Angel Of The North
An unusual disturbance in space and time is detected, affecting everything in Gryffen’s lab – everything except K-9. The epicenter of the disturbance is in the northernmost reaches of Canada – near the crashed spacecraft from which Gryffen salvaged the interdimensional transport equipment in his lab. Despite his phobia of setting foot outside his lab, Gryffen contacts the Department and all but begs to take an expedition to Canada, hoping to find the final piece of alien technology that will bring the interdimensional transport under his control, and perhaps even send K-9 home. Inspector Thorne agrees to Gryffen’s request – perhaps too eagerly – and joins the Professor on his journey. K-9 and Starkey decide to go to Canada by other means in case Gryffen needs help. When they learn the identity of the alien race whose technology Gryffen has been researching, everyone will need help.
written by Bob Baker
directed by James Bogle
music by Christopher ElvesGuest Cast: Robyn Moore (Inspector June Turner), Jared Robinsen (Thorne), Craig Lee (Canadian Dept. Inspector #1), Emma Gibbs (Canadian Dept. Inspector #2), Matthew Reimer (Korven), Josh Norbido (CCPC), Jason McNamara (CCPC), Eugen Bekafigo (CCPC), Manuel Savdie (CCPC), Tyler Rostedt (CCPC)
Notes: This episode establishes that, like the actor who portrays him, Professor Gryffen is from Canada.
LogBook entry by Earl Green
Notes: The CCPCs are revealed to be cyborgs – cybernetic organisms – in this episode, and mention is made of cloning centers that produce the CCPCs. Even more menacing is the fact that someone has been integrating alien biotechnology into the latest round of CCPCs cloned. As the CCPC raid on the last police precinct in London happened only two years ago, back when Gryffen’s lab was that police station, it’s reasonable to assume that Gryffen’s occupancy of the building is very recent, despite enough clutter to suggest that he’s been there for years.
In the time vortex, the TARDIS registers the presence of a swarm of life forms numbering into the billions; one of them telepathically contacts Romana as it passes, with its only message being “the sands of life.” The TARDIS materializes on Earth, which is the swarm’s eventual destination. Both newly-elected Earth President Sheridan Moorkurk and a ruthless industrialist named Cuthbert are already aware of the swarm’s approach, and are preparing in their own ways. The approaching swarm has already fouled one of Cuthbert’s R&D projects, so he’s keen to eliminate the creatures, whatever their intention might be, while President Moorkurk quickly learns, in her first day in office, that Cuthbert’s influence runs deep within the government she’s inherited. The Doctor and Romana are captured, and the arrival of two aliens ahead of the swarm arouses more than just a little bit of suspicion. Romana is taken into custody by the military, and General Vincent plans to make use of her ability to commune with the approaching creatures. The Doctor is handed over to Cuthbert, who wants to put the Doctor’s knowledge and intuition to use for his personal gain. And finally, the first of the Laan reaches Earth. A large, whale-like species whose domain is the time vortex, they have some to the Sahara Desert to spawn in the “sands of life.” The birth of each group of Laan pups releases an enormous amount of both kinetic and temporal energy – enough, the Doctor surmises, to do serious damage to Earth. Is Cuthbert right to want to declare war on the Laan?
