The Dream Nexus (audio story)

was the second audiobook released in the Interludes series. It was released on the bonus downloads of the audio anthology Water Worlds. It was written by Adam Christopher and featured the Sixth Doctor, Melanie Bush and Hebe Harrison.
== Publisher's summary ==
In the distant future, Earth's empire is held together by the Network, an AI interface that connects all its citizens. But the Network has collapsed, trapping millions in a dream with no way out. Could there be an answer in the fungus forests of Zoda-Kappa? While the Doctor and Hebe use their scientific training to help the research, Mel joins the research too – in a far less pleasant way...
== Plot ==
The Doctor, Mel and Hebe materialise on a moon covered in giant phosphorescent mushrooms which the Doctor finds are all part of a single organism. Mel goes for a walk whilst the Doctor and an unenthusiastic Hebe study the organism; eventually, after some time has passed, Hebe becomes concerned that Mel has not yet returned and suggests that they go after her. They soon find a woman, seemingly infected by the fungus, who says that "she did it" before dying. Hebe takes a name badge from her hand, reading "Lydia Betancourt", and is taken away with the Doctor at gunpoint when several soldiers appear.
After being ambushed by soldiers in the forest, Mel is taken to a nearby temporary base and questioned by Captain Koppenberg, who sends her to Professor Charles Feige's laboratory upon learning that she is a computer programmer. She learns that the Network, an AI interface to which everybody is connected by brain implants, went down two years ago and caused about half of the population to enter a comatose state known as the Dream. Feige has discovered that a fungal serum can awake the Dreamers when combined with a computer algorithm to reset the implants; he injects Mel, rendering her unconscious.
In another hut, Captain Koppenberg accuses the Doctor of treason, terrorism, conspiracy and espionage, believing him to be responsible for a transmission the Space Marine Corps detected some days ago. The Doctor learns about the Dream and that the moon they are on is Zoda-Kappa and manages to convince Captain Koppenberg of his innocence.
Hebe is alone in a hut and starts hearing voices and feeling as though somebody is stood behind her when there is not. Dr Sakho Cato, Professor Feige's chief assistant, enters and tells her about the fungal serum. Hebe disassociates, feeling herself move and talk but knowing that she is being controlled by something from the forest. The entity controlling her goes outside with Dr Cato and tells Hebe that they are the Holomorph, imprisoned on Zoda-Kappa for a hundred thousand years.
Captain Koppenberg takes the Doctor to Hebe's hut, but they find her missing and learn that she went into the forest with Dr Cato. The Doctor tells Captain Koppenberg to gather a search party whilst he collects Mel, but Professor Feige contacts her and demands that she arrests him. She does so and takes him to Professor Feige, but states that his order to have the Doctor executed is an abuse of his power. The execution is interrupted by Hebe, Dr Cato and Dr Betancourt; Dr Betancourt assumes command and orders Captain Koppenberg to arrest Professor Feige.
Hebe is wearing a psionic inhibitor made by Dr Cato and Dr Betancourt which cuts her off from the Holomorph, which infected her when she picked up Dr Betancourt's name badge. Finding Mel unconscious, the Doctor works to complete the algorithm whilst Dr Cato and Dr Batencourt work on a larger psionic inhibitor whilst Hebe feels useless and guilty for picking up the name badge. She hears Mel's voice in her head asking her for help and has her dictate code for the Doctor. Captain Koppenberg informs them that Professor Feige and the two guards watching him have disappeared, taken over by the Holomorph.
In the forest, Professor Feige meets with the others infected by the Holomorph and is completely taken over. He leads the army towards the base. Captain Koppenberg has her soldiers set their weapons to stun, but the Doctor believes that the Holomorph will barely feel it and instead goes outside by himself. The Holomorph enters his mind, but Dr Cato and Dr Batencourt save him and the army using a psionic transmitter. The transmitter is to be fine-tuned and mass-produced across the Empire to wake everybody up whilst Zoda-Kappa, the Doctor hopes, will be abandoned by the humans.
== Characters ==
* Sixth Doctor
* Melanie Bush
* Hebe Harrison
* Dr Lydia Betancourt
* Brooke
* Dr Sakho Cato
* Professor Charles Feige
* Captain Koppenberg
* Norris
* Talia Rue
== Worldbuilding ==
* The air tastes like cocoa.
* The Doctor has a silver teaspoon in his coat pocket commemorating the grand opening of Llandudno Pier in Wales on 1 August 1877.
* The Doctor mentions the Daleks.
* Hebe wears a watch.
* Feige asks Mel if she knows Absin 6 Reprieve.
* The soldiers belong to the Space Marine Corps.
* The Doctor asks if they are in the late 26th or early 27th century.
* The Earth Empire is under martial law.
* Zoda-Kappa is the fourth moon of Agrana Prime.
* Space Beacon Gamma-7 was the first to go down. The Doctor asks if it was the work of argonite pirates.
* Dr Sakho Cato is Professor Feige's chief assistant. Talia Rue is another assistant.
* Dr Cato writes notes on her data pad with a stylus.
== Notes ==
to be added
== Continuity ==
to be added
== Footnotes ==
Category:Interludes audio stories
Category:2022 audio stories
Category:Sixth Doctor audio stories