Rain of Terror ( novel ) Rain of Terror was a novel in the " Doctor Who " 2 in 1 books range . Publisher ' s summary . In Rain of Terror , terrible tiny creatures swarm down from the sky , intent on destroying everything on planet Xirrinda . As the colonists try to fight the alien infestation , the Doctor searches for the ancient secret weapon of the native Ulla people . Is it enough to save the day ? Plot . Gellen is having a birthday surprise from her father and his girlfriend . The take her on a Galactic Safari trip to Xirrinda . From her hotel , she watches as native animals of the planet run around in the distance . Suddenly , as she watches from her veranda , small , brown pebbles land nearby . It cracks open and a small creature with a number of spindly legs comes out of its shell and reveals its sharp teeth to her . Inside the TARDIS , the Doctor offers Amy and Rory a party . Rambling on about it is interrupted by a sudden jolt as the TARDIS shudders . Gellen ' s father comes to her help and pulls her away from the tiny creatures . As he pulls her from the room , he can hear the screams of others as they realise creatures are entering their rooms . Reaching the car park , her father puts Gellen in the car , but it ' s too late for him as more of the creatures rain down upon him and drag him away from his daughter . The jeep she is now sitting in hums to life and drives out of the car park with the sound of more creatures rattling on the roof as they land . There ' s a sudden noise within the TARDIS , which the crew can ' t believe . After discovering there ' s a meteor storm outside , the Doctor pulls out a net , wishing to grab a specimen ; after nabbing one , he triumphantly closes the TARDIS doors and examines it with his sonic screwdriver , reporting it ' s giving off a massive gravitational interference . As the Doctor holds it , the sample suddenly opens , revealing a strange creature that quickly sprouts legs and begins to chase them around the TARDIS until Amy opens the door so the Doctor can kick it out " with a comfortable clunk . " The group realises the shower means there are millions of creatures falling around them . The TARDIS arrives on Xirrinda , inside some sort of airport , and the Doctor is using his sonic to measure the readings . They soon discover that it is a tourist destination , and Rory comments that doesn ' t look high - tech . While the Doctor goes to talk to someone in charge , Amy and Rory visit a t - shirt ' s salesman who turns out to be a native . The Doctor finds the warden of the airport , Casper Van Goole , and without explaining any reason , he asks for the warden to prepare a transport so that they can reach the hotel . In the terminal , the native turns out to be Attar who is double - jointed ( probably biologically common to his species ) . Attar says that he isn ' t happy here because it ' s very dull and there ' s nothing at all to do . Amy picks a t - shirt for Rory , which is embroidered with a confusing pattern , which Attar claims to be a design of the legends he was taught by his tribe . When Amy goes off to put on her new t - shirt a coach with newcomers , children in fact , arrives . The Doctor and Van Goole take a red - topped vehicle to the hotel . At first it doesn ' t start , but with a wave of the sonic screwdriver , it started . Seeing Amy and Rory inside the terminal , he tells them he won ' t be long . Listening to his orders , they both investigate the transport situation . Two school children , Matty George and Kevin Arkwright , aren ' t interested in their new surroundings . Matty is a little more enthusiastic , but the teacher , a frowning , not - well - liked substitute named Mr Cain , explains they ' re here to research for their exams . The Doctor and Van Goole arrive at the area , but , seeing the cloud of creatures approaching them , realise they ' re too late to save anyone . The Doctor finally explains that these are a parasitic race of some sort that are slowly devouring the planet . Van Goole spots something and the Doctor realises it ' s a survivor from the hotel ; as the warden attempts to restart his hovercar , the doctor bounds down , finding a badly - bruised Gellen in the back seat of the jeep . . As something bangs on the car ' s roof , he hauls her out of the vehicle and races to the warden ' s hover car . As the pebble - creatures rain down on them again the Doctor struggles to restart the vehicle , finally succeeding and allowing them to speed away . . Amy notices their arrival as they haul a limp body from the hover car : Gellen . Rory examines her , finding she merely has a mild concussion . Amy then shows the Doctor the train - like machine they found , all ready to go . Gellen wakes up and explains to Rory and Van Goole about the creatures and how they attacked the hotel . Using his skills , Van Goole pulled up a screen that showed the storm coming towards them . The warden is breathless . The Doctor is relishing the finding of the train , which turns out to be a monorail and requests that Thornton drives it , because he is an engineer . Matty and Kevin suddenly hear a whistle in the terminal and the Doctor begins to talk to them about the approaching storm and the monorail that they are equipped with to escape . A man called Professor Willard confronts the Doctor in rage . Seeing that he was getting nowhere with the headmaster , he told him to shut up and listen to what he was saying . After a quick explanation of the specific situation at hand , an evacuation begins . Amy tells Attar that he must help to evacuate the people inside the terminal because of the creatures that are coming towards them . He leaves in a panic , telling Amy that he must warn his people on the savannah . Amy is worried that there might not be enough space on the train . When looking at the radar images , the Doctor discovers that the creatures are leaving waste behind them , a metal waste to be exact . Van Goole explain that the monorail was used as a back - up transport to got to Ortagon City , via the caves , which were an attraction . The Doctor proposes that they send a message to the city when they are in range . Amy and Rory burst in and explain what has happened to Attar . The Doctor is frustrated that Van Goole didn ' t tell him about the tribe . The warden apologises , but emphasises that there won ' t be enough space capacity on the monorail for the tribe as well . He tells the Doctor that the tribe is a mile down the road . Before he could leave without them again , Amy demanded that she and Rory accompany him to the settlement . It barely takes them a minute to reach the tribe ' s settlement , but when they arrive , they realise it was empty . They guess that they had been aware of the danger and escaped beforehand . They find Attar who explains that the scene is just like in the legend of the Rain of Terror . Attar confesses that he didn ' t pay much attention to the stories though . Without the Doctor noticing , two dark visitors arrive , which Attar claims to be Sharkwolves . Attar quickly explains to the Doctor that they are pack animals and don ' t usually come so close to the settlement . The Doctor rapidly deduce s that the creatures wouldn ' t like daylight . The four of them slowly drag themselves across the wall , trying not to make the creatures suspicious . The Doctor then shouts run and they escape into the daylight and back into their vehicle . When they return to the terminal , everything seems to be in full swing as people busy themselves to try to get everyone onto the monorail . Thornton is keen to have a word with the Doctor and a child is in need of a assistance from Rory . Thornton seems to be indeed in a slight predicament . The train temperature can get a little too hot and a little too cold , but the computer can ' t control the boiler pressure . It will evidently need to be done manually . Matty and Kevin feel a little frightened as they watch the situation unfold before their eyes . Matty seems quite sure that the train will work , but Kevin is not so sure . The Doctor appears again and asks whether someone would like to do a little task . Matty and Kevin volunteer . Van Goole and Thornton aren ' t so keen on the idea of having two children controlling the boiler pressure . The Doctor asks the twelve year old boys if they understand the procedure and they nod . The Doctor argues that the human brain should be something that ' s recognised as being better than a computer . Van Goole gives up at this point . Amy notices the Doctor ' s worry and asks about it . He explains that the train will work perfectly , but that the creatures are multiplying faster than anything . The escape will be narrow . If they ' re not quick enough , all the shuttles in Ortagon City will have been used up . The teacher , Cain , overhears this conversation and tried to create another plan just in case . He meets up with Professor Willard to discuss it . It is obvious , judging by their words , Cain is keen on capturing some of the creatures , believing that they would be valuable . Willard is unsure , but goes ahead with the plan . The Doctor notices Gellen , sitting alone on a bench and sits next to her . She is also worried that they won ' t make it , but he reassures that they will be able to escape in time and will get away from them , because the monorail will be faster . Standing up and looking out of the window , he can see a dark grey cloud approaching at a frightening speed . He orders people to get on the train now — they have to leave . Amy can hear a whispering , getting louder and louder in the distance . She notices that Van Goole ' s team is setting up a makeshift medical cabin for Rory , so that he can look after Gellen in her traumatic state . The Doctor pulls her onto the train and Thornton and Van Goole follow suit . The Rain of Terror has arrived . The creatures are crossing the concourse towards the filled train . Somebody then realises that Professor Willard and Mr Cain aren ' t on board . The Doctor is about to get off the train to try to find them when they appear , racing towards the monorail in fright . Windows smash all around them as the creatures burst through with all their weight . The train is picking up speed , but the Doctor finally manages to get them both on board and they are hurried away . The Doctor glares at the Professor and Cain at their foolishness . The Professor complains that he had to get his life ' s work . Amy helps Willard to his feet and escorts him to see Rory . Matty and Kevin tell the Doctor that everything is under control . He then proceeds down the train to see Thornton and Van Goole . They watch as the train continues across the planet at a faster speed than the creatures . Thornton explains that the journey to the city will take about fix to six hours at most . Thornton then explains that they will have to stop to recharge the train ' s fuel cells . Van Goole reluctantly agrees . When heading to see Attar about the legends he was taught , the Doctor meets Cain , who apologises for his appalling actions . Amy arrives in Rory ' s coach where he is surprised to see the blood on the Professor ' s leg . Rory is getting a little overwhelmed by the whole situation — he ' s had many patients to deal with . Amy comments that he is doing a great job , even though he is only a nurse . The Doctor turns up and asks where Attar might be . Gellen wakes from a horrible dream , to find that she seems to be having the same experience . She notices Rory who is looking exhausted , but then also , Cain is talking to Professor Willard . Cain is holding a box , which Gellen is sure had whispers coming from it . She decides that she will follow them . The Doctor finally finds Attar , but the native doesn ' t seem happy to see him . The Doctor seems absolutely sure that Attar knows about the legends , even though he didn ' t pay attention . The Doctor tries to engage the perfect environment for Attar so that he can recall the stories . He dims the light and starts a drumming in the carriage , originating from a small girl called Karen who happens to have the song on her i - book . Attar appears to be falling into a trance . The Doctor slowly hypnotises Attar and forces him to remember when he was young . He suddenly knows the story . He begins to tell it . In a carriage further along , Professor Willard and Cain can hear the drumming , but Cain is keen to ignore it . The Professor does as he was told and opens the specimen case and examines whatever is inside . He pulls out a rubbery material , which he explains is some sort of flexible metal . Cain exclaims that they will be rich , but not if the swarm catches them . Cain then divulges his plan to Willard , who listens intently . They are going to steal a shuttle from the refuelling station . The professor then reseals the specimen box . Gellen has been watching and recording everything that is said and done . After they leave , she then crosses over to the specimen box . She opens it , and inside there are three pebble creatures . The doctor ponders over Attar ' s recital of the story he has been taught . Amy complains that it was too long and very garbled . The Doctor explains that Attar ' s people ' s civilisation , years ago , had been very technological . They had created the Rain of Terror as an answer to their economical problems . It was only too late that they realised that they had created a monster . And now they have returned and the campfire stories had prepared them for that exact purpose . But the natives had also devised a way of stopping the creatures and the Doctor believes that this was where they had escaped to , somewhere within the caves . Gellen is frozen to the spot as she sees the creatures in the specimen box . She then jumps at the sound of the Professor ' s voice and hides again , but in doing so , doesn ' t fasten the box properly . The train then begins to halt and Cain orders the Professor to grab the specimen box as they are about to leave the carriage . Thornton and Van Goole leave the train first and head to grab the spare power cells . The Doctor goes to join them . Amy decides to go too . Before they can leave the carriage , Cain holds out a gun to them , claiming that no one will leave . The Doctor becomes frustrated again and says firmly to Cain that there is no way that the shuttle will leave with the gravitational interference . Amy is shocked to then discover what the specimen box contained . In an effort to stop him , the Doctor lunges for the stun gun that Cain is holding , but is knocked to the ground . The teacher then grabs Amy and the three of them disembark the train . Cain drags Amy towards the free shuttle . When they arrive , Amy is pushed into a seat in the cockpit . Cain then orders the Professor to pilot the shuttle off the ground . The Doctor and Rory watch as the shuttle tries and fails to escape from the planet . It lifts steadily in the air , but the interference pulls it down again and Amy is trapped inside . It begins to smoke in mid air . It tries holding in the air , but then descends and ploughs through the ground . Thornton and Van Goole appear , wondering what is going on , and the Doctor explains that Cain has realised that the creatures are unique and will use them to make him rich . They soon realise , behind them , a dark cloud is approaching at an unbelievable speed . The Doctor decides then that they should head for the caves and so everyone is ushered back onboard . He believes that they have a chance to stop the creatures once and for all . Amy awakes inside the rubble of the shuttle . She unbuckles her harness and tries to get out . She then notices the Professor , who is slumped across the controls in an undignified fashion . Cain suddenly appears , unharmed . Amy pleads that what he is doing is completely wrong . Cain now seems to have his mind set on investigating the caves where they ' d landed nearby . Amy helped the Professor exit the shuttle and they walk towards the caves . The Doctor has arrived in the carriage to find Attar asleep and he now wakes him up . Attar tells the Doctor that his people will probably have travelled to the large cavern within the caves . It is located at the centre of the mountains . Attar ' s face falls when he realises that the path was shown on the great paintings , which were taken , but then he notices Rory ' s t - shirt , which is actually a rather original drawing of the path itself . Rory takes the shirt off and gives it to the Doctor . Unknown to the passengers on the train , there are small pebble creature fast asleep beneath one of the seats . Amy is getting tired of walking around and realises that they have probably been walking in circles . In the end she trips and falls with the professor . Cain seems certain that the professor knows where the caves lead . After consulting his journal , the professor decides on a route . Gellen watches the Doctor and Attar disembark from the monorail after it has abruptly stopped . She doesn ' t feel frightened , though , that stopping means that the creatures are getting closer by the second . She trusts the Doctor in some way , enough to lay her life in his hands . Then she hears scuttling and notices that one of the pebble creatures is rummaging around the carriage in a drugged fashion . The Doctor is a little too quick for Attar as he tries to decipher the way through the tunnels using Rory ' s shirt . They find a dead end , but the Doctor explains that it is actually a door , meant to look like a wall . He realises that the key to opening it is one of the native songs . He tells Attar to sing and the song resounds down the tunnels . The wall has now vanished and steps are revealed instead . Cain looks around the tunnel as he hears the song approach them like an echo . They try to find from which way the sound is coming , but it is practically impossible . Cain pushes them forward impatiently , not wanting to lose the sound . Gellen is screaming as the creature approaches her hungrily . She manages to pull a pile of cases on top of it , but it doesn ' t seem to stop it . Rory arrives and is astonished to discover that a creature has appeared on the train somehow . The creature appears once again and scurries towards them . Rory decides he could distract it . He tosses a sandwich to the ground and the creature eats it ravenously . The creature shockingly multiplies into two creatures . Rory looks apologetically at Gellen . The Doctor and Attar have finally arrived in the large cavern . The tribespeople are gathered around the machine that could destroy the creatures , but they don ' t seem to be doing anything . The Doctor introduces himself . The Doctor tries to press them on , worried that they are wasting too much time . The people aren ' t looking very happy because they have found out that the machine does not work . Rory and Gellen suddenly come across Matty and Kevin who are still in the same spot , believing they have been forgotten about . Matty seems to be forming a plan and smiles . The Doctor is listening to the tribespeople ' s song . It is obvious that it isn ' t working , but there is something else . The Doctor explains that the culture evolves and that the songs could have been changed somehow during their evolution on the planet , something different from a long time ago . He pulls Attar forward and tells him to write anything about the song that doesn ' t sound genuine . Matty has decided that the best way to get rid of them is to blow up the train . Rory doesn ' t have time to disagree because the creatures are now closer than ever . Thornton suddenly arrives and so they are quickly forced to divulge the information to him . Thornton surprisingly agrees . They have sung the song many times now , it is now up to Attar to teach them the original song they should sing . Rory tempts the creatures towards the boiler room using Kevin ' s sweets . He realises that the creatures have multiplied quite a bit in the time they had talked and there are about a dozen scuttling towards him . Gellen watches Rory before heading down the platform to give Matty and Kevin a thumbs up . They press a few buttons while following the instructions of what Thornton has written on the piece of paper . The engine train has now detached from the rest of the monorail . Van Goole comes over to ask what is going on . The tribespeople are beginning to sing the proper song . The machine that they had needed starts to spring to life . The Doctor explains that it will immediately halt the creatures in their tracks . But there is a familiar voice from the tunnel behind and Cain appears , holding a gun to Amy ' s head . Rory and Thornton are still on the train as it picks up speed . They have to act quickly if they are going to escape . Thornton presseds a button , one of the doors opens and he advises Rory to bend his knees . They are about to jump when a creature scuttles from the shadows and bites Thornton on his leg . Rory finds an axe and swings it and it hits the creature cleanly off Thornton ' s leg . They finally jump and land heavily on the platform . The train begins to whine noisily before it explodes . There is the sound of cheering behind them The Doctor tries reasoning with Cain to stop him from doing anything drastic . Cain is sure that he and the professor will get a lot of money from the creatures . But the Doctor pleads that they aren ' t a species , but a machine . The professor agrees with the Doctor , but Cain isn ' t giving up . Cain fireds the stun gun , but is hit by Willard , which sends it flying to the roof of the cavern . There is a scuffle on the steps . Willard isn ' t letting Cain escape as he opens the specimen box and the creatures begin to devour them . The Doctor , panicked , presses the deactivation button . Rory hears a deafening noise and when he opens his eyes , the creatures have all fallen to the ground , alive no more . When the Doctor , Amy and the Ulla people emerge from the caves , the rescue shuttlecraft has arrived . The Doctor looks at Matty and Kevin angrily when seeing the remains of the train , but after an explanation he forgives them . The Doctor tells Van Goole about what happened to Cain and the professor . He then tells Attar to tell his people to gather the metal from the Rain of Terror and that it will give them enough money to rebuild their civilisation . Then , the Doctor , Amy and Rory go to retrieve the TARDIS , promised a party .