The Dark Path (novel)

Publisher's summary
'He's one of my own people, Victoria, and he's hunting me.'

Darkheart: a faded neutron star surrounded by dead planets. But there is life on one of these icy rocks - the last enclave of the Earth Empire, frozen in the image of another time. As the rest of the galaxy enjoys the fruits of the fledgling Federation, these isolated Imperials, bound to obey a forgotten ideal, harbour a dark obsession.

The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria arrive to find that the Federation has at last come to reintegrate this lost colony, whether they like it or not. But all is not well in the Federation camp: relations and allegiances are changing. The fierce Veltrochni - angered by the murder of their kinsmen - have an entirely different agenda. And someone else is manipulating the mission for his own mysterious reasons - another time traveller, a suave and assured master of his work.

The Doctor must uncover the terrible secret which brought the Empire to this desolate sector, and find the source of the strange power maintaining their society. But can a Time Lord, facing the ultimate temptation, control his own desires?

Characters

 * The Doctor
 * The Doctor hasn't seen Koschei in 200 years.


 * Jamie McCrimmon
 * Is not afraid of heights.


 * Victoria Waterfield
 * Is tempted by Koschei to eliminate Skaro from time and space.
 * Gets hypnotised by Koschei.


 * Koschei (The Master)
 * Has visited the Skonnon Empire.


 * Ailla
 * Koschei's companion.
 * He thinks she's human, however she is a Time Lady sent to keep an eye on him.


 * Epilira
 * An Alpha Centauran who was a cultural advisor on the ship, Piri Reis cultural advisor
 * Was removed from existance by the Darkheart

Continuity

 * The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria just left Vortis (MA: Twilight of the Gods).
 * The Doctor and Sherwin discuss the events of MA: The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
 * The Tzun first appeared (and the Veltrochni were mentioned) in NA: First Frontier.
 * The Earth Empire's hold over Solos is seen in DW: The Mutants.
 * Mondas was destroyed in DW: The Tenth Planet.
 * The glitter gun was first mentioned in DW: Revenge of the Cybermen.
 * The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria visited the Britannicus Ice Base in DW: The Ice Warriors.
 * The fall of the Earth Empire occured in NA: Original Sin.
 * The incident the Doctor mentions with the time path indicator and the Daleks was DW: The Chase.
 * Victoria and Jamie mention seeing the Daleks' 'final end' (in DW: The Evil of the Daleks).
 * An alternate version of Koschei appears in PDA: The Face of the Enemy.

Timeline

 * The Dark Path occurs after: MA: Twilight of the Gods.
 * The Dark Path occurs before: ST: Screamager.