ANOTHER Doctor Who Spin-Off!

Yes. Once again I struggle to prove that I am a greater writer than Chris Chinball. Well, I say struggle, but I have yet to break a sweat (mind you, I'm talking about the Chris Chinball that perpetrated Cyberwoman and End of Days, not 42 or that Life of Mars episode). Once again, I vaguely slag him off in attempt to assert my own genius. Here is the pilot episode for a spin off of my main Doctor Who series I wrote between 2000 and 2003. Basically, it's pretty much the same as Doctor Who - as it focusses on a wandering Time Lord and his unlikely assortment of companions.

A spin off from my story Escaping the Past, there is the half-human half-Gallifreyan Time Lord Ajon, his human friend Cathy and her husband, the half-human half-something else Wycliff Greymalkin (Craig Charles) who is an ex-companion of the Doctor and one-time TARDIS Librarian.

All I can ask is... is this better than Torchwood?

Some history. The newly-regenerated Ninth Doctor (Alan Davies) has decided to make some changes - specifically leaving Cora Destrii (Alysson Hannigan) behind with some old friends, while he continues onwards alone...

INCIDENT ON EPSILON-GAMMA

EPISODE ONE by EWEN CAMPION-CLARKE

1. GROUNDS

We see a tight shot of some trees. In front of this, the TARDIS slowly materializes, then falls silent.


2. CONTROL ROOM

The time rotor slows to a halt. The door is open. Cora is wearing a coat and carrying a few carry bags.

Cora: I’ll miss you.

Doctor: I’ll miss you terribly, but my mind is made up.

Cora: You’re sure about this?

Doctor: Yes, I’m sure. But don’t think it makes this any easier.

Cora: [deep breath] OK. Ah, well...

Doctor: [looks up] Yes?

Cora: I... I...

Doctor: Yes?

Cora: [sighs] Nothing. Goodbye, then.

Doctor: Goodbye, Cora.

Cora nods, turns and leaves. The Doctor doesn’t watch her go. He simply closes the doors and begins to power up the console. The time rotor slowly begins to oscillate once more. The Doctor watches it move.

Doctor: [softly] Just you and me now. What people will we meet? What places shall we go? What things will we see? Just you and me, like it always was. [smiles] Where to next?

A lamp begins to blink on the console. He frowns and crosses to it.

Doctor: How odd. Emergency stop. That hasn’t happened in... well, in a very long time, that’s for sure. [flips controls] Let’s just see what’s out there, hmm?

The scanner activates, showing the swirling colours of the time vortex.

Doctor: Ah. The space-time intersection around the planet... [checks display] Epsilon... Epsilon-Gamma. Around 1400 BC unless I’m very much mistaken. Good grief!

He crosses to the scanner, seeing something in the maelstrom.

Doctor: That’s a fantastic dimension anomaly! Almost... almost like a TARDIS... But it’s massive! Still, Doctor. Shouldn’t rush to conclusions. Not yet. [sighs] Nowhere else to go.

He crosses to the console and begins to operate controls. Suddenly, the room lurches, throwing the Doctor against the wall. Everything ripples, distorts and convulses.

Doctor: [dist] What’s happening? Must try the coordinate override!

He lurches to controls and operates them. The room lurches again and the distortion ends. The time rotor begins to slow down. Grimacing in pain, the Doctor slumps and collapses – as the lights go out altogether. Silence and darkness falls over them.

RUN NINTH DOCTOR’S TITLE SEQUENCE.

(Earth slowly sinks over the horizon of the moon. Suddenly, the planetoid explodes in a fantastic burst of light and sound. It clears to show the spinning shape of the TARDIS, which veers away to the left. We follow it as the butterfly hues of the time vortex coalesce around the spinning police box. It tumbles away as something appears and grows larger, turning end over end. It is the shimmering words DOCTOR WHO. It reaches us and stops its rotation with a howl of TARDIS engines. A brilliant flash of white...)


1. SPACE

A spinning grey obelisk spins into view.


2. AJON’S TARDIS CONTROL ROOM

Cathy sits in the corner, reading a book. Her hair is braided and she wears a long coat. Ajon, wearing an Elizabethan cloak and suit, is brooding over the control systems. He frowns slightly as a lamp – identical to the one the Doctor noticed – begins to flash.

Ajon: [frowns] Strange. Very strange.

He activates the scanner, which shows a rippling distortion. Cathy looks up at the distortion outside as it grows worse.

Cathy: [rises] What is it, Ajon? What’s gone wrong?

Ajon: [adjusts controls] Will you check the yearometer readout, please, Cathy? I need to know the display you get.

Cathy: [crosses to console] Hmmm. 1400 BC. No, wait! 1963... Uh, 3125... Now it’s dropped down to 2007... 10,000 BC. These readings – it’s gone haywire! It’s not even stopping – just going round and round. And the others have too!

The lights begin to flicker badly. Wycliff hurries inside, pulling on a jacket.

Wycliff: The lights are pulsating - something’s funny going on.

Cathy: Thank God someone noticed.

Ajon: [doesn’t look up] It’s nice to see you up and dressed for a change. Does that mean we can expect some breakfast for once?

Wycliff: I’ll see what I can do. What’s happening?

Ajon: Nothing for you to worry about. Just a little interference. Nothing... unusual.

Cathy: Sure. Ajon, what’s gone wrong?

Ajon: Nothing for you lot to worry about! Do you want to make a cup of tea for us, eh?

Wycliff: [checks consoles] Not now.

Cathy: Every one of the instruments have gone haywire.

Wycliff: So they have.

Cathy: Why? What’s doing this?

Wycliff: What could cause all the displays to go crazy, then?

Ajon: [shakes head] No idea. I... I suppose, drifting between the bounds of time and space, we could have become caught... in this force.

Cathy: Force?

Ajon: The one holding us, Cathy... Pulling us down into its web.

Cathy: Magnetic?

Ajon: At its simplest, yes.

Wycliff: Where are we heading?

Ajon: [shakes head] I don’t know. This... influence...

Cathy: Influence? What influence?

Ajon: [irritated] How should I know? None of the instruments is giving us a sane reading and the –

The distorting noises outside get louder and louder. The room trembles violently. Ajon scrambles over to the console and begins to adjust the controls, to no avail.

Ajon: We’ve got no time for questions! The important thing is to pull the ship clear of this – whatever this is!

Wycliff: [grimly] If we can.

Cathy: If we can?!

The distortion grows massive and they are thrown to the floor.


3. SHORE

It is almost pitch dark, but the faint sounds of the waves can be heard as they strike the beach. Suddenly, here is the tortured sound of materialization through the distortion and the mudflats are briefly illuminated as Ajon’s TARDIS – in the shape of a white cabinet – appears, fades, then settles into the sand. Darkness returns.


4. AJON’S CONTROL ROOM

The trio are picking themselves off the floor. Ajon is helping Wycliff to his feet. Cathy is getting to hers, rubbing her shoulder ruefully. Wycliff crosses to the console.

Cathy: Not quite up to your usual standard, Ajon.

Ajon: There is no need for sarcasm, Mrs. Greymalkin! We’ve been plucked from the vortex by some vast force...

Wycliff: [placatingly] All right all right, so it was an uncomfortable landing! At least we’re free from the influence now.

He points at the scanner, which shows only darkness.

Wycliff: We’re clear.

Ajon: No, we are not clear. In fact...

Cathy: What? We’ve materialized, haven’t we?

Ajon: But the TARDIS is still out of control – out of our control, anyway.

Cathy: But the interference has gone, hasn’t it? Look at the scanner, we’re clear!

Ajon: Look at the instruments, Cathy. They’re all over the place. They don’t make any sense and, until we can get them to respond properly, we can do nothing. [runs hand through hair] What can be holding us here?

Cathy: And I don’t suppose you know where here is?

Ajon: No.

Cathy: Or what time period we’re in?

Ajon: None. We could be anywhere – and anywhen!

Wycliff: We seemed to be around 1400 BC, I thought.

Ajon: What makes you say that?

Wycliff: [impatient] The yearometer.

Ajon: And what does it say now? Two million years after that! The space-time readings are jammed at the start of the Humanian Era, but apart from that... nothing. All the detectors are out of order, jammed at zero or not responding at all. This interference is just as bad as it was before, if not worse!

Cathy: We don’t have any idea? It’s not just a malfunction?

Ajon: Certainly not. We didn’t stray here; we didn’t materialize by accident, we were plucked off course by something – it was either a natural phenomenon or something else, something deliberate. So the question is, are we here for a purpose?

Wycliff: Well, the only thing to do is find what’s causing it and stop it – and that means going for a bit of a wander outside.

Cathy: [unenthusiastically] Is it?

Ajon: Of course. Until the controls stabilize, we’re stuck here!

Cathy: But we don’t know what’s out there! None of the sensors are working! The atmosphere – assuming there is one – could be poisonous for all we know!

Wycliff: The force curtain can act as an airlock.

Ajon: We don’t have time to go mucking around in spacesuits!

Wycliff: Don’t we? Well, someone better just have a quick look outside without mucking around in a spacesuit, then?

Ajon nods, frowns, and then sighs when he realizes that the other two are smiling at him.

Ajon: Oh, for Omega’s sake!

Ajon opens the doors, glares at the others and strides out.

Ajon: [to himself] Charming company you keep, Ajon...


5. SHORE

The door of the TARDIS opens, letting yellow light spill out and illuminate the grassy hillocks around. Ajon steps out into the darkness, looking annoyed, and, after a moment, heads back.


6. AJON’S CONTROL ROOM

Wycliff and Cathy stand by the open doorway.

Wycliff: [calls] Hey, Ajon, are you still alive?

Ajon reenters the room, none the worse for wear. He blurs slightly as he passes through the energy barrier.

Ajon: Yes – though if you were to keep shouting like that I’ll be deaf in no time.

Wycliff: Breathable atmosphere?

Ajon: [annoyed] Just about. Certainly more civil than in here.

Cathy: So, where are we?

Ajon: I don’t know, Cathy. But, wherever it is, I have an uncomfortable feeling we’re not welcome.

Cathy: [frowns] What do you mean?

Wycliff: [interrupts] What’s it like out of there?

Ajon: Pretty bleak. Oh, we’re on some beach somewhere.

Wycliff: Any sign of dimension-anomalies or time vector generators?

Ajon: No.

Cathy: Any sign of habitation?

Ajon: None visible. We must be miles from anywhere.

Cathy: Well, if we’re going to explore, we’ll need torches.

She crosses to a storage locker and collects them. The others follow.

Ajon: Is that wise? If we’re in the middle of some kind of conflict or other, we’ll be a legitimate target for all sides, wandering around with torches at the dead of night!

Cathy: Can you hear any gunfire or bombs being dropped?

Ajon: [annoyed] Well, no...

Wycliff: And there are no troopers or soldiers outside, are there?

Ajon: [sighs] No.

Cathy: Well, if they do turn up, we’ll deal with it. In the meantime, let’s try to avoid tripping and breaking our necks in that stygian blackness out there.

Ajon: Well, we best get started. Put on a jumper, Wycliff, it’s freezing out there...

They cross to the door.


7. SHORE

Wycliff, Ajon and Cathy emerge from the TARDIS, leaving the door open. They head off into the gloom. Sea gulls screech in the distance.

Cathy: [shivers] Very cold, isn’t it?

Wycliff: And unwelcoming, just like he said.

Ajon: Yes, now, are we just going to stand here on this isolated beach or actually do something? Come on, we’ll head parallel to the shore. There should be some civilization sooner or later.

Ajon moves off into the darkness. After a few moments, he returns.

Ajon: Well, come along you two!

Wycliff: Yes, yes. Just getting an odd feeling, that’s all.

Ajon: Oh, what? Seasick?

Wycliff: [frowns] No... A sort of apprehension. Overwhelming.

Cathy: [nods] Yeah, I get that too. Like we’re not alone.

Ajon: Overwrought imaginings, you two. It’s just more quiet than you’re used to, that’s all. This beach must stretch for miles and I daresay the TARDIS made quite a bit of noise when it landed. If we weren’t the only ones here, they would be out searching for the source of the noise and probably with a lot of light. Now, come on.

Cathy: You don’t feel we’re being watched, then?

Ajon: No I do not. I am trying to be productive and work out where we are while you two share ghost stories. Concentrate on the wind direction and the temperature or something useful like that.

Cathy: Well, it feels like the Arctic out here. Maybe we’re in the polar regions of the planet?

Wycliff: Or it’s just winter. He’s right, we don’t need to give each other the creeps. Let’s get moving already.

Cathy: See anything interesting?

Ajon: Just deep mud banks stretching as far as the eye can see.

They move off into the gloom. They walk for quite a while before pausing for a halt amidst some reeds.

Ajon: That’s odd.

Cathy: What?

Ajon: I was trying to work out our position by seeing the constellations of the stars, but... Well...

Wycliff: [nods] There aren’t any. Are there?

Cathy: Maybe it’s just clouded over.

Ajon: Yes, but I thought, with this wind, the clouds would have broken by now. And something else – switch off your torches. Go on, just for a moment.

They do so. They are plunged into darkness.

Ajon: Can you still see me?

Wycliff: Just about?

Ajon: Yes, because the TARDIS is still providing light. Without it, this would be totally black. All of which suggests that there is no natural source of light on this planet.

Cathy: No sun?

Ajon: Maybe. But something is definitely blocking out the whole atmosphere. Otherwise, none of the plant life here could grow, could it? What could be causing it, I wonder. You know –

He cries out. The others turn and crouch down, switching on their torches. This picks out a large crater – lying within is the sprawled Ajon. Wycliff moves down to help him out.

Wycliff: You’ve put your foot it in this time, Ajon.

Ajon: You had to say that, didn’t you?

Wycliff: Well, it makes a change from me falling into holes all the time. [helps him up] How’s your ankle? Not sprained, I hope.

Ajon: [scowls] Strong ankles run in my family, Wycliff.

Cathy: [chuckles] Noses run in mine. Weird place for a pothole.

Ajon: Pothole? This isn’t... Oh, dear.

He bends forwards and examined the surface of the crator.

Wycliff: What is it?

Ajon: This is an impact crater.

Cathy: [joins them] A meteorite?

Ajon: No... Too small and regular... [points] See? There’s another one further up the hill. And another... This isn’t a meteorite strike... This planet has been bombed from orbit...

Cathy: But what about a meteorite?

Wycliff: What meteorite?

Cathy: Look, on Earth the dinosaurs were wiped out when a meteorite struck the planet and caused a cloud that blocked out all the atmosphere, didn’t it?

Wycliff: [sighs] It wasn’t a meteor... No, she’s more or less right.

Cathy: Could that be what has happened here?

Ajon: Then why an orbital attack? These missiles are too close together... If they had caused this displacement, we’d be walking through thick clouds of debris... No, whatever’s blocking out the light isn’t anything to do with this devastation.

Cathy: [looks around] It doesn’t look too devastated.

Ajon: No... So, was this deliberate or...

Wycliff: ...was whatever blocking out the sky stopping the full reaction of the missiles?

Cathy: How much was kept out, then?

Ajon: I can’t say without knowing what kind of missile they were using. Or what they wanted to do. Of course, it could help getting a good view of just what the damage is...

A long pause.

Wycliff: [troubled] It’s so bleak. I still get a feeling...

Cathy: Yes?

Ajon: What’s wrong now, Wycliff?

Wycliff: It’s all too quiet...

Cathy: Oh, great. You’ve jinxed it now.

Wycliff: Just the sea and the wind... This beach must stretch for miles, but still I get this feeling... this feeling of, well, deep apprehension. That we’re not the only ones here.

Cathy: As though we’re being watched?

Wycliff: Exactly.

Ajon: My dear Mister Greymalkin, if you are trying to scare the rest of us, may I say that you are doing a...

Cathy: [points] Wait, look!

She indicates over the reed-covered hillocks.

Ajon: What is it now?

Cathy: There’s some lights over there in the distance. [sighs] We must be on the other side of the bay – they look like they’re miles away from us!

Ajon: We’ll never make it on foot with all this mud around.

They move down the hill. Ajon looks around, troubled.

Ajon: [sotto] You know, Wycliff, you’re right. It is quiet.

They listen for a moment. Silence.

Cathy: [sotto] There’s not even the sound of wind.

Wycliff: Yeah... Maybe we should go back to the TARDIS and head off again at dawn?

Cathy: [urgently] Listen.

Wycliff: What?

Cathy: Shh! [sotto] Can’t you hear it?

Ajon: [sotto] Hear what, exactly?

Cathy: [sotto] That sound.

Wycliff: [shrugs] I can’t hear anything...

Ajon: Hmph. Now you’re trying to scare us, Cathy. Dear, dear. This is just immature. Stop it.

Cathy: No, Ajon – listen! [sotto] Don’t make a sound... Don’t even breath... Just listen...

For a moment, the soft noise of the waves coming in from the sea is heard. Then, a low pulsing sound – like a mechanical heartbeat. It steadily grows louder, and splits into four heartbeats. The trio switch off their torches and stand in the darkness.

Wycliff: [sotto] Something’s moving...

Ajon: [sotto] Where?

Cathy: [sotto] Over there, in the sand dunes.

We can now make out four silhouettes approaching them slowly, the heartbeat noises getting louder.

Wycliff: [sotto] What are they?

Ajon: [sotto] I can’t tell... But I think it’s time we got moving.

They turn and hurry off as the four figures step up, becoming fully visible for a moment. Twisted mixtures of man and machine, they are enclosed by a strange armor – a mixture of cybernetics and Native American Indian paraphernalia. Feathers, jewels and rags festoon their armored forms, and they wear a random assortment of clothes and weapons – shields, staffs, guns, cross-bows, helmets... The one thing they all share is their odd heads: identical white plastic moulds of a human face, but missing its jaw. They sit on necks of whirring servo mechanisms. Their blank eyes glow a fiery red. The leader, Bushido, speaks in a throaty, modulated voice.

Bushido: CONSUME... THEM...

They begin to run as fast as they can down the slope after the time travelers. Although not as fast, they do not tire and continue remorselessly. Ajon trips and falls. The others help him up and they continue onwards, their pursuers continuing after them.

Bushido: CONSUME THEM! CONSUME!

The monster’s strange face fills the view.


8. CAVE MOUTH

The trio run through the darkness towards the coastal caves.

Ajon: Whatever they are, they’re between us and the TARDIS!

Cathy: What are we going to do?

Wycliff: Hide, double back and trust to luck. Come on, in here.

He runs to the nearest cave and indicates the others follow. Behind them, the robots appear and stride towards them. Cathy reaches the end of the cave – a blank metal wall.

Cathy: It’s a dead end! We’re trapped!

Ajon: And I doubt these creatures are friendly.

Wycliff: How can you tell?

Bushido: CONSUME THEM! NOW!

The robots fill the entrance to the cave. Ajon stands in front of the others and steps forward.

Ajon: Ah. Good evening. How do you do?

Bushido: NEUTRALIZE!

Glock, a feathered robot, whips out a hand-blaster and fires. Ajon is flung against the rock wall, glowing briefly. Wycliff turns and scrabbles at the metal wall – which slides back. Standing behind it is a more uniform and gleaming military version of the robot. Glock raises its rifle and aims it at Wycliff and Cathy.

Glock: CONSUME THEM...

Wycliff: Cathy?

Cathy: Yes?

Wycliff: Duck!

Wycliff and Cathy dive for cover as Glock fires. The newcomer robot staggers, stumbles, then raises an open palm in a ‘halt’ gesture. Instantly, crackling sparks of energy lash at Glock, attacking the creature. Another military robot appears, and another.

Bushido: IMPERIALS! DESTROY THEM!

Wycliff and Cathy scramble for the exit as the two sets of robots begin to shoot at each other. In the cross-fire, two military robots are blown apart, and Glock is fried beyond recognition.


9. OUTSIDE CAVE

Wycliff and Cathy sprint into the night.

Cathy: What about Ajon?

Wycliff: He should be all right as long as he’s out of the firing line. We’ve got to stay out of sight until those two wipe each other out, so come on. Before anything else...

There is a distant whistling noise. A brilliant flash and a deafening explosion. Cathy and Wycliff are flung to the ground. Another explosion. Another.

Wycliff: What’s happening?

Cathy: We’re being dive-bombed!

The helmeted robot, Cyber Dog, lunges from the shadows and throws a grenade at them. The explosion mingles with another hail of explosions, which throws Cyber Dog back. Cathy bends over the half-conscious Wycliff, who clutches his head.

Wycliff: Quick... get going... Go on!

Cathy: You can’t be serious...

Wycliff: Get back to the TARDIS. I’ll follow once I’ve got Ajon... Now, please, get going! Quickly!

Cathy nods and sprints off into the night as another series of bombs fall. Wycliff manages to get up to his feet as Bushido, Cyber Dog and the remaining robot Kiowa loom out of the cave. Wycliff winces and raises his hands in surrender. He is gunned down.


10. CAVE MOUTH

Three blasted Imperials lie on the ground, with the remains of Glock. A squad of Imperials march back towards the cave opening. One stops as it spies Ajon’s unconscious body on the ground.


11. SHORE

The last bomb has detonated. Cathy scrambles across the moor when two grimy figures in combat fatigues leap out of the shadows and grab her. Unable to struggle, she is hauled out of sight.


12. CORRIDOR

Ajon winces and groans. He is being half-carried-half-dragged along a metal corridor by two Imperials. Others march along side.

Ajon: Wha... You two have spruced yourself up...

Imperial: YOU WILL REMAIN SILENT.

Ajon: Why? Who are you, anyway? Where am I?

Imperial: YOU ARE OUR PRISONER. REMAIN SILENT.

Ajon: All I want to know is...

Imperial: THE HIVE LORD WILL EXPLAIN. REMAIN SILENT OR WE WILL ERADICATE YOUR PHYSICAL FORM.

Ajon: All right, all right. I hate talking to underlings, anyway.

He shuts up. None of the robots react.


13. HIVE CHAMBER

A huge, metal chamber with some spartan equipment being attended by Imperials. In the centre sits a swivel chair, in which sits the Hive Lord, a gleaming golden version of the normal Imperial, connected to the chair by cables and coils and wires. It spins to face an entrance as Ajon is frog-marched in. The whole chamber pulses with red light as the Hive Lord speaks.

Hive Lord: REPORT.

Imperial: MOTION SENSORS ARE FULLY ACTIVE. THREE SUITABLE HUMANOIDS WERE DETECTED OUTSIDE SECTOR 49. ALSO PRESENT IS A ROGUE CONTINGENT. FIRE WAS EXCHANGED. ONE ROGUE UNIT ERADICATED.

Hive Lord: LOSSES?

Imperial: THREE IMPERIAL UNITS ERADICATED. ONE HUMANOID WAS CAPTURED BY THE ROGUES. THE OTHER HAS FLED INTO THE MOORS.

Hive Lord: STATUS OF PRESENT HUMANOID UNIT?

Imperial: FULLY RECOVERED.

Hive Lord: PREPARE TO CONSUME HIM.

An Imperial turns and leaves.

Ajon: Wait! Wait a minute, you can’t go around consuming people! Where are your manners? Look, I’ve got nothing to do with this war going on this planet – I don’t even know what planet this is!

Hive Lord: THIS IS THE PLANET DESIGNATED EPSILON-GAMMA.

Ajon: To you, maybe. I prefer the old names.

Hive Lord: THE ORGANICS REFER TO IT AS THE PLANET JISTRON.

Ajon: [rubs head] Jistron? Jistron... Jistron. No, never heard of it.

Hive Lord: HOW DID YOU ARRIVE HERE?

Ajon: Oh, I’ve piqued your interest, have I?

Hive Lord: THE NEO-MORPHS HAVE CREATED A PLANET-WIDE FORCE-FIELD. NOTHING CAN PENETRATE THE BARRIER. THIS PLANET IS CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE UNTIL THE BARRIER IS LOWERED.

Ajon: Really? I noticed some saturation bombing going on up there. This barrier of yours...

Hive Lord: WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BARRIER.

Ajon: Oh. So you’re not these Neo-Morphs, then?

Hive Lord: WE ARE THE IMPERIAL THANOTOID FACTION. SEVERAL FACTIONS OF THE THANOTOID SPECIES ARE PRESENT ON EPSILON-GAMMA, INCLUDING A ROVING SQUAD OF ORGANIC MERCENARIES. THE ORGANICS HAVE IN THEIR POSSESSION SEVERAL TRANSPORTER CRAFT AND WEAPONRY. AT PRESENT, THEIR TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DAMAGE US.

Ajon: So, they could improve?

Hive Lord: IT IS POSSIBLE. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIPE US OUT AT THE COST OF THEIR OWN LIVES. THEY ARE ORGANICS AND THUS, ILLOGICAL. THEY DO NOT ACCEPT THE SITUATION AND THUS THEY CANNOT HARM US. THE OTHER FACTIONS ARE USING THEM FOR CONSUMPTION.

Ajon: Nasty. And presumably you don’t mind because, as these organics are a finite resource, the others will run out sooner or later. They need us... But you don’t. Or do you?

Hive Lord: WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WITHOUT CONSUMING HUMANOID LIFE, HOWEVER IT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY OF REPLENISHING OUR NUMBERS. IT WILL ALSO DEPRIVE THE OTHER FACTIONS OF USING YOUR BODY.

Ajon: Yes, what is this about? Why do you want my body?

Hive Lord: HUMANOID BODIES GENERATE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF HEAT AND NEURO-ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY CAN BE HARNESSED BY OUR GENERATORS.

Ajon: You use us as batteries?

Hive Lord: OTHER FACTIONS DEPEND ON YOU. WE, HOWEVER, HAVE A CHOICE OVER OUR TECHNOLOGY. WITHOUT FRESH SUPPLIES OF ORGANICS, THE OTHER THANOTOIDS WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION. THE IMPERIALS SHALL BE THE VICTORS OF THIS WAR.

Ajon: What war? What’s this all about?

Hive Lord: THERE IS SOMETHING DEEP WITHIN THE HEART OF EPSILON-GAMMA. IT IS SENDING OUT SIGNALS ON A PARTICULAR WAVELENGTH THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE. THE FACTIONS HAVE ALL LOCATED THE SOURCE OF THE SIGNAL AND HAVE COME TO THE PLANET TO FIND IT. IT IS BURIED DEEP WITHIN THE ROCK BELOW THIS BASE.

Ajon: So, you’re not only fighting each other, but humanoids as well. Is this really worth it? I mean, is it?

Hive Lord: THE SECRET OF EPSILON-GAMMA WILL ALLOW THE THANOTOIDS THAT ARE ABLE TO EXPLOIT IT THE ABILITIES TO OVERCOME ALL OTHER POWERS. WE ARE THE CLOSEST TO DISCOVERING THIS SECRET. THE OTHERS WANT IT FOR THE SAME REASON. THEY WILL FAIL. WE WILL TRIUMPH.

Ajon: And then what?

Hive Lord: WE WILL LOWER THE BARRIERS AND SPREAD OUT TO ENGULF THIS GALAXY. AND THE NEXT. UNTIL THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE IS UNDER OUR COMMAND. NOTHING CAN STOP US NOW.

Ajon: But why? Why do you want to do that?

Hive Lord: IT IS OUR FUNCTION. WE MUST CONSUME TO EXPAND. WE MUST EXPAND TO CONSUME. YOU HAVE NOT ANSWERED MY QUESTION. HOW DID YOU PENETRATE THE BARRIER AROUND THE PLANET?

Ajon: Well, it makes a change for you asking the questions. Let’s just say it was an accident and I’ll be more than happy to leave once I’ve found my friends and...

Hive Lord: YOU ARE OF NO VALUE. YOU WILL BE CONSUMED. TAKE HIM.

Two Imperials grab Ajon and begin to drag him out.

Ajon: [shouting] No! Please, listen! I can be very valuable! I can show you how I got here. We can help each other! Stop it! Stop!

His cries die as he is hauled out of view. The Hive Lord swivels to face the camera, brooding.

Hive Lord: THE ORGANIC WAS UNTRUTHFUL. IT IS OF NO VALUE. PREPARE ANOTHER WARRIOR FOR ACTIVATION. WHEN THIS IS DONE, WE SHALL MAKE AN ATTACK AGAINST THE ROGUE UNITS. THREE REMAIN. IT IS TIME ONE OF THE OTHER FACTIONS WAS ERADICATED.

TO BE CONTINUED... NEVER