The Song of the Space-Whale VII

19. INT. THE VILLAGE (DAY)

The Castaways have managed to lift a girder and Kalen hauls at the plate of metal underneath. A young woman in a spacesuit can now be seen underneath. This is OLWIN – battered, scared but not bowed.

OLWIN
You took your time. I was shouting for hours.

KALEN
Don’t be melodramatic, girl. The quake only happened a few minutes ago.

The plate is lifted with Waldron’s help.

KALEN
You’re lucky, this rubble underneath stopped you getting flattened.

OLWIN
Tell that to my ankle.

WALDRON
Do you think that would help?

Another Castaway leans in and helps Olwin escape.

KALEN
There’s never been a quake that bit before. What caused it?

WALDRON
Probably just some asteroids. We’re quite safe inside the whale.

OLWIN
Yeah, my ankle still can’t hear you. Vislor was worried about whalers...

WALDRON
Whalers? Impossible. No one would attack a space whale.

OLWIN
How do you know?! We haven’t exactly been in touch while we’ve been stuck in here – you least of all! It’s been years since you got swallowed, that was before any of the rest of us ever arrived! You’re about as out of the loop as it’s possible to be.

KALEN
You’re worried about Stafel.

OLWIN
That too. Where is he?

WALDRON
Not in his village. He wanted to go prospecting again in the ice caves, Vislor went with him. They’re fine.

KALEN
Fine? Waldron, look at the damage! If any of that ice was dislodged...

WALDRON
All right, all right. Johan, Serad, Tronna, go and check on them.

Three Castaways nod and move off. Olwin leans against Kalen.

OLWIN
If there is a whaling ship, and a tractor beam...

WALDRON
You’re getting hysterical, Olwin.

OLWIN
It makes sense!

KALEN
She’s right, Waldron.

WALDRON
Even if there WERE whalers, which there are not, they still couldn’t capture the whale. You can hear the song, we’re still in the depths of the void!

OLWIN
And next time? What happens then?

WALDRON
We’re safe inside the whale!

OLWIN
For the moment. Waldron, we have a ship, let’s just use it!

WALDRON
No! You all agreed that I have authority over this... ‘colony’ as Vislor insists on calling it. And I decided when we leave.

OLWIN
Decide then!

WALDRON
Not yet. We’re safe inside the whale. Even if that ship was able to carry us outside, we have no way of telling if there are any life-supporting planets out there. Oxygen supplies are limited, we can’t risk it.

OLWIN
But if there are whalers, there must be planets who want the food.

Waldron looks at her, shocked.

WALDRON
You want to leave the whale to its fate? After it saved your life?

OLWIN
I don’t want to, I... Kalen, surely you understand.

KALEN
Yes. But we need concrete evidence of danger.

WALDRON
Besides, the others will be too frightened to leave.

OLWIN
No, that’s just you! The rest of us don’t want to sit around waiting to die.

WALDRON
There’s only one alternative to that and that is dying, Olwin. Remember that!

They glare at each other.


20. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

As before.

DOCTOR
So you have an alien whale hunter from Ziphius aboard this ship?

FELLBRY
It appears so.

DOCTOR
But the Ziphians barely have space travel, how could they possibly hunt a Ghaleen space whale, let alone kill it?

FELLBRY
No one’s sure. Space whaling was only commenced last year.

DOCTOR
Well, if Tuthons can hunt the whales so well, why aren’t they part of the crew?

FELLBRY
They’re antisocial. That’s why your friend was given a near fatal dose of venom.

DOCTOR
Oh, I’m sure someone could work a way around that. It’s wrong to dismiss other methods. How exactly do the Tuthons hunt whales? Not using customized submarines, I wager.

FELLBRY
They have magical powers.

DOCTOR
Do they?

FELLBRY
Of course they don’t! It’s rubbish. Attention-seeking drivel!

DOCTOR
Why?

FELLBRY
Because it’s a lie! There’s no such thing as magic.

DOCTOR
Then how do the hunt the whales?

FELLBRY
Who cares?

DOCTOR
I do. There’s a Tuthon aboard this ship. And since there is both magic and science working to catch the whale, I think Multi-Global might be covering all the bases.

FELLBRY
Well, they’ll be disappointed.

DOCTOR
Why?

FELLBRY
The Tuthon – or whatever it is - will be dead meat in a few minutes time.

DOCTOR
How do you know?

FELLBRY
I heard the sub-harmonic in the pipe change.

DOCTOR
And what does that indicate?


20. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

Greeg has his boots up on a desk and is idly graffiti-ing his desk. The tech and two others are feverishly working on the consoles. A screen lights up.

TECH
Secondary sensors back on line!

GREEG
Nurreg, what’s the pilot up to?

Nurreg struggles to peer at the screen, unable to get closer because of the techs.

NURREG
It’s still registering. Just. It’s almost out of detector range, my captain sah.

GREEG
Oh, wonderful. Stennar! Maximum power to the engines!

Stennar is adjusting controls on a wall display.

STENNAR
We just need to adjust the duct pressure. A few moments, sir.

GREEG
Too long, Number One! Now get the Orkas up to full throb!

STENNAR
Just a second, sir.

Stennar adjusts a control and turns a lever. A low, pulsing howl starts, getting louder and faster rapidly.

GREEG
No, not just a second, NOW!

STENNAR
Suction flow active!

GREEG
What are you dribbling on about?

The noise is now very loud.


21. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

The Tuthon is scurrying effortlessly down the pipe as the noise starts. It pauses and looks behind it as the noise reaches a painful level. Then air begins to rush past it. The Tuthon starts moving. After a moment it starts to slow as the air rushes faster and faster past it, slowing it further. The noise echoes around it, distorting. The creature’s claws sink into the surface of the pipe. Gritting its fangs, it tries to move forward, but almost loses its grip.


22. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

As before.

GREEG
You’re what?!

STENNAR
In a few moments, the creature will be sucked into the vats and that’s the end of the problem. Sir. Unless you had any better way of dealing with it?

GREEG
I might have. Just as I might have a way of dealing with you, Stennar.

Stennar doesn’t flinch. Greeg gives a feral grin and raises his blaster.

GREEG
This time, it’s not on stun.

Stennar flinches.


23. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

The suction tugs at the Tuthon as it tries to inch forward. It loses grip with one claw and nearly is dragged away. It manages to reestablish its grip. The noise is now deafening. The Tuthon is torn free and is sent, tumbling down the pipe out of control as it rattles towards the T-junction.


24. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

The noise can be heard here. The Chief turns a corner to see Jackson crouching over a hatch, adjusting a hand held scanner. The older man has to shout to be heard.

CHIEF
You been taking credit for my brilliant ideas, again?

JACKSON
Me? Never!

The Chief chuckles.

CHIEF
How’s the pressure?

JACKSON
There’s still a shape in the pipe. Not for much longer though.

They look down at the hatch.


25. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

Beneath that hatch, the Tuthon tumbles into view. Flinging out its limbs it manages to jam itself across the pipe at the last moment. The air roars past it. It lets out a high-pitched wail, unable to move as the pressure tugs at it.


26. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

The wail can be heard. The Doctor scowls.

DOCTOR
Typical human hospitality... primates!

The wails continue.


27. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

Continuing to let out the horrible wail over the roar of the suction, the Tuthon waves its free arm at the hatch above. It swings a punch at a red-marked control. It misses. It swings again and is nearly dislodged. The suction grows worse.


26. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Jackson shakes the scanner.

JACKSON
It’s not moving.

CHIEF
Well, if the vacuum gets any denser, it’ll be ripped in two.

He shouts down at the hatch.

CHIEF
AND GOOD RIDDANCE!

Jackson laughs.


28. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

The Tuthon punches the control. Instantly the hatch judders back, opening to reveal the surprised Jackson and the Chief. More air rushes past the Tuthon.


29. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

A breeze now blows as air is sucked through the hatch into the duct. The Chief and Jackson scramble back, the latter drawing his blaster. The claw emerges from the hatch and sinks its talons into the surface. The Tuthon’s upper half is visible and the suction grows worse. The Chief grabs the wall as he falls over but Jackson skids straight towards the Tuthon... The Chief shouts and fires a shot.


30. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

Greeg aims the gun between Stennar’s eyes. His voice is clear and calm, no longer rough and crass. He is collected, intelligent and dangerous.

GREEG
Shut down the vacuum system.

Stennar nods nervously and turns to the controls. She slams back the lever. The noise immediately slows and softens. Greeg keeps the gun trained on her head.


31. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

The vacuum immediately dwindles and the Tuthon lurches up out of the hatch as the grip on it vanishes. The distraction allows Jackson to roll away. The Chief shoots the creature in the back, throwing it to the floor. The Tuthon scrambles to its clawed feet and runs down the corridor. Jackson draws his gun and fires – but misses. The Tuthon rounds the corner and sprints away with an odd swaying gallop. It wails again.


32. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

Greeg still has his gun aimed at Stennar. The others watch on, anxious.

GREEG
Nurreg.

NURREG
My captain sah?

GREEG
Get this ship moving – emergency speed.

NURREG
Sah.

Nurreg and others starts adjusting controls. The background engine noises grow louder and louder. Nurreg looks up.

NURREG
Underway, my captain sah.

Greeg lowers the gun, bright and cheerful.

GREEG
Brilliant! Let’s go kill some space whales!

Stennar opens her dry mouth to speak when her communicator chimes.

STENNAR
Yes?

CHIEF (VO)
It’s the Chief. Gotta bit of bad news...


33. MODEL SHOT

The Orkas accelerates after the whale.


34. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL ROOM (NIGHT)

The Doctor is talking with Juras. Fellbry is the corner. Peri is still asleep.

DOCTOR
They’ve gone to catch stations.

JURAS
Can you use your pod to stop them?

DOCTOR
I’m not sure. But I don’t think its coincidence they’re going after the pilot. I think they want to get the following pod.

JURAS
Pod? Another blue box?

DOCTOR
No, a pod of whales, you silly woman. The rest of the heard – at least a thousand Ghaleen who will be at the Orkas’ mercy. Or rather the mercy of Captain Greeg.

JURAS
And he doesn’t have much. But this ship can’t process that many whales!

DOCTOR
Oh, it can if it does one at a time and if the neuron torpedoes are working, they’ll wipe out the whole pod and start processing the corpses. The cold of space will preserve the bodies. And that isn’t going to happen.

JURAS
Why?

The question floors the Doctor. He blows out his cheek.

DOCTOR
Well, because... because... because I... am going to... think of something. If your friend Vislor is aboard the whale, if I can prove there are colonies living inside the whales, they’ll have to call off the hunt!

JURAS
But your said your TARDIS thing won’t work.

DOCTOR
Details, details. If I’m right about the Ghaleen and the TARDIS jamming each other, than it should be possible to full-reverse-materialize the TARDIS at the heart of that time distortion. Which either means inside the whale or...

JURAS
Or?

DOCTOR
OR whatever is causing the interference. Either way, if I can cancel out the interference, rescuing Vislor and the others will be easy. And if I get the temporal circuits workings, time as they say will be on our side.

JURAS
I’ll come with you.

DOCTOR
No you won’t. You stay here and look after Peri.

JURAS
No, I’m going to Vislor.

DOCTOR
Listen. You stay here. As long as you’re with Peri you know I’ll be back. And I know as long as you’re here you’ll want me to bring your friend Vislor with me. Deal?

Juras is clearly unhappy.

JURAS
Deal.

They shake hands.

JURAS
But how are you going to get outside? Fellbry won’t let you out.

DOCTOR
Yes. I think he really ought to relax.

The Doctor strides over to the desk of instruments and collects a tubular gas-injector spray and holds it up to the light, studying it.

DOCTOR
Pylene extract muscle relaxant... Perfect.


35. INT. CAVE (DAY)

Turlough and Stafel are struggling to shift another boulder.

STAFEL
You know what your trouble is, Vislor?

TURLOUGH
Only too well, now keep lifting!

STAFEL
You’re always shifting...

TURLOUGH
And you aren’t. Shift THIS!

They strain to move the boulder.

STAFEL
Where do these pockets of inspiration come from? You’re a born pessimist!

TURLOUGH
I used to travel with a manic optimist. Maybe some of it rubbed off!

STAFEL
Pity his strength didn’t!

TURLOUGH
Want to bet?

Turlough roars and unbalances the boulder. It rolls away, leaving a heap of smaller rubble blocking the archway. Stafel stares at it.

STAFEL
How in the name of Slotsruin did you do that?!!

TURLOUGH
I just remembered someone else I traveled with.

STAFEL
Who was that then?

TURLOUGH
A girl. Argumentative, interfering, tactless, brainless and with a voice that could strip paint from walls.

STAFEL
Not Juras?!

TURLOUGH
No, someone else.

STAFEL
What? And the memory of her gives you courage and strength?

Turlough rolls his eyes.

TURLOUGH
No, I just imagine I was dropping large objects on her head. What do you think?!

STAFEL
I think... we’ve still got more rubble to shift and the air’s getting thin.

They look around. The cavern is dark and claustrophobic.

TURLOUGH
Brave heart, Stafel. We’ll get out of this.

At that moment, a handful of rubble is removed. We see one of the Castaways is pulling and the rocks. Turlough grins at Stafel.

TURLOUGH
What did I tell you?


36. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

The Doctor is playing with the injector. Fellbry looks up, notices him and scowls.

FELLBRY
Just what are you up to now?

DOCTOR
Oh, you don’t want to know, Mr. Fellbry.

Fellbry crosses over to the Doctor.

FELLBRY
DOCTOR Fellbry. What are you doing?

DOCTOR
You wouldn’t want to know.

FELLBRY
Know what?

DOCTOR
You wouldn’t enjoy it.

FELLBRY
ENJOY WHAT?!

DOCTOR
This.

The Doctor reaches behind him and jabs Fellbry in the neck, hitting the control. There is a brief hiss and Fellbry’s look of anger melts into confused delight as he passes out into the Doctor’s waiting arms. He drops him into the chair.

DOCTOR
He’ll be fine in less than an hour. Now you two – STAY!

The Doctor crosses to the door and opens it. Juras remembers something and shouts.

JURAS
But what about the guard outside?


37. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

The Doctor stands in the doorway, a worried look on his face.

DOCTOR
I’d forgotten about the guard.

He looks around. No sign of anyone. He steps from the door and, making a ‘halt’ gesture behind him, closes the door. There is a distant Tuthon wailing. The Doctor cautiously approaches the corner. The body on the guard, exposed throat covered with green venom, drops into view and lands heavily on his back. The Doctor steps forward to help him as the Tuthon leans out of the shadows, fangs bared, hissing.

DOCTOR
Hello.

The Doctor steps forward.

DOCTOR
You hurt a very good friend of mine. Do you really want to annoy me any more?

He glares at the monster. The monster glares back at him.

DOCTOR
Get out of my way.

The Tuthon lets out another wail and turns and lopes off down the passage. The Doctor breathes out in relief and closes his eyes.

DOCTOR
That was close.

He crouches over the body of the guard.

DOCTOR
Too close for you, though, I’m afraid, poor chap. But there are others who need my help.

He turns and runs back down the corridor and runs off to the left. A moment later, he turns and runs back in the opposite direction, heading off to the right.


38. INT. THE VILLAGE (DAY)

Turlough, Stafel and the Cataways approach the outskirts of the village.

STAFEL
Oh no...

TURLOUGH
It could be worse.

STAFEL
Not much though. I had all the voxnic in my hut.

TURLOUGH
There’s more to life than voxnic.

STAFEL
And all the Tang.

TURLOUGH
We’ll survive.

STAFEL
And those bags of brown leaves of yours...

TURLOUGH
The tea bags, what about them?

STAFEL
They were in there as well.

Turlough nods thoughtfully.

TURLOUGH
That does it. I’m leaving.

Waldron spots them and approaches.

WALDRON
Ah. I knew you would be all right. Olwin was beside herself, you know...

Stafel cuts across his mild chatter.

STAFEL
Is she all right?!

WALDRON
Bruised ankle, Stafel. Just a bruised ankle. Kalen’s with her. She’ll be fine.

TURLOUGH
For the moment.

WALDRON
What do you mean by that, young Vislor?

Turlough winces.

TURLOUGH
Must you call me that, Waldron?

STAFEL
Vislor thinks there’s a whaling ship out there.

WALDRON
You too, Vislor? Olwin was just the same. So much paranoia nowadays.

TURLOUGH
Olwin is talking sense! If that whaling ship returns, we are dead. Not alive, not here, and, before you say it, not SAFE. Dead.

WALDRON
We owe the whale our lives and we are NOT leaving.

TURLOUGH
Waldron, I’m sorry. Either we escape and the whale dies or we stay and the whale dies and this time so do we. The whale saved our lives, it wouldn’t want us to die, would it.

WALDRON
We’re safe in here!

Turlough grabs Waldron.

TURLOUGH
Is this SAFE?

STAFEL
Vislor, don’t...

TURLOUGH
The place is in ruins, the barnacles loose and about to fall! Even if this was some accident and not down to whalers, we’re all in danger! Now are you going to let us prepare the Raft Ship or not?

WALDRON
Get your hands off me!

Two of the Castaways restrain him. He shrugs them off, but stays back from Waldron.

TURLOUGH
Waldron, this is the only way!

WALDRON
There is always another way. I’m the leader, and we are staying where we are!

TURLOUGH
Well, I’m getting out of here!

WALDRON
The Raft-Ship won’t work.

TURLOUGH
Won’t it? Why not?

STAFEL
Was it damaged in the fall?

Waldron avoids their gaze.

WALDRON
Not badly. Several parts malfunctioned – the glycocene balance cones, the neutron flow’s been reversed, the ionic reefer... And what happens if the whale panics when we try to use it? It’ll dive below the surface and we’ll all be lost.

TURLOUGH
It’s worth the risk!

WALDRON
No. It. Isn’t.

Turlough turns to look at Stafel and the others. They are ashamed, anxious and even defiant. But all shake their heads. Turlough turns and storms off.

TURLOUGH
I am not going to die in this hellhole as long as there’s an alternative.

STAFEL
You heard what he said! The Raft Shift is useless, Vislor!

Turlough shouts over his shoulder.

TURLOUGH
Not for long!


39. MODEL SHOT

The Orkas is now almost on the Ghaleen’s tail.

- to be continued...