Thursday, March 8, 2007

The Twin Dilemma II

6. INT. TARDIS WARDROBE (DAY)

A room full of clothes, racks, hatstands and a few mirrors. The Doctor enters, stripping off his over small coat. Peri follows, startled. She’s never seen this room before.

DOCTOR
Life's harsh, Peri. Just be glad someone on that miserable mudball cared enough about you to try and save your life. I didn't notice Jek volunteering to help me get the bat's milk. As for the military, well, if they aren't all dead in the first mud burst, I hope they all starve!

Peri watches on, shocked.

PERI
You can't mean that...

DOCTOR
For what they did to us, Peri? They deserved it all! Every last person I met on Androzani was corrupt or callous and frequently both. Let them die screaming for all I care! I've got better things to do! You think it was luck we survived? We deserved it...

The Doctor suddenly looks across at Peri. He's terrified.

DOCTOR
This isn't me. I'm not like this. Am I?

Peri steps closer trying to placate him.

PERI
Just, just sit down and calm down. It’ll be fine. Trust me.

The Doctor’s shaking his head, lost in thoughts.

DOCTOR
I couldn’t save them, Peri. I couldn’t. The battle was over before I got there... but I didn’t even try. They’re all dead... All of them...

PERI
There must be some survivors!

DOCTOR
I failed them. All of them.

PERI
Look, they were soldiers! You don’t join the army without some idea you might get killed! You don’t blame yourself for what happened there...

DOCTOR
Soldiers? Not soldiers, Peri, the others!

PERI
Others?

DOCTOR
Turlough. Kamelion, Tegan, Nyssa, Adric, Gus... They’re all gone. Dead. Lost. And I failed them all. All of them.

He turns and sits down on a trunk that creaks under his new weight. The noise distracts him for a moment and then he shrugs. Peri approaches him.

PERI
You didn’t fail me. Did you?

The Doctor laughs. It isn’t pleasant.

DOCTOR
The exception proves the rule!

He laughs again, hysterically. Peri swallows, worried.


7. MODEL SHOT

The Doctor’s laughter echoes and reechoes, becoming ever more sinister. We see several shots of space, nebula, added with sinister lonely music. Isolate a planet that is actually Earth but very different. The oceans are a rusty colour and most of continents are buried in sky scrapers.

Cross/fade to one particular outcrop of spires. Dusk is falling, the atmosphere turning it a livid, bruise-like purple. Cross/fade closer to one part of the spire complex.


8. INT. APARTMENT (NIGHT)

First shot should be through a panoramic window, establishing this is in fact inside the spire. A large apartment, slightly futuristic though not overboard. The furniture is curved and several circular monitors are dotted around. We see for the first time ROMULUS and REMUS. They are identical twin boys in their early teens: freckled, lisping, pudding-bowl hair cuts and no one in their right mind would hang out with these geeks. But there is something sinister about them. Not human.

The boys are playing a Star Trek-style three-level chess. They do so with absolutely no trace of interest or excitement. They are impossible to tell apart, both wearing identical clothes. They move almost like robots.

REMUS
He'll be here soon.

ROMULUS
I know.

REMUS
I know you know.

Silence. The door opens. It takes a few moments to open, like a safe door being unlocked. Professor ARCHIE SYLVEST enters. A stocky, curly-haired man with thick spectacles. Rather unassuming and clearly in need of a stiff drink.

SYLVEST
Afternoon Romulus. Remus.

ROMULUS & REMUS
Afternoon, father.

Sylvest squirms slightly and eyes the door.

SYLVEST
Just popping in to check up on you. Is there anything you need?

Neither of the twins looks up from the chess game.

ROMULUS & REMUS
No. Are you going out tonight?

Sylvest is surprised at that. Worried even.

SYLVEST
Yes. How did you...

ROMULUS & REMUS
Is mother going out as well?

SYLVEST
Er... yes. She is.

ROMULUS & REMUS
She isn’t going to say goodbye.

SYLVEST
She’s busy.

Finally, Romulus looks up. His expression is blank, his voice isn’t.

ROMULUS
Is she angry with us again?

SYLVEST
No, no, she’s just busy. That’s all.

ROMULUS
Why does she never want to talk to us?

REMUS
Or see us?

ROMULUS
Or play with us?

REMUS
Is she ashamed of us?

ROMULUS & REMUS
We would like to see her.

Sylvest swallows and runs a hand through his hair. The conversation is going absolutely nowhere near where he wanted to go. Quite the opposite.

SYLVEST
You know how busy and complicated your mother’s career is, she, she tries to do her best for you and unfortunately she can’t appear in person, that’s all.

REMUS
Why doesn’t she contact us by the communicator?

SYLVEST
Fault in the system.

ROMULUS
The system’s fine. We checked it a few minutes ago.

SYLVEST
Well, it wasn’t a few minutes before that when your mother tried.

REMUS
We checked. No one tried to signal us.

SYLVEST
Well, it was a malfunction.

ROMULUS
The fault locators didn’t register.

SYLVEST
They must be faulty! Look, your mother loves you. She is just unlucky in the fact fate is stopping her from being here. That’s all. I’ve just been speaking to her and she is in no way, shape or form angry with you. You haven’t done a thing to upset her.

ROMULUS
We never get to see mother.

REMUS
She wouldn’t abandon us, would she?

SYLVEST
Never! Never, Remus! No mother would do that to her children.

ROMULUS
I don’t think she cares for us.

REMUS
Why should she?

Sylvest looks almost ill with worry.

SYLVEST
She is your mother and she does love you, care for you...

ROMULUS
She gave birth to us. It doesn’t give us her automatic respect.

REMUS
Or a place in her affections.

ROMULUS
So she doesn’t respect us.

REMUS
Or love us.

ROMULUS & REMUS
And we never see her.

SYLVEST
Romulus...

REMUS
Remus.

SYLVEST
Sorry, Remus. You speak as though there is some kind of conspiracy against you. Your mother loved you from before you two were born, and whatever you do or say or even be, that fact will not change. Just because a few nights in a row you don’t get to see her does not mean that she – or I for that matter – have stopped caring about you. Now, I’m going out and I stopped by to talk to you because I care, not because I have to.

ROMULUS & REMUS
Sorry.

SYLVEST
It’s all right. I, er, think your mother will be able to visit tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy your evening. Count yourself lucky than the Sirrius system, it’s pure anarchy over there.

ROMULUS & REMUS
We know.

SYLVEST
Oh. Of course you do.

ROMULUS & REMUS
Goodnight, father.

SYLVEST
Yes. Goodnight Romulus. Remus... boys.

Sylvest turns and walks towards the open door. He suddenly sprints for the doorway which swings shut. The twins’ expression shifts for the briefest of moment to sadness and they return to their chess game.


9. INT. APARTMENT CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Sylvest leans against the closed door, looking exhausted. A security GUARD stands nearby.

SYLVEST
They’re developing too fast. They’re already suspecting the truth.

GUARD
The auditions will be over next week and the mother will be ready.

SYLVEST
Next week... It’s me who’s got to deal with them in the mean time. The emotional patterns are too complicated. I don’t think a mother will stop them now.

GUARD
You could have come up with a better story though.

Sylvest looks at him, too tired to concentrate.

SYLVEST
What?

GUARD
Their mother’s busy at work? You should have said she died.

SYLVEST
Oh, that’d work wonders for them, wouldn’t it!

GUARD
It’s not strictly a lie, is it?

SYLVEST
Of course not. Their mother isn’t alive.

He storms off down the corridor, irritated at the presumptuous manner of the guard.

SYLVEST
She never was.


10. INT. APARTMENT (NIGHT)

As before. The footsteps of Sylvest are heard as the twins sit in silence.

ROMULUS
She must love us. Father wouldn’t lie.

REMUS
Unless he wants to spare our feelings.

ROMULUS & REMUS
And then, he would lie.


11. EXT. APARTMENT (NIGHT)

We pan down from the panoramic window on the outside, past some foliage to see the back of someone’s head. They are staring directly up at the window. After a moment they turn. It is Azmael. His face is dark and troubled. He moves out of view, into the shadows.


12. INT. TARDIS WARDROBE (DAY)

The Doctor is sitting where he was, staring across the room at a full-length dress mirror. His reflection stares expressionlessly back at him. Peri enters, rubbing her hair with a towel. She is ill at ease.

PERI
Well, the blisters have gone. Just feel a bit hungover. Part from that, I’m fine now.

The Doctor doesn’t reply.

PERI
Still breathing! Just saying thanks, again. I’ve never really come close to dying before. The only other time was when Turlough...

She breaks off. Best not broach that topic.

DOCTOR
Turlough.

He sounds out the word, like he’s never said it before. A pause.

PERI
He... saved me. I was drowning. I never thanked him. But, you know, I don’t think that bothered him, very much.

DOCTOR
Turlough.

PERI
Yeah, Turlough. Doctor?

The Doctor looks up at her. Its like she’s just appeared.

DOCTOR
Ah, Peri. Feeling better?

Peri stares at him, trying to stay polite.

PERI
Yeah. Sure. Great!

DOCTOR
Good. Now. This face. What do you think?

He stands and moves his head so she can see all the angles.

DOCTOR
Well? Be honest. We are stuck with it for the foreseeable future. As much as it can be foreseen...

He rubs his eyes, keeping himself focussed.

DOCTOR
Is it an improvement?

PERI
Honestly?

DOCTOR
Honestly.

PERI
No.

DOCTOR
No, exactly I... What do you mean ‘no’?!

PERI
I... I liked the old you better. I’m sorry.

DOCTOR
But... look!

He points at the mirror.

DOCTOR
Even the most dispassionate and neutral of observers would say that’s an improvement. I mean, just look at me! I was wasting away before, always tired, chronically fatigued – and when you’re a Time Lord that’s saying something. But I feel... energized! Inspired! I haven’t felt this good afterwards since... you know, I don’t think it’s ever felt this good. I’ve been given a fresh chance at life and the enthusiasm to match!

PERI
I was just talking about the face.

DOCTOR
The face? Oh. No, wait, you seriously don’t like this one?

He crosses to the mirror.

DOCTOR
This is a mirror, not some very good painting... Yes, a mirror. That’s my new face isn’t it? Rather nice. Noble brow, curls – I like curls, very fetching – and that face simply beams with a vast intelligence. A bit like yours...
PERI
Thanks.

DOCTOR
...when you’re using that vast intelligence. You really don’t like it?

PERI
I preferred the old one, that’s all.

DOCTOR
Did you? Or were you just used it?

PERI
I liked it! You were almost young!

DOCTOR
Young! Even then I was old enough to be your ancestor.

PERI
It was sweet!

DOCTOR
Sweet? You think? Sweet. Never thought of it like that. You know, Peri, I hated that face. Long blonde hair and youthful features. Aesthetically pleasing to humans, I don’t deny, but it honestly wasn’t me. Not the real me.

PERI
Oh, and what’s the real you? This?!

DOCTOR
Why are you so angry?

A pause. They were both starting to shout.

PERI
Sorry. Bit freaked.

DOCTOR
That’s all right. We need a break. A rest. I know just the place!

PERI
You did say that about Androzani.

DOCTOR
And I was right! No better place in the universe to get sand for glass blowing... Wait a minute! We forgot the sand! The reticular vector gauge is still broken.

PERI
And that’s one calamity I can live with.

DOCTOR
Yes. Suppose so. No, this place you’ll like Peri. It’s called Vesta 95, an Earth colony on the outer reaches of sector six. It’s a truly remarkable planet during festival time. Every year they realize they’ve avoided war, poverty and extinction and so, they celebrate! Imagine New Orleans meets Alpha Centauri!

PERI
Alpha where?

DOCTOR
Yes, well. I remember I’ve got some Mardi Gras outfits here somewhere...

He moves through the racks of clothes, searching. Peri follows, finally starting to relax. She smiles properly for the first time.


13. EXT. GARDENS OUTSIDE APARTMENT (NIGHT)

Azmael is moving through the foliage, entering a clearing in what is a medium-sized wood. A group of JACONDANS stand there, armed and ready for trouble. Noma stands before them, holding his gun ready.

AZMAEL
Both of the twins are in the eastern subsection.

NOMA
The building is protected by a pattern of overlapping force walls – nothing short of a cobalt bomb will even stress the generators.

AZMAEL
And with the overlapping walls, no teleport beams will function.

NOMA
Your vessel does not operate on teleport frequencies.

AZMAEL
No, but the displacement of its arrival will send anomalies throughout all the sensors in that room. A teleport would be more discrete.

Another Jacondan, younger and friendlier than Noma, steps forward. This is DRAK.

DRAK
Surely they’ll have detected us already out here?

Azmael shakes his head.

AZMAEL
All the movement of native lifeforms are to be expected. Nothing short of weapons fire will alert the humans. And I’m looking at you when I say that, Noma!

Noma is aiming his weapon at the far side of the clearing. The others follow his gaze. It is a healthy-looking cat that watches them, unafraid.

NOMA
One of the native lifeforms, would you say, Azmael?

AZMAEL
Yes. It’s a cat, feline domesticus. Lower your weapon, Noma.

NOMA
Is it a threat?

AZMAEL
You and the Jacondans are all descended from birds. A few rungs down the evolutionary ladder and I wouldn’t fancy your chances.

Noma quietly seethes.

NOMA
Is it sentient enough to pose a threat?

AZMAEL
It is intelligent enough to have worked out who we are, why we’re here, how we got here, what we intend to do, any flaws in that plan, and precisely the right method to defeat and kill us all.

Drak raises his pistol.

DRAK
Then it IS a threat?

AZMAEL
I said it knew what we were doing. I didn’t say it cared. Cats are one of the most advanced life forms on this planet. As such they take little interest in the affairs of humanoids. Let’s move.

NOMA
Drak, with me. The rest of you remain here. Spread out. Quell any resistance. Use energy weapons only as a last resort – the sensors are bound to detect the discharge and set off the alarms. Use your blades.

Noma removes a knife from his pocket. The other Jacondans nod and move off into the foliage. Noma looks down at the cat and grins. A finger taps his shoulder.

AZMAEL
Noma. Kidnapping first.

NOMA
But...

AZMAEL
It can do far worse things to you than you can do to it.

NOMA
Are these animals that dangerous?

AZMAEL
No, but you are that ineffectual. Come on.


14. INT. TARDIS WARDROBE (DAY)

Peri stands before the dress mirror. She is wearing a low-cut blouse and mini-skirt made of multicoloured tartan and day-glo orange boots.

PERI
You can’t be serious.

The Doctor sticks his head up from behind a row of hatstands.

DOCTOR
I’m always serious. Except when I’m kidding.

PERI
THIS is the most fashionable thing on that planet?

DOCTOR
For young ladies, yes. I’ll have you know that in twenty years or so on Earth, your idea of what is fashionable shall be universally condemned and ridiculed.

PERI
Oh really? And what do the people of the 21st century wear?

DOCTOR
Pretty much the same things. Only with smaller hair cuts and less peach. Still, that’s humanity for you. Just accept for the time being that on Vesta 95, what you consider tasteless is high fashion. You’ll be the belle of the ball.

The Doctor emerges from behind the cover. He wears a multi-coloured frock coat composed of different materials and colours, over clashing waistcoat, stripy yellow trousers and green-orange shoes. He is doing a blue polka-dot cravat up. Peri takes one look at it and cracks up giggling.

DOCTOR
What?

She’s too busy laughing.

DOCTOR
What? This coat is the most expensive and fashionable garment in the Vesta constellation! To simply touch it would guarantee news coverage, interviews, a minor autobiographical holo-vision series...

Peri nods, interested. Then she starts laughing again.

DOCTOR
It’s better than what you were wearing when we first met?

Peri laughs even harder. The Doctor looks defensively in the mirror, shrugs and chuckles as well.

DOCTOR
Still, it’s what Vesterii think of as style! You wait and see what the reaction is to a coat like this – and at carnival time as well... I lost the rest of the outfit and had to improvise. Do you think anyone else will notice?

Peri shakes her head, still not quite controlling her laughter.

PERI
Are you going to add a stick of celery to your lapel?

The Doctor blinks.

DOCTOR
Why on earth would anyone have a stick of celery on their lapel?

Peri’s laughter fades.

PERI
You did.

DOCTOR
Yes, very amusing, Peri...

PERI
No, you did. Remember? It turned purple.

DOCTOR
I’m not surprised. A coat lapel is not celery’s native habitat. Did it turn brown first?

PERI
You said it turned purple if there was any dangerous gases around.

DOCTOR
Did I? Oh yes! Praxis range gases. Bring me out in a rash. Or rather they did. New immune system, Peri. No need for vegetable matter to be pinned to my chest.

Peri mutters to herself, looking down at the floor.

PERI
I kinda liked it.

The Doctor hears this and frowns. He crosses to a jewelry box in front of the mirror.

DOCTOR
I suppose my lapels could use a certain something...

He pulls out a small cat-shaped badge and pins it to his lapel.

DOCTOR
What do you think? I’ve always liked cats.

PERI
I’m more of a dog woman myself.

DOCTOR
I had a dog too. Once.

PERI
Did you? What breed?

DOCTOR
No idea.

PERI
Well, what colour was it?

DOCTOR
Silver.

PERI
Silver?

DOCTOR
It was a robot dog.

Peri laughs.

DOCTOR
Honestly. Now we’re dressed for success, shall we head for the party?

PERI
It’s a date!

Suddenly the whole room shakes. Hatstands topple, racks collapse. The Doctor and Peri barely manage to stay upright as they hurry to the exit.

PERI
What’s going on?

DOCTOR
Let’s find out!


15. INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM (DAY)

Lights are flashing on the console. The time rotor jerks mightily. The Doctor and Peri race into the room. It is swaying, forcing them to struggle to keep their balance.

DOCTOR
Ah! That’s alright then.

PERI
This is good?!

DOCTOR
After a fashion. It’s not a malfunction in the TARDIS per se. Another time machine has shoved us off the roadway, so to speak.

PERI
What? Are we going to crash?

DOCTOR
If I don’t press that button in the next five seconds, we will.

He points to a control. He doesn’t press it. Peri stares at him.

PERI
Well?!

DOCTOR
Hmm? What? Oh, right, yes.

Suddenly realizing the danger, he stabs the control. The room settles out.


15. EXT. GARDENS (NIGHT)

The TARDIS makes a wobbly materialization between a clump of trees. Not far away a Jacondan steps into view from behind a tree, gun raised.


16. INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM (DAY)

The Doctor is bent over the controls. Peri turns a lever and the scanner opens to show the darkened woods outside.

PERI
Where are we?

DOCTOR
At the end of that other time machine’s vortex path. We’ve arrived where they left.

PERI
Yeah, and that’s...?

DOCTOR
Earth, I think. A planet very similar to it, at least. No wonder we nearly collided, we’re in the same time frame.
PERI
Time frame?

DOCTOR
Yes, we have moved in space, but not time. We’re still in the time zone of Androzani Major, the Spectrox Wars, just not in the front line.

PERI
Is that why that other time machine was there?

The Doctor is concentrating over the control monitor.

DOCTOR
Hmmm?

PERI
I mean, were they like tourists? Maybe they wanted to see the war – maybe where they came from, it’s ancient history.

DOCTOR
If only. No. It’s odd, Peri but I am detecting no temporal deviation. And, before you ask, I’ll explain. The craft we encountered is much like the TARDIS, but it is not moving in time at all. Only space – it’s being used as a glorified transmat capsule.

PERI
That’s bad?

DOCTOR
Degrading.

PERI
For what? The time machine?

The Doctor pats the console affectionately.

DOCTOR
Time machines have feelings too. Now... They were in a hurry to leave this place but not this time. Let’s have a look.

PERI
Are you sure it’s safe?

DOCTOR
I have absolutely no idea. Let’s find out.

He pulls out the door handle and the portal whirs open.

PERI
You must be joking! After what happened to us last time!

DOCTOR
You’re the one that fell in that nest, not me.

Peri lowers her eyes, hurt. The Doctor notices. He’s just not sure why.

DOCTOR
Peri, just a quick look around. See for yourself, it’s a verdant paradise out there. No caves, androids, soldiers, bat deposits or morris dancers. And if there is something nasty, we’ll just come straight back to the TARDIS. Nothing can get inside without my express say so.

PERI
Nothing?

DOCTOR
Nothing and no one.

She smirks.

PERI
I got in here without your say so.

The Doctor arches an eyebrow.

DOCTOR
You like to think that, don’t you? Let’s explore.

Peri shakes her head in disbelief.

PERI
In these outfits?

DOCTOR
Oh, you’re looking for excuses, come on!

He grabs Peri’s hand and runs out of the TARDIS.

to be continued...

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