Grigory is still working on the hatch. Natasha is fretting.
GRIGORY
I just want you to know when I left Clion I wasn’t intending to risk my life breaking into a coffin which is more than likely to be empty. The chances are I’ll be hanged before the day is out and I want to share this. Free time is for drinking – not running around cemeteries. Are you listening, Natasha?
NATASHA
If you’re so keen on a quiet life, why did you join the group?
GRIGORY
I was drunk, I thought you lot were Alcoholics Anonymous, didn’t I? I should have known something was up when instead of a detox interview you wanted to break into Tranquil Repose. You’re mad. All of you are. Why did you want me?
NATASHA
You’re a doctor. You can also lock pick, lie, cheat and perform electronic fraud. Your only flaw is you’re a drunken half-wit who WON’T SHUT UP AND OPEN THE DAMN CASKET!
GRIGORY
I should have stayed in the gangs. Left my life in those neat pieces it fell apart into.
GUARD
Hey!
They turn around. A GUARD is standing behind them – helmeted and wearing black, carrying a machine pistol. He stops, staring at them in surprise.
GUARD
What are you...?
Natasha raises her gun and fires, as does Grigory. The guard is skewered through the head with a laser beam before bullets tear into his chest. He falls in a heap. The duo stare at the body and then look at each other in shock.
40. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)
A loud grating voice is heard.
DRONE VOICE
DISTURBANCE ON LEVEL SEVEN DETECTED.
GREAT HEALER
Show me.
The screen appears, showing Natasha and Grigory. Grigory nudges the body of the guard with his toe.
GREAT HEALER
Inform Takis.
DRONE VOICE
I OBEY.
GREAT HEALER
They are only one level above the laboratories. They must be stopped.
We zoom in on the scanner.
GRIGORY
I think he’s dead.
41. INT. TR CORRIDOR (DAY)
As before.
NATASHA
Dead? How?
GRIGORY
Well, you shot him full in the face with a laser bolt!
NATASHA
You’re the one that ventilated his heart and lungs with bastic-tipped bullets!
GRIGORY
You’re the one who was ready to kill someone!
NATASHA
I never killed anyone before. You’re the murderer!
GRIGORY
That’s unfair. I was drunk – that patient would have died anyway!
NATASHA
She was just having her appendix out!
GRIGORY
That’s a minority view.
NATASHA
Is it? You were struck off the register for incompetence, Mister Child Prodigy!
GRIGORY
Well, you couldn’t even GET onto a register, Miss Trigger-Happy! You planned that poor man’s death! Some mother just lost her son because of you!
NATASHA
What about that kid you ran over on a jet sled cruise?
GRIGORY
I told you that in strictest confidence, besides, there were no witnesses!
NATASHA
Were you drunk then as well?
GRIGORY
No, and I’m not drunk now but it is an EXCELLENT idea!
He takes the flask from his neck and swigs it.
NATASHA
Getting wasted on voxnic won’t help you!
GRIGORY
Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.
He breathes out, in ecstasy.
GRIGORY
There’s a whole damned silo of viston seeds in that.
42. INT. RECEPTION AREA (DAY)
It is all but deserted. The Doctor and Peri are ushered in Jobel, talking all the time.
JOBEL
...Of course, I am one of the founding members of Tranquil Repose. Together with my colleague Mr. Takis and the Great Healer himself of course, we set up this facility with the intention of saving lives but now we diversify from ordinary funerals, to suspended animation and of course, we revive our customers as soon as is possible.
DOCTOR
Fascinating, I’m sure, but...
JOBEL
We are currently preparing for a lying in state – President Vargos has graciously given his permission to for us attend to the mortal remains of his dear late wife before she is placed in perpetual instatement...
Tasambeker approaches. The Doctor takes his chance to move away.
JOBEL
Ah you... what’s your name... I popped out for a final look at the landscape and found these two delightful customers who no doubt wish to avail themselves of our services.
PERI
You lying walrus...
JOBEL
Why don’t you discuss matters with the Doctor over there?
TASAMBEKER
But, sir, I’m not in customer service.
All good humor fades from Jobel’s voice.
JOBEL
You are now.
TASAMBEKER
I’m a third-year medical student here to study your methods in embalming.
JOBEL
Well, as you’re so utterly useless at it, why not turn you hand at a profession not even you could get wrong? No doubt you’ll surprise me before the day is out.
PERI
Hey, you can’t talk to people like that!
JOBEL
I’m the Chief Embalmer, I’m very important here, I can do what I like and you... my pretty one... I like intensely. I like pretty things and you are PERFECTION!
He’s standing behind her now, running his hands over her shoulders. The Doctor spots this and heads back just as Jobel cops a feel. Peri shrugs him off, shocked.
TASAMBEKER
Mr. Jobel...
JOBEL
Stop wasting oxygen Tasembaker, no one’s interested, least of all you.
Suddenly there is a blaring alarm bells. Everyone looks up.
JOBEL
Another of Takis’ empty promises shattering like ice!
TASAMBEKER
Maybe the President’s ship is landing?
Jobel sneers at her.
JOBEL
Yes, we always let off the red alert when a ship lands. Don’t speak unless spoken to, Tasambeker. Deal with these two. I expect their contracts drawn up before the alarm ends! I have a bone to pick with my dear brother in law...
Jobel storms off. The Doctor looks at Peri, concerned.
DOCTOR
Are you all right?
PERI
Almost... That guy was nuts!
DOCTOR
Give me Sharaz Jek any day. At least he listened to people.
Tasambeker scowls, annoyed at their actions.
TASAMBEKER
Please refrain from insulting my superior!
PERI
Why did you let him talk to you like that?
TASAMBEKER
WHAT’S IT GOT TO DO WITH YOU?!
She’s dangerously angry. The Doctor steps between her and Peri, smiling charmingly.
DOCTOR
Nothing at all, just showing an interest.
43. INT. TR CORRIDOR (DAY)
Alarms are going off here. Grigory sips from his flask again, unworried.
NATASHA
Grigory, snap out of it you stupid c...
There is a chime behind them as the casket hatch splits open and an empty stretcher slides out with a cloud of steam. Grigory blinks. Natasha is mortified.
GRIGORY
Oh yeah. Ta-da!
NATASHA
They’ve taken him... You see, they have taken him! I was right! This place is a fraud! No wonder no one’s ever been able to get the bodies back, we were right.
GRIGORY
You said they just left the bodies to rot and stole the annual fees. There’s no body here, no rotting corpses. Look! Why lock empty caskets?
NATASHA
I don’t know...
Just then the doors at the far end of the corridor burst open. There is Takis, Lilt and several other GUARDS.
TAKIS
Hold it!
NATASHA
Run!
TAKIS
Fire!
Natasha and Grigory leg it as the guards raise their machine guns and open fire. The duo dive around the corner, then Natasha returns and fires a volley of laser blasts and kills the guards while Takis and Lilt dive for cover. Natasha and Grigory sprint down the corridor to the next set of double doors and run through. A stray shot strikes Grigory’s abandoned device. All the caskets in that section of wall pop open. We see the shot again, from a different angle to show other sections opening up. Takis and Lilt scramble for the fallen guard’s guns.
LILT
Murdering scum...
TAKIS
No, Lilt, wait!
LILT
What for?
TAKIS
Use your eyes!
Takis waves at all the open caskets. The trolleys have emerged. Each one is empty.
TAKIS
They’re all empty. Every last one.
LILT
Maybe these body snatchers make quick work? Come on, Takis, let’s get them before they kill anyone else!
Lilt hurries off. Takis follows, dragging his gaze from the empty recesses.
44. MODEL SHOT
A space craft approaches Nekros.
45. INT. KARA’S OFFICE
On a purple vision screen set on the desk we see a star chart with a blip. Lytton and Kara are talking. Vogel notes the screen.
LYTTON
And the other Pherran Colony leaders? What will they make of your enterprise?
KARA
They owe the Great Healer immensely. They fear him and so they let their need of his services cloud his judgement. It is said he has human agents on every planet in the system, especially here on Nekros.
LYTTON
When he dies, they might come after you, have you considered that?
KARA
Of course.
VOGEL
Madam? The President’s ship is on final approach.
KARA
Perfect. What a beautiful sight.
They turn and stare at the image.
LYTTON
Aren’t you going to shoot it down or something?
VOGEL
It would be safer, madam.
KARA
It would be an advertisement, Vogel.
LYTTON
You intend to let the President live? Or is he next on the list of people you want me to kill for you?
KARA
No, Commander. You can have the Great Healer. Vargos, I will deal with.
46. INT. DJ’S RECORDING SUITE (DAY)
Alarms are heard here, but faintly. The mood is sinister. The DJ has an extremely exaggerated look of apprehension on his face and his eyes dart back and forth as if afraid he’s being watched. He is not in any way taking this seriously. On the screen we see attendants running back and forth in various corridors, but one image zooms to show Takis staring expressionlessly at the empty caskets.
DJ
Update time, listeners... Now listen guys, I don’t want to alarm you, but there’s something pretty WEIRD going on down here... As you know, we have... snatchers... in the complex. But it gets even creepier! The word is the SNATCHERS have been OUT-SNATCHED! So, if there are any of you guys left to hear this: remember – lock yourselves in your caskets! Snap down those bolts!
47. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)
This is shown on the screen. The DJ becomes more pantomime.
DJ
Otherwise you could find yourselves on the outside... going who... knows... where...
His horrified wail breaks down into cynical laughter. The Damned’s Video Nasty screams in. The noise cuts out.
GREAT HEALER
It is obvious that the Doctor has arrived. Everyone suddenly sees and knows too much.
48. INT. RECEPTION AREA (DAY)
Tasambeker is still droning on. The Doctor is struggling to get a word in edgeways as Peri looks up, worried by the alarms.
TASAMBEKER
If you should decide to accept our unique service, your body will be cryogenically stabilised until the time came to revive you. Needless to say, your resting consciousness will be constantly updated with information concerning social, cultural and technological developments of your choice.
Tasambeker leans forward and fails to sound reassuring.
TASAMBEKER
We wouldn’t want you to wake up feeling that the universe has left you behind.
DOCTOR
Young woman, we don’t want a funeral, we don’t want internment, we don’t inhumation, sepulture or obsequy and we definitely do not want perpetual instatement!
Tasambeker visibly loses both interest and respect in him.
TASAMBEKER
Then why have you come here?
DOCTOR
I want to discuss a statue erected in the Garden of Fond Memories.
TASAMBEKER
Ah yes, there we memorialize all those who choose simply to have their mortal remains interred here rather than take use of our other services...
DOCTOR
And also those who your other services failed to save.
Tasambeker scowls.
TASAMBEKER
What is your complaint? Which particular statue are you referring to?
49. EXT. THE GARDEN OF FOND MEMORIES (DAY)
The Doctor, Tasambeker and Peri stand in the garden next to a long, narrow pond opposite the pathway. Alarms still on in the background. The Doctor points to the statue at the head of the pond.
DOCTOR
THAT statue.
TASAMBEKER
It’s impossible!
We see the face carved on the plinth. Still, white and with a serene smile, it is a detailed carving of the Doctor’s face. And, beneath it are carved the words THE DOCTOR.
(END OF EPISODE ONE)
(NEXT EPISODE: HARSH TRUTHS)
(ROLL END CREDITS)
(NEXT EPISODE: HARSH TRUTHS)
(ROLL END CREDITS)
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