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THE UNDERWATER MENACE

EPISODE TWO

by GEOFFREY ORME

first broadcast - 21st January 1967

1. OPERATING ROOM

(POLLY struggles as two assistants hold her on the table.)

DAMON: One tiny jab, and you'll know nothing more about it until it's all over.

(He prepares the injection.)

2. ZAROFF'S LAB

ZAROFF: And so you see my friend it is all so simple. When Atlantis was submerged, at the time of the flood, some life continued in air pockets in the mountain's caves, thanks to the natural air shaft provided by the extinct volcano. You, ah, like my laboratory, yes? You find all this very impressive, No?
DOCTOR: No, not a bit, not a bit.
ZAROFF: What do you mean?
DOCTOR: I expected nothing less from the great Professor Zaroff.

3. OPERATING ROOM

(POLLY struggles.)

DAMON: The lights are playing up again. Go and see what's wrong. No wait. I'd better go myself. Zaroff might listen to me. Look after the girl.

4. ZAROFF'S LAB

ZAROFF: Yes, we haff come a long way in our research, and luckily the riches of Atlantis haff provided ample means.

(He goes over to the octopus tank.)

ZAROFF: Ah! So you are hungry today? Did I forget to feed you? Is beautiful, no?

(DAMON enters.)

DAMON: Zaroff!
ZAROFF: Not now, Damon, can't you see I am talking with my friend here.
DAMON: This won't wait. If I am to operate on the girl, I must have light.
ZAROFF: One operation, one girl, you are making an unnecessary fuss.
DAMON: I know what's going on. You're using so much voltage on the project that all civil use is curtailed.
ZAROFF: Ridiculous. I will show you. You follow me. Open the panel. Ridiculous. There's nothing wrong with the civil supply, there's never anything wrong. Look. The supply to your clinic is always adequate and cannot be affected by demands elsewhere.
DAMON: Zaroff...
ZAROFF: The fault must lie at your own intake.
DAMON: It's easy to make excuses.
ZAROFF: Excuses! Who taught you, Damon? Everything you know, I taught you. Yes, I made you so I can break you.

5. OPERATING ROOM

(It is dark.)

FIRST ASSISTANT: Zaroff won't listen to him. You'd better go and get some light from somewhere. You'll find some in the old quarters. Don't worry prisoner, we won't keep you waiting long.

(He sees ARA.)

FIRST ASSISTANT: Ah, you, girl, come here. Keep watch on the prisoner while I search for fuses, and don't try any tricks, understand? Or it will be worse for you.
POLLY: I understand.

(The two assistants leave.)

ARA: Girl?
POLLY: What?
ARA: Don't speak, just follow me.
POLLY: I can't see anything.
ARA: Hold my hand. I'm used to the dark. Hurry before they get back.

6. ZAROFF'S LAB

DOCTOR: I can't think of how I came to be so clumsy. I must have bumped into it.
DAMON: You're not clumsy, Doctor, you did it on purpose. But you won't save the girl.
ZAROFF: Oh no Doctor, you are staying here with me.
DOCTOR: As your prisoner?
ZAROFF: Let us say as my guest.

7. TUNNEL

ARA: It's all clear, come on.
POLLY: Ooo. Whew. I feel as though I've run a hundred miles. But where?
ARA: I know where to hide you. Come on.

8. ZAROFF'S LAB

ZAROFF: Damon? Ah. A certain Atlantean, a primitive. Clever, but no vision.
DOCTOR: Professor, you have offered these people a very big sugar-coated pill to make them accept you, yes?
ZAROFF: I turn their dreams and prophecies to my own means.
DOCTOR: The dreams of a people living on a drowned continent must be...
ZAROFF: ...to lift Atlantis from the ocean. Make it rise out again.
DOCTOR: Exactly. Now, how are you going to do it? Even a genius like you...
ZAROFF: Look.

(He shows the DOCTOR a model.)

ZAROFF: Atlantis underwater.
DOCTOR: A very large mass to lift.
ZAROFF: If I can't lift it then I must lower the water level. You see the valve there?
DOCTOR: Yes, may I?
ZAROFF: Please.

(The DOCTOR operates ZAROFF's model. The water drains away.)

ZAROFF: Simple, isn't it?
DOCTOR: Yes, but you haven't got a drain big enough to take an ocean.
ZAROFF: Then I will make one.
DOCTOR: Excuse me, I'm a little lost. The crust of the Earth is more than a hundred miles thick. Below that is believed to be a white-hot molten core. Now where is your ocean going to go?
ZAROFF: That is my secret.
DOCTOR: Oh, now you're making fun of me, Professor.
ZAROFF: No, no.
DOCTOR: Even supposing you could drill to the depth of a hundred miles...
ZAROFF: There is a place where a fissure reduces the distance to less than fifteen miles.
DOCTOR: It's still an enormous obstacle.
ZAROFF: But not insurmountable! We haff been vorking on it for many years.
DOCTOR: Even if...
ZAROFF: Excuse me, I haff been interrupted.

(ZAROFF turns to some other task.)

DOCTOR: But Professor?
ZAROFF: Yes?
DOCTOR: Even supposing you succeeded, you know what will happen, don't you?
ZAROFF: YOU tell me, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Well, the water will be converted into superheated steam, the pressure will grow, and crack the crust of the Earth. Destroy all life, maybe even blow the planet apart.
ZAROFF: Yes. And I shall haff redeemed my promise to lift Atlantis from the sea. Lift it to the sky! It will be magnificent.
DOCTOR: Yes...
ZAROFF: Bang! Bang! Bang, bang! That's all.
DOCTOR: Yes. Just one small question. Why do you want to blow up the world?
ZAROFF: Why? You, a scientist, ask me why? The achievement, my dear Doctor. The deshtruction of the world. The schientists' dream of supreme POWER!

9. MINE

OVERSEER: Only four loads today? You'll have to increase output or you'll be joining our fish friends. Alright, get on with it. I've another two for you. Alright, this way, follow me.

(BEN and JAMIE are brought in. The OVERSEER goes to two other miners.)

OVERSEER: What's this?
SEAN: Huh?
OVERSEER: Slacking?
SEAN: Oh I'm sorry I can't hear a word you're saying. Splitting with the noise.
OVERSEER: What have you got there?
JACKO: Who, me?
OVERSEER: Guard! Search that man.
GUARD: Nothing here.

(SEAN deftly passes the object he has to JAMIE.)

OVERSEER: Search the other.

(SEAN is ticklish, he giggles.)

GUARD: Nothing on this one either.
OVERSEER: Alright, this time you're lucky. These two have just joined us. Teach them to be useful.
JACKO: That was close. What is it?

(He shows BEN the object he was concealing - a compass.)

BEN: What's the secret about a compass?
SEAN: It's as important as eyes down here. Thanks chum. If they had found that on us we'd have been for the high jump, I tell you.
JAMIE: Why d'ye pass it on to me though? Suppose they'd caught me with it?
SEAN: Ha ha. Well they didn't, did they?
BEN: Are you planning something, then?
SEAN: That's our business.
JAMIE: What's the matter with you? Are we not all in the same boat?
JACKO: That's right, Jock, and we don't want no one to rock it.
JAMIE: The name happens to be Jamie and...
SEAN: No no no, take no notice, he's a bit like that, you see.
BEN: Hey, watch it, there's a guard looking this way.
SEAN: Oh, make out we're working.

10. ZAROFF'S LAB

ZAROFF: Your calculations cannot be correct. Let me see.
DAMON: Professor?
ZAROFF: Not now, Damon. (To the DOCTOR.) Come with me.
DOCTOR: Ah, Mr. Damon, you're back. Did your operation go well?
DAMON: The girl escaped.
DOCTOR: Oh dear. How very frustrating for you.
DAMON: We'll get her back.
DOCTOR: Oh yes, yes of course you will. Very important to you, isn't it? I mean you want all the human labour you can get, don't you?
DAMON: Yes. But it's cheap and plentiful. We pick up survivors from shipwrecks who would otherwise be corpses and convert them to fish people.
DOCTOR: Amazing. The Professor leads the field in scientific discoveries. Hmm. What a fantastic conception, to control the world from a test tube.
DAMON: That's right.
DOCTOR: Well two can play at that game, have you ever seen this?

(The DOCTOR throws a test tube to the floor, it breaks releasing a gas. DAMON collapses.)

DAMON: Stop it, stop it. Don't let him get away.

11. TUNNEL

ARA: You understand, you must hide and wait until I can fetch you. Don't be worried.
POLLY: Yes, but...
ARA: Don't make a sound.
POLLY: No, alright.

12. MINE

(It is lunch break - plankton again.)

BEN: Don't you ever get sick of this seafood?
JACKO: You learn to live with it.
SEAN: Just watch it though, they haven't found any way of keeping it fresh. In a few hours it's putrid.
JAMIE: Tell me, why do you need a compass?
SEAN: Oh, there's no point in making a break without one, is there?
JACKO: Why don't you shout it out to the guards?
BEN: Look mate, do yourself a favour and stop treating us as if we're one of them. Look, Jamie and I don't intend to stop here, either.
SEAN: See, I told you. Now come on boys, will you cheer up?
JACKO: Alright, alright.
BEN: How do you intend going about it?
JAMIE: Aye, how? There's guards all over.
BEN: Well come on, give.
SEAN: Right. Well while I was mining a shaft, um, I came along the, ah, entrance to a little underground tunnel like this, you see?
BEN: Yup.
JAMIE: Where does it lead, though?
SEAN: Well we haven't been able to explore it, we'll jast have to take the chance. Now if we go, there'll be no turning back. You understand?
JACKO: We make it or we don't.
SEAN: Are you with us, Ben?
BEN: Yeah, count me in.
JAMIE: Aye, when do we go?
JACKO: When the chance comes.
SEAN: And we jump fast, do y'hear me?

(The OVERSEER arrives.)

OVERSEER: They need extra labour up at the project. You two join the lineup for selection.

(He walks on.)

BEN: Now's our chance, we're off.
SEAN: By Christopher you're right. If we disappear now they'll think we've gone to the project work gang. OK, Jacko?
JACKO: Oh it'll give us a start anyway.
BEN: Right now look, you go first Jacko, that'll show Jamie and me where the entrance is, then you go Sean...
JAMIE: And then you, then me.

(A whistle sounds. The miners form a lineup.)

OVERSEER: Right, you... you... you...
JAMIE: How about me, sir?
OVERSEER: You're too new. Get out of my way. You... you...
BEN: I volunteer sir.
OVERSEER: Too new.
BEN: Oh, but sir...
OVERSEER: Go and join your friend... you...

(JAMIE rejoins the lineup.)

OVERSEER: I thought I told you to get out of my way.
JAMIE: Aye, sir, I'm just going, sir. (To miners.) Thanks, boys.
BEN: Come on now, we haven't got all day.
JACKO: Take a long time to me.
SEAN: Is that you?
JAMIE: Aye.
BEN: Come on, hurry up.
SEAN: And bring the light.

13. TUNNEL

JAMIE: Alright?
BEN: Look, suppose this don't lead anyplace, and we want to come back?
SEAN: Oh you won't mate. They'll kill runaway workers on sight.

14. PASSAGE OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE

(DAMON and his guards search.)

DAMON: We better try the small chamber. Nothing here. Compression chamber next.

(The DOCTOR is hiding in the shadows.)

DAMON: Seen any strangers, girl?
ARA: No sir, nobody.

(DAMON and his guards continue on.)

DOCTOR: Ara? No wait, Ara, its me.
ARA: Oh, it's you.
DOCTOR: Where's Polly?
ARA: Safe. I'm taking her some food and clothes.
DOCTOR: Good girl. Well done, Ara. Where can I find your Chief of State?
ARA: In the council chamber, why?
DOCTOR: I want to talk to him. Can you take me to him?
ARA: Yes, but he'll hand you over.
DOCTOR: We'll have to take that risk.

(DAMON and the guards have returned. Another priest meets them at the entrance of the temple.)

DAMON: I'll be outside. Keep your eyes skinned for escaped prisoners.
RAMO: Well where are the others now?
DAMON: The two young men are at the mines. The girl is still at large. So is the Doctor. But we'll find them. They cannot get away.
RAMO: Now what does Zaroff think of it all?
DAMON: Oh he's furious, of course. Could upset his plans.
RAMO: He should not have interfered with the temple sacrifice.
DAMON: You've always hated him, haven't you?
RAMO: He's a destroyer. He appeals to all that is base in our people. He should never have come to Atlantis.
DAMON: But without him, Atlantis will never rise again from the sea.
DOCTOR: (Whispers.) Have to get Damon away. I want to talk to the priest alone.
ARA: I'll try.

(ARA approaches DAMON and RAMO.)

ARA: If you please? Master?
DAMON: Yes, yes?
ARA: I believe I have seen the girl you are looking for.
DAMON: Where?
ARA: Down by the market.
DAMON: Show me.

(She leaves with DAMON and the guards. The DOCTOR emerges from his concealment.)

DOCTOR: Can I have a word with you, Ramo?
RAMO: Doctor! Dam...!
DOCTOR: We're both on the same side, Ramo. You distrust Zaroff out of instinct, I distrust him because I know the truth.
RAMO: Why should I trust you?
DOCTOR: That's a very good question. I wish I could think of a good answer.
RAMO: Alright, tell me what you know.
DOCTOR: Can we talk here?
RAMO: I know a place where we shan't be interrupted.

15. A FORK IN THE TUNNEL

JACKO: Which way now?
BEN: Thisaway, or thataway?
SEAN: Oh one is as good as the other.
JAMIE: Well let's try fifty paces up each tunnel, then turn back.
BEN: Yeah.
JAMIE: Jacko? I suppose I'll go with you. We'll take the high road.
JACKO: Oh, let's go then.
BEN: Which leaves us with...
BEN & SEAN: ...the low road.

16. PASSAGE, OUTSIDE A ROOM

RAMO: Come this way. We shall not be interrupted here.

(They enter.)

17. RAMO'S QUARTERS

RAMO: Now, tell me what you found out about Zaroff.
DOCTOR: He says that he's going to raise Atlantis, yes? That's not quite true, he intends to destroy Atlantis.
RAMO: A difficult task.
DOCTOR: It's easier than raising it.
RAMO: How will he destroy us?
DOCTOR: He intends to drill a hole through the earth's crust, and drain away the ocean, yes?
RAMO: Yes.
DOCTOR: Have you any idea what will happen if he does that? I'll show you. May I?

(The DOCTOR places a pot in the fireplace. He screws the lid on tight.)

DOCTOR: This pot is the earth. This is the ocean. The ocean drains into the earth. Now, but the centre of the earth is hot, far hotter than this fire. So what happens?
RAMO: But this is child's play. What has this to do with Zaroff's project?
DOCTOR: This pot is Zaroff's project. Watch. Now the pot begins to boil, but the steam can't get out, and so... I think we better stand a little further back... get down!

(The steam pressure blows the pot apart.)

DOCTOR: This is what will happen. Zaroff intends to raise Atlantis... but in little pieces.
RAMO: You swear this is true?
DOCTOR: Well I thought I might mention it, of course if you don't mind being blown up...
RAMO: Can you stop him?
DOCTOR: Could I? I am not the ruler of Atlantis.
RAMO: If I took you to our ruler Thous, could you convince him?
DOCTOR: I might.
RAMO: Wait here.

(RAMO leaves, the DOCTOR blows a tune on his recorder as he waits.)

18. TUNNEL

BEN & SEAN: Thirty eight, thirty nine, forty.
BEN: Well what beats me is why Atlantis hasn't been discovered before.
SEAN: Oh, maybe it has, but nobody got back home to tell the tale.
BEN: Oo yeah, could be. Hey!

(They hear someone else in the tunnel. They grab the figure.)

JACKO: Hey! It's me.
SEAN: Awful sorry, can't be too careful these days.
BEN: Yeah but where's Jamie? He went with you.
JACKO: We've gone on, I came back to collect you and Sean.
BEN: Now what do we do, we're not even at the end of this one yet.
SEAN: I think the best thing to do, is you go back to Jamie and I'll go on and meet you in ten minutes.
BEN: Oh yeah, but where?
SEAN: Where, at the, uh... at the fork. Okay?
BEN: Right.

19. RAMO'S QUARTERS

(RAMO returns carrying a priest's robe.)

RAMO: Put this on, could you?
DOCTOR: Could I?
RAMO: With these robes, no one will challenge you.
DOCTOR: Ha haha. How do I look?
RAMO: What?
DOCTOR: Never mind.

20. TUNNEL

BEN: JAMIE!
JAMIE: (OOV, faintly.) I'm here.
BEN: JAMIE!
JAMIE: Down here!
BEN: Okay, mate. We're with you. Are you hurt?
JAMIE: No, but watch it, the rock's slippery.
BEN: Don't worry about us, just cling on.
SEAN: How far down is he?
BEN: About ten feet, I'd say.
SEAN: What's that in metres?
BEN: Why don't you get further along there.

(They lower a rope.)

BEN: Can you reach it?

(JAMIE misses.)

BEN: Try again. Now the other hand.

(JACKO nearly slips.)

BEN: Oh, Jacko!
JAMIE: I think I got a foothold now.

(JAMIE is pulled onto the ledge.)

21. TEMPLE

(POLLY looks in disgust at the idol of the goddess AMDO.)

POLLY: Huh, you needn't think I'm afraid of you, you stupid thing.

(The four escapees emerge from the tunnel into the temple, right behind the idol of AMDO.)

SEAN: Come on, quietly.
BEN: Blimey, look where we are.
JAMIE: Back at the temple!
SEAN: Somebody down there.
POLLY: Boo.
BEN: Ah, it's Polly! Alright.
JAMIE: Polly!
JACKO: You know her?
BEN: Yeah of course I do, she's one of our lot.
POLLY: But what happened to you?
BEN: Well we found a tunnel in the mines that lead into this idol.
JAMIE: So here we are.

(BEN notices POLLY's Atlantean dress.)

BEN: What's this rigout in aid of?
POLLY: They were going to turn me into a fish.
BEN: (Laughing.) Into a fish?
POLLY: It's not funny!
SEAN: I'm Sean, this is Jacko.
JAMIE: Have you seen the Doctor?
POLLY: Not since he went off with Professor Zaroff. Why, haven't you?
BEN: No, but I'd love to know what he's up to.

22. OUTSIDE THOUS' CHAMBER

DOCTOR: Ramo, this ruler of yours, is he...
RAMO: His name is Thous. He believes Zaroff to be the deliverer of Atlantis.

23. THOUS' CHAMBER

(The DOCTOR and RAMO enter.)

THOUS: Good evening, Brothers of the Temple. Please be seated. What is this important business you want to tell me about?
RAMO: Most excellent Thous, this is a matter of life and death. Under no other circumstances would I have brought a stranger to you in temple garb.
THOUS: A stranger? Who are you?
DOCTOR: A man of science.
THOUS: Science? Ah, I see, one of Professor Zaroff's colleagues. Perhaps we should ask him to join us.
DOCTOR: Oh no no, I wouldn't do that if I were you, in fact um, I er, I wanted to speak to you alone, Excellency.
THOUS: Well, speak.
DOCTOR: Excellency, the Professor is a wonderful man.
THOUS: Wonderful?
DOCTOR: A worker of miracles.
THOUS: Indeed, you speak the truth.
DOCTOR: But, have you noticed his eyes lately?
THOUS: No.
DOCTOR: When he talks of his project, have you noticed his eyes, they light up like this!
THOUS: What does this mean?
DOCTOR: The Professor is as mad as a hatter.
THOUS: Mad? Zaroff?
DOCTOR: Completely. No answer. It's sad.
THOUS: I do not understand.
RAMO: We... we believe Zaroff to be working toward the destruction of Atlantis, not it's resurrection.
THOUS: I have heard such words from you before, Ramo.
RAMO: This man has proved it to me. Zaroff's plan will split the world in two, this is not the action of a sane man.
THOUS: But your own priests proclaimed him to be the prophet who would raise us above the sea.
RAMO: Lolem, he is old and superstitious.
THOUS: And your superior, Ramo, remember that!
DOCTOR: So you will not listen to us?
THOUS: I did not say that. I have heard your arguments.
DOCTOR: We've only just begun.
THOUS: I've heard enough. Now leave me, and I will consider what you have said.
RAMO: I know you will choose well for all our sakes.

24. TUNNEL, BEHIND THE IDOL

ARA: Oh, I'm sorry I'm so long, here's some food.
JAMIE: Ah, food.
POLLY: Super. Thanks, Ara. Look at this! Why are you doing all this for us?
ARA: You were kind to me, and I hate Zaroff.
JAMIE: You hate Zaroff?
ARA: We are not all his slaves. He will find out one day.
SEAN: Let's hope we find out soon. Do you want all that food for yourself, Ben?
BEN: Oh, sorry. Look, Ara, have you seen anything of the Doctor?
ARA: Yes, I'll take you to him later.
BEN: What's that?
ARA: Oo, quickly, we must hide. They're coming.
JAMIE: Back where we came from, Ben.
BEN: Right, the safest place in the whole of Atlantis.
SEAN: There's no need to be afraid, girl.
POLLY: Aren't you coming with us, Ara?
ARA: No, I must stay here, I'll be missed.
JAMIE: You to remain...
SEAN: Come on.

25. THOUS' CHAMBER

(The DOCTOR and RAMO are ushered back in.)

THOUS: I have given much thought to your words, and I have come to a decision.

(ZAROFF and some guards enter.)

THOUS: There, is your answer. Do with them what you will!

Next Episode

Doctor Who
PATRICK TROUGHTON

Polly
ANNEKE WILLS

Ben
MICHAEL CRAZE

Jamie
FRAZER HINES

Professor Zaroff
JOSEPH FURST

Ara
CATHERINE HOWE

Ramo
TOM WATSON

Damon
COLIN JEAVONS

Assistant
GERALD TAYLOR

Overseer
GRAHAM ASHLEY

Jacko
PAUL ANIL

Sean
P.G.STEPHENS

Thous
NOEL THOMPSON

Writer
GEOFFREY ORME

Script Editor
GERRY DAVIS

Producer
INNES LLOYD

Director
JULIA SMITH

Transcribed by
GARY ZIMMER
and THE DANGER GANG

Thanks to Andrew Deans.

 

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