Flight of the Blackstar

Main Range #275

Released: 16 March 2021

Listened: 3/16/21

This is the second part of the Main Range finale, “The End of the Beginning.” As with the last part, we begin somewhere in the middle, as Flip has been poisoned by some local fauna, but is recovering in the hospital. (In the real world, Lisa Greenwood couldn’t appear in this story, as a Covid infection had affected her vocal cords, leaving her unable to perform for a while). While trying to let Flip rest, the Doctor decides to take down a group of robotic raiders. Because they’re in the 51st Century, he calls on Calypso Jones, who appeared in the previous story in this project, but it seems like it’s been a while since they’ve all seen each other. Constance seems to have grasped that Calypso is non-binary, and uses the appropriate pronouns, but is completely oblivious that Calypso has a crush on her and keeps attempting to flirt, poorly. The Death Lord interrupts a bit earlier in the story than in "Death and the Desert," but the Doctor and friends dodge him and continue on with the main plot. They infiltrate the robots’ base fairly easily, and in reprogramming their leader, the Doctor discovers another data crystal left for him by his old tutor, but we don’t gain any more information about him. After Calypso has left, the Death Lord shows up and snags the Doctor and Constance. Once again, it’s a decent standalone, if slight, but better listened to as part of the whole.