The Song of the Space-Whale IX

(ROLL OPENING CREDITS)

1. MODEL SHOT

The Orkas is right behind the Ghaleen, its song now plaintive.


2. INT. SECURITY CELL (NIGHT)

THE CHIEF crouches over KRAKOS, the Tuthon and aims the gun at the creature’s head.

CHIEF
What did you say?

KRAKOS
My brother is near.

CHIEF
The space whale?

KRAKOS
My brother is near.

The Chief points the gun at the Tuthon’s head.

CHIEF
Be concise.


3. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

GREEG, NURREG and various CREWMEMBERS are present. On the screen, the cross-hairs is targeted on the whale.

NURREG
Neuron missiles aimed, primed and ready to fire, my captain sah.

GREEG
Fire on my command, Nurreg.


4. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

TURLOUGH enters, then stops dead as he sees the TARDIS. He swallows, fighting back emotion. He crosses up to the door and his hands move to the handles when a voice smugly asks.

DOCTOR
And WHERE do you think you are going?

Turlough whirls around as THE DOCTOR steps from behind the glowing time core. They stare at each other, not giving anything away.

DOCTOR
Hello, Turlough.

He smiles.


5. MODEL SHOT

The whalesong is louder, mingling with a dematerialization sound.


6. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

The noise continues. A dazzling glow explodes from the time core. The Doctor and Turlough whirl to face the core as the light grows brighter. The Doctor shields his face, rapidly fading away as he turns back to face Turlough.


7. INT. SECURITY CELL (NIGHT)

Krakos looks up, startled. The Chief’s aim doesn’t waver.

KRAKOS
NO!


8. MODEL SHOT

The whale sweeps upwards. It is starting to glow.


9. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

As before. Greeg is just about to say ‘Fire’ when a light starts flashing.

NURREG
My captain sah!


10. MODEL SHOT

The Ghaleen is now blazing brightly.


11. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

The Doctor vanishes utterly in the light as Turlough watches on.


12. MODEL SHOT

Now a dazzling smear of light, the radiance dissipates to leave the Orkas alone in deep space. Sudden, shocking silence.


13. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

The crew stare on in shock.


14. INT. SECURITY CELL (NIGHT)

The Tuthon wails, clawing at the window. The Chief stands behind it, gun aimed.

KRAKOS
MY BROTHER IS GONE!

Krakos sobs.

KRAKOS
My brother...


14. MODEL SHOT

The shimmering butterfly hues of the time vortex the TARDIS travels in. This time it is the Ghaleen, diving into view. Its song is healthier and happier. It sweeps past us and then out of sight.


15. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

The light is dimming to less painful levels. Turlough is alone.

TURLOUGH
...Doctor?

(FINISH OPENING CREDITS)
(THE SONG OF THE SPACE WHALE)
(EPISODE THREE: RUNNING THE GAUNTLET)

1. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

Turlough approaches the source of the light, concern overcoming caution for the moment.

TURLOUGH
Doctor? Doctor!

The bright light is almost gone. It begins to build again. The Doctor begins to fade into view again. As he becomes visible, he is wracked with agony. Turlough steps forward to help as the Doctor vanishes and the glow brightens.


2. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

The screen slowly moves from left to right. Empty space and a scattering of stars. Greeg is breathing loudly through his nose. Nurreg is showing the first sign of panic as he taps futilely at the controls.

NURREG
Full telemetric band sweep... complete. No trace. Er, my captain sah?

Greeg is trembling with fury, teeth gritted, eyes crossed.

GREEG
YES?

NURREG
The pilot. Er... it’s gone.

GREEG
I KNOW!!! A DEAD SPEELSNAPE WITH NO EYES CAN SEE THAT!

NURREG
Just confirming, my captain sah.

GREEG
And do any of you sorry terrestrials have the FAINTEST idea where it is?

Nurreg nods confidently.

NURREG
None whatsoever, sir.

GREEG
It’s dived beneath the time surface.

Nurreg is still nodding.

NURREG
My captain sah?

GREEG
The space whales can jump through space.

NURREG
Like warp drive, my captain sah?

GREEG
No, you blithering cretin. The legends prove they can vanish from reality, apparently going back through time.

NURREG
Of course, my captain sah.

GREEG
Is your sad, voxnic-pickled brain even REACTING to this information?

He’s still nodding.

NURREG
Slightly, my captain sah.

GREEG
Well?

NURREG
The space whale has decided to escape us by travelling through time, my captain sah?

GREEG
Which means?

NURREG
We can’t track it, my captain sah?

GREEG
Which means?

NURREG
The instruments are useless, my captain sah?

GREEG
Which means?

NURREG
Mass starvation, suicide and chaos in the colonies, my captain sah?

GREEG
AND?

NURREG
A possible homicidal episode by your good self, my captain sah?

GREEG
The chances are very, VERY high.

A beat. Greeg frowns and cocks his head. Nurreg is sweating with fear.

GREEG
The instruments are useless.

NURREG
Yes, my captain sah.

GREEG
We have no way of tracking the whale.

NURREG
No, my captain sah.

Greeg grins.

GREEG
WRONG! The old methods are the best. The Tuthons hunted the whales without any tracking equipment but used their magic powers.

NURREG
Possibly, my captain sah?

GREEG
‘Possibly’?

NURREG
Well, there’s no such thing as magic, is there, my captain sah?

GREEG
That magic might stop me ripping your head off and using your internal organs as wind instruments, Nurreg.

NURREG
I feel a sudden intuitive revelation coming on, my captain sah.

Affectionately, Greeg puts his hands on Nurreg’s shoulders.

GREEG
Good boy. Explore the possibilities. ANYTHING can happen!


3. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

Turlough is shielding his eyes as he stands next to the Doctor who shimmers and flickers between transparency and translucency.

TURLOUGH
DOCTOR!

The Doctor snaps into reality. Turlough grabs him by the arms. The Doctor is wracked in agony. The light dims and begins to brighten again.

DOCTOR
Time! Nar... cosis! Turlough! Time... narcosis...

The light brightens. This time Turlough grows pale and begins to fade as well.

DOCTOR
Got to get... away! Away...

Turlough begins to run for the exit. The further he gets from the glowing core, the more solid and real both he and the Doctor are. The Doctor is now barely conscious.

TURLOUGH
Same old story...


4. INT. ORKAS SICK BAY (NIGHT)

STENNAR is sitting on a bench, looking pale and unwell. Her bare left food is bloody. PERI is sitting up in her bed, holding her head in her hands. FELLBRY is slumped in a chair. JURAS is backhandedly-slapping him violently. He stay unconscious. Juras gives up and turns to Stennar.

JURAS
No, he’s not waking up any time soon.

STENNAR
Would it really shock you to learn I don’t care? GET ME SOME PAIN KILLERS!

JURAS
Fine! Fine!

Juras picks up the injector and begins to toy with it.

JURAS
Is it my fault you shot yourself in the foot?

STENNAR
I was SHOT in the foot by that microcephallic apostate I’m forced to call a captain!

Juras isn’t convinced.

JURAS
Keep telling yourself that.

She injects Stennar in the neck. She sighs in relief. Peri looks up, groggily.

PERI
We’ve stopped.

The others take notice.

STENNAR
They’re still at Catch Stations, though.

JURAS
But we’re not moving.

PERI
They must have caught the whale!

STENNAR
Then we would have stood down from Catch Stations.

JURAS
So what’s happening?

Stennar wails miserably.

STENNAR
How should I know?

JURAS
You’re the Production Controller!

STENNAR
That’s it, you remember who I am when you want something! I hate you all!

Juras injects her again. Stennar smiles blissfully.

STENNAR
Aww.

JURAS
Now, let’s get some answers. What’s happening?

STENNAR
That is so much better! I can’t feel my body at all. Wheeeeee!!

JURAS
Important! Focus! Really important! WHAT – IS – HAPPENING?!

Stennar giggles.

STENNAR
I dunno! Don’t worry!

JURAS
No, do worry! Stennar! Focus! Focus, Stennar!

STENNAR
Happy Stennar... Happy high Stennar...

JURAS
Focus, Stennar! FOCUS!

She begins to hum a tune to herself. Juras rolls her eyes. Peri smiles.

PERI
I’ll have what she’s having.

JURAS
FOCUSSS!


5. INT. CAVE (DAY)

Close up on the Doctor’s face as his eyes snap open, as if Juras’ shout has woken him up.

DOCTOR
I’m focussed!

He lets out a sigh and lets his head fall back. Turlough stands over him, bar in hand, clearly ready for trouble.

TURLOUGH
I’m glad to hear it.

DOCTOR
TURLOUGH! Don’t tell me – it was all a dream and we’re still at the Eye of Orion!

TURLOUGH
No.

The Doctor sighs.

DOCTOR
Oh well, maybe next time.

He begins to get to his feet, but Turlough raises the bar threateningly. The Doctor eyes the bar then the man holding it.

DOCTOR
Was it something I said?

TURLOUGH
So you’re the Doctor, are you?

DOCTOR
The definite article, so to speak.

TURLOUGH
I know about regeneration. But I wanted to be sure.

DOCTOR
The police box didn’t help then?

TURLOUGH
If you’re the Doctor then where’s Peri? I told her to look after you.

DOCTOR
Oh, she did. Well, she’s done her best. Never mind. I wasn’t expecting to see you again, Turlough. At least not here. Is Malkon around as well?

TURLOUGH
He’s still on Njorder Nerthus with the rest of the Sarns. I was on a tour of the home system when there was an asteroid strike...

DOCTOR
And the Ghaleen dropped into reality to save you?

TURLOUGH
Yes. Did the same thing happen to you?

DOCTOR
Not quite. The Ghaleen’s time fields are jamming the TARDIS systems.

TURLOUGH
Time fields?

DOCTOR
Yes. Where you found me – the time core of the Ghaleen, a sort of organic analogue of a TARDIS vortex drive.

The Doctor’s eyes narrow in realization.

DOCTOR
And that’s why the fields are symmetrical. Those power cables into the core, Triic technology which we last saw on Sarn, somewhere very warm. That explains it. Who was the cowboy who rigged that lash-up?

TURLOUGH
His name’s Waldron. You wouldn’t like him.

DOCTOR
That bad, eh? How many of you are in here?

TURLOUGH
Not just Trions, there are other castaways in here as well.

DOCTOR
Then today is their lucky day. Just need to disconnect the circuits and we’re one TARDIS jump from safety.

TURLOUGH
Safety? So there IS a whaler ship out there?

DOCTOR
Yes, I’ve just come from it. First things first, we’ve got to meet the others and explain the situation. Can you show the way?

Turlough drops the bar.

TURLOUGH
Why not?

They head for the exit.

TURLOUGH
So why did you change this time?

DOCTOR
Oh, a string of bad luck from the moment we last met. Peri broke the reticular vector gauge, we needed another one, so I decided to get some sand to make a new one and everyone knows the best sand is found on Androzani Minor...


6. INT. SECURITY CELL (NIGHT)

Krakos is slumped by the window, resting his chin on his folded arms, looking like he’s sulking. The Chief still holds the gun.

CHIEF
This silent treatment isn’t endearing you to me.

Silence.

CHIEF
I might just blow your head off, does that inspire you at all?

Silence.

CHIEF
I’m not a violent person at heart, but I’m the first to admit I’m not perfect.

He presses the gun to the back of Krakos’ head.

CHIEF
I’m going to hate myself for this tomorrow, but I might just enjoy it today.

Krakos hisses.

CHIEF
The Tuthon hunt the whales. So what do you do when they pull this trick? Use those little voodoo tricks of yours perhaps? Or is that just a story you tell the tourists before decapitating them?

He jabs the barrel hard into Krakos’ skull.

CHIEF
This ISN’T a conversation, Caller.

The door rattles open and Greeg strides in.

GREEG
And just what do you think you’re doing, Chief?

CHIEF
Think? I’m not thinking. Just acting on instinct.

GREEG
Last time I did that they announced an annual day of mourning. Get out.

CHIEF
It’s a Caller – they know how to capture the whales when they dive below the surface!

GREEG
Of course they do. And I’m going to get it to cooperate.

CHIEF
Or kill it trying?

GREEG
It won’t come to that. I might kill YOU trying, because you ARE trying. Get out!

The Chief grimaces and leaves Krakos alone and heads for the exit.

CHIEF
Got over your fear of spoons yet, Greeg?

Greeg draws his gun, furious.

GREEG
DON’T YOU DARE MENTION THAT TYPE OF CUTLERY ON MY SHIP, YOU SCUM! GET OUT!

The Chief snorts and leaves. Greeg shuts the door angrily.

GREEG
You open up in just ONE ship counseling session and this is what you get...

Krakos turns to face him.

KRAKOS
Do you treat all your comrades like this?

GREEG
As a matter of fact, yes.

KRAKOS
You have been paid well and delivered nothing.

GREEG
You’re alive, aren’t you? I could have let you be dropped into the vats and kept the money. You’re lucky to know someone with such high moral scruples. For crying out aloud, Krakos, what more can I do? You had all that ducting, regular meals of zyglot urine and raw voltrox, not to mention a pile of tunic-ripper fiction. You just had to stay quiet and what do you do? Slaughter people in plain sight!

KRAKOS
You do the same thing.

GREEG
Yeah, but I’m not trying to hide my existence, am I? Krakos, listen to yourself! Not only did you kill a tech and attack a stowaway, you had to use your stupid venom as well! Why not leave a signed confession with the bodies!

KRAKOS
They attacked me.

GREEG
Come off it. You’re talking to a certified crimo here.

KRAKOS
All right, they didn’t attack me. But they looked at me funny.

GREEG
They did? Scum! Anyway, the whale’s ducked under the time surface and I need to get it back in the here and now, comprehende?

KRAKOS
My brother is weakened. He would have moved sooner if he was not.

GREEG
And that means?

KRAKOS
He is in the time stream. He has not moved into another realm.

GREEG
So we can bring him back?

KRAKOS
All things are possible.

GREEG
Yes, and quite a few of them are agonizingly fatal and will happen to you if you don’t provide the goods.

KRAKOS
You have your own goods to provide, Greeg.

GREEG
Yeah, yeah. The inner worlds get the body meat, the colonies get the fins, the scientists get the head and YOU get the time orb. Satisfied?

KRAKOS
Not until we have it in our grasp.

GREEG
You’re as desperate as the others, aren’t you? Well, no time like the present.

KRAKOS
That does not make sense.

Greeg raises his gun again.

GREEG
I have this. I don’t need to make sense.

KRAKOS
That doesn’t make sense either!

GREEG
Ahem! Did you miss the ‘agonizingly fatal possibilities’ mentioned earlier?

Greeg shoves a set of futuristic handcuffs at the Tuthon, who is puzzled.

GREEG
Put those on.

KRAKOS
Restraints?

GREEG
For appearances only. You have to be cowed.

Krakos easily puts them on.

KRAKOS
And you expect them to believe you cowed me with words?

Greeg cocks his head, thinking.

GREEG
Good point.

He spins and punches the Tuthon, brutally in the face. It falls back with a yelp and, whistling cheerfully, Greeg begins to brutally kick it.

GREEG
All for verisimilitude, Krakos. Lie back and think of Ziphius...


7. INT. ORKAS SICK BAY (NIGHT)

Peri is standing unsteadily besides her bed. Fellbry is still unconscious. Juras is bandaging Stennar’s foot. Stennar smiles idiotically.

PERI
So, what’s the plan?

JURAS
We use the might production controller here to find out what the hell is going on. The whale’s not in the Termination Bay, cause the sirens would be on, so we have got a chance. Unless you want to leave it all to your friend?

PERI
Nine times out of ten, it’s easier.

JURAS
What? You want to wait here?

PERI
Why not? I mean look at her!

Peri indicates Stennar, who blows a raspberry.

PERI
You think ANYONE is going to accept that sort of behavior?

JURAS
You haven’t met our Captain. Come on, Stennar! Walkies!

Stennar laughs as Juras ducks her head under her arm to help her stand. Stennar begins to sing an old Vanir ballad. Well, ‘shout’ would be a better description.

STENNAR
And if Evangaline asks what’s become of meeee...

Peri does likewise to support Stennar.

STENNAR
Just tell her I’m across the purple sea...

PERI
I bet they skip this whole bit when they write The Eco-Terrorists’ Handbook.

STENNAR
...sleeping PEACEFULLY!

JURAS & PERI
SHUT UP!

STENNAR
Sor-ree...

They head out the door. Fellbry opens his eyes, lifts his head to watch them. Then his eyes roll up in his skull and he falls back unconscious with a groan.


8. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Carrying the yodelling, blitzed out Stennar, Peri and Juras hurry out of the door and down the corridor.

PERI
Which way’s the flight deck?

STENNAR
In the cold ground
Goin round and round
JUST DON’T TELL HER THAT I’M BACK IN JAIL!!!

JURAS
Give me strength...


9. MODEL SHOT

The Ghaleen ploughs through the time vortex.


10. MODEL SHOT

Establishing shot of the village inside the space whale.


11. INT. THE VILLAGE (DAY)

The CASTAWAYS are struggling to recreate one of the huts, lifting one sheet of metal. WALDRON, KALEN and OLWIN are present. Waldron is rushing around, doing no real helping but talking a great deal.

WALDRON
That’s it, slightly forward. We’ve got to equalize the weight on both sides or it will all just come crashing down again, and that will be the third time today! And we don’t want that now, do we?

OLWIN
More turbulence means that we’re in danger. Vislor’s right – we should at least see if we can get the Raft Ship going, to be on the safe side.

KALEN
You’re being silly, Olwin. Why would anyone attack the space whale? They’re a protected species. The Clans would put a stop any illegal hunting, you know that.

OLWIN
We don’t even know if we’re still in the Triic system, we might be in the retrograde territories – who knows what those barbarians might do to the whale...

WALDRON
And we might not be in the retrograde territories. Calm down, Olwin. And the Raft Ship is useless – young Vislor would have taken off by now otherwise.

OLWIN
Maybe not. Stafel wanted to stop him.

WALDRON
Hm. Bright lad, Stafel, I thought... Ah, hah! There they are now.

The Doctor and Turlough are moving through the ruins towards them.

OLWIN
That’s not Stafel...

Without stopping the Doctor immediately shakes Waldron’s hand.

DOCTOR
Ah! Good morning! I’m the Doctor, it’s a pleasure to meet you all. You must be Waldron, I could tell at a glance. You must be the leader of this fine outpost and just the person I need to talk to. We need to organize a mass evacuation immediately.

He notices Olwin and Kalen.

DOCTOR
Hello!

WALDRON
Evacuation? What evacuation?

DOCTOR
The one we’re about to organize of course! There’s a famine across the galaxy and Multi-Global Conglomerate has sent a whaling ship to turn the Ghaleen into fish fingers and that means all of you. Now, I have a ship with more than enough room to take you all, just ask Turlough – isn’t that right, Turlough?

Turlough is slightly taken aback at being allowed to get a word in edgeways.

TURLOUGH
Er, yes.

DOCTOR
Splendid! Now we need to gather up everyone and maybe collect whatever possessions you still have after all this trouble and we can begin to...

WALDRON
No.

DOCTOR
I’m sorry?

WALDRON
No. We’re not leaving the whale.

DOCTOR
Ah, no, you are. If you stay inside both you and the whale will die.

WALDRON
We will not abandon the whale!

TURLOUGH
I told you, Doctor. Look, Waldron, use your eyes. The Doctor isn’t a castaway – he arrived here in a time capsule, he has a way out. One that you haven’t touched so it WORKS. Won’t it?

OLWIN
Waldron, he can’t be...

TURLOUGH
It’s true. He’s been lying to us!

Waldron doesn’t look the embarrassed in the slightest.

WALDRON
The Raft Ship is useless.

TURLOUGH
It is in complete working order. It has been in working order for months!

WALDRON
You don’t understand do you, you young tearaway...

The Doctor bashes his way between Waldron and Turlough.

DOCTOR
Much as I hate to interrupt this no doubt very important feud, we are in great danger. We have dived out of interstitial time but the Ghaleen will be forced to return to real space sooner or later and a very large whaling ship is just sitting there, waiting for us. Does that sound important enough to you?

A beat.

KALEN
Interstitial time? What are you on about?

The Doctor’s face falls.

- to be continued...