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DOCTOR WHO
THE ARMAGEDDON FACTOR

Written by
Bob Baker and Dave Martin


Part Three

(Strikethrough indicates material cut from the televised airing)

(Overlap from 'I'll see you again soon')

[INT. K block]

MERAK: What are they doing in there?
ROMANA: Going to Zeos, I should think.
MERAK: What do you mean? How can they? It's a room...
ROMANA: It's not just a room, Merak, it's a transmat point.
MERAK: Transmat?
ROMANA: Short for 'particle matter transmission'. I'll explain it to you another time, when I've got about two weeks to spare.
MERAK: Were those things Zeons?
ROMANA: Yes, I should think so.
MERAK: And they've got Astra?
ROMANA: And the Doctor. Come on. We shall have to try and use the TARDIS. Come on, K9.

[INT. Behind the mirror]

MARSHAL [in front of the mirror]: But you promised. You promised me victory.
SKULL: The war has served its purpose, as you have served yours. Now that I have the Time Lord, there will be no more attacks from Zeos. Make of that what you will, Marshal.

[INT. Control centre]

MARSHAL: No more attacks? Then I can still win. I can achieve a great personal victory. I shall lead the final assault myself!
SHAPP: Marshal? The Zeon fleet's gone. They had us at their mercy, and now they're gone. (The radar screen is indeed clear.)
MARSHAL: Yes, Shapp! We've exhausted them. Now we'll strike back.

[INT. Corridor outside K block]

(ROMANA and K9 are beside the rubble that covers the TARDIS.)
ROMANA: What's the matter, K9? Hurry.
K9: Haste unnecessary, Mistress. Sensors indicate the TARDIS to be missing.
ROMANA: Missing?

[INT. Interrogation room]

(The DOCTOR stands in a dark room. The master of this dominion, whom we will call the SHADOW, wears a long black robe and has features obscured by a mask.)
SHADOW: Place the control device.
(One of his MINIONS, half-seen, places a familiar-looking device on the DOCTOR's throat.)
SHADOW: (who has a deepish voice with a slightly sing-song feel) Now, Doctor, you are completely in my power.
DOCTOR: Really? Do you mean because of that?
(He pulls the device from his neck.)
SHADOW: Ah! Very well.
(A pair of MINIONS push the DOCTOR into an alcove. He sits as the doors swing closed.)
SHADOW: Now do you hear me, Doctor?
DOCTOR: Yes. Yes, I hear you. Who are you?
SHADOW: I am the Shadow. Your adversary, shall we say. It is not important. You come in quest of a key.
DOCTOR: Yes.
SHADOW: The Key to Time, as it is called.
DOCTOR: Yes?
SHADOW: You are in possession of certain elements of that key?
DOCTOR: No.
(Static electricity can be seen and heard around his body.)
SHADOW: I warn you, Doctor. If you lie, the pain will increase. Where are they?
DOCTOR: I don't know.
(He is treated to more static electricity.)
SHADOW: Where are they?
DOCTOR: Lost. Lost!
(He squeezes his eyes shut against further static.)
SHADOW: Open your eyes, Doctor.
(He does so. A light comes on in a far corner of the room. A familiar blue box sits there.)
SHADOW: Are they in there?
DOCTOR: Yes.
SHADOW: Then you will open it.
DOCTOR: Yes.
SHADOW: Release him. (The doors swing open.)

[INT. K block]

ROMANA: Right. We'll just have to work out a way, how to get into the transmat shaft. Any ideas, K9?
K9: Mistress, this locking system is complex. It will take time.
ROMANA: As quickly as you can, K9.
MERAK: Listen. The bombing's stopped.
ROMANA: Oh, yes.
MERAK: Now that means the Zeons know that we're done for.
ROMANA: Probably.
MERAK: Then why capture Astra?
ROMANA: Because she's somehow involved with what we're looking for.
K9: Almost finished, Mistress.
MERAK: Oh, this is hopeless. We've no idea where to look.
ROMANA: Yes, we have.
(She pulls the tracer from the sleeve of her gown.)
ROMANA: This tracer will tell us which direction she's in and how close.
MERAK: I see.
(The wall slides to the side.)
K9: Ready, Mistress.
ROMANA: Well done, K9.
(MERAK grabs the tracer and runs for the transmat.)
MERAK: I'm sorry, Romana.
(The transmat system activates.)

[INT. Interrogation room]

SHADOW: Now your quest is over. You have something of, shall we say, interest to me in this machine of yours?
DOCTOR: Oh, you mean the TARDIS? Yes, yes, I expected to find that here. Correct me if I'm wrong. This is Zeos, isn't it?
SHADOW: Don't waste my time.
DOCTOR: And we came up in the transmat shaft, and then, as they say, everything went black.
SHADOW: Open the TARDIS. Bring me the pieces.
DOCTOR: Certainly. Interested in timepieces, are you? Chronostatics, horogenesis, that sort of thing?
SHADOW: You are not dealing with a fool, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Oh yes, I am. I'm sorry to disillusion you, whoever you are. And you tried breaking and entry into my TARDIS, didn't you, and failed. Covered with automatic defence mechanisms. Very clever, really.
SHADOW: Bring me the first five segments of the Key to Time, or I shall destroy you.
DOCTOR: Well, if you do that, you'll never get them, will you? And if you let me go in there, there's no guarantee that I'll come out, is there? It's bigger that it looks, you know. I take it you have the sixth segment.
SHADOW: Destroy him.
DOCTOR: (crouching as the MINIONS pull out their weapons and make to follow orders, then holding his hand up) Hold it! There must be some civilised solution to all this without this continued use of brute force.
SHADOW: The Key to Time.
DOCTOR: Look, I'd really like to help you, but I've got a problem. You see, the thing is the segments are in there, and, of course, I can go in there, but I can't bring them out here.
SHADOW: Why not?
DOCTOR: Well, you see, I've built a fail-safe. The segments are in a sort of limbo closet in, er, in limbo, and the only way to get at them, you see, is with the next piece, so if you'll just let me have it, I'll pop in there and fetch them for you.
SHADOW: You think I would trust you?
DOCTOR: No. And I certainly don't trust you. Bit of an impasse, eh?
SHADOW: No, Doctor, there is no real difficulty. I have waited so long, even another thousand years would be nothing for me. But you... I have watched you and your jackdaw meanderings. I know you, and I know there is a want of patience in your nature.
DOCTOR: That's right. Fools rush in whe- (He stops himself abruptly.)
SHADOW: Exactly. Leave him. He will make his own mistake. Then, Doctor, I shall be waiting.
(The lights plunge him into darkness and rise to reveal that the SHADOW is no longer there. The DOCTOR heads for the TARDIS.)
DOCTOR: No. I think I'll have a little look round first, for the sixth segment.

[INT. Outside the transmat, on the Shadow's side]

(MERAK appears in a flash of light. He is disoriented. He heads into a corridor with dust on the floor. The tracer ticks faintly.)
MERAK: Astra? Astra, where are you?
(We are shown a space station consisting of four hemispheres, one on each point of a cross.)

[INT. The Shadow's domain]

(The princess's arms are chained above her to a rough wall.)
ASTRA: I don't know! I don't know, I tell you!
SHADOW: You must know. You are a daughter of the Royal House of Atrios.
ASTRA: Yes, and I tell you, whoever you are, that I've never heard of the sixth segment or the sixth anything!
SHADOW: And I tell you, Princess, the secret has been passed down through generation after generation of the Royal House, and since you are the sole surviving member of the line, you must know and you will tell me, if I have to tear it from the living fibre of your very being. Do you understand?
ASTRA: Yes. And if I knew, I would tell you.
SHADOW: You do know, and you will tell me. Since you care so little for your own life, let us see how you care for another.
(An irregular section of the wall beside him is illuminated to show Merak wandering in search of her.)
SHADOW: Closer.
MERAK [OC]: Astra? Astra, where are you?
ASTRA: (screaming out) Merak! I'm here!
SHADOW: You fool. Do you think I would leave you on Zeos? Shout all you like. You're not within a million miles of your precious Merak.
ASTRA: Not on Zeos? Then what is this place?
SHADOW: This, Princess, is my domain.

[INT. Control centre]

MARSHAL: Shapp! Where's Shapp?
MAN: Investigating intruder report in K block, sir.
MARSHAL: What? Our chance to strike a fatal blow at Zeos and-
MAN: He left this situation report, sir.
MARSHAL: (looking at it) Hmm. I want every available ship made ready.
MAN: There is only one ship left, sir. Your escape, er, your command module, sir.
MARSHAL: Have it made ready.
MAN: Yes, sir.

[INT. K block]

(SHAPP stands outside.)
ROMANA: Hurry, K9. If the lock's jammed, destroy it.
K9: Affirmative, Mistress. (he fires his ray for a second or so) Finished, Mistress.
ROMANA: Right. (she pushes on the door, and it opens) Quickly, K9, inside. Come along. Hold tight. Here we go.
(They disappear. SHAPP enters and looks around before passing through the still-open transmat chamber door. He too is transported.)

[INT. The Zeos end of the transmat]

ROMANA: Come on, K9. Listen, I'm going to find Merak and try and get the tracer back. You go find the Doctor, okay?
K9: Affirmative.
ROMANA: Off you go.
(K9 heads off. We see SHAPP appear, jumpy and with his gun at the ready. He activates his communication unit, making a little squeak on his first attempt.)
SHAPP: Shapp. Shapp to control, Shapp to, Shapp, Shapp. (He shakes the device.)
(He hears footfalls and hides, just before the DOCTOR jogs past and comes to a stop. He has seen the tracks in the dust outside the transmat.)
DOCTOR: Romana. Merak. K9.
(He follows K9's trail around a pillar as SHAPP follows him quietly. SHAPP stops. The DOCTOR does not and eventually reaches SHAPP's boots.)
SHAPP: That's far enough, Doctor. Turn round. Hands in the air. Straighten up, slowly.
(SHAPP frisks him.)
DOCTOR: I'm not armed, you know.
SHAPP: All right, what happened? How did I get here?
DOCTOR: Well, through the transmat, I imagine.
SHAPP: Transmat?
DOCTOR: Yes.
SHAPP: Which section of Atrios is this? I don't recognise any of it.
DOCTOR: Shapp, we're on Zeos.
SHAPP: Zeos?
DOCTOR: Yes. You were transmatted up the transmatter there. Look. Transmat.
SHAPP: Zeos?
DOCTOR: Yeah.
SHAPP: How can we be on Zeos? No, this must be a prohibited area. Section Eleven B. I mean, it must be Atrios.
DOCTOR: Shapp, old chap, we're on Zeos. Listen, no bombardment.
SHAPP: Well, of course, there's no bombardment. The Zeon fleet have just pulled out.
DOCTOR: All right, if we're on Atrios, where's the destruction? Look, not a crack. Everything perfect.
SHAPP: Where are we?
DOCTOR: On Zeos! Where the Zeons come from. But there don't seem to be many of them about, which is quite good for us.
(The DOCTOR walks off, not forgetting to keep his hands raised.)
SHAPP: Er, where are you off to?
DOCTOR: There must be some evidence this way. Anyway, it's time I found the other two. (he lowers his arms) Come on. I'll tell you about the theory of particle transmission.

[INT. Corridor on Zeos]

(MERAK finds Astra's decorative bracelet on the ground.)
MERAK: Astra.
(He hears footsteps and gets ready to strike. ROMANA grabs him by the arm and shoulder. She wants to take the tracer from his hand.)
MERAK: Give it to me! I must find Astra!
ROMANA: Listen, Merak, we all want to find her. Now look, if I let you go, do you promise not to interfere?
MERAK: Yes.
(She lets him go and takes the tracer.)
MERAK: But I know she's here.
ROMANA: How?
MERAK: Look.
(He holds up Astra's bracelet.)
ROMANA: Is that hers?
MERAK: Yes, I gave it to her.
ROMANA: Where did you find it?
MERAK: There. The tracer picked it up.
ROMANA: The tracer?
MERAK: Try it. See?
(Meanwhile, the DOCTOR and SHAPP race from the protection of one pillar to the next, on K9's trail.)
SHAPP: Are you sure this is Zeos?
DOCTOR: Yes.
SHAPP: It's very dusty.
DOCTOR: Maybe the Zeons don't use it much.
SHAPP: It's not irradiated.
DOCTOR: How do you know?
SHAPP: I've checked.
(He holds up his rad-check bracelet.)
SHAPP: And the air's clean, but nobody could have been here for years.
DOCTOR: Yeah, except K9. Here.
(He holds up the dog whistle. SHAPP blows into it.)
DOCTOR: Have you ever seen a Zeon, Shapp?
SHAPP: Uh, not since the war started.
DOCTOR: No, but before the war?
SHAPP: Well, of course. We traded with them.
DOCTOR: What do they look like?
SHAPP: Uh, much the same as us. Their clothes are different, but apart from that-
DOCTOR: They're not tall, emaciated creatures in long black robes?
SHAPP: Not the ones I saw.
DOCTOR: No.
SHAPP: No. Why?
DOCTOR: Why? Well, the ones who brought me here were. Very sinister.
SHAPP: Could be the result of biological warfare?
DOCTOR: Yes, but there's no sign of your attacks getting through, though, is there?
SHAPP: They must have been Zeons. I mean, who else could they be?
DOCTOR: Isn't it odd you've never taken any prisoners?
SHAPP: Oh, they use disintegration capsules like we do.
DOCTOR: Yes, I-
K9: Master.
DOCTOR: K9, what took you so long?
K9: I have been communicating with the Zeon commandant. It was most interesting.
DOCTOR: Really? We'd like to meet this commandant. Wouldn't we, Shapp?
SHAPP: Yes, yes, could be useful.
K9: It can be arranged.
DOCTOR: Good.
K9: Now?
DOCTOR: Well, I mean, I think you'd better trace Romana and Merak first.
K9: Please follow.
DOCTOR: Good.
SHAPP: He seems in good fettle.
DOCTOR: Yes.
K9: Fettle? Define 'fettle'.
DOCTOR: Well, you know, form, condition, tone.
(They head down the hallway.)
K9: It is stimulating to communicate for once with something other than a limited and unpredictable organic intelligence.
DOCTOR: What did you just say? With something other?
K9: Affirmative. I have been communicating with my own kind.

[INT. Control centre]

MARSHAL: The day of retribution is at hand. I shall myself lead the final assault upon the very citadel of Zeon might and deliver to it such a crushing blow that the dread spectre of Zeon aggression will never rise again! Victory, my people! Victory or death!
(The broadcast ends with a swell of music and the Atrian eagle symbol.)
MAN: The command module is ready, Marshal. The bombs are loaded and the pilot fully briefed. Good luck, sir.
(The MARSHAL leaves. We then see the ship take off.)

[INT. Zeon corridor]

ROMANA: And then Merak said he found this. It's Astra's. The strange thing is it gives off a very faint signal on the tracer. It's obviously not the sixth segment, so what is it?
DOCTOR: Well, I'd say it's been in touch with the sixth segment, wouldn't you?
ROMANA: Well, yes-
(They continue on ahead.)
MERAK: Shapp, has K9 mentioned Astra? Well, is that where she is, with this Zeon commandant? Oh, for pity's sake, man, tell me!
SHAPP: (removing MERAK's hands from his chest) If I were you, Merak-
MERAK: Yes?
SHAPP: I'd try to exercise a little more self-control. Doctor?
(We see the last ship heading out from Atrios, then K9 leading the others.)
K9: You will remain here, please, in silence.
(K9 starts spinning in slow circles.)
ROMANA: What's wrong with K9?
DOCTOR: I don't know. I've never seen him do that before. That doesn't mean to say, of course, it isn't normal.
K9: Silence, please. Communicating.
(K9 stands before a closed door that has three circuit boards on it with their inner edges forming a triangle. The two machines bleep and bip at each other, and the door finally opens.)
K9: (as the door slides open) Wait here, please. (K9 goes through the door.)
ROMANA: I think that was a sort of identification ritual. You know, rather like the dance of the bees. A complicated set of movements to prevent strangers entering the, um, whatever it is.
MERAK: What are bees?
DOCTOR: Insects! With stings in their tails.

[INT. Computer room]

(At the centre of the room K9 has entered is a three-sided computer with a triangular panel on each of the faces, which narrow to a crystal shape at the top in which small lights flash. K9 moves in circles around this machine as cameras mounted high on the walls watch him. K9 extends his eye probe to the machine, and communication in beeps, accompanied by flashes of the Zeon machine's lights interspersed with wiggles of K9's 'ears', commences. When it is over, K9 retracts the probe and leaves the room.)

[INT. Corridor outside computer room]

K9: The commandant will see you now.
DOCTOR: Come on, Romana. You two stay there.

[INT. Computer room]

(The DOCTOR and ROMANA examine the room.)
DOCTOR: Shapp!
(SHAPP enters. The DOCTOR points to the computer at the centre of the room.)
DOCTOR: There's your enemy, Shapp. Runs everything. Attack, defence, surveillance, production, everything. The ideal war general. No glory, no speeches, no medals, and no blood.
SHAPP: What do you mean?
DOCTOR: It's fully automated. There are no Zeons on Zeos.
SHAPP: No Zeons on Zeos.
DOCTOR: No. Just this passionless lump of minerals and circuitry. Highly efficient, doing very well, giving Atrios a battering, killed millions without a flicker. Just doing its job. And totally invincible.
SHAPP: Invincible? Yes, we'll see about that.
(He turns away, draws his gun, and turns back. A wall camera shoots the weapon from his hand with a green-blue beam.
The DOCTOR picks up Shapp's weapon.)

SHAPP: I see. Automatic defence mechanism.
MERAK: Doctor, please.
DOCTOR: It's all right, Merak. (mouthing this) Be quiet. (louder) K9, would you ask your friend here-
K9: Mentalis.
DOCTOR: K9, would you ask Mentalis here if the name 'Astra' rings a bell, so to speak?
(K9's probe goes in and out, and Mentalis's lights flash as the machines beep and bip to each other.)
K9: Mentalis has instructions that all information regarding Princess Astra is inaccessible.
DOCTOR: And the war?
K9: The war is over. The bombardment is over. The next step is obliteration.
DOCTOR: For whom?
K9: (after another brief electronic consultation) Everything.

[INT. Marshal's ship]

MARSHAL: Faster, faster.
PILOT: Target located, sir.
MARSHAL: Excellent. Prepare to attack. (His PILOT flicks switches.)


The above notes, transcription, etc. by Anna Shefl

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