Appropriation (audio story)

Appropriation (identified on the cover simply as Chapter Twelve) was the third story of the third series of Big Finish's Gallifrey audio series. It was written by Paul Sutton.

Publisher's summary
"Didn't take the temporal powers long to realise that Pandora's war was over and come here to start a new one."

In the wake of civil war, Gallifrey stands more vulnerable than at any time in its controversial history. The other temporal powers orbit the ancient Time Lord society, poised and ready to take power.

And then, as a terrifying legacy, the residual traces of the Pandora virus bring down the transduction barriers...

While Romana lies exhausted and powerless in the medical station, Lord Matthias fights desperately to negotiate a peace. But Gallifreyans are dying. Can Leela find K9? Is retribution about to be visited upon the oldest race in the universe for untold millennia of manipulation and interference?

Plot
Narvin lets himself in to see Lord Matthias, no longer able to use intercoms due to the risk of the technological Dogma Virus having spread to systems outside of the Matrix. Narvin says that, with Romana out of action, the Time Lords need a figurehead and offers him the role of Acting President, an offer which Matthias refuses as, by law, Chancellor Valyes now holds the title. He suggests that Narvin present himself as a candidate and warns that, with the Civil War over, the real fight is about to begin.

Matthias speaks with Acting President Valyes, who repeats his claims that he had been trying to take Pandora down from within her inner circle, and assures him that nobody expects him to make up for the fact that the knowledge contained within the Matrix has been lost. Valyes invites Matthias to his office for a drink and to discuss "certain options" brought up by Darkel, but Matthias has to hurry to the Panopticon. Returning to his office, Valyes finds K9 in there, using the lead lining of the walls to assist in his self-diagnostic to ensure that he remains uninfected. K9 goes to check the other machines in the Capitol and Valyes is glad to be alone.

In the medical station, Romana is visited by Darkel, who is escorted by Captain Henzil. Darkel tells her that the High Council has a surprise for her and says that Romana is not Imperiatrix of Gallifrey. An alarm sounds, warning that the transduction barriers have been lowered; according to a remotely-communicating K9, this is because of the damage caused by the Dogma Virus to the Capitol network. Whilst the Monans remain in orbit, and the Phaidons and Nekkistani request permission to land in the city, Sunari capsules materialise and attack. K9 fires at the attackers and Romana calls for the Chancellery Guard.

Valyes searches his office for a staser and raises it to Narvin when he enters. Commander Janartis follows and informs them that, in addition to more capsules materialising, a Sunari battlecruiser has landed. Narvin believes that the battlecruiser is simply a display of power and that the Sunari intend to take their students back home. Whilst Janartis initially says that the Time Lords have nothing to bargain with, he changes his mind when Narvin mentions Romana.

Henzil has placed guards in the corridor outside of Romana's room to protect her and Darkel. Whilst the Sunari may seek Romana out, she is unsure as to whether or not she is still legally the President.

Leela, accompanied by a wounded Matthias, leads a group of Sunari into a corridor and kills them all. Although Matthias insists that he has to get to the Panopticon, Leela is concerned about his wound and wants him to rest. He gets frustrated with her and stops just short of calling her a "stupid savage", for which he apologises; however, Leela says that a man should wear his true colours.

Romana struggles through the corridors, looking for K9 to learn how to get the transduction barrier working again. She is followed by Henzil and Darkel, who is in the Captain's custody. Janartis arrives and stops them, demanding that Romana be handed over to him, but Henzil refuses and draws his staser.

Leela manages to get Matthias to the Panopticon and agrees to keep him safe.

Darkel commands Henzil and Janartis to drop their weapons, a command that they ignore, before Narvin stuns Janartis. Matthias contacts Henzil using a short-wave frequency and tells Romana that he has raised a temporary transduction barrier around the Capitol, preventing more capsules from materialising. However, Phaidon and Nekkistani ships are entering Gallifrey's atmosphere and Romana tells him to begin negotiations with them. Darkel informs Romana that the High Council have decided that an election will be held to choose a successor.

Commander Raldeth contacts Narvin, awaiting orders from the recently-demoted Commander Maxil, and tells him that his troops are ready. Ambassador Tooz announces that the Sunari surrender and asks that hostilities cease, but Maxil continues to fight and trap the Sunari outside of the Gallifreyan Academy.

The High Council meet at the medical station due to Romana's presence being required. Prior to the meeting, Matthias, who has been having his burns seen to, expresses his concern to Valyes about Janartis' actions. Still holding the office of Chancellor, Valyes has the power to delineate the jurisdiction of the Celestial Intervention Agency and the Chancellery Guard and Matthias suggests that Narvin be given these powers temporarily due to Valyes' responsibilities. Valyes instead plans to make Matthias a Cardinal and to assign these powers to him.

Leela wakes Romana up, telling her that Darkel is making plans against her. Henzil attaches an anti-grav sled to Romana's medi-dais and takes her to the conference chamber where the High Council have convened. Leela, disgusted by Darkel's amusement at Romana's condition, goes in search of Professor Marius' "old dog" as Romana subtly told her to.

Ambassadors Tooz, Blastern and Égopolis await the arrival of the Gallifreyan ambassador and discuss the Sunari invasion, which Blaster and Égopolis do not agree with. Cardinal Matthias arrives in the role of ambassador and mentions the destruction of the Matrix before setting out his agenda.

Lord Delox announces that Valyes' motion has been passed unanimously and that Matthias is now a Cardinal with stated chancellery powers, meaning that Narvin is now answerable to him. Narvin is about to return to his duties when Darkel and Henzil enter with Romana, whom he says looks like a corpse and is clearly suffering. He asks for the High Council to delay the meeting and, when Valyes refuses, he chooses to stay. When Romana asks why Darkel, a prisoner, is present, Valyes announces that he is stepping down as Acting President.

Leela and Captain Annos search for K9.

Valyes appoints Darkel as Acting President, saying that Romana has sympathies for the other Temporal Powers and cannot be relied upon to act in Gallifrey's best interests. Narvin protests due to Darkel being a criminal, but Valyes says that he has had all charges withdrawn as baseless, a motion which he can pass without the High Council's ratification as he holds the position of both President and Chancellor. Romana says that Valyes was a temporary appointment and that she is still President; she announces that she will step down and asks that a tribunal select her successor.

Tooz does not wish to negotiate with Matthias as he is currently the one in charge of security, the same position which failed to protect the students who were killed at the scaphe port. Matthias says that the students can leave when they are able and that the negotiations are to prevent the situation from escalating; he asks that Tooz calls back the Sunari soldiers to allow the students to be returned, but he does not trust the Time Lords.

Leela attacks a Sunari soldier and realises that he was luring her away from Annos, who is ambushed. They manage to find K9.

During a recess, Narvin says that his belief in the presidential office has been tried and that, whilst he was willing to stand by the weak-willed Valyes, he will not stand with Darkel after everything that she has done. Romana suggests that Narvin stands against Darkel, which has crossed his mind, and he asks who she will suggest when the tribunal is called. They are interrupted by Henzil, who informs them that Darkel wants the High Council to be reconvened. Romana asks Narvin not to attend the tribunal and to instead go with Henzil and find Leela.

Blastern sees sense in what Tooz has said and agrees that the Time Lords could be said to have provoked the Sunari attack by refusing to lower the transduction barriers. Tooz says that the age of the Time Lords could be over, but Matthias denies this and asks for a brief recess so that they can focus on the pertinent topics. Blastern disagrees, having decided on behalf of the Nekkistani that they will support the Sunari. Égopolis disagrees and Matthias warns Blastern and Tooz that Gallifrey will soon be ready to retaliate against any that attack.

Matthias contacts Narvin and impresses the importance of the transduction barriers being fully re-established, something which they need K9 for. Matthias tells him to make locating K9 the highest priority and continues to watch the High Council, where Romana is raising questions of legality.

K9's casing has been damaged, but his internal integrity has been maintained. Henzil attempts to contact Annos, whose communicator is broken and can only receive communications. Finding a working one, he and Leela inform Henzil and Narvin that they have found K9. K9 warns of danger and the communication ends.

Lord Delox asks Romana to explain what she hopes to gain from the tribunal. She explains that Darkel became President by way of unlawful means and that calling a weighted election to strengthen that position would be illegal. Darkel denies this, but Romana says that there was no High Council to appoint Valyes as Acting President whilst she was hospitalised, meaning that Valyes, as Chancellor, effectively appointed himself to the position. Lord Delox invokes a vote of no confidence in Romana's Presidency under Article 28/12, but Romana points out that she can remain in office if she induces regeneration.

The Sunari ambush Leela, Annos, Narvin, Henzil and K9.

Whilst Darkel claims that Romana is making a mockery of Gallifreyan law, Lord Delox says that she is within the law. Matthias informs the High Council that the Nekkistani have allied themselves with the Sunari and that he, as Vice President, contests the office of the Presidency.

Leela, Annos, Narvin, Henzil and K9 head back to the Capitol so that K9 can restore the transduction barrier as Matthias' will not hold out for much longer.

Matthias admits that he does not technically hold the office of Vice President, but that as presidential representative to non-Gallifreyan dignitaries and security secretary on- and off-world, he has all the powers that a Vice President would hold. When the High Council invoked their vote of no confidence, they legitimised Romana's Presidency up until that point, meaning that Romana had been empowered to make him her representative; the High Council voting to make him a Cardinal means that his other powers were also legally conferred despite Valyes not legally being Acting President at the time.

Narvin contacts Matthias telling him that the transduction barrier is back up and expanding. It destroys the Sunari and Nekkistani ships, for which Matthias feels responsible. As a result, Lord Delox says that they will have to have an election and that, as the tribunal's findings are defunct, Romana may stand for election in her current incarnation. Matthias tells her that, for better or worse, she has already lost and that he is the future of Gallifrey.

Cast

 * Former Lady President Romana - Lalla Ward
 * Leela - Louise Jameson
 * K9 Mark II - John Leeson
 * Inquisitor Prime Darkel - Lynda Bellingham
 * Coordinator Narvin - Seán Carlsen
 * Acting Lord President Valyes - Steven Wickham
 * Cardinal Matthias - Stephen Perring
 * Captain Henzil - John Dorney
 * Captain Annos - Dickon Tolson
 * Commander Janartis - Charlie Ross
 * Nekkistani Ambassador Blastern - Daniel Hogarth
 * Phaidon Ambassador Égopolis - Anne Bird
 * Sunari Ambassador Tooz - Richard Unwin
 * Lord Delox - Roger Parrott
 * Commander Raldeth - Andrew Fettes

Uncredited cast

 * Commander Maxil - Colin Baker

Continuity

 * A long-serving member of the Chancellery Guards, Commander Maxil previously stunned the Fifth Doctor with a staser blast and confined him in a cell in the Capitol to await the judgment of Lord President Borusa and the High Council of the Time Lords. (TV: Arc of Infinity) Following the disappearance of Andred, he was promoted to Castellan but has since been demoted to commander for siding with Darkel and Pandora in the Gallifreyan Civil War. (AUDIO: Lies)
 * During the Dalek invasion of Gallifrey, Raldeth led the Chancellery Guards in their attempt to repel the Dalek forces. He also mentions Trinkett as being part of his unit. (AUDIO: The Apocalypse Element)
 * K9 mentions the lead lined walls of the Presidential Office that the Fourth Doctor installed. (TV: The Invasion of Time)