4. “Strange Goings-On In A Tower”
SCENE #25 – INT – PRESIDENT’S OFFICE, MAIN CITADEL – DAY, AFTERNOON
In the President’s office on Lonmar, Darvill and Stewart enter. They find President Owen sitting at his desk looking through some papers. Owen looks up to see Darvill and Stewart enter.
OWEN
(to Stewart) “Ah, Miss Stewart! Mr. Darvill brought you at last, I see!”
STEWART
“I got here soon as I could, sir.”
OWEN
(sceptically) “Yes. I’m sure you did.”
DARVILL
(interrupts) “Sorry for interrupting, sir. But I’ve received a message about the Marnlix situation.”
OWEN
“Go on then, Mr. Darvill. What do you wish to say?”
DARVILL
“The five companions are entering the tower. Two groups have split up and they’re entering the tower via both entrances.”
OWEN
“You could have saved yourself the bother, Mr. Darvill. I know about it already. And I’m very pleased. I do check up on my messaging service.”
DARVILL
“Yes, sir. I just thought [you might…”]
OWEN
(to Stewart) “Miss Stewart? Have you brought the plans for Lady Krige’s agenda with you?”
STEWART
“Yes sir, I have.”
Stewart fetches the plans for Lady Krige’s agenda to give to President Owen.
STEWART
“Here you are, sir.”
Owen takes the notes from Stewart and glances through them. A moment of uneasy silence ensues.
DARVILL
“Are they alright, sir?”
Owen doesn’t say anything for ten seconds. He then slams the notes down on his desk.
OWEN
(agitated) “I can’t make head or tale of them.”
DARVILL
“Is it not straightforward enough, sir?”
OWEN
“I believe that’s what I implied, Mr. Darvill. Pay attention next time!”
STEWART
“Would you like me to run a larger copy of the notes for you, sir?”
OWEN
“It’d make no difference if you did, Miss Stewart. This stuff’s meaningless.”
DARVILL
“Oh. I thought it was because…”
OWEN
“Because of what, Mr. Darvill?”
At that moment, Lady Krige enters the office.
KRIGE
“Please feel free to ask me anything, Mr. President. I assure you it would do no harm.”
OWEN
(startled) “Lady Krige! My apologies! I wasn’t expecting you!”
KRIGE
“I’m a free being and wish to walk through your cities.”
OWEN
“Of course, my lady. We would not deny you such a privilege.”
KRIGE
“I sense now my plans are in motion. Whilst I must remain in the dark, there cannot be restraints on rules.” (Pause) “I also realise I made an error in the notes I sent you recently.”
OWEN
“Oh? Did you?”
KRIGE
“Some of the notes I’ve written are in hard-curb computational relays. Something your less sophisticated brain wouldn’t comprehend.”
OWEN
“Yes, my lady. That I’m sure is the case.”
KRIGE
“But you need not worry, Mr. President. I assure you I will handle that aspect of the plan myself. In the meantime, you need to consider the sections highlighted in blue. Would you like me to go through it with you?”
OWEN
“Yes! That would be nice!” (to Darvill) “You! Mr. Darvill! Give her ladyship a chair!”
Darvill reluctantly pulls out a chair for Krige to sit on. Krige takes the chair as Darvill pushes it underneath. Krige leans forward to Owen.
OWEN
“Now…where do you want to start?”
KRIGE
“Well! The first section highlighted in blue [is all about how you…”]
Whilst Owen and Krige talk, Darvill and Stewart go to one side and talk quietly.
DARVILL
(quietly) “They’ve managed to forget us.”
STEWART
(quietly) “Thank goodness. I thought the President would’ve had us on camera.”
DARVILL
(quietly) “If you try something like that on me again Miss Stewart, I shall have to keep my distance from you.”
STEWART
(quietly; flirtatiously) “Oh, you don’t really mean…”
DARVILL
(quietly; interjects) “I’m determined to keep my job! Even if you aren’t!”
Darvill leaves in a huff, whilst Stewart remains behind. Stewart is hurt for a moment, but eventually shrugs it off as she continues to watch Owen and Krige.
SCENE #26 – INT – EAST PASSAGEWAY, PRIME TOWER – DAY, AFTERNOON
In the tower on Marn Prime, Jo and Ace explore the creaking and foreboding east passageway. They’ve been in the tower for some time as they trudge on.
ACE
“Those robot guys aren’t following us. We must have given them the slip.”
JO
“Unless they’ve decided not to come in here after all. To trap us in.”
ACE
“Oh, the beggars. You may well be right, Jo. And I don’t like the thought of it anymore than you do.”
JO
“I don’t very much like this place either. It’s too gloomy and cranky. Like a haunted house from a Boris Karloff movie.”
ACE
“Reminds me of an old house I once burned up years ago when I was a kid.”
JO
“You burned a house down?!”
ACE
“Hey! It was a brilliant show! Watching it burn!”
JO
“I’m learning new things about you every minute, girl!”
Moment of silence.
ACE
“Whereabouts are you from, Jo? Where’s your home?”
JO
“Well, I was working at U.N.I.T in London before all this happened.”
ACE
“Oh yeah, I know of U.N.I.T!”
JO
“Do you?” (Pause) “Well…I was helping the Doctor in some experiment he was working on. Something to do with going to Metebelis Three, he said. He always messes around with that TARDIS of his.”
ACE
“Tell me about it. I’ve had to watch him in that console room with the lights off. ‘Working’ he says all the time.”
JO
“What about you, Ace? Where’s your neck of the woods?”
ACE
“Perivale. Usual city estate in London. Met up with my mates. Storm about the streets. Hanging around pubs. Trying to be legal. Causing trouble. Usually I’m the one that starts it.”
JO
“Whoa! Quite a daring life you must lead!”
ACE
“I only met the Doctor when I was abducted from Perivale. Didn’t know where I was. Then I was told it was Iceworld and there I met the Doctor. He took me on eventually and we got travelling.”
JO
“Wow! That is some way to meet the Doctor. To get abducted on another planet and meet him. Not quite the way I met him.”
ACE
“Yeah. But you must have met him in a strange kind of way.”
JO
“Oh I wouldn’t call it strange. Disastrous it was, yes. I ruined one of the Doctor’s experiments; got hypnotized; nearly blew up U.N.I.T; then I met people made out of living plastic.”
Jo and Ace soon get interrupted, as someone female laughs a distance away. The laughter grows louder as they remain still.
JO
“Did you hear that, Ace?”
ACE
“Sure did. I wonder what his joke was.”
JO
“It wasn’t a man. It was definitely a woman.”
Jo and Ace listen again as it becomes clear that it’s a woman laughing. The woman happens to be Lady Krige, but Jo and Ace don’t know that yet.
ACE
“It seems to be coming from that direction.” (calls) “Oi! Whoever you are! Show yourself!”
Ace then moves forward, following the laughter.
JO
(apprehensively) “What are you doing, Ace?!”
ACE
(gradually) “You stay here a minute, Jo. I’ll go and have a look. I’ll let you know if the coast is clear.”
JO
(anxiously) “No, Ace! Wait!”
ACE
“Just stay put! I’ll be right back! You wait here!”
Ace goes off, leaving Jo behind. Once Ace is gone, Jo stands about waiting anxiously, alone and vulnerable.
JO
(to herself) “I wish she wouldn’t go off like that. Nobody to talk to or bounce off.”
Jo paces about to occupy her mind. After a few minutes, Jo realises Ace has been gone for too long.
JO
(calls) “Ace?! Ace, are you coming back now?”
No response.
JO
(calls; louder) “Ace? Where are you?!”
Still no response.
JO
“Oh no. Don’t say you’ve wondered off and left me here?”
Jo tries to wait patiently as best as she can. A while later…
JO
(anxiously) “Ah well, girl. When in doubt, follow!”
With that, Jo heads off down the passageway to look for Ace. Turning around the corner, she comes across another section of corridor.
JO
“Wait a minute! Another stretch of corridor! She can’t have disappeared down here so quickly, can she?”
Jo walks on a bit further.
SCENE #27 – INT – EAST PASSAGEWAY, PRIME TOWER – DAY, AFTERNOON
A while later, Jo comes to the end of the corridor and finds herself in another part of the east passageway, with no Ace to be found.
JO
(panics) “Oh this is crazy. Where can she have got to?!”
Jo then realises she’s panicking and tries to calm herself down.
JO
(calms down) “Now slow down a minute. You mustn’t get it to you. Just concentrate.” (breathes deep; Pause) “Now where could she have gone?” (Pause) “More to the point…where have I gone?”
Jo eventually goes over to sit somewhere, feeling tired and frazzled. Suddenly without warning, Jo feels a surging pain in her head. She contorts and cries out in agony.
JO
“What…What is it? What’s happening?”
Jo tries to refocus until she finds herself in a trance-like state.
JO
“My dream…it’s my dream again!” (Pause) “It’s coming back.”
Eventually Jo falls asleep, whilst the female laughter continues in the background.
SCENE #28 – INT – WEST PASSAGEWAY, PRIME TOWER – DAY, AFTERNOON
Nyssa, Billy and Victoria also hear the menacing female laughter whilst they’re in the west passageway of the tower. They walk on at a slow pace while listening.
VICTORIA
“I don’t particularly want to meet this person who’s laughing. She sounds malevolent. Evil.”
BILLY
“At least it isn’t robots. At least I hope not.”
NYSSA
“Were we meant to enter here, do you think? If this is the place where the shield generator’s being kept, why would the Marnlix let us in so easily?”
BILLY
“Nothing about this makes sense, Nyssa.”
VICTORIA
“No it doesn’t. I wish we could get away with the generator immediately. Though I wish we didn’t have to find it.”
BILLY
“You never expect nasty things when adventuring do you, Victoria.”
VICTORIA
“Not really. I know I sound like I don’t relish the adventures. I enjoy them. I just wish we didn’t have to encounter monsters or robots along the way.”
NYSSA
“You’re an unwilling traveller, Victoria.” (Pause) “I must admit I found it a struggle when I first joined.”
BILLY
(gradually) “Whereabouts do you come from, Victoria?”
VICTORIA
“I come from Canterbury.”
NYSSA
“And…’when’ do you come from?”
VICTORIA
“When? Oh the late eighteen hundreds. Eighteen hundred and sixty-six to be exact.”
BILLY
(amazed) “Eighteen sixty-six?! Wow! We’ve visited a similar period like that! Haven’t we, Nyssa?”
NYSSA
“Yes! In Bath. But that was in seventeen ninety-seven. We met Jane Austen!”
VICTORIA
“Jane Austen?! You’ve met Jane Austen?!”
BILLY
“We certainly have! Do you know her?”
VICTORIA
“I’m a faithful reader on all her works of literature! Her novels are my favourites!”
NYSSA
“They’re my favourites too, Victoria! I’ve had my novel of ‘Persuasion’ signed by Jane Austen. I was so glad I managed to get it signed.”
VICTORIA
“That’s wonderful!” (Pause) “So, you two come from a different time?”
BILLY
“I do, yes! I come from nineteen sixty-three! Nyssa’s from Traken!”
VICTORIA
(puzzled) “Traken? How far away is that?”
NYSSA
“A very long way away. I miss it so much. Seems not so long ago that I last saw it.”
Moment of tense silence ensues.
VICTORIA
“And both of you are travelling with the Doctor?”
NYSSA
“Yes! Billy joined us when I was still travelling with him.”
BILLY
“And I’ve never regretted it!”
NYSSA
“I’ve never regretted it either! We make a good team! The Doctor, Billy and I!”
VICTORIA
“That sounds like the Doctor, Jamie and me! We’re good company as well. I miss them both already. I hope they’re alright.”
NYSSA
“Don’t worry, Victoria. We’ll get you back to them.”
BILLY
“Yeah don’t worry, Victoria. If all goes wrong, then fingers crossed we might be able to…”
Billy gets interrupted as Nyssa seems to be in pain. She gasps for breath and cringes her head before stumbling to the floor.
NYSSA
(gasps; in pain) “Billy; Victoria!”
VICTORIA
(concerned) “Nyssa?! Are you alright?”
BILLY
(panics) “Nyssa darling, what’s wrong?”
NYSSA
(gasps; in pain) “My head hurts!”
Victoria then contorts in pain, gasps for breath and cringes her head before stumbling to the floor alongside Nyssa.
VICTORIA
(gasps; in pain) “Oww! My head! Help me, Billy!”
BILLY
(panics) “Victoria?! Oh Victoria; Nyssa? What’s happening to you two?”
NYSSA
(gasps; in pain) “Something’s coming through! In our minds! A series of images!”
VICTORIA
(gasps; in pain) “I can remember some of them! It reminds me…of that dream I had!”
Billy then also cries out in pain. He gasps and cringes his head before falling to the floor.
BILLY
(gasps; in pain) “Now it’s happening to me too! Oww my head!”
NYSSA
(gasps; in pain) “Yes! I can see now! My dream! It’s coming to me!”
BILLY
(gasps; in pain) “Yes! My dream as well! But…I can see it more clearly! More vividly now!”
VICTORIA
“These dreams of ours can’t be real! They can’t!”
NYSSA
“We must keep moving!”
VICTORIA
“Keep moving?! Why?!”
NYSSA
“We can’t stay here! If we move, we might have a chance of keeping awake! If we fall unconscious, our dreams will come into fruition!”
BILLY
“Somebody wants us out completely!”
NYSSA
“And that somebody might be the one controlling this tower! The Marnlix!” (to Victoria) “Come on, Victoria! Quick! Get off the floor!”
VICTORIA
“Oh it’s too much! It’s too strong!”
NYSSA
“You must get up! We have to keep moving!”
BILLY
“Come on, Victoria. Up you get!”
Nyssa and Billy help Victoria to her feet, as they make their way through the west passageway, struggling to resist experiencing the dreams.
SCENE #29 – INT – FORWARD SECTION, PRIME TOWER – DAY, AFTERNOON
Meanwhile, Ace experiences a bad dream too as she walks through a corridor. She struggles to maintain her balance whilst in her waking sleep. She gasps for breath and cringes her head.
ACE
(gasps) “No! Must keep going! Mustn’t let it get to me! Don’t let it get to me!”
Ace tries to make a run for it down the corridor. But after a while, she feels exhausted and nearly falls over. She regains her balance as she holds onto the nearest wall, taking deep breaths.
ACE
“I can do this! I can cope! I mustn’t think the worst! I will save those people from that planet!” (Pause) “Whoa, wait a minute! That wasn’t it!”
Ace keeps on moving with no idea where to go.
ACE
“Oh I wish Jo was here!” (realises) “Wait a minute! Where’s Jo?”
Ace then realises and curses herself.
ACE
(panics) Aww, I shouldn’t have been stupid. I shouldn’t have left her behind.
Ace beats herself up before going on.
ACE
I must make sure I switch off that detonation device before anything else happens. Before they destroy that world.
She then stops before turning around the corner.
ACE
It’s my dream again. That’s what it is.
Ace then contorts in pain.
ACE
(angrily) Stop hurting me, whoever you are! Why don’t you just leave me alone?! (Pause) Leave them alone! I want you to leave them alone!
She moves on a bit further, before bumping into some familiar faces.
ACE
“Nyssa; Billy; Victoria?!”
NYSSA
(relieved) Ace! Thank goodness we found you!
BILLY
We seem to manage to get back together as a unit!
VICTORIA
Where’s Jo?
ACE
(embarrassed) I err…I kinda left her behind.
BILLY
You left her behind?!
ACE
Hey, I was curious! I wanted to know where that laughing was coming from! I know they did that sort of thing in kids’ films, but this is ridiculous!
NYSSA
Where is Jo, Ace?
ACE
“Well I told her to stay put! Don’t go shouting at me! We can all make mistakes, can’t we?!”
Nyssa then stumbles to the floor, crying out in pain.
BILLY
(cries; concerned) “Nyssa?! Nyssa, dear!”
NYSSA
(anxiously) “Billy! I can’t keep this up! I’m going to lose it! I’m going to succumb to this dream I’m having!”
BILLY
“No you’re not, Nyssa! You’re going to be okay! You’ve got to keep awake!”
NYSSA
“Easier said than done, I’m afraid.” (cries; in pain) “My head! I can see it all clearly! We’ve found…our ally! Yet we’re going to be blown up by the robots!”
BILLY
“I see that too! In fact, it’s the same dream you and I are having, Nyssa! We’re having the same dream!”
VICTORIA
(panics) “They want me to kill someone! So that I can be set free!” (cries) “No! I won’t do it! I won’t commit murder! Like those Daleks did to my father!”
ACE
(anxiously) “I can’t keep control of this! I want to save people! But I can’t find a way to disconnect the detonator!” (Pause) “Hey, hang on! This dream I’m having! I can see all three of you!”
VICTORIA
“Yes! I can see you three in my dream too! You’re all in my dream!”
BILLY
“I’m seeing all you three girls too!”
NYSSA
This must be more than a dream we’re all having! It’s a shared psychic experience! Where’s Jo in all this?
Eventually, Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Ace slowly succumb to unconsciousness.
ACE
(sleepily) “I can’t do this anymore…”
Ace falls to the floor.
VICTORIA
(sleepily) “I feel so sleepy…”
Victoria falls to the floor.
BILLY
(sleepily) “Nyssa, both Victoria and Ace…”
Billy falls to the floor.
NYSSA
(sleepily) “Yes. And I told everyone…”
And Nyssa falls to the floor. Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Ace lie on the floor asleep, experiencing their dreams. Krige’s menacing laughter echoes from a distance.
SCENE #30 – INT – (JO’S DREAM), PRIME TOWER – DAY, AFTERNOON
Meanwhile, Jo is still having her dream while sleeping. She runs away from something as if she were terrified. She stops suddenly.
JO
(scared) “Too dark. I’ve no idea where I am.”
Krige’s laughter echoes and it gives Jo the shudders. She moves forward again. She then hears schoolchildren playing as if in a playground, something which seems familiar to her.
JO
“That sound…the sound of children playing. At school.” (Pause) “I remember those days…when I was a little girl. Being told to go into the yard and back in when the bell rang.”
Jo then stops suddenly and gasps in shock and horror. She kneels down to inspect something.
JO
(terrified) “No! It can’t be! It’s real! That sign! That sign that always made me afraid!” (Pause) “The writing…on the school wall! My handwriting!”
She stares at the writing before squishy ink rubs all over the wall.
JO
(panics) “It’s moving by itself! It mustn’t do that!” (Pause; gasps) “It’s moving towards me!”
Jo turns around with a fright as she sees some familiar faces.
OWEN
“Scared of the paint on the wall are you, Jo dear?”
STEWART
“You always were such a scaredy cat!”
JO
(terrified) “Oh no! Not you three!”
DARVILL
“Always too afraid to confront the danger. Got into trouble with the teacher, didn’t you?”
JO
“Go away, you horrible bullies!”
OWEN
“We’re not bullies! We’re your friends, Jo!”
STEWART
“That’s right, Jo! We only want to be your friends!”
DARVILL
“Just friends, Jo.”
JO
“You make me feel nervous!” (Pause) “In fact…you three look just like Mr. Darvill, Miss Stewart…and President Owen. But why?”
At that moment, Lady Krige appears and laughs at her mockingly.
JO
(nervously; to Krige) “Who are you? What are you?”
KRIGE
“Look behind you, Miss Grant!”
Jo turns around to see; looks in horror and gasps.
JO
(panics) “The writing! It’s become a monster! A horrible monster!”
Owen, Darvill and Stewart laugh at Jo. The writing that’s become a monster lets out a vicious howl and charges at Jo. Jo screams, as she backs away. Krige laughs out loud in mockery before disappearing.
SCENE #31 – INT – (NYSSA, BILLY, VICTORIA AND ACE’S DREAMS), PRIME TOWER – DAY, AFTERNOON
Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Ace also experience their dreams, as they struggle having anxieties of their own. They share the same dream from various perspectives.
BILLY
“I can see Darvill! And Owen and Miss Stewart! They’re laughing at us!”
It’s at that moment Krige appears and she laughs at them.
NYSSA
(cries) “Darvill! Please help us!”
Darvill runs towards them
DARVILL
“What is it you want me to do, you two?”
NYSSA
“Keep us safe!”
BILLY
“Yeah! Keep us safe before…”
Just then, robots march towards them.
NYSSA
“Oh no! It’s too late!”
The robots stop marching. Their leader, Robot #B2, raises its arm-like energy weapons.
ROBOT #B2
“You are enemies of Lonmar. You have violated sacred laws and regulations. You will be deposed of.”
The robots fire at Darvill and he cries out in pain, as an electrical shock overwhelms him.
NYSSA
(cries) “Darvill!!”
But Darvill crumbles to the floor, dead.
OWEN
“Oh well! That’s the end of Darvill, isn’t it?”
Owen and Stewart laugh mockingly, whilst Nyssa and Billy are still threatened by the robots.
BILLY
“Oh no! The robots! They’re going to kill us!”
ROBOT #B2
Do not move. You must die.
NYSSA
(cries) Ace; Victoria! Help us!
However, Ace works hard trying to disable a missile from reaching its target and explode.
ACE
(panics) It’s no good! I can’t shut it off! I’m a demolitions expert and I can’t switch it off! WHY CAN’T I SWITCH IT OFF?!!
OWEN
(to Ace) Can you give it a rest, girl. You’re nothing. A small nothing of a girl?!
ACE
Who are you calling ‘small’?! Pack it in and back off, you scumbag!
OWEN
Those people on that planet are going to die. And it’s all because of you.
ACE
No!
OWEN
“Don’t try to deny it! You’re useless! You can’t even shut down a simple element of power which you know well off by heart! And you’re supposed to be good at chemistry So get ‘chemming’!”
ACE
“I will save those people! I will save them! I’ll stop that missile of yours! So shut up and get lost, you sleaze-ball!”
OWEN
“Your mother found you useless.”
ACE
“Shut up!”
OWEN
“And so does…the Doctor!”
ACE
(shouts) “I said SHUT UP!” (calls) “Victoria?! Victoria?!”
VICTORIA
(distressed) “Please, don’t make me do it!”
STEWART
(taunts) “Go on then! Shoot him.”
VICTORIA
“Aren’t you listening to me?!”
STEWART
“I don’t care what you won’t do! Just do it! You have to do it!”
VICTORIA
“I have a choice! The Doctor taught me…”
STEWART
“Come on, Victoria! Shoot to kill!” (Pause; chants) “Shoot! Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!”
At that moment, Lonmar robots surround Victoria and chant the same word.
ROBOTS
(chants) “Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Shoot.”
All these voices make Victoria anxious. She cringes to block all the voices out, as she holds a gun and is about to shoot.
BILLY
“Mr. President, get out of the way!”
NYSSA
“Victoria, don’t!”
But Victoria shoots President Owen and kills him. Victoria screams as President Owen crumbles to the floor. The four companions react in horror.
KRIGE
(laughs; triumphantly) “None of you can escape your destinies! It is in the name of Russorg!”
SCENE #32 – INT – FORWARD SECTION, PRIME TOWER – DAY, EVENING
Later that evening, Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Ace wake up. They find themselves still in the tower, feeling groggy. The four companions slowly get up from the floor.
VICTORIA
(exhausted) “I must be the only one here.”
NYSSA
(exhausted) “It’s alright, Victoria. You’re not alone.” (to Billy) “Are you alright, Billy?”
BILLY
(exhausted) “Yes. A bit groggy but I’ll be alright, Nyssa.” (to Ace) “How are you, Ace?”
ACE
(exhausted) “Yeah! Thanks for asking, mate! Oh I feel knackered!” (Pause) “Is it me or have we all been dreaming the same dream?”
BILLY
“No! It’s not you. I saw you feverishly trying to stop a missile.”
ACE
“Yeah, that’s it! Thing is, I couldn’t even stop it. Didn’t even know what world I was trying to save.”
VICTORIA
This floor’s really uncomfortable. One wonders how we were able to sleep for so long.
NYSSA
I don’t think we had any choice. The dreams we all shared seemed to be forced upon us.
VICTORIA
But who would do so such a thing? Five of us, including Jo?
BILLY
The tower we’re in gives me the creeps. Especially since it’s dark.
ACE
Yeah. Feels like that film ‘Halloween’ with Jamie Lee Curtis. Scared the pants off me!
BILLY
Is it evening outside?
Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Jo look outside to see.
VICTORIA
“It must be evening. A cold evening night. I don’t like it.”
NYSSA
“This tower’s playing tricks on us. We mustn’t get carried away.”
Moment of silence.
BILLY
“We can’t stay here.”
ACE
“Well, obviously! We’re supposed to be looking for that shield generator piece of tech. We’re hardly going to stick around.”
NYSSA
“But we must move on with caution.”
VICTORIA
“I agree. Those dreams we’ve had aren’t helping me in being calm. It’s easy to get carried away thinking about that.”
NYSSA
That’s exactly what I mean. These dreams we’re having. They’re more than dreams. They’re premonitions of our own future. And we’re sharing them in a psychic conference.
BILLY
“Wait a minute, Nyssa! The dreams we’ve been having! You’re saying they’re going to be real? What each of us experienced?”
VICTORIA
“Oh I do hope not!”
ACE
“I hate President Owen’s guts and his lobs for bringing us here!”
NYSSA
“Come on! We must move on! We can’t waste time!”
The four companions move on, before Ace asks the question…
ACE
“Who’s this Russorg geezer anyway?”
SCENE #33– INT – CENTRAL CHAMBER, PRIME TOWER – DAY, EVENING
A while later, Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Ace enter the central chamber. The room hums with power as there is a faint frizzle of energy being emanated.
ACE
(in awe) “Wicked hardware! These must cost a fortune!”
VICTORIA
(amazed) “Strange goings-on in a tower.” (Pause) “Are you sure it’s okay to be in here?”
NYSSA
“We can’t be sure of anything, Victoria.”
They continue taking in their surroundings.
BILLY
“Hey, look over there! There’s a gigantic ball of light!”
ACE
“Whoa! What could that be for then?!”
Nyssa, Billy, Victoria and Ace step closer to look and see what it is.
NYSSA
“It certainly is generating a lot of power.”
BILLY
“Of course! This must be the shield field generator!”
VICTORIA
“How did you deduce that?”
BILLY
“Well…because it’s large…weird…and in the middle of the room.”
ACE
“Good point.”
NYSSA
“Are you sure it’s not because you read the label on the device, Billy?”
BILLY
(teasingly) “Oh. What label?”
NYSSA
“This [label…]” (gradually; realises) “Very funny, Billy.”
BILLY
(teasingly) “Well if you try too hard, you’ll never get anywhere.”
ACE
(jokingly) “Show-off.”
At that moment, Jo enters the room.
VICTORIA
(cheers) “Jo! You’re here! Are you alright?!”
JO
(thrilled) “Victoria! Ace; Nyssa; Billy! I’m so glad to see you four!”
ACE
“Jo, I’m very sorry I left you behind. That was very low of me.”
JO
(reassuringly) “It’s alright, Ace. I may seem ‘dolly’, but I’m capable of looking after myself.”
NYSSA
“I’m sure you are, Jo.”
JO
“But I’ve been having this strange dream lately. I felt groggy after that.”
BILLY
“You’re not the only one. We’ve all been having dreams as well.”
VICTORIA
“For mercy’s sake! If we saw each other’s dreams, why couldn’t we see Jo’s?”
JO
(surprised) “What? You all saw each other’s dreams?”
NYSSA
But that’s because Jo wasn’t with us. She was far away from us when the psychic connection happened for the four of us.
JO
(changes subject) Is this the power generator here? In the centre of the room?
NYSSA
It certainly is. But how to disconnect the nodes is another matter.
BILLY
Well, these obviously must be the switches…
NYSSA
No, Billy, don’t.
But it’s too late. Billy pulls down the levers and the generator powers down. Moment of silence ensues. The five companions realise that the shield generator isn’t working.
BILLY
Oh. Sorry.
ACE
Don’t you ever listen to your girlfriend, Billy?
NYSSA
“It’s alright, Ace.”
JO
“Is it really?”
NYSSA
“I think Billy’s managed to power down the generator successfully. It’s safe to disconnect it from the nodes. At least I hope so.”
VICTORIA
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
ACE
“Here let me! I’ll do it!”
BILLY
“Wait, Ace! I’ll help you.”
Ace and Billy slowly disconnect the nodes from the shield generator. They do this one at a time. They first disconnect the first node.
BILLY
“There! One node down.”
ACE
“Well done, Billy! Now let’s try another.”
Ace and Billy move onto the next node, whilst Victoria, Jo and Nyssa watch.
BILLY
(to Victoria; Jo; Nyssa) “Don’t worry, you three! We should have this generator out in no time.”
ACE
(to Victoria; Jo; Nyssa) “Yeah! Leave it to the experts!”
NYSSA
“Don’t shock yourselves, you two! An electrical current may still be running if you’re not careful.”
A small electrical discharge is made and hits Billy. He reacts in pain.
BILLY
(in pain) “Oww my hand!”
ACE
(cheekily) “She did warn you!”
NYSSA
“Hang on, Billy! Let me help!”
Nyssa makes her way over to help Ace and Billy.
ACE
“There’s no need to fuss over him, Nyssa!”
BILLY
(bears the pain) “I’ll be okay, Nyssa! Don’t worry!”
NYSSA
“I know how to disconnect this sort of technology more methodically than you, Billy. Let me show you how it works.”
BILLY
“But Nyssa…”
NYSSA
“Don’t argue.” (Pause; gradually) “Now the first thing, you have to do [is…]”
Whilst Nyssa helps Billy and Ace to disconnect the power generator, Jo and Victoria watch keenly.
VICTORIA
“I wish there was some way I could help them. If only I knew this sort of thing they’re talking about.”
JO
“I’m beginning to wonder if this is all too easy.”
VICTORIA
(worried) “You mean…that somebody’s deliberately letting us take the shield generator…in order to kidnap us again?”
JO
“I wouldn’t put it like that…but that more or less wraps it up.”
VICTORIA
No! That can’t be! It certainly can’t be!
Jo and Victoria continue watching Ace, Nyssa and Billy disconnecting the generator.
© Tim Bradley, 2017
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