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THE INVASION
by DERRICK SHERWIN
from a story idea by KIT PEDLER
EPISODE SEVEN
Manhole covers around London are tossed into the air like paper plates as the Cybermen beneath them emerge to claim their new conquest. Nowhere is sacred from them . . . Cybermen even stride down the steps of Saint Paul's Cathedral. They and their Control waves pervade every corner, every sidewalk, every street. . . and every person.
The Doctor slowly wakes up with an aching head. Isobel asks him if he's alright. He starts to say "Oh my head" when Jamie loudly shouts in his ear, "The Invasion, it's begun!"
"Yes, Jamie, I'd rather gathered that," answers the Doctor woozily. He asks if everyone else is alright and they tell him yes, they are.
The Doctor next asks about the Brigadier and the rest of the men and Captain Turner goes to the radio set to check.
Turner calls in to UNIT Control and after a short wait, Sergeant Walters comes through loud and clear. Turner asks to talk to the Brigadier, and Walters tells him to wait a moment.
After waiting a moment, the Brigadier comes on the air and asks Jimmy if he's alright. Turner tells him yes, and then the Brigadier tells them that there's chaos here at Control as only half the crew had been covered so far.
The Doctor takes the microphone and asks about the rest of the UNIT men. The Brigadier says it's hard to say as reports are still coming in. He tells them he's going to send transports for them as it's safer for them back at Control. The Doctor thanks him and then the Brigadier calls for Jimmy again.
Turner takes the mike and says he heard that last bit, and the Brigadier tells him and the others to stay put. As far as he can gather, the streets are packed with Cybermen. He's sending Sergeant Walters to see if he can get through with a jeep. Turner acknowledges and signs off. "Well, it sounds like total success for Vaughn and the Cybermen," says Turner.
"Yes," agrees the Doctor, "We appear to be sitting right in the middle of the hornet's nest."
The CyberPlanner is reporting to Vaughn, who leisurely sits in a chair this time as he speaks to the stand-alone mess of alien hardware.
"All areas are now covered by our transmission. The full invasion force is preparing for flight. Transmit the radio beam for the transporter ships to home in on."
"It will be prepared," replies Vaughn.
"Control and supervision of Cybermen in all key positions will be arranged. Prepare your communications network."
"Wait," says Vaughn, "My organization will now take over. The Cybermen army must stay under my control."
The CyberPlanner whirrs under this sudden resistance and it asks Vaughn, "Why do you oppose us?"
"I don't oppose you!" protests Vaughn, "We're allies, but you don't understand the world and its organization. I do."
"This is not necessary," retorts the Planner, "Humans are now under Cyber- Control."
"I must control them," insists Vaughn, "Look, let's understand one another. You will not get what you want unless I too achieve my objective. Is this agreed?"
The Planner whirrs and reports, "It has been agreed."
"Then the invasion will continue under my direction," orders Vaughn, "Discussion terminated." He stands and closes the alcove door.
Vaughn walks to his desk and calls for Packer on the intercom. Packer appears on the screens and Vaughn asks if they've discovered where the Professor is. Packer's too-close-up face reports that he has.
Vaughn tells him to go and collect him. Packer begins to protest that the UNIT organization have got him, and Vaughn reminds him that he won't have any opposition as they'll all be under CyberControl.
Packer acknowledges and Vaughn tells him he wants the machines on the production lines immediately. "Go and recapture Watkins. Don't let anything or anyone stop you."
A Land Rover drives up and parks in front of the Watkins'/Travers' house, and Sergeant Walters gets out and goes to the door.
Turner opens the door for Walters and Walters says he had quite a time getting here as there are Cybermen all about.
Turner tells him that the sooner they get out of here, the better. He calls into the lab room and asks if everybody's ready and they shout that they are. Suddenly Walters hears something and stops to listen. He and Turner look out the window next to the door and see a truck carrying Packer and a troop of Vaughn's security guards parking across the street. Turner tells Walters they've been seen looking out the door and they'd better get out the back way.
Everybody starts running for the back way, most everyone coming down the stairs and rounding the corner very quickly. The Professor and Jamie are in the back of the pack, the Professor struggling along with his machine.
Suddenly, the tip of a rifle pops through the letter box on the front door and starts firing inside. Professor Watkins is hit and he falls to the floor. Walters and Turner struggle to pick him up and Jamie reaches down to pick up the fallen machine. More shots are fired into the room and Jamie gets hit as he is running with the machine. He drops it before Turner comes back and helps him out the back way.
The Brigadier answers a radio call from Jimmy Turner and he asks where they are. Turner tells him and adds they need help. He asks if he can send a chopper and the Brigadier tells him yes. He asks if they can make it to sector five, and Turner says they can try. The Brigadier says he'll get the chopper there. Turner signs off and then the Brigadier calls for the sector five chopper and tells him to pick up Captain Turner and party and then to bring them back to Control.
"How could they escape the CyberControl?" screams Vaughn.
Packer tells him that it has to be that Doctor, something to do with him, adding that they should have got rid of them when they had the chance. "Shut up Packer," orders Vaughn. "I must go on with the invasion."
Packer asks what they're going to do about the Professor, since without him they can't make any more machines and without machines they can't control the Cybermen. Vaughn tells Packer to let him worry about that. For the moment, he has the Cybermen exactly where he wants them.
"Yeah, but for how long?" asks Packer. "Now can you honestly say that everything's going according to plan? That nothing's been overlooked?" Vaughn slams his fist on the desk and shouts, "Just obey my orders!" His voice turns down a few notches in amplitude and he then orders Packer to get in touch with the compound and have the radio beam projected. The invasion fleet must be brought in.
The UNIT Control plane is airborne as Sergeant Walters reports from the radio set to the Brigadier that New York, Moscow, and Peking are all off the air, and in fact there's no radio communication from anywhere in the world. The Brigadier tells him to keep trying all frequencies.
He turns to the main conference table where the Doctor is seated and remarks that there seems to be a complete blanket all over the world. Turner is seated behind the Doctor and he asks if they couldn't make hundreds of these neuristor things and distribute them. The Brigadier doubts there's time for that, and then asks what the Doctor thinks. The Doctor agrees and says the Cybermen will attack in force now, and that there must be thousands of them in outer space.
"Is there nothing we can do?" grumbles the Brigadier in frustration, and the Doctor says there is nothing unless they can stop the CyberControl signal. The Brigadier says that if the Doctor's theory is right, then that signal is coming from somewhere near the Moon meaning they're going to need a missile of some sort. The Doctor says he's afraid that's what it does mean.
Turner adds that they'll need an orbital launch vehicle of some sort, but they simply haven't got anything of that size.
"No, only the Americans or the Russians. . ." begins the Brigadier, and then he breaks off as he remembers something. He tells the others to wait a moment. He crosses the room and kneels down in front of a small safe. He uses a key to open it and from within he takes a large book of top secret documents. He pages through it and then tells the Doctor and Turner that the Russians were preparing a countdown at about the time they were attacked. "For the Moon sir?" asks Turner, and the Brigadier tells him yes. It was to be a manned orbital survey. They had a launch vehicle all ready to go.
Turner asks if he means they could put a warhead on it instead of the astronaut capsule. The Brigadier says its a possibility.
The Doctor asks how long this would all take, and the Brigadier says they could get a small party there in two hours, then they'd have to wake the rocket personnel from CyberControl, and after that it'll be up to the Russians.
Turner says this means it's all a question of time. He asks the Doctor how long he thinks they have, and the Doctor says he's surprised the Cybermen aren't there already. The Brigadier then orders Jimmy to get to the general of the Russian rocket base to deal with the attack, and to get his skates on. Turner nods in agreement and sets off to get ready.
The Brigadier takes the Doctor aside and says they must now deal with this invasion the Doctor says is coming. The Doctor says that they do at least know where the Cybermen will land. They'll home in on Vaughn's radio beam. The Brigadier asks if they could pick them off with anti- missile missiles, and the Doctor says that's a good idea and it's worth a try. The Brigadier mentions that there's such a base near Henlow Downs and he leaves for a minute to speak to Sergeant Walters.
Zoe enters the room and the Doctor asks her how Jamie's leg is. She says he's going to be alright as it's only a flesh wound, but he's furious that the army doctor won't let him walk on it. The Doctor says Jamie would be, wouldn't he? He then asks how the Professor is, and Zoe says he's going to be alright too and that Isobel is with him.
She next asks if there's anything she can do to help, and the Doctor suggests she go along with the Brigadier. Much as he detests computers, he thinks Zoe's remarkable brain will come in very handy.
The Brigadier is overhearing this as he studies a folder in his hands. The Doctor next says he thinks it's about time he had a serious talk with Mister Vaughn. "What?" exclaims Zoe in surprise. "Go back? But he'd kill you as soon as look at you!"
The Doctor tells her they need time, and he thinks that he can get them that time. The Brigadier chimes in and says it is madness, and that he can't afford to let the Doctor take that risk. The Doctor tells him he can't afford not to. If they're going to attack the Cybermen with missiles, they're going to retaliate and they'll need to know how and with what. Zoe asks how he's going to find this out, and the Doctor tells them he'll leave his radio on and then they'll hear every word that passes between him and Vaughn.
The Brigadier protests that the Doctor will not even get near the place since the whole area's crawling with Cybermen.
"Oh, there's one place where there'll be no Cybermen," says the Doctor.
"Where's that?" asks the Brigadier.
"In the sewers," answers the Doctor.
Sergeant Walters turns from the radio set and tells the Brigadier that they're coming in to land.
The cargo plane's loading bay is open and the Brigadier and Zoe wait outside it to wish people good luck.
First, a truck driven by the Doctor drives out and he says, "Bye bye!" before he drives away. Second comes a truck filled with Captain Turner and a few soldiers. The Brigadier asks him if he's all set, and Turner says he is and they have a supersonic jet laid on. They'll be in Russia in no time. The Brigadier says this is splendid, and Zoe wishes him good luck.
Sergeant Walters calls to all sections and tells them to prepare for take off. He orders that the loading bay be secured and for it to stand-by in flight position. All UNIT ground leaders are to stand by on full alert.
The Brigadier steps in and asks Walters to tell Wing Commander Robbins to put them down at the nearest airstrip to Henlow Downs defense base. He then orders that a chopper stay in the red sector area at all times in case the Doctor needs them in a hurry.
The Doctor quietly climbs off the rungs of the base of the ladder and looks carefully around the sewer he's just entered. He pulls out his radio, extends the aerial, and calls UNIT Control. He asks for the Brigadier, and while he waits, he looks up and down the tunnels which are visible, and sees them to be empty. The Brigadier comes over the radio and the Doctor tells him he's just entered the sewers and he will now make his way to Vaughn's headquarters. He'll let them know when he gets there. The Brigadier tells him he'll have a chopper in the area in case he gets in trouble. The Doctor thanks him and signs off.
He looks down the tunnels, deciding which way to go. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a large coin. He flips it in the air, catches it on his wrist and looks down the tunnel the coin indicated. He then slaps coin and goes down the other tunnel.
Zoe is protesting to the Brigadier that the helicopter won't do any good if the Doctor does meet any Cybermen in the sewers. The Brigadier tells her if she has any better suggestions, he'd be glad to hear them.
Walters steps forward and reports that Captain Turner says he's airborne with an ETA for Russia of two hours, seven minutes.
The Brigadier tells Walters to keep the Doctor's channel open, and he is to be told the moment he calls in.
He looks down at the worried face of Zoe and tells her not to look so worried. "Care for a cup of tea?" he asks. Zoe just scowls after him.
Packer points out an area on a map sitting on Vaughn's desk, explaining that they have particularly heavy concentrations of Cybermen in certain areas. Vaughn asks if they have all main communication centers now under control by their forces, and Packer says they do, but they can't make a complete takeover without the full invasion force.
Vaughn assures him they'll arrive, and when they do there won't be one city in the entire world they don't control. "Think of it Packer, the entire world."
An alarm goes off on Vaughn's desk and to Packer's surprise it is the security alarm. He worries that it is the UNIT forces attacking, and Vaughn has to calm him down. He turns on his monitor cameras and they check several vacant views of the compound, until one particular camera comes up which is filled with the Doctor's face.
"Ah, there you are," he says, "Can you hear me Mister Vaughn?"
"Yes," says Vaughn with surprise registering as much as it ever will on his face. The Doctor says he hopes he isn't calling at an inconvenient time, but he would rather like a word with him. Vaughn compliments that it's clever of him to avoid the CyberControl beam, but the Doctor shrugs it off as nothing. He says he'll come up, he knows the way.
As the Doctor's face disappears from the screen, Packer looks at Vaughn with confusion all over his face, saying, "He must be out of his mind!"
"Far from it Packer," says Vaughn in all seriousness. He then tells Packer to search the building just in case he brought any friends with him.
Packer asks why they don't just kill him since he's caused enough trouble already, and Vaughn says Packer is forgetting that the Doctor's their insurance. . .
Walters tells the Brigadier they're approaching the Henlow Downs airstrip.
The Brigadier buckles a gunbelt around his waist as he orders the raiding parties to stand by.
Suddenly the Doctor calls in over the radio and tells the Brigadier he's about to enter the lion's den. He will now leave his radio on as from this moment.
The Brigadier tells Walters to keep that channel open and to get the entire thing on tape. He says if the Doctor yells for help while he's away, Walters is to send in everything they've got to get him out.
The Brigadier goes to join the strike team, while over the radio the sound of a door opening and then Vaughn's voice saying, "Ah Doctor, what an unexpected pleasure. Do come in," is heard.
The Doctor sits in a chair in Vaughn's office while Vaughn again contemplates his window.
"And you trust them?" asks the Doctor, pointing significantly at the sky.
Vaughn explains to the Doctor that he's worked for five years preparing this invasion. He says he knows them and they way they think, their single-mindedness of purpose.
"Then you must know what inhuman killers they are," adds the Doctor.
"Of course," says Vaughn with a smile, "But then they are my allies, not my enemies."
"You really think they'll honor any bargain that you make with them?" asks the Doctor. "I've planned this operation in great detail," answers Vaughn, "allowing for every possible factor. It was I who contacted them in deep space and provided the means by which they could travel to Earth, and masterminded the whole operation from A to Z. They have merely provided their advanced scientific skills, their might and strength."
"What do they get out of all this?" asks the Doctor.
Vaughn sits at his desk again as he tells the Doctor that what they want and what they're going to get are two entirely different things.
"Oh, you're a fool Vaughn," assures the Doctor, "When they get here, they'll take over."
"All the Cybermen here are conditioned to obey my orders," prides Vaughn, "They are directly under my command."
"Oh, possibly," remarks the Doctor, "But what about the others out there in space? Are they conditioned to obey your commands?"
"If they're not, I'll destroy them," says Vaughn with mock confidence.
"Oh, with the Professor's machine," mentions the Doctor offhand.
"Yes," answers Vaughn, and then the Doctor says, "With _one_ machine."
"I'll have more made," plays Vaughn.
"You'll have to have the Professor's help to do that," smiles the Doctor, "And we've got the Professor."
"They'll be under my command, exactly like the others!" shakes Vaughn.
"But you can't be sure of that, can you?" presses the Doctor.
Vaughn frowns under the Doctor's smug little gaze. . .
Inside the Henlow Downs air defense base, technicians and officers are seemingly asleep at their posts, under CyberControl. All the banks of screens and controls are as silent as their masters are.
The door from outside opens and the Brigadier steps inside with his pistol at the ready, followed by supporting soldiers and Zoe.
The Brigadier orders his men and Zoe to get all these men fitted with neuristors and to set up their radio back to UNIT Control.
The Brigadier and Walters test their link with each other and the Brigadier asks if there's been any trouble. Walters reports there hasn't, and that Captain Turner reports he's over the Russian border now.
Zoe asks about the Doctor, and the Brigadier relays the question.
Walters says that so far, things are going so good.
The commanding officer, a Major Branwell, is slowly stirring as the neuristor begins to take effect and the CyberControl wears off. His thoughts are of the worst, a third World War as he asks what's happened and if there's been an attack. The Brigadier tells him to just try and clear his head as there's a great deal to do.
"But you daren't take the risk!" implores the Doctor. "Once the Cybermen take over, they'll destroy the Earth as we know it!"
"You're just playing for time, aren't you?" educated guesses Vaughn.
"I'm trying to stop you from destroying the human race!" cries the Doctor.
Vaughn notes that the Doctor has obviously been able to free his UNIT friends from CyberControl. He asks what they're planning.
The Doctor unconvincingly says he doesn't know what Vaughn's talking about, and Vaughn laughs at the lie. He presses his intercom and calls for Packer.
Packer answers and Vaughn asks if the radio beam in the compound is aligned yet. Packer says it is, and Vaughn tells him to link the beam with the invasion fleet. He then assures the Doctor that whatever his UNIT friends are trying to do, it's too late. . .
The Major is telling the Brigadier that the whole thing is fantastic and unbelievable, and the Brigadier tells him that it is nevertheless true. He tells him they believe they'll be sending their full invasion fleet at any time, and if they get here, they've all had it.
The Major says he sees, and then asks his subordinate, a Sergeant Peters, if there's anything on the scope. Peters looks over the circling radar display and says there's nothing, not a glimmer.
Branwell asks the Brigadier about this, and he says he supposes they could already be too late.
Zoe breaks in and asks what the range of their radar is. Peters says it's accurate up to fifty thousand miles, and then not so good after that.
Zoe says this means they're not likely to pick them up until the Cybermen are almost on top of them. The Major says this is true, but they can prepare in case they do appear on the screen.
He raises a microphone attached to his uniform and orders that all launch pads be prepared, that fuel priming be prepared, and to start the preliminary countdown.
Outside, three separate banks of lethal-looking missiles pivot around to new positions and prepare to be launched. . .
The CyberPlanner is reporting to Vaughn. We join it in mid-sentence. ". . . then the transports will be launched?"
"It's all arranged," promises Vaughn.
The CyberPlanner tells Vaughn the invasion fleet will arrive in two parts.
The Doctor steps forward and desperately tells Vaughn, "You must stop them! This is madness, you can't trust them!"
"Can't you see yet?" snarls Vaughn, "I've no alternative. I can't see all these years of work destroyed. I must go on, I must!"
Walters reports what he's heard over the radio to the Brigadier. At the moment he says more of them are on the way, Sergeant Peters reports to everyone that there's something coming through now. The Major crosses the room to assess the situation while the Brigadier asks if there's anything from Captain Turner. Walters says they last heard that he'd landed in Russia but they've since heard nothing more. The Brigadier signs off and goes to look at the radar display.
On the edge of the display are several small dots, moving down from the upper right corner of the screen towards the center in a triangular pattern. Peters notes they're on the edge of the display now, but coming in fast. Zoe asks how long it'll be before they're in range of their missiles, and Peters tells her at this rate it'll be just a couple of minutes. The Major asks Peters how they are on the countdown, and Peters says they're at T minus forty-five seconds. The Major tells him to hold, and he then issues orders into his radio again, telling the launch crew they have forty-five seconds to liftoff and to prepare fuel stocks.
A female voice replies that the fuel stocks are in preparation and the arming code is running. The Major orders the coordinate program be run.
Zoe suddenly sees more dots appearing on the screen, and she says so to Peters. "Sir," says Peters. "Yes, what is it?" asks Branwell. "More of them sir," answers Peters. The female voice returns again over Branwell's radio and says the arming codes have been run and all warheads are ready for liftoff activation.
The Major says they can't get all the ships, but they'll get as many as they can. He orders the liftoff reactivation check, and the Sergeant reports the coordinate program is running.
"Link program to telemeter guidance," orders Major Branwell.
Zoe takes Branwell aside for a moment and insists at him that she thinks they stand a good chance of getting at least ninety percent of the ships. The Major tells her they haven't got enough missiles. Zoe pleads with him that just knocking out a half a dozen of them is going to do very little good at all. "Let's try for them all!"
The Brigadier overhears this and steps closer to eavesdrop. The Major tells Zoe, "Look miss, I know my business and I'm telling you we haven't got enough missiles."
"Yes, you have!" insists Zoe. "These things are coming in in a formation pattern. Now if you set your missiles carefully, you can start a chain reaction of explosions."
"No, there isn't time," replies the Major testily, "to compute all the relevant information. They'll be on top of us by then."
"Give me thirty seconds," says Zoe.
"Give her what she asks Major," orders the Brigadier. The Major begins to say this is ridiculous, and the Brigadier repeats himself a little more dangerously this time, "Just thirty seconds."
The Major orders into his radio that they hold for thirty seconds, and his Sergeant protests that this doesn't give them much time, and the Major tells him he knows.
Meanwhile, Zoe is rapidly consulting the bank of instruments and personnel lining the back of the room on a raised platform. She quickly consults all three stations, right to left, writing figures down hurriedly on paper on a clipboard. She finishes and then runs down to the main control station where the Major and the Sergeant are seated. She tears off the paper and hands it to them.
"Feed this into your computer."
The Major tells Sergeant Perkins to do as she says, now, and that he'll take over at the console. The Sergeant gets up and takes the paper to their computer. Branwell tells Zoe, "You'd better be right."
"I am," says Zoe as though it were something never in doubt, as if it was like saying the sun will not come up the next day.
The Major orders his staff, "T minus forty-five seconds from now."
Once again, the missile banks are pivoted and tested, and set into position. The radar installations swing in alertness.
Perkins returns and says the information's been computed. Major Branwell tells Perkins to link Zoe's program to the telemeter guidance, and he does so. "T minus thirty-two seconds," announces Perkins.
"Launch crew clear sir," reports the female voice.
The Major asks, "Automatic?" and Perkins answers, "Yes."
All guidance switched to computer control check is ordered, and Perkins continues the countdown.
"T minus twenty-eight seconds."
"Twenty-two seconds. . . "
"Eighteen seconds. . . "
"No hold-ups please," prays Major Branwell.
"T minus fourteen seconds," continues Sergeant Perkins.
"Twelve. . . "
"Ten. . ."
Branwell inserts the first of his security launch keys.
"Nine. . . "
"Eight. . . ."
"Seven. . . ."
Major Branwell inserts the second of the launch keys. . .
"Six. . . "
"Five. . . "
"Four. . . "
Branwell turns both security keys simultaneously. . .
"Three. . . "
Branwell's hand slides down the controls towards. . .
"Two. . ."
. . . the large single master launch control. . .
"One. . ."
"Zero. . . "
Missiles launch from all over the Henlow Downs' batteries, soaring into the air, boosters breaking away and launching their payloads high into the air. The central missiles ignite and soar towards space. . .
The close formation, bullet-shaped CyberShips continue on course towards the Earth below. Suddenly one of the ships explodes into sparks as a missile impacts. Others rapidly follow, until the entire formation is engulfed in a giant cataclysmic fireball. . .
The CyberPlanner reports to Vaughn. . .
"The first transporter fleet has been attacked and destroyed."
"You have betrayed us!"
"No!" cries Vaughn.
"The failure of this mission is due to you," judges the Planner.
"We will now take over the invasion."
"No! Wait!" implores Vaughn. "Give me time! I can stop this opposition!"
"There is no more time!" retorts the CyberPlanner.
"I won't allow you to take control!" shouts Vaughn, and he runs forward as though to attack the CyberPlanner physically. The Planner glows fiercely and emits a sonic whine which throws Vaughn back in an uncontrollable seizure.
"We no longer need you," explains the CyberPlanner.
"The CyberMegatron Bomb will be delivered. We must destroy life on Earth completely. Every living being."
The Doctor runs to Vaughn's side, and exclaims, "Is this what you wanted? To be the ruler of a dead world?!?"
DR. WHO
PATRICK TROUGHTONISOBEL
SALLY FAULKNERZOE
WENDY PADBURYJAMIE
FRAZER HINESCAPTAIN TURNER
ROBERT SIDAWAYSERGEANT WALTERS
JAMES THORNHILLBRIGADIER LETHBRIDGE-STEWART
NICHOLAS COURTNEYTOBIAS VAUGHN
KEVIN STONEYPACKER
PETER HALLIDAYPROFESSOR WATKINS
EDWARD BURNHAMMAJOR BRANWELL
CLIFFORD EARLSERGEANT PETERS
NORMAN HARTLEYCYBERMEN
PAT GORMAN
CHARLES FINCH
DEREK CHAFFER
JOHN SPRADBURY
TERENCE DENVILLE
RALPH GARRISONTITLE MUSIC BY
RON GRAINER AND
THE BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOPINCIDENTAL MUSIC BY
DON HARPERSCRIPT EDITOR
TERRANCE DICKSDESIGNER
RICHARD HUNTPRODUCER
PETER BRYANTDIRECTED BY
DOUGLAS CAMFIELD(c) BBCtv
Originally transmitted 14 December 1968
this synopsis by Steven K. Manfred
synopsis copyright 1993
you may copy this all you like if it is not for reasons of profit