Sam, Fitz, and the Doctor finally take a break from saving the universe. They land the TARDIS at a Battrulian casino, Vega, that the Doctor has visited before, and Fitz and the Doctor have a competition over who can win the most money. Fitz loses all his money on the first day, but hides it from the Doctor and pretends that he's still got some. Sam is bored out of her mind and mopes about a bit.
Unfortunately, things could never be that peaceful for the TARDIS team. Vega is actually a secret government base that spies on the Battrulian's long-time enemies, the Canvines. There is also a rather grotesque art exhibit being displayed there, and the President of Battrul is coming to see it. Oh, and an assassin has gotten a room on Vega with the mission to kill an unknown person.
No one is who they seem to be. Half of them are cheating at the casino while the other half are doing shady deals to try to kill people. And somehow, the Doctor's previous visit to Vega has a connection with all of this.
Tropes present in Demontage include:
- Art Initiates Life
- Blowing Smoke Rings: Fitz tries, but he's not very good at it. Everyone else around him just gets annoyed by his smoking and coughs.
- Continuity Nod: The Doctor drinking ginger beer, which can actually get a Time Lord drunk.
- Impersonation Gambit: Fitz does this accidentally.
- Mythology Gag: "The Doctor's machine might not be able to hit the target exactly on time, but it knew how to dress for the occasion."
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Let's face it, the Doctor's attempts to pose as Solarin's employer are...not skillful.
- Phantom-Zone Picture: A device that can trap people in paintings; if they remain there too long, they're trapped permanently.
- Scaramanga Special: As part of its James Bond pastiche, there's an assassin disguised as a wineglass salesman, whose sample glasses can be transformed into a knife and a single-shot gun — neither of which will set off metal detectors.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: Fitz tries to be. Not his fault he rather misjudged his crowd.
- Smoking Is Not Cool: Everyone on Vega thinks this, which is a problem for Fitz, as he comes from at time when smoking is completely normal.
- Stand-In Portrait: The Doctor does this with his own portrait to hide from Solarin.
- Title Drop:The Doctor looked round at everyone. "Demontage," he said quietly."Gesundheit," Fitz said.
