The Mutant Phase (audio story)

 was the fifteenth monthly Doctor Who audio story produced by Big Finish Productions and the third of their Dalek Empire semi-linked stories.

It was an early example of a non-original piece of Doctor Who fiction published by Big Finish. It was in fact a remake of an unlicensed audio drama published by Audio Visuals.

This was, according to the fictional timeline, the first performed story to feature an encounter between either the Fifth Doctor or Nyssa and the Daleks.

Publisher's summary
In the 22nd century, the Daleks have occupied planet Earth. By the 43rd century, only a handful of humans survive. Still further into the distant future, a Thal scientist must choose whether to betray his heritage, or see the universe destroyed.

When the Doctor and Nyssa find themselves trapped in this deadly chain of events, they must decide who their real enemies are. What is certain, however, is that no matter where the Doctor turns... his arch enemies, the Daleks, will be waiting for him.

What could possibly be worse than that? The Mutant Phase...

Episode One
On the starship Dianis, Professor Ptolem completes his audio survey log. An odd echo is heard as he speaks. The ship is sweeping the trade routes and Ptolem reports that every planet they have surveyed is devoid of life. He determines that some force or thing has destroyed everything. He thinks it must be some kind of natural disaster that caused all this.

As he tries to come up with a solution, he is interrupted by Commander Ganatus who tells him they've picked up something on the long range scanners. The scanners have picked up a life form heading straight for them at incredible speed, three times their maximum. The life form turns out to be a group of over 100,000,000,000 units making up the whole, flying in close formation. Ganatus decides it's a swarm.

The ship decides to get out of the area but they realize that swarm will overtake them. They cut off the engines and divert all power to their defense screens, hoping for the best. The swarm hits them and the ship is caught in the wake, flying out of control. When the ship is finally freed, the swarm has vanished. Ganatus realizes that they are in space around Skaro.

Nyssa is making repairs on the TARDIS audio systems for the proximity alarm to avoid a problem like they had when she and the Doctor visited Alaska. The alarm goes off and the TARDIS is thrown into a Time corridor. They realize they are being drawn towards the end of it. The TARDIS isn't able to break free but they can bounce off it.

The land roughly in a large cornfield. The Doctor says he has no idea where they are, as the time corridor interferred with the TARDIS systems. Nyssa notices a large number of wasps buzzing around them. Nyssa gets stung in the arm by one of them. She insists she's fine, but the Doctor looks at it anyway. Suddenly, they hear a loud whoosh and a blur overhead. Nyssa thinks that's a sign of some kind of civilization. The Doctor decides they should explore and eventually, they'll come out of the field.

Now on planet Earth, Ptolem contacts Ganatus through a communicator. Weather conditions are making the transmission difficult. Ptolem is trying to get back to their base but is over the human's bunker. Ptolem wonders if they saw him, but Ganatus isn't worried.

In an underground bunker, Albert is on a pile of books looking through a periscope. Delores asks if he's found anything. He did see someone stumbling around but then disappeared in the storm. Delores asks Albert if he is going to help them. Albert replies that they have with food and medical supplies. Delores is concerned that if the aliens blast off again, they won't have any more food or supplies. Albert says they'll face each situation as it comes. She insults him and leaves.

Nyssa and the Doctor continue to walk through the field. Another spaceship passes overhead. They decide to walk in that direction. Suddenly, they hear gunfire and grenades. They decide to head back towards the TARDIS.

Ptolem arrives at their base, bringing back more soil samples. Ganatus laughs, telling Ptolem that the Doctor has finally been spotted on the time track.

The Doctor and Nyssa crouch down in the field, lost and unable to find the TARDIS. The Doctor wishes he'd brought his tracker. They try to get their bearings. Nyssa finds a body lying in the field. After some investigation, they determine that he was an American sheriff from the state of Kansas. Nyssa notices that he has scars on his head and bullet hole in his back. The Doctor looks for a warrant card and using the date of the card (2139), the Doctor is able to determine the year. He tells Nyssa that the scars on the sheriff's head are from alien technology which was grafted right on to his skull. The Doctor goes on to say that he was under the control of an alien intelligence and was shot in the back and the technology removed from him. He tells her that they are on Earth in 2157 and they have to find the TARDIS.

Ptolem activates the Time track and determines that the Doctor is in 2158. Ptolem has read the Doctor's history and knows he won't be staying there long.

The Doctor and Nyssa are moving quickly through the field, trying to avoid any gunfire and find the TARDIS. They hear a shotgun being cocked and a voice telling them not to move. Nyssa notices he is another sheriff, the Doctor adding that this one comes with alien technology. The Sheriff asks if they are with the other freedom fighters. The Doctor says no, but they are hiding in the "blue box over there". The Sheriff doesn't believe him and contacts control for to report their capture. Nyssa sees that the wasps sting him and he doesn't seem to notice. The sheriff requests backup. A spaceship lands nearby. Nyssa asks the Doctor what it is. A Dalek comes over to them demanding they identify themselves. This Dalek has been damaged in battle. It demands they identify themselves and then determines they have escaped from the work camps. The Doctor tells Nyssa to get ready to run to the TARDIS. The Dalek demands to know what a TARDIS is. They run to the TARDIS, being fired on by the sheriff and the Dalek. The TARDIS dematerializes and explains to Nyssa that he's met the Daleks before, but they haven't met him yet. Nyssa is complaining that the sting is hurting her arm again. As she goes for the medical kit, the Doctor realizes that by dematerializing, they are back in the time corridor again.

Ptolem tells Ganatus to check and confirm that the Doctor is back in the time corridor and is in transit.

Nyssa is unable to set the controls and can't get the destination to register. She says it's a shame he can't do his bouncing trick with the corridor again. The Doctor says that it doesn't matter, wherever they land there are sure to be Daleks there.

Ganatus says that the Doctor's arrival is imminent. Ptolem says they'd better meet him. Ganatus says that they really don't have a choice.

The Doctor tells Nyssa that they are falling into a trap set by the Daleks. Nyssa says that the should put up a fight to put some space between them and the Daleks. The Doctor tries to dematerialize putting them in a different place than they're supposed to be.

Ganatus says the time corridor has been activated. Ptolem asks if Ganatus ever wonders why they're doing this. He says they're doing what has to be done. The time corridor stops and a Dalek exits asking for a report. Ptolem tells the Dalek that the Doctor will be arriving soon. The Dalek says that the Doctor will soon be in their power.

The Doctor asks if there is any change in the special coordinates. Nyssa is unable to tell from the instruments. The Doctor decides to risk it and materializes.

Delores tells Albert that it was lucky that the Thals showed up and wonders if they do this kind of thing all the time. They hear the TARDIS materializing and decide to go investigate. Albert thinks it might be the Thals again.

The Doctor and Nyssa exit the TARDIS and she complains about the wasp sting. Nyssa says they appear to have materialized inside a structure. They don't see any Daleks and decide to go investigate.

The Daleks return and ask Ganatus where the Doctor is, as the time track says he should have arrived. Another Dalek reports that the TARDIS did arrive at the right time, but he has altered the coordinates. The first Dalek asks if the TARDIS can be found. They say that the Doctor is somewhere on the planet and they will begin a search.

to be continued

Cast

 * The Doctor - Peter Davison
 * Nyssa - Sarah Sutton
 * Professor Ptolem - Christopher Blake
 * Commander Ganatus - Jared Morgan
 * Albert - Andrew Ryan
 * Delores - Sara Wakefield
 * The Daleks - Alistair Lock & Nicholas Briggs
 * Dalek Emperor - Nicholas Briggs
 * Professor Karl Hendryk - Mark Gatiss

Daleks

 * The Daleks use Robomen as guards in 22nd century Kansas.
 * This is the first time that Nyssa had ever seen or heard of a Dalek.

Species

 * Both the Thals and the Daleks count in Rels.


 * Nyssa compares wasps on Earth to Lime Grove Wasps on Traken.
 * In the alternative timeline, the Thals provide the survivors on Earth with food.

TARDIS

 * Nyssa has been repairing the TARDIS' proximity alarm.
 * The Doctor uses the HADS to move the TARDIS.

Theories and concepts

 * The TARDIS is caught up in a damaged spatial temporal causal nexus point.
 * Meeting or communicating with one's past or future self is against the First Law of Time.

Time travel

 * When the TARDIS arrives, it hits a bump in the time track and is drawn down a time corridor.
 * Skaro is destroyed (in an alternative timeline).
 * The Daleks have time corridor technology.

Continuity

 * Nyssa refers to the events of AUDIO: The Land of the Dead.
 * This story takes place in an altered future after the events of TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
 * The idea of the TARDIS jumping a time track was first seen in TV: The Space Museum.
 * Commander Ganatus and the Starship Dyoni are named after Thal characters from TV: The Daleks.
 * Nyssa would later encounter the Daleks in another alternative timeline (AUDIO: Renaissance of the Daleks) and in Stockbridge during the 45th century. (AUDIO: Plague of the Daleks) While a lone Dalek was present on Florana at the time that she, the Doctor and Tegan Jovanka visited the planet, Nyssa did not come into contact with it. (AUDIO: The Elite)
 * The Doctor remarks to the Dalek Emperor that they have both had a "face lift" since they last met during his second incarnation. (TV: The Evil of the Daleks)
 * Nyssa refers to the events surrounding Adric's death in 2526. (TV: Earthshock)
 * The Daleks possess bonded polycarbide armour. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)
 * The Dalek Emperor transfers himself into Ganatus' body in a fashion similar to his possession of Susan Mendes in 4177. (AUDIO: Dalek War: Chapter One)