Night of the Vashta Nerada
This is the first story of Volume 2 of the Classic Doctors New Monsters line; it is also the first in the line to feature the Fourth Doctor and the main enemy of this story is the Vashta Nerada.Funworld was set to be the happiest planet in the galaxy. A planet of joy, of euphoria, of laughter and delight. Except construction was marred by reports of a predator and then, a few days before opening, all communication ceased.
Owner Georgia Donnelly is desperate to open the resort and has hired Amanda Steele's crew to find out what happened on the planet. They're the best. But even they might not be up to the task.
Joined by the Doctor and being picked off one by one, they slowly start to realise that something terrifying lurks in the shadows.
Tropes:
- Dirty Coward: Upon being left alone on board the Hunter Spaceship, Donnelly takes off leaving Steel and the Doctor for dead, though not without Vashta Nerada on board...
- Downer Ending: Despite the Doctor's best efforts, he can't save anyone else he meets during this trip, with characters either being caught off-guard by the Vashta Nerada or dying trying to stop the creatures causing more harm.
- It Can Think: Steele and her team initially assume they're just dealing with animals, but the Doctor makes it clear that the Vashta Nerada are tactical thinkers capable of actual plans.
- Laser-Guided Karma: After leaving the Hunters and the Doctor to their fates and stealing the Hunters' spaceship, Donnelly is promptly devoured by Vashta Nerada which smuggled themselves aboard.
- Mercy Kill: Steele is forced to shoot Gorlan since his silicon body means that the Vashta Nerada are just trying to rip him apart. He begs her to do so both out of pain and so that she has a chance to survive.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: The Vashta Nerada go on one of these when their habitat is destroyed by Georgia Donelly's people.
- Taking You with Me: Upon learning that she has two shadows, Steele injects a fast acting poison into her bloodstream and riles up the Vashta Nerada with a flamethrower so that they devour her. Doing so kills off the remain Vashta Nerada on the ship and saves Earth from being infested by the vengeful breed.
