-- and into the last thing they ever
expected. |
|
A stark white room, the size of a living room. The
walls are covered with circular, plate-like indentions. A
hexagonal-shaped control console with a cylindrical tube inset in
center with machinery visible inside. Various antiques decorating
the place. A monitor set into the upper wall. A shocked
Susan. |
|
All inside a box no bigger than a closet. |
|
The old man calmly walks inside. |
|
OLD MAN: Close the door, Susan. |
|
Susan hits a switch on the console, and the double doors behind
the group closes. |
|
OLD MAN: I believe these two people are known to
you. |
|
SUSAN: They're two of my schoolteachers! What are you
doing here?? |
|
BARBARA: (looking around) Where are we? |
|
OLD MAN: They must have followed you. That ridiculous
school -- I knew something like this would happen if we stayed in
one place too long -- ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... |
|
SUSAN: But why should they follow me -- |
|
BARBARA: Is this really where you live, Susan??? |
|
SUSAN: Yes. |
|
OLD MAN: And what's wrong with it? |
|
IAN: But it was just a telephone box.... |
|
OLD MAN: Perhaps. |
|
BARBARA: And this is your grandfather...? |
|
SUSAN: Yes. |
|
|
|
BARBARA: Well, why didn't you tell us that? |
|
OLD MAN: I don't discuss my private life with strangers.
...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... |
|
|
|
IAN: But it was a police telephone box!!! I walked all
around it!!! Barbara, you saw me -- |
|
OLD MAN: You don't deserve any explanations. You pushed
your way in, uninvited and unwelcome. |
|
BARBARA: I think we ought to leave.... |
|
IAN: Just a minute. I know this is absurd, but I
feel.....I walked all around it! |
|
|
|
The old man's attention is again distracted -- this time to an
antique clock. |
|
OLD MAN: It's stopped again, you know, and I've
tried.....(notices Ian) Hmm? Oh, you wouldn't understand. |
|
He walks back to the console. Ian follows him. |
|
IAN: But I WANT to understand!!! |
|
OLD MAN: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. |
|
The old man sheds his coat, scarf and hat at a coat rack. |
|
OLD MAN: Oh by the way Susan, I've found a replacement
for that faulty filament. Bit of an amateur job, but I think it'll
serve nicely. |
|
The old man fishes something out of his pocket and starts
working it into the console. |
|
IAN: It's an illusion. It must be..... |
|
OLD MAN: What is he talking about now? |
|
SUSAN: (growing panicked) What are you doing
here??? |
|
|
|
OLD MAN: You don't understand, so you find excuses.
Illusions, indeed? Let's say you've fit one of your largest
buildings into one of your smaller sitting rooms? |
|
IAN: No! |
|
OLD MAN: But you've discovered television, haven't
you? |
|
IAN: Yes..... |
|
OLD MAN: Then by showing one of your enormous buildings
on your television screen, you can....do what seemed impossible,
can't you? |
|
IAN: Well.....yes, but I still don't know -- |
|
OLD MAN: No, no, no. Not quite clear, is it? I can see by
your face that you're not quite certain. You don't understand.
(laughs) I knew you wouldn't. Never mind. (he turns back to the
console) Now let's see, which switch was it....? No, no, no....Ah
yes, that is it! (flips the switch) The point is not whether you
understand.....(turns back to Ian) What is going to happen to you,
hmm? (to Susan) They'll tell everybody about the ship, I bet
-- |
|
IAN: The ship....? |
|
OLD MAN: Yes, yes, ship! This doesn't roll along on
wheels, you know. ...... ...... ...... ......
...... |
|
BARBARA: You mean....it moves? |
|
SUSAN: The TARDIS can go anywhere. |
|
BARBARA: TARDIS? I don't understand you, Susan. |
|
SUSAN: Well, I made up the name TARDIS from the initials.
Time And Relative Dimension In Space. I had thought you both would
understand when you saw the different dimensions inside from those
outside. |
|
IAN: Let me get this straight. A thing that looks like a
police box, standing in a junkyard....it can move anywhere in time
and space?!? ...... ...... |
|
SUSAN: Yes! |
|
OLD MAN: Quite so. |
|
IAN: But that's ridiculous! |
|
|
|
SUSAN: (exasperated) Oh, why won't they believe us? |
|
BARBARA: Well, how can we? |
|
OLD MAN: (puts his hands on Susan's shoulders) Now, now,
don't get exasperated, Susan. Remember the Red Indian. When he saw
the first steam train, his savage mind thought it was an illusion
too. |
|
IAN: (stung at the comparision) You're treating us like
children!! |
|
OLD MAN: Is that so? The children of my civilization
would be insulted. |
|
IAN: Your civilization?!? |
|
OLD MAN: Yes, my civilization. I tolerate this century,
but I don't enjoy it. Have you thought about what it's like to be
wanderers in the fourth dimension? Have you? To be exiles? (motions
to himself and Susan) Susan and I are cut off from our own planet,
without friends or protection. But one day.... (he gazes off)... we
shall get back. Yes, one day..... one day.... |
|
Susan's a little distraught as she turns to face the
teachers. |
|
SUSAN: It's true. Every word of it's true. You don't know
what you've done coming here -- !!! (turns the old man around,
begging, nearly crying) Grandfather, let them go now, please!! Look,
if they don't understand, they can't....they can't hurt us at all! I
understand these people better than you do....their minds reject
things they don't understand..... |
|
The old man's icy look is his answer. The girl's words seize up
in her throat. |
|
OLD MAN: No. |
|
He turns back to the console. |
|
IAN: He can't keep us here..... |
|
BARBARA: Susan, can't you see that all this is an
illusion? It's a game you and your grandfather are playing, if you
like. But you can't expect us to believe it! |
|
SUSAN: But it's not a game -- |
|
BARBARA: Susan -- |
|
SUSAN: It's not!! Look, I love your school. I love
England in the 20'th century. These five months have been the
happiest in my life.... ...... |
|
BARBARA: But you're one of us! You look like us, you
sound like us.... ...... |
|
SUSAN: (tightly) I was born in another time. Another
world. |
|
IAN: Susan, you can't expect us to.... (he finally gives
up, grabs Barbara's arm) Oh come on, Barbara, let's get out of here.
...... ...... ...... |
|
They start toward the double doors....which won't open. |
|
SUSAN: No, you can't get out. He won't let you go. |
|
They grab at the door, tugging. It won't budge. A whining
(forcefield) squeals from the doors. |
|
And at the other side of the room, the old man is laughing.
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... |
|
|
|
IAN: (points at the console) He closed the doors from
over there. (starts toward it) I saw it.... (looks over the console)
Which is it .... ? Which is it? Which control operates the
door?!? |
|
The old man saunters up to him. A huge ring is noticeable on his
right hand. |
|
OLD MAN: Still thinks it's all an illusion.... |
|
IAN: (hotly) I know free movement in time and space is a
scientific dream I don't expect to find solved in a junkyard!! ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... |
|
OLD MAN: Oh, your arrogance is nearly as great as your
ignorance! (laughs) ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... |
|
IAN: Will you open the door!?! OPEN THE DOOR!!! (to
Susan) Susan, will you help us? |
|
|
|
SUSAN: I mustn't!! |
|
|
|
IAN: (sighs, faces the console) Very well then. I'll have
to risk it myself. ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... |
|
OLD MAN: (still chuckling) I can't stop you..... |
|
The old man's hand brushes a knob just as Ian's comes down on a
button -- |
|
SUSAN: OH DON'T TOUCH IT!!! IT'S LIVE -- |
|
The shock flings Ian to the floor. |
|
BARBARA: (helps him up) What on earth do you think you're
DOING?!? ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... |
|
SUSAN: (hysterical) Grandfather, let them go now!!
PLEASE!!! ...... ...... |
|
OLD MAN: And by tomorrow we should be a public
spectacle!! A subject of news and idle gossip!! |
|
|
|
He resolutely turns to the console. Susan moves to stop
him. |
|
SUSAN: They won't say anything..... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... |
|
|
|
OLD MAN: (claps hands on the girl's shouders) My dear
child, of course they will. Put yourself in their place. They're
bound to make some kind of complaint to the authorities -- or at the
very least talk to their friends. (wags his finger at her) If I do
let them go, Susan, you realize of course we must go too. |
|
SUSAN: No. Grandfather, we've been through all this -- !
...... ...... ...... ...... |
|
OLD MAN: (gently) There's no alternative. ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ... ... . . . . . . |
|
SUSAN: I want to stay!! Look, they're both kind people.
Why won't you trust them!? Look, if you make them promise to keep
our secret -- ....................... |
|
|
|
OLD MAN: It's out of the question. ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... |
|
SUSAN: I won't go, Grandfather. I won't leave the 20'th
century. I'd rather leave the TARDIS and you!! |
|
OLD MAN: Now you're being sentimental and childish. |
|
SUSAN: No, I'm being serious! |
|
|
|
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... |
|
The old man looks at her and the teachers. A beat. Then: |
|
OLD MAN: Very well. Then you must go with them. I will
open the door. |
|
He turns to the console, flips a switch -- |
|
BARBARA: Are you coming, Susan? |
|
|
|
-- another switch, a knob, a button -- the machinery in the
cylindrical column starts to turn, lights coming on -- |
|
SUSAN: OH NO!!! GRANDFATHER, NO!!!! |
|
She grabs at him, clawing, trying to pull him away -- he keeps
working controls -- the TARDIS begins to shake -- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OLD MAN: No -- Let me go!!! What are you -- GET BACK FROM
THE SHIP!!! Hold it..... |
|
The shaking worsens, and the teachers and Susan are flung to the
ground -- a groaning, wheezing noise fills the air, building
-- |
|
The cylindrical column begins to rise and fall -- ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... |
|
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...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... |
|
And on the monitor, an overhead view of London -- that shrinks,
fades.....and is replaced by a blinding vortex of light and
energy.... ...... ...... ...... ...... ......
...... ...... ...... ...... |
|