Transference (audio story)

Transference was the third audio story in the audio anthology Manoeuvres, the fourteenth series of Gallifrey. It was written by Fio Trethewey and featured Louise Jameson as Leela, Seán Carlsen as Narvin, Carolyn Pickles as Ollistra and Chris Jarman as Rasmus.

Publisher's summary
When a promising scientist is injured and his new technology stolen, Ollistra sets Leela on the trail. Her hunt takes her outside the Citadel to Lowtown, where a shock awaits. Narvin has returned to Gallifrey. But in trying to help his kin, he risks more than he knows.

Plot
Helico is presenting his Matrix Transfer Device to the War Council when somebody disguised as a guard shoots him and escapes with it, leaving Helico to regenerate into his second incarnation with former classmate Cresta at his side. Leela follows the assassin's trail through a disguised portal to Lowtown and beyond the gates to a farmhouse where she finds Narvin and his cousin, Lenaris. Lenaris explains that she is Helico's twin sister and that the theft was part of a ploy to get the Matrix Transfer Device, which could be of use in saving Romana, to the Resistance, but the regeneration was an accident.

Helico is interrogated and tortured by Ollistra, who has been informed by Cresta that he has been in Lowtown, into revealing the identity of his attacker. Cresta is saved in Lowtown from a brigand by Leela and helps her get Narvin and Lenaris, whose true identities she is unaware of, into the Capitol from which Narvin and Lenaris intend to leave in Narvin's TARDIS. However, Lenaris realises that she accidentally stole the dummy version of the Matrix Transfer Device that Helico planned to leave behind and that the real one is in Ollistra's possession.

Ollistra tests the Matrix Transfer Device's data drain capabilities on Helico and Lenaris through their biodata, killing them both. Leela keeps Narvin from going to get revenge on Ollistra by knocking him out and dematerialising his TARDIS and returns to the War Room where Rasmus tells her that Ollistra has gone too far. In a slice of the Matrix, Leela apologises to Narvin, who promises to keep her updated.

Cast

 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * Narvin - Seán Carlsen
 * Cardinal Ollistra - Carolyn Pickles
 * Veklin - Beth Chalmers
 * Cresta - Faith Omole
 * Helico - Sam Gittins
 * Lenaris - Pepter Lunkuse
 * Cardinal Rasmus - Chris Jarman
 * Helico (First Incarnation) - James Corrigan
 * Chancellery Captain - Sam Clemens
 * Brigand Leader - Harry Myers
 * Other Roles - Becky Wright

Worldbuilding

 * The General is dealing with a situation in the Hordux Cluster.
 * Lenaris says that Todric will look after Freyja, her cat.
 * Cresta is threatened with an anti-regen blaster.
 * Narvin belongs to House Witforge.

Continuity

 * Leela mentions that Cresta has destroyed a Berserker. (AUDIO: Remnants)
 * Leela has spent time outside the Citadel. (TV: The Invasion of Time)