The Dalek Protocol (audio story)

was the first story, a prequel of sorts, in the Dalek Universe series produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Nicholas Briggs and featured Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor, Louise Jameson as Leela, John Leeson as K9, Jane Slavin as Anya Kingdom and Joe Sims as Mark Seven.
== Publisher's summary ==
The Earth mission to Exxilon is nearing completion after many long years. Enough parrinium has been mined to stop the spread of the deadly space plague. But suddenly, the power-draining beacon from the Exxilon city is inexplicably reactivated, stranding the humans.
The Doctor, Leela and K9 are stuck too, right on top of the remains of the city – under attack!
Somewhere nearby, the android agent Mark Seven is enacting his secret orders while the Doctor’s estranged future companion, Anya Kingdom, is hoping for redemption.
And heading inexorably towards them all… the Daleks!
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
to be added
=== Part two ===
to be added
=== Part three ===
to be added
=== Part four ===
to be added
== Cast ==
* The Doctor - Tom Baker
* Leela - Louise Jameson
* K9 - John Leeson
* Anya Kingdom - Jane Slavin
* Mark Seven - Joe Sims
* Gislen - Jez Fielder
* Ellasi Craig - Anna Mitcham
* Bernard / Bellal / The Daleks - Nicholas Briggs
== Crew ==
* Cover Art - Ryan Aplin
* Writer & Director - Nicholas Briggs
* Executive Producer - Jason Haigh-Ellery and Nicholas Briggs
* Music and Sound Design - Jamie Robertson
* Producer - David Richardson
* Script Editor - John Dorney
* Daleks, the Kingdom Family, Mark Seven and Bellal created by Terry Nation
* K9 created by Bob Baker and Dave Martin
== Worldbuilding ==
* The Doctor is very much aware of Mark Seven and also refers to him as a hero of the Dalek Wars. He is also aware of him being an android with a positronic brain.
* Reading Mark Seven's memories, the Doctor discovers that the Daleks are also dying from the Space Plague. This explains their presence on Exxilon and why they wish to mine all of the parrinium.
* When Mark Seven's undercover identity was discovered, the Daleks distilled within him the Dalek Protocol, turning him into a Dalek agent.
== Notes ==
* This story was recorded on 2 and 3 July 2018 at Audio Sorcery.
* The Dalek Protocol was originally written and recorded before Dalek Universe had even been conceived. (BFX: The Dalek Protocol) In the eventual release order, the pairing of Anya Kingdom and Mark Seven had already been introduced, alongside River Song, in Queen of the Mechonoids.
* As well as acting as a prequel to Dalek Universe, the story was also noted to be a sequel to Death to the Daleks, The Daleks' Master Plan, the Sara Kingdom trilogy and The Perfect Prisoners. (BFX: The Dalek Protocol)
* Briggs wanted the Daleks involved to feel "very traditional", including the high-ranking Dalek with a high-pitched voice. (BFX: The Dalek Protocol)
* John Dorney notes that, save for one vague reference to the Dalek Wars, there was no specific time placement for Death to the Daleks. The Dalek Protocol more firmly places it around the "area" of The Daleks' Master Plan. (BFX: The Dalek Protocol) This seemingly gels with The Whoniverse, which fit the events of the story into the conflict sparked by the events of Master Plan. However, it conflicts with The Secret Lives of Monsters which placed the Exxilon Gambit as the conclusion of the Third Dalek War, taking place roughly around the 27th century.
* It had not been made clear in previous stories whether the Daleks in Death to the Daleks were actually suffering from the space plague, or merely sought the parrinium to prevent humanity from finding a cure. The Whoniverse framed this in-universe as something historians were divided on. The Dalek Protocol helps keep in line with this thinking by having the Dalek Supreme admit that the Daleks have fallen victim to a new mutation of the plague.
* Briggs noted that the pronunciation of Barnard's name tended to change between scenes. He drew comparisons with Vural from The Sontaran Experiment and thought of this kind of error as "a long tradition in Doctor Who". (BFX: The Dalek Protocol)
* Voicing Bellal was called "a dream come true" by Briggs, an avowed Death to the Daleks fan, who described him as "the lovely little Exxilon who everyone thinks should have been a companion of the Doctor's". (BFX: The Dalek Protocol)
* The cover depicts Bellal wearing a greenish cloak. Although he never wore anything in his original appearance in Death to the Daleks, he was described as wearing such a cloak in the novelisation.
== Continuity ==
* Anya recalls the Doctor telling her about Leela being a "savage", leading her to be aware of her being a previous companion. This allows her to reach the conclusion about this Doctor having yet to meet her. (TV: The Face of Evil, et al.)
* The Doctor and Leela recall their previous encounter with the Exxilons on E9874. (AUDIO: The Exxilons)
* The Doctor reunites with Bellal, and frequently discusses his previous visit to Exxilon. (TV: Death to the Daleks)
* Mark Seven and Anya Kingdom would later go on further missions. (AUDIO: Queen of the Mechonoids)
* Anya mentions the Anti-Dalek Force and the Doctor refers to Mark Seven as a hero of the Dalek Wars. (PROSE: Terror Task Force et al.)
* K9's weaponry proves effective against the Daleks. (COMIC: Doctor Who and the Dogs of Doom)
== External links ==
Category:Dalek Universe audio stories
Category:Fourth Doctor Adventures audio stories
Category:Dalek audio stories
Category:K9 audio stories
Category:Stories set in the 41st century
Category:Fourth Doctor audio stories