Big Finish squee: "The Chaos Pool"

[lizbee]

For the last few months, Big Finish has been running a three-part sequel to the Key to Time.  The Fifth Doctor is conscripted as assistant to Amy, a human-shaped Tracer, and they race Amy's "sister"-Tracer, Zara, on a search for the Key to Time.  The stakes: the fate of the universe (for a change).  When I heard this was being planned, I got all huffy in a "And what was wrong with season 16, precisely?  Aside from all those things that were wrong with season 16?"  But then I heard Lalla Ward was in the final story, and somehow my objections melted away.  Yes, I'm cheap for Romana, what of it?

Anyway, "The Chaos Pool" is the story with Romana (among others), and I listened to it yesterday, and here is my squee.  ZOMG SO LALLA APPEARS, AND SHE IS BEING ADDRESSED (AND IS CREDITED) AS 'MADAM PRESIDENT'?  SO YOU THINK IT'S ROMANA?  CERTAINLY FIVE DOES.  BUT THEN YOU FIND OUT IT'S ACTUALLY ASTRA.  AND THAT'S BRILLIANT, BUT THEN AT THE END OF THE THIRD EPISODE, ROMANA HERSELF TURNS UP!

Astra doesn't remember meeting the Doctor, or being the Sixth Segment, but since being returned to human form, she's had a minor problem, in that she can't die.  (Jack/Astra fic, pls.)  But at the same time, the people of Atrios are edging towards extinction.  Astra's over two-hundred years old, and it turns out that she's leeching the energy from her own people.  But she doesn't realise that, so she's desperate to save them.  Hence her mission to the Chaos Pool, which is, um, a thingie.  (Also she is being drawn to the Chaos Pool along with millions of other beings who have become unwitting tools of the White Guardian.)

Romana, meanwhile, has problems of her own: since returning from E-space, she's learned that her body is decaying, and regeneration will be impossible.  In short, she is dying.  This is because all the segments of the Key to Time are breaking down, and Romana became the Sixth Segment at the same time as Astra was returned to human(oid) form.

So basically, due to a miscalculation, the Doctor has accidentally condemned his best friend, an entire species, and possibly the universe, to death.  Which is just the sort of narrative sadism that I love.

(The becoming-the-Sixth-Segment thing is given as another reason for Romana's regeneration.  I think, in BF continuity, Romana herself isn't sure why she regenerated.  Which suits me just fine, since I don't see her as a character especially skilled at or interested in introspection.)

(Also, Romana discovered this whole Sixth-Segment-being-thing because she found herself spending a fair bit of time in close quarters with the Black Guardian, and if fic doesn't come out of that notion, then I don't know what the hell fandom even exists for.)

AND THERE IS FIVE/ROMANA!  Erm, as in, they have scenes together.  And, like, dialogue.  I TAKE MY OTP WHERE I CAN GET IT, AND HE LOFFS HER SO MUCH! 

She's like, "So ... I might as well be transformed into a segment, I'm dying anyway." 

And the Doctor is all, "NOES, I WON'T LET YOU DIE!"

And Romana's totally, "HEY LOOK AT THAT ARCHITECTURE!  IT IS WAY MORE INTERESTING THAN MY IMPENDING DEATH AND YOUR INABILITY TO ACCEPT IT."

But just as Romana's about to croak (and, um, various other things have happened, including the hilarity of the Guardians playing cards while shenanigans occur around them), Astra takes the segmenty-ness back into herself.  Through a hug, apparently, which I take as a euphemism for a genetic transfer, which is a Rusty-given euphemism for -- hey, we've all seen "Smith and Jones".  So the Key is assembled, the Tracers make identity-defining decisions (Zara: "You risked the entire universe on the chance that I'm a good person?  I ... don't like that idea.") and the Guardians are vanished back to the Howling Void, which is in no way a reference to New Who canon, because obviously Big Finish would never do that.  Um.

And there are hugs all around, and Romana decides to take Amy back to Gallifrey.  Because she really is building a harem out of the Doctor's girlfriends, apparently.

ANYWAY, IT WAS AWESOME.  Lalla's performances were really good -- obviously Lisa Bowerman should direct her all the time.  And the Tracers had nice accents, and Davison was Davison and therefore a bit excellent, if beige.  I LOVED IT SO, AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO LISTEN TO IT AND THEN WRITE ME FIVE/ROMANA!

Best line went to Zara, the more ruthless twin: "Oh no!  My eyes are making your shoulder wet!"  Even amoral human-shaped constructs can't resist crying on the Beige's shoulder.

Comments

[purple-smurf.livejournal.com]

ZOMG I WANT THIS AUDIO. *makes note to visit Minotaur ASAP*

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

It is wonderful. I recommend listening to the first one to get your bearings, but it was great as a standalone. More or less.

[thiswaltz.livejournal.com]

I've yet to listen to any audios at all, but this sounds like one to try and get my hands on. Romana *and* Astra, goodness. I really do have to get this one!

(thought you might think this was cute, maybe. A drawing i did recently. I have become just a smidge Romana obsessed. or Lalla obsessed. one of those.
Here (http://s35.photobucket.com/albums/d196/nokwalish/?action=view&current=loliromanaschoolgirl.jpg)

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Sounds sweet. I too am rather easy when it comes to Romana, and obviously while I do like to think that the Doctor's all-but infallible, I still like those stories that revolve around: "Well, Doctor, you know that problem you thought you'd resolved back in the 60s or 70s? Um...well, it's not as resolved as all that..." So I think I may have to check this out; and I think I always suspected both Guardians were wrong'uns, just in different ways.

*thinks of Five/Romana and smiles*

[ghost2.livejournal.com]

I got my CD in the mail yesterday, and of course could have downloaded the story earlier, but I'm so behind on, basically, everything. Still, you make me want to listen to this one. Maybe when I'm working on the income taxes today, it wouldn't hurt to hook up my mp3 player. *plot*

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I'm I allowed to be a little critical about this audio here or should I wait until you're less squeeful? I don't want to be a big downer when you're so happy.

Oh, and Lalla was FABULOUS. So, my thoughts aren't ALL bad. ;-)

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Criticise away! I shall beat you with a plush squid if I feel my squee is harshed.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Excellent! I loved the first part more than I can say. It's the audio that cemented for me the fact that Simon Guerrier can do little wrong. I loathed the second part and would put it on my bottom 5 list of BFs. This third part was a considerable step up from destroyer of delights but it still wasn't that good. My main issue with it was Zara. She's a MASS MURDERER. How does she get to walk away from that with a pat bullshit ending like she got? One NOT shitty decision doesn't make up for the hundreds of people she killed or the millions she TRIED to kill. She was a monster. That's not to say she wasn't a fascinating character, because she was. But that doesn't change the fact that every time the Doctor allows evil people to walk away from any kind of justice at a whim it drives me absolutely fucking insane.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

*nod* I got bored halfway through the first part, so I missed most of Zara's story. I was a bit itchy at the notion that TWU WUV makes up for all her other sins, but I didn't realise how extreme they were. (True love as a catalyst for salvation is one of my least favourite stories anyway.)

What was wrong with "Destroyer of Delights"? I was thinking of giving it a whirl, to give canon to the Romana/Black Guardian fic I am absolutely not thinking about.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

You listened to part 3 without hearing parts 1 or 2? HAHAHAHAHA. How did you understand anything that was going on? Why would you even CARE? Wow, woman. You're love of Lalla really does know no bounds.

I couldn't love judgment of isskar more, so if you found it boring you probably shouldn't listen to my opinion of destroyer of delights. I found the humor dull, the characterizations absurd, and the storyline somewhat offensive. Other people seemed to really like it. It was very heavy on the guardians, so if you like THEM, you may have a very different take than I did. Such is the way of things.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Well, I did listen to half of part 1 -- enough to establish the premise, introduce Amy and Zara, and demonstrate that I really don't give a damn about Mars or its people. Although I got as far as the castle that was really a segment, guessed well ahead of everyone else that would be the twist, and gave up.

In what way was "Destroyer of Delights" offensive? I seem to recall it's set on Earth in Ye Olden Days? I have this notion of Arabian Nights ... oh. Dear.

As for the Guardians, I can take them or leave them, mostly, but I have a secret affection for the Black Guardian's head bird.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's arabian nights bullshit with slaves falling in love with their owners and just generally ickiness. I think my love for Simon Guerrier's writing style and Ciara's performance as Amy make up for any weaknesses in JoI for me. I've listened to it several times already and I absolutely adore Five and Amy's relationship.

But whatever. Listen to DoD and decide for yourself. More than anything I found the characterizations AWFUL. You may think otherwise. I'd actually be pretty interested to hear your take.

[biichan.livejournal.com]

Because she really is building a harem out of the Doctor's girlfriends, apparently.

This needs to be a fic.

[nonelvis]

OOH. I must go listen to this immediately.

[ladyvivien.livejournal.com]

I NEED THIS. Any idea where one could find a copy online?

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

You can buy a download from the BF website for a surprisingly low price. AU$20, which is probably, like, six pounds.

[ladyvivien.livejournal.com]

also, facepalm, it's BF so I can buy it IN SHOPS AND STUFF. I am a dumbass.

[akashasheiress.livejournal.com]

I've been craving Five/Romana for a while now, so I agree (I'd love a ''Romana doesn't leave in Warrior's Gate scenario)!