THE DOCTOR, BEN and THE TRAMP stand in the gloomy corridor built of stacked crates, looking around as an electric pulsing noise is heard. Suddenly, there is a massive crashing sound as the crates are smashed apart and knocked aside as the War Machine Thor breaks through. The Doctor grabs the tramp, stopping him from running.
BEN
Doctor...
DOCTOR
I know.
THOR
All threats are to be eradicated. Eradicated. Eradicated.
The Doctor, Ben and the Tramp run up the corridor as fast as they can. The War Machine motors into life and glides after them.
THOR
North Section of warehouse - bearing two seven zero degrees.
BEN
Come on, quick! Around here!
The trio come to a halt by a wall of impenetrable boxes. They can either go left or right. The War Machine bears down on them.
THOR
All threats are to be eradicated.
The tramp runs to the right but ahead is a second War Machine, raising its arms in threat. It is marked BALDUR. The Doctor and Ben look to the left. Another War Machine is heading straight for them – its designation is VALI. They are trapped, caught in the harsh red spotlights of the three War Machines. The whirring noise grows louder.
---
White on black, words type themselves out, one by one, building up into:
-C-DAY-
-BY
-EWEN
-CAMPION-CLARKE
-BY
-EWEN
-CAMPION-CLARKE
Then...
-3-
---
2. INT. THE WAREHOUSE (CON’T)
The machines draw closer. Ben looks around wildly, then steps forward and raises his hands in surrender.
BEN
Wait! Stop!
THOR
All threats must be...
BEN
Stop! This is the Doctor!
The machines fall silent, bar the whirring of their computers. The Doctor looks at Ben, horrified.
DOCTOR
Young man, what do you think you’re doing?
Ben hisses over his shoulder.
BEN
Saving our necks, so quiet!
He addressed Thor, who is in front of him.
BEN
You sent Kitty to get him, well, here he is! If you go to that much trouble, you’re not going to eradicate him!
BALDUR
The Doctor is an unknown element. His threat potential is unknown and must therefore assumed to be dangerous.
VALI
All threats must be eradicated.
THOR
Orders will be confirmed with Earth Control.
The spools on the sides of Thor spin faster. The whirring pulse changes tone.
BEN
Sorry, sir. They woulda killed us otherwise.
DOCTOR
They still might.
The Tramp shivers at this and clings to the Doctor’s arm, startling both him and Ben.
TRAMP
Might they? Please don’t say that. You wouldn’t scare an old man, would you?
BEN
While there’s life, there’s hope, eh, Doctor?
The Doctor scowls.
DOCTOR
That will remain to be seen.
3. EXT. LONDON SKYLINE (DAY)
The GPO Tower looms over the other London buildings.
4. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (DAY)
The WORKERS are still constructing another war machine in the corner. Two more workers are building something next to ODIN itself. BRETT and KRIMPTON – now looking more emaciated and skeletal – are working on cross checking print outs. All the workers look exhausted and are breathing heavily.
ODIN
The Doctor is now contained. Chances of operation’s success now at one hundred per cent.
The screens light up, one showing an image of the Doctor at the press conference, another with the Doctor, Ben and the tramp as seen through Thor’s eyes.
ODIN
Recognize: able seaman Ben Jackson of the HMS Teazer. Threat status: nil. Recognize: Robert Tarn. Homeless and unemployed for the last thirteen years. Threat status: nil. Recognize: the Doctor. Threat status: unknown. Phase Six requires a subject would have survived a harsh existence and would thus be a suitable organism for alteration. Therefore Robert Tarn will be the first test subject. Weakness will be removed and strength made more efficient.
THOR (VO)
Orders are required. What action is to be taken?
ODIN
Status of thought control relay circuits?
THOR (VO)
Still charging. Current effectiveness, thirty two per cent.
ODIN
Insufficient. The intruders will be placed under thought control through the telephone connection. Jackson will add his strength and skills to the construction of the remaining two machines. Tarn shall be the experimental subject for augmentation. The Doctor shall be brought here for cross examination.
THOR (VO)
We obey.
The screens go blank.
5. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
The three War Machines loom over the trio.
BEN
They’ve gone very quiet.
TRAMP
Maybe we can make a break for it?
DOCTOR
I don’t think those arms of theirs are the only weapons they have.
BEN
So what do we do?
DOCTOR
My dear Ben, YOU are the one that leapt in like that. Don’t you have a plan?
BEN
They were gonna kill us! What did you have planned?
The Doctor frowns.
DOCTOR
I’m getting old.
He turns and raps on the front of Thor with his cane.
TRAMP
No, don’t!
DOCTOR
Don’t panic, my friend. These machines can’t be hurt by a mere stick, and they know it.
He bangs the stick again.
DOCTOR
Well? Hey! What happens now then, hmmm?
THOR
I will take the intruders for processing.
BEN
Processing?
TRAMP
It’s what they do to sliced cheese...
BALDUR
I shall carry on detail.
VALI
I will guard the main entrance.
BEN
It’s like we’re not here.
DOCTOR
Or we don’t matter enough to listen to.
The two machines retreat out of view.
THOR
You are no threat to us. You will move ahead of me. You will obey all instructions given to you or be punished. Be warned. Our offensive capabilities are totally destructive.
DOCTOR
What is going to happen to us?
THOR
Orders have been received. Move. Move.
TRAMP
Come on, let’s move before he gets trigger happy!
The trio head off in the direction Vali took. Thor follows.
THOR
This day marks the end of recorded human history. A new age begins.
The Doctor looks up sharply at that, but is forced to keep moving.
6. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (DAY)
As before.
ODIN
Major Green. Major Green.
7. INT. SUMMER’S OFFICE (DAY)
The zombified MAJOR GREEN stands in the wrecked office. ROY STONE is sprawled against the wall, SIR CHARLES SUMMER lying on the ground, weeping in agony.
ODIN (VO)
Major Green. You will listen. The next strategy is to be implemented.
MAJOR GREEN (VO)
I understand.
He looks down at Stone and kicks him. Stone cries out.
MAJOR GREEN
The flesh... is weak. We... are not... This is a warning... Interfere... with the Covent Garden operation... and you will be punished... further...
He turns and lumbers off. Stone watches him go, too pained to do anything.
STONE
Operation? WHAT operation?!
Stone lets his head fall back.
8. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
TOM, WALLIS and the other workers stand at the edges of the work area, silent. Two half-finished War Machines are on one side. The Doctor, Ben and the tramp carefully advance, Thor right behind them.
DOCTOR
I hope we aren’t interrupting.
Silence. Thor herds them forward.
TRAMP
It’s like I said, isn’t it? They’re all the walking dead.
DOCTOR
Nonsense. They are under the mental influence and dominance of a third party. Like that poor Kitty. I’ve seen something like this before. On Marinus. Yes, the machine takes over the brain impulses, making resistance impossible, not just pointless.
BEN
So why haven’t they done that to us?
DOCTOR
I don’t know. But these machines are communicating with each other – they have obviously decided to do something else.
TRAMP
Machines can’t talk to each other.
BEN
Tell them that! But Doctor, they aren’t even wired up or anything.
DOCTOR
My boy, these machines are far in advance of contemporary technology. They communicate analogous to the radio waves, invisible, direct transference of information.
BEN
With ODIN?
DOCTOR
So it seems.
BEN
So, ODIN controls all of these things by remote?
DOCTOR
I’m not sure. I hope so. It’s possible that ODIN’s sentience is in each one. One mind, many bodies. “My name is Legion for we are many”, as they say.
BEN
But that means, even if we deal with these things, ODIN is still out there!
DOCTOR
And if we deal with ODIN, so these machines survive. More than that...
THOR
Silence.
The Doctor looks like he’s about to reprimand when the tramp grabs his arm and shakes his head. The Doctor shakes off the tramp annoyed.
DOCTOR
Where is Dorothea Chaplet?
THOR
Silence.
DOCTOR
I will be silent AFTER you answer my question. Where is she?
THOR
Silence.
DOCTOR
Is she still alive?
THOR
To die is unnecessary.
9. EXT. OUTSIDE THE INFERNO (DAY)
A tired looking BOUNCER emerges from the clubs, closes the door, locks it, and wanders down the street, rubbing his eyes.
10. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
As before.
THOR
You are irrational, organic and emotional. Inefficient.
DOCTOR
To YOU, perhaps...
THOR
You must be processed. You will answer the phone.
The tramp is totally baffled by this command.
TRAMP
What?
DOCTOR
Of course! The telephone lines! That is how ODIN operates...
THOR
You will answer the phone.
Thor raises a mallet. Tom picks up the receiver and dials a number.
THOR
Robert Tharn will step forward.
TRAMP
Eh? How’d you know... I mean, er, never heard of him.
THOR
You will step forward or we will force you.
Thor raises another mallet.
DOCTOR
I think it might be best if you did what they said, my friend.
At this rejection, the tramp looks lost and lonely.
TRAMP
Please...
DOCTOR
You must!
TRAMP
I don’t... I can’t. They’ll make me like them.
DOCTOR
It is only temporary, I’m sure of it. And I’m fairly certain that, if given the chance, I can reverse it.
BEN
Doctor, you can’t...
The Doctor speaks harshly.
DOCTOR
Ben! We are surrounded, unarmed and helpless! We are precisely out of our depth! As you said – while we’re alive, there is hope.
THOR
Hope is irrelevant. Proceed.
The tramp sniffs, looking at the Doctor. He can’t meet the tramp’s gaze. The tramp shuffles over towards the outstretched phone.
BEN
Doctor you can’t...
DOCTOR
I don’t have any choice. If we do not surrender, we will be killed.
BEN
They said “death was unnecessary”!
DOCTOR
IF we cooperate.
BEN
They might have been lying about Dodo.
DOCTOR
I can’t take the chance. That child is all I have left.
BEN
And that makes it all worthwhile, does it?
The Doctor looks at Ben as if he’s sprouted at extra head.
DOCTOR
Of course not.
Suddenly, with resolve, the Doctor dives under the raised mallet and brings the handle of his cane down hard on the glass case of the computer. It shatters.
THOR
Alert! Alert!
Everyone’s attention turns to him, and the tramp, turning to see what caused the noise, moves his ears away from the phone. Instinctively he puts more distance between them as the Doctor knocks away a shard of glass and rams the controls underneath. Immediately the mallet arms drop limply and Thor’s voice becomes sluggish and distorted.
THOR
Malfunction... system errorrrrrrr...
BEN
Come on! Run for it!
The Doctor and Ben grab the tramp and run off through the gloom, faster than the confused workers. As Wallis passing the twitching Thor, its gas spray start discharging randomly. Wallis screams, clutching his throat and collapsing.
THOR
Emer... emerg... emer... emer...
There is an explosion of sparks from within the pillbox grille. Wallis slumps, dead.
11. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (DAY)
An alarm is sounding. Brett and Krimpton sound urgent despite their exhaustion.
ODIN
Critical systems malfunction in Thor. You are to power down immediately pending repair.
BRETT
The intruders are... escaping the warehouse.
KRIMPTON
This takes events well outside... proscribed safety margins.
ODIN
Confirmed. Computing. Contingency plan double B is now in effect. Secrecy is no longer an issue. The Doctor’s capture is number one priority.
12. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (DAY)
A sliding garage-like door is starting to rise. Ben, the Doctor and the tramp burst out through a narrow door into the alley. They hurry down it as the door completes opening and Baldur emerges out into the street.
BALDUR
Locating fugitives. Bearing: two hundred and fifteen degrees. All threats will be eradicated. All threats will be eradicated.
The War Machine glides down towards the alleyway, but it is too large to traverse the side passage. At the other end, the trio slow as they realize they are not in immediate danger. Ben grins in relief.
BEN
Not so clever now, are you?
Baldur wedges itself into the gap. Its mallets are too wide to enter the alley way, but its gas nozzeles are not.
BALDUR
All threats are to be eradicated.
The Doctor grabs Ben and pulls him back as clouds of lethal gas are fired. The trio break into another run as Baldur fires again and again. The glow of its scanner eye is lost in the thickening clouds of mist.
BALDUR
All threats are to be eradicated!
13. EXT. STREET (DAY)
The trio move away from the alleyway, followed by coiling clouds of smoke. The tramp is coughing and the Doctor does not look well.
BEN
What is that stuff?
DOCTOR
Some kind of lethal nerve gas, now, please, we must get...
At the far end of the street stands Major Green.
DOCTOR
...away.
14. EXT. OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Baldur retreats. The smoke is almost completely clear. Tom and other workers stride stiffly out of the warehouse, marching down towards the alleyway.
15. EXT. STREET (DAY)
Major Green lurches down the street towards the trio. He lets out a growl, his breathless voice sounding like his vocal chords are scraping against each other.
MAJOR GREEN
On no accounts... must they... escape... all threats... must... be... eradicated...
TRAMP
Who is he?
DOCTOR
I don’t think it matters, come on, move!
MAJOR GREEN
...eradicate... all... threats...
The trio scramble down the street. Green shambles after them, joined by Tom and two workers who emerge from the alleyway. Watching this from the corner is the Bouncer, watching on in horror. At the far end of the street, more of the workers turn the corner. The trio head for another alleyway, but the Doctor is starting to lag behind.
16. EXT. OUTSIDE THE INFERNO (DAY)
Ben sprints down the street. Polly steps out of the shadows. Ben skids to a halt as he sees her, totally surprised.
BEN
Polly! What are you doin’ here?
POLLY
I came looking for you.
BEN
Thanks, Duchess, but we’ve got to get out of here quick smart. There’re some kind of mechanical monsters on the loose! It’s turning everyone mad, brainwashing them, or, or hypnotizing them – like with Kitty...
Ben starts to trail off as he realizes Polly is staring at him unblinkingly.
BEN
Polly...
The tramp jogs into view, helping the exhausted Doctor.
POLLY
All threats are to be eradicated. You must not escape.
BEN
Polly! How did they get to you?
The Doctor steps forward, breathless.
DOCTOR
Through the phone lines. Now, now, my child, Polly, my dear...
He starts to take his ring off his finger.
POLLY
I have my instructions.
She grabs the Doctor’s arm, causing him to drop the ring. He cries out and the tramp rushes forward to aide him, and Polly releases the Doctor and grabs the tramp by the throat. He screams.
POLLY
You are not to escape!
Ben turns and sees the technicians stiffly walking around the corner.
BEN
We’ve got to get out of here before it’s too late!
Ben snatches up the Doctor’s ring as the technicians draw closer. He waves the ring in Polly’s face, but she ignores him. At that moment there is the burbling of the war machines as Vali rounds around the corner, cutting off escape.
VALI
Threats to security will not be allowed. Further resistance will be punished.
Polly releases the Tramp. The Doctor approaches the War Machine.
DOCTOR
Such sophisticated weaponry... hmmm? And how are we supposed to resist that which we do not understand, anyway? What is going on here, some, some kind of mechanical revolution going on? Is that it? I demand to speak to whatever lump of circuitry you call a leader.
VALI
You are recognized, Doctor.
DOCTOR
I truly doubt that.
VALI
It is a fact. You are recognized.
DOCTOR
Oh? Then what’s my name then? Who am I? Where have I come from?
VALI
Insufficient information.
DOCTOR
Information is power, my tin friend – and you are in short supply.
Green is now close. He lumbers over to the Doctor. The Doctor, unafraid steps closer to the tramp.
MAJOR GREEN
You will... return... to the warehouse... now.
DOCTOR
Or what?
VALI
You are organic and weak. You will obey or we shall inflict pain.
DOCTOR
There you go again! Brain over brawn, my friends, an elementary lesson. Brute force achieves nothing, whereas the simple application of thought...
The Doctor passes the Tramp the walking stick, behind their backs.
DOCTOR
...as I proved earlier. How is the thunder god, anway?
Green slams his hands down on the Doctor’s shoulders, causing him to cry out loudly and nearly buckle under the weight. Green is now having to struggle to focus his rolling head on the Doctor’s face.
MAJOR GREEN
Si... lence!
BEN
Leave him alone!
The tramp takes his chance and lashes out at Vali’s perspex side, shattering it. Vali spins, raising the mallet and the tramp dives back to avoid being decapitated.
VALI
Defiance will not be tolerated. Resistance is useless.
BEN
It worked with your mate in there!
VALI
The flaw you exploited was noted and all units are now aware of it.
The Doctor nods grimly.
DOCTOR
The communication between the parts of the whole.
VALI
Correct. Whatever measures are taken, we will learn and adapt. We will survive. You shall now return to the warehouse.
Major Green picks up the walking stick, glances at it as if puzzled, then snaps it effortlessly in two.
DOCTOR
You mindless golem! That was a prized possession of mine!
Major Green peers uncomprehendingly at the Doctor, tightening his grip on the two separate halves and they are crushed and splintered between his hands. He lets the remaining debris fall to the floor.
VALI
Such aides to human weakness will no longer be required.
Ben goes to help the tramp up. The Doctor tries to keep the weariness from his voice.
DOCTOR
We’ve caused quite a commotion. Your secret could be out.
Baldur glides around the corner.
BALDUR
Secrecy is no longer an issue. The operation is proceeding according to plan. C-Day has been brought forward and the Age of Man will now end.
Major Green roughly shoves the Doctor, his voice a slur.
MAJOR GREEN
Move!
- to be continued...
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