"If we ever see Charlotte again, I will leave the decision on how she dies to you."

Having left the white void behind them, the Doctor and Charley set out to explore the world they have arrived on. The Doctor is also keen to see if they can locate the TARDIS.

After being processed by the mysterious, disembodied voice of the Kro'ka, they are allowed to pass into the Eutermersan Zone. This is a dry and dusty land, with little flora to be seen.

When they come to the aid of the runaway C'rizz, the three of them become set on a road that leads them to the domain of the Kromon. Can the Doctor outwit these intelligent termites, set free their slaves and stop them turning Charley into the mother of a race of a thousand hybrids?

That Philip Martin, author of The Creed of the Kromon, wrote two TV scripts and a novel for Doctor Who back in the 1980's is established fact. That those three pieces of fiction are not among the best produced in the series long history is also established fact. That this new audio play is not among his best work will soon become established fact.

This is so much of a retread of his previous scripts that, had the Doctor not been exiled to the divergent universe, you would expect that this play would have starred Sil and his Mentor buddies. It is something of a shame that it doesn't, as surely Nabil Shabin could have helped lift this tale. As it is, we are treated to faceless alien management teams and their tedious plans for expansion.

After a fairly interesting opening episode, we are given three more episodes that are little more than a dull routine of escape, capture and escape again. Even newcomer Conrad Westermass jokes in the DWM preview about running up and down corridors with Paul McGann.

Westermass' character of C'rizz (pronounced Cerries) is the only one of the guest cast to rise above the level of dull. He stands out as the new companion, maybe because this is his introduction story. Forced to go through many emotional states in the course of the play, he manages them all well. He will hopefully become an interesting addition to the established team.

Speaking of which, even Paul and India can't lift this play out of the mediocre bracket it slots so neatly into. As some people are forever condemned to make the same mistakes over and over again, it seems Mr Martin is condemned to keep producing the same story.

Inoffensive is the kindest way to describe this story. And at the moment I'm feeling kind.