Checkmate is the fifth audio play in theKaldor City series. Written byAlan Stevens, it deals withUvanov andIago's struggle to contain the threat of the killer robots.

Publisher's summary[[edit] |[edit source]]

"Cause and effect. It applies to everything."

Taren Capel's legacy is unleashed, and death stalks the streets. AsUvanov fights for his career and life,Paullus contacts a force which could be the salvation of the people ofKaldor -- or their destruction.

WithCarnell gone,Iago is the only one who can save the city from its fate — but to do that, he must sacrifice everything...

Kaldor City - Checkmate uses characters and concepts fromChris Boucher's Doctor Who novelCorpse Marker to tell an apocalyptic tale of subterfuge and revelation.

Plot[[edit] |[edit source]]

to be added

Cast[[edit] |[edit source]]

(in order of appearance)

• Iago -Paul Darrow
• Uvanov -Russell Hunter
• Packard -Nicholas Courtney
• Voc 101 -David Bickerstaff
• Cotton -Brian Croucher
• Rull -Trevor Cooper
• Carnell -Scott Fredericks
• Paullus -David Collings
• Blayes -Tracy Russell
• Taren Capel -David Bailie
• Justina -Patricia Merrick
• Voice -Alan Stevens
• Cresswell -Robert Lock
• Yardley -Alistair Lock
• Landerchild -Peter Miles
• Kellen -Courtney King
• Voc 13 -Bruce McGilligan
• Producer -Mark J. Thompson
• Announcer -William Johnston
• Ghoul 1 -Danny Golem
• Ghoul 2 -Nickey Barnard
• Derhaven -Peter Halliday
• Attendant -Miles Gould
• Schraeder -Rachel Fishwick

Worldbuilding[[edit] |[edit source]]

Indiviuals[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Landerchild is 1 of only 10 people to survive the attack onCompany Central.
• Uvanov's parent's were from theSewerpits.
• Rull mentions theLarson Project scam and howBextor died of auto-erotic asphyxiation.
• Landerchild accuses Uvanov of killing 39founding family members.

Objects[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Iago uses alaserson probe to modifyV13's secondary command channel.

Kaldor City[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Kaldor City Broadcasting is a news and media organisation.
• Justina crosses "The Boundary" and into theSewerpits.
• Uvanov decided the survivors ofStorm Mine Four, including himself, should not be allowed to tell its true story in fear it would destroyKaldor City society. A society based on one fundamental principal: robots cannot kill.

The Company Board[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Company Central have a secret emergency location unknown toUvanov. He is to contract then using an emergency code, contained in a file marked emergency procedures.
• FirstmasterDerhaven supportsLanderchild in calling for a vote of no confidence in Firstmaster Chairholder Uvanov.
• The representative of the most senior family is FirstmasterSchraeder.

Robots[[edit] |[edit source]]

• There are norobots atUvanov's residence.
• Prior to boarding theStorm Mine,Taren Capel used his position in the Company to ensure everyDum,Voc andSupervoc inKaldor City would at the sound of a trigger phrase turn into a remorseless killer.
• The instruction to "stop the killing now" is passed fromV13 toV101.Iago plans to use the news link and entertainment channels to broadcast it on a frequency that only robots will be able to detect.

Tarenists[[edit] |[edit source]]

• TheChurch of Taren Capel is announced to have claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack on theCompany Central building.
• Uvanov describes the Tarenists as having "a twisted mix ofrobophobia and religious fanaticism."
• The cover story Uvanov gives to theCompany Board is that Tarenists released the trigger phrase to awake the killer robots.
• Uvanov accusesCarnell of financing the Church of Taren Capel.

Fendahl[[edit] |[edit source]]

• TheFendahl communicates withPaullus through the static on the tapes usingTaren Capel's aspect.
• Snake creatures appear; these are the Fendahl's servants known asFendahleen.
• The Emptiness is a desert wind that comes directly from the centre of theBlind Heart Desert.

Notes[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Following the release of this play, and the sad death ofRussell Hunter, it was generally assumed that theKaldor City audio stories had reached a natural end. However, to date, three further audio productions have been released.
• The play closes with a version of the theme music fromThe Logic of Empire, a fan producedBlake's 7 audio co-written byAlan Stevens, before leading into the series theme.
• A specially recorded audio trailer was released to promote this story taking the form of a short monologue as read in character byPaul Darrow asIago.^[1]
• The copyright notice printed on the CD release of this production states: "Unauthorised copying, hiring, renting, public performance and broadcasting is strictly prohibited orCotton will insert a lemon."
• This story was part of a recording block that also consisted ofHidden Persuaders, andTaren Capel.^[2]
• The CD cover art was designed byAndy Hopkinson.
• The third edition ofMad Norwegian Press' reference workAHistory gives a year of2890 for the events of this story.

Continuity[[edit] |[edit source]]

• This story takes place immediately afterAUDIO:Taren Capel.
• Several story elements were foreshadowed in previous stories; including the existence ofTaren Capel's skull, (AUDIO:Death's Head) and the emergence of theFendahl (AUDIO:Taren Capel).
• TheFendahl once survived being dropped in the heart of a supernova. It has grown stronger from this. (TV:Image of the Fendahl)
• It's been 10 years since Taren Capel attempted to take control ofStorm Mine Four using an army of modified robot killers. (TV:The Robots of Death)
• The conclusion ofPROSE:Corpse Marker, in whichUvanov's attained the position of "Firstmaster Chairholder", occurred "3 years and 30 days" ago.
• It's been 10 months sinceIago arrived inKaldor City. (AUDIO:Occam's Razor)
• At the close of the play, Iago is shot and apparently dying when the Fendahl (through Iago's paramourJustina) offers him a deal. This seems to involve him going back to a time and place before his death, although this may all have been an illusion created by the Fendahl for its own ends. He is seemingly taken back into the events as previously featured inAUDIO:Occam's Razor, when they are looking at the painting of the red pentagram. Iago then kills Justina, possibly as a means to retroactively abort the Fendahl.
• Various concepts originating fromImage of the Fendahl feature. This includes:
  • The Ritual of Twelve.
  • A skull containing the Fendahl's power.
  • Placing a hand on the Fendahl skull to activate its powers.
  • "The one that kills."
  • Dead bodies decomposing rapidly.
  • 'The Fendahl Core'.
• Uvanov quotes someone who he doesn't recall who: "If Taren Capel didn't exist then it would be nessercary to invent him."Carnell made this statement inCorpse Marker, its likely Uvanov is deliberately not mentioning Carnell, due to his recent betrayal.
• The Boundary, The Sewerpits, and, The Emptiness. (PROSE:Corpse Marker)
• The Firstmaster Murders. (AUDIO:Occam's Razor)
• Iago's statement "Cause and effect. It applies to everything." echos Carnell's words. (AUDIO:Death's Head)
• A variation of the following exchange between Blayes and Iago is repeated fromAUDIO:Death's Head:
  • Blayes: "Nice place you've got here."
  • Iago: "It goes with the job."
• The assassination ofDiss Pitter. (AUDIO:Hidden Persuaders)
• Rull's investigation into theLarson Project. (AUDIO:Hidden Persuaders)
• TheOxgenator Four hostage crisis. (AUDIO:Hidden Persuaders)
• The destruction ofCompany Central. (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• Iago and Uvanov review Carnell's farewell message. (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• The activation of the killer robots. (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• Carnell played Chess against V31. (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• Rull was attacked and hospitalised in (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• Company Central was blown up earlier today. (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• Bextor's apparent death by auto-erotic asphyxiation. (AUDIO:Taren Capel)
• Iago uses a secondary command channel and alaserson probe to modify robots as did Taren Capel inTV:The Robots of Death. The difference being that Capel used them to turn robots into killers, whereas Iago is using it to make them safe again. The laserson probe also makes appearances outside of Kaldor City. (PROSE:Synthespians™,COMIC:Mortal Beloved)
• The Fendahl Core refers to Paullus asAnder Poul. This is the first only time inthe series, the character is addressed directly by that name. The characters full name was first given inPROSE:Corpse Marker.
• The Fendahl Core uses a variation on theTarenists refrain "Humanity be in him", here it highlights how theChurch of Taren Capel, namely its leaderPaullus has been used by the Fendahl. (PROSE:Corpse Marker,AUDIO:Hidden Persuaders)

External links[[edit] |[edit source]]

• OfficialCheckmate page atMagic Bullet Productions
• OfficialCheckmate page atRandom Static

• Checkmate at theDoctor Who Reference Guide

Footnotes[[edit] |[edit source]]