The End of the Road III

31. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)

The screen shows Takis’ face. Behind him is Lilt.

TAKIS
There is no doubt about it, sir. Feedback pulse caused a blow back in circuit two, causing the alarm. There are two non-registered visitors in the Garden of Fond Memories, and that is it.

GREAT HEALER
Really, Takis? And how do explain the unauthorized movement INSIDE the compound? There are body-snatchers inside the building. They appear to have walked in right before your eyes. Your security measures are lazy and inefficient.

Takis turns to Lilt.

TAKIS
Did you see anyone?

Lilt shakes his head.

LILT
No. Did you?

TAKIS
No.

Takis turns and beams out of the screen.

TAKIS
You see? They must have got in another way.


32. INT. OUTSIDE RECEPTION AREA (DAY)

Takis and Lilt stand before a glowing panel.

GREAT HEALER
Tranquil Repose is about to receive a Presidential visit. Security should be at maximum and you are supposed to be in charge of it. Find the intruders, Mr. Takis.

TAKIS
Yes, Great Healer.

The panel fades to become another TR logo.

TAKIS
It’s worse than I thought.

LILT
What do you mean?

TAKIS
All that’s supposed to be the cabinets are a few thousand stiffs in suspended animation. Why is the Great Healer so concerned about a few body-snatchers?

LILT
Maybe they’re not just body-snatchers?

TAKIS
Or maybe the Great Healer has something to hide.

Takis turns and walks off. So does Lilt. They are watched by a different camera.


33. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)

The screen shows Takis and Lilt walking away.

GREAT HEALER
It seems I have underestimated you, Takis. A mistake I do not intend to repeat.


34. EXT. GARDEN OF FOND MEMORIES (DAY)

The Doctor and Peri emerge from behind the statue.

PERI
That alarm’s stopped.

DOCTOR
Yes. All seems back to normal.

PERI
I knew we should have come by TARDIS.

DOCTOR
Yes. My fault. Just trying to delay the inevitable.

PERI
What do you mean? Look, just what are we doing here?

DOCTOR
The last time I was here, Peri, I discovered something very... very disturbing. I put it out of my mind but now I’ve remembered. And there doesn’t seem any way to avoid. That’s why I’ve come back to Nekros.

PERI
But what happened?

DOCTOR
Happened? At the time, very little. But I need you here Peri because you are an objective observer. You can tell me if I’m right or wrong.

PERI
And I assume you’d like me to say you’re right?

DOCTOR
Nothing of the kind. Come on, let’s try and find it.

He moves off. Peri shakes her head in disbelief.

PERI
Find WHAT?!


35. INT. DJ’S RECORDING SUITE (DAY)

As before. Take Five plays.

DJ
It’s time to take things up a peg and what better than a dedication or two?

He pauses and shuffles through the crumpled balls of paper stuffed down the back of his chair. Having got one he unfolds it and peers at the contents.

DJ
You know, guys, I get as much of a kick out of reading these as I know you do hearing them! Okay! Hello there casket eight hundred and sixteen – or should I say, “Hi there, Gorgio?”. Cause THIS is the DJ with a very special dedication for you, my friend! It’s from your dear wife Finella who is still very much alive and she sends you her fondest, her most sincerest love! Yeah, she misses you my man, she missed you a heck of a lot. And she would also like me to reassure you on this very special day that her every waking moment is spent administering the Great Healer’s research fund that YOU set up to find the cure for Beck’s Syndrome! Yeah, that oh-so-dreadful disease which took you from her side! GET DOWN, I said GET – DOWWWWN!!

He reaches out and taps out a sequence. Take Five ends with an off-the-record noise.

DJ
So Gorgio, from her heart to your heart, celebrating your long, long life, here is some good old 1950s Earth-time Rock and Roll! YEAH! GO FOR IT!

Blue Suede Shoes plays in the background. The DJ slumps back, exhausted and covers his mike with his hand, looking depressed. He speaks normally.

DJ
You’ve got a wife and a half there, Gorgio. She found the curse for Beck’s Syndrome four years ago. Still... be interesting to know what she’s really doing with the money?

He releases the mike, in character again.

DJ
And a special greeting to the Great Healer himself, no doubt listening to this very station from his private retreat out in the ice fields. Those catacombs must sure be getting cold and draughty with the Long Cold about to hit.


36. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)

Jobel is present, rolling his eyes. The DJ is shown on the screen above.

DJ
So from all of us here at Tranquil Repose, a cheerful ‘Keep Warm!’ to the Great Healer and savior of Nekros, the galaxy and the future of life kind itself! Yee-ha!!

JOBEL
Oh, shut that fool up!

The screen shrinks and vanishes.

JOBEL
Thank you, Great Healer.

The Great Healer’s voice is now more synthesized, slightly less human than before.

GREAT HEALER
Please, Mr. Jobel. There is no need for such formality. I wished simply to remind you that in a few weeks time I shall have been on this planet for ten years.

JOBEL
Yes, Great Healer. I remember it well. Mr. Takis and I found you out in the tundra.

GREAT HEALER
It was good of you to save my life that day.

JOBEL
You repayed the debt right away, Great Healer. Saving Mr. Takis’ sister from dying earned his life-long respect. And my own.

GREAT HEALER
I was unable to save her life. She tied before the Long Cold ended.

JOBEL
Mr. Takis doesn’t blame you, Great Healer. I’ve known the man my whole life. He does not bear grudges.

GREAT HEALER
I was more concerned about you, Mr. Jobel.

JOBEL
Me? I’m flattered, Great Healer. But it was Mr. Takis’ sister who died.

GREAT HEALER
Mr. Takis’ sister... was your wife.

Jobel doesn’t react.

JOBEL
She was much more Takis’ sister than she was my wife. Her loss affected him far worse than it struck me.

GREAT HEALER
I know, Mr. Jobel. I was there. And you coped admirably. But I begin to fear that your mental state is starting to deteriorate.

JOBEL
I have a will of iron and the constitution of an voltrox, Great Healer. I’m the Chief Embalmer – death is my business, it no longer holds any fear to me.

GREAT HEALER
You never... "grieved" for her.

JOBEL
It was not necessary.

GREAT HEALER
I agree. Her death was the catalyst which lead to the creation of Tranquil Repose. Had this facility existed then, she would not have died.

JOBEL
True. And we have upheld the promise to her memory. We have saved lives.

GREAT HEALER
And we will save more.

JOBEL
More?

GREAT HEALER
My program of research is now complete.

Jobel smiles, amused.

JOBEL
You’ve found a cure for everything?

GREAT HEALER
Prevention is always preferable to cure, Mr. Jobel. There is not a civilization in the universe that has not learned that lesson. I can prevent disease, injury, death... pain. You wish more people to come to Tranquil Repose following the Presidential visit. I wish for EVERYONE to come to Tranquil Repose. And there they will be given total immunity.

JOBEL
Immunity to everything?

GREAT HEALER
Yes.

JOBEL
Even death?

GREAT HEALER
Even that. I will make them immortal. A gift. But one that you, Mr. Jobel, have earned.

Jobel walks around the chapel. We concentrate on him, learning only there is a console in the middle of the room. We do not see the Great Healer beyond the occasional close up to a white light that pulses in time with his voice.

JOBEL
I am flattered, Great Healer. But no.

A long pause. The Great Healer is shocked.

GREAT HEALER
You... refuse?

JOBEL
Yes. I appreciate the offer immensely. But immortality does not appeal.

GREAT HEALER
Then you truly are insane, Jobel.

JOBEL
I am Chief Embalmer, Great Healer. Give the universe immortality and I’m the first out of a job. I am happy as I am.

GREAT HEALER
Selrin would not wish for you to die!

Jobel blinks.

JOBEL
I haven’t the faintest idea who you’re talking about, Great Healer. However, I will of course aide your plans for Tranquil Repose to the best of my abilities and together we will make Nekros the new heart of the Pherra System and the galaxy itself. But now, I have work to attend to, so if I may.

GREAT HEALER
Go.

JOBEL
Thank you, Great Healer.

Jobel heads for the catacomb exit and leaves. A note of bitter fury enters the Great Healer’s voice, becoming more and more modulated.

GREAT HEALER
Go and play with the bodies of the dead, Jobel. But remember this - when you join their number, it was by your own hand!


37. INT. TR CORRIDORS (DAY)

A passage with black and gold markings and lined with distinctive TR hatches like five pips on a die. These are cabinets containing the clients of TR. We see several shots of a corridor (so it looks like different corridors). We see one with two attendants passing each other. Then one with Takis and Lilt walking along. An empty corridor. Another corridor with a solo attendant. Then one with Natasha and Grigory.

GRIGORY
Corridor seven hundred and twelve.

Natasha pulls out a map and glances at it.

NATASHA
Casket 7-1-2-Q is the one we want.

She crouches beside one of the hatches.

NATASHA
This is it.

GRIGORY
How did you ever talk me into this folly? How?!

NATASHA
Get on with it!

Grigory crouches next to the hatch and takes out a pocket device and begins adjusting it.

GRIGORY
What happens if the guards find us?

Natasha takes out her pistol and adjusts it. Grigory looks at it in horror.

GRIGORY
You’re not going to use that are you? Really?

NATASHA
Hurry up!

GRIGORY
Those things KILL, you impetuous child!

NATASHA
So do the guards here. The others can’t help us now.

GRIGORY
They helped us on the condition we didn’t kill anyone!

Natasha aims the gun at Grigory.

NATASHA
What part of ‘hurry up’ don’t you understand?

GRIGORY
The hatches are sealed with magnetic locks – they can only be activated from a switch in main control on Level One! This is supposed to override it but it takes time – we can’t afford to rush it.

NATASHA
We can’t afford to hang around here, either!

GRIGORY
If the hatch opens too soon, the molecular structure of the body will break down and poor old Stengos will turn into a pool of high protein water and, even if I was insane enough to believe he could ever be reconstituted, we don’t have anything to gather up his remains, do we?

NATASHA
JUST OPEN THE DAMN HATCH!

GRIGORY
Shout louder, I’m sure they didn’t hear you!

NATASHA
JUST GET ON WITH IT, YOU LONG-WINDED MORON!

GRIGORY
You’re the moron! This could kill your precious father!

NATASHA
If we don’t succeed, he’s already dead! Now get the door open!

Scowling, Grigory turns and continues adjusting the device.


38. EXT. THE GARDEN OF FOND MEMORIES (DAY)

The Doctor stands by the ramp. Peri approaches.

DOCTOR
No sign of it?

PERI
Oh, for crying out loud, sign of what? What am I looking for?

DOCTOR
Then you haven’t seen it!

Jobel appears at the bottom of the ramp, looking troubled. He sees the two of them and brightens immediately. He hurries towards them.

PERI
Doctor, if you do not tell me what is going on, I am going to get VIOLENTLY annoyed.

DOCTOR
All right, Peri. No need for that. The last time I arrived here, I visited this garden and while I was looking around I...

JOBEL
Welcome, friends!

They turn around as Jobel emerges.

JOBEL
A thousand welcomes to Tranquil Repose. I take it you’ve come to make use of our very special services? Please, let us discuss things in the warm, shall we?

PERI
Uh, we’re not here for funerals.

DOCTOR
No. Are you touting for business?

JOBEL
Tout? Tout? Me, tout?! I’ll have you know people come from all over the galaxy for my services. I am the Chief Embalmer here.

PERI
Yes, but we’re not dead yet.

JOBEL
It is, after all, only a matter of time. And someone as pretty as you should not have to worry about funerary details when the moment occurs. I like pretty things. And you are very pretty aren’t you?

Peri double takes.

PERI
...um, what precisely is wrong with you?

DOCTOR
Probably been drinking the corpse preservatives. You are...

JOBEL
I am Jobel. Mr. Jobel. I control Tranquil Repose on behalf of its creator, the Great Healer of Nekros.

DOCTOR
Then you are the person I want to talk to. It’s about a statue in this Garden...

JOBEL
Please, please, my future clients, surely we can discuss this in the warmth? The first fingers of the Long Cold are stretching over the land, we really should go indoors.

DOCTOR
Fine. I need to talk with the person to arranges these monuments...

JOBEL
And so you shall, Mr...?

DOCTOR
Doctor.

They move down into ramp, Jobel immediately taking his opportunity to drape an arm around Peri’s shoulders. She flinches.

JOBEL
And who are you, my pretty one? His nurse?

PERI
No, but you’ll need a mortician soon if you don’t get your hands off me.

JOBEL
Oh, I do love a challenge...

PERI
Then you’ll love me to death.

JOBEL
At Tranquil Repose, death is at worse a temporary state...

They move out of sight.

- to be continued...