12. Danger at the Bottom

SCENE #136 – EXT – OXFORD CIRCUS, CENTRAL LONDON – DAY, MORNING
Meanwhile, with the Doctor; Jo and Darby, they run away from the Autons chasing them and firing their wrist-guns at them. They’re now in Oxford Circus where they approach the underground tube station area.

JO
Doctor, we’re nearly there! There’s Oxford Circus tube station before us!

DOCTOR
Don’t slow down, Jo! We can’t slumber!

The Autons continue to fire at them, causing Jo to scream.

JO
Doctor, that Auton nearly blew my head off!

DOCTOR
Accurate, aren’t they?

DARBY
(realises) Oh no!

JO
What is it, Corporal?

DARBY
We’ve got company!

The Doctor, Jo and Darby look ahead to see Ogrons charging towards them from the opposite side. They grunt and growl as they approach.

DOCTOR
(groans) “Oh this is exactly what we need!”

JO
We’ve got Ogrons and Autons on each side! What do we do?! We can’t let them follow us into the tube station!

DOCTOR
Brave heart, Jo! We’ll soon figure a way out of this!

JO
Well, at least we’re next to the tube station entrance!

DARBY
(insistently) Go in, you two! I’ll hold them off! Don’t stand around gawping! Get inside!

JO
We can’t leave you out here to face [them…]

DARBY
I’m an experienced military man! I’ve faced these creatures before! Get inside! I’ll give you time to get inside!

DOCTOR
Don’t be an idiot, Corporal! They’ll kill you!

DARBY
I’d rather die than run around and be chased in this place! Do as I say! I’ll distract them for as long as I can!

DOCTOR
(gradually) I’m much obliged to you, James! Good luck!

JO
Yes, good luck!

DARBY
(barks) Get inside now! Now!!!

DOCTOR
Come on, Jo! Do as the man says! Inside!

The Doctor and Jo make a run for it as they head inside the tube station via the entrance. Darby meanwhile takes his one of his rifles and aims it at the Autons and the Ogrons approaching him.

DARBY
Alright?! Who wants some?!

The Autons and the Ogrons keep on charging towards Darby as he aims his rifle at them.

DARBY
Come on! Take this you scallywags! Take this!!!

Darby howls as he opens fire, shooting at the Ogrons and the Autons with his rifle. Some Ogrons and Autons fall to the ground whilst some still keep coming for the attack.

---

SCENE #137 – INT – TUBE STATION, OXFORD CIRCUS – DAY, MORNING
Meanwhile, the Doctor and Jo make their way into the entrance hall of the Oxford Circus tube station. They look back and hear Darby’s howls as he fights the Ogrons and the Autons outside.

JO
Doctor! We shouldn’t have left him! He’ll get killed! We know he will!

DOCTOR
There’s nothing we can do, Jo! Besides we have to hope for the best! Come on! Back to platform one where we found the metal plate and the hatchway!

JO
And find Nyssa and Billy. You’ve got the magnetic core extractor, haven’t you?

DOCTOR
I certainly have! Let’s go!

The Doctor and Jo run deeper into the tube station, whilst battle ensues from outside between Darby against the Ogrons and the Autons.

---

SCENE #138 – INT – CENTRAL UNIT, MINISCOPE – N/A
Back in the inner workings, Nyssa completes her work on the makeshift core extractor and shows it to Billy.

BILLY
“Is that it? Is it finished?”

NYSSA
“Yes. My own makeshift magnetic core extractor with bits of your camera, Billy.”

BILLY
“It doesn’t look much, does it? Bit tatty. Not that I’m criticising your technical expertise, sweetheart.”

NYSSA
“Believe me, Billy. I’m not happy about this either. But we just have to trust to luck that it’ll work to get this hatch open.”

BILLY
“What rate of probability will that thing work according to you, Nyssa?”

NYSSA
“About ninety-three per cent probability, I think.”

BILLY
“Is that err…promising?”

NYSSA
“Let’s just try it out, shall we?”

The Drashigs’ howls get ever closer.

BILLY
Oh well, better than nothing I suppose. (encouragingly) Go on, Nyssa.

NYSSA
Right. Applying the device to the metal plate…

Nyssa applies her make-shift magnetic core extractor to the metal plate before she switches it on. The make-shift extractor buzzes terribly as Nyssa and Billy react, annoyed by the noise.

BILLY
You couldn’t have picked a better noise for that, could you?

NYSSA
I didn’t have time to consider the pitch and variance frequencies.

Nyssa applies the makeshift extractor all around the metal plate as she attempt to unseal the hatch. This lasts for thirteen seconds.

BILLY
Have you finished?

NYSSA
Nearly there. Just this last edge here and…

There’s then a click before Nyssa switches off the device.

BILLY
It clicked just then. Did it work?

NYSSA
I hope so. Help me lift the plate up please, Billy.

Billy obliges as he helps Nyssa with lifting the metal plate up from the floor. As they lift it, they put the metal plate to one side to reveal the hatchway below. They look down to see inside it.

BILLY
It is a hatchway!

NYSSA
“Yes. And thankfully there’s a step ladder to help us get down to the bottom.”

BILLY
“Well done, Nyssa! You did it! You did a very good job with making that contraption similar to the Doctor’s.”

NYSSA
“I try my best. I must practice my skills in this area more often. I’m finding rather intriguing and enlightening.”

BILLY
I’d be only happy to help you out if you wish.

NYSSA
I shall be delighted to have your help, Billy. You certainly gave me confidence when lending me your camera.

BILLY
Good. Now let’s get down there. I wonder what we’ll find when we get down.

NYSSA
Hopefully, a door labelled ‘exit’ to let us out of this peculiar place.

BILLY
There are giants waiting for us, Nyssa.

NYSSA
(concerned) Yes. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, Billy.

Suddenly, the noisy, angry howls of the Drashigs echo behind them.

BILLY
(concerned) I think you might have angered those Drashigs, Nyssa. They sound like they’re not happy with the noise your makeshift extractor made.

NYSSA
“I almost forgot about the Drashigs. How silly of me.” (Pause) “Right, Billy! Get down the ladder and I’ll come down after you.”

BILLY
“No, Nyssa! You go first!”

NYSSA
(sighs) “Oh very well. But get down after me as soon as I’m in.”

BILLY
“Got you!”

NYSSA
“Right, here we go!”

Nyssa eventually gets inside and climbs down the ladder into the hatchway. Billy watches Nyssa go down into the hatchway, whilst the Drashigs howl in the background. After a few moments of waiting…

BILLY
“Nyssa?! Are you alright down there?!”

NYSSA
“Yes I’m fine, Billy! Get down here! Don’t linger!”

BILLY
“Right! Coming in after you!”

NYSSA
“Hurry Billy! Hurry!”

Billy eventually gets onto the ladder and begins to climb down into the hatchway. He then gasps as he sees the Drashigs smashing their way through the inner workings in his direction, as they howl and scream.

BILLY
(panics) “Nyssa?! The Drashigs! They’re nearly here! They’re coming towards me!”

NYSSA
(shouts; urgently) “Get down the ladder, Billy! Quick!”

Without hesitation, Billy immediately climbs down the ladder following after Nyssa. The Drashigs continue screaming and howling, as they slither towards where Billy was. They begin to follow him and Nyssa down the hatchway.

---

SCENE #139 – INT – THRONE ROOM, CITADEL OF GRONDOR – DAY, EVENING
It is now evening on Teruvade 16. Back in the king’s throne room in the Grondor citadel, King Garnik and Prince Ernpic enter as they return from having a meeting with Minister Kovut.

ERNPIC
“The enemy’s growing stronger, father! We can’t hold them off! That idiot Kovut’s got the wrong troops!”

GARNIK
“Never mind that, Ernpic! Now is the time for us to act! With Bork’s machine, we can control our destiny!”

ERNPIC
“That contraption?! After all Bork and that stupid woman of his Tulu did?!”

GARNIK
“We still need them, Ernpic!”

ERNPIC
“We should kill them, father! They betrayed us!”

GARNIK
“No! They are useful! They must not be killed!”

ERNPIC
(aggravated) “Why won’t you listen to a word I say?!”

GARNIK
“My son! Are you ready to hear my plans? On how we are to rid the human race!”

ERNPIC
(gradually; surprised) “The human race? You plan to destroy the human race?”

GARNIK
“Yes, Ernpic! That’s what this has been all about! The human race! Why I asked Bork and Tulu to come to Grondor. To Teruvada Sixteen. Our victory shall be the humiliation of the human race!”

ERNPIC
“I don’t understand, father. With that machine. How are you going to use that to destroy the human race?”

GARNIK
“You hate the humans don’t you, Ernpic my son?”

ERNPIC
“As much as I hate our enemies out on the frontline. What about our enemies, father? Shouldn’t we deal with them first?”

GARNIK
“Our enemies will be essential to the plan as well. I intend to use them as test subjects for the main objective.”

ERNPIC
“The main objective? What is this plan that you have in mind?”

GARNIK
“You wish to hear it, my son?”

ERNPIC
(impatiently) “Of course! I asked, didn’t I?”

GARNIK
(gradually) “Then listen, my son. And listen carefully. It will soon please your ears.”

Ernpic listens carefully as Garnik reveals his plans to him.

---

SCENE #140 – INT – BOTTOM SECTION, MINISCOPE – N/A
Meanwhile, Nyssa and Billy have reached the bottom of the ladder after climbing down it. They hear the Drashigs from above, as they scream and howl away.

BILLY
“They must be on their way down here now! They’ll be on us like a ton of bricks if they fall through!”

NYSSA
“They won’t fall through, Billy. They’ll slither down very slowly the way that hatchway is narrow for them. It’ll take time for them to slumber down.”

BILLY
“Are you sure about that?”

NYSSA
“Billy, I’ve measured the width and length of this hatchway as we came down. The Drashigs won’t collapse down on top of us, believe me.”

BILLY
“Oh well, that’s a relief.”

NYSSA
“It gives us time. Time to find a way out of here.”

BILLY
“How can we find a way out? It’s dark in here.”

NYSSA
“We must have come down about eight feet. That ladder was long enough for that. This must be where the way out is.”

BILLY
“Yes, it was long that ladder. I’m amazed we managed to climb down it.”

NYSSA
I doubt we had very much choice.

Nyssa and Billy look around to see if they can find a way out. Billy then spots something close by.

BILLY
Say! That’s a door here! A metallic door!

NYSSA
Yes, you’re right, Billy. It’s the only one in this space. That settles it!

BILLY
It must be the way out!

NYSSA
Yes!

BILLY
Do you think we can unlock it?

NYSSA
With this, yes.

BILLY
(dismayed) “Not that metallic core extractor again, Nyssa.”

NYSSA
“Magnetic, Billy. It’s a magnetic core extractor! And yes, we have to use it again for this occasion.”

BILLY
“Are you sure about this, Nyssa?”

NYSSA
“Positive! Now stand to one side. I’m going to unlock the door.”

Drashigs screams echo again from above, getting louder.

BILLY
“Well, you’d better hurry! I’m nervous about those Drashigs falling on top of us any minute!”

Nyssa begins her work in using the makeshift magnetic core extractor on the metal door before he and Nyssa. The awful buzzing noise echoes again.

---

SCENE #141 – INT – THRONE ROOM, CITADEL OF GRONDOR – DAY, EVENING
Meanwhile, in the throne room of the Grondor citadel on Teruvada 16, Prince Ernpic laughs out lod manically. His father, King Garnik, has already revealed his plans to him.

GARNIK
(pleased) “You approve my son?”

ERNPIC
“That has got to be one of the ingenious; the most fabulous strategies of campaign you have ever come up with, father.”

GARNIK
“I know. I’d like to come with good plans.”

ERNPIC
“You should have told this to me, father. I would have helped you.”

GARNIK
“But you wouldn’t. I needed to trust you in order to be sure I can rely on you for what I’m hoping to achieve with this. Can I rely on you, Ernpic?”

ERNPIC
“Absolutely! You have my full support, father!”

GARNIK
“And the medication? You will take the medication to ensure you will comply with my wishes?”

ERNPIC
“Indeed I will, father. I shall take my medication [and…”]

GARNIK
(realises; interrupts) “Look, my son! Look to the floor! Coming out from the machine! Tiny creatures!”

Garnik and Ernpic turn to see the tiny figures of Nyssa and Billy coming out of the miniscope through the mini-door at the bottom section. Nyssa and Billy groan in high pitched voices, before collapsing to the floor as they faint.

ERNPIC
“They’ve fainted! The creatures have fainted!”

GARNIK
(realises) “I recognise those two! They are the other two Tellurians – the humans! The boy and the girl. They were with the Doctor and that old woman.”

ERNPIC
(enraged) “They have found a means of escape from the machine!”

GARNIK
“Look Ernpic! They’re expanding! They’re growing!”

This is true as Nyssa and Billy expand and grow to full size after having come out of the compression field of the miniscope. They eventually become fully-grown. Nyssa and Billy groan, feeling weak from the effects of being inside the miniscope and the effects of expansion.

ERNPIC
(shouts) Guards! Guards! Intruders in the throne room! Get in here, guards! In the name of the Prince of Nargdu, get inside!!!

Ernpic pants angrily as he stands beside his father Garnik.

GARNIK
What do you intend to do with them, my son? Kill them?

ERNPIC
(angrily) They must be executed! They must! I will not permit humans to share the same space as us in our throne room!!!

GARNIK
I have a better suggestion in mind.

ERNPIC
Never mind your suggestions! We should kill them!

GARNIK
No! They must live!

ERNPIC
(yells) “Why do you stop my pleasure in killing these two stinking human pigs?!!! They must die!!! They must die, mustn’t they?!!!”

GARNIK
“That Doctor and his friend, the old woman, are looking for them inside that machine this very minute! Bork and Tulu told us so!”

ERNPIC
“So?!”

GARNIK
“They’re bound to come out where those two – the boy and girl – came out from! Through that mini-door at the bottom section of the machine! Looking for their friends!”

ERNPIC
“What is your point, father?”

GARNIK
“We should keep the boy and the girl as hostages. When the Doctor and his friend, the white-haired woman, come out, we shall have the boy and girl to show them in our custody.”

ERNPIC
(realises) “I see. Then we can humiliate the Doctor by making him see his two young friends tortured and brutalised!”

GARNIK
“It needn’t come to extremes, son.”

ERNPIC
(laughs) “But this is tremendous! I shall have the guards take the boy and the girl to their prison cell until that time comes!”

GARNIK
“I must say I approve of your thinking, Ernpic my son.”

Just then, some soldiers led by Commander Yotach enter the throne room at Ernpic’s command. Ernpic turns to them as they enter.

YOTACH
“You wanted us, your majesty? Me and my troops?”

ERNPIC
“Yotach! Take those two stinking humans on the floor away! Have your guards put them in a prison cell next to Bork and Tulu’s! Do it now!”

YOTACH
“At your command, sire.” (to Nargdu guards) “You lot! Take them!”

The guards make their way over to Nyssa and Billy as they pick them up from the floor. Nyssa and Billy groan disorientated, as they’re still weary from the shock of escaping the miniscope and expanding to full-size.

NYSSA
(weakly) “Please! Listen! You’re all in big trouble! The Drashigs are coming!”

ERNPIC
(dismissively) “Ignore their lies! They have no respect for the Nargdu! Their ramblings have no meaning!”

BILLY
(weakly) “She’s telling the truth! Listen to her! There are big snake-like creatures coming out after us! And if you don’t stop them, you’re all going to be [dead…”]

Yotach smacks Billy on the head.

YOTACH
“Shut up, you twerp!”

GARNIK
“Don’t harm them, Yotach. We still need them alive for the Doctor’s sake.”

ERNPIC
“Take them to their prison cell I say!”

NYSSA
(weakly; protests) “Don’t ignore us! You’re not listening! You’re soon to be invaded by monsters! The Drashigs will kill you! They’ll kill everyone on this planet!”

But Nyssa and Billy are ignored as they’re taken away to their prison cell. Garnik and Ernpic laugh once they’ve been taken away.

GARNIK
“Time to make plans for our own purposes. Come and sit by me, my son. There’s so much we have to talk about.”

ERNPIC
Right away, father.

With that, Garnik and Ernpic sit in their throne chairs to discuss business matters. They don’t notice the little hatch door that Nyssa and Billy came out is starting to budge, as if something’s about to emerge from it.

---

SCENE #142 – EXT – OXFORD CIRCUS, CENTRAL LONDON – DAY, MORNING
Back in London, outside the tube station at Oxford Circus, Darby deals with the Ogrons and the Autons as he keeps on firing at them with his rifle, shooting them down.

DARBY
(shouts; jeers) You can’t get enough of me, can you?! You want to see me don’t you, my dears?! Well, I’m going to give you all the full treatment you all deserve! Cos I won’t let you through here, do you hear?! Not ever!

Darby howls as he fires at the Ogrons and the Autons. Despite his persistent firing at them with his rifle, the Ogrons and the Autons are relentless in their advance towards him.

DARBY
Can’t give up, can you?! Good! Cos I’m feeling lucky today! Bring it on!

Darby howls again with a laugh as he shoots at them with his rifle. Meanwhile, the Ogrons, led by Kharshak, steps forward to address Darby.

KHARSHAK
(shouts) Let us pass! Us Ogrons win the day! We will smash you down!

DARBY
(taunts) Want a bet? I can keep this up all day if I have to!

Despite Darby’s confidence, it fails him as he gets hit on the head by an Auton behind him. Darby groans as he collapses to the floor unconscious. The Autons stop firing with their wrist-guns as do the Ogrons with their guns. The Auton leader meets up with Kharshak.

KHARSHAK
(grunts) You plastics fight well. We Ogrons win day!

AUTON LEADER
The fugitives have now entered in the tube station. They are now far out of reach. We must pursue them.

KHARSHAK
Me Kharshak know where two human scum go. Follow us Ogrons! We shall attack and smash them in!

AUTON LEADER
We will follow. Do not deceive us. Or else it is total destruction for you. For you Ogrons.

KHARSHAK
Come! Me Kharshak show you! Come!

The Autons follow Kharshak and the Ogrons into the Oxford Circus tube station via the main entrance. Lying on the ground, Darby groans as he’s weary from being knocked out by the Auton leader. He looks to see the last of the Autons and the Ogrons entering the tube station via the entrance.

DARBY
(weakly) Sorry Doctor; Jo. I held them off for as long as I could.

Darby sighs as he slumbers back into unconsciousness on the ground of Oxford Circus.

---

SCENE #143 – INT – CENTRAL UNIT, MINISCOPE – N/A
In the inner workings of the minisciope, the Doctor and Jo search their way through to try and find Nyssa and Billy.

JO
“They must be here somewhere. They must!”

DOCTOR
“Must they, Jo? For all we know they managed to escape already.”

JO
“But then again, they may not. For all we know they may find themselves out in another environment. With more alien monsters and horrible nasties.”

DOCTOR
(hushes) “Ssh! Ssh, Jo!”

JO
(whispers) “What is it?”

DOCTOR
(whispers) “Look!”

The Doctor and Jo look to see as they spot the last of the Drashigs going down into the hatchway that was Nyssa and Billy’s escape route from the miniscope.

JO
(whispers) “It’s a Drashig! I saw the end of its tail!”

DOCTOR
(whispers) “Probably the last, I imagine.”

JO
(whispers) “The last of what?”

DOCTOR
(whispers) “The last of the group of Drashigs that went down into the hatchway!”

JO
(surprised; whispers) “That was a hatchway they went down in?”

DOCTOR
(whispers) “Yes. And probably the one Nyssa and Billy used.”

Once the last of the Drashigs has gone down into the hatchway, the Doctor and Jo approach it. They tread carefully.

DOCTOR
(gradually) “Yes, just as I imagined. Nyssa and Billy managed to find a way out down this hole in the floor. I remembering seeing something like this when I got out of the miniscope during the first time we were in one, Jo.”

Jo then notices something on the floor.

JO
(realises) “Wait a minute. There’s a metal plate on the floor. Nyssa and Billy must removed that when it covered the hatchway.”

DOCTOR
“Yes I believe you’re right, Jo.”

JO
(confused) “But…how did they manage to get it open without the magnetic core extractor?”

DOCTOR
“Probably Nyssa invented something that was slightly makeshift but on the same lines. She would invent something like that with her technical skills.”

The Doctor then picks something up from the floor and examines it.

DOCTOR
(intrigued) “Yes. Something like this.”

JO
“What’s that you’re holding in your hand, Doctor?”

DOCTOR
“It’s a lens. A photographic lens that is part of an old-fashioned camera.”

JO
“A camera?! Nyssa built a makeshift magnetic core extractor from a camera?!”

DOCTOR
“Yes. From one Billy had in his possession, I presume.”

JO
“Billy had a camera?”

DOCTOR
“Well he is a photographer you know.”

JO
“Of course.”

DOCTOR
But the point is, they both found a way out. Not sure what the reception is going to be like when they meet our Nargdu friends.

JO
I should think the Nargdu have more to worry about. If the Drashigs get out and attack them.

DOCTOR
You’re quite right, Jo. We’ve got to stop them from getting out of the miniscope.

JO
Why hasn’t Bork switched on the phase two switch? He was told to do it at your instructions, wasn’t he?

Just then, the Doctor and Jo are fired upon. They turn back to see the Ogrons and the Autons attacking them with their weapons – the Ogrons with their guns and the Autons with their wrist-guns.

DOCTOR
I’m afraid Corporal James wasn’t able to hold off our friends for very long.

JO
Doctor, the Ogrons and the Autons are blocking our way of escape.

DOCTOR
Not quite, Jo! We obviously can’t go back the way we came! So therefore, we go forwards instead!

JO
Forwards?

DOCTOR
“Down here! Into the hatch!”

JO
“Doctor, I can’t go down into the hatchway! The Drashigs will be waiting for us!”

DOCTOR
“The Drashigs will have already found a way out if we know their strength. Now come on, Jo! You go down first!”

JO
“I can’t go down there, Doctor! I just can’t!”

DOCTOR
“Jo, there’s no other way!”

The Ogrons and the Autons fire again at the Doctor and Jo with their weapons. This causes Jo to scream.

DOCTOR
“Please Jo! Do as I say!”

JO
(gradually; nervously) “Alright! I’ll go down!”

DOCTOR
“Take it easy, Jo! Go down slowly.”

Jo makes her way into the hatchway, climbing down the ladder. The Doctor watches Jo go downwards.

DOCTOR
“Jo, are you managing alright?”

JO
“I’m fine. Quick, Doctor! Get yourself down here as well!”

The Doctor turns back to see the Ogrons and the Autons charging towards him. He eventually gets onto the ladder and climbs down it into the hatchway.

DOCTOR
(to Ogrons; Autons) “Sorry! Must fly! See you gentlemen again! Goodbye!”

The Doctor disappears down into the hatchway before the Ogrons and the Autons arrive. The Ogrons and the Autons look down and try to fire shots down into the hatchway at the Doctor and Jo with their weapons, but it’s to no avail.

AUTON LEADER
“Target not acquired. No confirmation of direct hit.”

KHARSHAK
“Then we go down! We follow them! Come!”

AUTON LEADER
“We shall follow. Lead the way, Ogron leader.”

Kharshak grunts and laughs, as he and the Ogrons climb down the ladder first to follow the Doctor and Jo. The Autons eventually follow.

---

SCENE #144 – INT – GRONDOR CITY, TERUVADA 16 – DAY, EVENING
War rages on Teruvada 16 and it’s getting worse. Buildings and houses get smashed as fire bolts hit and flare up, burning them down. Armies of soldiers fight against each other. Both sides fight for their lives and are repeatedly slaughtered by the minute. Screams of soldiers echo across the city of Grondor as they die.

---

SCENE #145 – INT – PRISON CELL AREA, CITADEL OF GRONDOR – DAY, EVENING
In the prison cell area within the citadel of Grondor on Teruvada 16, Nyssa and Billy are thrown into one of them by the guards very roughly. The guard lock the doors of Nyssa and Billy’s prison cell behind them. Nyssa and Billy rush to the doors and bang on them once they’re locked in. The guards make to leave.

BILLY
(cries) “Oi! Let us out! What have you locked us in for?!”

NYSSA
“We haven’t done anything wrong! Let us out!”

Nyssa and Billy bang on the doors repeatedly to get an answer. But the guards have gone and Nyssa and Billy sigh annoyed.

BILLY
(grumbles) “They don’t want to know us!”

BORK
“Well, well, well! What do we have here?! Two young-ins!”

Nyssa and Billy turn around, startled to see Bork and Tulu in the next prison cell with them.

NYSSA
(breathes deep) “Sorry. We didn’t see you there.”

BILLY
“You two gave us a start.”

TULU
(realises) “Hey Bork! I recognise these two! They’re the other two Tellurians!”

BORK
“The ones that were with the Doctor and Jo?”

TULU
“Yes! That’s them! Nyssa and…Billy, wasn’t it?”

NYSSA
(hopeful) “You’ve seen the Doctor and Jo?”

BORK
“We helped them out. They were in this cell that Tulu and I are in before we took their place.”

BILLY
“But where are they now? Where are the Doctor and Jo?”

TULU
“They went back inside the miniscope to look for you two.”

NYSSA
“Just as we came out once they’d got in I suspect.”

BILLY
“Oh great, that’s all we need! Now we got to go back inside the miniscope to look for them. And that means…finding a way to get back inside somehow.”

NYSSA
Which might take hours to come up with a solution.

BORK
Not if I have anything to do with it! I’ve nearly finished my little gadget for getting us out of here.

NYSSA
I’m sorry?

BORK
The Doctor wants me to press a switch on a machine that he’s got for getting him and Jo out of the scope should the need arise. I’d say that need’s way overdue now. So I’ve got the device to get us four out of these prison cells we’re in.

TULU
It’s nearly finished then, Bork?

BORK
Of course it is. There’s just one thing missing though. I need an extra magnetic fabricator in order to unlock the cell doors. And this bag of tricks of mine doesn’t seem to have it, I’m afraid.

NYSSA
Did you say…magnetic fabricator? Something to unseal the lock on the door by demagnetising it?

BORK
(scoffs) “I wish I could have something like that everyday. It’d be the finishing touch to this gadget I’ve built rather nicely, wouldn’t you say?”

NYSSA
“Will this do?”

Nyssa shows her makeshift magnetic core extractor to Bork. Bork takes a look at it as Nyssa holds it in her hand.

BORK
(beams) “Brilliant! Just what we need! May I have that from you please?”

NYSSA
“Of course.”

Nyssa hands over the device to Bork, to which he takes and examines it further.

BORK
“Thank you.” (Pause) ““Sorry, we didn’t introduce ourselves. I am Bork – greatest showman in the galaxy!”

NYSSA
“And I’m Nyssa. Nyssa of Traken.”

BILLY
“And I’m Billy. Billy Walker.”

TULU
“Oh we know. The Doctor told us, remember?”

BORK
“And this is my glamorous assistant Tulu.”

BILLY
(politely) “Hello. Nice to meet you.”

TULU
“Ooh! Aren’t you a polite young man. And handsome too.”

BILLY
Oh really?

BORK
(to Tulu) Pay no attention to her, lad. She gets like this whenever she sees any man. (to Tulu) Behave yourself, Tulu. The boy’s got a girl, remember? She’s here as well.

TULU
Well, there’s nothing wrong with telling someone that he’s handsome. Especially one who is so young and polite as Billy is.

---

SCENE #146 – INT – COURTYARD, CITADEL OF GRONDOR – DAY, EVENING
Meanwhile, with King Garnik and his son Prince Ernpic, they walk the courtyard in the citadel of Grondor, overseeing the battles that go on down below on the Ronnelep fields.

ERNPIC
Our soldiers fight poorly, father! Our side is failing! They are weak in spirit to fight the war! Why can’t us Nargdu have proper soldiers?

GARNIK
We shall! Once we gain the power that we need from the machine given to us by Bork, the Nargdu Empire shall be reinvigorated! Glory to Empire!

ERNPIC
I want this war won! I want our side to win!

GARNIK
So do I, my son. Once we’ve absorbed our rebel anti-Nargdu enemies inside that machine, we shall have all the fun we want.

ERNPIC
Yes. We shall. (Pause) My mother would not approve of what we’re doing now.

GARNIK
“No, she wouldn’t. That is why I saw to it that she was killed.”

ERNPIC
“You killed my mother, father?”

GARNIK
“The woman was weak. She would not have served the Nargdu faithfully.”

Before Ernpic can ask his father anymore questions, Minister Kovut and Commander Yotach enter the courtyard to meet them.

KOVUT
“Your majesty! Great king! We have a report on the current situation!”

GARNIK
“Speak now before my time is wasted! Be quick!”

YOTACH
“The current situation is now critical, great king! All our forces are suffering! The enemy will soon knock down on the doors of Teruvada’s court and have you slain, sire.”

KOVUT
“There’s nothing we can do now, good king! Teruvada Sixteen is lost! We have failed!”

ERNPIC
“Don’t you say that you weak old man, Kovut! You know nothing of war! Even though you are the War Minister of our planet! You have not had blood spilled on your hands!”

GARNIK
“My son, that’s enough! We must consider now the current situation Kovut and Yotach have related to us. How shall we go about this, my son?”

ERNPIC
“You’re the great king, father. You tell me!”

Garnik thinks for a moment before he comes to a decision.

GARNIK
(gradually) “We shall move ahead! We will summon Bork and Tulu from their prison cell and get them to work for us on their machine.”

ERNPIC
“As you say, father. It is a good plan.”

GARNIK
“It is a good plan.” (to Kovut) “Kovut, you will go to the prison cells and summon Bork and Tulu to us.”

KOVUT
“Understood, your majesty.”

GARNIK
“Commander Yotach! Send more troops into where the battle takes place. Don’t care how you do it, but just do it!”

YOTACH
“I protest, your majesty!”

ERNPIC
(aghast) “What say you, Commander? You protest against my father?!”

YOTACH
“I have been sending troops into the battlegrounds non-stop! And has anyone of them come out again?! No!!! They keep dying! I will not send another batch of soldiers into [the…”]

ERNPIC
(interrupts; berserk) “You protest against my father, Yotach! You…a woman! You shall pay for this!”

GARNIK
“You will do as I command, Yotach! Or else I’ll have you beheaded!”

YOTACH
(protests) “But your majesty…”

KOVUT
(interrupts) “Do not argue with his majesty, Commander! Do as he commands!”

A moment of tense silence ensues.

YOTACH
(grumbles) “Very well. But I’m not happy about this.”

With that, Yotach leaves and heads off back into battle.

KOVUT
“I will send for Bork and Tulu, your majesties. If you’ll excuse me.”

Kovut bows before going off to comply with the king’s wishes. Garnik and Ernpic remain in the courtyard.

ERNPIC
(angrily) “That idiot woman! Who does she think she is?! She’d better not oppose against us!”

GARNIK
“That’s enough, my son!” (Pause) “Now…I wish to return to the throne room and learn more about Bork’s machine – the miniscope. Accompany me, my son!”

ERNPIC
“Of course, father.”

GARNIK
(triumphantly) “From there, we can commence our grand plan!”

With that, Garnik and Ernpic walk off as they head back to the throne room.

---

SCENE #147 – INT – PRISON CELL AREA, CITADEL OF GRONDOR – DAY, EVENING
Back in the prison cell area, Bork applies his new gadget, with Nyssa’s help, to get himself, Tulu, Nyssa and Billy out of their prison cells. Nyssa, Billy and Tulu wait patiently as Bork’s device buzzes away when he applies his new gadget to the prison cell doors.

TULU
(sceptically) “It’s not working is it, Bork.”

BORK
“Give it time, Tulu. Trust me, give it time.”

More of buzzes echo from Bork’s device, which lasts for ten seconds.

TULU
(sceptically) “It hasn’t worked.”

BORK
You can’t be sure of anything, can you? I did my best with the component parts I had. You can’t blame me for not trying to get ourselves out of here.

TULU
We’re going to be stuck in here and the Doctor and Jo will never get out.

BORK
(scolds) Stop it, Tulu! You’ll upset the boy and the girl here.

Suddenly there’s a click. The doors to the prison cells unlock and swing open. Bork switches his little gadget off and it stops buzzing.

BILLY
(amazed) Hey! It worked! The prison cell doors are open!

NYSSA
Thank goodness! We’re free!

BORK
Right! Let’s get out of here!

With that, Bork and Tulu get out of the prison cell whilst Nyssa and Billy get out of theirs. The four of them stand as a group outside their open-door prison cells.

NYSSA
(pleased) Well done, Bork! You used your technical expertise exceptionally well!

TULU
(pleased) Yes! Well done, Bork. I’ll never know how you get away with it.

BORK
(modestly) Oh…one doesn’t like to boast. I have a knack for these things.

BILLY
Now we can escape. We can find a way back to the throne room and rescue the Doctor and Jo.

NYSSA
(to Bork; Tulu) Mr. Bork; Miss Tulu? Please show us the way back to the throne room!

TULU
It’s this way!

BORK
Come on!

Nyssa, Billy, Bork and Tulu are about to leave the prison cell area to escape. But their path gets blocked, as Minister Kovut and a group of Nargdu guards appear before them.

TULU
(shocked) “Guards!”

NYSSA
(urgently) “Quick! Back the way we came! Come on!”

Nyssa, Billy, Bork and Tulu turn the other way, but their path gets blocked again by some more Nargdu guards.

BILLY
(dismayed) “No good. Guards on both sides.”

KOVUT
“There’s no escape for you four! No matter how hard you try!”

BORK
“Back in the cell I presume?”

KOVUT
“No! His majesty the king wants to see you, Bork! And I’m sure he wants to see all four of you!”

BORK
“Oh? What honour has been bestowed upon us?”

KOVUT
“You shall find out! Oh yes! You shall certainly find out!”

Nyssa, Billy, Bork and Tulu become uneasy as Kovut and the Nargdu guards are about to escort them away.

---

SCENE #148 – INT – THRONE ROOM, CITADEL OF GRONDOR – DAY, EVENING
Back in the king’s throne room in the Grondor citadel of Teruvada 16, King Garnik and Prince Ernpic enter.

ERNPIC
(frustrated) “I just don’t like her attitude, father. Women like Yotach who have attitudes of that calibre deserve to be punished in my opinion.”

GARNIK
“You will learn to understand ‘women’, my son. Once we win the war.”

ERNPIC
(agitated) “I don’t want to! I don’t want a woman in my life! Women are nuisances! They serve only to provide the babies and that’s it! Nothing more!”

GARNIK
“You should see how your mother reacted when I told her the same thing.”

ERNPIC
“Father? About my mother. Did she really…?”

GARNIK
(realises; shocked) “Son, look!”

Garnik and Ernpic get a shock, as they look to see the foreboding form of a Drashig appear before them. The Drashig howls and screams away like mad. The Drashig slithers towards Garnik and Ernpic as it charges out of the miniscope.

ERNPIC
“Father! It’s…it’s an abomination!”

GARNIK
“It’s one of those creatures that Bork mentioned! What did he call them?”

ERNPIC
“Drashigs! He said they were Drashigs!” (panics) “Look, father! There’s more of them! That monster’s brought an army with him at his tail!”

GARNIK
(realises) “The boy and the girl! They said something about Drashigs! They said they were coming for us!”

ERNPIC
“I thought they were lying!”

GARNIK
“Never think our enemies would make cataclysmic lies like that, son! They always contain deadly serious connotations!”

ERNPIC
“Let’s not stand here gawping at them, father! We must get out of here!”

GARNIK
(cries) “Run! Run for our lives before they devour us!”

ERNPIC
(enraged) “They’re tearing the place apart!”

Garnik and Ernpic escape, as the Drashigs smash everything in the king’s throne room, tearing it apart by breaking down the walls. The Drashigs’ shrieks and howls echo loudly as they increase the rampage, slithering forward out of the throne room to make attacks elsewhere to catch their prey. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Jo have managed to get out of the miniscope after following the Drashigs. They’ve just expanded to full-size and are now exhausted and disorientated as they get up from the floor.

JO
(disorientated) “Doctor! I feel so faint!”

DOCTOR
(reassuringly) “It’s alright, Jo. You’re safe now. We just went through the process of being enlarged again. We’re now back to full size.”

JO
“I’ve got such a headache! I hate being enlarged to my full height after coming out of the miniscope!”

DOCTOR
“Yes, well never mind that, Jo. Let’s move on and see where our Drashig friends are heading.”

The Doctor and Jo get up from the floor and look around to see the Drashigs trailing out into the corridors a distance away from the king’s throne room.

DOCTOR
“There’s a whole army of them, Jo! Slithering their way out of the building! They must be on the lookout for hunting meat!”

JO
“How is it that the Drashigs can think of nothing else but killing and eating? Don’t they have any sense of conscience?”

DOCTOR
“I presume that’s the way Bork intended them to be. To enlighten the fun and amusement. If only we knew more about these Drashigs; where they came from and why they’re so ravenously hungry.”

JO
“We’ll worry about that later, Doctor. Let’s go and find Nyssa and Billy first!”

DOCTOR
“Yes, quite right, Jo. Now, the corridor that the Drashigs are heading out of leads into the open air. Nyssa and Billy must be locked in the same prison cells that we were locked in before. Presumably of course.”

JO
“Of course.”

DOCTOR
“Let’s go the way that Bork and Tulu led us from the prison cell area to the throne room, shall we?”

JO
“I think the corridor was in that direction, Doctor. On the far side to the left.”

DOCTOR
“Right.”

JO
“I said ‘left’, Doctor!”

DOCTOR
“Yes, that’s what I mean. Right, let’s go ‘left’ shall we?”

The Doctor takes Jo’s hand as they make for the corridor to take them to where the prison cell area is. They’re then stopped in their tracks as a Drashig appears before them, howling and screaming.

JO
(shocked; panics) “Doctor, there’s a Drashig before us! How did it get there?!”

DOCTOR
“There’s more than one, Jo! Quick! Back the other way!”

The Doctor and Jo turn around to run away from the Drashigs. But they get another shock as the Ogrons and the Autons that have come out of the miniscope appear before them, blocking their path.

JO
(shocked) “Ogrons! And Autons! They came out of the miniscope, Doctor!”

DOCTOR
“Yes. This has become trickier.”

The Doctor and Jo are now surrounded. The Drashigs howl and scream from one side and make their way towards the Doctor and Jo, whilst the Ogrons and the Autons from the other side raise their weapons – guns and wrist-guns – at them.

KHARSHAK
(grunts) “You cannot escape! Us Ogrons and Autons got you! We shall smash you to pieces!”

AUTON LEADER
“You shall be useful in our invasion plans for other worlds, you two humanoids. After we destroy you first.”

The Doctor and Jo are in trouble with the Drashigs surrounding them on one side whilst the Autons and the Ogrons surround them on the other.

JO
(panics) “Doctor! We’re trapped! How are we going to get out of this one?!”

The Doctor remains silent, unable to answer Jo.

JO
(panics) “Doctor?! Please answer me!”

DOCTOR
(calmly) “I don’t know. Jo. I honestly don’t know.”

JO
(gradually; anxiously) “We’re done for, aren’t we?! The Drashigs; the Ogrons and the Autons. They’re going to finish us!”

The Drashigs keep on howling and screaming whilst the Ogrons and the Autons train their weapons at the Doctor and Jo. The Doctor and Jo remain still, unable to escape and not knowing what to do next.

---

Sting music. Roll original 1982 Peter Davison end credits.

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© Tim Bradley, 2019

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