At the Red Tavern, Ellie is met by a strange figure with a potato shaped head. The figure claims to be searching for an energy source. Ellie simply tells the man that he is in the wrong place, so the figure decides to order an ale while he makes his enquiries. A drunken man begins to make fun of the stranger’s appearance, but the stranger calmly tries to brush him off…until the man tells him to clear off before he becomes trouble. The stranger misconstrues this as a trial of combat and gladly accepts…
Jago and Litefoot are walking towards the Red Tavern hoping to have a quiet evening. As they approach the pub, they hear what sounds like a riot from inside. Fearing for Ellie’s safety, the Infernal Investigators rush inside and find the most extraordinary sight, all the drunken patrons of the bar are trying to wrestle with the strange potato headed man, who seems to have beaten allcomers and shows no signs of stopping. Ellie screams for all the patrons to stop fighting and orders the stranger to leave. The patrons wearily quieten down, and order is restored. The stranger thanks the patrons for an honourable battle and quietly takes his leave but not before declaring “SONTAR-HA!”. Jago and Litefoot are mildly bemused by the stranger’s appearance. Ellie and the Infernal Investigators discuss the potato headed stranger. They all agree on the possibility that he was probably another alien being visiting London, but they are not completely certain.
Outside the tavern, the stranger is examining an alien device which seems to be measuring energy levels. He questions a prostitute about his enquiries but comes up empty. A woman called Multravers approaches the stranger and asks him to give her the correct number that occurs next in the following sequence: 1, 3, 5, 7, 11. The stranger deduces that all the numbers are prime numbers and responds with the correct answer 13. Multravers is impressed and poses a logical conundrum:
“You enter your kitchen, and the floor is flooded. The taps in the sink are running and the sink is overflowing. What is your first action?”
The stranger responds by stating that he would locate the intruder, interrogate them, and finally obliterate them. Multravers is not remotely phased by the response and simply tells the stranger that he does not ‘meet the criteria’ and promptly leaves…
The next day at the mortuary, Inspector Quick and Litefoot are performing an autopsy on a rather grisly corpse. The victim was murdered, had his head opened and his brain removed. Quick informs Litefoot that this is the fourth body recently discovered in this state and they have all been discovered in the Cobble Town district – a place that has a reputation for hauntings. Quick momentarily leaves Litefoot to his work only to return seconds later to inform him that a fifth body has been discovered in the same state and area…
That evening, Jago and Litefoot arrive in Cobble Town to investigate the fifth corpse. They notice the alien-looking stranger from the Red Tavern from the night before. They stop the stranger briefly to talk to him, but the stranger brushes off their attempts at conversation and proceeds to walk on while concentrating on his device. Jago is convinced that he could be a suspect, while Litefoot does not think so as a murderer would be more subtle than what they have seen from this stranger’s behaviour.
The stranger’s device begins to pick up energy emissions from a human nearby. Suspecting their involvement in his investigation, he proceeds to follow his suspect to an abandoned, overgrown house. The suspect in question turns out to be Multravers, who immediately spots the stranger following her. The stranger is suspicious of why someone would be living in a rundown building which is rich in the energy source he has been tracking. Multravers takes out a device and points it at the stranger…
Not far from the stranger, Jago and Litefoot begin to believe their trail has run cold and decide to leave. They suddenly hear a loud “SONTAR-HA!” followed by laser fire. The Infernal Investigators rush around the corner to discover the strange alien man lying on the ground. Litefoot confirms that the stranger is unconscious but breathing, but no sign of injury. Litefoot orders Jago to find a cab so they can take him to his house to recuperate. Jago is understandably reluctant to do so, especially when Litefoot points out the coincidental nature of their meetings with the stranger whilst a brain snatcher is on the loose. If the stranger is somehow involved, maybe they can help each other.
Later, Jago and Litefoot carry the stranger into Litefoot’s house and lay him out on the sofa. Upon closer inspection, Litefoot confirms that the stranger is indeed alien, but from his manner and dress sense has been on Earth long enough to acclimatise to the customs. The stranger begins to wake up and Litefoot asks if the stranger remembers meeting him and Jago. The stranger replies that he could never forget his employers Madame Vastra (Litefoot) and Jenny Flint (Jago). Fearing that the stranger has been stricken with amnesia, Litefoot reaffirms to the stranger that they are not his employers and reintroduce themselves. The stranger in turn introduces himself as Strax, but still refers to the Infernal Investigators as Jenny and Vastra and believes that he is home on Paternoster Row. Strax gives Litefoot his field report on the alien energy sources he has been tracking in Cobble Town. Realising that the energy sources are in the same area as the murders, Litefoot suggests that they compare notes as this is too much of a coincidence. Jago suggests they visit the Red Tavern to compare their investigations, as Ellie may know something as well.
At the Red Tavern, Ellie and the Infernal Investigators discuss Strax’s case of mistaken identity. Rather than try to correct him, she urges the two to play along to keep him close to the investigation. To maintain the pretence, she informs Strax that Jenny and Vastra are in disguise as Victorian gentlemen Jago and Litefoot.
In Cobble Town, Multravers approaches a man and asks the same prime number question that she asked Strax previously. The man answers correctly and Multravers then presents the same flooded kitchen scenario she presented Strax. The man logically answers he would turn off the taps and pull the plug in the sink. Multravers asks one final question: What would be the next shape in the sequence: a point, a line, the letter V, a triangle? The man deduces that from the geometrical progression it would be a square. Multravers proudly states that the man meets the criteria, and his brain is suitable. She promptly shoots the man with a laser weapon and proceeds to extract his brain with an alien device…
Elsewhere in Cobble Town, Inspector Quick and a group of his officers gather outside the abandoned house that Strax was investigating prior to being attacked. Quick informs his men that he has received reports of strange lights and shadowy figures sighted inside the house. Plus, this house has been at the centre of the murders. Quick and his men find the house unlocked and proceed to fan out to cover ground inside. After the group disperses, one officer is confronted by Multravers at the entrance, before he can react, Multravers shoots the man with her laser and leaves him momentarily stunned. Quick returns after hearing voices but the officer claims to not have seen anyone…
Later at the Red Tavern, Quick meets with Jago, Litefoot and Strax to check on their progress. He informs the Infernal Investigators about his raid on an abandoned house only to have found nothing. The Investigators realise this is the same house where they discovered Strax. So Litefoot decides that they should spend the night in the house to check for any possible paranormal phenomena. Ellie and Strax offer to join them. As it is a bit early in the evening, Jago offers the group seats in his evening theatre show before they head off to the house.
With an hour before Jago’s show, Litefoot decides he, Ellie and Strax should take a detour to the abandoned house to take a quick look outside. Once outside, Strax and Litefoot begin to scout the grounds while Ellie kept a look out for any suspicious characters. A few minutes later, Ellie is approached by Multravers, who poses her usual set of questions to Ellie. But before she can ask her kitchen conundrum, Ellie spots Litefoot and Strax returning and dashes off to meet with them, leaving Multravers alone. The two men state that there is nothing out of the ordinary about the house. With nothing else to investigate, they leave to attend Jago’s theatre show.
At the theatre, the stage magician is performing his tricks. The magician announces that he will need a volunteer for his next trick and points to Strax to assist him, despite Jago’s veiled warnings. Strax willingly volunteers, while Litefoot and Ellie fear the worst…
On their way to the abandoned house, Jago bemoans the embarrassment he suffered, even though Strax’s contributions were positively received by the audience even if he misconstrued most of the tricks and instructions. Such as cutting a deck of cards…literally and executing a parrot and rabbit on stage because he believed they were the Rutan Host in disguise. The group arrives outside the house and Ellie leaves them to return to the Red Tavern. The Infernal Investigators and Strax proceed to enter the house.
The trio enter the house to discover the interior is completely dilapidated. Jago and Litefoot agree to search the ground floor while Strax agrees to search the first floor. After a few minutes, the trio reconvene and inform each other that they have discovered nothing. Litefoot is staunch in his idea of staying the night in case of any unusual occurrences, much to Jago’s chagrin.
Later into the night, Litefoot and Strax are on watch duty while Jago sleeps. Litefoot awakens Jago to change over shifts. Not long into Jago and Strax’s duty, Strax hears footsteps approaching from outside, their muttering awakens Litefoot. Not long afterwards, a faint creaking noise is heard nearby. Strax deduces that the front door has been opened. The prospect of danger and battle has excited Strax and he tries to rally Jago and Litefoot to battle. Jago decides to investigate while Litefoot settles the Sontaran down.
Jago leaves to check the corridor and hall and discovers nothing. As he turns to return to Litefoot and Strax, he comes face to face with Multravers. Multravers is carrying a human brain in one hand and a laser weapon in the other. Realising the danger at hand, Jago calls out to Litefoot and Strax, but Multravers raises her weapon and shoots him!
Hearing Jago call out to them, Litefoot and Strax rush to his aid. They discover Jago disorientated and unable to recall encountering anyone. The group hear footsteps approaching the house, but thankfully it is only Inspector Quick coming to check on their progress. He informs the group that the house has had a history of hauntings dating back 100 years, and since the murders only began recently, they could not have anything to do with each other. Litefoot is not convinced and plans to visit the library to investigate the history of the hauntings.
The next day, the Infernal Investigators and Strax visit the library. The librarian directs the group to a local historian called Ernest Finch, who specialises in local legends and hauntings.
The trio arrive at Finch’s house. They meet with a rather nervous man who is more than delighted to share his archives and invites the group inside. They discover that Finch has a rather extensive collection of reports pertaining to the haunted house, even penny dreadful stories. As they explore the archive, Finch tells them that a spectre has been repeatedly sighted around the house as far back as the early 19th Century. Earlier accounts from eyewitnesses describe it as a hunched inhuman looking person but has since changed to look more human with time. Strax suggests that the spirit can possibly change its appearance. Strangely enough, no one knows anybody by the descriptions of the spirit living in the area. Finch takes out a sketch of the spirit created by an amateur artist who witnessed the spirit and shows it to the trio. Jago is horrified to see the woman in the sketch reminds him of someone…but he cannot recall who or where from…
After leaving Finch’s house, Jago and Litefoot ponder where Jago could have seen that woman from. Strax assumes Jago’s perceptions have been altered and produces a device that scans Jago’s brain for recent alterations. Strax’s device does pick up evidence of memory alteration from Jago’s mind recently, which can mean that Jago has encountered the woman, but cannot recall doing so as his memories were changed to hide this fact, hence how he was able to recognise her in the picture. Strax offers to recalibrate his device to try and recover the missing memories. But before they do so, the trio decide to head to the Red Tavern to recuperate.
At the Red Tavern, Jago and Litefoot hire the backroom so Strax can use his device. In the backroom, Strax prepares his device and begins his quick scan of Jago’s mind. After a few tense moments, the operation is successful and Jago quickly remembers what had happened. He informs the group that he had encountered a woman in the house carrying a human brain and a laser weapon. Before he became disorientated after being shot by the woman, Jago recalls the woman disappearing through a hidden compartment in the house. The trio with Ellie in tow decides to return to the house to find the hidden compartment.
On their way to the house, the Infernal Investigators, Ellie and Strax meet with Inspector Quick and invite him to help them investigate the house. Quick arranges to rally some men before he does so.
Returning to the abandoned house, the group reconstruct the encounter to ascertain where the hidden compartment could be. Before the woman disappeared, Jago recalls hearing a low humming noise. Strax realises that the woman is using a sonic pulse emitter to disguise a doorway. He uses his energy device to discover a hidden doorway under the stairs. The doorway leads to the cellar. The group ventures inside and discover what Strax identifies as a transmat station in the middle of the room. Strax explains that it is connected to another transmat station and the only way to find out where it leads is to walk through it.
The Infernal Investigators, Ellie and Strax bravely walk through the transmat station and discover its other side. They are amazed to discover through the window of their new location the planet Earth! Strax deduces that they are on a spaceship orbiting Earth and that their ghostly woman is most probably alien. Litefoot suggests they investigate the ship.
The group arrives at the control deck of the ship. After Strax assesses the area, Multravers arrives in the control deck. Jago immediately recognises her as the woman who attacked him in the house, and Ellie recognises her as the woman who asked her the strange questions outside the house. Multravers informs the group that she has trapped the group inside a forcefield. Strax uses his device to deduce that the forcefield is powered by mental energy, as is the whole of the ship. Multravers orders the group to follow her inside the forcefield and she will explain her evil plan…
Multravers reveals that she is a genetically engineered entity created by the ship’s automated systems. She was designed to be able to evolve into a creature that would be able to blend into the surrounding atmosphere. She explains her objective was to assess the planet to see if it is worth conquering, it was meant to be a quick and simple job. However, her ship was caught in an ion storm and the ship’s power supply was quickly depleted, meaning that she has been hiding on Earth and on her ship for the past few centuries. Multravers was able to find an alternative way to power the ship via mental energy from the intelligent brains she harvested from the humans she killed, hence why she asked the strange questions to anyone she asked. Litefoot deduces that Multravers has been the ghost haunting the abandoned house all this time.
Multravers shows the investigators into the crew section of the ship, where she keeps all the brains harvested from her victims. It is here that Multravers that she has almost harvested enough energy to revive the original survey team and shows the group several cryogenic chambers containing creatures that look like huge grasshoppers. In fact, she only needs two more brains to complete the revival process and seeing that she has four captives, Multravers reveals that she will assess the two most intelligent of the group and steal their brains. But Jago and Litefoot aren’t too sure about that after looking through the glass in the cryogenic chambers, the crew are completely rotted away dead as the lack of power from the ship before it was outfitted with the mental energy wasn’t enough to sustain their cryogenic chambers. Multravers does not believe it and obsessively begins to rerun the life sign checks. After confirming that they are indeed dead, Multravers cannot seem to fathom this and begins to divert all mental power into the ships diagnostics in hopes of proving the crew are still alive. This in turn weakens the mental forcefield around the investigators, allowing them to break it down. With Multravers distracted, the investigators rush back through the ship towards the transmat station.
The investigators make their way back to the control deck, where Strax plans to initiate the self-destruct sequence. Unfortunately, their escape does not go unnoticed for long as Maltravers corners the group in the control deck. Before she can do anything however, Strax hurls a frag grenade at the ship’s energy couplings, causing a mass power failure that destabilises Maltraver’s mentally projected image…and a projected self-destruct in approximately 30 seconds. With that news, the investigators rush back to the transmat station to escape. They manage to find the room and escape just in time.
The group manage to successfully return to the abandoned house through the transmat station. Strax announces that with the ship destroyed, the transmat will cease to function. Unfortunately, an energy feedback will destroy the transmat in the house…resulting in a huge explosion. With no time left to lose, the investigators rush out of the house, but not before they run into Inspector Quick on the way out. They advise him to run before the explosion catches them. Moments later, the house explodes in a huge fireball, much to Strax’s delight. The investigators decide to return to the Red Tavern to give Quick their report of the situation.
At the Red Tavern, Ellie hands Strax a piece of paper that was given to one of the staff by a ‘mysterious woman in a veil’. The note is from Madame Vastra requesting Strax to return as soon as possible. It slowly dawns on Strax that the two infernal investigators he had been working with this entire time were not Madame Vastra and Jenny Flint. With this realisation, Strax decides to make haste to Paternoster Row…not before having his fill of ale with his new allies.
