Wallis sways unsteadily as he watches over the chair unit. The tramp continues to stare blankly ahead as lights on the helmet flash on and off.
ODIN
Report on Subject 001: Robert Tarn?
WALLIS
Alteration is taking place on schedule. Mondan norms are compatible with Earth norms.
ODIN
Confirmed. Primary central processing unit is to be installed and bio-assistant systems programmed at once. Estimated time to completion?
BRETT
Sixteen... minutes... and... eight seconds...
ODIN
Confirmed. Prepare to adapt all humans in this tower.
A bright light starts to pulse behind the cage and there is the sound of power saws buzzing, drills whirring. The pulsating becomes faster and louder.
KRIMPTON
Subject 001... ready to... receive new data.
ODIN
Establish primary neural interface and memory transfusion.
BRETT
We... obey...
ODIN
Operation chances of success are now well within safety margins.
Smoke starts to waft from behind the cage grille.
45. EXT. FITZROY SQUARE (DAY)
We pan down from the GPO tower to see the TARDIS as the Doctor and Kitty emerge. Kitty turns and touches the TARDIS cautiously, still not quite believing it.
KITTY
So where are we going to go?
DOCTOR
To coin a phrase, my dear, we are going to begin at the beginning.
He closes the door and hands the key to Kitty.
DOCTOR
Now, be a good child, and look after that.
KITTY
It’s the key to the box.
DOCTOR
Yes. A spare. I should have given one to Dodo before now. Until I get her back, you have the key. Now if anything goes wrong, you can come back here. No matter what ODIN is capable of, he cannot break inside my TARDIS. Now, time we were off.
They move down the street away from the TARDIS.
DOCTOR
We have to find Sir Charles Summer, he’s in charge of the C-Day Operation.
KITTY
But he won’t believe us! Or else ODIN will already have got to him!
DOCTOR
Perhaps, but we have to try – we need his authority to help. Without it, well, I have no idea how to combat a situation so advanced.
KITTY
Suppose we can’t call the police?
DOCTOR
Do you think the police could handle with this? When every phone line they use could hypnotize them immediately? Hmm? No, this is too big a problem. A juggernaut, in fact, almost unstoppable. ALMOST, however.
KITTY
So what are you thinking?
DOCTOR
We strike at the centre of the menace. ODIN.
Kitty fearfully looks up at the tower looming over them.
KITTY
I thought we were going to rescue Polly and her boy, and Dodo?
DOCTOR
Yes. That is why we need Sir Charles’ help. Once we’ve rescued them, we can deal with the problem simply.
KITTY
But if ODIN is half as clever as he’s made out, he’ll have an army to defend him?
DOCTOR
Very probably, my dear, most probably.
KITTY
If we try and fight them, we’ll die just like Tony!
DOCTOR
We could be killed at any moment every day, Kitty. Even if ODIN was not here!
They turn the corner and move out of sight.
46. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Thor is now the one being worked on by increasingly exhausted technicians. Baldur glides around the area as boxes are stacked before it. Ben and Polly are among the technicians stacking the boxes neatly.
BALDUR
All explosives will be collected here, examined and primed ready for use.
Ben and Polly exchange whispers as they head over to the other side of the warehouse.
BEN
Funny sort of overseer, aint he?
POLLY
But what do we do now?
BEN
Get out of here and get the Doctor. He’s only geezer that has any idea what to do.
POLLY
There are only about twenty of this lot. The police could sort it out.
BEN
Pull the other one, duchess.
POLLY
They could just surround the place and arrest everyone.
BEN
And what about our tin friends, eh? There’d be about twenty seconds before the coppers would be made into mincemeat!
POLLY
Oh yes. I forget. My head still aches, Ben. Sorry.
BEN
It’s all right, ducks. Just...
POLLY
Wait a minute. Kitty! She must still be at my flat...
BEN
Probably still sleeping off all the brainwashing, duchess. I don’t think she can help.
Ben indicates with a nod of his head.
BEN
Look. They’re all so keen, they’ve even taken the guard off the door.
POLLY
Of course, none of them WANT to leave, do they?
BEN
Guess not. Let’s go.
Now they are near the exit, they hurry out in the same brisk manner as the other technicians. The radar atop Baldur turns as it starts to burble its alert.
47. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (DAY)
The noise can be heard here. The humans present look utterly exhausted, barely able to stay on their feet. Major Green is now also present – looking worse than ever. His suit is grubby, soiled and torn, his head is barely able to support itself and his mouth hangs open. He’s the walking dead all right.
BALDUR (VO)
Alert. Alert. Jackson has fled the warehouse.
ODIN
That has been anticipated.
BALDUR (VO)
He was accompanied by human Polly Wright.
ODIN
Of her own free will?
BALDUR (VO)
Confirmed.
ODIN
It appears thought control is either not totally effective or an outside force is disrupting it. Christine Saunders is no longer obeying commands. Analysis suggests the Doctor is somehow responsible for this. Computing.
Beside it, the cage-chair is still working away. Suddenly, the electronic pulsing fades and dies. We see the cage bars slide back and the tramp’s booted feet moving as they walk out.
ODIN
Subject 001: Tarn. Report?
We see a close up of Tarn’s mouth. His skin is very pale now. His voice is flat, emotionless and eerily distorted.
TRAMP
Everything is now clearer. I am changed. Stronger.
ODIN
You shall coordinate this phase of the operation. Subject 002 shall be Major Green. His cellular collapse is more advanced than the others.
Major Green lets out an affirming moan, unable to even speak now. stiffly, he lurches over to the chair and nearly falls into it.
ODIN
Proceed with alteration.
The cage slides shut. The headphones are lowered as the pulsing begins again. Major Green does not react as the noises get louder and are joined by sparks and machinery. One of the workers loses his balance and falls. He tries to rise but collapses. Brett, Krimpton and the other workers look down at him.
ODIN
The flesh is failing. All humans will be improved and made more efficient. He will be the next subject for alteration. Once all humans in this tower are altered, more conversion systems will be constructed for total cybernetic synthesis.
Sigi glides forward and rolls the body out of the way.
ODIN
He will survive.
TRAMP (VO)
You will ALL survive.
48. EXT. OUTSIDE THE SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
A black car pulls up outside the club. The passenger door opens and a smartly-dressed man with curling hair and spectacles emerges. This is FIDLER. He closes the door, nods to the driver and heads towards the front door.
49. INT. THE ROYAL SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
It is still decked out for the press conference the previous day, but is quiet and dark now – and empty bar. Stone and Sir Charles Summer are present. Stone sits at a chair, clearly troubled by more than his injuries.
STONE
Why do we even need to talk to this guy anyway? You’ve got the authority to send the army in, don’t you?
SUMMER
I must clear it with my superiors, Mister Stone.
STONE
What’s there to clear? The maniac’s trying to build robots to take over the world!
SUMMER
Yes, I’m sure you made wonderful headlines for the New York Sketch. This is real life. The Valkyrie Project could not be completed without ODIN. And if we want to... if we HAVE to try and stop ODIN, we will need the help of Delta Technologies Foundation, or otherwise the entire thing could blow up in our faces and leave Britain right out of the computer race altogether. Do you understand now?
Stone grimaces.
STONE
Maybe it’s just the pain killers wearing off.
SUMMER
Then I hope you’re lucid enough to realize your blackmail won’t work. The British Government have invested a lot into ODIN. And they are not going to spare you anything.
STONE
Oh, but they haven’t heard my spiel yet. I can be VERY persuasive.
FIDLER (VO)
I sincerely doubt that.
They look up as Fidler enters the room. Summer rises stiffly. Stone does not.
SUMMER
Mister Fidler, I must thank you for agreeing to this meeting.
STONE
So. You’re the silent partners in all this.
FIDLER
The Delta Technologies Foundation is one of the most famous and powerful computer builders in Europe. Hardly a silent partner.
STONE
Then why all the secrecy about this?
FIDLER
I can’t tell you that, Mr. Stone.
STONE
Why not?
FIDLER
It’s a secret.
Stone chuckles. It doesn’t reach his eyes. Fidler turns to Summer.
FIDLER
Now. What is all this about Covent Garden?
STONE
After Major Green tried to wipe the floor with us, he told us we’d get worse if we tried to interfere with the operation at Covent Garden.
Fidler glares at Stone, then turns back to Summer.
FIDLER
Do you have any idea what this “operation” might be, Sir Charles?
SUMMER
Oh, I have an idea, Mr. Fidler. An idea that it is the Valkerie Project.
Fidler’s smile vanishes.
50. INT. WAREHOUSE (DAY)
Most of the technicians are sitting around, exhausted, but having finished their work. Tom and the others wearily put away their tools, having tinkered with Vali.
VALI
All systems now operative.
Thor turns away from the others.
THOR
Contacting Earth Central Control. All relay circuits now prepared for action.
ODIN (VO)
Transmission is now being prepared.
THOR
Status?
ODIN (VO)
The humans have yet to take action. Remain in the warehouse until they do so.
THOR
Understood.
51. EXT. OUTSIDE THE SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
Ben and Polly are hurrying down the other side of the street.
POLLY
Where are we going, anyway?
BEN
Not sure. The Doctor said something about his doss being in Fitzroy Square, and he’s invited his friends round there. Maybe they can help? Or maybe the Doctor’s escaped? Just somewhere to get forty winks wouldn’t go amiss.
Polly spots two figures turning around the corner and points.
POLLY
Hey, Ben, look. It’s the Doctor, and he’s with Kitty.
She runs over to them. Ben shakes his head in disbelief.
BEN
He’s got the luck of the Blarney, all right.
He jogs over to join the others.
DOCTOR
Oh, my dear, Polly. Feeling your old self again, I trust? And you too, Ben. Good.
BEN
I managed to snap her out of it.
DOCTOR
Yes, I can see. Might I have my ring back then?
BEN
You old fox, you knew I had it!
Ben drops the ring into the Doctor’s hand as the old man glares reprovingly at the sailor.
DOCTOR
Of course I did. I’m not a fool.
POLLY
How did you escape?
The Doctor indicates Kitty beside him.
DOCTOR
It was this delightful young lady who saved me.
KITTY
Tony helped.
She looks at the ground.
KITTY
They killed him. We got away, but... they just killed him.
POLLY
Oh no...
BEN
Who's Tony?
KITTY
He's... he was the bouncer at the Inferno.
The Doctor places a hand on Kitty's arm.
DOCTOR
We must not let his death count for nothing. We are alive, and we can avenge him.
POLLY
How? The machines are nearly finished.
DOCTOR
I thought as much. We must deal with ODIN right away, and before we can do that, we need some very precise information. And where better to get it, hmm, than the Royal Scientific Club, eh?
They turn and head for the club.
52. INT. THE ROYAL SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
As before. Summer is yelling at Fidler, who is seemingly more interested in the faux ODIN unit which is sitting in the corner, apparently shut down.
SUMMER
Frankly, Mr. Fidler, I’m shocked. Appalled! You’re carrying out the Valkyrie Project HERE? In the heart of London?
FIDLER
It had all necessary resources for the operation, easy access to the GPO Tower, and the perfect cover. No one would notice the arrival or departure of crates near Covent Garden, or look for a secret operation next to a discotheque .
As he turns to address Summer, the light on the front the other ODIN lights up. It watches Stone limp over to Fidler.
STONE (DIST)
Look, we don’t have time to argue...
FIDLER (DIST)
Then make time – because unless you explain to my satisfaction what’s going on, I shall have no inclination to assist you.
Stone jabs Fidler in the shoulder with his index finger.
STONE
Look, every minute wasted puts us all – but especially me – in danger. You weren’t the one being beaten to a pulp by a possessed security officer! Now, we avoided telling the Commissioner of Police because your little scheme to test computers on Britain is something best kept secret. But at the moment, I’m tempted to do so, understand?
FIDLER
That would be a terrible mistake on your part.
STONE
If I don’t do that “terrible mistake”, I could be dead by morning. I don’t know what these robot Valkyries of yours are capable of, but I’m not going to stay in London and get blown up with them.
SUMMER
Look, Mr. Fidler, this matter is serious. I would hardly waste your time for no reason, would I?
Fidler nods grimly.
FIDLER
True. But there have been no anomalous reports from my people in the project. It hasn’t even started yet.
Stone rolls his eyes.
STONE
Oh, how do you know?
FIDLER
Because they would have reported to me.
STONE
Who would?
Fidler starts to answer then stops. He becomes grim.
FIDLER
Green.
STONE
Well, as we mentioned, he’s gone CRAZY! He must be switching these things on by himself!
FIDLER
It doesn’t work like that, Mister Stone. The machines are run by computers and they haven’t been programmed yet. Until a suitable control system is devised, they’re just empty reinforced tin boxes. They pose no threat to anyone.
SUMMER
Well then. I suppose that’s logical. But it doesn’t explain Green’s behavior.
FIDLER
Perhaps he has gone mad. But he can’t do any serious harm.
Stone jabs Fidler again.
STONE
Have you ever had a compound fracture, Mr. Fidler? No? Well, trust me, he can do serious harm even without an army of living tanks!
FIDLER
Yes, but the question is how to respond to the matter. We know Green seems to have lost his mind, but we need to contain him in a manner that does not call attention to itself. Armed soldiers storming Covent Garden is not exactly low-publicity, is it?
STONE
But what if he gets these machines working? Someone MIGHT just notice.
DOCTOR (VO)
And someone HAS.
They turn around to see the Doctor, Ben, Polly and Kitty are entering the room.
53. INT. THE VALHALLA SECTION (DAY)
This is shown on the screen. Another technician is sitting down into the processing chair, and several others are standing in a queue for augmentation. Wallis, however, is still moving around the section, checking displays.
ODIN
The Doctor and the other rogue humans are in no position to stop us. The situation is within parameters. Phase Four shall be completed. Status of C-Day connections?
WALLIS
Parliament House, Telstar and the Royal Navy junctions are completed and tested. Cape Kennedy, the White House and the European Free Trade Association are still being connected.
WALLIS
Woodwera and Eldo have yet to begin construction.
ODIN
Worlwide network must be established on schedule for the next phase of the operation to be completed successfully.
A printer chatters into life and the draw below is filled with a photograph of the TARDIS against the railing at Fitzroy Square marked TUESDAY 19-JULY-1966. Another photograph drops into the drawer. The same picture marked MONDAY 18-JULY-1966. Another photo. It is of the railings again, but there is no police box. It is marked SUNDAY 17-JULY-1966.
54. INT. THE ROYAL SCIENTIFIC CLUB (DAY)
Fidler is barely concealing his surprise and contempt. Ben is sitting in a chair, head in his hands, still exhausted after the last day of work. Polly is beside him. The Doctor is watching the faux ODIN intently.
FIDLER
Sir Charles, you were given some significant leeway when it came to this project! The information we gave you was a bare minimum, but with further allowed on a need to know basis. And when did you feel you NEEDED to tell the press and members of the public.
SUMMER
For God’s sake man, I didn’t tell anyone. Stone came to me having already worked out that Brett and Krimpton weren’t all there was to the project.
FIDLER
For blackmail?
Stone smiles broadly.
STONE
Yes.
The Doctor glares at Stone.
DOCTOR
I expected better of you, Mister Stone.
STONE
I didn’t get to be the New York Sketch’s finest by playing fair, Doc.
DOCTOR
Doctor.
STONE
Doctor. And anyway, while my morals and journalistic integrity are out of the room, I’ll name my sources. This old guy is the one that got me used to the idea.
He stiffly indicates the Doctor with a nod of his head. Fidler glares at the old man.
FILDER
And just who are you?
DOCTOR
I should ask you the same question.
FIDLER
I am Richard Fidler, Company Secretary of the Delta Technologies Foundation.
DOCTOR
And I suppose you are one of the people that helped create ODIN?
Fidler narrows his eyes, refusing to give anything away.
FIDLER
The DFT is PART of the C-Day Operation, yes.
DOCTOR
Then I am sure you will all be interested to learn that ODIN has gone insane and is attempting the conquest of this planet.
Fidler, Stone and Summer stare at him.
DOCTOR
Oh, stop play-acting! I know that Brett and Krimpton did not design ODIN, only help in the construction at best. I know a third party designed ODIN and the British Government to some extent is trying to, ah, cash in on the phenomenon for its own benefit. And for you, Sir Charles, to be having a secret meeting with the Company Secretary of DF Technologies...
FIDLER
DT Foundation.
The Doctor waves away the correction.
DOCTOR
Yes, yes, yes, yes. You are clearly in some sort of trouble, Sir Charles. And you, too, Mister Stone have been in the wars. And I feel right to respect that ODIN is the cause.
A long pause. The Doctor, clutching his lapels, approaches Fidler.
DOCTOR
I notice, that none of you seem surprised at the news? Worried yes. But not surprised. Perhaps it is for the best if you reveal precisely where ODIN came from?
Fidler laughs humorlessly. ODIN watches on.
FIDLER (DIST)
You mean make this catastrophic security leak even worse?
Ben lifts his head to speak.
BEN (DIST)
Your security leak is trying to take over the world, mate!
Fidler looks like he might make a retort, then sighs, suddenly looking tired.
FIDLER
Very well.
Everyone is paying attention to Fidler. The eye on ODIN glows as it monitors them.
FIDLER
It started back in the 50s. A series of radio signals were detected. Receiving the signals was one thing, finding the point of origin was another. They originated from the very edge of our scanners – well past Jupiter. Maybe even beyond the solar system itself. The signal was a coded message, a kind of computer code. After a great deal of time, effort and money was used, we discovered what the code meant...
DOCTOR
Encoded specifications for a super computer? Instructions for how to build ODIN, perchance?
Fidler looks at the Doctor suspiciously.
FIDLER
Yes. And a program for it to run and data for it to process.
STONE
What did the program do?
FIDLER
It gave the computer sentience. A central brain cortex that didn’t just mimic the human thought processes, but actually superseded it. A computer has electronic memory, allowing it to do more than one thing at a time, to store and process information. This was the computer equivalent of Einstein. No matter what tasks were required it didn’t slow down, or start to malfunction or suffer error.
POLLY
If you were getting signals from Saturn or something like that, why didn’t you tell anyone? There is other life out there!
FIDLER
That is not my decision, Miss. Besides which, the C-Day Operation has been difficult enough with rival governments and big business wanting to use ODIN for their own purposes. If they discovered it was an alien creation, there would be chaos.
DOCTOR
So what did you do with this gift, Mr. Fidler?
FIDLER
The British Government authorized the DFT to create WODEN – the Worldwide Omniscient Defense Electronic Network. The idea being the computer could control and coordinate the entirety of Britain’s armed forces. Tanks, ships, aircraft, all remotely controlled.
BEN
Like what they’re doing to the HMS Teazer?
FIDLER
More extreme than that. It would not be a computer connection, it would actually have the entire ship run by computer with no human crew.
BEN
Oh, that will get the rest of the seamen on your side, won’t it?
FIDLER
Unemployment was deemed an acceptable price for the ability to fight a war and not lose a single human life.
BEN
And who were you going to get to replace us? More robots?
FIDLER
Yes.
DOCTOR
Indeed. And if you played your cards right, you would be able to intimidate any enemy into surrendering straight away, giving your superior technology. Rebuilding the British Empire without a single death.
Fidler nods.
FIDLER
That was the plan.
The Doctor scowls and paces the room. The light on ODIN goes out before he can spot it.
DOCTOR
A disgraceful scheme. But you haven’t told us the rest, have you?
Kitty looks up in surprise.
KITTY
He hasn’t?
Stone nods.
STONE
They had access to the technology of ODIN ten years ago. Why did it take them ten years to make the idea public?
FIDLER
The computer, for want of a better word, rebelled. First it was printing out nonsense about the day of reckoning, of giants who lived on dead planets. It started saying that the rule of Man was over, and then the technicians went mad. Everything it had a connection to went haywire, and we couldn’t shut it down. We evacuated the research complex and destroyed it with explosives.
DOCTOR
That should have been the end of it, young man.
FIDLER
The Government disagreed. We started again, this time with Professors Brett and Krimpton working on each individual component as it was constructed and refined. They built a root coordinating matrix, effectively a kind of choke-collar which would prevent the computer from receiving or following outside instructions. After eight years, the new computer, ODIN was deemed perfect. To recoup on expenses, it was decided to go public with the new computer and begin the C-Day Operation.
DOCTOR
But ODIN has thrown off his chains, sir! And we are all paying the price! You Earth people seem to believe you are the supreme life form. Yet, once upon a time, you weren’t. You were apes. Now those primates are just a, a secondary being, another animal in the zoos of the world. And yet you think that humanity could never suffer the same fate? Humans are a more efficient and intelligent species than apes, and machines are more efficient and intelligent than humans.
Kitty looks depressed.
KITTY
So. It’s our own fault.
DOCTOR
No. Not on this occasion. Because humanity did not create these machines. Did they, Mister Fidler, hmmm?
Fidler glares at him.
POLLY
Look, you simply must believe us, Mister Fidler! They are building robots in Covent Garden, and those robots can kill people!
FIDLER
I believe you. Covent Garden is home of the Valkyrie Project, an offshoot of WODEN. The war machines are stored in a warehouse in its component parts. If ODIN has rebelled, it could be using them to build them. I have already sent a man to investigate the Covent Garden area.
DOCTOR
He could be in tremendous danger.
FIDLER
He is aware of the danger, “Doctor”. If he hands in a positive report, then the army will be in the market in fifteen minutes.
Stone frowns and sits forward.
STONE
If you knew all this, why come here and demand explanation?
Fidler smiles unpleasantly.
FIDLER
I had to be sure how much you all knew.
He stands up and draws a gun from his pocket.
FIDLER
And you all know FAR too much.
The Doctor glares at Fidler as the others raise their hands.
(ROLL END CREDITS)
(END OF EPISODE THREE)
(END OF EPISODE THREE)
