Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Warhead of the Daleks XI

32. INT. STYLES LABORATORY (NIGHT)

Davros is facing the dome containing the Movellan virus. Kiston is checking over the hatch in the wall.

DAVROS
Well?

KISTON
Checks are finished, Davros. It IS an emergency escape pod. Instrumentation shows it is ready for immediate departure.

DAVROS
Excellent. Now. The time has come to allay the suspicions of the Daleks.

KISTON
You intend to find a cure?

DAVROS
All knowledge is valuable. Whether or not I share the cure with the renegades out there is another matter.

He flips a switch on his chair console. White gas, under pressure, begins to emerge from the middle of the cylinder. We see through the glass to Davros’ ravaged face.

KISTON
You don’t intend to condition the Daleks to the New Order?

DAVROS
Why should I? They are incomplete, unpredictable. Better to start again. This virus will be the perfect method to dispose of them. They betrayed me, tried to exterminate their creator and then return to me once again like an errant child. This time they will NOT use me – I shall take my rightful place as SUPREME RULER!

The dome is now full of the curving white gas, and Davros is lost from view.


33. INT. CASSIUS FOUR CORRIDORS (NIGHT)

The troopers are dragging the Doctor down the corridor. He is pale and unwell, barely conscious. He is mumbling, rambling to himself in delirium.

DOCTOR
Getting so dark... The sun has set. But there is still one light on, blazing against the gathering darkness. Cold and black, ascending upwards, like distant music on the edge of hearing getting louder and louder, drowning out everything. We’re in the shadowlands, you know, where the light stops and eternity dares show its face. Eternity. That’s my name for it. I saw him. A lonely white figure, neither here nor there, not now or then. Dressed in a chrysalis, bound up in white on white, but every colour of the rainbow inside. Waiting. Waiting for the end...

One of the troopers brings an armored elbow down on the back of the Doctor’s head, leaving him unconscious. Kamelion, in the form of Grogan, steps out of the shadows ahead of them.

KAMELION-GROGAN
Where are you going?

TROOPER 1
We are under orders from Davros.

TROOPER 2
The Doctor is to be taken to the Mind Analysis Chamber.

TROOPER 1
His mind must be drained of all knowledge.

Kamelion-Grogan thinks for a moment.

KAMELION-GROGAN
Very well. You will accompany me.

They turn and head off down the corridor. They pass a side passage where Tegan, Mercer and Laird are hiding. They watch them leave.

MERCER
That’s the Doctor.

TEGAN
I know. I thought they’d have killed him right away.

LAIRD
Why didn’t they?

TEGAN
He’s got that sort of face. We’ve got to rescue him.

Mercer slams an arm out, preventing her from moving.

MERCER
How are you going to do that? He’s unconscious and they’re armed.

TEGAN
We’ve got to do something!

MERCER
Then let’s keep staying alive.

LAIRD
He’s right, Tegan. At least we know he’s alive. We can rescue him after we’ve found the Colonel and the others.

They carefully leave the passage and move down the main corridor.


34. EXT. WAREHOUSE DISTRICT (NIGHT)

The fake Policeman finishes repairing the pay-phone. He hands the receiver to the fake ‘Archer’ and then turns back to join his companion. ‘Archer’ dials a long, complicated number with no visible effort.

‘ARCHER’
Hello? Colonel David Archer. Put me through to General Crichton, please. Then get me the deputy. Report – no unusual activities in target area bar communication failure. Will continue to monitor progress till tomorrow night and will return contact only if positive contact made.

A thought crosses his mind.

‘ARCHER’
Private Mellor did not arrive for duty. Suspect that he has gone AWOL. Archer out.

He hangs up and crosses over to the policemen.

‘ARCHER’
We need to destroy the corpses. That includes the one on the river. Unless you two gentlemen wish to go into DEEP cover?

The policemen stare at him and arch eyebrows.

‘ARCHER’
Thought not. Get on with the patrol.

Archer heads for the warehouse. One glances at the other with a ‘what’s his problem?’ expression on his face. Then they turn and walk off into the night.


35. INT. CASSIUS FOUR CORRIDROS (NIGHT)

Kamelion-Grogan leads the two troopers and the unconscious Doctor towards the airlock. Lytton and Levine arrive, heading in the opposite direction. The latter double takes as he sees a man who moments ago entered the ship in front of him.

LEVINE
Grogan? But that’s...

LYTTON
Shut up, Levine. Where are you taking the Doctor?

KAMELION-GROGAN
His brainwaves are to be downloaded for Davros’ personal use, Commander. We are taking him aboard the cruiser to use the Mind Analysis Chamber. Unless, of course, you have any objections to obeying Davros’ will.

Lytton smiles thoughtfully.

LYTTON
Why not? It always pays to have a back-up plan. Let us take him there.

Kamelion-Grogan is now the one suspicious. Nevertheless, the party moves out.


36. MODEL SHOT

We see the battered, half-lit Cassius Four with the battle cruiser docked.


37. INT. CASSIUS FOUR AIRLOCK (NIGHT)

Lytton, Levine, Kamelion-Grogan, the two troopers and the Doctor move down the white corridor out of sight. Pull back to show a single trooper stands guarding the airlock, standing over the two corpses of the last lucky people to get that job. Further out to see Tegan, Mercer and Laird creep into the chamber, hiding beside the wreckage and rubble. They exchange whispers.

MERCER
You’re sure about this?

TEGAN
If Turlough’s alive, he’ll head for the TARDIS. And if the others are with him, they will be there too. And we know they’ve taken the Doctor inside.

LAIRD
So we go inside?

TEGAN
Yeah, that’s my plan.

LAIRD
We’ve got to get past that guard.

MERCER
I guess we can’t do the electrocution trick on them?

TEGAN
Their armor probably insulates them.

MERCER
The Dalek wasn’t insulated.

TEGAN
Yes, but they’re not Daleks, are they?! Besides, do you see any cables around?

LAIRD
So what do we do?

Tegan sighs miserably.

TEGAN
The usual one.

MERCER
Panic?

TEGAN
Wait.


38. INT. SHIP CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Kamelion-Grogan and the trooper are half-carrying the Doctor down the corridor. Lytton follows behind helmet under his head. The Doctor groans.

DOCTOR
Remind me... where are we going again?

KAMELION-GROGAN
The Mind Analysis Chamber.

DOCTOR
Ah! The Mind Analysis Chamber, where minds are analyzed... Kamelion!

Kamelion glances at him – now in his human form.

KAMELION
Welcome back from the abyss, Doctor. Just in time.

DOCTOR
In time for what?

LYTTON
You’re going to suffer, Doctor. Brainwave extraction is a very painful and undignified way of dying – much better than cold, clinical extermination.

DOCTOR
That’s why you stopped the Daleks exterminating me?

Lytton is as inscrutable as ever.

LYTTON
What do you think?

They pause by a door. It slides open and the group enters, bar the two troopers.

TROOPER 1
We are to return to Davros.

They turn and leave. Lytton, surprised, watches them go, then enters.


39. INT. MIND ANALYSIS CHAMBER (NIGHT)

A large circular chamber with the same architecture as the rest of the Dalek ship. A padded bed-couch is in the centre of the room with a device at the end with several controls. There is a large screen on the far wall and a bank of reel-to-reel tape machines beneath. The Doctor is roughly thrown against the couch as they enter.

DOCTOR
You’re pushing your luck, Lytton...

Lytton jabs him with the gun.

LYTTON
COMMANDER Lytton.

DOCTOR
You can’t kill me, you know. My brainwaves are needed intact.

LYTTON
Your body isn’t. I might blow off an arm or a leg or two.

DOCTOR
That won’t be at all good for my piece of mind.

KAMELION
Doctor. Cooperate. It is unwise to provoke him.

DOCTOR
He’s a Charnel Warrior – any response is an act of provocation.

The Doctor suddenly rises and slaps Lytton in the face in EXACTLY the same way was done to him an episode ago. Lytton’s eyes widen in fury and he raises his gun.

DOCTOR
So pathetically predictable.

He grabs the gun and presses it against his forehead. Lytton scowls and pulls the gun away. The Doctor looks at him with loathing.

DOCTOR
What’s wrong? Can’t you look me in the eye and kill me?

LYTTON
With ease, Doctor. But that’s what you want.

He punches the Doctor in the face, flinging him onto the bed. The trooper starts closing transparent Perspex restraints over his elbows, waist and ankles.

LYTTON
No deal.

DOCTOR
The Daleks will wipe you all out the moment they get the chance. You’re digging your own grave, Lytton! You might as well be the one on this couch!

KAMELION
You’re only inviting more trouble.

The Doctor arches an eyebrow.

DOCTOR
It can get worse?

LYTTON
If I have a say in it, definitely.


38. INT. QUARANTINE CHAMBER (NIGHT)

This is shown on the crystal sphere.

DALEK 1
DAVROS HAS ORDERED THE DOCTOR’S BRAINWAVES TO BE DRAINED.

SUPREME DALEK
THE PROCESS SHALL TAKE PLACE!

DALEK 1
I OBEY.

DALEK 2
THE MIND ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR TIME LORD BRAIN STRUCTURES.

SUPREME DALEK
IRRELEVANT! WHATEVER INFORMATION THAT CAN BE GLEANED FROM THE TIME LORD’S MIND WILL PROVE USEFUL FOR THE DALEKS. ESTABLISH SUPER-LUMINAL HYPER LINK WITH THE AZORIUS MINOR COLONY. THE BRAINWAVES OF A TIME LORD WILL CONTAIN USEFUL INFORMATION ON TIME TRAVEL MECHANICS. ENSURE THE MEMORY PRINT IS DOWNLOADED INTO THE MAIN BATTLE COMPUTER.

DALEK 2
I OBEY.

SUPREME DALEK
SEND TWO AVAILABLE DALEK UNITS TO THE MIND ANALYSIS CHAMBER. WHEN THE PROCESS IS FINISHED, THEY WILL EXTERMINATE THE DOCTOR!

DALEK 1
I OBEY.

SUPREME DALEK
THIS VICTORY WILL GALVANIZE THE EMPIRE! THE DALEKS ARE NOT DEFEATED! WE WILL GO ON! WE WILL REBUILD! WE SHALL CRUSH ALL RESISTANCE – THE MOVELLANS, HUMANITY, ALL LESSER RACES WILL BE EXTERMINATED! WE SHALL BE THE SUPREME FORCE OF THE UNIVERSE! THE VENGEANCE OF THE DALEKS STARTS HERE!


40. INT. MIND ANALYSIS CHAMBER (NIGHT)

As before. Kamelion finishes at the console.

LYTTON
You couldn’t stop me killing your friends in the self-destruct chamber. You think you can stop me tearing your miserable body apart?

DOCTOR
As William Shakespeare once said... Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough.

Lytton laughs.

KAMELION
Silence.

DOCTOR
Shut up, Kamelion, this is organism talk!

KAMELION
It’s your own fault you’re in this mess, Doctor.

Kamelion attaches sensor pads to his temples, and connects them to the console.

DOCTOR
Really? I thought it was the fault of my treacherous android.

Kamelion attaches another sensor pad to the Doctor’s neck.

KAMELION
Until you realize the error of your ways, this is all there will be. Death, chaos and misery. You should have given up this life when you had the chance, stop interfering in other people’s affairs. Unless you accept your heritage and go home, there will always be more blood on your hands.

DOCTOR
Then be very, VERY careful Kamelion. That blood might just be yours.

KAMELION
You know, Doctor? I believe you.

LYTTON
Fascinating though this is, I have work to do. I’ll just have to imagine your death agonies when you beg the Daleks to spare your miserable existence.

DOCTOR
Aren’t the Daleks going to stay and watch to the bitter end?

LYTTON
No. They refuse to leave quarantine.

DOCTOR
What about the battalion from the warehouse?

LYTTON
They have other duties.

DOCTOR
How disappointing.

Lytton strides out. The door closes.

KAMELION
The process involves electromagnetic radiation harmful to the Daleks.

DOCTOR
Ah. They have gone downhill, haven’t they? A once-great institution which now depends on hiring freelancers whose sole thought is ensuring their own survival. Amoral, selfish, profit-driven individuals – corporate insiders who’ll stab you in the back. Very 1980s.


41. INT. CASSIUS FOUR CORRIDORS (NIGHT)

Turlough, Styles and the soldiers run down the corridor and through an open doorway. Further down the corridor, three troopers march into view. They have not seen our (for want of a better word) heroes.


42. INT. CASSIUS FOUR CRYOGENICS SECTION (NIGHT)

The room is deserted bar the corpse of Osborn lying in the corner. The fugitives hide inside. They hide behind the doorway and out of sight. The troopers march by. Silence. They breathe out in relief, but speak softly.

TURLOUGH
I think they’re gone.

STYLES
For the moment.

CALDER
Do you think the Professor and the others got away OK?

STYLES
Why should they? No one else has!

As Styles says this, she looks sadly down at Osborn’s body.

ARCHER
What’s this place for?

STYLES
Why?

ARCHER
Well, we might be able to use it somehow?

STYLES
Oh yes, I should have thought of that, but, sorry, I’m not from the military. A good 87 per cent of the crew were, but they’re all DEAD now, so sorry if the protocol has lost its appeal! And, answering your question, this is a cryogenic storage chamber. Put organic material in, freeze it for any length of time and defrost it when you need it.

Intrigued, Turlough examines the empty tube.

CALDER
Like Walt Disney?

STYLES
Who?

TURLOUGH
Yes, probably. But this has been used recently.

GALLOWAY
What does it matter, we can’t use it as a weapon, can we?

TURLOUGH
Who was in it?

STYLES
The Prisoner.

CALDER
And who were they?

STYLES
I never got his name. He was the one who created the Daleks. Cassius Four was customized into his prison.

CALDER
Seems a bit much, a whole space station for one prisoner.

STYLES
This is a navigational beacon, or was. Because we’re so far from Earth but still inside the system, we’re unlikely to be attacked...

GALLOWAY
But you have been.

STYLES
I know. The theory fell down. At least once the Daleks found out we had the Prisoner.

GALLOWAY
If he’s so dangerous to have around, why didn’t they just kill him?

STYLES
It’s against the Constitution. Besides, the Prisoner was a genius. The Empire thought he might share some of his secrets, or maybe give some hidden weakness to the Daleks. Then they all disappeared one day and never came back. So he was frozen and this time stayed frozen for the best part of a century.

GALLOWAY
But they’ve revived him.

STYLES
And now he’s in my laboratory.

ARCHER
Why?

STYLES
I don’t know, maybe he likes the décor!

ARCHER
Doctor Styles. Hysteria won’t get us anywhere.

STYLES
What will get us anywhere? It’s just a matter of time before we end up like Osborn!

She indicates the body with her gun.

STYLES
Do you have a plan to stop that?

Archer doesn’t. Turlough clears his throat.

TURLOUGH
I think I might have.


43. INT. MIND ANALYSIS CHAMBER (NIGHT)

Kamelion studies the displays on the console beside the Doctor’s head while Levine drums his fingers impatiently. He has taken off his helmet.

LEVINE
Is the process ready?

KAMELION
Circuits are clearing to receive memory print.

DOCTOR
Oh, Kamelion... I really did trust you, you know. I thought you really DID have a mind of your own. But you don’t, do you? The moment you stepped inside the TARDIS, it formatted you – civil, helpful, friendly, brilliant at cricket. Just like me. A reflection, nothing more.

KAMELION
Am I not all things to all other things?

DOCTOR
But without those other things, you’re nothing. You really don’t have free will, or even sentience. The moment you leave the TARDIS, the Kamelion I know, the fake one, the nice one, ceases to exist. You really aren’t alive?
KAMELION
I am more than any machine.

DOCTOR
Oh, I rather like machines. I had a robot dog once. Or was it twice?

Kamelion presses a control. An evil-sounding buzz is heard.

DOCTOR
I’m not even comfortable. The gel on the electrodes is cold, my nose itches...

LEVINE
When the process starts, you’ll be more concerned when your nervous system catches fire.

DOCTOR
Oh yes, you’ve been on the receiving end, haven’t you?

LEVINE
The worst is when it finishes its calibration. The pain stops long enough for you to scream, and when it comes back...

DOCTOR
Yes, yes, I get the picture. Don’t I get a last request?

KAMELION
Of course. Don’t expect it to be fulfilled though.

DOCTOR
All I wanted was for Kamelion to do a song.

LEVINE
A song?

DOCTOR
Yes, what could possibly be wrong with that?

LEVINE
A song?!

DOCTOR
Is it against the rules?

LEVINE
A SONG?!?

KAMELION
Shut up. And what would you like me to sing, Doctor?

DOCTOR
Oh, nothing in particular. Off the top of my head, something soothing, something melodic, maybe the sort of catchy tune a 13th century monarch might use to justify an increase in taxes. On the lute.

Kamelion smiles.

KAMELION
Then you’re going to be disappointed.

He presses hard down on a control. The Doctor gasps, choking, then fall silent. The trooper shakes his head, baffled.

LEVINE
A song...

Kamelion and the trooper turn to look up at the screen as it shows slightly rippling images...


44. MONTAGE (B) CLIPS

Tegan’s smiling face.

In his room, Turlough dressed in cricket whites, peering at a book on a shelf opposite marked WISDOM’S ALMANAC and looking confused.

Outside the TARDIS are: Tegan, crouching; Turlough, leaning against the TARDIS; the Doctor, arms folded; Kamelion the android, hands on hips, looking to the right.

The Doctor in huge seventies shades, looking up at the sunshine.

Panning up a familiar schoolboy uniform to find Tegan wearing it.

Turlough trying to hit a ball with the cricket bat, ala baseball, but missing.

Tegan is fixing the console, Kamelion passing her tools.

The Doctor pushes through the left-hand door of the TARDIS and out of sight, and the moment the door closes the right hand one opens and Tegan emerges, baffled.

Kamelion android plays his guitar.

Tegan does the Charleston.

Checking the book again, Turlough tries to hit the ball and just knocks the bails off the stumps. Turlough notices this and shouts angrily.

Turlough, dressed as the Doctor, becomes Kamelion dressed as the Doctor, then the Doctor dressed, appropriately enough as himself.

Tegan opens the door to her room and bucket full of water falls on her head.

The Doctor lies in front of the console, blowing kisses at us and being camp.

Bubbles emerge from the TARDIS doorway.

Turlough sits in the lotus position, and we zoom out to see the Doctor leaning on his shoulder, reading Wisdom’s Almanac. Tegan leans on his shoulder and point at the book, and Kamelion leans on her shoulder, blowing bubbles from a frame in his hand.

The TARDIS materializes and smoke pours out the door. The Doctor, Kamelion, Tegan and Turlough emerge – each more worried than the last. All of them run for it, as more and more smoke pours from the TARDIS.

Kamelion takes a tool from the tool box and hands it to Tegan, who hands it to the Doctor, who looks at it, shakes his head and passes it to Turlough, who rolls his eyes and puts it back in the box.

Turlough is screaming. He tears up the book and smashes everything in his room with the cricket bat, still screaming. Kamelion enters and tries to calm him, but Turlough waves the bat menacingly and Kamelion legs it. Turlough goes back to smashing the stumps repeatedly.

Kamelion, Turlough, Tegan and the Doctor stick their heads around a corner.

The quartet walk off into the sunset.



25. INT. MIND ANALYSIS CHAMBER (CONT’D)

LEVINE
What is all that?

KAMELION
The Time Lord has placed a barrier around his mind. The machine can only delve into the surface thoughts – a collection of mental sandbags and barbed wire.

LEVINE
Who are those people?

Kamelion isn’t at all concerned.

KAMELION
His friends. We shall increase the power.

LEVINE
Can the machine break through the barrier?

KAMELION
Only one way to find out.

Kamelion flips three controls to maximum. The Doctor sobs in pain. The images on the screen move faster and distort more. The trooper grins. The Doctor shouts in pain.

LEVINE
You might turn out to be my sort of android after all, Kamelion.


45. INT. CASSIUS FOUR AIRLOCK (NIGHT)

As before. The trooper guards the entrance. Tegan, Laird and Mercer are hiding. Archer suddenly walks into view, arms raised (as best he can). The trooper raises his rifle.

ARCHER
Wait! I surrender to the Daleks unconditionally!

The trooper pauses. He keeps his gun trained on Archer.

TEGAN
No, they’ll kill him...


44. INT. QUARANTINE CHAMBER (NIGHT)

A Dalek is studying the crystal sphere. The image shows a shot of Archer.

DALEK
OBSERVE. ONE OF THE HUMAN SOLDIERS FROM THE WAREHOUSE IS SURRENDERING. SHALL WE TAKE HIM FOR MENTAL REPROGRAMMING?

The Supreme Dalek is a touch excited.

SUPREME DALEK
NEGATIVE. EXTERMINATE HIM! EXTERMINATE HIM NOW!!!


46. INT. CASSIUS FOUR AIRLOCK (NIGHT)

The trooper blinks and moves his head slightly. We hear the faint, tinny voice.

DALEK VOICE
EXTERMINATE!

The trooper raises his rifle. Archer dives for the ground.

ARCHER
NOW!

Galloway ducks around the corner and lobs an object at the trooper. About the size of a crate of cigarettes, it is a metal framework containing squares of orange sponge. The object strikes the trooper in the chest, the kinetic force causing him to topple. Archer rises and runs for cover as the trooper regains his balance.

GALLOWAY
Now!

Under cover, Styles stabs a control button with lot of wires dangling off it. The object explodes against the trooper’s chest. There is a blinding flash which blots out everything before the sound of the explosion can reach us.


47. INT. QUARANTINE CHAMBER (NIGHT)

The crystal shows static.

SUPREME DALEK
WHAT IS THIS?!?


48. INT. CASSIUS FOUR AIRLOCK (NIGHT)

The area is worse for wear. The walls are blackened, there is no sign of the shutter at all now, and several ceiling panels have collapsed. Smoke pours from the point we last saw the trooper. Archer gets to his feet painfully – his clothes are blackened with soot but he is otherwise unharmed. Tegan, Mercer and Styles emerge from cover.

LAIRD
Colonel! You’re all right!

ARCHER
Well, I’ve been better. It’s good to see you again.

Turlough and the others enter the chamber.

TEGAN
What was that thing?

TURLOUGH
An explosive from the cryogenics section. Not as useless as we first thought.

He looks at Styles when he says this. She sneers at him.

TEGAN
I don’t suppose you have any more of those?

CALDER
No, just the one, Miss Jovanka.

MERCER
Good. I’m not sure the roof could take another beating. We better make for the time corridor.

TURLOUGH
No, the TARDIS, it’s the only safe place.

TEGAN
He’s right. Once we’re inside we can work out how to rescue the Doctor.

TURLOUGH
The Doctor’s here?

GALLOWAY
We don’t have time for this, come on!

The group hurries into the not-so-pristine white corridors of the cruiser.

to be continued...

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