Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Crystal of Cantus (audio story)

Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Crystal of Cantus, or simply The Crystal of Cantus, was the twenty-eighth Bernice Summerfield audio story released by Big Finish Productions. It was the fifth and final story of the sixth season. It was told unconventionally through voice-overs and flashback-style point of view scenes.
This story also featured the Cybermen, as the cover art (and dialogue in-story) indicates Cybermen of The Tomb of the Cybermen-era. It is notable for its gruesome revelation of how the Cybermen create Cybermats: from babies.
The story reveals Irving Braxiatel's motivations and manipulations (particularly of Jason Kane) that began in the 2003 story Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Mirror Effect.
== Publisher's summary ==
Fabled crystals from long-dead civilisations. Jason Kane blundering into situations out of his control. Entombed Cybermen waking from a century-long sleep. It's all in a day's work for Professor Bernice Summerfield. Armed with her endless supply of witty quips and penchant for alcoholic beverages, she'll find the Crystal, rescue Jason, destroy the Cybermen and be home in time for supper.
Except, this time, it's different. This time, as the saying goes, it's personal.
And, after this adventure, things will never be the same again.
== Plot ==
Whilst Benny is having a picnic with Peter, she is approached by Parasiel, who wants to know about what happened with Braxiatel, Jason and the Cybermen. She relents and starts her story, but warns him not to expect a happy ending.
Benny and Jason return to the Braxiatel Collection from Trib City and, after Benny has her arm restored, she is bewildered by Jason's claim that he and Braxiatel are going to Berkoff IV to see a Galyari production of Macbeth. She sneaks aboard their shuttle and confronts them about their subterfuge, learning that they are going to get the Crystal of Cantus as a surprise after purchasing a map from Thesanius in the Garazone. Thesanius, who was paid to contact Benny about the map, is subsequently killed by an exploding pair of shoes.
When the shuttle lands on Cantus, Braxiatel falls down a hatch and Benny and Jason go looking for him, escaping from a Cyberman to the home of Jack and Babs. Braxiatel attempts to surrender to a Cyberman and is eventually taken to the dying Cyber-Leader and shown Benny and Jason on a screen, being herded to St Mylene's Infirmary and finding a room full of babies which are to become Cybermats. Benny runs away and Jason is captured by a Cyberman for cyber-conversion and taken to the Cyber-Leader, who was once Ronan McGinley, a professor who had a relationship with Ms Jones and was secretly brought to Cantus by Braxiatel.
Parasiel remembers how he met with Braxiatel before his departure and how Braxiatel told him part of the story, including how the Fifth Axis occupation and whispers of a Draconian threat led him to protect the Collection by any means necessary. He contacted his past self to send him a crystal from Gallifrey which would give the user the power to control and manipulate.
Braxiatel reveals to Jason that he orchestrated Jason's mission to Cantus so that he might replace Ronan as Cyber-Leader, who has been slowly dying thanks to the crystal, and continue to protect the Collection with the army of Cybermen. After warning Braxiatel that something is still in his head, Ronan dies and Braxiatel uses his will to have the Cybermen place the coronet containing the crystal on Jason's head, making him the new Cyber-Leader. Braxiatel leaves and tells Benny by communicator that Jason is dead, but she hears Jason's voice thanks to the crystal and finds him, taking the crystal and using it to destroy the Cybermen with emotion. She then smashes the crystal.
Although Bev is supposed to know what she is doing, the weather on the Collection is out of control and Benny, Peter and Parasiel go indoors with Jason, who has been working with Adrian. Parasiel knows that the trio returned to the Collection together after Cantus and that Jason met with Braxiatel, which Jason tells Parasiel about.
Jason visits Braxiatel and claims that he has no memory of Cantus and has been experiencing more of his headaches. Braxiatel feigns ignorance and Jason reveals that he remembers everything thanks to the crystal, physically threatening him into leaving Benny and Peter alone and saying that he intends to leave the Collection with his family. Instead, Braxiatel and his rooms disappear, leaving the future of the Collection uncertain. However, Jason assures Benny that they are going to be excellent.
== Cast ==
* Bernice Summerfield - Lisa Bowerman
* Jason Kane - Stephen Fewell
* Ronan McGinley - Nicholas Briggs
* Irving Braxiatel - Miles Richardson
* Joseph - Steven Wickham
* Peter Summerfield - Thomas Grant
* Parasiel - Paul Bryant
* Commander Hallan - Michael Cuckson
* Babs - Katarina Olsson
* Jack - Toby Longworth
* Thesanius - Gary Russell
* Cassus - Joseph Lidster
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Clothing ===
* Braxiatel wears a new hat. A Cyberman shoots it.
=== Food and drink ===
* Jason drinks a beer.
=== Leisure ===
* Jason and Peter play football.
=== Music ===
* Jason sings "It's a Long Way to Tipperary".
* Braxiatel listens to classical music.
=== Species ===
* The Cybermen create Cybermats from babies.
* The Galyari perform Macbeth on Berkoff IV.
* Parasiel mentions the Draconians, the Mim and the Sunari as potential threats to the Collection.
== Notes ==
* The story is not told in a conventional narrative but rather with voice-over and flashback-style point of view scenes.
* Benny sarcastically says that her story is not Professor Bernice Summerfield in an Exciting Adventure with the Cybermen, a reference to Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks.
* Commander Hallan is a recurring character in the Gallifrey audio series, which also features Braxiatel in a major role.
== Continuity ==
* This story continues Braxiatel's manipulation of Jason that started in Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Mirror Effect and his motivations in Death and the Daleks.
* Braxiatel's reasons and motivations for this are further explored in Mindbomb.
* Benny refers to the events of The Tomb of the Cybermen and states the Cybermen have tombs across the galaxy.
* Benny corrects Parasiel in that the Cybermen came originally from Mondas, not Telos. She gives a potted history of the origins of the Cybermen: they were dying and started replacing their parts (TV: The Tenth Planet; AUDIO: Spare Parts)
* Thesanius tells Jason, in a message to Bernice about the Crystal of Cantus, to meet him on Garazone. (AUDIO: Sword of Orion) The Fifth Doctor once helped him to escape from Garazone security. (AUDIO: Nekromanteia)
* The crystal is the same as on the Coronet of Rassilon. (TV: The Five Doctors)
* Benny has met the Cybermen before. (AUDIO: Silver Lining)
* There is a flashback to a younger version of Braxiatel on Gallifrey where Darkel is asking for him. (AUDIO: Weapon of Choice, et al)
* Jason's memories of Verum were blocked by Braxiatel. (PROSE: On Trial)
* Benny and Jason have just returned from the Trib Museum and has had her arm grown back. (AUDIO: Professor Bernice Summerfield and the Lost Museum)
== External links ==
Category:Bernice Summerfield sources
Category:Series 6 (BFBS) audio stories
Category:2006 audio stories
Category:Irving Braxiatel audio stories
Category:Stories set in 2606
Category:Cyberman audio stories
Category:One part audio stories