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...

The Song of the Space-Whale VIII

40. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

The Doctor runs around the corner and into the Chief, Jackson and a pack of GUARDS.

CHIEF
Don’t fire! It’s just the Eco.

DOCTOR
The Tuthon went that way.

The Doctor points.

JACKSON
Thanks, mate.

DOCTOR
Oh, it was my pleasure.

They start moving, not registering he’s an escaped prisoner. The Doctor legs it. The group continues marching. Jackson twigs.

JACKSON
Hey, wait a minute, come back!

Jackson runs after him. The others continue.

CHIEF
Come on!


41. INT. TERMINATION BAY – SAFE SIDE (NIGHT)

The Doctor runs into the room and looks for a control to open the radiation doors. He studies the controls and gnawing a thumbnail, punches controls.

DOCTOR
Eenie, meenie, minie, moe...

The doors begin to grind open. The Doctor smiles and moves down the steps as the police box beyond is revealed.

JACKSON
Hey!

The Doctor dives down in front of the console, and is thus hidden as Jackson appears in the doorway. He looks around, baffled.

JACKSON
Eco? Where are you?

Jackson crosses to the console and stabs a control. The radiation doors close.

JACKSON
They’re safety procedures for a reason! Am I the only one who gets that concept?

Still hiding, the Doctor watches in annoyance as the doors slam shut.


42. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

The Tuthon gallops down the corridor, skidding to a halt as the Chief and the others turn the corner. It leaps at them and they scatter. It dives through them and onto the floor behind them. The Chief spins and shoots it in the back. The Tuthon howls, falls and tries to rise. The crewmen open fire. It lets out a horrible wail.


43. INT. TERMINATION BAY – SAFE SIDE (NIGHT)

The wail is heard. Jackson runs to the doorway, startled. The Doctor reaches over the console and hits a control. The doors open, the grinding of the mechanism blotted out by the wailing before it fades out.


44. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

The Tuthon is curled up on the floor, twitching and whimpering. Crewmen have their guns aimed at its head. It is scared and pitiful. The Chief activates his wrist-comm.

CHIEF
Production Controller?

STENNAR (VO)
Chief? What’s going on?

CHIEF
We’ve managed to stun it. You won’t believe this, but it’s a Caller.


45. INT. FLIGHT DECK (DAY)

As before. Stennar is holding a set of headphones to her ear and speaking into a microphone. Greeg is sprawled at his desk, apparently dozing.

STENNAR
What?!

CHIEF (VO)
I know those tribal scars, Stennar. It’s a Caller. A Tuthon Leader.

STENNAR
Is it dead?

CHIEF (VO)
Not yet.

Stennar smirks.

STENNAR
Losing your touch, Chief?

Abruptly, Greeg calls out from his position.

GREEG
I want the Caller alive.

STENNAR
Hold that, Chief.

Stennar turns to face Greeg, incredulous.

STENNAR
Sir, that thing killed Manus! It’s a psychotic killer and must be destroyed.

GREEG
You know there’ll be an inquiry about this. And we need the Tuthon alive.

STENNAR
For all we know, there could be more of them aboard...

GREEG
Then you can destroy those. The Caller is to be taken for interrogation.

STENNAR
By whom, Captain?

Greeg smiles winningly.

GREEG
By me. And if you impede me one second further, YOU will be the one destroyed.

Stennar rolls her eyes.

STENNAR
Oh, I’ve enough of this you lazy-eyed psychopath! You’re not going to kill anyone! You’re not allowed to – it’s against the law. Remember that? So stop trying to act all mean and dangerous and Skellarian to impress us because it doesn’t.

Greeg blinks and nods, put out. Then he shoots her in the foot. She yelps, hops, and then falls over. Greeg scratches his forehead with his gun barrel.

GREEG
Nurreg! Tell the Chief to take it to the holding pen. I’ll be down shortly. Oh, and, when you’ve got a minute, tell Fellbry that Stennar’s bleeding over the floor. But there’s no hurry.

He puts his hands behind his head and relaxed. Stennar groans out of shot.


46. INT. TERMINATION BAY – SAFE SIDE (NIGHT)

Jackson is standing, facing the exit, speaking into his wrist-comm control. He cannot see the radiation doors are now wide open, exposing the TARDIS beyond.

JACKSON
Hello? What’s happening? What was that scream? Hello?

The Doctor stealthily rises and creeps towards the exit. However, a probe left on the console rolls to the edge and falls off with a clatter. Jackson hears and spins around as the Doctor dives back, hits the door control.

JACKSON
Hey!

Jackson fires a warning shot. The Doctor dives through the shrinking doorway as the radiation doors begin to close. Jackson fires a shot again, but the doors close and there is a crackle of sparks.


47. INT. TERMINATION BAY – UNSAFE SIDE (NIGHT)

The Doctor skids to a halt beside the TARDIS, unlocks the doors and scrambles inside.


48. INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM (DAY)

The Doctor rushes the console and starts operating controls. The doors close.

DOCTOR
Full reverse... adjusting the time fields... and off to Juras’ better half.


49. INT. TERMINATION BAY – SAFE SIDE (NIGHT)

Jackson punches the door control and the radiation doors begin to open. Jackson draws his gun as the doors open fully. He lowers the gun.


50. MODEL SHOT OF TERMINATION BAY

Inset Jackson in the doorway. There is no sign of the Doctor or the TARDIS.

JACKSON
O-kaaaaaaaaaay.


51. MODEL SHOT

The Ghaleen is still ahead of the Orkas.


52. MODEL SHOT

A shot of the mountainous hillock overlooking the village. On the ledge sits the Raft-Ship, a hybrid vessel patched together from numerous wrecks giving it a strange, mismatched appearance. The cockpit is spherical, green and completely different to the rest of the other ship parts.


53. INT. OUTSIDE THE RAFT SHIP (DAY)

Turlough hauls himself up the muddy ice towards the side of the craft. The airlock is crudely bolted on and there is a computer keyboard attached to the door. Turlough takes a last look down the hill and then taps a code at the keyboard. The hatch irises open. Turlough steps inside. A moment later Stafel runs into view, out of breath. He staggers over to the hatch as it closes.

STAFEL
Oh, Vislor... don’t be stupid...

Breathlessly, he taps the controls and the hatch opens.


54. INT. RAFT-SHIP (DAY)

A medium-sized chamber with piecemeal design. There is a staircase to the left leading out of sight and the front is the cockpit door which is open to the cockpit containing two flight seats and steering columns. Turlough sits in the pilot’s seat, adjusting the controls on the dashboard. Lights illuminate and flash. A screen illuminates. Stafel enters and summons the air to speak.

STAFEL
Vislor! This is stupid, stop it!

Turlough continues to adjust controls.

STAFEL
Waldron’s not a liar. Insane, maybe, but not a liar.

TURLOUGH
He avoided this place before we built it. How would he of all people know which systems were damaged unless he sabotaged them.

STAFEL
Sabotage? Vislor, it takes one to know one.

TURLOUGH
You’re absolutely right. And there’s no real damage from the quake. A few re-connections and we’ll be fit to fly. Give or take a test flight...

STAFEL
Look, I know you. You’re not going to maroon the lot of us here.

TURLOUGH
I’ll take anyone who wants to leave. But I’m not wasting any more time. If the rest of those fools want to stay with Waldron, good luck to them and I hope the whalers are clinical and quick. I’m getting out.

STAFEL
Waldron’s an old man, he doesn’t like change. And he’s right. The whale’s saved our lives, we can’t really abandon it, can we?

TURLOUGH
I can but try. I would have though a colony living inside a space whale’s belly would be more open-minded. All right, space trucker, spread the word. Tell the others I’m leaving. Waldron won’t care, they might. Bring Olwin if you want.

STAFEL
And when we’re outside?

TURLOUGH
Find a way back to Trion and from there I’m off to find Juras.

STAFEL
Four months, Vislor. She’s either dead or rescued already.

TURLOUGH
So my task will be simple.

Turlough rises and adjusts a control panel.

TURLOUGH
Glycocene cones rebalanced... reversed the polarity of the neutron flow... and the ionic reef is charging up. In five minutes we’ll be completely operational.

Turlough turns. Stafel folds his arms, smugly.

STAFEL
One thing you’ve forgot, Clansman!

TURLOUGH
Unsurprising. I’ve had a long day.

STAFEL
How are you going to get the whale to let you out?

TURLOUGH
We’ve got the disconnect signal to the Core. The pattern will cause a spasm which will make the Whale open its mouth. If I time it right, I can fly straight out of here in a moment with no de-pressurization.

STAFEL
Only if I let you go to the Core.

Turlough sighs and turns away, crossing to the console. He takes hold of a bar.

TURLOUGH
If that whaler attacks again, we’re all going to die. Me, you... Olwin.

Stafel shakes his head, still behind Turlough.

STAFEL
As manipulation goes, that’s not up to your usual standard.

TURLOUGH
Like I said, it’s been a long day.

Stafel chuckles.

STAFEL
Is that all you’ve got?

Turlough spins around, chopping Stafel in the neck with the bar. Stafel is slammed against the doorframe and slides down it into a heap.

TURLOUGH
Don’t feel bad about it. I treated better friends than you worse.

Turlough strides out.


55. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

A chamber made out of the strange, wrinkled material as the rest of the Ghaleen. It is large and circular, with the floor rising up in the middle to form a gentle hill. Atop it is an organic pedestal, like a closed flower bud. Its petals support a large, circular pearl-like object. Fibrous strands seep between the pedestal and the floor. A thick, insulated cable is linked to several strands and trails down into one of the alcoves around the chamber.

The pearl gently glows, its brightness illuminating most of the chamber. There is a strange sound heard continuously – a mixture of the wheezing groaning noise of a TARDIS taking off and the ethereal noise of whale song. It does not change as the TARDIS forms against one wall, its light flashing urgently. There is no soot on it whatsoever.

The door opens and the Doctor emerges cautiously, looking at the pearl. The light shines on his face. He smiles at the warmth, for a moment happy enough to simply stand there looking at the gentle pulses of light and the strange noises.

DOCTOR
Beautiful. Quite, quite beautiful.

He shakes his head to clear it.

DOCTOR
Can’t hang around here all day. Now what do we have here?

He crouches beside the cable wired into the pedestal. He touches it.

DOCTOR
Interesting. There must be people aboard here to create this. No doubt about it... Those connections look familiar. Where have I seen them before? Somewhere... very warm. Something about...

He snaps his mouth shut, eyes alert. He looks towards one alcove. He rises and moves forward – there is a slight squelch as he moves. He stops. Another squelch. And another. Footsteps are approaching. The Doctor sways, waiting, and then he moves across the room and presses his back to the wall. He timed it so his footsteps were exactly in time with the other footsteps. A pause. The other squelches stop. The Doctor whispers.

DOCTOR
Definitely people aboard. But are they friendly?

Silence – bar the noise of the time orb. The Doctor sighs and shrugs.

DOCTOR
Only one way to find out.

The Doctor creeps to the archway and peers down the passage. It is gloomy, lit only by the glow of the time core. The footsteps stop. The Doctor slips a hand into his pocket, takes out a coin and is about to flip it when he blinks, shakes his head and throws the coin on the floor. He pauses, collects the coin, and heads down the passage, squelching loudly.


56. INT. SECURITY CELL (NIGHT)

A squared off room with a bunk. The Tuthon is stretched out on the bed, apparently asleep. The Chief leans in the doorway, gun aimed.

CHIEF
I spent two years on Ziphia. I know you can understand me. So... where are the others?

The Tuthon looks at him slowly, then goes back to sleep.

CHIEF
Why don’t I let some air into that mass of slime you call a brain?

The Tuthon opens its eyes and speaks in a throaty, gurgling voice.

KRAKOS
My brother is near.

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.


57. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

The main screen lights up showing the Ghaleen.

NURREG
Full function restored, my captain sah!

Greeg grins a feral grin.

GREEG
Brilliant! Right. Catch Stations! Ready to fire torpedoes!


58. MODEL SHOT

The Orkas accelerates towards the whale.


59. INT. PASSAGE OFF THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

The Doctor comes to a halt. The path is blocked by amber stalagmites and stalactites packed together like giant fangs in a closed mouth. The Doctor tentatively touches them, withdrawing his hand quickly as he realizes that despite the stone-like appearance it is warm and soft – but unyielding. He studies his fingers.

DOCTOR
Well, a dead end either way. You’re letting your imagination run away.

He turns and heads back up the passage. A moment later, Turlough steps out of the shadows and creeps after the Doctor, bar in his hand.


60. INT. THE TIME CHAMBER (DAY)

There is now sign of the Doctor. 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 just 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. The Doctor slowly and calmly approaches him and stands before him.

DOCTOR
Hello, Turlough.

Turlough’s eyes widen slightly as he begins to understand. The Doctor beams down at him and opens his mouth to speak when he is suddenly silhouetted by a dazzling glow explodes from the time core. The strangled mixture of dematerialization and whale song bursts loudly around the chamber. The Doctor and Turlough whirl to face the core as the light grows brighter. The Doctor shields his face, beginning to pale against the glow. He becomes translucent and a horrified expression appears on his face. The Doctor turns to face Turlough, who is unaffected by the light. The transparent Doctor shouts something but he sounds rooms away. He vanishes utterly, leaving Turlough alone in the chamber as the light start to dim. Turlough stares at the spot where the Doctor stood, shocked.

TURLOUGH
...Doctor?

(END OF EPISODE TWO)
(NEXT EPISODE: RUNNING THE GAUNTLET)
(ROLL END CREDITS)

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...

The Song of the Space-Whale VI

10. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

Peri is still lying under the bright blue glow. The others are standing around.

JURAS
Will she be all right?

FELLBRY
There’s a chance.

JURAS
There’s always a chance. What do you THINK?

FELLBRY
I think she hasn’t got a hope in hell.

DOCTOR
Your bedside manner needs work, Dr. Fellbry. Or did you just get out of bed the wrong side this morning?

FELLBRY
Yes, I can imagine your tailor saying something very similar.

DOCTOR
Sticks and stones, Fellbry. Sticks and stones.

The Doctor roughly shoves him out of the way and checks the displays.

DOCTOR
The damage is extensive but not insurmountable. We just have to wait for the cellular modification to do its work.

JURAS
But what is that thing? What’s it doing?

Fellbry looks at her in clear surprise.

FELLBRY
You don’t know?

DOCTOR
If she did it would be rather silly for to ask. Now, my dear – what was your name?

JURAS
Juras. Juras Maateh.

DOCTOR
Well, Juras, this is a human cell modifier. It is studying the molecular structure of Peri, then it will isolate the molecular structure of the infection and then destroy everything that matches the pattern. With a bit of luck, there will be no permanent damage to Peri and her cells can recover.

JURAS
And if we’re not lucky?

FELLBRY
She’s dead already.

The Doctor rounds angrily on Fellbry.

DOCTOR
Are you always so chronically upbeat or is this a special effort on your part?!

FELLBRY
Get out of the way, fashion victim!

Fellbry nudges him to one side.

FELLBRY
I’m not on the Orkas to stand around listening to an unbelievably warped Eco-terrorist explain basic medical technology to some other mental deficient! And, anyway, Juras Maateh, I don’t recognize the name. Did you receive your broad spectrum shots?

Juras swallows, not certain how to reply.

DOCTOR
Stop victimizing poor Juras and get on with your job.

FELLBRY
MY job?!

DOCTOR
You’re a doctor, you save those who can be saved so GET – TO – WORK!

Fellbry scowls and returns to Peri. The Doctor catches Juras’ eye, winks, then licks a finger tip and draws a line in the air. One up to him. She smiles.

DOCTOR
Hello, Juras. I’m known as the Doctor. So, Where are you from? Originally, I mean.

JURAS
Er, Nilatis Four.

DOCTOR
The Triic colony world?

JURAS
Yes.

DOCTOR
So you’re not from Trion?

JURAS
Well, yeah. I mean, I’m a Trion, obviously. Just out here... doing things.

DOCTOR
Except Trion was renamed Verset around nine centuries ago. Nine centuries?

He checks his pocket watch.

DOCTOR
Make it a round ten. Which begs the question of why, if no living person has ever heard their world called Trion, why do you immediately recognize it?

JURAS
I’m something of a traditionalist.

DOCTOR
So am I, I suppose. I don’t think I’ve been to Trion, but I knew someone from there. An Imperial Clansman. We traveled together for a time. I wonder what he’s up to these days?


11. INT. A CAVE (DAY)

TURLOUGH – his hair longer and with an unkempt beard of stubble – leans against a wrinkled wall, wearing a battered and grubby space suit sans helmet. He is exhausted. Taking a deep breath he pulls away from the wall and moves deeper into the cave he stands in. It is curved, the walls dark and organic. Snow is everywhere, with masses of packed ice in places. Another man, dark haired, STAFEL, in equally battered overalls, is kicking away the loose snow. The cold is making his shiver.

TURLOUGH
Give it up, Stafel. We’ll both start to freeze soon. Leave it till tomorrow.

STAFEL
Oh, I though you weren’t talking to me.

TURLOUGH
Don’t be childish, Stafel. It’s bad enough we’re stuck here without your infantile whining. Save it for Olwin, if anyone.

STAFEL
All that turbulence will have loosened something!

TURLOUGH
No doubt – but why should it be useful? A couple of electron packs and an old boot. That’s all anyone’s found up here – what makes you think there’ll be anything better?

Stafel doesn’t quite keep the annoyance entirely out of his voice.

STAFEL
Well, I don’t know. That’s WHY I’m looking.

TURLOUGH
I’m sorry! It’s just... Four months. Minimum. I’m beginning to wish I was back at Brendon. The only benefit of being stuck in here is that no one else can hear me say that. At least there was a sky on Earth...

STAFEL
There was also war, poverty, racial intolerance and the natives were so stupid that believed it was impossible to travel faster than light. That’s what you said, isn’t it, Vislor? Honestly, sometimes I wonder if you can talk about anything else!

TURLOUGH
You’d rather listen to Waldron prattling on about our deliverance?

STAFEL
At least he isn’t so damn cynical all the time.

TURLOUGH
See what I’ve seen and it’s hard not to be.

STAFEL
Maybe you just weren’t trying. Like you’re not trying now.

TURLOUGH
There’s nothing there! Even if there was, do you think it would help us?

Stafel snaps and rounds on Turlough.

STAFEL
If it’s a blunt instrument, I can use it to shut you up!

Turlough stares him down.

TURLOUGH
You’re a civilian, Stafel. I’ve trained to kill thugs like you without breaking stride.

STAFEL
Yes, that will be in the civil war you lost, won’t it!

Turlough opens his mouth to provide an acidic retort. There is a massive vibration. They are flung to the floor, sending up another cloud of ice. Another vibration. Snow and ice is shaken loose. Stafel sees a dark metal shape now exposed through the frost. Stafel immediately starts scrabbling with his bare hands.

TURLOUGH
More quakes. What’s happening?

STAFEL
Shut up and help me!

Turlough manages to shift some flakes of ice and Stafel wrenches a black tubular shape with a bright green cross section. Stafel looks at it.

STAFEL
A phospher lamp!

TURLOUGH
Wonderful.

STAFEL
What do you mean?

Stafel shakes it violently and the green section glows brightly and illuminates them both. Stafel laughs. Turlough doesn’t.

TURLOUGH
Last time I had to use those things, I was attacked. By Tractators!

STAFEL
Oh, and were ghosts and ghouls after you as well?

Turlough glares darkly.

TURLOUGH
Shut up, Stafel. You have no idea so just shut up. Now let’s get out of here before there’s another quake.

STAFEL
What’s causing them, though?

TURLOUGH
I asked that, but no one wanted to know. Waldron was too busy telling us it was a sure sign of divinity and deliverance. More hypocrites...

Another vibration. They stagger and fall as a shower of ice boulders drop down, smashing into each other. Shards of ice go flying. Turlough cries out and he and Stafel move away from the cave mouth as more boulders fall. Finally, there is silence.

STAFEL
Are you all right?

TURLOUGH
I’ve been better. You?

STAFEL
I’m fine. That’s the good news.

TURLOUGH
And THAT is the bad news.

Turlough points at the exit – now totally blocked with rubble.

STAFEL
No other way back to the village is there?

TURLOUGH
No.

STAFEL
They’ll dig us out.

Turlough sighs.

TURLOUGH
Assuming we don’t freeze first.

STAFEL
You’re really a manic optimist, aren’t you, Vislor?


12. MODEL SHOT

The Ghaleen swims away through space. The Orkas limps into view behind it.


13. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

Fellbry is studying the displays which show oscillating lines. They grow very active then die down to almost nothing. He checks another display. Same result. The Doctor is pacing, eyes fixed on his shoes as he places one after the other. Juras looks at Peri, concerned.

FELLBRY
Heart rate stabilizing. Brain activity rising.

JURAS
Is that good?

DOCTOR
It all depends on whether the levels remain there, doesn’t it?

FELLBRY
If you want to take over...

DOCTOR
Fine.

FELLBRY
What?

DOCTOR
Fine. Acceptable. OK. All-right. Froody. I’ll take over.

FELLBRY
Will you?

DOCTOR
This room is twenty-two shoe lengths wide and forty-seven shoe-lengths long. If I wanted to carpet the floor with shoes I would need one thousand and thirty four of them. And if I were to remove all the furniture and stack NOTHING but shoes in here, eighteen thousand, six thousand and twelve shoes would be required. Of course, that’s just my shoe size, yours I think is slightly smaller...

FELLBRY
All right! I need to deal with that dead crewmember anyway...

He storms off, shaking his head.

DOCTOR
Maybe he doesn’t enjoy mental arithmetic?

He reaches down and gently shakes Peri. She mumbles incoherently.

DOCTOR
Come on, Peri. Wakey wakey.

JURAS
Careful! She’s weak, she needs rest.

DOCTOR
Rest? Nonsense. Come along, Peri!

PERI
I’m awake... promise... Leamme lone, Howard.

DOCTOR
Now, now, Peri. No boring old Lanzarote for you, today we stop innocent space-whales from being slaughtered. I thought you enjoyed that more than ‘geriatrics on Miami Beach’ as you so delicately put it.

Peri chuckles weakly. She is awake, but can only just speak.

PERI
You took your time, lady.

JURAS
There weren’t many uniforms in your size, OK!

PERI
I got attacked by the creature from the pipes!

JURAS
How was I to know?

PERI
You going to tell me your name now?

DOCTOR
It’s Juras Maateh.

PERI
Oh, she tells YOU. Everyone always tells YOU!

DOCTOR
It’s a knack. I did wonder how you two had met.

PERI
She’s a stowaway.

Juras shushes her, casting an anxious look in the direction of the doorway.

DOCTOR
Is she? A stowaway?

JURAS
So? I may or may not be a stowaway, but you’re an Eco! A proven Eco! And she’s your accomplice!

DOCTOR
And so might you be. That Captain Queeg is a difficult man, I might just spill the beans and say that you’re on my side.

JURAS
I’m not.

PERI
You sure? You sounded pretty worried about the Ghaleen?

DOCTOR
Yes. You do seem a bit anxious. And it’s not because the Ghaleen are sentient and harmless and about to be murdered in cold blood. What do they mean to you?

JURAS
Nothing. It’s what’s inside it that matters.

DOCTOR
And what’s inside it?

PERI
Treasure?

JURAS
No. A... friend of mine. Very important.

DOCTOR
Oh? What’s his name?

JURAS
He’s called Vislor.

The Doctor clearly doesn’t know the name.

DOCTOR
Not Jonah, then?


14. MODEL SHOT

The Ghaleen swims upwards.


15. INT. A CAVE (DAY)

Turlough, muscles straining, manages to lift a large chunk of ice before he loses his hold and it slides roughly to the ground. Stafel leaps out of the way.

STAFEL
We’ll never shift this lot.

TURLOUGH
And you accuse me of being a pessimist! Come on!

Turlough starts examining the boulders for another bit he’d be able to shift.

STAFEL
I’m not pessimistic, I’m realistic. We wait for the others to dig us out. In the meantime, we try and work out what caused the quake. Work out if, if it will happen again. I mean, do you have any ideas?

TURLOUGH
Thousands.

STAFEL
Well don’t keep me in suspense!

TURLOUGH
I think we’re under attack.

STAFEL
‘Attack’?

TURLOUGH
Yes.

STAFEL
Who’d attack a space-whale?!

TURLOUGH
I don’t know! Terileptils, Gardsormr, Daleks, Cybermen... It could be anyone.

STAFEL
So what are the quakes? Death throes?

TURLOUGH
Maybe not. They might be applying some kind of tractor beam on us. The Ghaleen fights back, and we get caught in the middle. Knowing our luck, it’s a whaling ship.

STAFEL
No one would ever try and kill a space whale!

TURLOUGH
The old Hiedradi teams used to make the corpses into their main battle cruisers. Maybe someone’s decided to step up production, stop looking for the already dead ones and kill those who are still fresh.

STAFEL
I’m right.

TURLOUGH
Are you?

STAFEL
You are a pessimist. We’re fine now, aren’t we? So where’s the tractor beam now?

TURLOUGH
Why do you insist on asking these questions? Do you HONESTLY think I’ll now?

STAFEL
It must be the Clansman arrogance, Vislor. You just appear so knowledgeable.

TURLOUGH
If you want knowledge, then its likely the village didn’t escape the quakes unscathed. They’ll have their own problems to sort out, THEN they have to notice we’re missing, organize a search party, find us, dig us out...

STAFEL
And check the Raft Ship.

TURLOUGH
I doubt Waldron will be interested in that – or us! Now, come on!

Stafel helps Turlough shifting another block.


16. MODEL SHOT

An establishing shot of a small village of low buildings constructed out of space debris – girders, hull plates, bubble wraps and the like. Several smashed shuttles act as houses. This village sits on a sloping hillside under an amber sky. It is in fact a cavern, encrusted with luminous barnacles that provide the light. There is the constant sound of dripping water, mingled with a soft heartbeat and whalesong.


17. INT. THE VILLAGE (DAY)

The main square of the village. It is in a bad way – walls have collapsed, shrapnel, cables and wires are sprawled around the place. Crusty matter has fallen like rubble. Half a dozen CASTAWAYS are present – different ages, sexes and even species wearing ragged clothes, even bits of space suit. A bearded man in his late fities, WALDRON staggers and grabs a chunk of wall to stop him falling. His wife, KALEN, moves to help him, concerned.

WALDRON
Now.. now is everyone accounted for?

KALEN
Waldron, are you sure you’re all right?

WALDRON
I’m fine, Kalen, honestly. Now... three are missing. Vislor and Stafel were exploring the caverns, they should be all right. What about Olwin?

KALEN
She was over there, near her hut.

They look in that direction. The caravan-like structure has totally collapsed.

KALEN
Oh, no, Olwin...

They hurry as fast as they can towards the wreckage.


18. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

The Doctor has removed the cell modifier. Peri is dozing.

DOCTOR
You really expect me to believe that while you were on a pleasure cruiser above Njordr Nerthus, it was struck by an asteroid.

JURAS
Yes, I do expect you to believe it. It’s true!

DOCTOR
You and most of the crew managed to escape, but several people were left in the wreck as it was depressurizing and then a Ghaleen – the Pilot outside - turned up and saved the lot of them.

JURAS
Yes!

DOCTOR
By eating them.

JURAS
Yes. Vislor was one of them, and the space-whale was clearly the pilot. The markings confirmed it.

DOCTOR
So you decided to travel across the galaxy here, then by chance smuggled yourself onto the Orkas whaling ship that just so happened to be heading for the exact same Pilot of the heard. You’re either very lucky, in some sort of conspiracy or...

JURAS
Or...

DOCTOR
You aren’t a practicing Occultist, are you?

JURAS
NO! I’m an Imperial Clanswoman! The Occult? Ridiculous.

DOCTOR
An Imperial Clanswoman? The Clans were dismantled over five centuries ago.

The Doctor approaches her.

DOCTOR
Just what are you hiding?

JURAS
Nothing! Vislor is inside that whale! We know they live on solar rays and x-ray bombardment, they don’t eat living creatures! We know they have internal pressurization, so it’s possible for living forms to survive within...

DOCTOR
And the Ghaleen are friendly enough to do that.

JURAS
But the Ghaleen as you call them hardly visit planets to let castaways off. Who knows how many are inside?

DOCTOR
So what do you want me to do?

JURAS
Your blue box thing, your pod...

DOCTOR
TARDIS.

JURAS
It’s a space capsule, we can use to get to the whale.

DOCTOR
At the moment I couldn’t guarantee getting to the other side of the Termination Bay.

JURAS
But we have to get Vislor out of there before...

DOCTOR
Before the Ghaleen is culled? How about, instead, we stop the Ghaleen being culled and work out how to rescue your friend when we have time to spare.

JURAS
And how do we do that?

DOCTOR
By using our grey matter. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the universe than bullets and bombs aren’t the answer to everything. Nine times out of ten, you need to understand your way out of the situation.

JURAS
And how do we understand our way out?

DOCTOR
First, we establish the current events aboard the Orkas.

The Doctor crosses over to Fellbry, who is turned away from him, adjusting some controls. The Doctor moves to pat him on the shoulder, but at the last Fellbry whirls around, suspicious. The Doctor lowers his hand instantly.

FELLBRY
What did you want?

DOCTOR
Civility?

Fellbry rolls his eyes.

FELLBRY
How’s your friend?

DOCTOR
Oh, she’ll live. Toxins removed, biomass restored – it’ll be a few hours before she’s up to anything beyond relaxing in bed, so you best leave her be. Or you could improve you general disposition.

FELLBRY
You can just go -

DOCTOR
However, I would like the benefit of your advice.

Fellbry is taken aback. The Doctor is now polite and looking up at him.

FELLBRY
My what?

DOCTOR
Advice. You may be a bit irritable today, but you’re clearly a man of great learning and knowledge – setting up the cell modifier so quickly and so efficiently? I know better than to take you for a fool. You must know so much.

Fellbry shrugs with false modesty, ego stroked by the Doctor.

FELLBRY
I try to keep up with events.

DOCTOR
Yes, I can imagine. Now this injury Peri had, was the poison definitely from a Tuthon?

FELLBRY
As far as I can tell.

DOCTOR
Well, that’s good enough for me. I’m a total ignoramus when it comes to this sort of thing. What actually is a Tuthon? Some sort of rodent? Does the Orkas have rats?

FELLBRY
Of course not. Tuthons are humanoids.

DOCTOR
Are they?

FELLBRY
Yes, from Ziphius.

DOCTOR
No, those are Ziphians, I’m sure. Tall, wrinkly reptilian bipeds...

FELLBRY
Tuthons are the hunter caste of Ziphians.

DOCTOR
Oh, I see! The hunter caste!

FELLBRY
Yes.

DOCTOR
What do they hunt?

FELLBRY
The whales of course.

DOCTOR
Of course.

- to be continued...

The Song of the Space-Whale V

(ROLL OPENING CREDITS)

1. INT. CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS (NIGHT)

All the screws are up now. PERI crosses to the internal door and opens it. The loose floor grille rises. Peri looks up at the noise. The grille is now next to the hole in the floor. There is no sign of anything that caused it. Peri continues to slide towards the door, keeping her eyes on the grating.


2. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

The DOCTOR slowly turns around from the console, wrench in hand. GREEG is now standing with his gun aimed. The two GUARDS are also covering him. STENNAR and NURREG are present, along with other CREWMEMBERS.

STENNAR
Give it up, Doctor! It’s not worth dying for.

DOCTOR
Isn’t it?

STENNAR
Of course it isn’t!

DOCTOR
Oh, well, in the face of such a convincing argument.

Greeg cocks his blaster. The Doctor sighs, beaten.

DOCTOR
Yes, I suppose you’re right.

The Doctor lowers the wrench. Greeg doesn’t lower the blaster.


3. INT. CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS (NIGHT)

Peri is beside the door. She stares at the hatchway. Nothing. Taking a deep breath, she spin around, grabs the door and opens it. At that second the claw emerges from the hatch, reaches out and grabs her leg. Peri screams as she is dragged to the ground and hauled straight towards the grille.

The creature rises into view – a wrinkled, black oily GOBLIN with glowing, slanted eyes, a mouth full of needle-like teeth and large, pointed ears. It roars and reaches out to grab Peri with its other arm. She screams again.


4. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

As before. The Doctor moves out of the way of the console.

GREEG
Nurreg! Fire the torpedoes!

Nurreg rises and moves past him to reach the terminal. The Doctor hangs his head. Suddenly, he turns on his heels and hurls the wrench with all his might. It misses Nurreg by inches and strikes the console. The screens shatters and there is a cacophony of explosions as the controls burst into flames. The screen turns to static. More explosions at the Captain’s console. The Doctor drops the wrench and grins at Greeg.

DOCTOR
Oh dear. What a pity. Never mind.

Greeg grins back.

GREEG
That was – to say the least – a mistake.

Suddenly, he fires his blaster twice. Six bolts smash into the Doctor’s chest. He is flung against the wall and he slides lifelessly to the floor. Greeg turns away dismissively and heads for the burning console. The Doctor lies as still as death.

(FINISH OPENING CREDITS)
(THE SONG OF THE SPACE WHALE)
(EPISODE TWO: CASTAWAYS & STOWAWAYS)

1. MODEL SHOT

The Ghaleen is still unable to put distance between it and the Orkas.


2. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

JACKSON and the CHIEF are present, crouched over the hatch.

JACKSON
I knew she was a work experiencer, but this is ridiculous.

CHIEF
Leaving a duct hatch open...

The Chief shouts down into the pipe.

CHIEF
You ever heard of occupational health and safety, girl?!?

There is a distant scream from down the corridor. Jackson looks at the Chief.

JACKSON
Was that you?

CHIEF
No. Didn’t sound like Manus...

Another scream. The two men sigh.

CHIEF
What’s her problem now?

JACKSON
I’ll check. You stay here.

CHIEF
No. I give the orders round here, Jackson.

He clears his throat self-consciously.

CHIEF
Right... I’ll stay here and you check.

Jackson grins and moves off as the Chief drops down into the pipe.


3. INT. CAPTAIN’S CABIN (NIGHT)

The goblin creature is now half out of the duct, both claws around Peri’s ankle. It is a gruesome, menacing figure with long claws and reddish-veined skin stretched tight over its frame, is crouched over the terrified Peri. The large, dark eyes are covered in translucent membranes and tribal scars are cut into its forehead. Peri is close to the entrance of the grille, but she kicks with her free foot. She catches the creature in his face and it howls, one claw moving instinctively to cover its face, and thus Peri increases her struggles.

PERI
Help! HELP ME!

The door opens and Jackson peers carefully around the door. His eyes widen as he sees Peri kicks the monster in the head again and it releases her – but instantly grabs her again, by the waist this time, with both claws. It roars angrily.


4. INT ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Jackson bolts from the door as Peri screams again.

PERI (VO)
NO, PLEASE, COME BACK!

JACKSON
Chief! CHIEF!


5. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

The Chief is bent over MANUS’ body. Sadly he closes her eyes, his fingers tracing the scar over her throat.

CHIEF
Who’s going to tell your mam this. It’ll break her heart. You’re all she had.

Jackson’s screams are heard. With resolve, the Chief scoops up Manus’ abandoned blaster, cocks it and heads back down the pipe.


6. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Jackson is just about to climb into the pipe when the Chief emerges, thus they get tangles with each other as they escape.

JACKSON
Chief! It’s a stowaway and this, kind of creature...

CHIEF
I know what it is, Jackson! Is the stowaway still alive?!

JACKSON
She is for the moment.

CHIEF
Let’s hope she can stay that way...


7. INT. CAPTAIN’S CABIN (NIGHT)

The creature has Peri pinned down. It turns her head to expose her neck. It raises a claw to swoop down on her throat...

The door bursts open and the Chief, showing no surprise at the sight, takes aim and fires. A blast strikes the creature in the side, the force causing it to jackknife and release Peri.

CHIEF
Get back, Tuthon!

The creature looks at the Chief in shock. The Chief fires again. The creature falls back and drops into the pipe. There is another roar. The Chief jumps over Peri and fires another two shots into the ducting.


8. INT. PIPE (NIGHT)

Having landed awkwardly, the Tuthon scrambles down the pipe and out of view.


9. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

Greeg and Nurreg are bent over the smoking remains of the weapons console. Nurreg uses a miniature fire extinguisher on the blazes while Greeg waves away the smoke.

GREEG
Get the back-up systems on line!

NURREG
No point, my Captain sah, all the monitors have exploded!

GREEG
Can we still track the pilot?

NURREG
Not on visual...

Calmly Greeg points the gun at Nurreg’s head.

GREEG
Can we still track the pilot?

Nurreg swallows.

NURREG
I think we can. I think... Oh dear.

Stennar rolls the Doctor on his side. The Doctor groans.

GREEG
What about all the neuron torpedoes?

NURREG
Intact, but the targeting circuits interface with weapon systems computer.

GREEG
Which one’s that then?

NURREG
It used to be where the large hole is, my Captain sah.

STENNAR
Sir... The Doctor. He’s still alive.

GREEG
Is he?!

Greeg checks his gun and then, angrily, stamps his foot.

GREEG
All right! Own up! Who the hell put stun charges in my weapon?!

Angrily, he kicks the Doctor’s still form. The Doctor groans loudly.

GREEG
We’re staying right here until whoever it is confesses – and I don’t care how long that is! All right? Is that understood?

A row of anxious nods. A beat.

GREEG
I’M WAITING!

There is a loud buzzing. With an embarrassed shrug, Stennar crosses to the console and picks up the headphones.

STENNAR
Stennar here... What do you mean ‘who’? Stennar! Ard Stennar! Number Two on the Orkas! I mean, I’m second in command. Yes, the production controller. No, STENNAR. S-T-E-N-N-A-R. Brown hair. No I do NOT have a beard! YES, THAT STENNAR! What is it?

The irritation slides off her face.

STENNAR
What?


10. INT. CAPTAIN’S CABIN (NIGHT)

The Chief is speaking into his communicator bleakly. Jackson is watching on in horror. He has no idea about this. Peri is curled up on the bed, scared and shivering.

CHIEF
Manus is dead. She went into the pipe and didn’t come back.

STENNAR (VO)
Did her oxygen supply fail?

CHIEF
No. She wasn’t suffocated. She was... there wasn’t much damage, but she died screaming. I just want you to know that because you are the one who tells the captain and HE is the one who’s going to tell that poor girl’s mother what happened.

STENNAR (VO)
Calm down, Chief.

CHIEF
I am calm.

STENNAR (VO)
Then I’m going to start worrying.

CHIEF
Do that anyway. She was killed by a Tuthon. It’s in the ducting – it’s been causing the blockage we kept thinking was clearing by itself. It also managed to get a stowaway. You better get a stretcher down here for her.

Peri, listening, looks down in worry at the tear in her boots. She peels back the material to show a livid gash on her ankle... with a few drops of black liquid. Now looking feverish, she brushes it away.

STENNAR (VO)
Stowaway?!

CHIEF
Look, just get down here. Once the venom’s in the system, we’re on a countdown.

STENNAR (VO)
Look, Chief, I know Manus was in your care...

CHIEF
One woman’s dead. Do you want another? No? Then do something!

The Chief hangs up, angrily.

CHIEF
Jackson. Get out there – get Manus’ body out, screw the inspection hatch back on, replace the flooring.

JACKSON
But that thing...

CHIEF
Then do it quickly. Just... just do it, Jackson.

Jackson, knowing not to argue, turns and leaves. Peri watches him go. She is shivering.

PERI
Don’t mind me.

CHIEF
I won’t. You’re a stowaway, you’re not my responsibility.

PERI
And if I’m not your responsibility... why care?

CHIEF
Shut up.

PERI
Sorry.

She’s not. The Chief kicks open a cabinet and pulls out a flask of booze.

CHIEF
The more you talk, the more your heart beats and spreads the poison. Stay still and quiet. And you might just survive.

He swigs from the flask.


5. INT. FLIGHT DECK (NIGHT)

The Doctor is sprawled on a stretcher which is being carried out by two crewmen. Greeg and Nurreg are bent over a new monitor which the TECH is wiring up. Stennar hurries over.

STENNAR
Sir, work experiencer Manus has been killed.

GREEG
Really? Oh. Pity. Anyway, start emptying her locker and auction off anything of value.

STENNAR
She was killed by a Tuthon.

NURREG
Oh, get real, Stennar!

STENNAR
The Chief is quite positive. It’s been hiding in the ducting.

NURREG
How cliché.

STENNAR
Tell that to Manus!

NURREG
Look, there are no Tuthons off their home world. It’s all been blockaded, remember? Before The Orkas even left Livanthian. Like we need competition as well as anything else. It’s impossible. Impossible. The opposite of possible.

STENNAR
Both the Chief and Jackson saw it close up.

NURREG
Those voxnic heads? Probably dreamed the whole thing, isn’t that right, my Captain sah?

GREEG
Who cares?

STENNAR
You don’t seem very surprised, Captain.

GREEG
I hope you’re not telling me how to behave on my own flight deck, Number One. If you were to do that then I would naturally be forced to jump up and down on your naked throat for a VERY long period of time. Deal with this.

Stennar turns and leaves.

GREEG
Well?

TECH
Most of the damage is down to blow back, sir. Auto-repair should have this communicator system back on line in fifteen minutes.

GREEG
Good. We can still capture the pilot in that time.

NURREG
We can’t target the neuron torpedoes my Captain sah.

GREEG
So? We don’t need the damn thing dead for the Termination Bay to work on it. It will terminate the whale for us. Hence the name ‘Termination Bay’, bay of termination. You do understand basic language, Nurreg?

NURREG
We’ll get some complaints, my Captain, sah.

GREEG
Will we? Oh well, we can let all the miserable ingrates starve because we were humane to something that isn’t even human or we can provide then with some food so they can live long enough for me to kill them.

TECH
Kill them?

GREEG
It’s what I do to complainers, it’s a vocation I have.

TECH
Sir, I’m not sure you understand the problem.

GREEG
I don’t understand things. I shout until they work or I shoot them.

NURREG
That’s a very honest summary, my Captain, sah.

GREEG
Yeah, I got these self-enlightenment pamphlets cheap on Ziphius.

TECH
Sir? Hello? The targeting systems can be repaired automatically but the actual controls will need to be manually pulled apart and put back together again.

GREEG
Presumably taking longer than fifteen minutes.

TECH
A little more.

GREEG
How much more?

TECH
I won’t beat around the bush, sir. A lot more.

GREEG
Nurreg, get me a gun that works.

The tech flinches and blurts out.

TECH
It’ll be at least three hours sir!

GREEG
Three hours?

TECH
Three hours?

GREEG
As in ten thousand eight hundred seconds?

TECH
Yes, sir.

GREEG
As in one hundred eighty minutes?

TECH
Yes, sir.

GREEG
As in three ‘hours’?

TECH
Yes, sir. Three hours.

GREEG
Nurreg, get me the gun anyway.


6. INT. CAPTAIN’S CABIN (NIGHT)

Peri is perspiring. The Chief sits beside her, quaffing from his flask.

PERI
I’m g-going to die... aren’t I?

CHIEF
Maybe. Shut up. You’re not going to die from the injury, but the Tuthon’s venom. Stay calm, slow the heart rate and you gotta chance. Better than Manus got, anyway.

The door opens and JURAS enters, a spare uniform under her arm. She sees the situation and tosses the uniform to one side before the Chief can turn to her.

CHIEF
Where’s the stretcher party, then? Oh, never mind, come on. We’ve got to get her to the medical unit. Pronto, you silly mare!

Juras nods and crosses to Peri who is barely conscious. As she and the Chief lift Peri up she starts to convulse slightly.

JURAS
What’s happened?

CHIEF
Shut up and move!

They hurry out of the room. There is a scratching noise from the grille.


7. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (NIGHT)

Jackson is hauling Manus’ corpse out of the hatch, straining with the effort. Finally he gets her body free and leaps over to the hatch and slams it down. The Chief, Juras and Peri move into view.

CHIEF
Out of the way, Jackson!

Jackson scrambles out of the way, but gets close to the shuddering Peri. He flinches.

CHIEF
It’s not contagious, boy! But it’s fatal, so move!

Jackson squeezes past and they hurry. Juras’ eyes widen as she spots Manus’ body.

JURAS
That’s the one who...

CHIEF
I know.

JURAS
What happened to her?

CHIEF
Attacked in the pipe. Do you always ask so many questions?

JURAS
Attacked by what in the pipe?

CHIEF
The thing that’s still in there, now HURRY!

They move off.


8. INT. ORKAS MEDICAL UNIT (NIGHT)

A far neater and well-kept area than the rest of the Orkas, with half-a-dozen beds and medical equipment stacked nearby. However, it is clearly the same ship with the same patterned wall panels. The medic is FELLBRY, a calm, grey-haired man with a sardonic smile. At the moment he is frowning over some print-out. He crosses to the Doctor, who lies, as still as death, on the bed nearby.

FELLBRY
Unclassified bio-data. No match. Anywhere. Not human or anything like it. Two hearts, secondary respiration system... It just doesn’t make sense.

Without opening his eyes or indeed showing any sign of waking, the Doctor speaks.

DOCTOR
Few things do at first glance.

The Doctor’s eyes snap open.

DOCTOR
Good evening, I’m the Doctor, who are you?

FELLBRY
Fellbry. I’m the Medic here.

DOCTOR
Then I won’t disillusion you.

He sits up and gets off the bed.

DOCTOR
Right. I know who I am, who you are and we are where exactly? No, I remember... The Orka!

FELLBRY
Orkas.

DOCTOR
Yes. First space whaling ship commissioned by the Multi-Global Corporation to hunt down Ghaleen in this sector of space and time.

The Doctor pauses and looks at Fellbry, curious.

DOCTOR
Do you approve?

FELLBRY
I don’t like being hungry. And treating famine victims loses its appeal after time.

DOCTOR
But do you actually approve of this industrial slaughter, Dr. Fellbry?

FELLBRY
If you’re looking for Eco-converts, sir, you’re on the wrong ship.

DOCTOR
Really? I’m not so sure. How long have I been unconscious?

FELLBRY
You’ve only been here a couple of minutes. Three heavy stun-blasts should have left you comatose for the next hundred hours.

DOCTOR
Maybe he was a rotten shot? Is the Orkas still at Catch Stations?

FELLBRY
No. Obviously.

DOCTOR
Good, then I’ve got time. Symmetry!

FELLBRY
What?

DOCTOR
Symmetry! That’s what’s happening. Something else is generating a time field at roughly the same frequency as the TARDIS, which is why it’s jamming. Now, where would you find another time machine at the end of the 46th century?

FELLBRY
I don’t know. And I don’t particularly care.

DOCTOR
Of course, Ghaleens are rumored to have the ability to shift out of their own time stream, and while its never been definitively proved one way or another, they’ve never proved a hazard for TARDISes before.

FELLBRY
TARDISes?

DOCTOR
Well, mine is an old model. The zeiton ore might not be run in yet, but she shouldn’t have broken down. You’re not following me are you?

FELLBRY
No I’m not. And frankly, since you’ve put at risk my pay and the lives of thousands, I’m not particularly inclined to follow you. On top of that, you don’t even have the common decency to be something that the medi-computer recognizes as life!

DOCTOR
It’s not my fault if your equipment lacks imagination!

They both break off as the door slides back and Juras and the Chief stagger in, carrying Peri who is now unconscious. Fellbry rushes over to them, and the Doctor follows, not immediately seeing who they are carrying.

FELLBRY
What’s happened?

CHIEF
Don’t you keep up with the memos, Fellbry? There’s a Tuthon aboard, it slashed her on the right ankle, the venom’s in the system and she’s already in a coma.

DOCTOR
Her name’s Peri. Help her.

FELLBRY
A Tuthon?! Never mind. When was the infection?

CHIEF
Four, maybe five minutes ago.

FELLBRY
Then the poison isn’t at full potency.

DOCTOR
I SAID HELP HER!!

FELLBRY
Look, you colour-blind cretin...

The Doctor grabs the arm, still speaking with unnerving cam.

DOCTOR
My friend is dying from this venom he mentioned. So we need to extract that venom. Now you are going to tell me how that is possible with whatever primitive junk you laughably claim as modern medicine.

Fellbry is intimidated.

FELLBRY
We need a cell modifier.

DOCTOR
Then get one. NOW.

FELLBRY
Will do. Keep out my way while I use it.

He shoves the Doctor aside and heads for a special bed unit. There is scanning apparatus on either side. A rectangular-shaped device is fitted so it will sweep back and forth, up and down the bed. The Chief dumps Peri on the bed.

JURAS
Is there anything we can do?

FELLBRY
Get back to work.

The Chief arches his eyebrows and wanders off, waggling his fingers and going ‘Oooooh!’ as he leaves. Juras hangs around. He turns and notices the Doctor is already connecting up the cables to Peri’s arms and legs. He glares at him and then attaches the remaining cable to the forehead.

FELLBRY
You are a doctor then?

DOCTOR
THE Doctor. Whether or not I can compete your immense expertise remains to be seen.

FELLBRY
One way to find out.

Fellbry activates a control. There is a painful, loud buzzing whir. Peri jerks and convulses as if being given an electric shock. She slumps, still. The scanner slowly glides over her, shining a bright blue light down on her as it moves.


9. INT. ORKAS CORRIDOR (DAY)

Manus staring eyes are finally covered as the body-bag is zipped up. She is on a trolley which is then wheeled away by two crewmembers. Jackson watches it go. Stennar is beside him, and a security guard has a blaster aimed at the hatch.

JACKSON
What will you do?

STENNAR
Put her in the freezer – erm, cold storage. Just until we get back to Livinthian.

JACKSON
You won’t make her into food, will you?

STENNAR
What? No!

JACKSON
I mean, if we don’t catch the Pilot...

STENNAR
We won’t. Now, about this creature.

JACKSON
Tuthon.

STENNAR
First catch your whale hunter. You’re sure it’s a Tuthon?

JACKSON
The Chief is.

STENNAR
And that’s good enough, is it?

JACKSON
Yes! He was in the Allied Whaler Corp.

STENNAR
The one that sort of ended before the first trip was over?

JACKSON
Yeah.

STENNAR
The one that sort of turned into a massacre when the Tuthons decided to eat the humans instead of help catch the whales?

JACKSON
Could be.

STENNAR
The one where only security camera tapes showed what happened to the crew?

JACKSON
Possibly.

STENNAR
The one where there were no living survivors?

JACKSON
Very likely.

STENNAR
You don’t see a problem with that logic?

JACKSON
He was a consultant on the job. He got right up close with the Tuthons before he left. He went back to Livinthian, he said it was a bad job and would go wrong.

STENNAR
Right. So your eye witness conveniently avoided a bloodbath that also got rid of anyone and anything that could possibly contradict him?

JACKSON
Do you want to take the risk, Production Controller?

He puts venom into the title which makes Stennar look away. She then heads down the corridor, away from the guard. Jackson follows.

STENNAR
If Multi-Global find out one of those goblins got aboard, we could be finished.

JACKSON
Could we?

STENNAR
The Tuthons are our main competitor. And considering we’re up against every trigger-happy bounty hunter and warlord that thinks they could take out a space-whale, the Tuthons are a very serious problem. For all we know there could be more down there.

JACKSON
Then the answer’s simple.

STENNAR
For YOU to know the answer, it would have to be.

JACKSON
Are you interested?

STENNAR
Go on.

JACKSON
We close all the hatches, reverse the polarity of the vacuum system. The Tuthon and anything else in the pipes will be sucked straight into the vats.

STENNAR
That will prove messy.

JACKSON
Messes can be cleaned. Multi-Global won’t mind about some muck on the blades.

Stennar nods thoughtfully.

STENNAR
The Chief’s idea?

JACKSON
You can tell?

STENNAR
Well, let’s do it then.

Stennar heads off. Jackson smiles happily.

JACKSON
This could be the start of a beautiful friendship...

- to be continued...