'Short Trips': 'The Smallest Battle' (1 Part) by Stephen Osborne

A Calamane named Treveen is trapped under rubble when his barn is bombed in the war against the Voreen. His cries for help heard by the Doctor and Leela, who free the boy and then escort him to a nearby shelter to join his foster family. On the way they encounter one of the invading Voreen soldiers, mortally-wounded from battle; Treveen immediately seizes the soldier’s gun and makes to kill; his enemy, but is stopped by the Doctor. The Time Lord shows compassion to the dying soldier, and agrees to his dying wish to take his identity tags to his family. This act of kindness causes Treveen to see his enemy in a new light, leading him to question the war between their races. The trio arrives at the cave used by the Calamane for shelter, where Treveen is reunited with his family; Treveen’s foster-father, Niso is suspicious of the Doctor, but invites him and Leela to share a meal. In the morning, the Calamane leaders prepare to kill a captured Voreen patrol, but are stopped by the Doctor and Leela, who are branded as sympathisers and sentenced to death too. Treveen intervenes in the execution, pointing out the injustice of murdering unarmed people; his pleas for mercy change Niso’s mind, who agrees to hold the Vereen as prisoners of war. After the Doctor talks with the Calamane leaders, taching them the merits of compassion, he and Leela depart in the hope that they have made a difference to the outlook of the war. In fact, they already have, as Treveen has decided to deliver the Voreen soldier’s tags himself...

Stephen Critchlow (Narrator)

Release Date:
September 2018

Notes:

*Featuring the Fourth Doctor and Leela

*A Big Finish Audio Production

*Time-placing: Leela still learning from the Doctor, placing this early in her adventures with him