Starlight Robbery

"The power to change the way people think sold to the highest bidder."

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: August 2013

Series: Monthly Adventures 176

Featuring: Seventh Doctor, Klein, Will

Synopsis

Sick of the same-old slaughter-appliances? In need of a killer new killing-machine? Then look no further than Garundel Galactic's secret arms auction. Blasters, tanks, missiles and bombs – no bang too big or micro-laser too small. If you've got the credits, Garundel's got the kill-sticks. (Cash buyers get preferential rates). 

In search of the key to a sinister alien technology, the Doctor, Klein and Will set their sights on an illicit intergalactic arms fair run by an old acquaintance – the slippery Urodelian crook, Garundel. But what are their chances of pulling off a particularly audacious heist from under the noses of Garundel and his alien clients, the ever-belligerent Sontarans...?

Verdict

Starlight Robbery was an excellent audio to continue my way through the Monthly Adventures! This story serves the middle portion of what certainly looks to be a linked trilogy with the Seventh Doctor, Klein and Will. It's a new TARDIS team which is always fun and delving deep into the time of the seventh incarnation, particularly at a time much later in his life than we saw on television, is exciting because who knows what he has in store! The continuity from Persuasion was brilliant and this was essentially a direct follow on from that story. The persuasion machine was for sale and a familiar crook was heading the auction. Having Garundel return after his stint in Black and White was brilliant and I loved how he was teasing the Doctor about his former companions from that story. He'd moved on a lot now from Ace, Hex, Sally and Aristedes now and that did haunt him a little with how McCoy played that moment of looking back, but he was looking to the future and that meant nobody should get their hands on the persuasion machine. The idea of it being sold alongside the manual which was the brain of Kurt Shalk was very good and hearing the advertisement on the intergalactic wavelengths was really fun. The idea of the Sontarans hearing and then being drawn in by an advert is hilarious but it actually made sense! Garundel's advert that is in the synopsis was actually tremendous and really was enticing. What kind of alien power wouldn't want to be purchasing some dodgy weaponry he had on offer? The Sontarans weren't the main enemy of the story which was a little surprising as that firmly fell to Garundel, but I thought they were a fantastic inclusion. They're so much fun and their plan to wipe out everyone else suspected of being a Rutan ally was great stuff. Everything centred on the glory of Sontar and the never ending war with the Rutans. I enjoyed the discussions they had with Klein regarding honour and their lack of understanding of the word suicide was a real highlight. An honourable death is all a Sontaran could hope for! Klein actually being saved by a Sontaran was fun stuff as they didn't appreciate that she had no forewarning of an attack and there would be no honour in her death. Will was a lot of fun in his first adventure as companion and he built a strong relationship with Ziv which was lovely. From the off I suspected she was more than just Garundel's assistant, and the revelation that Shalk was in a spaceship and not a secret vault was very well done. That was a fun cliffhanger with her seemingly shooting the Doctor! The fate of Ziv in being killed was a big shock though I must admit and Klein sparing Will's feelings regarding the truth of what happened to her was a nice moment of compassion. She knew he cared for her greatly so him believing that she decided to stay on rather than come in the TARDIS was good. He'd be sad but not devastated. Garundel trying to wipe out the Doctor and Sontarans in one go was nicely done but they were ahead of the game. Sure, he had all the weapons after a fun introduction to the auction that even would involve name tags, something the Sontarans didn't enjoy, but their armour could be weapon enough. Face to face combat could ensue and that was okay with the Sontarans. The Sontarans then being wiped out at the end of the story apart from Stenn was a big shock as Garundel was in league with another party - the Daleks! The whole thing had been a trap for the Doctor which was unexpected but I really like that this will now lead into the next story. That kind of continuity works well, and imagine the Daleks with the persuasion machine! Even if it was the light version. They would be unstoppable. I am really excited by the prospect of this TARDIS trio meeting the Daleks. This was a fine recipe of a superb story in its own right and setting up the future to come. A wonderful listen. 

Rating: 9/10