The Coup (audio story)

The Coup was a special Big Finish recording originally given away with Doctor Who Magazine #351 to promote Big Finish's new series of UNIT audio dramas, but was later offered for free download from the Big Finish website

Publisher's summary[]

LONDON, THE NEAR FUTURE: UNIT is finished. The UK Division prepares to cede its authority to a new organisation... But who is attempting to sabotage the hand-over?

Plot[]

Francis Currie of the BBC reports live on a battle focused at Potters Fields at the south end of Tower Bridge, which is now missing a tower. Sergeant French ignores Currie's question about the enemy being alien and has Corporal Ledger knock him out and take him to Captain Winnington at UNIT HQ.

Scott Christie reports on further explosions near London Bridge and speaks with Colonel Emily Chaudhry of UNIT, who denies that the events are the result of a terrorist attack and instead blames London's car drivers, explaining that the bridge has been damaged by natural subsidence. Although UNIT is to hand over its duties to ICIS, it was called in before the situation was understood and is now working with ICIS to assist the emergency services.

French continues to fight the combatants, the Silurians, and is given an order from Colonel Brimmicombe-Wood to pin them onto the bridge road. Later, he contacts Winnington and tells her that the Silurians have been killed and that Currie will be dealt with in the morning. Currie is detained overnight by ICIS and refused access to a lawyer, being deemed a security risk until he signs a form.

In a car with Winnington, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart is going over his speech for the conference regarding the handover when they are attacked by a helicopter. The driver is killed and Alistair fires at the helicopter, causing it to crash; inside, they find a man and a Silurian. Alistair eventually arrives at his destination at meets Colonel Chaudhry.

After being beaten by French, Currie signs the form and is taken to the sick bay. Winnington arrives and tells French of another attack on her, which Alistair believes he was the target of. An alarm sounds and French is informed that there is a Silurian in the building. Meanwhile, Captain Dodds tells Chaudhry that Currie wishes to speak with her.

Alistair is practising his speech when a Silurian bursts into his room and attacks him with his third eye. Winnington and French arrive with their guns drawn, but Alistair claims to have killed the Silurian after telling a story about trying to make peace with humanity. Chaudhry tells Winnington and French that she will deal with the body and offers to go through Alistair's speech with him, but he has several questions for her.

Chaudhry introduces Alistair at the conference and he begins his speech. He tells the press that UNIT was formed to investigate extraterrestrial phenomena almost forty years ago and has repelled over two-hundred alien attacks in that time, including attacks by the Axons, Cybermen, Zygons and Quarks. He introduces the Silurian that he claimed to have killed, Ambassador Orgath, who extends the hand of friendship before being shot. Orgath accuses Winnington of attacking his diplomatic party under a flag of truce at Tower Bridge. Orgath incapacitates Winnington using his third eye. She calls for help from French, but Chaudhry informs her that he has been suspended for assaulting Currie and has her taken away.

Chaudhry says that humanity needs to be united and tells Alistair to slip away discreetly due to the amount of trouble that he will be in. He does so, but warns her that ICIS will not disappear. Orgath's speech is applauded by the press and Chaudhry announces that Brimmicombe-Wood and the Prime Minister will soon be here to respond. In the meantime, Currie asks how the Silurians feel about humanity having taken over Earth; Orgath says that it is a good question and talks about the respect his people have for the achievements of mankind.

Cast[]

Crew[]

Executive Producer - Jacqueline Rayner
Producer - Ian Farrington and Jason Haigh-Ellery
Cover Art - Adrian Salmon
Director - Ian Farrington
Music and Sound Design - David Darlington
Writer - Simon Guerrier
Silurians created by Malcolm Hulke

Worldbuilding[]

Broadcasters[]

Reporters from the BBC and ITV are present at the conference.

Food and drink[]

Currie drinks his coffee with milk and no sugar.

Individuals[]

Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart has been promoted to the rank of General, and knighted.
Colonel Brimmicombe-Wood is at Tower Bridge with the Prime Minister.

Events[]

This is the first major case where the public media is made aware of UNIT's work to defend Earth from alien invasions.

Organisations[]

UNIT was meant to hand over its duties to Britain's ICIS - Internal Counter-Intelligence Service.

Species[]

The Brigadier introduces the media to the Silurians. He speaks of UNIT's defeat of over two hundred alien invasions, including Axons, Cybermen, Zygons and Quarks.

Notes[]

This was released as a free CD with Doctor Who Magazine issue 351, along with the Bernice Summerfield audio drama Silver Lining. Unlike Silver Lining, this story is now available as a download only on the Big Finish website.
PROSE: Rise of the Dominator places this story as occurring in 2004.
This story was recorded at The Moat Studios.
The story was re-released as part of the UNIT: The Complete Series box set in May 2020.

Continuity[]

This is the first major case where the public is made aware of UNIT's work to defend Earth from alien invasions. Other events such events as TV: Doomsday and TV: The Stolen Earth further bolstered the general public's knowledge of aliens.
UNIT has defeated Axons, (TV: The Claws of Axos) Cybermen, (TV: The Invasion) and Zygons. (TV: Terror of the Zygons)
UNIT had fought the Quarks in COMIC: The Fires Down Below, printed in Doctor Who Magazine itself. Another later strip, City of Devils, had shown UNIT begin to talk peace with a new group of Silurians and Sea Devils.

External links[]

Official The Coup page at bigfinish.com
The Coup at the Doctor Who Reference Guide

Tardis