The Difference Office was the third and final story in the audio anthology Genesis, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by James Kettle and featured Colin Baker as The Warrior and introduced Rebecca Night as Romana and Sanjeev Bhaskar as Borusa.
Publisher's summary[]
The Warrior is President of the Time Lords...and suffering from visions. Is he the right man to combat an invasion? Because there’s someone out there in the wilderness of Gallifrey. Someone with the Warrior’s face. And he’s heading for the Capitol.
Plot[]
Part One[]
Styggron interrogates Romana, an Auxiliary Time Lady from the Difference Office, within the Citadel on Gallifrey, which he now controls. Events recounted show The Warrior standing trial before Borusa, acting as Chancellor. The Warrior is sentenced to termination for attempting temporal interference to undo his Time War actions, a sentence affirmed by Romana and Zorcha. As Lord President, The Warrior bears the heavy burden of the war, relying excessively on the Matrix. This reliance concerns Borusa and Zorcha (who are romantically involved), as does the morality of their Difference Office duties executing Time Lords for creating paradoxes.
Part Two[]
In the Gallifreyan wilderness, an alternate, colourful version of the Sixth Doctor emerges, identifying himself as "The Doctor" and preaching peace. He rallies the outcast Shaboogans, including Jobba, convincing them to march non-violently on the Citadel to depose The Warrior. This Doctor uses his resemblance to the President and the authority of Rassilon to persuade the Chancery Guards to open the Citadel gates, allowing the singing Shaboogans inside.
Part Three[]
Inside the Difference Office, Romana and Zorcha observe the Shaboogan advance. Their paradox-detection equipment registers nothing, despite the visual evidence of two Doctors. The Warrior (as President) arrives, dismisses the equipment readings, and privately questions Romana about paradoxes, apparently influenced by Matrix visions suggesting the elimination of his double could end the war. The Shaboogan march turns violent when Krahn war machines attack. The colourful Doctor confronts The Warrior, who attacks and discovers his double is an android. After destroying the android, The Warrior realizes it's a Krahn ploy just as Styggron appears, announcing his invasion and presidency.
Part Four[]
Styggron continues his interrogation of Romana. Borusa and Zorcha return to the Difference Office to find the destroyed android moments before Styggron confronts them. Zorcha is killed attempting to stop Styggron. Styggron demands an inauguration, but Borusa reveals the Relics of Rassilon are missing. The Warrior has fled the Citadel with the Relics, pursued by Shaboogans. Romana intercepts him in the wastelands, receiving the Relics before he collapses as Styggron arrives. The Warrior confronts Styggron, wielding the Relics' power to annihilate the Krahn invasion fleet.
Part Five[]
Styggron reveals his final plan to Romana: inject her with a Gallifreyan-specific virus and return her to the Citadel as patient zero. He administers the injection, but Romana reveals she is also an android, rendering the virus harmless. In the Citadel, The Warrior deals with the aftermath, comforting Borusa over Zorcha's death and freeing the Shaboogans. The android Romana confronts the real Styggron, confirming she is a Krahn construct sent by a wider Alliance (including Daleks) who nominated Styggron to take over Gallifrey and end the Time War. The Warrior, having tracked the android, arrives and executes Styggron, honouring a promise to Borusa. The Warrior reflects to Borusa that any hope for peace Styggron offered is gone, concluding the Time War permits only pauses between battles.
Cast[]
- The Warrior / Android Sixth Doctor - Colin Baker
- Borusa - Sanjeev Bhaskar
- Zorcha / Jobba - Georgia Mackenzie
- Romana - Rebecca Night
- Styggron / Sonk - Rick Warden
Crew[]
- Script Editor - John Dorney
- Writer - James Kettle
- Sound Designer & Remote Recording Dialogue Assembly - Jack Townley
- Cover Art - Claudia Gironi
- Director - Barnaby Kay
- Executive Producers - Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
- Music - Howard Carter
- Producer - David Richardson
- Kraals created by Terry Nation
Worldbuilding[]
- Borusa mentions the Untempered Schism.
Notes[]
to be added
Continuity[]
- The Warrior recalls how the last of the aberrations died on Aridius. (AUDIO: Dust Devil)
- The Warrior and Romana muse about how they could have been friends in another lifetime. (TV: The Ribos Operation et al)
External links[]
- Official The Difference Office page at bigfinish.com
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