The Dust of Ages (novel)

The Dust of Ages is the first book in the Darksmith Legacy series.

Publisher's Summary
It is a few years into our future, and there are bases on the Moon. A recent survey has shown something unusual, an unknown power source. when a tall, skinny spiky-haired stranger turns up and announces he's from the Bureau of Alien Technology doing a spot check, the survey team know they've found something special. But is this special power source a blessing or a curse? This amazing ten-book series follows the Doctor on his exciting journey to discover the origins of the so-called Eternity Crystal and the powerful artisans who created it - the Darksmiths. Continue the amazing adventures online at www.thedarksmithlegacy.com

Contents
Interspersed with the main fiction is;
 * TARDIS Data Bank (extra information on 'the Moon' and 'Analysis of Crystal')
 * Activity pages x4 (The puzzle solutions give the reader the chance to think like the Doctor!)
 * Next installment cover preview and opening chapter.

Story Synopsis
Drawn off course the TARDIS, with the Doctor once more travelling alone, lands near Survey Four Moonport (a research and investigation team exploring possible sources of minerals and metals on the Moon). The Doctor, using his psychic paper to introduce himself as belonging to the Bureau of Alien Technology. The Doctor's arrival coincides with the uncovering of a power source beneath the Moons surface. In an underground cavern behind a wall of dust the team discover a crystalline, egg-sized, multi-faceted jewel embedded in the tie of a hard-dust statue of the Doctor. The likeness is only temporary as the crystal exerts a growing influence over the moondust rearranging the molecular structure of the dust to give it substance, form and to some extent purpose. As the dust, (as small particles or shaped together as hands, shapeless figures or simply as a cloud), starts attacking the team - by blocking up the air filters, the communications system and the teams airways, the dust becomes a killer. The Doctor is finally able to extract the crystal from the dust through wave cancellation using his sonic screwdriver and both the crystal and the dust return to an inanimate state. Meanwhile on the planet Karagula, the Darksmith Collective detect a reactivated and long dormant power source eminating from what is referred to as the Eternity Crystal (a crystal fashioned out of the Universe's raw stuff). The crystal was stolen by Brother Vartos and has remained a dis-honour to the Darksmiths', the only unfulfilled contract in their history. In readiness for this moment they have prepared an Agent to recover the crystal, at all costs. Made from the hardest metals, plastic recovered from the Nestene homeworld, knowledge of the Vortex from a deactivated Gundan robot and fused with Darksmith technology, and forged by Sister Clathine, the Agent is dispatched to recover the crystal. Having quieted the crystal, the Doctor secures it in a stasis cabinet in the TARDIS and leaves it to be analysed while he goes and says farewell to the moonport team and let them know a call for assistance has been sent.....Upon returning to the TARDIS, the Doctor discovers it has been moved to a hanger where the Darksmith Agent is waiting for him. The Agent identifies the Doctor as Brother Vartos and having found him at last pronounces the judgment is death!

Characters
Moonport Personnel Darksmith Collective
 * Clinton Seymour Chief technician
 * Professor Dollund
 * Roberta 'Bobby' Goodman Archaeologist
 * Henderson
 * Lisa Summerton Junior engineer with a butterfly tatoo on her arm
 * High Minister DrakonGrey robed Darksmith
 * Sister Hellan Purple robed Darksmith
 * Brother Talen Crimson robed Darksmith
 * Brother Ardos Project: Agent leader
 * Darksmith Agent

Continuity

 * References to the existing Doctor Who Universe include the Darksmith Agent being made of plastic from the Nestene homeworld (a reference that pre-dates the Nestene account given in DW: Rose, Vortex information from a Gundan robot a reference to DW: Warriors Gate.
 * The Doctor uses his psychic paper (first seen in DW: Rose) to identify himself as from the Bureau of Alien technology and also from Customs and Excise (Blue-box division).
 * The Doctor is travelling alone suggesting events in the Darksmith legacy occur after DW: Journey's End.

Interactive Website Content
By visiting the website and participating in the Quest participants can unlock additional content like computer wallpapers to download. The Quest itself features; games - (like finding a specific target in an image, by using the sonic screwdriver as a detector, to hone in (to register 100 on the scale). Once located the 'Target' then provides additional information used in further puzzles involving both words and numbers.