Angel of the North (TV story)

Synopsis
Gryffen is taken by Thorne in a special Virtual Reality encasement suit to the crash site of the Fallen Angel, the spaceship that the Space-Time Manipulator was taken from. In the frozen wastes of his native Canada, Gryffen faces his own demons and, once again, the dreaded Korven. K9 and Starkey try to rescue Gryffen from this most evil of alien menaces. Gryffen finds the STM's missing dimensional stabilizer unit whe needs to control it properly. However with it comes a mystery...

Plot
In a base in the frozen wastes of Canada, a Department inspector is called by a technician. The technician says he can't get a piece of machinery to come apart and it won't budge. The inspector tells him he's on his way. The technician reaches through some slime and experiences a strange distortion. He looks up and screams. At Gryffen's house, Gryffen is at the STM while the same distortion happens. Gryffen asks K9 what's going on. K9 investigates and says he's finding it difficult to keep still. He has found Earth coordinates and asks if 48 north by 120 means anything to Gryffen. Gryffen says he can't think of anything but when K9 says it's in Canada he says that's where the Fallen Angel crashed. He determines something is happening up there which is affecting the STM and K9. When K9 asks why, Gryffen says that as the STM came from the ship it would be affected and K9 is affected as he came through the STM. K9 suggests there is some lingering effect. Gryffen says that could explain it. K9 says Gryffen's logic is faulty and less than helpful when he says the disturbance from the ship is being caused by the ship being disturbed. Gryffen thinks that after all this time the ship has been quiet and not a thing came from it, it's as if something has been awakened or some element has been activated.

Gryffen wonders if it is the temporal stabiliser, the missing element and the reason he hasn't been able to master the STM. He thinks that when the brought the STM here they missed the stabiliser and it's still up there and something has caused it to activate as K9 suggests. Gryffen says he needs to find it but K9 notes the flaw that he would have to been in the ship and it's not located anywhere in the house. Gryffen tells K9 that if he gets the STM working properly, K9 could go home and he could go back... K9 interrupts him and argues that he knows as well as he does that trying to change the past is highly dangerous. K9 is confused when Gryffen smiles at him and he says that K9 could go get it. When K9 hesitates to answer, Gryffen asks why not. K9 says he is curious to find out why he was affected by the STM, but not curious enough to go and if he finds a sufficiently fascinating reason why he should go, he will reconsider. Gryffen tries to conquer his agoraphobia. He takes several steps outside but when his fingertips get off the door he goes back in. Darius comes and helps him up. Gryffen says he is all right and thanks him for helping. Darius asks what he was doing. Gryffen says he was going for a walk. Darius is shocked that he tried to go outside. Gryffen agrees it was ridiculous. Darius asks if he wanted anything. Gryffen says not at the moment.

Later, Gryffen contacts June and tells her something urgent has come up and he needs to get to the fallen angel. He tells her that he believes the temporal stabiliser is still lodged in there and if he gets it he'll finally be able to get the STM working accurately. June asks how he will get to the ship. Gryffen says he was thinking about the travelsuit that she once told him about. She says the travelsuit is still at an experimental stage and it's a very hazardous journey. Thorne (who is working behind June) leaves. June tells Gryffen to leave it with her for now. Later, Thorne tells Lomax about the conversation and is ordered to assist him in every way possible, travel with him to the site and keep an eye on him at all times as they don't want him meddling. Thorne enters Gryffen's house with two CCPCs carrying a box, followed by a confused Darius. They open the box and put it down in the STM room where an amazed Gryffen picks up the Virtual Reality encasement suit. When K9 asks what it is, Thorne refuses to answer, saying it's official Department business. He says he and June have agreed to assist Gryffen on his trip to the fallen angel; the suit is to help him get over his phobia. Thorne assures Gryffen that it's perfectly safe and that the encasement suit passed the highest level security tests. K9 is not confident. Gryffen asks if K9 could come instead. Thorne reminds him he is obliged to further scientific work the Department as it's in his contract.

Gryffen puts on his suit. Thorne says he will be travelling with him along with a small security team and that he'll see to it personally he's safe and sound. A CCPC grabs Gryffen's arm as they go out, When Thorne smiles at K9 and Darius, Darius becomes suspicious. As they leave the house, Gryffen panics and protests as the two CCPCs pull him out. K9 wakes Starkey up and the three argue about the matter. June arrives, asking where Gryffen is, saying she's tried to get in touch with him, only to be told about the situation.

Thorne, Gryffen and the CCPCs arrive at the crash site where Gryffen admires a piece of wreckage. Jorjie has arrived. She says she doesn't understand why he would go on such a dangerous trip. Darius tells her how he's like with the STM. Starkey says they have to get him back and asks K9 to find him since he has the coordinates. K9 says he can but doesn't know if he will be able to persuade him to return as he's determined to find the stabiliser. Darius says he doesn't trust Thorne and asks why he said June agreed with him when she did not. K9 says she has gone to find out, Starkey wonders who else could be in control up there. Jorjie asks if he took his vidcom with him, Darius says he didn't have time to take anything with him. Starkey asks if K9 is able to get in contact with him, K9 says he has considered using the STM but that would be considerably dangerous. Another earthquake like distortion occurs, K9 tells Jorjie it's to do with the ship. She asks why it's affecting him, K9 says he isn't entirely sure but has an uneasy feeling about it and decides it's time to travel there. Gryffen finds a helmet, Thorne tells him to get on with his work. Gryffen finds the stabiliser in a puddle of slime, he reaches through and grabs it. He confirms to Thorne it is and it matches the structure of the STM perfectly. Thorne tells him to bring it out and they'll go. As Thorne and the CCPCs leave, Gryffen spots something of interest. Thorne demands to know what Gryffen is doing, Gryffen says they are empty pods. Thorne arrives and says it's none of his business, he warns him to come out before he has him dragged out. Gryffen gives in as there's nothing in there anyway. Thorne corrects him and says only one is empty but is shocked to find they are all empty, Gryffen asks him if he didn't know they where empty. Thorne says he did, Gryffen asks what was in them and grows impaitent. Thorne tells him nothing, Gryffen says that the "nothings" have escaped and whatever they are they are loose in the tunnels.

K9 tells the team it will not be easy for him to travel through only space and not stray into any other time period, he tells the team he will need them all to operate the STM in unison. All of the three say they want to come, K9 says that in order to get him to arrive at the designated spot in Canada they will have to work together. He tells them to set all the instruments to zero which they do. Starkey asks how he knows this will get him there, K9 says it's merely what he calls a hunch. Since the STM came from the fallen angel in theory it's default location for transportation would be the ship. They finish setting all the instruments and powering it up, creating a power surge almost efficent for transportation. Starkey tells Jorjie to hold the instrument he's on, when she questions him he tells her to do it. He goes down stairs and joins K9 as they are transported to Canada, Jorjie and Darius look on in shock. Starkey explains to K9 that he thought he might have needed his help. K9 tells him he has now caused a problem, transporting both of them has depleted the portal's power and if they're not in this exact spot in two hours time the portal will close. Starkey says it's not likely the Department will give them a lift back, Starkey spots the site in the distance and they move towards it. The CCPCs take Gryffen away, unbeknownst to him and Thorne he drops the stabiliser. Gryffen says theres no need for this and he can help him. Thorne tells the CCPCs to take him back to the transport. As they take Gryffen out, Gryffen demands to know what was in the pods. Thorne says it's not for him to question and he's a scientist being payed to do whatever scientists do. Thorne orders a Canadian CCPC to get a squadron and scour the tunnels.

K9 and Starkey arrive at the base and go through the tunnels. Later on, Starkey asks him if he's found any signs of Gryffen. K9 says he hasn't but has picked up signs of another lifeform, Starkey asks if it's a CCPC but K9 tells him it's alien. When Starkey asks what kind of alien, his question is answered when he is met by a Korven. The Korven takes aim, but is shot by K9 before he can fire. Gryffen tells Thorne he hasn't got the stabiliser and he must have dropped it when the CCPCs manhandled him. Thorne says they need the stabilser and warns him if he's playing games with him he knows the consequences. Gryffen says it must be back at the ship, a CCPC tells Thorne something is coming their way. They are met by Starkey and K9, Starkey tells Gryffen there are Korven here. Gryffen determines that's what was in the pods and the ship and the STM is Korven technology. Gryffen warns Thorne how dangerous the Korven are, Thorne tells him he has an inchling and it's classified information. Starkey says it won't stay a secret for long when the Korven get out of here, Thorne says he has the situation contained. K9 tells him there are over one hundred Korven in this area alone. Thorne decides that they should all leave. Gryffen tells K9 and Starkey that he had the stabiliser and Thorne's CCPCs grabbed him and he dropped it, he tells them they have to go back. They arrive back at the site, Gryffen tells them he thinks the stabiliser is somewhere near those white marbles in front of the ship. K9 gives Gryffen and Starkey a diversion and flys around the CCPCs making various animal sounds. Gryffen goes and grabs the stabiliser but is met by a CCPC, he throws it to Starkey. K9 and Starkey leave as the CCPCs chase Gryffen, he runs down a corridor when he meets a Korven. It fires at him but he manages to evade the shot. Gryffen spots a door and goes outside, the Korven is then met by two CCPCs. It fires at them and they retreat.

With only minutes left, K9 shows Starkey the way to go. The way they came in, Starkey determines Gryffen is outside. Starkey grabs a jacket and they both get out. Starkey calls out for Gryffen, he hears him but can't see him due to the snow. They arrive at the transportation point, Starkey manages to show Gryffen where they are. They grabbed hold of each other and are sent back to the house. Thorne asks a CCPC where Gryffen is, the CCPC replies he's gone outside. Thorne asks if he had the stabiliser, the CCPC tells him Starkey had it. The three arrive back, Starkey gives Gryffen the stabiliser. As Gryffen goes to the STM K9 strongly advises against activating the STM with that device, Gryffen assures that he only wants to examine it. Starkey and K9 tell Darius and Jorjie they've found out the STM is Korven technology. K9 warns that the Korven are even more dangerous than the Jixen, infact more dangerous than any alien he has encountered and could have only come to Earth to further their aggression, across time as Starkey adds. K9 warns that they have ambitions to rule time and space and if they had the missing piece they may open up a floodgate and allow the Korven to enter and embark on a secret mission. Gryffen finds a code "Deep Space Wavelength Alpha to the power of Pi squared", K9's cybernetic enhancement code and the call of his cybernetic functions. Gryffen says that as soon as he brings the stabiliser near the console thats the code that comes up on the screen. Starkey asks what K9's enhancement code doing in a piece of Korven technology, K9 says he has no answers. Gryffen says that until they find out, the stabiliser is out of operation. The team are happy that K9 is stuck here with them for a long time.

Cast

 * K9 Mark 2 - John Leeson
 * Starkey - Keegan Joyce
 * Jorjie Turner - Philippa Coulthard
 * Darius Pike - Daniel Webber
 * Professor Alistair Gryffen - Robert Moloney
 * June Turner - Robyn Moore
 * Thorne - Jared Robinsen
 * Lomax - Peter Kent
 * Canadian Department Inspector 1 - Craig Lee
 * Canadian Department Inspector 2 - Emma Gibbs
 * Korven - Matthew Reimer
 * CCPC - Josh Norbido
 * CCPC - Jason McNamara
 * CCPC - Eugen Bekafigo
 * CCPC - Manuel Savoie
 * CCPC - Tyler Rostedt

Production crew

 * Writer - Bob Baker
 * Director - James Bogle
 * Producers - Penny Wall, Richard Stewart, Simon Barnes
 * Executive producers - Jim Howell, Grant Bradley, Steve Robbins
 * Associate producers - Bob Baker, Paul Tams
 * Supervising producer - Dale Bradley
 * Co-Executive producers - Mark Blythe, Sam Tromans
 * Line producer - Pam Collis
 * VFX Director - David Napier
 * Series Production Designer - Jon Dowding
 * Episodic Designer - Adam Head
 * New K9 Design by - Paul Tams, Alex Kubalsky
 * Series Director of Photography - Ben Nott
 * Episodic Director of Photography - Tony O'Loughlan
 * Music by - Christopher Elves
 * K9 theme music by - Michael Lira
 * Editor - Patrick Stewart
 * Casting - Faith Martin and associates
 * Episodic casting - Lisa Maloney
 * Drama/Dialogue coach - Peter Kent
 * Story Producer - Greg Walters
 * Script Adaption - Michaeley O'Brien
 * Production Accountant - Pru Donovan
 * 1st Assistant Director - Peter McLennan
 * Script Supervisor - Sue Ketchington
 * Costume Designer - Joanne Thompson
 * Makeup Designer - Sharon Robbins
 * Puppeteer - David Pawsey
 * Location Manager - Charles Boyle
 * Sound Recordist - Ian Grant
 * B Camera Operator - Dan Maxwell
 * Gaffer - Steve Monk
 * Key Grip - Billy Harmer
 * Special thanks to - Space Furniture, Shredox, J. Barbour & Sons Ltd, Heath Williams at Firefly Lighting, Videopro
 * Safety Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator - Danny Baldwin
 * Transport Manager - Alister Ward
 * Unit Manager - Graeme Suhr
 * Post Production Facility - Cutting Edge Australia
 * Head of Post Production - John Lee
 * Sound Design - Warren Pearson

Story notes

 * After Mind Snap which was also written by Paul Tams, this episode is K9 co-creator Bob Baker's first solo script for the series and his first solo Doctor Who related TV story since Nightmare of Eden.
 * Unlike other episodes, where at the start the credits for the main cast, writer and director is located at the bottom centre, the credits are located at the middle right.

Ratings
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Myths
to be added

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors
to be added

Continuity

 * The Korven previously appeared in K9TV: The Korven.
 * K9 says the Korven are even more dangerous than the Jixen. (K9TV: Liberation)

Home video releases
This episode is featured in the Series One complete boxset.