The End of the Road VI

18. INT. RECEPTION AREA (DAY)

Jobel heads back for the sarcophagus.

JOBEL
The Great Healer immediately realized that the informal and amusing DJ allowed a breaking down of consumer resistance.

PERI
You have a DJ playing music...

JOBEL
He does requests from next of kin.

PERI
No, no, no, you have a DJ, right, playing music... to the dead?

TASAMBEKER
They are not dead, they are in suspended animation. Pay attention!

PERI
How tacky is this place?

TASAMBEKER
What would an off-worlder like you know about it?!

JOBEL
Tasambeker! Stop talking to those above your subterranean station. This Doctor wishes an audience with the Great Healer. Go and arrange one.

TASAMBEKER
But, sir...

JOBEL
What?

TASAMBEKER
I don’t know where the Great Healer is.

JOBEL
Go down to Level Eight and follow your ridiculously-over-endowed nose. You have my absolute authority. But don’t waste much time. I feel a distinct chill which means the Long Cold is approaching and not even your blubbery insulation will protect you for very long. Now get out of this area.

PERI
What is your problem?!

Jobel turns to face her, smooth and charming in an instant. He approaches her.

JOBEL
My problem, pretty one, is that her vast enormous monstrous grotesque elephantine excessitude of ugliness detracts from the delicacy of your perfection.

PERI
You’re acting like she’s not even there!

Jobel doesn’t even look up.

JOBEL
You mean she still is? Tasembaker, leave now or get two black eyes.

Tasambeker’s eyes are, at present, wet with tears. The Doctor approaches her.

DOCTOR
Please...

TASAMBEKER
I’m going!

She storms off. The Doctor glares angrily at Jobel.

DOCTOR
You are one of the founders of TR?

JOBEL
Tranquil Repose. Acronyms are so vulgar, I find.

PERI
The feeling’s mutual.

DOCTOR
I’m just glad that there were two other people to deal with customers. You’re clearly better dealing with the dead than those whose hearts still beat.

JOBEL
It’s perfectly all right, Doctor. I’m used to being envied for my position and skills.

Peri shrugs him off, angry.

PERI
No you’re not, because it never happens! And you want to know why?!

JOBEL
Did I mention how attractive your accent is?

PERI
You’re disgusting! You’re depraved, dishonest, outrageous, repugnant, salacious, a misogynist and just plain creepy!

JOBEL
You had me at depraved, my succulent pretty.


19. INT. CATACOMBS (DAY)

A dark, gloomy arched corridor. In the alcoves are study statuettes, a few wood carvings. Cold mist wafts through the corridor. There are glass cabinets between alternate arches, misted over. Natasha creeps forward. Grigory sways drunkenly behind her, totally sloshed and unafraid.

GRIGORY
Fancy that! The old catacombs of Nekros, eh. This is a real tourist resort, you think they’d have had guided tours. This is a, what’s the word? Mausoleum? Yeah. Look at this.

He picks up a decorated pot.

GRIGORY
This probably contains a long-dead Nekrosians. Cremated. Or maybe just really small. Like babies. We’re in the catacombs of the little dead babies! Great! Put THAT on the CV. No one will ever notice the corpses. You could put the words ‘HEY! I KILL PEOPLE IN COLD BLOOD!’ on your resume in foot-high letters, but I bet you anything – well, not anything, but an incredibly reasonable amount – that whoever it is will just look and go, ‘Hmm. You visited the ancient Nekros Little Dead Baby Catacombs, did you. What was it like?’

Natasha turns around and screams at him.

NATASHA
WILL YOU JUST SHUT UP FOR THE LOVE OF GOD?!

GRIGORY
Sorry. Guess I should be showing more respect.

He puts down the pot. It falls over and shatters.

GRIGORY
Whoops.

Grigory looks embarrassed. Then he breaks up in giggles.

NATASHA
THAT IS NOT SHOWING RESPECT!

Grigory shakes his head, keeping his mouth closed.

NATASHA
WE ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE!

Grigory nods, but is smirking.

NATASHA
OUR LIVES HANG IN THE BALANCE!

Grigory begins to shudder with mirth, trying desperately not to laugh.

NATASHA
UNLESS WE DISPLAY RIGID DISCIPLINE WE WILL BE TRAPPED DOWN HERE AND FROZEN!

Grigory is letting off strange sniggering noises.

NATASHA
RIGID DISCIPLINE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! RIGID! RIGID!

Grigory lets out a whimper and nods furiously.

NATASHA
YOU BETTER NOT FIND THIS AMUSING, GRIGORY!

Grigory is bent double, shaking violently.

NATASHA
DOES THIS AMUSE YOU?! IT DOESN’T AMUSE ME!! DOES IT AMUSE YOU, YOU ALCOHOLIC, MALPRACTICING DRINK-DRIVING SCUMBAG? DOES THIS SITUATION STRIKE YOU AS FUNNY?!?

Grigory bursts out laughing and hugs Natasha to keep himself upright.

NATASHA
GRIGORY!!!

Grigory gasps for breath.

GRIGORY
Sorry... sorry... I’m sorry...

NATASHA
We are in danger.

GRIGORY
Yes. Yes, we are.

NATASHA
Being stuck in freezing catacombs with all the bodies missing is not something to laugh about or even find amusing if we were back on Clion in the warm with lots of rich food and voxnic to spare. Yes?

GRIGORY
Yes.

He frowns.

GRIGORY
Hey, Natasha?

NATASHA
What?

GRIGORY
Do you believe in ghosts?

He breaks up laughing again.


20. INT. KARA’S OFFICE (DAY)

Lytton straightens his jacket and crosses to his satchel as Kara watches on. Vogel enters carrying a folder.

VOGEL
Transport is arranged, but it can only take you to the very edge of Tranquil Repose.

LYTTON
Obviously. The maps of the catacombs?

Vogel hands him the folder.

VOGEL
All prepared.

KARA
You know the coded sequence?

LYTTON
Of course.

KARA
Are you sure?

Lytton glares at her.

LYTTON
1-1-8-6-4.

KARA
Of course. It was wrong of me to doubt you.

LYTTON
You’ll get the signal within the next rotation and I’ll be back for my fee.

KARA
We will await your return with eager anticipation.

Lytton smiles insincerely.

LYTTON
I’m sure you will.

He turns and strides past Vogel and through the doors. They open before him and close after him. Kara watches him with narrowed eyes.


21. INT. TR CORRIDORS (DAY)

The Doctor and Peri hurry down a corridor, passing an attendant heading in the opposite direction. They turn a corner into an identical corridor.

PERI
I know we should have stayed in reception to wait for Tasambeker, but if we did I think I’d do something I’d never regret. How dare he treat her like that – especially when she’s clearly got a crush on him!

The Doctor stops and looks at her, confused.

DOCTOR
Crush?

PERI
Fancy. Desire. She likes him. A lot.

The Doctor shrugs and they keep walking.

DOCTOR
It seems that time refuses to be tricked. The more we try to find out, the less we know – all we know is that this chief executive faith healer character believes I’m dead. We don’t even know if I am.

PERI
Maybe he just wanted a statue of you in gratitude?

DOCTOR
Gratitude? GRATITUDE? It nearly gave me a double heart attack.

PERI
Well, maybe we go back in time and tell him to do it. Web of Time and that.

DOCTOR
Or maybe we don’t. You seem chipper all of a sudden, Peri.

PERI
Do I?

DOCTOR
Yes.

PERI
Well, I don’t know – maybe hearing another States accent cheered me up.

DOCTOR
Oh yes. The ‘DJ’. That’s another thing puzzling me.


22. INT. DJ’S RECORDING STUDIO (DAY)

The DJ is now dressed as Mussolini, watching on anxiously.

PERI
Why? What’s wrong? He sounded great.

DOCTOR
What was it you said about America and bad taste? No, quality of his disc-jockeying aside...

DJ
Disc-jockey? What the hell is that?

DOCTOR
...the question is, how would a 20th Century-style DJ end up on 47th century Nekros DJ-ing to the long dead?

DJ
Oh. Well, he’s got a point. Oh well. Least I know I won’t get any complaints.

He spins around in his chair. He is in character again. California Dreaming begins to play.

DJ
Hey, guys, this is the DJ with an up-to-the-minute weather forecast. The planet Nekros with its so-sophisticated elliptical orbit will be entering the Long Cold in the next two solar rotations and maybe even sooner. It was cold this morning by any standards, and the mercury is falling now as we speak.

On the screen, the image of the Doctor and Peri reduces and is replaced by an image of the woods outside. It is starting to snow.

DJ
I’m turning up the heating to stay as snug as a bug in a rug, and if any of you guys are still around to listen, feel free to let your hatches open – the way the temperature’s dropping, it’ll soon be colder OUTSIDE your caskets!

He cranks up the volume and spins in his chair again.


23. EXT. HILLSIDE (DAY)

The music continues in the background. It is snowing now. The snow is heaping up around the TARDIS. Pull out to show Lytton stands there, staring at the police box. His gives his usual lop-sided smile.

LYTTON
So... it seems we meet again... Doctor.

He turns and heads off into the snow.


24. INT. OUTSIDE CHAPEL (DAY)

The music continues, reaching the part about stopping at a church to pray, then fading out as the dialogue begins.

Tasembaker moves down the corridor connected to the chapel below by a flight of steps. She is unsettled by her surroundings. She peers around the corner and we see from her angle the room – it contains a curving white console maintained by a GUARD. ANOTHER GUARD steps into the doorway in front of Tasembaker, gun raised.

TASAMBEKER
Uh, I am here to see the Great Healer. Mr. Jobel sent me.

GREAT HEALER
Ah. Child. Do come in.

The guard steps aside to let Tasembaker in.


25. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)

Tasembaker stares ahead of her in shock.

GREAT HEALER
I am honoured you went to such trouble, Tasambeker.

TASAMBEKER
Great Healer?

GREAT HEALER
You have changed into your best uniform and full makeup. I appreciate the effort.

TASAMBEKER
Mr. Jobel sent me about...

GREAT HEALER
The man claiming to be my good friend, the Doctor, who died many years ago?

TASAMBEKER
Yes.

GREAT HEALER
I understand. It is a simple problem and I have already set in motion its solution. Now, I have been watching your progress since you joined a few months ago. I am pleased with what I have seen. You have a good attitude to your work – and you are pleasing in both personality and appearance.

Tasambaker smiles.

TASAMBEKER
No one’s every paid me such a compliment, Great Healer, I am honoured.

GREAT HEALER
Quite. Although you are only here on work experience, you have a dedication unrivalled – even by Mr. Takis who is widely considered Tranquil Repose’s staunchest supporter. If you are agreeable, of course, I should like you transferred to my personal staff.

Tasambeker is amazed.

TASAMBEKER
I would be... delighted! And honoured! Again.

GREAT HEALER
Good. You will find the work very different from that which you have been used to. But I am sure, Tasambeker, you will find it rewarding in its own way.

TASAMBEKER
Thank you.

GREAT HEALER
If you please me, I can offer you... the universe.

TASAMBEKER
Thank you, Great Healer.

GREAT HEALER
Stay with me. And you shall see the end result of my operations down here. I shall inform Jobel and the others as to your location.


26. INT. TR CORRIDORS (DAY)

The Doctor is walking up a corridor. Peri, behind him, rubs her arms.

PERI
It’s getting colder, Doctor.

DOCTOR
Not surprising, we are in one giant freezing facility.

PERI
I mean it!

She breaths out – her breath is visible.

DOCTOR
You’re right. The temperature has dropped around ten degrees.

He crosses to the nearest casket. It is the one Grigory sabotaged earlier. The Doctor traces his fingers around the damaged controls.

DOCTOR
Maybe the cooling units are overloading.

He crouches down on a knee and begins to peer into the damage. A PA system hums into life, and Jobel’s voice booms loudly.

JOBEL
This is Chief Embalmer Jobel of Tranquil Repose. It seems that the first of the blizzards is arriving and temperature control is not fully compensating. It should reach optimum plus five in the next few minutes – so stop all your useless cry-baby whining and get back to work!

DOCTOR
Such a winning personality.

There is a small explosion of sparks and the casket hatch cracks open.

DOCTOR
Whoops!

PERI
Oh, yuck! It stinks like... like chicken and vinegar! Doctor, you haven’t woke the poor guy up, have you?

The Doctor pulls the hatch open to reveal the empty trolley.

DOCTOR
I don’t think so. There’s no one inside. No one at all.

PERI
So, it’s an unused casket.

DOCTOR
But the cryogenics are still working at full strength. Someone wants it believed the casket contains a person. I wonder how many other caskets are empty.

The Doctor sticks his head into the casket. Tiny streaks of green liquid mark the inside of the casket. He sniffs.

DOCTOR
How odd.

He pulls his head out of the casket.

DOCTOR
Peri, did you know that...

He stops as he realizes she has her hands up. He looks behind him. Lilt stands there, still carrying a submachine gun.

LILT
You should know that body-snatching is a capital offence on Nekros.


27. INT. CATACOMBS (DAY)

Natasha makes her way down the tunnel. She is shivering and pale. Grigory is also pale, but not shivering.

GRIGORY
You know what we should do?

NATASHA
No.

GRIGORY
We should...

NATASHA
I said no.

GRIGORY
Best way of creating and storing body heat.

NATASHA
NO.

GRIGORY
Kay. You know what else we should do?

NATASHA
Not a chance.

GRIGORY
All I wanted to say was try another level.

NATASHA
There’s only one way into these catacombs and that’s the way we came.

Grigory rolls his eyes.

GRIGORY
Well we turn around and go back!

NATASHA
That’s what we are doing, you numbskull!

GRIGORY
Are we? Great! Maybe we should contact the others. Bet they’d be fascinated.

NATASHA
We risk giving away our position.

GRIGORY
What do you mean, ‘give away our position’? We don’t know what our ‘position’ is? We’re lost, undergorund... underground and slowly getting frostbite.

NATASHA
The Long Cold isn’t due for another two days.

GRIGORY
Weather. Can’t live with it. Can’t control it without giant gravity beams and they’re so damn cumbersome when the planet doesn’t have a moon. You know what I blame?

NATASHA
Voxnic bars that give you free samples after you lose control of your bodily functions?

GRIGORY
APART from them. I blame these little tomb-y things.

He waves to the cabinets.

GRIGORY
Did it ever strike you that for an abandoned... thing. Ossuary or whatever. For an abandoned ossuary, this technology is more up-to-date than those fridges upstairs? Wonder why. And it’s not upstairs, is it? Cause there are no stairs! No stairs at all! I mean, I know wheelchair access and all that, but... what am I talking about again?

Natasha turns and shoves Grigory into an alcove sans hatch. She presses hard against him.

GRIGORY
Knew you couldn’t resist me.

He grins and passes out. Natasha rolls her eyes and peers out. Down the corridor, something white and metallic glints through the mist.


28. INT. STORE ROOM (DAY)

The double doors open and the Doctor stands there. He stumbles and nearly falls when Lilt roughly shoves him into the room, followed by Peri.

DOCTOR
This violence isn’t endearing me to this business venture, you know.

LILT
Shut up. Three good friends of mine died today.

PERI
In a funeral parlor? Best place for it.

Lilt approaches.

LILT
You just shut your face.

DOCTOR
Sorry. It was a... grave error on her part.

PERI
I’m sure this must be quite an undertaking.

LILT
Stop the cheap puns.

DOCTOR
Cheap? CHEAP? They were MASTERFUL puns!

They look up as Takis enters. He crosses to the Doctor and pulls aside his blue cloak to show the brightly-coloured coat beneath.

TAKIS
Even the clothes. Who are you?

DOCTOR
I’m the Doctor.

TAKIS
Like the Doctor we erected a memorial to outside in the Garden?

DOCTOR
That’s what I want to know.

TAKIS
You look like him.

DOCTOR
A dead ringer, in fact.

TAKIS
Exactly. The Doctor is dead.

DOCTOR
Oh? And what makes you so certain of that?

TAKIS
We cross-checked the references. The Doctor died on the planet Netora over twelve years ago.

DOCTOR
Are you certain of that?

TAKIS
The Great Healer was convinced. Yours was the second statue to be erected.

DOCTOR
Oh, who was the first?

TAKIS
My sister.

DOCTOR
Ah.

PERI
I-I’m sorry.

Takis avoids her gaze.

TAKIS
Don’t be. It was a merciful release.

PERI
Release?

DOCTOR
Disease no doubt. Lots of plagues in the galaxy at the moment, aren’t there, Mr. Takis?

TAKIS
Yes. Most are no longer dangerous – all inhabited worlds are now immunized. Tranquil Repose is the core of the research foundation into stopping the plagues.

The Doctor nods, understanding.

DOCTOR
That’s why this place was set up! Not for the benefit of those in cryogenics but those on the outside. With infected patients on ice, you had all the raw samples required – and no doubt the fees for keeping them in stasis was enough to aide your research.

TAKIS
Every single disease, infection or illness that brought the people here has been cured.

PERI
So, why not revive them? If they don’t need to be frozen.

DOCTOR
Think business, Peri. If they do wake up, they automatically cease to pay Tranquil Repose for the privilege and the funding stops. Tranquil Repose closes down and all the embalmers, security guards and stone masons are left out in the cold.

TAKIS
Not just that.

PERI
What? You’ve cured all the diseases – what use is Tranquil Repose now? What does this Great Healer do with his time now there is no one for him to heal?

TAKIS
There are other viruses he is working to defeat.

PERI
But you said...

TAKIS
Not all the plagues affected humanoid life. Some took the form of a blight. It’s insidious and attacks all plant matter. Others get into the food chain and makes farming animals poisonous and inedible.

DOCTOR
So instead of pestilence there is now famine. Insidious and unstoppable.

LILT
No. Madame Kara Wadras sorted that out. Nutrition bars for everyone, dead cheap. Things are still pretty tight, but none of the other planets are starving. The restaurant business is doing well on Talok, apparently, and Clion’s practically back to normal.

PERI
That’s nice to hear.

DOCTOR
But you didn’t say just why you’re keeping TR open.


29. INT. CHAPEL (DAY)

Tasambeker is wandering around the place, slowly getting bored. She looks with surprise and worry as the Great Healer suddenly speaks.

GREAT HEALER
Show me Mr. Jobel.

A passport photo of Jobel appears in the screen. He’s blowing a kiss and looks idiotic.

GREAT HEALER
I first met Mr. Jobel ten years ago. He and Mr. Takis saved life – at not inconsiderable risk to their own. I owe them much. As a student of human behavior, I have observed you, Tasambeker, and how you react to him.

Tasambeker blushes and looks very embarrassed.

GREAT HEALER
Please child. I do not mock. Purity of emotion is something I respect. You have... affection for Mr. Jobel, do you not?

Tasambeker swallows, finding it hard to speak.

TASAMBEKER
I did. Once.

GREAT HEALER
You still do. Or am I wrong?

Tasambeker hides her eyes and sobs.

GREAT HEALER
If it is the truth, Tasambeker, you have no reason to feel shame.

TASAMBEKER
No...

GREAT HEALER
Why do you feel shame?

TASAMBEKER
You... you’re my... s-superior...

GREAT HEALER
It is not my opinion that upsets you.

Tasambeker fails utterly in pulling herself together.

TASAMBEKER
The others...

GREAT HEALER
Others?

TASAMBEKER
The other attendants. They all laugh at me and whisper behind my back.

GREAT HEALER
Do you care for their opinions?

TASAMBEKER
I... no.

GREAT HEALER
So do not let them effect you. You know Mr. Jobel is a man who is feared in this establishment.

TASAMBEKER
He is respected.

GREAT HEALER
A word to cover truth. The workers wish to please him and so they agree with him. Do they not do that, Tasambeker?

TASAMBEKER
Yes. They do.

GREAT HEALER
They mock your feelings... because Jobel mocks your feelings.

TASAMBEKER
He always humiliates me.

GREAT HEALER
As I have observed. It disturbs me greatly. He has always been a difficult man. Arrogant.

TASAMBEKER
He’s not so bad.

GREAT HEALER
No. He is worse. In the years he has worked here his mental state has degenerated. His behavior towards you has been unacceptable. If someone treated ME the way that he treats YOU, I would be inclined to have them killed.

TASAMBEKER
I wouldn’t do that. Not ever.

GREAT HEALER
You would not kill?

TASAMBEKER
No!

GREAT HEALER
Not even to save your own life? To save the life of a friend?

Tasambeker is confused and anxious.

TASAMBEKER
I don’t know.

GREAT HEALER
That, perhaps, could be the problem.


30. INT. CATACOMBS (DAY)

The white shape is moving through the mist. In the alcove, Natasha screws up her eyes. Frost is in her hair. A shadow falls over her... and then moves on. She opens her eyes and, moving stiffly, leaves Grigory and peers around the corner. Nothing but mist.


31. INT. STORE ROOM (DAY)

Takis is pacing. The Doctor and Peri are in the corner, guarded by Lilt.

DOCTOR
As I have said eighteen times now, we were NOT body-snatching!

LILT
You were caught there. You’re in league with the other two.

PERI
What other two?

LILT
The other snatchers. The whole lot of you will be hanged for this!

DOCTOR
You can’t be serious, Mr. Lilt. Opening an empty casket by mistake can hardly count as death penalty, can it? Besides, why would anyone want to steal a body from here? If they were next of kin, you’d defrost them with a smile, wouldn’t you?

Lilt glances at Takis, unsure of what to say.

PERI
W-wouldn’t you?

Takis sighs.

TAKIS
Tell them, Lilt.

LILT
You sure?

TAKIS
I’ve had enough of this. Tell them.

LILT
Well, all right. No one has ever gotten a body back from here – because those who make the laws don’t want you to.

PERI
What?

TAKIS
There isn’t room for them. The idea of Tranquil Repose just doesn’t work. I thought it would at first but... the galaxy can barely support the people alive now. A fresh batch of a thousand would be many more than the economic system could handle.

LILT
Not just that, Takis. The people in here are important. Very important. Now, imagine if they went home to their jobs and companies and riches. The homes and jobs and companies and riches that are now run by their next of kin or competitors. Who don’t want to give up all the luxuries they were bequeathed.

PERI
They’d be in direct competition...

DOCTOR
...to those who now hold power. Which why those who now hold power, who presently make the laws, make it impossible to legally get a loved one back from Nekros.

LILT
You’re quick.

DOCTOR
There’s just one thing I don’t understand about this place.

TAKIS
What?

DOCTOR
Well, if this is ultimately nothing more than a glorified assassination service stopping the great, the good and the rich from returning from the grave... why dispose of the bodies? Surely it would be better to leave them in the caskets?

Takis approaches, now very sinister.

TAKIS
What do you know about that?


32. EXT. ABOVE THE TRENCH (DAY)

It is snowing. Lytton climbs over the wall, shaking snow flakes from his hair and clothes. He spots a camera in the trees up ahead and takes out a small control and presses it.


33. INT. DJ’S RECORDING SUITE (DAY)

The DJ is now dressed as a Mexican bandit – toupee, huge moustache, sombrero and bandoleers of ammo. He is jiving to the tune of The American Breed’s Bend Me, Shape Me. On the screen behind him, one of the images turns to static. The DJ is too busy grooving to notice.


34. EXT. ABOVE TRENCH (DAY)

Lytton hurries off through the trees.

- to be continued...