Containment Globes of Hymetusite

Five transparent, glass-like globes, each cradling jagged blue crystalline fragments that pulse with radioactive light. The young tribute bearers present them as ritual submission to the Nimon, their hands steady despite the alien’s predatory dominance. Soldeed handles them with violent precision, his grip exposing any deceit while the tribute crystals feed the Nimon’s machine.

7 appearances

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

7 moments

S17E17 · The Horns of Nimon Part 1

Doctor discovers deadly hymetusite deposit

The transparent globe containing the crystalline radioactive hymetusite becomes the object of close inspection. The Doctor removes it from a storage cupboard, inspects it, then reseals it before ordering K9 to report on the radiation levels. The globe’s containment role is pivotal in identifying the substance.

Before: Sealed and stored in a triangular cupboard along the bulkhead of the cargo hold, unobserved and undetected

After: Sealed and resealed by the Doctor after inspection, held in his hands before being returned to temporary storage

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S17E17 · The Horns of Nimon Part 1

Discovery of Skonnon sacrifice plot

The containment globe is initially assumed by Romana to be the source of the ship’s cargo, given the Doctor’s association with radioactive materials. This false lead becomes the narrative pivot as the copilot dismantles it, revealing that the true cargo is not a mineral shipment but living Anethan prisoners for sacrifice.

Before: Assumed by Romana to be the radioactive hymetusite shipment, mentally linked to earlier encounters with the mineral by the Doctor and Romana.

After: Discredited as a cover story; the globe’s role is overshadowed by the revelation of human cargo, shifting focus from mineral to moral outrage.

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S17E17 · The Horns of Nimon Part 1

Doctor and Romana plan ship repair

The containment globe of hymetusite becomes the linchpin of their survival strategy as Romana identifies it as a viable energy source to replace failing fuel. Though designed for lethal cargo transport, its radioactive potential is repurposed into emergency power, transforming a death sentence into a pathway to escape the black hole.

Before: Stored in the cargo hold as a hazardous mineral shipment under Skonnon control, its dangerous energy contained within a rigid crystal sphere

After: Re-designated as emergency power source, prepared for extraction and conversion into engine fuel to stabilize the failing systems

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S17E18 · The Horns of Nimon Part 2

Soldeed enforces tribute demands with brutality

The five remaining globes of hymetusite are presented as tribute by the Anethan delegation, their presence central to the ritual narrative. Soldeed’s focus on their number and purity exposes the Co-pilot’s theft of two crystals, transforming the globes from symbols of obeisance into evidence of corruption.

Before: Five intact globes carried solemnly by five tribute bearers, representing the required annual tribute from Aneth to Skonnos

After: Two crystals missing due to theft by the Co-pilot, leaving the remaining globes under suspicion of incompleteness

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S17E18 · The Horns of Nimon Part 2

Romana takes blame as Soldeed confronts co-pilot

The five globes of hymetusite are presented by Seth and the Anethans as tribute, serving as both evidence of their submission and the tangible object of Soldeed’s scrutiny. Their presence amplifies the tension around the missing two crystals and becomes central to the interrogation.

Before: Held by five of the six young Anethans, their contents intact and their quantity central to Soldeed’s inquiry

After: Still in possession of the Anethans after Romana’s intervention, though their adequacy as tribute becomes questioned

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S17E18 · The Horns of Nimon Part 2

Soldeed sacrifices the co-pilot

Five crystalline containment globes of hymetusite are presented by Seth and the young Anethans as formal tribute to the Nimon. Soldeed interrogates their adequacy, particularly after Romana accuses the co-pilot of misusing the crystals to repair the ship. The globes become tangible evidence in a system where scarcity is treated as betrayal.

Before: Intact, formally presented as tribute delivery

After: Still intact, but now scrutinized for compliance

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S17E19 · The Horns of Nimon Part 3

Nimon seizes tribute crystals under threat

The transparent globes cradling jagged blue hymetusite crystals are solemnly placed on the ledge by the tribute bearers. Each glowing fragment pulses with radioactive energy, feeding the furnace’s mechanism and visibly straining the gauges as their contents are extracted.

Before: Held by the youths in their hands, radiating faint pulses of blue light

After: Swallowed by the mechanism, their contents drained and their walls left empty and translucent

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