommon at Big Finish following this initial adventure, Red Dawn proved interesting retrospectively because Nicholas Briggs — later the dominant 21st-century voice of the Ice Warriors — was not at all involved in the production. Matthew Brehner's Zzaal ultimately became a counterpoint to Briggs' several Martian characters, both on audio and television. Indeed, producers Jason Haigh-Ellery and Gary Russell gave voice to the subordinate Ice Warriors, further distancing this story's Ice Warrior's vocal palette from the later Briggsian norm.

Publisher's summary
Ares One: NASA's first manned mission to the dead planet Mars. But is Mars as dead as it seems?

While the NASA team investigate an 'anomaly' on the planet's surface, the Doctor and Peri find themselves inside a strange alien building. What is its purpose? And what is frozen inside the blocks of ice that guard the doorways? If the Doctor has a sense of deja-vu, it's because he's about to meet some old adversaries, as well as some new ones...

Part one
The NASA mission Ares One set off for Mars, captained by Commander Lee Forbes. Upon arrival, pilot Susan Roberts is forced to manually land on the planet surface because of the dust storm interfering with the scanning system.

Meanwhile, the Fifth Doctor and Peri arrive in the TARDIS on unknown ground. They discover that they are inside some organic building, made of a green substance. They also continue to find — as they walk through endless corridors — ice-pillars, which seem to hold a shape inside them.

After a quick walk across the surface, Commander Forbes discovers what they are looking for and when he embarks the rocket again, he deduces that the communications have gone down. This turns out to be true, and so he and his pilot exit the transport and investigate the green building. They suddenly find the Doctor and Peri who have been wandering for a while.

The Doctor joins forces with the Commander as Susan takes Peri to the rocket for an insulation suit. The Doctor and the Commander discover some sort of ceremonial room and find more ice-moulded pillars, which seem to crack in the warming air. The Doctor realises what is inside each one: Ice Warriors.

Part two
Commander Zzaal takes both the Doctor and Forbes prisoner, believing them to be raiding the tomb, but he soon admits that they wouldn't have opened the doors if they didn't have honourable intentions. Roberts points what looks like a gun at the Ice Warriors, but Sstast almost kills her with his sonic blaster, prompting an angered Doctor to tell the Ice Warriors that she was holding a spectographer in an attempt to bluff them. Roberts is taken to the medical facilities while Sstast is ordered to capture the remaining humans.

Peri finds out that Leo Webster has ordered an investigation of the anomaly, and then starts becoming suspicious when Tanya tells her that Paul is the head of the defence division of Webster Corporation. Paul reveals that he and the other astronauts knew all along that the anomaly belonged to the aliens as the first probes to Mars returned with technological debris and organic shell fragments containing alien DNA as well as Martian soil. The communications blackout prevents Paul from telling the Earth that they have found alien DNA. Peri tells Paul that the aliens weren't awake when the carrier signal was lost, and Tanya finds out that someone has changed the password to prevent them from contacting Earth.

Lord Zzaal tells the Doctor that they are standing in the tomb of the greatest Ice Warrior who ever lived, Izdal, who gave his life to ensure that his people would escape from Mars before they could be killed by the rising temperatures caused by the Red Dawn. Zzaal was the leader of Izdal's personal guard and was subjected to cryogenic suspension so they could continue to protect his final resting place. He also admits that life was beginning on Earth when Mars was evacuated, knowing that they would soon have a chance to make a trade agreement, thus explaining why the doors would open to those with good intentions and no one else. After Roberts passes away from her injuries, she is soon buried like a warrior.

Just as Sstast shows up at the Argosy to capture the other humans, Paul exposes him to the oxygen from a cylinder, rendering him unable to defend himself when Paul finally knocks him unconscious by hitting him in the head with the cylinder before removing his sonic weapon, something which Tanya seems to instinctively know about. The Doctor calls them to tell them that Sstast is on his way, only for Paul to inform Zzaal that Sstast will be held hostage to keep the other Ice Warriors at bay. When the doctor objects to this, Paul cuts him off and aims Sstast's sonic weapon at Peri when she also tries to object. Tanya is aware that the Warriors will regard this action as an act of war, but Paul replies that the Webster Corporation will be able to trade with both sides should an interplanetary war between Earth and Mars break out, and they will use the technology to create alien-human hybrids, resulting in the first Earth Warriors.

Enraged, Zzaal believes that the Doctor and Forbes were distracting him while the other humans captured Sstast. He blows off the Doctor's attempts to calm him and orders his warriors to rescue Sstast or destroy the Argosy and everyone onboard to give him an honorable death. Paul orders Tanya to begin the Argosy's launch sequence whilst the Warriors are burning their way through the hatchway, but then decides to start the launch sequence himself when Tanya refuses to do so. Tanya reluctantly completes the sequence, causing the Argosy to lift off with Peri onboard. Two of Zzaal's warriors are incinerated by the engines of the Argosy, prompting Zzaal to order the activation of his tomb's defenses so the Argosy cannot leave with Sstast onboard. Ignoring the Doctor's pleas to spare the lives of the innocent, Zzaal orders his warriors to fire the first missiles at the Argosy.

Part three
Peri is released by Tanya, and tries to untie Sstast, against Paul's orders. Peri wants to return to Mars, but Paul is against it. Tanya instructs Peri as to how to pilot the ship away from Zzaal's incoming missile, knocut it still damages the ship. Sstast wakes up and knocks out Paul, then orders Tanya to fly them back to Mars. Meanwhile, not knowing their warrior has got control of the ship, Zzaal orders more missiles to be fired at the ship, but the Doctor stops them without killing the other warriors. His mercy seems to make the ice warriors show mercy in return, allowing Forbes and the Doctor to contact the ship.

Forbes talks to the ship, telling them not mt their instruments, as the sonic modulator has disrupted them. Zzaal reminds everyone that they don't have heat shields, but Tanya finds a way to land the ship more or less safely. The Doctor, Zzaal, and Forbes make their way to the crashed ship, finding it mostly intact. Sstast takes those in the ship prisoner as the others reach the ship, and he asks if he should execute the prisoners. The Doctor tells the martians that there is honour in mercy, and Zzaal agrees to allow the humans to come back to their tomb, then send them home.

They get back to the tomb, and Paul Webster is restrained when holding a charge (explosive) at the body of Izdal. He takes the Doctor and Tanya as "insurance", leaves the charge (which can be remotely detonated) at Izdal's head, and proclaims that he wants the Martian's ship. The martians say they will use an armoured vehicle to get Paul, the Doctor, and Tanya to the ship. Paul gets rid of the detonator, which is now out of range. Paul still has Sstast's gun, and threatens the Doctor with it, telling him to say goodbye.

Part four
The Doctor says goodbye to Peri as Paul orders Tanya and the Doctor into the ship. Tanya is ordered to figure out how to pilot the ship. Peri, Forbes, and the Martians attempt to get into the ship, but Tanya activates the engines, finding the Martian technology "familiar".

The Martians reveal there is a "cutout" in the engine housing, and a warrior (Razzburr) has been sent to activate it. Razzburr activates it, stopping the ship. The Martians (and Peri and Forbes) go to their communications centre to negotiate with the ship. Meanwhile, Paul reveals on the ship that Tanya isn't what she seems. The Martians think about deploying a "sonic charge" (a weapon) on the ship, knowing they would destroy the Doctor too. Meanwhile, om the ship, they continue pointing weapons at the tomb whilst Paul reveals that Tanya is part Martian, cloned with human DNA too from the DNA found in the probe, 18 years ago.

The Martians make contact, and Paul releases the Doctor in exchange for a warrior- Zzaal. Zzaal declares sinisterly that both diplomacy and cunning are useful, before offering himself as the warrior in the exchange. He then tells Sstast that Webster lives "as long as I do", implying they should destroy the ship once he's been exchanged with the Doctor. Forbes reveals that he was the one to cut off all communication to Earth at the start, because they discovered aliens, and that he was following protocol established because of the Brookings Report. At the same time, Paul and the Doctor are discussing the same report.

Forbes reveals that the Brookings Report orders that communications must be cut off in the event of discovery of extra terrestrial life on another planet, and the Doctor on the ship explains that this is because NASA are worried about the social implications of such a discovery. Zzaal arrives, and the Doctor begs him not to do whatever he plans. Zzaal says goodbye to Sstast as Paul Webster leads Zzaal and the Doctor to the other ship. Zzaal watches the sun rise with the Doctor, who has worked out Zzaal's plan, remembering that Izdal was killed by the red dawn, and so Zzaal will die the same way. Zzaal dies with honour, allowing Sstast to fire the sonic charge without breaking his promise (not to endanger Zzaal's life while he lives). Zzaal tells the Doctor to save Tanya and run as his last words.

The Doctor and Tanya run while Paul calls after them, and is killed by the sonic charge. Peri and Forbes try to stop the Martians from firing, worried about the Doctor, but they are too late. Luckily, the Doctor and Tanya are far enough away, surviving to get back to the tomb.

Sstast promises to contact the rest of his people to tell them that humans have much to learn, but aren't all bad, with Tanya deciding to stay on Mars as an ambassador. The Doctor and Peri return to the TARDIS, hoping to go "somewhere warm".

Cast

 * The Doctor - Peter Davison
 * Peri Brown - Nicola Bryant
 * Commander Forbes - Robert Jezek
 * Susan Roberts - Maureen Oakeley
 * Tanya Webster - Georgia Moffett
 * Paul Webster - Stephen Fewell
 * Commander Zzaal - Matthew Brenher
 * Sub Commander Sstast - Hylton Collins
 * Razzburr - Gary Russell
 * Zizmar - Alistair Lock
 * Sskann - Jason Haigh-Ellery

Crew

 * Cover Art - Clayton Hickman
 * Director - Gary Russell
 * Executive Producer - Jacqueline Rayner
 * Music - Russell Stone
 * Producer - Gary Russell and Jason Haigh-Ellery
 * Sound Design - Alistair Lock
 * Writer - Justin Richards
 * Ice Warriors created by Brian Hayles

Worldbuilding

 * Paul Webster and the Doctor cite the Brookings Report, issued in 1958 upon NASA's inception.
 * Peri compares Izdaal's tomb to Nebraska.

Spacecraft

 * The NASA mission is only viable due to the Webster Corporation's funding.
 * The NASA spacecraft is called the Argosy.

Mars

 * The British missions to Mars are mentioned. However this is the first American Mars mission.
 * The titular "red dawn" refers to the ultraviolet radiation that penetrates Mars' atmosphere.
 * The Ice Lord Izdaal was the greatest Ice Warrior who ever lived.

Continuity

 * During his second incarnation, the Doctor encountered the Ice Warriors for the first time on the Brittanicus Base during an Ice Age in the company of Jamie McCrimmon and Victoria Waterfield. (TV: The Ice Warriors)
 * The British Mars missions mentioned are either from TV: The Ambassadors of Death or PROSE: The Dying Days. An unmanned mission, described as being the UK's first (despite the earlier missions depicted), is featured in TV: The Christmas Invasion.
 * In the far future, radio and television broadcasts about the first manned mission to Mars could be accessed via the Gogglebox inside the Moon. (AUDIO: The Reaping, AUDIO: The Gathering)
 * The Doctor and Peri would encounter the Ice Warriors again on Peladon in the 41st century (AUDIO: The Bride of Peladon) and, following the former's regeneration into his sixth incarnation, on Magnus in the 24th century. (AUDIO: Mission to Magnus)
 * The Fifth Doctor would return to Mars in the company of Amy, where they witnessed the destruction of the planet's atmosphere millions of years in the past. (AUDIO: The Judgement of Isskar)
 * Isskar witnessed Lord Izdaal step outside and sacrifice himself to the Red Dawn. (AUDIO: The Judgement of Isskar)
 * Following the destruction of Mars' atmosphere, the Ice Warriors fled to Deimos, one of the planet's moons, where they constructed catacombs and placed themselves in suspended animation in the hope of one day either reclaiming Mars or conquering Earth. Millions of years later, after Mars had been colonised by humans, large sections of the catacombs were opened to the public in the museum in the Deimos moonbase in the 23rd century. One of the exhibits in the museum featured a holographic simulation of Lord Izdaal sacrificing his life. (AUDIO: Deimos)