1. The Deno System
Roll original 1982 Peter Davison opening credits
SCENE #1 – INT – MAIN TRIAL ROOM, COURT OF KINGS – DAY, MORNING
On the planet Norebye, during the war of Deno, a court trial takes place in the Court of Kings in the city of Titanium Dain. Present in the courtroom are Lord Ganl and Mr Dalgix, as they conduct the trial. There’s also Prince Sassele and Captain Jurol. They await the arrival of the criminal Voruham and his associate Garon Mega. Ganl bangs the courtroom hammer.
LORD GANL
(shouts) Voruham! Voruham!
Ganl bangs the courtroom hammer again.
LORD GANL
Voruham! Come forth!
A moment of silence. Somebody then enters.
GARON MEGA
What is it? What do you wish?
Everyone mutters in the court room.
SASSELE
I know that face! And I hate the sound of his voice!
LORD GANL
Bring forth your master to this trial room, Garon Mega. He must come and hear the crimes he has committed in league with the Dark Lord Vorshon.
GARON MEGA
(laughs; sneers) Ha! I no longer work for Voruham anymore, Lord Ganl. He is tired of my so-called insolence and succouring in the dark, as I’m tired of his infernal chattering.
LORD GANL
Do not waste our time, snake! I do not care about your status with your former master. He must confess the crimes he has committed. For all the deaths he has caused to so many free peoples of the Deno system.
GARON MEGA
I do not trust you, Lord Ganl! And you are unable to overturn my ambitions for the feeble elderly gent that you are!
SASSELE
(angrily) Don’t speak to his lordship that way, Garon! Keep your trap shut! Lord Ganl is far stronger than you are!
GARON MEGA
That’s very praise-worthy coming from the likes of you, Sassele, prince of Titanium Dain!
LORD GANL
Send for your former master, Garon Mega! He is late for his trial! (calls) Guards! Bring Voruham forth!
At that moment, Voruham enters the trial room, cold and whispery.
VORUHAM
What is it you want? Why disturb my rest in my own prison cell? Will you give me no peace at all? Of course, you scum wouldn’t. You think so deeply about the freedom of this star system for so many.
DALGIX
(bitterly) Don’t you see the pain and suffering you’ve caused, sir? You have added to the intensity of Dark Lord Vorshon’s tyranny!
LORD GANL
Thank you, Mr. Dalgix. Let me handle this.
VORUHAM
Come now. Two of you at least I know by name. Lord Ganl, I know too well, to have much hope that he will receive my advice and commands.
LORD GANL
Your advice and commands died to me the moment you joined forces with Lord Vorshon. You were once a great councillor of Deno, Voruham. Look what you’ve become now.
VORUHAM
(ignores Lord Ganl; gently) And you, Sassele, prince soon to be king of all Titanium Dain. Why have you not come to meet me before and as your uncle? Much have I desired to see you again. To help you through all the evil times that go on in life. To construct new things I have in mind in order to please and save you from all the evil peoples of this dirty city planet of Norebye. Is it yet too late?
CAPTAIN JUROL
The words of this villain stand on our heads. In his language, ‘help’ means ‘ruin’; ‘construction’ means ‘destruction’ and ‘saving’ means ‘slaying’! That is plain enough, isn’t it? It is he who persuades people to take a step in the wrong direction! It is he who gives us trouble and fear in our nightmares!
VORUHAM
(shouts) Peace! I do not speak to you yet, Jurol, captain of Norebye! You have become a problem for me! You have a fiery spirit! I would ask you to let me speak to my nephew and once my friend.
SASSELE
(wryly) And what would say, my once great friend Uncle Voruham? What would you say to your nephew who fights against you?
VORUHAM
Merely to ask you to have peace with me. With the aid of my knowledge, founded in long years can bring. Am I to be called a murderer because valiant ones have died? Can we not have peace you and I, my dear nephew – Prince of Deno?
SASSELE
(cries; defiantly) We will have peace! Yes, we will have peace when you and your works have passed away! When you have paid for the lives slaughtered in Mehl Space and at the Fords of Nesl. The works of your filth and death still remain on Norebye’s surface! You are a lair, Voruham! You corrupt all the inhabitants in this universe with their hearts!
VORUHAM
My dear nephew…
SASSELE
Don’t ‘dear nephew’ me! You are no uncle of mine! You are cruel, cold and calculating! For you are against me and all on Norebye as well as every living thing in the universe! I say that when everything of your power and Lord Vorshon’s is stopped; when you hang from your own house for the sport of your rats; when you are gone and lost from our sight, we shall have peace!
VORUHAM
(yells; angrily) Houses and rats! Idiot! What are young people these days! They’re supposed to know nothing! They’re supposed to be subdued by those who persuade them otherwise. I do not know why I have the patience to speak with you!
GARON MEGA
(mockingly) You never seem to have any patience!
VORUHAM
(angrily) You mongrel!
Voruham smacks Garon Mega in the face. Garon Mega falls to the floor.
LORD GANL
We have no quarrels with Garon Mega. But you, Voruham…
VORUHAM
(calmly) Ah and you Lord Ganl and your servant Dalgix. You, at least, I am grieved for. I feel for your shame. How is it you can enjoy such company? You are proud, Ganl. Everyone listens to your guidance. You tell them what is right and what is wrong. That is what I hate about you. Even now, will you not listen to the advice I give you?
LORD GANL
What have you to say that you did not say at our last meeting? Or perhaps you have things to unsay?
VORUHAM
Unsay? Unsay?!
LORD GANL
(laughs) Voruham! You have missed your path in life. You should have been Norebye’s jester. When I fought you in Titanium Dain, you were the terror of Norebye and I was your victim. Now the tables have turned. Even now, will you not join us?
SASSELE
(shocked) Join us? Are you insane, Lord Ganl?
VORUHAM
What do you mean by ‘join you’, Lord Ganl?
LORD GANL
To leave your allegiance to Lord Vorshon. To fight against him of course. If that is what you wish, you must first surrender your key of power and your sword. Those tokens shall be pledges of your conduct to be returned later if you merit them.
VORUHAM
(laughs wildly) You have no authority to take such tokens as precious to me away, Lord Ganl! If you wish to treat with me, do not make me your prisoner for any longer than you have to…
GARON MEGA
(interrupts; angrily) Call me a ‘mongrel’ would you, former master!
CAPTAIN JUROL
(shouts; realises) Garon! He has a knife!
SASSELE
(cries) No, Garon! Don’t!
But Garon Mega immediately stabs Voruham in the back with his knife. Voruham’s breath escapes him once this happens.
VORUHAM
(breathlessly) You stupid…idiot…
LORD GANL
(shouts) Mr. Dalgix! Stop him!
At that, Dalgix shoots Garon Mega with a pistol. Garon falls to the ground dead at the same time Voruham dies. A moment of silence.
CAPTAIN JUROL
Good shot, Mr. Dalgix! Well aimed!
LORD GANL
(abjectly) There was no need to kill him, Mr. Dalgix. You could have used an alternative method.
DALGIX
You said for me to stop him, my lord. This was the quickest method.
SASSELE
So, I believe that concludes the trial of Voruham, collaborator of Vorshon, Lord of Darkness.
CAPTAIN JUROL
Hmm. Now we have to continue the fight. To save Deno from devastation.
DALGIX
(grimly) Yes. And through the windows, the war is growing deadlier.
LORD GANL
I wonder about the Doctor and his friends in their quest. I hope all is not too late.
SCENE #2 – INT – TARDIS, CONSOLE ROOM – N/A
Inside the TARDIS, the Doctor and Billy are worried about Nyssa, as she’s been captured by the Sgrans recently. They’re on their way to find and rescue her.
BILLY
(anxiously) How are you getting on with the map to time, Doctor? Is the TARDIS taking us on the right path?
DOCTOR
(reassuringly) I’ve set the coordinates, Billy. The last destination should be galactic coordinates: T-Two-Zero-W-Two-Three-Dash-One-Five-O-D-Four. In the heart of the Deno system.
BILLY
(apprehensively) That information means nothing to me, Doctor.
DOCTOR
Well, believe it or not, Billy, it’s where Nyssa is. And it’s where we’re going to find her.
BILLY
(apprehensively) You don’t sound so worried about finding Nyssa. Shouldn’t you be as anxious as I am?
DOCTOR
Billy, Nyssa’s been captured by the Sgrans; four of the Coins of Deno are in a Dark Lord’s possession; a war is going on; and the Universe is at stake! Not to mention the fact that our search for the eighth and final coin of Deno is in the heart of a war zone where Nyssa is obviously a prisoner. Trust me, Billy Walker. I’m worried one hundred per cent as you can imagine. I’m just keeping calm as it is.
BILLY
(apologetically) Sorry, Doctor. I…I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. I’m just…I’m so worried about Nyssa. How can they take her like that? The Sgrans just took her!
DOCTOR
I know. I’m sorry, Billy. It was me they were trying to get at. And they took Nyssa to threaten me. It’s my fault she’s a prisoner of theirs.
BILLY
No, no, Doctor. It’s not your fault.
DOCTOR
It’s always my fault. If I wasn’t so obsessed with loading up the charge to send off into space to divert the Sgran vessel approaching the gunship, maybe I would’ve paid more attention to the friends who helped me.
BILLY
Diverting the ship off course was important, Doctor. Nyssa knew that. I knew that. No-one’s to blame.
DOCTOR
Except Kexaj, Toma and Criala are now dead aboard that gunship. Atrociously murdered.
BILLY
I know. Thats the worst part. Poor fellows. Poor Criala. (realises) What are we going to tell Lord Ganl and Mr. Dalgix? We’ll probably be meeting them in the Deno system soon.
DOCTOR
We’ll worry about that when we cross that bridge, Billy. Let’s see to what we have already.
At that, the Doctor goes over to a cupboard and opens it. He takes out a box which contains the three Coins of Deno collected recently. He opens the box to show Billy.
DOCTOR
Three coins.
BILLY
The coins of water, the coin of stars and the coin of technology.
DOCTOR
And the eighth coin is the coin of darkness. (Pause) It’s probably the one that links all the eight coins containing Vorshon’s power together.
BILLY
Say, wouldn’t that coin be hidden in the Deno system? If Vorshon didn’t know where it was…
DOCTOR
Oh, I assume Vorshon has the eighth coin of Deno already in his power. He can sense the coins close to him, I believe.
BILLY
What?! He has the eighth coin plus the first four coins which the Sgrans stole from us as well as Nyssa?!
DOCTOR
Vorshon kept the eighth coin just as Lord Ganl kept the first coin. Fair exchange. But Vorshon probably couldn’t use the coin of darkness to its full potential without uniting the other coins with it.
BILLY
And our mission…is to collect all eight coins…
DOCTOR
…And destroy them in the Chamber of Oblivion…where Lord Vorshon first created them.
BILLY
That’s a tall order.
DOCTOR
It’s a mission where the entire Deno system is at a stake. As well as the entire Universe.
BILLY
So, it’s very important we don’t lose these three coins we have. And it’s very important not to let Vorshon and his Sgrans get them.
DOCTOR
Yes. As well as saving Nyssa in the process.
Feeling grim, the Doctor and Billy continue their journey in the TARDIS.
SCENE #3 – EXT – CITY RUINS, BUSANA – DAY, AFTERNOON
Back on Norebye in the city of Busana, a battle is fought between an alliance of Asleves and humans against a horde of Sgrans. The Sgrans are led by their leader Kensonda.
KENSONDA
(laughs; scornfully) “Die, humans! Die, Asleves! Die like dogs! Die with blood flowing from your bellies! I hunger for your blood and flesh!”
Kensonda laughs out loud, screaming with delight, as she and the Sgrans dive in for the slaughter.
KENSONDA
(shouts; to Sgrans) “Eat them, scum! Eat them while they’re still fresh!”
As the Sgrans make their attack, Commander Fara of the humans and Commander Elro of the Asleves march forward their troops.
COMMANDER FARA
“I’ll take the forward line, Commander Elro. You keep your troops on the archery side!”
COMMANDER ELRO
“Yes, Commander Fara! We Asleves are fine shots with arrows! We’ll send these carnivorous beasts into the abyss!”
COMMANDER FARA
“Right! Men, reform a line! Reform a straight line!”
With that, Fara’s troops form a straight line. They make ready to charge.
COMMANDER FARA
(shouts) “Everybody ready?! Charge!!!!!”
With that, Fara’s men charge, as they advance towards the Sgrans.
COMMANDER ELRO
“Asleve archers! Arrows ready!”
At that, Elro’s troops make ready with their arrows, attaching them to their bows.
COMMANDER ELRO
“Prepare to fire! Prepare to fire!”
The Asleves prepare to fire, as the Sgran charge towards them.
COMMANDER ELRO
“Ready….aim….release arrows!”
The Asleves open fire, as their arrows hit the Sgrans, slaughtering them instantly. The Asleves recharge their bows.
COMMANDER ELRO
“Again! Again! Fire! Fire! Kill the Sgrans! Kill the beasts into the hole they came from!”
Elsewhere, Fara’s men are shooting Sgrans down with their guns. Some of Fara’s men fight the Sgrans in single combat. Eventually however…
COMMANDER FARA
(shouts) “Elro, fall back! My troops are being slaughtered by the minute! Fall back before you get yourselves killed!”
COMMANDER ELRO
Us killed?! We Asleves are strong warriors! We shall fight to the death! We shall fight [to…]
But before Elro can finish, she’ts stabbed in the back by a Sgran’s spike-like fins. She gasps for breath before she crumbles to the ground.
COMMANDER FARA
(cries) “Elro!”
Fara runs forward to catch Elro, as she collapses to the ground.
COMMANDER FARA
“Elro! Elro, wake up! Don’t give in! You can still fight! Fight for your people!”
COMMANDER ELRO
(breathlessly) “Good luck!”
With that, Elro breathes her last.
COMMANDER FARA
(despairingly) “No! No, you can’t die! No, no!”
As Fara mourns the loss of Elro, cradling her in her arms, the Sgrans jeer nearby. Kensonda eventually steps forward.
KENSONDA
(jeers) So much for the commander of the Asleve forces in the city of Busana! Now it’s your turn, Commander Fara of the humans. Will your prince be pleased with you for fighting his cause? I doubt it!
At that, Fara takes out his communicator. He switches it and speaks into it.
COMMANDER FARA
(shouts; urgently) Fara to Gerchar One. Beam me up, I say! Beam me up!
Very soon, Fara is beamed up into outer space. Kensonda looks to see the spaceships flying above her and the Sgrans’ heads. Kensonda laughs out loud once she sees the spaceships flying overhead.
KENSONDA
(laughs) So much for the commander of the human forces. Such a coward. Kensonda is strong! Kensonda is deadly!
Kensonda laughs haughtily, as she and her Sgran troops advance. The battle of Busana continues with spaceships attacking each other on both sides. Soon parts of the city of Busana are being destroyed.
SCENE #4 – INT – BATTLE BRIDGE, GERCHAR ONE – OUTER SPACE
In orbit around Norebye, a dogfight ensues between fleets of spaceships on all sides. This includes the Asleves and the humans against the Sgrans. Aboard the space battle cruiser Gerchar One, Lord Ganl, Mr. Dalgix, Prince Sassele and Captain Jurol are present.
CAPTAIN JUROL
“We can’t hold off these Sgrans much longer, your majesty. Norebye will soon be lost to us.”
SASSELE
“We’re not going to lose Norebye, Captain Jurol. Not to the Sgrans and not to Lord Vorshon. Not while there’s still a chance!”
DALGIX
“I admire your bravery, Prince Sassele. But there’s an likelihood that Jurol is right. You can’t keep up the fighting with very few resources.”
SASSELE
(agitated) “When I want your opinion, Mr. Dalgix, I’ll ask for it!”
LORD GANL
“I fear, your majesty, that both Mr. Dalgix and Captain Jurol are correct. We’re very short on supplies. A commander of an armed force of Asleves and humans would think wisely. You have little experience of battle. You must accept our advice.”
SASSELE
“What do you suggest we do then, Lord Ganl?”
At that moment, Commander Fara enters.
COMMANDER FARA
(calls) “Sir! Sir! Your majesty; captain!”
CAPTAIN JUROL
(barks) “Name; rank and intention, soldier!”
COMMANDER FARA
“Fara; commander of the human forces on Norebye.”
DALGIX
“What are you doing here abandoning your post, commander? You should be on Norebye!”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“State your intention, Commander!”
COMMANDER FARA
“Busana is overrun! The Sgrans are everywhere! Commander Elro of the Asleve forces is dead. So are her troops and mine! I had to get away in order to tell you this before the Sgrans killed me!”
SASSELE
(groans) “This is all we need.”
At that moment, a whoosing and groaning echoes, as the TARDIS materialises on the bridge of Gerchar One. Everyone is astonished by this.
CAPTAIN JUROL
(astonished) “What is this?! What is this thing appearing aboard my ship?!”
LORD GANL
(knowlingly) “We know what it is! Don’t we, Mr. Dalgix?”
DALGIX
“Yes, my Lord Ganl! It gives me great pleasure to see it again!”
PRINCE SASSELE
(realises) “Lord Ganl; Mr. Dalgix. You mean to say…”
LORD GANL
“Yes, my prince. It is him! The Doctor!”
The TARDIS fully materialises on the bridge as the whoosing and groaning comes to a stop, followed by a loud thump. The TARDIS door soon opens and the Doctor and Billy step out.
DOCTOR
(cheerfully) “Hello! Sorry to barge in like this. I hope we’re not interrupting anything…”
CAPTAIN JUROL
(interrupts; agitated) “How dare you park your craft aboard my ship!”
LORD GANL
(pleased) “Doctor! How good it is to see you again!”
DOCTOR
“Ah, Lord Ganl; Mr. Dalgix. I wondered when we’d meet up again.”
DALGIX
“Doctor, the state of the Deno system is in your hands.”
LORD GANL
“Yes, Doctor. All lives depend on you.”
DOCTOR
“Yes. Seems to happen like that around me most of the time whenever I’m in the universe.”
BILLY
“Don’t we get a cup of tea? Or a sit down before we begin?”
DOCTOR
“You remember Billy, don’t you, Lord Ganl?”
LORD GANL
“Of course.” (to Billy) “Greetings, Mr. Billy.” (to Dalgix) “Mr. Dalgix, if you would do the honours…”
DALGIX
(obligingly) “Doctor; Mr. Billy. This is his royal highness, Prince Sassele of Deno.”
DOCTOR
“How do you do?”
SASSELE
“Lord Ganl has told me many great stories about you, Doctor. I’m so honoured to be in your presence at last!”
DOCTOR
“Yes. I hope his lordship hasn’t over-exaggerated my prestige.”
DALGIX
(continues) “And this is Captain Jurol of the starship Gerchar One in the Deno system.”
DOCTOR
“How do you do?”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“You two are unauthorised personnel aboard my ship. I shall take some details…”
LORD GANL
(interjects) “Give it a rest, captain! The Doctor and his young friend are on our side. They’re not our enemies.”
SASSELE
“That’s right, Jurol. Treat them with respect.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
(sighs; gradually) “Just as you say, your majesty.”
DALGIX
(confused) “Weren’t there three of you, Doctor? What has become of the lady Nyssa of Traken?”
DOCTOR
(gradually) “She was taken and kidnapped by the Sgrans, Mr. Dalgix.”
LORD GANL
“Kidnapped?!”
DALGIX
“By the Sgrans?!”
BILLY
“Much has happened since you sent us on our quest, Lord Ganl.”
DOCTOR
“And I’m afraid it grieves me to be the bearer of bad news, Mr. Dalgix.”
DALGIX
(realises) “My three young guardians I sent to help you. Kexaj, Toma and Criala. They’re all dead.”
BILLY
“You knew about that?”
DALGIX
“I felt it in my bones once I sensed their deaths.”
LORD GANL
“Come, Doctor. You have the coins. Show them to us.”
DOCTOR
(feeling uncomfortable) “Yes, I wondered when we’d get to that.” (Pause) “Here you are.”
With that, the Doctor takes out a box from one of his coat pockets. He opens it and shows the fifth, sixth and seventh Coins of Deno inside to Lord Ganl and the others.
SASSELE
(disheartened) “You only have three coins in that box, Doctor.”
DOCTOR
“Yes, your majesty. You’re very observant.”
DALGIX
(shocked) “You lost the first four coins to the Sgrans?!”
DOCTOR
(tries to be cheerful) “Yes. Very careless of me, wasn’t it?”
LORD GANL
(grimly) “This disturbs us, Doctor. With four of the coins lost, they’re bound to be in Lord Vorshon’s possession. And he has the eighth coin of Deno too,”
DOCTOR
“Yes! I gathered as much and deduced it. Lord Vorshon is also bound to have Nyssa with him.”
A tense atmosphere ensues. Meanwhile, the dogfight between spaceships continues in outer space.
SCENE #5 – INT – VORSHON’S THRONE ROOM, CANTHOR TOWER – NIGHT
On the dark planet called Ukan-Nul in the centre of the Deno system, Lord Vorshon sits on his throne in the tower of Canthor. Whilst sitting and waiting, he watches the space battles take place in the Deno system.
LORD VORSHON
(impatiently) How long must I wait? How long will my armies overcome those who defy me? I must have domination! I must control everything in the Deno system! Norebye, Elad, Nehs, Melh space. They shall all belong to me! And I’m not one for patience!
At that moment, Vorshon’s nearby computer bleeps, to which he switches it on.
LORD VORSHON
Yes?
COMPUTER VOICE
Incoming battle report from Sgran leader Kensonda.
LORD VORSHON
Proceed.
Eventually, Kensonda’s image appears on Vorshon’s computer screen.
LORD VORSHON
“Kensonda, what is it?”
KENSONDA (V’O)
(proudly) “My Sgran forces have overrun the city of Busana! The enemy has fled and the city is ours! The age of humans is over! The time of the Sgrans has come! I tell you, victory is ours!”
LORD VORSHON
(agitated) “Not yet, Kensonda. You still have your work cut out! Proceed to take over the city of Titanium Dain. They shall suffer for their defiance towards me! Go, I say!”
KENSONDA (V’O)
“What of the one called Ganl if he still remains in the city?”
LORD VORSHON
(agitated) “I shall break him! Carry out your orders! Let me attend to my business! It is all I have to say!”
With that, Lord Vorshon breaks off transmission. He contends with himself.
LORD VORSHON
(frustrated) “I must have all power in my grasp! The power I seek must be brought to me! I’m so tired of waiting!”
At that moment, the throne room door opens. The Sgrans – Totrino, Itrasal, Klaw and Car – enter, as they escort Nyssa with them, who struggles to break free from their grasp.
LORD VORSHON
(angrily) “Who disturbs my solitude?! How dare you enter unannounced!”
NYSSA
(protests; to Sgrans) “Let me go! Let me go at once!”
KLAW
(hisses) “Stop struggling and move it, female!”
CAR
“You have an audience with our lord and master!”
Totrino steps forward to address Lord Vorshon.
TOTRINO
“Our lord Vorshon! We have brought you a guest!”
LORD VORSHON
“So I observe! Get her out of my throne room! I wish to see no-one today!”
ITRASAL
“But our lord! It is one of the quest bearers sent by Lord Ganl. She’s a friend of the Doctor!”
LORD VORSHON
(intrigued) “Is she now? Well, well, well. That’s different.”
TOTRINO
“We took her hostage once the Doctor refused to hand over the recent coins he collected to us. We thought this would please you.”
LORD VORSHON
“Did you indeed? You have judged well, Sgrans. Bring her forward.”
At that, the Sgrans bring Nyssa forward. She looks up at Lord Vorshon with sickening disgust and horror.
LORD VORSHON
(boldy) “Welcome, dear girl. Welcome to my domain!”
NYSSA
“Lord Vorshon, I presume.”
LORD VORSHON
“And you seem such a kind, fair lady. So gentle and so slender.”
NYSSA
“You know about me then.”
LORD VORSHON
“Oh I knew everything about you and your friends, the Doctor and Billy, before you set off for your quest to collect the Coins of Deno. Nothing escapes my knowledge. My Sgrans report everything that happens whenever my enemy Lord Ganl is concerned.”
NYSSA
“Then you must know that you will be overthrown, Lord Vorshon. The free peoples of Deno will defeat you. And the Doctor will see to it that you will never have the Coins of Deno again.”
LORD VORSHON
“You really think so, dear Nyssa? Well, the way I see it, I already have you in my domain. The perfect bait for the Doctor to come here. And once he comes, my Sgrans will capture him. He will soon hand over the remaining Coins of Deno to me.”
NYSSA
“He won’t come to rescue me, Lord Vorshon. Don’t be so certain…”
LORD VORSHON
(interjects; bitterly) “Don’t try to play games with me, girl! Of course he’ll come! I know the softness in the Doctor’s heart! He’s already in the Deno system, as is your betrothed Billy Walker! They’re both working with my enemies on a strategy to rescue you and to destroy my coins! They will stop at nothing to save you! And when they do, it will be their undoing!”
A moment of silence ensues.
NYSSA
“So, you’re going to keep me here in one of your prison cells, waiting for the Doctor and Billy to turn up.”
LORD VORSHON
“Possibly. But first, I wish to show you something. Something which, I’m sure, you will recognise in an instant.”
With that, Lord Vorshon brings froth from his throne a sleek box, to which he opens it. He reveals what’s inside to Nyssa. Nyssa gasps, astonished.
LORD VORSHON
“You recognise them, don’t you? They were the first four you collected. And lost afterwards to my Sgrans.”
NYSSA
(astonished) “The first four Coins of Deno. The coin of stone, the cone of lightning, the coin of wind and the coin of fire. You have the first four coins in your possession.”
LORD VORSHON
“And the eighth! Oh yes! I have the last coin in my possession, which you, the Doctor and Billy have come to collect.”
NYSSA
“So, five coins…already in your possession.”
LORD VORSHON
“And soon, I shall have the three remaining coins in my possession, which the Doctor will bring to me. Once he and your beloved Billy have come to rescue you, everything will fall into place.”
Lord Vorshon lets out a triumphant laugh, whilst Nyssa is getting anxious.
SCENE #6 – INT – BATTLE BRIDGE, GERCHAR ONE – OUTER SPACE
Aboard the battle cruiser Gerchar One, Lord Ganl briefs the Doctor and Billy on everything that’s happened in the Deno system lately.
LORD GANL
“Much has happened since we sent you out on the quest for Deno, Doctor. War has raged exponentially. Two factions fighting against each other, even in Titanium Dain!”
DOCTOR
“Lord Vorshon must be getting desperate.”
LORD GANL
“Many thousands of our people – humans and Asleves – have been killed in the cities of Busana and Titanium Dain. A human commander recently escaped to tell us that Busana was overrun.”
BILLY
“And it’s Vorshon’s forces you’ve been fighting against all this time?”
LORD GANL
“Not just Vorshon. Voruham was a second contender.”
DOCTOR
“Voruham?”
LORD GANL
“Once a council member in the Deno system who became greedy for power. He was also Prince Sassle’s uncle. He created his own armies of evil and fought battles at the Fords of Nels and Melh Space. His stronghold is now destroyed and his armies are scattered.”
BILLY
“You defeated him?”
SASSELE
“He was put on trial this morning. As well as his snake-like associate Garon Mega. They are now dead.”
DOCTOR
(disapprovingly) “Dead? I can’t say I approve your methods of justice…”
LORD GANL
(interjects) “Voruham mistreated Garon, and Garon stabbed Voruham in the back. Mr. Dalgix shot Garon once he stabbed Voruham.”
BILLY
“Nasty. I’m glad I wasn’t there.”
DOCTOR
“You should take more care in how you handle trials, Lord Ganl. Too much death occurs in war.”
SASSELE
“You don’t have to remind us, Doctor. So far, the number of combatants on our side in the war is estimated to be over a million. Tens of thousands of our soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Vorshon’s soldiers are dead. And it’s slowly getting worse.”
DOCTOR
“I’m sorry to hear that, your majesty. You have my sympathy.”
LORD GANL
“There isn’t much time, Doctor. Vorshon’s power is growing. With five coins in his possession, and the eighth coin uniting the first four, we have a small chance of defeating him.”
BILLY
“The Doctor’s doing his best, Lord Ganl. What do you expect him to do?”
DALGIX
“You must go into the heart of the Deno system where Vorshon dwells on the planet Ukan-Nul. You must collect the remaining coins in his possession and have them destroyed.”
LORD GANL
“Yes! Take the eight Coins of Deno and destroy them in the Chamber of Oblivion where they were first created.”
BILLY
“You can’t expect the Doctor to achieve a huge task like that?! It’s bound to go wrong.”
DOCTOR
“I’m sceptical as to whether we’ll get into the heart of the Deno system safely and without being detected.”
DALGIX
“You have your TARDIS, Doctor. You can traverse through the boundaries of time and space to reach Ukan-Nul.”
DOCTOR
“The TARDIS isn’t a miracle, Mr. Dalgix. The old girl can’t always be relied upon.”
BILLY
“Anyway, the only way the Doctor can get to a planet safely and without a hitch is by doing a…um…a short hop. I think that’s you call it, is it, Doctor?”
DOCTOR
“Billy, you’ve got it one. Thank you for explaining.”
BILLY
“My pleasure.”
SASSELE
“That’s not a problem, Doctor. Captain Jurol will assist you.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
(surprised) “Me?! That is to say, ‘me’, your majesty?”
SASSELE
“You have shuttles for getting into the heart of the Deno system, haven’t you?”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“Yes, but…”
SASSELE
(interjects) “And they’re fully armed with wide-range torpedoes and fully-charged phasers to divert the Sgran ships off their attacks.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“Of course, but I’m not sure…”
LORD GANL
(interjects) “And one of them can contain a blue box like the Doctor’s securely in the cargo hold, can’t it?”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“I suppose so, but…”
SASSELE
“There we are then! Problem solved! Nothing to worry about! Thank you, Captain. You’ve been a great help.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“Have I? Oh, thank you.”
LORD GANL
“You see, Doctor? That’s how it’s done. Wasn’t that hard to resolve?”
DOCTOR
“No, no, of course not. Just need to worry about the tricky bit next.”
BILLY
“How to collect the first four Coins of Deno and the eighth coin as well as saving Nyssa’s life at the same time.”
DOCTOR
“Exactly.” (Pause) “Well, I suppose we’d better be see this shuttle for ourselves and have the TARDIS loaded into its cargo hold.” (to Jurol) “Lead the way, Captain.”
BILLY
“Yes, lead the way, captain. The sooner we set off to rescue Nyssa, the better.”
A reluctant Captain Jurol leads the way. The Doctor and Billy follow him to the shuttle bay.
SCENE #7 – EXT – SHUTTLE BAY, GERCHAR ONE – OUTER SPACE
A couple of hours later, a shuttle called the Boreg exits the shuttle bay into outer space. The Boreg leaves the Gerchar One battle crusier, as it heads off into the heart of the Deno system.
SCENE #8 – INT – COCKPIT, BOREG – OUTER SPACE
Inside the Boreg, the Doctor and Billy sit behind Captain Jurol who’s at the helm. They journey through space, avoiding space battles.
DOCTOR
“Are you sure you can pilot this shuttle safely whilst battles are occurring in this sector of space?”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“Relax! I’ve fought space wars for nearly thirty years! I know my way traversing through space battles! And I have never faltered!”
DOCTOR
“There’s always a first time.”
BILLY
“Don’t you do anything else apart from fighting? Meeting up with friends; have a laugh with someone; or fall in love?”
CAPTAIN JUROL
(agitated) “I did not choose to come on this mission. His majesty Prince Sassele commanded me to escort you two to the heart of the Deno system. To make sure you reached Ukan-Nul safely. Without any danger before you make your…short hop in your TARDIS.”
DOCTOR
“Believe me, Captain. You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“Anything the prince or Lord Ganl command me to do, I do it for my people and the Deno system itself.”
DOCTOR
“Well, that’s very noble of you. I’m sure all in the Deno system will appreciate your sense of duty.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“They’d better.”
BILLY
“How exactly are we going to get to this planet called Ukan-Nul undetected?”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“We’ll have to follow the Normorous space path.”
DOCTOR
“Normorous? He was an ancient king in the Deno system, I take it.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“Yes. He graced the humans of this system with long life long ago. Many have passed on into legend. Very few of them are left now. Prince Sassele of Deno is one of the few blessed with Normorous’ gift.”
BILLY
(amazed) “Wow! Blessed with long life!”
DOCTOR
“And he’s soon to be crowned king once this war is over.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“That is what we all hope for. That the king will come again. Sassele is the rightful heir to the throne of Deno. It’s his duty and his honour to take up the kingship.”
BILLY
“Well, good luck to him. He seems a good guy to rule an entire star system like Deno.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
“I must concentrate on plotting a course. Let me continue with piloting this shuttle. Do not disturb me.”
DOCTOR
“Of course. Sorry for chatting you up. We’ll let you be.”
At that, the Doctor and Billy sit over in a corner of the shuttle, whilst Jurol concentrates on piloting the Boreg shuttle through space. The Doctor and Billy whisper quietly to each other.
BILLY
(whispers) “Captain Jurol doesn’t seem to like us very much. He’s quite a hard man to cheer up.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “He’s been bitter all his life with war and hardships. These people in this sector of the galaxy have lost so many people. The toll of war has steadily become greater.”
BILLY
(whispers) “I hope we’ve come to see to its end. That the war will be over and everyone will be happy. That the people of the Deno system will be delighted that no more Sgrans will attack them and that they can look to a new future as well as a new king.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “Yes. I hope that too, Billy. I hope the outcome will be good.” (Pause) “Though many will find it difficult to settle into a new way of life. Many will struggle to return to peaceful lives when they’ve lost so much.”
A moment of silence ensues.
BILLY
(whispers) “Do you think we’ll win, Doctor? That we’ll stop Vorshon and the Sgrans; get the coins; destroy them; and rescue Nyssa? I hope we will, but I can’t help feel this is a task too big for us to achieve.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “The stakes are high, I grant you. But we’ve come so far, Billy. And there’s still hope to look for, if you open your eyes.”
BILLY
(whispers) “I know there is. It’s just…I hope it won’t end too badly.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “Death is always the beginning of a new adventure. One which we must all take. I’ve been through it quite a number of times in my regenerations.”
BILLY
(whispers) “I’m not afraid of dying. I hope to be with Nyssa when I die. I hope to be with her in the afterlife.” (Pause) “But you, Doctor. You tend to live on, as you said with going through your regenerations.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “It won’t always be like that, Billy. I can still die.”
BILLY
(whispers) “But you always manage to cheat death somehow.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “Yes.” (Pause) “But there will be a moment where I won’t be able to get away with it. That the end of my lives will come. As well as my travels in time and space.” (Pause) “I must be prepared for that when the time comes.”
CAPTAIN JUROL
(calls) “Hey, you two! I’m trying to concentrate! Keep it quiet back there!”
Another moment of silence ensues, as the Doctor and Billy keep quiet for a bit.
BILLY
(whispers) “I think we’d better keep quiet until we reach our destination, Doctor.”
DOCTOR
(whispers) “I agree. Speak to you when we get to Ukan-Nul, Billy.”
From then on, the Doctor and Billy keep quiet, as Jurol pilots the shuttle towards Ukan-Nul via the Normorous path.
SCENE #9 – EXT – ENTRANCE TO CHAMBER OF OBLIVION, CANTHOR TOWER – NIGHT
Back on Ukan-Nul, Lord Vorshon takes Nyssa on a guided tour.
NYSSA
(challengingly) “So, where is this eighth coin of Deno that you shrewdly claim to have?”
LORD VORSHON
“I do have the coin, Nyssa of Traken. Never doubt that.”
NYSSA
“Then why can’t I see it?”
LORD VORSHON
“I knew of the quest you, the Doctor and your beloved Billy took when sailing across the cosmos. To retrieve all eight coins and destroy them by returning them to the Chamber of Oblivion where I created them.”
NYSSA
“And why would we do that? For all I know, this Chamber of Oblivion doesn’t exist. It’s probably a fiction created by you or perhaps Lord Ganl himself.”
LORD VORSHON
“It is real. Allow me to show it to you as part of our guided tour!”
With that, Lord Vorshon opens the door to the Chamber of Oblivion. They both look inside and see a blazing inferno occurring.
LORD VORSHON
Believe me now, dear lady?
NYSSA
You seem to have a blazing inferno in there. A fire everlasting.
LORD VORSHON
Those fires were what I used to create the first Coins of Deno. Proper coins. Coins of currency for the free peoples to use. You wouldn’t believe me, but I was a benevolent man once. Full of trade and wealth. Making an honest living.
NYSSA
Like Sir Isaac Newton… of the Royal Mint on Earth.
LORD VORSHON
I know nothing of this Sir Isaac Newton of which you speak. Nor do I want to. All I know is that coin-making was my speciality. And power! Gaining power is something which I can achieve by obtaining the elements.
NYSSA
So, what went wrong?
LORD VORSHON
Wrong?! Nothing went wrong, my dear. It was the High Council of Deno who ruined it for me. I offered them great power within a newly fashioned designed set of coins. They mocked me, but I showed them. I infested all of my powers of stone, lightning, wind, fire, water, stars, technology and darkness. Infested them, in eight perfectly synchronised coins! Gold! They had to be gold! It is the colour of power after all!
NYSSA
“And through the coins, you were able to control the entire Deno system.”
LORD VORSHON
“And I still control the entire Deno system, my lady. I suffered a setback when I failed in the climactic battle at the end of the fortieth age. But I came back. I came back to restore my power. My only mistake was…I scattered the coins of power across space. I did it so that nobody could obtain them. So that nobody could take them away from me.”
NYSSA
“You’re too hungry for power, Lord Vorshon. You’re obsessed with your ideals of domination and control over billions of lives. That’s why there are wars in your star system. People don’t like your ways of dictatorship. They want to be free. They want to have peace. They don’t want the suffering and hardship that you give them.”
LORD VORSHON
(bitterly) “The free peoples of the Deno system are fools! They should know better! And with my plans at hand, I am ready to show those fools that they cannot resist me!”
NYSSA
(anxiously) “What are you talking about? What plans? What have you done to these people?”
LORD VORSHON
“Nothing yet. But I shall soon see to it that they all become what I want them to be in my own image! The people of Deno to become all alike! To become…a new breed of Sgrans!”
NYSSA
(shocked) “Sgrans?! You can’t be serious!”
LORD VORSHON
“Do you know how the Sgrans first came into being, my dear lady?”
NYSSA
“I don’t wish to know.”
LORD VORSHON
(continues) “They used to be free people once. Humans and Asleves, much like yourself. Only I took them. With my dark powers I, tortured them! Mutilated them!”
NYSSA
(cries) “Stop it!”
LORD VORSHON
They became a new terrible form of life as well as the perfect warriors! That’s what I want my new empire to be! My new people! My perfect fighting Sgrans! Ready to take on the universe!
NYSSA
(realises) “You’re attempting to convert people trapped within your domain by rewritting their DNA to become Sgrans?”
LORD VORSHON
“Top of the class, dear lady.”
NYSSA
(angrily) “It’s horrible! Obscene! What gives you the right to turn people into scally piranha-like creatures who want to eat others?”
LORD VORSHON
There are many benefits to being a Sgran, my dear. Sgrans can breathe in the vacuum of space as if it were water through their own gills. They have fin-like arms which protrude spike-like weapons. They have fish tails on their back to produce sting marks. They have respirators when breathing in other environments filled with poisonous gases. Like I said, they are the perfect warriors. They are mine to control!
NYSSA
(determined) “It’s still unorthodox and immoral. I intend to stop you!”
LORD VORSHON
(laughs; mockingly) “Will you, dear lady. And how do you intend to stop me?”
NYSSA
(gradually) Well, for a start…by running away!
Nyssa runs off down the corridor. Vorshon watches her run off.
LORD VORSHON
(mockingly) By all means, run. Don’t think you’ll get far though. My Sgrans will capture you!
Vorshon soon switches on a communicator on his chest and speaks into it.
LORD VORSHON
(through communicator) Sgran troops! Recapture the girl called Nyssa. She’s on the run in my fortress. Soon she’ll be on the run all over Ukan-Nul. Capture, but do not kill. I repeat! Capture, but do not kill. That little pleasure will be mine. Your lord and master out!
With that, Vorshon switches off his communicator. Just then, the Sgrans including Totrino, Itrasal, Klaw and Car come round the corner past him.
TOTRINO
Don’t worry, our lord! We’ll get the girl! We’ll see to it she never gets away!
ITRASAL
(to Klaw; Car) “Come on, you slow coaches! Catch up!”
KLAW
“We’re catching up as fast as we can!”
CAR
“Give us a chance, will you!”
The Sgrans run down the corridor to pursue Nyssa. Meanwhile, Vorshon laughs out loud triumphantly. He looks back to the Chamber of Oblivion.
LORD VORSHON
(laughs; triumphantly) Soon…all power shall belong to me! My warriors shall be ready! And nothing… Nothing will get in my way! All of Ukan-Nul shall be unleashed!
SCENE #10 – EXT – COURTYARD, CANTHOR TOWER – NIGHT
Outside the tower of Canthor, Nyssa runs out via the front door. She tries to get away whilst on the run.
NYSSA
“Which way shall I go? How am I to get off this planet? There are bound to be Sgrans chasing after me any moment.”
Nyssa runs forward, before she stops for a moment, hiding behind some crates.
NYSSA
(apprehensively) “No, wait. What am I doing? I’m in enemy territory.” (Pause) “How and where am I to find allies here?”
A moment of silence ensues.
NYSSA
(thinks; gradually) “There must be teleport units on this planet. Or at least aboard one of the Sgran ships.” (Pause) “I’ll have to reach one of them. I may teleport myself in the midst of a battle, but…”
At that moment, the Sgrans exit the tower via the front door.
KLAW
(complains) “I’m not going to search all over this planet for that girl with this twit!”
NYSSA
(quietly; anxiously) “Oh no! Sgrans! I mustn’t let them see me.”
Nyssa hides further behind the crates, as the Sgrans walk past her hiding place.
CAR
(annoyed) “It’s always the same! Whenever I go out on a search or fight in a fight, Klaw complains about teaming up with me.”
KLAW
“Probably because I’m always teaming up with you and no one else! It’s not fair! It’s just not fair!”
ITRASAL
(bitterly) “Shut it, you two! We have to find that girl before Vorshon becomes mad and throws us into the black emptiness of space!”
TOTRINO
“She can’t have gone far. She must be somewhere nearby. We’ll never get our good meals of human flesh if we don’t find her.”
KLAW
(complains) “I’m not hunting with this twerp again! Put me up with someone else! Not him! Understood?!”
ITRASAL
(angrily) “Go, you two! Get out! Go about your hunting! Get after the girl! And don’t come back until you have her!”
Itrasal pushes Klaw and Car and they fall to the ground. Bitterly, Klaw and Car get back up before they head off to find Nyssa.
CAR
“Come on, Klaw. We might as well get the job done. We’ll go our separate ways hunting the girl if you want.”
KLAW
“I’ll hang myself once this war is over! I don’t care what Vorshon or anyone else says. I’m going to end it all with this pitiful life I’ve had!”
Klaw and Car head off, continuing to grumble. Totrino meanwhile turns to Itrasal.
TOTRINO
“It’s time to inspect the invasion fleets. The armies are massing to take over the Deno system. I’ll go and supervise.”
ITRASAL
“I’ll accompany you. You never know how much ordering about there is to put scum in their places.”
With that, Totrino and Itrasal head off. Once they’ve gone, Nyssa comes out of hiding.
NYSSA
(anxiously) “Oh Billy; oh Doctor. I wish you two were here.” (Pause) “I only hope that you Doctor have more luck in ending this war at your end and you Billy are helping him.”
Soon, Nyssa makes her way forward. She looks around to see if she can find any Sgran space ports.
NYSSA
“Where does one find a Sgran space port on this planet? They must be near here…”
Just then, Nyssa looks to see a spaceship make touchdown on the planet surface.
NYSSA
(pleased) “Ah! Over there. Behind that watchtower.” (Pause) “If only I had a disguise…”
Nyssa thinks for a moment.
NYSSA
(gradually; reluctantly) Well, I suppose a Sgran outfit isn’t too much out of the question. (Pause) But where to find one? (Pause) I’ll have to wait a while in order to acquire a Sgran outfit at the right moment.
Soon, Nyssa starts to move off, heading for the space port.
© Tim Bradley, 2021-22
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