Sunset Over Venus (short story)

Sunset Over Venus

Key crew

Writer:

Mark Wright

Release details

Part of:

The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who

Release date:

4 June 2015

*The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who*
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The Lost Generation

Sunset Over Venus was the first short story in The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who, featuring the Twelfth Doctor.

Summary[]

Devika Cullen and Rick Attah descend from the Lovell Platform in the Genetrix probe to the surface of Venus. They stop a few dozen kilometres above the surface and wait for the atmospheric sifters to collect data on the atmosphere. All of a sudden, the probe pitches and begins to fall. There is a power drain to the systems, and they can't raise the platform on the comms. There is a banging on the cockpit door, and it opens to reveal the Twelfth Doctor and Clara. The Doctor tells them to get in the TARDIS, but Devika says they can't leave the valuable data and equipment on the Genetrix.

As the heat and pressure in the cabin rises, the Doctor spurs the crew into action. The hull starts to buckle and gas leaks in. Clara calls the Doctor down to the lower deck, and Devika and Rick follow. They find her pointing the sonic at a gaseous humanoid lifeform, which the Doctor identifies as native to Venus and nicknames "Wispy". As it sprays acid on the control banks, the Doctor asks what those controls do. Rick says they control the atmospheric sifters. The Doctor realises the sifters are sucking up the gas creatures. Clara and Rick distract Wispy so the Doctor can get to the controls and purge the sifters. The heat and pressure continue to rise. Clara throws the Doctor the sonic and just as Wispy is about to attack him, he purges the sifters.

Wispy dissipates, but the Genetrix is still being torn apart. Suddenly, it stabilises, and the air returns to normal. Clara and Devika watch as dozens of the gas creatures lift the probe up through the atmosphere. Back on Lovell Platform, the Doctor, Clara, Devika and Rick watch the sun set on Venus.

Characters[]

Worldbuilding[]

Lovell Platform and the Genetrix are projects of the International Aeronautical Space Agency, or IASA.
The Genetrix's ballon is made of dynastream.
Rick sings "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf. Devika suggests he try The Beatles next.
Clara asked the Doctor to show her a Venusian sunset, which only happens once every 116.75 Earth days.
Eighth century alchemists called sulphuric acid "oil of vitriol".
The gaseous Wispies are made up carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and sulphuric acid.

Notes[]

This short story accompanied a chapter entitled "Alien Life and Other Worlds".

Continuity[]

Devika recalls the 2049 Moon crisis, nearly fifty years prior. (TV: Kill the Moon)
Devika's hero is Adelaide Brooke. (TV: The Waters of Mars)

v • e BBC New Series Adventures anthologies

Summer Falls and Other Stories	About the Authors • Summer Falls: Introduction • Summer Falls • The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery • Devil in the Smoke: An Adventure for the Great Detective

Tales of Trenzalore: The Eleventh Doctor's Last Stand	Tales of Trenzalore • Let it Snow • An Apple a Day... • Strangers in the Outland • The Dreaming

The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who	Sunset Over Venus • The Lost Generation • The Room with All the Doors • The Hungry Night • All the Empty Towers • Rewriting History • Silver Mosquitoes • In Search of Lost Time • Natural Regression • Potential Energy • The Arboreals • The Piper • The Girl Who Stole the Stars • The Mercy Seats • The Constant Doctor

Time Lord Fairy Tales	The Garden of Statues • Frozen Beauty • Cinderella and the Magic Box • The Twins in the Wood • The Three Little Sontarans • Jak and the Wormhole • Snow White and the Seven Keys to Doomsday • Little Rose Riding Hood • The Gingerbread Trap • The Scruffy Piper • Helana and the Beast • Andiba and the Four Slitheen • The Grief Collector • The Three Brothers Gruff • Sirgwain and the Green Knight • The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes

The Legends of Ashildr	The Arabian Knightmare • The Fortunate Isles • The Triple Knife • The Ghosts of Branscombe Wood

The Legends of River Song	Picnic at Asgard • Suspicious Minds • A Gamble with Time • Death in New Venice • River of Time

Twelve Doctors of Christmas	All I Want for Christmas • A Comedy of Terrors • The Christmas Inversion • Three Wise Men • Sontar's Little Helpers • Fairy Tale of New New York • The Grotto • Ghost of Christmas Past • The Red Bicycle • Loose Wire • The Gift • The Persistence of Memory

Tales of Terror	Murder in the Dark • Something at the Door • The Monster in the Woods • Toil and Trouble • Mark of the Medusa • Trick or Treat • The Living Image • Organism 96 • The Patchwork Pierrot • Blood Will Out • The Mist of Sorrow • Baby Sleepy Face

The Missy Chronicles	Dismemberment • Lords and Masters • Teddy Sparkles Must Die! • The Liar, the Glitch and the War Zone • Girl Power! • Alit in Underland

The Day She Saved the Doctor	Sarah Jane and the Temple of Eyes • Rose and the Snow Window • Clara and the Maze of Cui Palta • Bill and the Three Jackets

Twelve Angels Weeping	Halfway Into the Dark • Grey Matter • Red Planet • Celestial Intervention — A Gallifreyan Noir • Ghost in the Machine • Student Bodies • A Soldier's Education • The Red-Eyed League • The Heist • The King in Glass • The Third Wise Man • The Rhino of Twenty-Three Strand Street • Anything You Can Do

The Wintertime Paradox	He's Behind You • Father of the Daleks • Inflicting Christmas • For the Girl Who Has Everything • Visiting Hours • We Will Feed You to the Trees • Christmas with the Plasmavores • A Girl Called Doubt • A Perfect Christmas • Missing Habitas Frond • A Day to Yourselves • The Paradox Moon • Canaries

I Am The Master	Anger Management • The Dead Travel Fast • Missy's Magical Mystery Mission • A Master of Disguise • The Night Harvest • The Master and Margarita

Adventures in Lockdown	A Message from the Doctor • Things She Thought While Falling • The Terror of the Umpty Ums • Doctor Who and the Time War • Revenge of the Nestene • Rory's Story • One Virtue, and a Thousand Crimes • The Simple Things • The Tourist • Press Play • The Shadow Passes • Shadow of a Doubt • The Shadow in the Mirror • Fellow Traveller • Listen • The Secret of Novice Hame

Origin Stories	Chemistry • My Daddy Fights Monsters • The Myriapod Mutiny • The Last of the Dals • Murmuration • The Big Sleep • Doctor Jones • The Girl Who Tore Through the Universe • Clara Oswald and the Enchanted Forest • Velvet Hugs • Tempered

The Adventures Before	The Boy and the Dalek • The Roots of Evil • Little Did She Know • The Four Faces of Immortality • Becky's Impossible Day • Smiley's Mirror Effect • The Fall of Apalapucia • The Morning of the Day of the Doctor

Tardis