Red Skies was the ninth release of theBBC Torchwood audio stories.

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

Jack Harkness is in need of aholiday. He wants to get away fromTorchwood, away from thehuman race — and where better to get completely away from it all thanCotter Paluni's World, aplanet surrounded by deadly scarletlightning and cut off from the entire universe?

But there are some shocks in store for Jack: the "Devil's World" might be completely isolated and inaccessible, but its inhabitants worship Torchwood. And before he can find out why, or how this is even possible, he finds himselfarrested formurder.

It looks as if someone on theplanet knows who Jack is — and they're out to get him...

Plot[[edit] |[edit source]]

Wanting to get away fromEarth,Jack useshis vortex manipulator to travel from aUniversal Heritagespacecraft to the surface ofCotter Paluni's World, aplanet subject tostorms of unexplained redlightning. He learns fromHeather, abarmaid, that her people worshipTorchwood and isarrested byDetective Torsten Højer for hermurder after she is hit by the lightning and burns todeath, but he persuades Torsten to secretly release him and help bring down Torchwood. This results in Jack being hit by lightning and having a vision ofAlex Hopkins'ssuicide inthe Hub.

Jack comes back to life and, after evading thepolice and having a vision ofSuzie's three deaths, he and Torsten enter the Hubmonastery disguised asmonks. After seeing the deaths ofIanto,Steven,Owen,Tosh and others that he feels responsible for, he tries to send Torsten away, but Torsten refuses as Torchwood oppresses homosexuals like himself and he wishes to be free. Jack has a vision of Gwen being shot and runs to return to her until Torsten reminds him of his duty and they find that the supposed god isMartin Gibbons, a Torchwood operative believed to be dead who has merged with a sentient spacecraft which crashed intoNewport.

Martin explains how the spacecraft was without a passenger and how he longed for a fresh start because of how disillusioned he was with Torchwood, leading it to take him to Cotter Paluni's World to be a god. Jack makes him realise that he wants to beforgiven and to die, so Torsten forgives him and he takes a final breath before dying. After kissing Torsten and saying goodbye, Jack uses his vortex manipulator to head to Earth to avenge Gwen's death.

Characters[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Jack Harkness
• Torsten Højer
• Martin Gibbons
• Kim Ashman
• Heather Blades
• James Unsworth
• Karen Baldwin
• Alex Hopkins
• Brother Michael
• Brother Thomas
• Gwen Cooper
• Suzie Costello

Worldbuilding[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Kim Ashman works forUniversal Heritage.
• Kim is asked a question by aCrespallion.
• Jack's vortex manipulator is working.
• Alex Hopkins killedJames Unsworth andKaren Baldwin.
• Ryan Hooper is the son of themayor.
• Jack andIanto Jones used to watch aan old British quiz show which he is reminded of by the phrase "say what you see".
• Martin died in aspacecraft explosion.
• Gary was ripped apart by an alienbomb.
• Jack remembers the deaths ofEmily andHarriet.
• Torsten went toschool withLawrence andJenny.
• Torsten was attracted toSanjay.

Notes[[edit] |[edit source]]

to be added

Continuity[[edit] |[edit source]]

• Jack seesSuzie Costello's three deaths. (TV:Everything Changes,They Keep Killing Suzie,PROSE:Long Time Dead)
• Jack also sees the deaths of:Ianto Jones, (TVChildren of Earth: Day Four,AUDIO:The House of the Dead)Lucia Moretti, (TV:Children of Earth: Day Three)Steven Carter, (TV:Children of Earth: Day Five)Gray, (TV:Exit Wounds)Owen Harper, (TV:Reset,Exit Wounds)Toshiko Sato (TV:Exit Wounds) andAlex Hopkins. (TV:Fragments)
• Cotter Paluni's World was previously mentioned by theTenth Doctor as one of the places where he wanted to takeDonna Noble. (TV:The Sontaran Stratagem)