Cobwebs (audio story)

Cobwebs was the one hundred and thirty-sixth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Jonathan Morris and featured Peter Davison as the Fifth Doctor, Sarah Sutton as Nyssa, Janet Fielding as Tegan Jovanka and Mark Strickson as Turlough.

Released in 2010, it began the first season of Fifth Doctor stories for that year. It was the first new story to feature Davison, Sutton, Fielding and Strickson together since the television story Terminus in 1983, thus beginning a "series" of 15 audio dramas for that TARDIS team across five years, finally reaching a conclusion with the audio story The Entropy Plague in 2015.

Publisher's summary
"You know what cobwebs mean. Spiders..."

In search of a cure for a sickness that's so far claimed six billion lives, scientist Nyssa arrives at an abandoned gene-tech facility on the toxic planet Helheim. "Hellhole", more like.

Nyssa's not alone. The TARDIS has also been drawn to the Helheim base — and in its cobweb-coated corridors, she soon runs into the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough, her travelling companions of half a century past. But who, or what, has engineered this strange reunion? The Black Guardian, perhaps?

The answer's here, in the dark. With the Cractids. In the cobwebs.

Part one
In 3530, Nyssa lands on Helheim with Loki, a robot, to investigate the work of a research base quarantined forty years ago. The base is without contamination, but covered in cobwebs made by maintenance spiders as a protective sealant to combat leaking insulation. After activating the backup solar stack and restoring power, Nyssa is attacked by crustaceans which Loki is unable to see or detect and thus unable to neutralise.

Tegan argues with the Doctor about Turlough's presence aboard the TARDIS given his actions, but relents when Turlough visits her bedroom and tells him that he does not have to return to his planet on her account. The ship is dragged down a temporal spiral to Helheim where they are reunited with Nyssa, for whom it has been fifty years since she last saw them, and learn that the base was researching Richter's Syndrome, a deadly strain of which has now killed six billion people and for which Nyssa hopes to find a cure. Whilst Tegan, Nyssa and Loki go to the control room and learn from the computer EDGAR that they will go back in time forty years, the other two explore the ruins below.

Turlough collapses after hallucinating being shot and, when he comes to, he and the Doctor join the others. The Doctor deduces that Turlough and Nyssa have both experienced telepathic memory projection thanks to EDGAR, who then shows them a projection of themselves in the past before the Doctor stops him, not wanting to create a fixed point. EDGAR tells them that the crew are in the medical bay where they find four skeletons wrapped in cocoons, wearing the clothes of the Doctor and his companions.

Part two
Loki's scan, a spectographic examination and a test by cutting the lining of Turlough's jacket seem to confirm that the skeletons are those of the Doctor, Tegan, Turlough and Nyssa. Loki begs to leave, saying that he knows that they will all die because of something in his head, but maintenance spiders sent by EDGAR destroy Nyssa's ship to ensure that nobody can leave. After Tegan experiences a memory projection of being suffocated, EDGAR asks them to go back in time to save the crew and activates the base's self-destruct.

The Doctor and Nyssa fetch Loki from the control room and EDGAR wipes his own mind, but the self-destruct cannot be countermanded. They travel back in time to 3490 with Tegan and Turlough, who elect to stay in the TARDIS, and convince Director Cardell, Enforcement Officer Bragg and Bio Technician Valis that they have come to inspect their progress on a cure for Richter's.

Inside the TARDIS, Tegan and Turlough watch all of this and Tegan remarks that they are safe unlike the Doctor and Nyssa. Turlough wonders if staying in the TARDIS is the action that will lead them to end up dead in the future, and suggests they should try and warn the crew as it might change their own futures as well. Tegan and they both leave the TARDIS.

In the laboratory, Nyssa recognises the crab like creatures from the memory projection in cages and Cardell tells her they are called Cractids. They are the only creatures with an immunity to Richter's syndrome and they have been trying to replicate their immunity in humans by infecting them. Nyssa suggests making the Cractid immunity part of the human immune system instead of the other way around — an idea that is met with positivity by Cardell.

Bragg checks up on the Doctor and Nyssa by phoning the company. He finds out that they have been lying and so plans to kill them, he then locates Tegan and Turlough leaving the TARDIS. He is interrupted by Loki and destroys him when Loki tries to stop him from killing the travellers.

Back in the laboratory, Nyssa asks Valis what she used to do, but she tells her that the entire crew had their memories wiped before starting the mission and they get them back after the end of the mission. Cardell is suspicious about why the Doctor does not know this considering he's from the company but he pretends to have forgotten.

Tegan and Turlough are trying to find a member of the crew when Bragg finds them and holds them at gunpoint. They try to warn him about the crew's forthcoming deaths but he believes they are threatening him. They are led away.

Valis is injecting the modified cure into a Cractid, when Bragg brings Tegan and Turlough in, he tells Cardell about the travellers lies, and the travellers are taken to the medical bay. There they are strapped to the beds and are to be given lethal injections. The Doctor points out this is how they end up dead in the future and postulate that it seems their futures have caught up with them.

Part three
Just as the injection is about to be delivered Vallis stops the procedure. She shares the news that the cure for Richter's has been found and that they should utilise the four trespassers as test subjects. She asks for Nyssa first. The rest of the travellers are left with Bragg. He refuses to believe they are from the future. He states that If they were from the future they would know the secret of the ruins. The Doctor tempts Bragg into showing them this secret. In order to ensure they do not harm Bragg he keeps Turlough behind as a makeweight.

Cardell is us mounded to the main room by EDGAR and is told that now the objective of the mission has been met the crew are now allowed their memories back. Cardell's memories are restored including the real purpose of the mission: the development of a more deadly strain of Richter's which the corporation can sell a cure for as well as the fact that the lives of her children are in danger if she does not comply.

Down at the ruins Bragg shows Tegan and the Doctor an inscription that on,y he can see. He explains that it bears the names of the crew and states that that shows that they are bound to be here. As they come up from the ruins Cardell collects the Doctor and Tegan to take them to the lab.

When Vallis gets Nyssa into the lab she asks her how she knew how to cure the disease. Vallis explains that it is because she is from the future and knows how they began the process of the cure. She also refuses to have her memories back, saying there must have been a reason why she chose to come on the mission.

Bragg is summoned to the control room and is given his memories back. He remembers that he is an agent from independent company who has been tasked with gaining the antidote. Bragg reprogrammed EDGAR so that it will only obey him.

Cardell delivers the Doctor, Turlough and Tegan to the lab and is confused to see that Nyssa hasn't been experimented on. Vallis explains she has no intention on performing experiments on live human samples. Cardell says that she has no such qualms and will begin on Vallis. They are interrupted by Bragg who comes in wielding his weapon. Turlough, remembering the memory from the future, tells the Doctor and Tegan to get down, remembering that this is how one of the crew dies. Bragg fires. The Doctor and Nyssa run out of the room leaving Turlough and Nyssa behind. As they run they hear EDGAR short circuiting over the tannoy. They decide to go and seek out the cause.

Back in the lab Turlough is surprised to discover that Vallis is not dead. Bragg grabs Cardell and places her in the Cracktid cage before releasing the creatures. The Doctor watches this from the control room but cannot override the system. As the Doctor tries to solve the situation Tegan asks how the memories that they experienced in the future could be the final memories of the crew as they wouldn't have been uploaded. The Doctor agrees only to see Bragg stun the Cracktids and upload the memories to EDGAR and give the demand that all future memories should be wiped, making these the last memories the crew had. Bragg takes Vallis hostage and leaves Turlough, Nyssa and Cardell locked in the lab in imminent danger as soon as the Cracktids gain consciousness.

In the control room EDGAR explains that because the crew died at this date he has to kill them as it is now looking like this is not going to happen. Tegan and the Doctor wonder how EDGAR gained this knowledge of the future. The Doctor notices that the voice of EDGAR is also coming from the damaged husk of Loki and explains that the future EDGAR must have come back into the past and merged with the historical EDGAR to create this paradox. The Doctor manages to short circuit the door meaning that his friends can escape, however he cannot close meaning that the Cracktids are now free to roam the ship. He goes in search of Bragg.

Bragg cancels all data on the antidote to the virus in order to retain the value of his knowledge. He destroys Vallis' memories before joining the crew before leaving her behind a locked door with the Cracktids approaching from behind. Bragg plans to leave through an emergency pod. Before he leaves he fakes his own death by ordering EDGAR to depressurise the airlock to 0 before repressurising it and asking for his records to be wiped just before the repressurising. He is annoyed to find that the fuel in the ship is at zero and he has to draw fuel from another part of the ship, delaying his escape.

The Doctor, reunited with all his companions, are chased by Cracktids into the medical bay. The door is permanently locked from the inside. The Doctor explains that this must be how their bodies are discover long in the future and that they have consigned themselves to their own deaths.

Part four
The Doctor contacts Cardell to ensure that she is safe. She radioes back saying that she's fine but Bragg is about to escape. Nyssa comes up with the plan to use the fact EDGAR placed a part of itself in Loki to see if it can counteract Bragg demands. Nyssa sends the robot maintenance spiders to stop the power from the solar banks to power the escape pod. This plan works. When Bragg tries to counteract it EDGAR insists he is Loki.

Back in the medical bay the Doctor insists that this can't be their fate as their was no second TARDIS. Turlough comes up with the idea that they can use a sonic bast like Bragg used to eliminate the Cracktids waiting outside. They do this. Turlough wants to kill them but the Doctor forbids him saying that to kill is only their instinct. The Doctor goes to seek out Bragg.

In the control panel Cardell tries to record the research but is stopped by Bragg. Bragg overrides EDGAR and deletes all traces of Loki and orders EDGAR to send spiders to fix the solar banks. The Doctor enters, distracted by this Cardell manages to knock Bragg out. Cardell, Nyssa and Tegan go to get the research files whilst Turlough and The Doctor wait for Bragg to wake up.

Once they get the files Cardell orders that she is given the new super virus. The two women refuse and a scuffle ensues. Tegan manages to escape with the cure however in the scuffle the vial containing the stronger strain of the virus is broken and released into the air. Nyssa warns the Doctor. Bragg wakes to hear this and laughs saying that they will die altogether after all. EDGAR watches over this pleased that his plan is coming together. The three men decide to go and meet Tegan at the medical bay to receive the cure. As they leave the control room EDGAR locks the door after them.

As they leave the research centre to meet Tegan at the medical bay, Cardell cramps up the first sign of Richter's Syndrome. Cardell orders Tegan to leave her and come back later with the cure.

In the medical Bay the Doctor hands out the cure to his companions. Bragg refuses the cure saying that his company wanted a sample of the disease and the cure and he plans to give it to them. He takes Tegan hostage and orders the Doctor to hand over the cure. He himself will be the sample of the disease. As he leaves, Bragg triggers the decontamination of the centre. The Doctor follows. As Tegan is dragged through the corridors she sees the Cracktids waking up. Bragg bumps into Cardell. Bragg tries to reason with Cardell, stating that there is room on the escape pod for the pair of them. Cardell says she only knows one thing she can do now and threatens to blast a hole in the wall of the base. Sucking the disease and them all in to space. The Doctor sneaks in and gets Tegan's attention. He finds some space suits and the pair put them on. Cardell blasts a hole on the wall which sucks her, the disease and the Cracktids out. Tegan and The Doctor look to see where Bragg went.

Bragg managed to escape to the pod and begins the process of blast off. The Doctor and Tegan holding on to the side of the ship, see the pod start to take off and pull themselves into the air lock. As they brush themselves down they see the spiders immediately begin the process of rebuilding the ship.

Nyssa, left in the medical bay, tries to reason with EDGAR. She points out that EDGAR knows they come back in the future so how can the research centre be destroyed now. EDGAR admits that this would create a paradox so postpones the decontamination.

Bragg has no fuel left to go into warp so cryogenically freezes himself.

The Doctor and Tegan return to the TARDIS and pilot it to the medical bay. Before they leave they ask how their bodies can be there. The Doctor says he will show them. Before they leave the doctor promises EDGAR they'll be back. EDGAR is left pining after his new "crew".

Inside the TARDIS the Doctor tells his companions to look at the screen and shows them the medical bay at a rate of one second per day. They watch as the spiders enter and try and rebuild the Doctor and his companions. The Doctor explains that the bodies weren't decomposed they were being built up by EDGAR as a replacement crew before EDGAR went into hibernation prior to their original visit. Nyssa orders to be taken back home. The Doctor seems put out that she won't travel with him more. She states it is her mission to cure Richter's Syndrome and she has the information she needs now. The Doctor agrees but Tegan points out that, knowing the TARDIS it might be a while before they find themselves back in Nyssa's time. Nyssa agrees with this and goes to look for her old bedroom.

Thirty years in the future Bragg is unfrozen. He finds himself on a crowded passenger ship. He orders the ship to be quarantined but his finder informs him it is too late. The passengers have all already left — taking Richter's Syndrome with them.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Peter Davison
 * Tegan Jovanka - Janet Fielding
 * Nyssa - Sarah Sutton
 * Vislor Turlough - Mark Strickson
 * Director Cardell / Ship's Computer - Helen Griffin
 * Loki / EDGAR / Hawks - Raymond Coulthard
 * Enforcement Officer Bragg - Adrian Lukis
 * Bio Technician Valis / Echelon - Charlotte Lucas

Continuity

 * Chronologically, this story takes place two days after the events of TV: Enlightenment for the Doctor, Tegan and Turlough, while it is fifty years after the events of TV: Terminus for Nyssa.
 * When the TARDIS goes wrong, Tegan asks if it is a Black Guardian trap. (TV: Enlightenment)
 * Nyssa has cured Lazar's disease. (TV: Terminus)
 * The Doctor claims to have met Christopher Columbus. (PROSE: Eye of Heaven, TV: The Two Doctors, AUDIO: Trouble in Paradise)
 * Nyssa refers to her experience with alternative timelines in Stockbridge in 2009. (AUDIO: The Eternal Summer)
 * Nyssa mentions encountering the Daleks in Stockbridge in the 45th century. (AUDIO: Plague of the Daleks)
 * The Doctor and Tegan argue over Turlough's loyalty, during which Tegan makes numerous references to his alliance with the Black Guardian. (TV: Enlightenment; AUDIO: Freakshow)
 * Turlough wonders if the Doctor knew all along of his connection to the Black Guardian. This might be because the Doctor found Turlough's Guardian crystal, (TV: Mawdryn Undead) which is similar in design to the one Menlove Stokes had. (PROSE: The Well-Mannered War, AUDIO: The Well-Mannered War)
 * Tegan mentions spending time in ventilation shafts with Turlough (TV: Terminus)
 * Nyssa is aware of the circumstances of the Doctor's next regeneration. (AUDIO: Winter)
 * Tegan mentions her aunt Vanessa (TV: Logopolis) and Terminus, (TV: Terminus) while Nyssa refers to Brendon Public School. (TV: Mawdryn Undead)
 * Nyssa asks the Doctor to take her home. However, it takes him many journeys until he can return her home, (AUDIO: Prisoners of Fate) similar to his attempts to return Tegan to Heathrow Airport in 1981. (TV: Four to Doomsday, The Visitation, Time-Flight)
 * The Doctor says "We've seen the future; this is how it ends" when faced with a death that he has foreknowledge of and from which there seems to be no escape. The Eleventh Doctor would later say almost the same thing when faced with a similar situation on Trenzalore. (TV: The Time of the Doctor)