This is one of the scripts I wrote waaaaaaay back as part of a self-imposed project. The Doctor is the Eighth, the Neil Pearson incarnation, along with his companions Kate Tollinger (safe cracker, cat burgler and social elitist) as portrayed by Julia Sawalha and Wycliff Greymalkin (1970s alcoholic who suffered a Bad Wolf experience and is telepathically linked to the TARDIS) as Craig Charles.
THE LAST OF THE DALEKS - PART ONE
by EWEN CAMPION-CLARKE
0. QUARRY
A quarry with sparse vegetation under a green sky. The TARDIS is parked in the shade of a tree. The door is ajar. Light snoring comes from within. We hear a booming disembodied voice.
Voice: [echoes] Doctor. Doctor. Doctor.
The Seventh Doctor fades into existence by the TARDIS. He is the owner of the disembodied voice.
7th Doctor: Doctor! Doctor! [bangs doors] Wake up, Doctor!
The doors rattle open and the Eighth Doctor emerges, rubbing his eyes, clearly having been asleep. He shrugs on his jacket.
Doctor: I’m awake! I’m awake! Who are you to tell me to wake up? Go away!
7th Doctor: I’ve come to warn you of danger in your future.
Doctor: What? That some strange little man will pester me when I’m trying to get some sleep? [recognizes Seventh Doctor] Oh, oh it’s you? Right. [rubs eyes] What is it? I was asleep...
7th Doctor: You don’t tell me. Listen, I’ve been given a warning which I have to pass on. It about your future. Not long from now, you will faced an evil force.
Doctor: Is that all? Go away.
7th Doctor: You will be pitted against a race known as the Daleks.
Doctor: [wide awake] The Daleks? Where? When?
7th Doctor: [shrugs] Forewarned is forearmed.
Doctor: What kind of rubbish is that? If you’re not going to bother telling me anything useful, why did you come and ‘warn’ me in the first place?
7th Doctor: Good point. You’d better forget it.
Doctor: Forget it? Forget it! How can I?
7th Doctor: Look, I’d better go.
The Seventh Doctor doffs his hat with a solemn expression, and fades away. The Doctor’s eyes widen.
Doctor: Wait a minute! What about that warning of yours?
7th Doctor: [VO] Oh, I told you. Forget it.
Doctor: How?
7th Doctor: [VO] Lose all conscious memory of the warning.
Doctor: How am I supposed to do that? [he trails off, shaking his head] Where have you gone? [frowns] What am I doing out here?
There is a light chuckle. The Doctor turns and enters the TARDIS.
Doctor: All this noise. All I wanted was a few months’ rest.
The doors slam shut.
01. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM
The Doctor is sitting in his chair, asleep. He sits bolt-upright. He looks around wildly, and then calms down.
Doctor: [shaken] I remember! [deep breath] I remember... I remember it now... [under his breath] Daleks... [sighs] But now what do I do?
1. SPACE
We zoom in on a burnt orange planet.
2. OUTSIDE DOME
We see a large metal dome sitting incongruously in a thick jungle. We zoom in to see a man and a woman, Wayne and Carson, playing a game on a table outside the dome. Carson has a blaster slung over her shoulder.
Carson: How many days now?
Wayne: [patiently] Sixty-three. The same as the last thirty times I told you.
Carson: Sorry, sorry. It’s just, I’m going out of my mind. Six months working in this base, it’s just driving me freaking insane. Day after day, all the same. Why did they even send us out here?
Wayne: Standard Earth Force protocols, Carson. ‘Any and all space exploration teams on new planets are to be equipped with three security members to guard the base dome until such time as the planet is deemed as suitable for further exploration.’
Carson: [sighs] I know. I know! But why bother? The whole thing is surrounded by a third-degree intensity force field. There’s nothing on this mudball that could possibly break through. New game?
Wayne: Fine.
Wayne starts to replace pieces on the board.
3. JUNGLE
We move through the bushes, until we see a gleam of sunlight reflecting off something metal in the undergrowth. We cut away before we can fully see the creature. We now see Carson and Wayne from the creature’s point of view - a pixilated green image, seen through the crosshairs. Hieroglyphics run vertically and horizontally across the screen.
Commander: [VO] All units prepare for battle conditions!
4. OUTSIDE DOME
Carson and Wayne are playing the game just as there is a sudden electric screech. A bolt of red/yellow energy strikes the air a few metres away from them, and there is a massive explosion. A shimmering green barrier deflects the explosion, and the two humans leap up from the table.
Wayne: What the hell was that...
White and gold Daleks emerge from the undergrowth and immediately open fire. Red energy bolts rain against the barrier, causing massive explosions. Carson readies her blaster while Wayne snatches his up.
Commander: All units fire! Maximum blasts!
The Daleks continue to open fire. The green barrier switches on and stays on, and the whine of the generator starts to buckle and strain. The Daleks continue to fire upon the force-field as more Daleks enter the clearing.
Carson: The field can’t take the pressure!
Wayne: We’ve got to get inside before it breaks down!
Carson: You go, warn the others, quickly!
Commander: Continuous fire!
The blasts increase and the whining grows. Carson grabs Wayne’s blaster, and readies it to fire.
Carson: Well?! Go on!!
Wayne nods and runs for the interior of the dome. The whine from the generator is almost deafening.
5. CORRIDOR
Wayne runs around the corner and stop short as Morgan and Sam, two scientists, run in the other direction.
Wayne: Professor!
Sam: What is it? What’s going on out there?
Wayne: Creatures! They’re firing on the force field!
Morgan: It should be able to keep them out, though?
Wayne: I doubt it, sir. They’ve got some serious fire power. We’ve got to try and boost the energy supply to the field before it collapses altogether!
6. OUTSIDE THE DOME
Carson backs away slowly, keeping the wall of Daleks under cover. The constant bombardment of the barrier continues, and then a few stray bolts breach the field and strike the ground, causing explosions.
Commander: Continue firing!
A few more bolts break through the barrier.
7. MAIN CHAMBER
A large room with a window showing the vegetation outside. Two scientists, Jason and Leigh are looking up from their work worriedly. Another security man, David, scans the window.
David: Whatever it is, it’s on the other side of the base.
Leigh: But who are they? This planet is uninhabited!
Wayne, Sam and Morgan run inside. Wayne crosses to a cupboard, opens it and pulls out some more blasters.
Sam: Leigh, Jason, we’ve got to try and reprogram the energy generator and give everything over to life support. Morgan, set up the emergency beacon!
David dumps a few blasters onto the table.
David: Where’s Carson?
Wayne: Out the front with those creatures, come on!
Suddenly, the lights flicker and cut out. The whine in the background runs down into silence. Wayne and Sam exchange anxious looks.
Jason: The generator’s packed up!
8. OUTSIDE DOME
The Daleks continue onwards, silently. Carson raises her guns.
Carson: Get back! Now!
Commander: Exterminate!
Daleks: Exterminate! Exterminate!
Carson: Whatever you are stop - or I fire!
The Daleks continue onwards. Carson opens fire. Blue flashes illuminate the Daleks, but to no avail. The Daleks are completely unharmed, and they open fire. Carson screams horribly as she is flung across the clearing and collapses, a glowing, twisted form.
Dalek 1: Alien aggressor exterminated!
Commander: Continue! Exterminate all humans!
Daleks: Exterminate all humans! Exterminate! Exterminate!
The Daleks glide for the front entrance. A few turn and head around the corner. They open fire on the jungle, and the vegetation bursts into flames.
9. MAIN CHAMBER
The scientists are hastily working on a large piece of machinery. Sam and Leigh holding blasters. Explosions and the sounds of Dalek fire are audible in the background. Jason glances up at the window.
Jason: They’re setting fire to the jungle!
Leigh: But, but, why?
Sam: Isn’t that obvious? They’re cutting off our lines of retreat. [crosses to Morgan] How back is the damage?
Morgan: Superficial blow back. I’ve repaired the damage, but it’s taking longer than I though to reprogram the output sensors. In two minutes they should be back on line, and the force field will activate!
Jason: But they’re already inside the force field!
Morgan looks up, surprised.
10. CORRIDOR
Wayne and David run around the corner, only to skid to a halt as two Daleks enter the base. The Daleks immediately open fire, causing a few explosions. The two humans turn and run the corner. Wayne strikes a control on the wall and an alarm begins to howl in the background.
Dalek 1: Exterminate all humans!
Wayne opens fire, spraying the Dalek with blue bolts of light, before turning to run. Unfazed, the Dalek opens fire. There is an explosion which brings down some debris, trapping David. More Daleks appear, firing at Wayne.
Daleks: Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!
Wayne swallows, aims at the first Dalek, and is about to fire when he is blasted forward, and crashes against the wall. He slides to the ground dead. We cut to the other end of the corridor - another Dalek is there, having shot Wayne in the back. It turns to face the other Daleks.
Dalek 2: Exterminate all humans!
11. OUTSIDE DOME
The jungle is ablaze. The air is red and there is the constant background noise of crackling, interspersed with Dalek fire. A Dalek turns, reaches the windowed area and opens fire. The glass shatters in an explosion.
12. MAIN CHAMBER
Everyone ducks as the window explodes. Sam and Jason raise their blasters and fire out the window. Morgan is furiously adjusting controls on the computer. The others duck blasts from outside, which wreck the chamber, causing explosions.
Sam: Morgan! Have you re-programmed the computer?
Morgan: I’m on it! We just need a few more minutes!
Another Dalek joins the other outside. Their combined firepower brings down a large section of the wall, and they fire on the exposed lab.
Sam: That might be difficult!
The Daleks glide into the wrecked chamber, but their progress is slowed as they are caught in the crossfire of the scientist’s blasters. Smoke starts to drift off their casings. Morgan hastily finishes up at the computer and closes a panel, triumphantly. He runs over to Sam.
Morgan: Finished. In one minute twenty-three seconds, the force field will reactivates around this room! We just need to keep them out for that long!
There is an explosion behind them. A door crashes inward, and a Dalek glides in. Morgan whirls around, and snatches up a gun. The Dalek fires first, and Morgan’s body is flung across the chamber and strikes the ground. Sam whirls round and fires furiously at the newcomer.
Sam: NO!
Another Dalek joins the first in the doorway and fires at Leigh. Sam dives in front of her, and is struck by the energy bolt. Leigh whirls around as Sam drops dead to the floor, and fires on the two Daleks. However, this allows the other two Daleks to glide forward. The second fires at Leigh, who is smashed against the computer terminal.
Leigh: [dying scream] JASON!
Jason backs away as the Daleks glide forward, closing in around him. The computer whirs and a green barrier flickers around the chamber. The alarm stops. Jason, shaking with fear, drops his blaster.
Commander: Exterminate!
The Daleks fire repeatedly. Jason is flung backwards, then forwards, and then collapses to the ground, screaming. There is a pause. The lead Dalek turns and fires on the terminal. It explodes spectacularly, and the field cuts out.
Commander: Phase One of our plan is now complete!
The Daleks turn and leave the chamber.
13. VORTEX
The TARDIS tumbles into view.
14. CONTROL ROOM
The Doctor is furiously adjusting controls on the console. He looks as though he has just woken up, and, indeed, he has. Kate enters.
Kate: What’s the whirling dervish impersonation in aide of?
Doctor: Kate! Give the reading on the neutronium counter!
Kate crosses to the console, trying to find the right control.
Doctor: [indicates dial] That one.
Kate: Oh, er - about seven. No, make that six.
Doctor: [to himself] Six? Too high. Far too high. Typical, just when I need her to work, she has to...
He dives under the console and starts to make adjustments.
Kate: Couldn’t Wycliff do this for you?
Doctor: He is! He’s allowing me to do repairs in full-flight.
There is a loud banging from under the console. The control room lurches, then straightens out. The time rotor jams for a second. The Doctor peers out from under the console.
Doctor: The neutronium counter, Kate!
Kate: [frowns] There isn’t a reading. It’s at zero!
The Doctor bangs his fist on the console.
Kate: Zero point five.
Doctor: [straightens up] Good, good. Now... tell me if the reading changes.
The Doctor starts to alter settings on the controls.
Kate: Look, Doctor, you’re sure you wanted to end your holiday like that? I mean, it wasn’t perfect, and I know it got interrupted with disasters about five times a day... You see, you’ve been acting weird ever since.
The Doctor continues to adjust settings.
Kate: I mean, this is the first time I’ve seen you in sixteen days! You just locked yourself in the Cloister Room and told everyone to get out and stay out. Did I say ‘told’? No, yelled would be better. Wycliff said you were up to something like meditation, but what for?
Doctor: The hole in my mind.
Kate: What?
Doctor: I’ve filled it. Now, activate the X-sensor.
Kate frowns and presses a blue button. The room lurches sideways, and begins to tremble violently. Kate grabs the console.
Doctor: What’s the reading?
Kate: 1.5!
The Doctor adjusts some controls and the titled room stops trembling.
Kate: 2.5! 3! 5! 8!
The Doctor nods. The room levels out as the sounds of materialization become audible. The Doctor flicks a switch and the room trembles and then is still.
Kate: Zero. I take it we’ve landed?
Doctor: [nods] Yes... Not bad, I suppose. But we’re almost an hour late. [sotto] He’ll be very annoyed, no doubt. [sighs] I did my best!
Kate: Doctor, what are you talking about?
Doctor: Get Wycliff. I’m going outside.
The Doctor opens the doors and strides out.
Kate: [sotto] What is he up to?
15. STORE ROOM
A dark, wrecked chamber. Segments of wall are missing and through these show the jungle outside. Smoke wafts eerily across the scene. The TARDIS stands in one corner. The door opens and the Doctor emerges.
Doctor: What a welcome.
He crosses to the doorway and moves out.
16. CORRIDOR
The Doctor looks around, and takes out a torch. He sees Wayne’s still body and check him over, and then sighs. He rises and moves through the wrecked dome.
17. STORE ROOM
Wycliff and Kate emerges from the TARDIS. Wycliff closes the doors.
Wycliff: Where’s he gone, anyway?
Kate: How should I know? He’s gone off his trolley.
Wycliff: No, he’s up to something. I just wish I knew what.
Kate crosses to the door and looks around.
Kate: This place looks like a bomb’s hit it.
Wycliff: [fingers burns on doors] Maybe it did. Energy discharge... [sniffs] Dalek neutralizer residue!
Kate: Da-what?
Wycliff: [sober] Daleks.
Kate: [trying out word] Daleks... What are they?
Wycliff: What’s the worst thing you can imagine, Kate?
Kate: Ah, Jezzard? The Manager? The Children of Pyxis?
Wycliff: No, Kate. The Daleks are the worst thing you can imagine.
Kate: [meekly] Heavy. We better find the Doctor, shouldn’t we?
Doctor: [VO] No need.
Kate and Wycliff whirl round, to see the Doctor standing in the doorway.
Doctor: Already here. You’re right, Wycliff. Daleks have attacked this base. There don’t appear to be any survivors. [looks around] Not that surprising really. No one would have stayed here after the first salvo.
Kate: Then why are we here?
Doctor: [avoids her gaze] But someone might be coming to investigate. We’d better have a good scout round. Most of the countryside appears to be rather badly burnt jungle, but...
Wycliff strides up to the Doctor and stares him right in the eye.
Wycliff: [firmly] Doctor. Explain. Now.
Doctor: [unnerved] All right. Do you remember the Xeratel?
Kate: Oh, vaguely.
Doctor: Well, it scanned my mind and found a hole - a blank space in my memories. I’ve been trying for ages to remember what I’ve forgotten. And after sixteen days of exhausting mental probing, I’ve got my memory back.
Wycliff: What did you find?
Doctor: That a while ago, my past self - the little Scottish chap - visited me while we were in a galactic lay-by. He’s set out some sort of plan which requires my - er, his, I mean, our... assistance. The only thing I can remember after that is a string of co-ordinates. Here. An hour ago.
Wycliff closes his eyes and sighs.
Wycliff: We were supposed to stop this, right?
Doctor: [bitterly] Right.
Kate: [sotto] I’m sorry.
Wycliff: Another celestial master-plan ruined by bad luck.
Kate: Oh, who cares about the plan?! How many people have died here, huh? How many do you think would have died if we had been here for them? And there is nothing we can do about it, is there?
Doctor: No. Daleks are very methodical. They’re like that. Dislike the unlike, exterminate the unlike. If there were any chance of a survivor, they’d be straight up here with every gun at their disposal.
18. CONTROL CHAMBER
Five Daleks are present, three governing various control systems.
Commander: Status?
Dalek 1: All systems are now pre-programmed. Battle cruiser is now re-fueled and ready for departure.
Commander: Have the self-destruct systems been set?
Dalek 1: Yes. The base shall be utterly destroyed 3 decarels after departure.
Commander: Prepare to board the battle cruiser.
Dalek 1: I obey.
The second Dalek turns and glides off. A worker Dalek turns around.
Dalek 2: Alert! Alert! Alien intruders at exploration dome.
Commander: All the humans were exterminated.
Dalek 2: Three life-forms detected. Computer indicates that they either hid from the attack and somehow survived or that they are part of a rescue party sent for the scientists.
Commander: In either case, they shall be exterminated. Send three units to seek, locate and exterminate the intruders. Continue with shutting down of the computer systems.
The Commander Dalek watches a patrol leave.
Commander: Status of the space cruiser Victory?
Dalek 2: Entering lower orbit.
Commander: Acceptable.
The first Dalek glides away.
19. MAIN CHAMBER
Wycliff fingers the remains of the computers.
Wycliff: Poor sods must have tried to send for help.
Kate: They didn’t get that far, I take it?
Wycliff: [shakes head] Dead before they switched it on, as far as I can tell. [to the Doctor] This place has been pretty well established. Why would the Daleks wait for ages before attacking?
Doctor: Obviously, they either had just arrived, or only recently gained sufficient fire power to tackle a target of this size. Or... wait a moment, it could be... What’s the year, Wycliff?
Wycliff: 3571. Why?
Doctor: Just curious. If I’m right, then the Daleks were nearly wiped out a few centuries ago when their solar system was utterly destroyed. A few Daleks, if any, would have made it out and gone to ground somewhere.
Kate: [swallows] Somewhere like here, you mean?
Doctor: Yes... They probably laid low until it was safe to attack.
Wycliff: Or until they needed to make sure there was no one to stop them leaving whenever they wanted. That’s why they did this. They didn’t want any witnesses. Which means they’re not at full strength yet.
Kate: So what don’t they want anyone to witness?
Doctor: Well, it’s got to be...
He breaks off as a low whirring noise becomes audible.
Doctor: What’s that?
Kate: [looks up] Sounds like an engine.
Wycliff heads for the hole in the wall.
20. OUTSIDE DOME
The Doctor and Kate join Wycliff. A grey cruiser swoops through the sky and moves out of sight. The sounds of its engines become louder.
Wycliff: An Earth Alliance ship... coming into land.
Kate: A rescue ship?
Wycliff: Maybe.
Kate: I thought you said they never sent a distress signal.
Doctor: That’s no reason for their superiors not to get worried though. Perhaps they need to send some kind of all-clear signal every few hours or else a rescue mission will turn up...
Behind them, three Daleks move through the burnt foliage.
Wycliff: But why aren’t they landing here?
Kate: Well, maybe something’s gone wrong...
Dalek 1: Exterminate!
The trio whirl around just as the first Dalek fires. They dodge the energy bolt, which strikes the dome and causes an explosion. As the reverberations die down, the other two Dalek open fire. There are more explosions.
Doctor: [shouts] SCATTER!
The Doctor runs down the hill, and one Dalek swivels to aim at him. Wycliff dives for the shelter of the dome, and is struck sideways by a stray energy bolt. He screams and crashes to the ground.
Kate: [shocked] Wycliff...
The Daleks whirl and open fire once more. Kate narrowly avoids their fire and runs for her life into the jungle. The Daleks move after her, firing continuously. There are more explosions as the jungle begins to catch fire. We pan away to see Wycliff’s still body lying on the ground. He groans.
21. CONTROL CHAMBER
It is much sparser than before. There is only one Dalek present at the controls. The Command Dalek turns to face the doorway as another Dalek enters.
Commander: Report.
Dalek 3: The human vessel has been successfully captured with no Dalek casualties. All fuel cells and weaponry has been removed and stowed onto the battle cruiser. The battalion is boarding the cruiser presently.
Commander: Acceptable. Prepare for departure.
Dalek 3: [leaves] I obey.
The Commander turns to the worker Dalek.
Commander: Report.
Dalek 1: Shut down now complete. All Dalek technology is now on board the battle cruiser. There is no trace of Dalek habitation in the base.
Commander: Initiate self-destruct sequence. 30 decarels.
Dalek 1: [operates control] I obey.
Commander: Status of Dalek patrol?
Dalek 1: Latest report indicates two humanoids still at large. The patrol is in pursuit presently.
Commander: Discontinue. Without their survival dome, the humanoids will perish eventually. The patrol are to return immediately. We shall now embark the cruiser. The rendezvous must be kept.
Dalek 1: I obey.
The Commander turns and glides away.
22. JUNGLE
There is the constant background noise of Dalek fire. The Doctor is hiding behind a tree, keeping out of sight. There is an explosion close by. Kate runs past, and the Doctor catches her and drags her under cover.
Kate: [shocked] Doctor!
Doctor: [sotto] It’s all right, Kate. You’re safe.
Kate: [sotto] Wycliff isn’t - they shot him!
Doctor: [sotto] Oh no...
Kate: [sotto] He’ll be all right, then, won’t he?
Doctor: [sotto] We can but hope, Kate, we can but hope.
Kate: [sotto] Why would they want to kill us, anyway? We can’t be that much of a security risk, can we?
Doctor: [sotto] Daleks don’t need a reason, Kate. They hate anything that doesn’t look like a salt shaker with a swastika badge. If they catch us, they’ll kill us without a second thought, security risk or not.
He stops suddenly. The Dalek fire has now stopped.
Kate: [sotto] They’ve stopped firing.
Doctor: [sotto] Yes... I wonder why?
The Doctor cautiously peers through some bushes. The Daleks stand silently among the foliage, then turn and leave in unison.
Doctor: [sotto] They must have been called away. Come on.
Kate: [stops him] Where?
Doctor: [sotto] Well, follow them, of course.
Kate: [sotto] What about Wycliff?
Doctor: [sotto] Kate, you saw him shot by the Daleks, didn’t you? [Kate nods] Then he is either dead or alive. He’s quite resilient, you know. If he survived a blast, he’ll probably be out for hours. Either way, we can’t afford to lose the Daleks - before they hurt anyone else.
The Doctor turns and strides off into the jungle. Kate looks around, distraught for a moment, and then follows.
23. CONTROL ROOM
The doors slide apart allowing Wycliff to fall inside, sprawling onto the floor. He groans again, clutching his shoulder. In agony, he manages to get up and hobble over to a chest in the corner, and open it. Inside is a red-striped bandage, which Wycliff manages to apply to his shoulder, gritting his teeth.
24. JUNGLE OUTSIDE CAVE
The three Daleks head for a large cave leading into darkness. A few moments later the Doctor and Kate arrive and follow.
25. CAVE
The cave soon turns into a metallic passage leading away. The Daleks move past us and out of sight. A few moments later, the Doctor and Kate arrive. The Doctor indicates they stop and he looks around.
Doctor: [sotto] They’re obviously well-established here.
Kate: [sotto] Doctor, I really think we should go back.
Doctor: [sotto] You go back, Kate. I’ll keep on down this tunnel.
Kate: [sotto] They’ll kill you!
Doctor: [sotto] Maybe. They might also ask for my autograph. [turns to face her] Look, are you going or staying, Kate? Because we really should make a decision, you know.
Kate swallows and points behind the Doctor. He turns, and sees a Dalek standing behind him. The Doctor sighs. The Dalek fires twice, and the Doctor and Kate and flung to the ground.
Dalek 2: Humanoid intruders have been neutralized.
The Commander moves into view, with two more Daleks.
Commander: Sensors indicate that one of the intruders is a Gallifreyan.
Dalek 2: Computer prognostication reveals 94% probability of the Gallifreyan being the Ka Faraq Gatri - the Doctor!
Dalek 3: Standing orders are that the Doctor is to be exterminated on sight.
Commander: Orders are now countermanded. Prepare restrainers!
Daleks: We obey.
26. CORRIDOR
The TARDIS slowly materializes against the far wall. The doors open and Wycliff emerges gingerly. He has changed his clothes. He looks around cautiously and then moves down the passage. He stops and then ducks under cover. Two Daleks glide past and through a hatchway.
27. PERIMETER
A large cavernous chamber, with a massive chimney-like hole in the ceiling. It has been converted into a launch pad, with a long Dalek battle cruiser lying on it. An alarm blares in the background. The two Daleks enter the airlock, which quickly closes.
28. CONTROL CHAMBER
The door opens and Wycliff enters. He looks around and crosses to a computer terminal which is fixed to the wall and inert. Looking around, he hastily powers up the computer and starts adjusting controls. The screen lights up, showing various symbols moving at super-human speed.
Wycliff: [nods] So that’s what they’re doing here...
The symbols keep moving. Wycliff’s face falls.
Wycliff: Oh no... They’re on that ship...
He turns and runs for it.
29. FLIGHT DECK
Identical to the one in ‘Remembrance of the Daleks’. The pilot Dalek and two others are present. The Commander and another Dalek enter, pushing the Doctor and Kate along. They are restrained by a metal hoola-hoop around their torsos.
Commander: Begin take-off sequence.
There is the sound of rockets powering up.
30. CORRIDOR
Wycliff runs into view, and then heads down another passage.
31. FLIGHT DECK
The roar of the engines grows louder.
Dalek 1: All drives and boosters are now running.
Commander: Prepare for lift off.
Kate: [sotto] I guess we can rule out last-minute rescues, then, Doctor?
Doctor: [sotto] I’m afraid so.
32. PERIMETER
The shuttle begins to lift off the launch pad, smoke pouring from the various engines. The cavern is lit by the brilliant red glow from the launch rockets. Wycliff skids to a halt as the heat strikes him and turns to run. Suddenly, a hand grabs his shoulder and pulls him out of sight. Meanwhile, the shuttle swoops forwards and then upwards, out of sight.
33. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE PERIMETER
The roar fades. We see Wycliff slumped against the wall, gasping. He looks up at his rescuer - it is Tizzana, wearing a combat suit. Wycliff frowns at her.
Tizzana: Are you mad? Do you want to kill yourself?
Wycliff: [weakly] Far from it. [frowns] Do I know you?
Tizanna: I doubt it. We haven’t met before.
Wycliff: No, I’m sure I know you from somewhere... Or someone. Maybe if the Doctor was here, he could jog my memory...
Tizzana: [surprised] You know the Doctor?
Wycliff: [frowns] Know him? Yeah, I know him. Short bloke, Scottish, with the umbrella and the hat, right?
Tizzana: [shrugs] Well, he used to be. He looks a bit different now.
Wycliff: [sympathetically] Hey, it all works out.
Someone enters the tunnel. Tizanna looks relieved and crosses over to them.
Tizanna: There you are!
We see that it is a fat, grey-haired man with a moustache, spectacles and an opera cloak. He carries a silver-topped cane in one hand.
Man: Yes, Tizanna. But it appears we’ve missed our lift.
Tizanna: We’re stuck here?
Man: So it appears. And who is this? Delighted to make your acquaintance.
Wycliff: [holds out hand] Uh, Wycliff. Wycliff Greymalkin.
Man: I’m the Doctor and this is my friend Tizanna.
Wycliff stares at the newcomer in surprise.
34. SPACE
The shuttles swoop up into the sky.
35. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE PERIMETER
Wycliff approaches the Alt Doctor.
Wycliff: You? The Doctor?
Alt Doctor: I’ve regenerated. The difference is purely perceptual.
Wycliff: You’re telling me that you used to be the Scottish bloke?
Alt Doctor: Bloke? Bloke? Yes, I suppose I am. And I do not recall your face, young man. Just who exactly are you, hmmm?
Wycliff: I’m the TARDIS Librarian.
Alt Doctor: The TARDIS Library doesn’t need a Librarian!
Wycliff: No, but it likes me, anyway. Look, I traveled with the Doctor. I’ve spoken with the Doctor. I know the Doctor. And you, sir, are no Doctor! [frowns] Unless...
He steps forward. The Alt Doctor backs away.
Tizanna: Do not try anything, boy or I will crush your eyes.
Wycliff fingers the Alt Doctor’s wrist.
Wycliff: Two heartbeats... You’re a Time Lord, definitely. And, if I didn’t know otherwise, I’d swear you were the Doctor. Except you’re in your second regenerative form and... and... You’re not the Doctor! But you are...
Tizanna: He is a Doctor. There is another.
Wycliff: Yes... Yes, I suppose he is... Something bad happened to the TARDIS around that time, I think. Look, this isn’t the time or the place for nostalgia. You want a lift? Come on, then.
Wycliff turns and hurries down the corridor. The others follow.
Alt Doctor: And where exactly are you taking us, young man?
Wycliff: My TARDIS, "Doctor". I have to get on that battle cruiser as fast as I can. The other Doctor and a very good friend of mine are aboard. Now, I think that trying to reduce the overall bloodshed isn’t such a bad idea.
36. FLIGHT DECK
Hieroglyphics scroll across the screen.
Dalek 1: Primary orbit achieved. Setting co-ordinates for Azorius Minor.
The Command Dalek glides across to face the Doctor and Kate.
Commander: Your attempt at sabotage has failed. We will arrive at the base on Azorius Minor in 1700 rels, on schedule for the rendezvous.
Doctor: I’m happy for you.
Commander: And there you will be exterminated before the entire Dalek race!
TO BE CONTINUED
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