Whereas, this actually is a Douglas Adams story, and ironically (given his later status as a beloved novelist) one of the few serials of the classic Doctor Who show never to be novelised. The Pirate Planet was a serial starring the 4th Doctor that centred around a hollow planet that would materialise around a real planet in order to strip it of its resources: in this case Calufrax, the Doctors destination. Part of the Key To Time storyline, this serial would see the Doctor searching for another part of the titular mcguffin, which hed been sent after by the White Guardian, a powerful anthropomorphic personification of order in the universe, and not a racial supremacist as might have first been supposed. The planet is controlled by an ancient, near-dead tyrant queen, who uses the plundered riches from the planets they attack to attempt to make herself immortal. The other inhabitants of the pirate planet of the title, Zanak, are either a peaceful, prosperous race led by a half-robot Captain, or a bunch of psychics with a form of hive mind who terrorise them, but who also turn out to be good. Its all rather confusing, but incredibly entertaining. Adams finally ties the story in with the overarching plot by revealing that the planet Calufrax that theyve materialised around is in fact the second part of the Key To Time. Yes, the whole planet. That would end up being a running theme with the parts of the Key: they were always in the last place youd expect, just like when you lose your own keys at home.
Professional writer, punk werewolf and nesting place for starfish. Obsessed with squid, spirals and story. I publish short weird fiction online at desincarne.com, and tweet nonsense under the name Jack The Bodiless. You can follow me all you like, just don't touch my stuff.
