[ Index for this Doctor ]
[ Index for this story ]
THE WEB PLANET
THE CENTREWritten by
BILL STRUTTON
1: INT. CARSENOME. CONTROL ROOM
(On a nearby wall, a gun-like tendril rises up and spits a ray at the DOCTOR and VICKI with a hissing noise. VICKI screams. She and the DOCTOR are enclosed in a thick mass of web...)
2: EXT. CARSENOME ENTRANCE
(The Menoptra raiding party and BARBARA rise from their places of concealment behind some rocks. Their possessed ZARBI stands in the open...)
3: INT. CARSENOME. CONTROL ROOM
(VICKI falls to one side and on the floor. The DOCTOR seems cold and stunned by the attack but they are otherwise unharmed. As the communications tendril tube descends from the ceiling, VICKI crawls towards the astral map. The tube falls over the head of a nervous looking DOCTOR and the sibilant voice of the ANIMUS addresses him...)
ANIMUS VOICE: You attempted escape?
DOCTOR: (Still shivering.) We have been on a slight...explortation.
ANIMUS VOICE: You have been brought back...to me.
DOCTOR: Brought back? We came...of our own free will. We are not to be subjected like the Zarbi’s, or terrorised like the Menoptra! We are...
ANIMUS VOICE: (Interrupting.) You are of no further use except for the way you think. I need your intelligence. You will be brought to the centre, to mmeee...!(The DOCTOR feels his face as the tube rises back into the ceiling. VICKI is under guard near the astral map as the DOCTOR struggles to his feet.)
VICKI: What do they want now?
DOCTOR: Oh, we...we shall be taken to the...centre, child. Try, oh! Try not to be afraid. Oh! Ahh!(He takes her hand...)
4: EXT. CARSENOME ENTRANCE
(BARBARA has been on a slight reconnoiter and now returns to her companions.)
BARBARA: The Doctor will have reached the control section by now. Prapillus, we should send in the Zarbi.
(PRAPILLUS hisses and raises the DOCTOR’S ring. In front of them, the ZARBI rises to obey...)
5: INT. CARSENOME. CORRIDOR
(The DOCTOR and VICKI are being forced down a tendril covered corridor by two ZARBI. They are still covered with remnants of web.)
DOCTOR: Ah, you never let me have the web destructor back again, child. We may not get another chance.
VICKI: (Quietly.) Doctor, I haven’t got it.
DOCTOR: Oh yes, I gave it to you, come along, my child, come along, come along.
VICKI: It’s just that I haven’t got it now.
DOCTOR: Well where is it now, er?
VICKI: It’s in the astral map, I...
DOCTOR: Ahh...?
VICKI: I hid it there.
DOCTOR: Oh! Ah, ah!(Stunned by this loss, they are forced on...)
6: EXT. CARSENOME ENTRANCE.
(The raiding party stands on rocks outside the Carsenome entrance.)
PRAPILLUS: Zarbi coming. Are we ready?
(PRAPILLUS signals to their ZARBI as another comes out of the Carsenome. The two ZARBI go into battle, pushing against each other.)
HROSTAR: Prapillus, it will throw the necklace off.
PRAPILLUS: Harbara, now!(BARBARA runs past the uncontrolled ZARBI, pushing it round as she does so. It faces her then runs towards her. HROSTAR and HILIO jump onto the rock where BARBARA was stood and call out to the creature, taunting it.)
HROSTAR: Zaaarrrrr-bi! Hich-hich-hich-hich!
HILIO: Zaaaarrrr-bi! Hich-hich!(The ZARBI does not know how to react to this treatment and scuttles back and forth.)
HROSTAR: Zaaaarrr-bi! Hich-hich!
(The ZARBI seems to gain courage and makes a run for HROSTAR and HILIO. PRAPILLUS signals to HYLNIA and she runs in from another side, similarly taunting it but in a long drawn out squeal.)
HYLNIA: Zarbeeee-eeee-eeee-eeee-eeee!
(She backs into the Carsenome. The creature follows and she comes out alone a few seconds later.)
HYLNIA: It will return with reinforcements.
BARBARA: Well, that was the idea, wasn’t it?
PRAPILLUS: We must move into the corridors to make it more difficult for the Zarbi. They won’t scatter us so easily.
HROSTAR: (Arrogantly.) I will take the first larvae gun.(This annoys the boastful HILIO and he and HROSTAR exchange hisses. Then the entire party, including the possessed ZARBI enters the Carsenome.)
7: INT. CARSENOME. CORRDIOR
(Two ZARBI and a larvae gun scuttle along a corridor, ready to deal with the intruders.)
8: INT. TUNNEL
(The underground party has reached a wall from which roots seem to be growing out of it. IAN suddenly gives a cry of alarm as a liquid pours out of a crevice in the rock.)
IAN: Look out! It’s acid again.
(VRESTIN examines the liquid.)
VRESTIN: No Heron. It is water.
(IAN steps forward to check and finds that VRESTIN is right.)
IAN: Water?
OPTERA HETRA: Huh. Poidarac sucks goodness from our worrrllld!
VRESTIN: Water. It sank below the surface when the Animus choked the soil.
IAN: Well it’s still there, Vrestin. All you have to do is bring it to the surface. You can grow your plants again.(IAN looks upwards through the roots.)
OPTERA HETRA: If we go up...we meet the blinding heart of...Poidarac. I...have...fear. Optera! (He turns to his fellow Optera.) Stay!
VRESTIN: Listen, Optera. Poidarac is evil. The Menoptra are stronger than evil. The world above is good.(HETRA replies with guttural grunts, then he and his two companions confer whilst IAN turns to VRESTIN.)
IAN: Vrestin, this is a root. We can’t lose our way. Why not leave them here?
VRESTIN: No. They are descendants of my race. They can live in light. Come.(VRESTIN calls the Optera back but only HETRA does so.)
OPTERA HETRA: They stay. I go. If there is safety...I return for them. We go.
(IAN starts to climb the roots...)
9: INT. CARSENOME. ENTRANCE
(Just within the Carsenome, BARBARA and PRAPILLUS wait in an entrance alcove while the other three and their ZARBI are further within.)
PRAPILLUS: Hrostar?
HROSTAR: Yes, I’m ready.
BARBARA: (To PRAPILLUS.) What are they doing?
PRAPILLUS: The Zarbi will have larvae guns.
HILIO: This is the only way we can stop them.
HYLNIA: If it works.(BARBARA edges forward out of the alcove.)
PRAPILLUS: Get back, Harbara!
(She does so as a ZARBI and a larvae gun appear at the end of the corridor - but wait, as if sensing danger. HROSTAR takes the wishbone necklace off their ZARBI and waits in concealment as the larvae gun edges forward. When it is near enough, HROSTAR runs forward, attempting to put the necklace on the gun. The creature manages to throw him off the first time. He tries again and manages to get the necklace over the creatures proboscis but not before it manages to shoot him. The two ZARBI, now defenceless, scuttle off into the Carsenome as HROSTAR falls dead on top of the larvae gun, crushing it in the process. The others run forward. HYLNIA gives out small crying sounds...)
HYLNIA: Oh! Hrostar is dead!
PRAPILLUS: Then we must succeed so that Hrostar may lie at rest in the Temple’s of Light.(HYLNIA lets out another cry.)
PRAPILLUS: Do not cry, Hlynia, there is work to do. Come.
(He leads her further into the Carsenome as BARBARA watches HILIO detach the necklace from the dead larvae gun. He stands up with it.)
HILIO: The next gun...is mine. (He walks forward, signalling to BARBARA.) Follow.
(They leave their dead companion behind...)
10: INT. CARSENOME. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CHAMBER OF THE ANIMUS
(The DOCTOR and VICKI are led down a corridor to what appears to be a dead end. After a pause, tendril-covered doors part...)
11: INT. CARSENOME. CHAMBER OF THE ANIMUS
(...and they are pushed by the ZARBI into the chamber. The whole room, its wall’s and floor are covered with tendrils that emanate from a spider-like creature which occupies the centre of the chamber. Underneath it is a blinding light which flares as the DOCTOR and VICKI fall to the floor. They attempt to get up.)
VICKI: Oh, can you see it, Doctor? Can you see it?
DOCTOR: Oh, oh! This blinding light! It’s too bright for my eyes!(He falls back to the ground.)
ANIMUS VOICE: What Vortis is, I am. What you are, I will become.
(VICKI attempts to help the blinded DOCTOR.)
VICKI: Ah, Doctor!
DOCTOR: Argh!
VICKI: Doctor!(She jumps towards the ANIMUS.)
VICKI: Oh, leave us alone, you parasite!
ANIMUS VOICE: Parasite? A power, absorbing territory, riches, energy. Come child! Come to me!(VICKI finds the light too bright and struggles to stay on her feet.)
VICKI: You filthy, great...spider! You won’t get us because...we won’t move!
ANIMUS VOICE: Do not fight against it. Approach, approach, both of you...
VICKI: I mustn’t move, I mustn’t move, oh!(But she finds herself drawn closer...)
12: INT. ROOTS
(IAN, VRESTIN and HETRA are still climbing the root tower. Above them is a strong light.)
IAN: Ah, there seems to be no end to it.
(A portion of root comes away in IAN’S hands and falls towards HETRA and VRESTIN below him.)
IAN: Ah, look out!
(The falling root almost knocks VRESTIN off. He put his hand and grabs VRESTIN.)
IAN: All right?
(VRESTIN gives out a sigh of agreement.)
OPTERA HETRA: The blinding...dark...is close...now.
VRESTIN: Heron, let us rest.
IAN: No!(They continue upwards.)
13: INT. CARSENOME. CORRIDOR
(BARBARA runs down a corridor and glances inside the Carsenome control room.)
14: INT. CARSENOME. CONTROL ROOM
(Inside is the TARDIS and next to it, a ZARBI.)
15: INT. CARSENOME. CORRIDOR
(BARBARA hides against one side of the door with PRAPILLUS on the other. She calls behind her.)
BARBARA: Zarbi!
HILIO: (Rushing forward.) How many?
BARBARA: I only saw one.
HILIO: With larvae guns?
BARBARA: No, I think he was alone.
PRAPILLUS: Do not let him give the alarm, Hilio.(HILIO runs into the control room with the necklace in his hands.)
16: INT. CARSENSOME. CONTROL ROOM
(HILIO rushes the ZARBI but it easily re-buffs him and in the altercation, the necklace is dropped on the floor. HLYNIA tries next but she is similarly pushed back before she can grab the necklace. It is the old Menoptra PRAPILLUS who manages to grab the necklace and force it over the neck of the ZARBI. The creature falls quiet as they look round their surroundings.)
PRAPILLUS: This seems to be the Zarbi nest. How does the Animus control it?
HILIO: Look, there!(The light wall has burst into life...)
17: INT. CHAMBER OF THE ANIMUS
(The DOCTOR lies at the feet of the ANIMUS. Its tendrils are wrapped round his arms and legs. VICKI is similarly trapped but she is still on her feet, however she is now tiring and she falls wearily to the ground.)
VICKI: I can’t...I can’t...struggle any more...Doctor, help me! Ahh!
(She falls next to the old man.)
DOCTOR: (Almost unconscious.) Mmm...
VICKI: There’s no one, no chance...and it’s all my fault!
DOCTOR: Mmm, mmm.
ANIMUS VOICE: What I take from you, will enable me to reach beyond this galaxy, into the solar system. To pluck from Earth, its myriad techniques and take from Man his mastery of space!
18: INT. CARSENOME. CONTROL ROOM
BARBARA: Look out!
(Several tendrils rise from the wall and attempt to spit webs at the intruders. All four battle against the weapons, trying to stop them pointing at each other. One does manage to wound HLYNIA.)
PRAPILLUS: No Hlynia, argh, Hlynia!
19: INT. CARSENOME. CHAMBER OF THE ANIMUS
(An alarm sounds. This seems to rouse the DOCTOR. The ANIMUS sounds as if it is in pain...)
ANIMUS VOICE: Zarbi centre wounded! Aliens in control...!
(The DOCTOR’S head falls back down.)
20: INT. CARSENOME. CONTROL ROOM
PRAPILLUS: This sector seems to be paralysed.
(BARBARA spots a familiar object. She crosses to it as HILIO helps HLYNIA who has sustained a wounded shoulder.)
BARBARA: And look! This is the Doctor’s astral map.
PRAPILLUS: Does it work?
BARBARA: Yes, I think so.
PRAPILLUS: Can we speak to the invasion force with it?
BARBARA: Yes, if I..if I can just find the right frequency.(She looks over the machine.)
BARBARA: Where would you want it set?
PRAPILLUS: To the planet Pictos. (He points to one of the star charts.) There.(BARBARA manipulates one of the controls on top of the machine.)
BARBARA: Now, try that.
PRAPILLUS: Vortis to main force. Vortis to main force. Warning, repeat, warning, Electron guns useless against the Zarbi. Isop Plateau heavily ambushed. Wait for instructions. Reply.(There is silence.)
HILIO: Either it hasn’t heard, or it doesn’t trust us.
BARBARA: Or I didn’t set it right.(She manipulates further controls...)
BARBARA: I don’t know, there’s something wrong. This thing ought to li...
(She knocks aside one of the star charts and stops when she sees what is within.)
BARBARA: Prapillus look! It’s the Isop-tope! (She takes it out.) The Doctor - he must have been captured.
HILIO: (Taking hold of the Isop-tope.) Then we must take it to the centre ourselves.
BARBARA: But why would...
HILIO: There’s no time to lose.(He and HLYNIA rush off. PRAPILLUS re-assures a concerned BARBARA.)
PRAPILLUS: Hilio will take care of the Doctor.
BARBARA: Hilio...(BARBARA runs off after HILIO. PRAPILLUS soon follows...)
PRAPILLUS: Hurry!
21: INT. BENEATH THE ANIMUS CHAMBER
(The underground party have finished their climb and now are crawling through a thin cavity beneath the ANIMUS. Roots still surround them. IAN turns on his back and presses the organic ceiling above him. He finds what appears to be a thinner section and tries forcing it but without success. He crawls back to HETRA.)
IAN: Give me this.
(HETRA grunts as IAN takes the Optera’s crystalline spear and crawls back to where he tried forcing the ceiling. This time, he stabs at it with the spear.)
IAN: Argh, it’s like trying to cut your way through treacle.
OPTERA HETRA: Huh, the blind mouth...of Poidarac...will not let us through.
VRESTIN: Heron! Try!(IAN continues to stab at the ceiling...)
22: INT. CARSENOME. CORRIDOR
(The Menoptra party rush towards the centre.)
HILIO: Remember - the Destructor must be aimed at the dark side of the Animus.
(PRAPILLUS looks round a corner.)
PRAPILLUS: Zarbi!
HYLNIA: Oh!
PRAPILLUS: There’s no turning back. We must rush them. It only needs one of us to get through with the Destructor.
HILIO: Now!(They run round the corner into the two ZARBI.)
PRAPILLUS: Zarrr-bi!
(HILIO and PRAPILLUS make it through the cordon.)
HILIO: Harbara!
(To distract the ZARBI, HILIO throws the Isop-tope to BARBARA. HLYNIA uses the moment to rush through.)
HYLNIA: Harbara! Harbara! Harbara!
(BARBARA throws the Isop-tope to her and rushes through the ZARBI.)
23: INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE CHAMBER OF THE ANIMUS
BARBARA: They’re not following us.
PRAPILLUS: Perhaps we were expected?(HILIO looks at the tendril doors.)
HILIO: This...must be the centre. (To HYLNIA.) Give me the Isop-tope.
(She hands it to him. The doors open...)
24: INT. CHAMBER OF THE ANIMUS
(...and they rush in. The light of the ANIMUS flares, causing them all to cry out in pain.)
PRAPILLUS: Light!
(BARBARA falls to the ground. The Menoptra are paralysed by the light.)
ANIMUS VOICE: Ahh, all of you!
(HLYNIA is pulled towards the ANIMUS by the force of the light.)
HYLNIA: Light! Light! Light!
PRAPILLUS: No Hlynia, not this light! It is evil.
HILIO: Harbara! The Destructor! Take it!(VICKI and the DOCTOR still lie at the foot of the ANIMUS, caught in its tendrils. VICKI hears HILIO’S cry and struggles to sit up.)
VICKI: Barbara... (Cries.) Oh, Barbara!
(VICKI cries. BARBARA tries to stand as she holds the Isop-tope. She gathers her wits...)
BARBARA: The dark side...I must aim it at the dark side...
ANIMUS VOICE: Approach...approach, Earth people. Your struggles are futile.(BARBARA stands and aims the Isop-tope and activates it. There is no reaction.)
BARBARA: It...it doesn’t work! It doesn’t work!
ANIMUS VOICE: Escape is impossible...impossible.(On the other side of the chamber, the underground party manages to break through and IAN’S head appears as he clambers upwards.)
BARBARA: Ian!
(The light flares out again and IAN is blinded too. A slight heartbeat sound is heard in the chamber.)
ANIMUS VOICE: You are expected too.
(BARBARA tries activating the Isop-tope again.)
ANIMUS VOICE: You have not the power...
(BARBARA falls at the feet of the ANIMUS and points the Isop-tope upwards. The creatures’ voice suddenly takes on a more frantic tone.)
ANIMUS VOICE: ...Power!! Master them!
(The light under the ANIMUS starts to break up and the creature itself starts to collapse. Smoke pours out of it.)
ANIMUS VOICE: Master ttthhheeemmmm!
(The ANIMUS’S final words are lost as it dies. It’s body lies still on top of the light source. All the intruders in the room start to recover from the effects of the light. VICKI struggles to sit up.)
VICKI: (In disbelief.) It’s dead! It’s dead!
(The DOCTOR starts to come round as VICKI is overcome with relief.)
25: EXT: VORTIS
(Some time later, the Carsenome has almost fully dissolved into the dust of Vortis now that its controlling source is dead. Vestiges of the tendril walls still remain to die out and near one of them a now docile ZARBI starts to dig in the sandy soil watched by PRAPILLUS. Liquid pours out of the ground. The ZARBI signals to others of its kind with its arms and they come forward to drink it. HILIO’S attention is attracted by this and with HYLNIA he comes forward to investigate. He hisses at the ZARBI to make them move. .)
HILIO: Hlynia, (He points.) Water.
(HYLNIA bends down and puts a hand in the water. She shakes it off.)
HILIO: Drink, Hlynia.
(HYLNIA does so, then stands up and calls VICKI over.)
HYLNIA: Vicki! Vicki! Vicki! Vicki!
VICKI: (Stepping foward.) What is it?
HYLNIA: Wa-ter!(HYLNIA puts VICKI’S hands in the liquid.)
VICKI: It is! Oh, why does it appear now?
HILIO: Before the Animus, water flowed freely on Vortis. Now the evil is gone, our streams run pure again. Our vegetation will flourish.
VICKI: Barbara!(A few feet away, BARBARA is playing with one of the now harmless larvae guns.)
VICKI: Barbara, come and look, water.
(BARBARA goes and investigates this sign of the planets’ renewal. A small distance away, VRESTIN is with HETRA and two more of the Optera. They stand with their hands over their eyes, afraid of the light.)
VRESTIN: Be strong.
(They take their hands away, but with guttural starts, quickly clamp them back again.)
VRESTIN: Be strong. The light is very good!
(The Optera steel themselves and take their hands away again. This time, they find that they are able to adapt to the light. HETRA gathers confidence and turns to VRESTIN.)
OPTERA HETRA: We fly...like you.
VRESTIN: No, but your children may fly.
OPTERA HETRA: Yerh, we see!(HETRA jumps up, wildly flapping his arms. He falls to the ground and VRESTIN runs to help him.)
VRESTIN: Be patient.
OPTERA HETRA: Without flight, how will the gods of light be kind to my people?
VRESTIN: Vortis is strong by thought. We will work together.(PRAPILLUS walks past them and up to the DOCTOR.)
PRAPILLUS: If I had not lived ‘til this time, I would have counted my life entirely wasted. Doctor, we owe you a great deal.
DOCTOR: There’s only one, anything you owe me, my friend.
PRAPILLUS: And what is that?
DOCTOR: That is my ring, hmm?
PRAPILLUS: Your ring? Ah...(PRAPILLUS laughs and takes off the ring passing it to the DOCTOR.)
PRAPILLUS: Your ring! On my life!
DOCTOR: Thank you, thank you!(IAN wanders over to where the OPTERA are jumping around, getting used to life on the surface. IAN laughs.)
IAN: Well, they seem to be enjoying themselves up here.
VRESTIN: The light is good.(HETRA jumps up to him.)
OPTERA HETRA: Light is good, huh!
(IAN laughs again.)
VRESTIN: Heron, will you come back to Vortis?
IAN: Oh, I doubt it, Vrestin. But, er, knowing the Doctor, you can never be sure.(PRAPILLUS rushes up to VRESTIN.)
PRAPILLUS: Vrestin, have you mended the communicator?
(They walk off to discuss the matter. With a final laugh at the Optera, IAN walks over to the DOCTOR. He is stood outside the TARDIS. They have been stood all this while in the remains of the Carsenome control room.)
DOCTOR: Well, my boy? We’ve managed to come out of this not unscathed, hmm?
IAN: (Looking hard at the DOCTOR.) Yes, all except my old school tie!
DOCTOR: Hmm... Yes, it’s quite a problem, isn’t it? Hmm. (Teasing IAN.) It’s something to do with...coal, wasn’t it? Hmm?
IAN: Coal Hill School! An old Coal Hill School tie! Black with thin emerald green stripes on it.
DOCTOR: Yes, yes, quite so. (Laughs.) Quite so, come on...(He walks into the TARDIS. IAN goes to follow.)
IAN: Barbara, Vicki.
(He enters the ship. The two girls follow and watched by their allies and former enemies, the TARDIS dematerialises. HYLNIA runs forward followed by the others.)
HYLNIA: (In wonder.) It...it disappeared!
PRAPILLUS: Their deeds shall be sung in the Temples of Light! (He looks into the sky.) Pictos shall remind us of a time as it circles Vortis. Every time it points to the Needle of the Kings, (He points to a star constellation.) as it does now, then we shall weave songs to praise the gods of light and thank them, that they sent the Earth people to save us from the Animus. Now the Zarbi larvae feed the soil, the flower forests shall grow again across Vortis. But we must not allow the forest to conceal another lurking Animus. (To VRESTIN.) Welcome the main force.(VRESTIN walks forward and activates the crystalline communicator.)
VRESTIN: Vortis to main force, Vortis to main force...
(VRESTIN twists the communicator again and a voice comes through.)
MENOPTRA VOICE: Main force to Vortis, main force to Vortis. Vrestin, where shall we land?
(The communicator is twisted again.)
VRESTIN: The dark power is dead. Fly in Menoptra to the delta of lights. We are wait-ing...
(The communicator is switched off and the Menoptra stand with their arms raised in welcome to their people...)
Next Episode
THE LION
Dr. Who
WILLIAM HARTNELLIan Chesterton
WILLIAM RUSSELLBarbara Wright
JACQUELINE HILLVicki
MAUREEN O’BRIENThe Menoptra
Vrestin
ROSLYN DE WINTERHrostar
ARNE GORDONPrapillus
JOLYON BOOTHHlynia
JOCELYN BIRDSALLHilio
MARTIN JARVISOpetra Hetra
IAN THOMPSONThe Zarbi
ROBERT JEWELL
HUGH LUND
KEVIN MANSER
JACK PITT
JOHN SCOTT MARTIN
GERALD TAYLORAnimus Voice
CATHERINE FLEMINGInsect movement by
ROSLYN DE WINTERTitle music by
RON GRAINER
and the BBC Radiophonic WorkshopCostumes Supervised by
DAPHNE DAREMake-up Supervised by
SONIA MARKHAMLighting
RALPH WALTONSound
RAY ANGELStory Editor
DENNIS SPOONERDesigner
JOHN WOODProducer
VERITY LAMBERTDirected by
RICHARD MARTIN(c) BBC tv
Transcribed By
JOHN TOMLINSON