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THE INVASION
by DERRICK SHERWIN
from a story idea by KIT PEDLER
EPISODE EIGHT
"We no longer need you," states the CyberPlanner. "The CyberMegatron Bomb will be delivered. We must destroy life on Earth completely. Every living being."
Vaughn rubs his neck in shock, and the Doctor cries into his ear, "Is this what you wanted Vaughn? To be the ruler of a dead world?!?"
Isobel and Corporal Benton listen intently to the radio set in the UNIT HQ plane. They hear Vaughn telling the Planner that they can't do this. They can't destroy the world. "What about me?"
"You are of no further use to us," says the Planner. "The CyberInvasion must succeed. The bomb will be delivered."
Benton and Isobel look at each other with fear and Benton immediately calls over the air for the Brigadier.
Major Branwell and his technicians are having a rousing celebration over their completely successful missile strike against the CyberFleet.
Branwell and the Brigadier together sing praises to Zoe, and Branwell asks how she does it. Zoe replies happily that it's all really quite simple and that it hardly required any calculation at all except the simple stuff like speed, angle of descent, and the relative distance of the spaceships.
Branwell asks if they can keep Zoe on as she's much prettier than a computer, but before the Brigadier can answer, he hears Benton's voice trying to attract his attention over the radio set on the other side of the room.
The Brigadier asks his sergeant what's going on, but Benton first has to explain that Sergeant Walters went to take over the Geneva radio link. He then explains the news that's come through over the Doctor's open channel about the Cybermen's plan to drop the CyberMegatron Bomb that will wipe them all out.
The festive mood in the base dies a quick death and the Brigadier tells Benton to stand-by as they're on their way back.
Before he leaves, the Brigadier tells Branwell to keep a look out on the radar in case anything else gets thrown towards them, and to also try and get a fix on the bomb if it comes in. Branwell explains they'll try and touch off the bomb in its approach orbit.
The Brigadier, Zoe, and the UNIT personnel depart quickly.
Vaughn is pleading with the CyberPlanner trying to make it see reason.
"But if you do, you'll destroy everything here, even your own Cybermen!"
"The sacrifice will be small," answers the Planner.
"You can't do this! I won't let you!" screams Vaughn.
"You cannot stop us," states the Planner. "No one can."
The Doctor tells Vaughn that now he's beginning to understand the Cybermen and how you can't make bargains with them.
Vaughn cracks and shouts, "I won't let them take over! I won't!" He runs to his desk and picks up the Cerebraton Mentor. He turns and explodes at the CyberPlanner, "You think you're indestructible! Well, I can destroy all of you!!"
He turns on the Mentor and the machine begins to whine at the CyberPlanner. At first nothing happens and the Planner tells him, "This opposition is useless." Smoke begins to pour from its side and it whirrs in agitation and confusion. It begins to say "The Cybermen will . . ." and then breaks off as it begins to succumb to the Mentor's influence.
The Doctor tries to get Vaughn to shut off the machine as it looks like he'll blow them all sky high.
Vaughn hears none of it and only hears himself say, "I'll destroy them all! ALL!"
The CyberPlanner suddenly explodes in a flash of white light. The room fills with smoke and the Doctor and Vaughn are thrown to the floor.
After some of the smoke clears, Vaughn crawls up and looks at the twisted wreckage in the alcove, and says with quiet satisfaction, "It's dead. I killed it. I destroyed it."
The Doctor points out this lunacy and says this won't stop the Cybermen as they're still out there in space, preparing to destroy the world. Vaughn's face begins to twist into expressions it's never twisted in before, as he realizes aloud that he'd been waiting for this for five years, and now in less than five seconds. . .
The Doctor tries to get Vaughn to listen to him. He says desperately that the Cybermen will deliver their bomb on the same radio beam they used to guide the invasion fleet. "You've got to turn it off man! You've got to turn it off!!"
Vaughn thinks he hears someone and asks no one in particular, "What?"
"We're on the same side now," explains the Doctor, "Both fighting for our lives. You've got to turn the radio beam off!"
Vaughn hears one word in the sentence. "Radio?" he asks.
"Yes!" exasperates the Doctor. "That's how they'll deliver their bomb!"
Vaughn finally gets the idea and rushes to his desk to call for Packer on the intercom.
But instead of Packer's face on the screen, a Cyberman appears.
Packer runs into Vaughn's office in full uniform and helmet, and shouts that the Cybermen have taken over and won't obey. He begins to tell them who they've killed, when he looks back down the corridor and sees them coming after them.
He runs up to the now even more shocked Vaughn and shakes him violently. "What have you done to us? What have you done!?!"
A Cyberman bursts through the door.
Packer turns around to face it and draws his pistol. He empties its six shots into the Cyberman's body but it does not even stumble. Packer backs away into the corner when the Cyberman's chest panel lights violently. Packer is caught in the lethal glare, and he falls in death to the floor.
The Doctor and Vaughn crouch behind Vaughn's desk, and the Doctor decides to retaliate. He grabs the Mentor on the top of the desk and fires it at the Cyberman. Its chest unit begins to smoke and smoulder and it slowly falls to its knees, finally stretching out on the floor in mechanical death. The Doctor crouches down next to Vaughn and asks where the transmitter for the radio beam is. Vaughn just believes the propaganda, saying they can't fight them. They're too powerful and there are too many of them.
"Don't be a fool man!" yelps the Doctor. "Where do we turn it off?"
Vaughn says they could do it at the compound, but the Cybermen will be there.
The Doctor says they must stop them, and then jumps back up on top of the desk for better reception. He pulls out his radio and calls for the Brigadier.
Zoe, Isobel, and the Brigadier are listening at the radio set and the Brigadier answers that he is here and they heard everything. He asks what they should do.
The Doctor says there are only two possibilities. They must either cut off the radio beam at the compound or destroy the Cybermen's spaceship.
The Brigadier asks how much time they have and the Doctor answers that he has no idea. It could be minutes or hours. It depends on how long it takes them to prepare the bomb.
The Brigadier explains that destroying the spaceship is going to take time.
Captain Turner has reported that the Russians are with them, but it will take at least ten hours to get a missile that far.
The Doctor tells him they've only one chance then. The radio beam. He tells the Brigadier to wait and they then hear the Doctor trying to persuade Vaughn to help them.
"You still think you have a chance?" says the cynical Vaughn.
"Yes," answers the Doctor confidently, "If you'll help us."
"Help you?" sneers Vaughn. "Why should I?"
"To save us!" says the Doctor. "To save yourself."
Vaughn doesn't seem to like either option, as he explains his fear of his own survival and what the world will do with him.
"Oh for heaven's sake!" answers the Doctor. "Stop thinking of yourself. Think of the millions of people on Earth who are about to die!"
"Appealing to my better nature?" asks Vaughn's contorted face. "No. If I help you it'll be because I hate *them*. The Cybermen. _My allies_. You think I'm mad, that all I want is power for its own sake. No. I have to have power. The world is weak, vulnerable, a mess of uncoordinated and impossible ideals. It needs a strong mind. A single man. A Leader!"
The Doctor looks at this crazy man who would be CyberLeader and is almost afraid to ask again, "Vaughn, will you listen?"
"Right," says Vaughn with new resolve. "I'll help you to destroy them because I hate them." He almost chokes on his own voice and is near to tears. "They destroyed my dream. . ."
The Doctor lets Vaughn choke on his thorax for a little while as he tells the Brigadier he'll help them. The Brigadier says they have a chopper in the area they can use to get to the compound if they can get to the roof. The Doctor says they'll wait there for it, and the Brigadier signs off.
Vaughn is by this time standing beside him. He comments on the efficiency of the Doctor's UNIT friends and then insists he lead the way and carry the Cerebraton Mentor, explaining the Cybermen will be guarding the radio transmitter.
The Brigadier tells his Wing Commander to get the UNIT plane airborne and to head for the nearest airstrip to the compound area, red sector two. The Wing Commander acknowledges and the Brigadier stands and lets Benton take over the radio set again.
The Brigadier steps over to the maps table where Isobel and Zoe are waiting to talk to him. Isobel asks if they're going to help the Doctor, and the Brigadier tells her yes. Zoe remarks he's going to need it if he's going to fight his way through two hundred Cybermen. The Brigadier tells her he wishes they had more time to free more men from CyberControl. As it is they've only got a platoon.
Captain Turner calls in over the radio and Benton calls over the Brigadier. Turner explains the Russians have fitted a warhead to the rocket now.
It's a super-cooled hydrogen device, and the rocket uses solid fuel boosters so it's nearly ready for liftoff.
The Brigadier says they probably haven't got much time for this, but there's no reason why they shouldn't chuck everything they've got at them. He signs off. The Wing Commander reports he's ready for liftoff, and the Brigadier tells him to take off.
Benton orders all UNIT personnel to flight positions, and standard takeoff procedures. He tells the assault platoon to prepare for action, and their ETA is fifteen minutes approximately. All mobile UNIT groups are to proceed to red sector two.
As he repeats the orders, Benton's voice is heard in the Henlow Downs defense base. Sergeant Peters asks his commanding Major Branwell if he thinks the Russian rocket stands any chance. Branwell says there isn't enough time.
Peters says he supposes not. Branwell adds this is why the Cybermen are keeping their range where they know they're safe.
Peters musters some optimism and says they never know. It could take time to get the bomb ready and the Russian rocket might just make it.
Branwell agrees that it might.
Somewhere in Russia, a cloud of thunderous gas acts against the narrow body of a rocket. The rocket reacts and is pushed high into the air, towards intralunar space. . .
With the UNIT plane in the air, Benton turns and reports to the Brigadier that the Russian missile is on its way. The Brigadier tells him to wish Turner luck, and to keep listening for his updates.
A pilot's voice crackles over the radio as UNIT chopper five calls in and reports its about to land at the compound. His passenger wants a word with the Brigadier.
The Brigadier takes the radio again and talks with the Doctor. He asks the Doctor to wait for them to arrive to give him support, and the Doctor says he can't do that. He has to go in right away otherwise they might be too late. The Brigadier says this is madness, that the Doctor doesn't stand a chance against the Cybermen without them.
The Doctor tells the Brigadier not to worry as they have the Professor's machine and it's proven to be very effective so far.
The Brigadier is still noticeably worried, and says they'll still be there as soon as they can. He asks where in the compound they should head for.
The Doctor consults Vaughn for a moment and then tells them that the transmitter controls are in the Old IE factory on the east side of the compound.
The pilot takes the radio again and asks what he should do after he drops off the Doctor and Vaughn. The Brigadier tells him to hover above them to give them a bearing. The pilot signs off.
The Brigadier asks Benton how long they have to touch down, and Benton answers that it'll be ten minutes. The Brigadier tells him to get the men out as soon as they're in.
Benton orders the assault platoon to get ready for action and maintain constant communication on the red alert frequency.
Zoe asks the Brigadier if she and Isobel can come along, and the Brigadier at first is hesitant. Isobel pleads that this will be her last chance to get any photographs of the Cybermen, and then the Brigadier relents and says they can come as long as they keep out of the way, adding they'll keep an eye on them this time.
Vaughn and the Doctor are walking along an alleyway when they spot a Cyberman ahead of them. Vaughn wants to shoot it, but the Doctor pulls him to the side and asks what he's doing. Vaughn says with a touch of insanity that they must destroy the Cybermen, and the Doctor tells him they've got to find the radio transmitter beam. So far the Cybermen don't know they're there yet and they could keep the element of surprise.
They look down the alley again and the Cyberman still stands guard. It isn't looking towards them however.
The Doctor suggests they try the other way, and the two walk back the way they came.
The pair walk along a stretch of open ground and then onto a path. Another Cyberman appears and sees them, but before it can kill them, Vaughn kills it with the Mentor. The Doctor ruefully says the Cybermen now know they're here. Vaughn suggests they go over the Cybermen via a building roof.
The two climb a nearby fire escape until they reach the rooftop.
From there, Vaughn points out a building two blocks away, with brick walls and wide wooden doors. He says that's it. That's where they've got to get to. In front of the building stand three Cybermen armed with the barrellike silver metallic weapons.
A Land Rover drives into the compound area the Doctor and Vaughn just left. The Brigadier sees the chopper and leads the troops from the vehicles towards that way. Zoe and Isobel also follow the running troops.
The Doctor and Vaughn continue on their way when another Cyberman appears, levelling its gun their way. The Doctor tells Vaughn to look out and Vaughn again blasts the Cyberman into oblivion with the Mentor.
The Cyberman is thrown back over the edge of the building, down the side to the ground where it crashes with a metallic clatter.
The Doctor and Vaughn reach the second fire escape on the building's other side. The Doctor asks if this is the only way down, and Vaughn tells him it is. The Doctor tells him to come on then and leads the way down the ladder.
The UNIT forces continue their push inside the compound when a large party of Cybermen appears in the road, blocking their path. The Brigadier orders everyone to take cover and to open fire.
Bullets fly and do nothing against the advancing Cybermen. The Brigadier orders grenades be used and every soldier throws one at the Cybermen.
The first volley strikes the first rank of Cybermen and does nothing.
A second volley hits them and they fall to the pavement slowly. The surviving second rank opens fire with its weapons. The weapons emit a charge of flame, and their targets explode when hit by some invisible heated gas. UNIT troops' cover is engulfed in flame and soldiers die.
The Brigadier orders the bazooka to be fired, and the rocket hits home, taking out two Cybermen.
The Doctor and Vaughn stop and look up, then continue towards the building.
The UNIT troops continue their ammunition barrage. More bazookas are fired, and more grenades are thrown. At last the final rank of CyberTroops fall in the melee, and the Brigadier orders the men to stop.
The remaining troops, the Brigadier, Zoe, and Isobel move forward over the battlefield and look at the dead CyberBodies.
"That was just a dozen of them," counts the Brigadier. He says he'd hate to have to beat a hundred of them and orders everyone forward. Isobel lingers behind, taking rapid snapshots of the fallen warriors.
Vaughn and the Doctor have reached the building and Vaughn points out the room with the main control for the radio beam by its window.
The Doctor looks around with curiosity since there are no Cybermen around at all here. Vaughn is eager and starts to get moving towards a concrete slab that leads to the door to the building. He climbs the ladder quickly.
The Doctor hangs back and looks to his left. His eyes widen in horror as he sees another windowed door opening with a crowd of Cybermen behind it. The Doctor calls for Vaughn to look out, and Vaughn turns and fires. He strikes one of the Cybermen dead, but while it falls to the earth, a second Cyberman fires its weapon.
Vaughn is caught in the explosive charge, he drops the machine, and crumples in deadly agony.
The Doctor turns and runs for it. The Cybermen fire after him in the alley, and he jumps after each near hit, feeling the heat of the explosions and crying out each of the three shots.
The Brigadier and the UNIT men turn a corner and see the Doctor and the Cybermen. The Brigadier calls and tells the Doctor to get down, then orders the bazooka to rip loose again. The rocket hits the group of Cybermen square on, and they all fall to their deaths.
The Doctor is spreadeagled on the ground with his hands on the back of his head. The Brigadier steps to his side and asks if he's alright.
The Doctor looks up and points out the building with the radio transmitter they have to destroy. The Brigadier tells him to leave it to them and he leads his men into the building.
The Doctor sits up and Isobel begins to snap pictures of him. He looks at her in surprise for a moment, then stops and begins to arrange his hair better and to smile handsomely into the camera.
The Brigadier addresses all his troops over the HQ radio link and tells them that for the moment the crisis is over. The radio transmitter has been destroyed so the Cybermen can no longer deliver their bomb. However, the Cyberman spaceship is still sending out its hypnotic signals and the world is still paralyzed.
The Brigadier goes on to say that they need to destroy the Cybermen's spaceship. Sergeant Peters calls to Major Branwell, and Branwell leaves the Henlow Downs' radio link to see what's going on.
As the Brigadier explains that the Russian missile is due to hit in six hours, Peters tells Branwell something new has appeared on the screen and is moving in fast. He also notes its size as a very large new blob shows on their radar screen.
Branwell says it can only be one thing, the Cybermen's spaceship.
He runs back to the radio and interrupts the Brigadier as he calls UNIT Control. He reports the large UFO which is approaching.
Branwell reports that it's now standing off at fifty thousand miles, outside of Henlow Downs' own range. Zoe looks up and asks why the Cybermen have moved in. The Brigadier signs off from Branwell and tells Benton to get him Captain Turner.
The Brigadier steps aside and asks the Doctor why he thinks they've moved their spaceship in so close. The Doctor says he's not sure. They could be trying to evade the Russian missile, or. . .
. . . the Brigadier completes the thought, "Or deliver their bomb by other means."
The Doctor says he's afraid so, explaining that from where they were, the Cybermen's conventional missiles couldn't deliver a bomb so they've had to come in close.
Zoe notes that now they're only at fifty thousand miles, they're probably in range of the Russian missile. They can't be more than a few miles from it. "But it's going in the opposite direction!" cries the Doctor.
Captain Turner finally comes through the radio link and the Brigadier speaks with him. Turner reports he's sorry about the delay but they've had a bit of a flap on. The Brigadier says he knows and asks if the Russians can turn their missile. Turner says yes, and answers the next question, saying they estimate about twelve point five minutes to impact.
Turner signs off, and the Brigadier turns back to the Doctor.
"That's more than enough time for them to deliver their bomb and move out to safety, isn't it?" asks the Brigadier.
"Yes Brigadier," answers the Doctor, "I'm afraid it is."
"Well," says the Brigadier, "This is going to be a long twelve minutes. . . "
Two twenty slowly turns into the next minute, and the next. . .
. . . two twenty-six rolls around. . . leading to more waiting. . .
. . . the soldiers at Henlow Downs bite their nails. . .
. . . inside the UNIT plane, Isobel looks at Zoe,. . .
. . . Zoe looks at the Brigadier. . . .
and SUDDENLY!
Benton drops his coffee cup.
"Sorry, sir," he says to the scowling Brigadier.
Henlow Downs' radar screen shows a new dot crossing the screen. Peters identifies it as the Russian missile. Branwell thanks heavens for that and moves to call UNIT, when suddenly Peters sees a new dot emerging from the Cybermen's spaceship. "Must be the Cybermen's bomb!" he says worriedly. The Major pulls his personnel intercom to full stretch and orders red alert and all missiles to be raised.
Henlow Downs' remaining missiles are pivoted into position. . .
Branwell is on the UNIT radio link, saying the bomb will be in range in about thirty seconds. It's travelling fast but they stand a good chance of picking it off. The Brigadier asks what the Cybermen's spaceship is doing and Branwell informs him it's still there and if it doesn't move soon, the Russian missile will hit it right on the button.
Sergeant Peters reports the bomb is coming into range. Branwell signs off and joins him at the command desk.
Peters begins a countdown at fifteen seconds. . .
. . . "Ten, nine. . ."
Branwell inserts the launch keys.
. . . "Eight, seven, six. . . "
Branwell turns the keys simultaneously.
. . . "Five, four, three, two. . ."
Branwell's hand hovers over the launch button.
. . . "One, zero. . ."
Branwell launches the missile. . .
The anti-ballistic missile soars into the sky hunting for the CyberMegatron Bomb.
"She's going wide!" cries Peters from the radar screen.
"Prepare two!" orders Branwell.
A second missile is pivoted into position and is fired into the sky after its cousin. . .
"Two's away! It looks good!" shouts Peters.
Branwell orders them to stand-by on three just in case. The sergeant says there's ten seconds to impact and the missile's on the button.
Ten seconds go by, and Peters announces joyfully that they've done it.
Branwell calls into the radio, "Hallo UNIT Control. Hallo UNIT Control. Henlow Downs calling UNIT Control, over."
Peters suddenly shouts from across the room that the Russian missile is almost on top of the spaceship and he thinks they've got her.
The Cyberman spaceship lights in brilliant fire as the Russian missile impacts in its frame. Debris showers the sky as the CyberInvasion is ended. . .
Isobel lets down a light's extension in her photo studio in the house in London. She asks the posing Zoe is she's tired, and Zoe says no. She's exhausted. Isobel laughs and tells Zoe to take a breather.
She thanks goodness that she doesn't have to do any more modelling for a living. Zoe asks what this new job of hers is, and Isobel explains that because of her photos of the Cybermen in action, she's got an exclusive contract with a publishing group, so she'll be travelling all over the world, snapping away with her little black box. She asks what Zoe will do now, and Zoe tells her that once the Doctor's finished making his circuits, they'll be off again she supposes.
"Where to?" asks Isobel.
"Well, we're never really sure," answers Zoe.
Captain Turner strides into the room and Isobel says, "Ah, it's my dolly soldier!"
Jimmy tells Zoe that the Doctor says he's almost ready to leave and he's got the jeep waiting outside. Zoe asks about Jamie, and Turner says he's alright and that they'll pick him up from the hospital on the way.
Isobel asks if she can come with them, and Jimmy says yes, so long as she promises not to call him her dolly soldier in front of the Brigadier.
The UNIT Land Rover stops along the pastureland where it all started. The Doctor, Jamie, Zoe, Isobel, and Captain Turner climb out and look around. They all reach the fence along the side of the road and Isobel asks if this is the right place. The Doctor says this will do fine.
"Are you sure this is the place Doctor?" asks Zoe nervously.
The Doctor ignores her and turns to Captain Turner, thanking him for the ride out here. They all wish each other goodbye and the Doctor opens the fence to let himself and his friends back into the pasture.
Isobel asks Jimmy why they're going into that field, and he tells her he has no idea.
The Doctor starts waving his hands about, looking for his invisible ship and wondering aloud where exactly they left it. He tells Jamie and Zoe to try over on the other side of the field while he keeps waving around here.
He gets tired of waving his hands about for a moment and leans his elbow against the thin air. He thinks for a moment, then realizes he's found it. He pulls his key out of his pocket, opens the invisible door, and steps into the invisible box, becoming as invisible as it.
Jamie and Zoe look at Isobel and Jimmy as though apologizing for the Doctor's embarrassing them, and then the air is ripped apart by the cacophony of the TARDIS' materialization.
The Doctor steps out, claps his hands, and says they're all ready to go. Jamie and Zoe turn and wave one more time and climb into the TARDIS with the Doctor.
"A police box?" asks Isobel. "I don't believe it."
The TARDIS once again screams at time and space. Reality steps aside as the solid police box dematerializes, leaving nothing behind but a fading echo of dimensional departure. . . .
DR. WHO
PATRICK TROUGHTONTOBIAS VAUGHN
KEVIN STONEYISOBEL
SALLY FAULKNERBENTON
JOHN LEVENEMAJOR BRANWELL
CLIFFORD EARLZOE
WENDY PADBURYBRIGADIER LETHBRIDGE-STEWART
NICHOLAS COURTNEYPACKER
PETER HALLIDAYCAPTAIN TURNER
ROBERT SIDAWAYSERGEANT PETERS
NORMAN HARTLEYJAMIE
FRAZER HINESCYBERMEN
RALPH CARRIGAN
CHARLES FINCH
PAT GORMAN
HOWARD KING
JOHN SPRADBURY
PETER THORNTONTITLE MUSIC BY
RON GRAINER AND
THE BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOPSPECIAL SOUND
BRIAN HODGSONINCIDENTAL MUSIC BY
DON HARPERVISUAL EFFECTS DESIGNED BY
BILL KING TRADING POSTCOSTUMES BY
BOBI BARTLETTMAKE-UP
SYLVIA JAMESLIGHTING
ROBBIE ROBINSONSOUND
ALAN EDMONDSFILM CAMERAMAN
ALAN JONASFILM SOUND RECORDIST
BILL CHESNEAUFILM EDITOR
MARTYN DAYSCRIPT EDITOR
TERRANCE DICKSDESIGNER
RICHARD HUNTTHE BBC WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE HELP GIVEN TO THEM
BY THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE
IN THE MAKING OF THIS PROGRAMMEPRODUCER
PETER BRYANTDIRECTED BY
DOUGLAS CAMFIELD(c) BBCtv
Originally transmitted 21 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