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DOCTOR WHO
THE HORNS OF NIMON

Written by
Anthony Read

Part Two

(Overlap from 'Master')

[INT. TARDIS console room]

K9: Affirmative.
DOCTOR: Estimated time to impact?
K9: Master?
DOCTOR: How long have we got?
K9: Estimated time to impact-
DOCTOR: That's what I said.
K9: Eighty-nine point four seconds.
DOCTOR: Eighty-nine point four seconds. No dematerialisation, no defence shields, and only half power on full drive. K9, I think we're going to find out what it's like to be a cricket ball. Well, it's been a great, great partnership, old girl.
(He pats the edge of the console from his position on the floor.)
K9: Master.
DOCTOR: Oh, come on, K9. This is no time for emotional quibbling, you two. You've been a good dog to me, K9.
(He attaches a red 'FIRST PRIZE' ribbon to K9's 'ear'.)
DOCTOR: The best I ever had. (He pats K9.)
K9: Thank you, Master.
DOCTOR: (quietly) It's a pleasure.
K9: Time to impact now fifty-eight seconds dead.
DOCTOR: I wish you wouldn't say things like that, K9 - 'fifty-eight seconds dead'. Did I say 'cricket ball'?

[INT. Bridge]

(The bridge is shaking a little. We hear a bleep.)
CO-PILOT: The beacon! We've made it. We're back on course.
(He vacates the pilot's seat, and ROMANA takes over the spot.)
ROMANA: We must go back.
CO-PILOT: Get away from those controls!
ROMANA: We can't just leave the Doctor back there!
CO-PILOT: Get up! Get up. Into the hold. Move!
(He points his gun at ROMANA as she is manipulating controls. She slams her screwdriver onto the panel and gets out of the seat. Hands raised, she heads for the door. She is not happy.)
CO-PILOT: Your friend can rot in his black hole for all I care.

[INT. TARDIS console room]

DOCTOR: Brace yourself, K9. This is it.
(After he punches a control on the console, the TARDIS starts to spin. When the huge asteroid touches the TARDIS, it is simply pushed away. The ship eventually stops spinning.
We return to the DOCTOR and K9 within. Both are on their side.)
DOCTOR: (patting the side of K9 while lying on his side still) K9? K9? Are you all right, K9?
K9: (making a coughing sound) Affirmative.
DOCTOR: How am I, K9?
K9: (extending his antenna to where the DOCTOR lies) There appears to be no damage to your circuits.
DOCTOR: Oh. Oh, good! Good, good. Well, let's hope the same is true of the TARDIS. You're a good boy, K9.
(He rights K9 and heads for the console.)
DOCTOR: Ha ha ha-ha ha-ha! We did it!
K9: Please clarify.
DOCTOR: Well, I just put a lot of spin on the TARDIS and the asteroid simply sliced us up out of the gravity whirlpool. Oh, you know, K9, sometimes I think I'm wasted just rushing around the universe, saving planets from destruction. With a talent like mine, I might have been a great slow bowler.

[INT. Laboratory in Skonnon complex]

NIMON: You dare to speak to me of failure? Be mindful of the terms of the pact, Soldeed.
SOLDEED: I am, Lord Nimon.
NIMON: Be mindful of what you have undertaken to perform. The tributes must be brought before me.
SOLDEED: They will be, Lord Nimon.
NIMON: There can be no stumbling in the great journey of life.
SOLDEED: Indeed not, Lord Nimon. We shall trace the ship. It is just possible the Anethans have attacked her to rescue the prisoners.
NIMON: And what have you done to exact vengeance and reparation for such a deed?
(The NIMON is standing right in front of SOLDEED, whose hands are moving on his staff nervously.)
SOLDEED: Nothing as yet, Lord Nimon. I came to you as soon as I heard the news.
NIMON: You are idle, Soldeed, neglectful of your undertakings.
SOLDEED: No, Lord Nimon. We have very nearly fulfilled our half of the contract. The condition of our ships makes it difficult for us to attack Aneth. If you would advance us a little of that technology you have promised us, we could complete our agreement and claim reparation from Aneth for both of us.
NIMON: No, Soldeed. The terms of our agreement are very clear. You are buying from me the power to conquer a galaxy. I will be paid in full.
SOLDEED: But, Lord Nimon-
NIMON: In full!

[EXT. Entrance to complex]

(SOLDEED comes back through the wall, which glows red as he appears.)
SORAK: Soldeed?
SOLDEED: I have spoken with the Nimon. (He raises his hand, as before.)
SORAK: And what does the Nimon say?
SOLDEED: He speaks of many things. He speaks of the great journey of life.
SORAK: Again? What does he mean by the great journey of life?
SOLDEED: Mean? It is... It is a metaphor.
SORAK: For what?
SOLDEED: He also speaks of a retribution he shall exact from you, Sorak, if you do not find that ship or get a fresh shipment of sacrifices from Aneth immediately. We must attack Aneth.
SORAK: But Soldeed-
SOLDEED: We must do it, Sorak.

[INT. Cargo hold]

ROMANA: With eight of us, it should be possible to overpower him and take over the ship.
SETH: It would be no use.
ROMANA: Of course it would! I can fly the ship. We go back for the Doctor, then we take you all home, back to Aneth and your families.
TEKA: No!
SETH: We must go to Skonnos for the sake of Aneth and our families.
TEKA: If we don't go, the Nimon will destroy Aneth. The only way we can be free and our people stop living in fear is to defeat the Nimon.
SETH: Quiet, Teka. No-one must know.
ROMANA: No-one must know what?
TEKA: Seth is going to destroy the Nimon and take us home in triumph. His father's keeping a lookout so that he can have a welcome party ready.
ROMANA: He might not be so optimistic if he could see this lot. Well, you can hang around. I'm going to find a way out.
SETH: (as she reaches the door and stops) What's the matter?
ROMANA: The sonic screwdriver. I must have left it behind.

[INT. Soldeed's laboratory]

(As they speak, we see the complex from the window - a giant stylised grey bull's head with two yellow horn-like antennas reaching into the sky.)
SORAK: (entering) Soldeed.
SOLDEED: Well? Have you arranged for another ship to attack Aneth?
SORAK: No, sir. It's the lost ship - we've located it!
SOLDEED: What?
SORAK: It's reappeared on the scanners. We've just had a signal. Apparently they had some sort of accident. The captain was killed, but it's all right now. And they're due to dock in two hours.
SOLDEED: Prepare for the ceremony at once.
SORAK: Yes, sir.
SOLDEED: The great pact nears its completion! The Nimon be praised! Skonnos shall rise and conquer! (He grasps SORAK's shoulder. Both smile.)

[INT. Cargo hold]

ROMANA: (as they all sit on the grating) So what is this Nimon?
TEKA: The great god of Skonnos. They say he's a terrible creature with awesome powers.
SETH: If we don't pay tribute, the Nimon will destroy us.
ROMANA: Sounds like an insecure personality to me.
SETH: He lives in the power complex.
ROMANA: That fits.
SETH: Anyone who has entered never returns, except the one called Soldeed.
ROMANA: Soldeed?
SETH: Well, yes. The great scientist and engineer of Skonnos. It is he who built the complex for the Nimon.
TEKA: They say he's the only scientist left on Skonnos.
ROMANA: Really? Why is that?
SETH: The great civil war. Only the army survived.
ROMANA: That sounds like a well-organised war.
SETH: It was then that the Nimon arrived.
ROMANA: And started demanding tributes?
TEKA: Yes, but Seth's going to change all that, aren't you?
SETH: Yes. Yes.
ROMANA: (to SETH alone) You seem to have taken on quite a task.
SETH: It is.
ROMANA: Well, you don't sound awfully confident about it. I thought you were meant to be the great hero of Aneth.
SETH: But I'm not. I don't want to be a hero. I've never wanted to be. It's just that I've chanced to be around when things have happened. I'm not even a prince. I'd run away from home. I was on the road. They found me, and, rather than be sent back, I made up some story. The king believed it and, well, here I am.
ROMANA: You have got problems, haven't you?
SETH: Look, I just have to do what I can. (heartfelt) Please, don't tell Teka.
ROMANA: Don't worry, Seth. Your secret is safe with me.
SETH: Promise?
ROMANA: Cross my heart. Both of them.
CO-PILOT: (entering) You! I need you to help me land the ship. We're nearly there. Through there.
(ROMANA leaves.)
CO-PILOT: Weakling scum!

[INT. TARDIS console room]

(The equipment and wires attached to the time rotor are in a slightly different configuration. The Doctor has been busy.)
DOCTOR: Right, K9. Without our gravitic anomoliser, this is the best we can do. Let's give it a try, shall we? Ah, come on, old girl.
(The rotor rises once slowly, then lowers. There is a large flash, and we hear boings, sounds almost like pans falling, etc., etc.)
DOCTOR: That's very odd. Wouldn't you say that was odd, K9?
K9: Odd not computable, Master.

[EXT. Entrance to complex]

(The sacrifices enter from the right, carrying hymetusite globes. From the left, the CO-PILOT, gun still out, and ROMANA enter.)
SORAK: (bowing) I have the honour to present the tribute from Aneth.
SOLDEED: Why have they brought only five crystals? There are two missing. Where are they?
ROMANA: I can answer that.
SOLDEED: Who are you?
ROMANA: I'm Romana. Who are you?
SORAK: How dare you speak to the great Soldeed like that?
(Not cowed, she steps forward to address him.)
ROMANA: I have a complaint to make.
SOLDEED: What?
ROMANA: Yes, that pilot of yours!
SOLDEED: Who are you?
ROMANA: I've told you. Now where's the Doctor?
SOLDEED: Doctor? What doctor?
ROMANA: The one that creature left behind.
SOLDEED: Who is this woman, and where does she come from?
ROMANA: I come from Gallifrey, if that means anything to you.
SOLDEED: If you speak again, I shall have you eliminated on the spot. Now, you, tell me.
CO-PILOT: (pointing at her) She's a space pirate, sir. She and her companions attacked our ship. They killed the captain, but I managed to drive them off.
SOLDEED: Go on.
CO-PILOT: I captured this one, sir, at great personal risk.
SOLDEED: Yes, I'm sure.
CO-PILOT: Unfortunately, our engines had been damaged in their attack, and I had to repair them.
ROMANA: That's a lie. We crashed into his ship, but it had already stopped and the captain was already dead.
SOLDEED: Silence. You have been warned. How did you repair the damage?
CO-PILOT: I had to adapt the engines to use hymetusite, sir.
SOLDEED: Hymetusite.
CO-PILOT: Hy-hymetusite. That's where the other two crystals went.
SOLDEED: You had to adapt the engines?
CO-PILOT: Yes, sir, or we'd never have got home at all. And I thought the five crystals were better than none. And then there were the Anethans.
SOLDEED: Exactly how did you adapt those engines?
CO-PILOT: Well, sir. (He opens his mouth and nothing comes out.)
SOLDEED: Go on.
CO-PILOT: The fuel cells, sir. I modified the fuel cells.
SOLDEED: You are a liar.
CO-PILOT: No, sir. Truly.
SOLDEED: You wouldn't have the skill or the intelligence to adapt those engines in a million years. You deviated from the set course, didn't you? Didn't you?
CO-PILOT: It was a computer malfunction, sir.
SOLDEED: Your story alters by the second. You endangered the tribute to the Nimon.
CO-PILOT: It was a computer malfunction, sir!
SOLDEED: You know the penalty.
CO-PILOT: No, sir!
SOLDEED: The Nimon shall deal with you.
(He advances on the CO-PILOT, with the point of his staff forward.)
CO-PILOT: But sir!
(He holds up his arms as he is pushed up the ramp and toward the entrance wall.)
SOLDEED: Into the complex!
SOLDEED: In the name of the Second Skonnon Empire!
(The wall goes red, and the CO-PILOT falls backwards through it, screaming.)
SOLDEED: And now, the rest of them. Including her.

[INT. TARDIS console room]

DOCTOR: Right, here we go again. After five, four, three, two, one. (nothing happens) Come on.
(The time rotor lights up and begins moving smoothly.)
DOCTOR: Ha ha ha ha ha! Success at last, right, K9? Let's try and find our way to Skonnos and recover our gravitic anomoliser.
K9: Ahem. Master?
DOCTOR: And Romana. Don't forget Romana.

[INT. Council chamber]

(Twelve men in black robes are seated on benches arranged like risers. SOLDEED stands before them.)
SOLDEED: The final tribute at this very moment, gentlemen, is being paid to the Nimon!
COUNCIL: The Nimon!
SOLDEED: I think you all appreciate the irony that in providing these tributes for us, the planet Aneth has given us the power with which we shall reconquer them and from there go on to build the Second Skonnos Empire! (those assembled, apart from SORAK in the background next to SOLDEED, cheer) Even now our factories await the secrets the Nimon shall unfold to us, secrets that will give Skonnos the most powerful fleet of ships this galaxy has seen. The galaxy shall shudder at the name of Skonnos!
COUNCIL: Skonnos!
SOLDEED: Our fire shall infest their heavens. It shall be the greatest empire the galaxy has seen, an empire of fire, steel, and blood! Skonnos shall rule!

[INT. Corridor in the complex]

(The CO-PILOT walks through the corridors, bewildered. He whips out his gun when he hears growling. When he hears footfalls behind him, he ducks into a side area. ROMANA and the SACRIFICES walk past him. He makes to retrace his steps, but the corridor has been replaced with a wall. He has no choice but to follow the others. He is quite confused now.)
TEKA: (hearing growling) What was that?
SETH: Must be the Nimon.
ROMANA: He doesn't sound very happy, does he?
SETH: I wonder where he is. All these corridors look the same.
ROMANA: Don't worry. I have a feeling if we don't find him, he'll find us.
SETH: That's what I'm worried about.
TEKA: How can you joke about it?
ROMANA: Come on.
(They turn to resume walking, and they are met with a new wall. They turn round and find a new corridor leading to the side.)
SETH: But there was a wall here.
ROMANA: Yes.

[INT. TARDIS console room]

(On the scanner is an aerial view of a set of roughly dome-shaped buildings in roughly a star arrangement.)
DOCTOR: There we are. Hello, that looks interesting. Reminds me of something. Yes, I think we'll take a look in there to start with.
(He zooms in, and we see that one of the central buildings in the grouping is the one with two horn-like protuberances.)
K9: Sensors detect hemispherical defence shield.
DOCTOR: Why should that be, I wonder, K9?
K9: Strength seven thousand three hundred megazones.
DOCTOR: Yes, just as I thought. Ah well, never mind. We'll just have to land somewhere near it, somewhere unobtrusive.

[EXT. Entrance to the complex]

(The TARDIS materialises right in front of the entrance to the complex. Two members of the council approach as the DOCTOR emerges.)
DOCTOR: Ah, good morning. Or is it evening here? Lovely day, isn't it? Wasn't it? No?
(He leaves the TARDIS fully, and GUARDS with guns approach. He turns and sees them.)
DOCTOR: Oh no, not again. How is it wherever I go in the universe there are always people like you pointing guns or phasers or blasters? Now don't do anything hasty. It's just a flying visit. Take me to your leader.
(He is led away at gunpoint.)

[INT. Small room in the complex]

(ROMANA and the SACRIFICES move slowly through the corridors and enter a room where they find the dessicated remains of a yellow-garbed person on a table.)
SETH: What is it?
TEKA: Is it dead?
ROMANA: Yes. It's as though something has sucked the life force out of it and left just a husk.
TEKA: That's what's going to happen to us, isn't it? It isn't just the hymetusite that's the tribute, it's us as well.
(She reaches out and touches the Anethan body's head. The head collapses into dust, making a thud as parts of it fall. TEKA jumps back.)
TEKA: The Nimon did this, didn't he? Seth will kill him.
SETH: If he can be destroyed.
TEKA: You'll destroy him.
ROMANA: He'll be waiting for us somewhere.

[INT. Soldeed's laboratory]

(The GUARDS back the DOCTOR into the lab.)
SOLDEED: What is this?
DOCTOR: Ah, hello. I'm the Doctor.
SOLDEED: The Doctor?
DOCTOR: Yes. I just dropped in.
SOLDEED: Dropped in?
DOCTOR: Mmm. You must be Soldeed.
SOLDEED: I am.
DOCTOR: I thought so.
SOLDEED: Release him.
DOCTOR: Thank you. I say, that looks interesting. Very interesting.
(He approaches and gestures to the tall cylindrical apparatus that Soldeed has been working with.)
DOCTOR: Having a little trouble with the neutrino converter?
SOLDEED: Neutrino converter?
DOCTOR: Neutrino converter.
SOLDEED: What do you know about such matters?
DOCTOR: Oh, I've seen similar things here and there.
SOLDEED: Oh, come now, Doctor. This is my invention.
DOCTOR: How very odd. How very extraordinary, then, you don't know what a neutrino conversion is. Did you know that someone's building a black hole on your doorstep?
SOLDEED: What?
DOCTOR: Yes. I got stuck in it, along with one of your spacecraft.
SOLDEED: Digging a black hole on my doorstep.
DOCTOR: Yes, yes. A good thing I got stuck in it too. Otherwise, your ship would still have been there.
SOLDEED: So it was you that rescued my ship?
DOCTOR: Yes, well, with a little help from my friend. Nice girl. I don't suppose you've seen her, have you? Blonde, about so big, (he indicates a height while facing away from SOLDEED and examining the equipment that lines the walls) always sticking her nose in things that don't concern her, hmm?
SOLDEED: No. Why should I have seen her?
DOCTOR: I just thought she was heading this way.
SOLDEED: I haven't any idea what you're talking about.
SORAK: (entering) Soldeed, I searched that ship as you ordered, and I found this.
(He holds out the gravitic anomoliser.)
SOLDEED: Oh.
(He reaches out with interest. The DOCTOR intervenes and grabs it.)
DOCTOR: Oh, no idea what I'm talking about? How do you explain that, Soldeed?
SOLDEED: What is it?
DOCTOR: It's my gravitic anomoliser from my TARDIS. (to Sorak) Now, where's Romana?
(SOLDEED fetches his staff.)
SOLDEED: Out of harm's way, where you should be, you meddling fool.
(The DOCTOR backs toward the door, and the staff sends an energy beam at him. it hits the gravitic anomoliser and bounces off. The DOCTOR hits the button to open the door, and he runs out.)
SOLDEED: (still holding out his staff) After him, you fools, you dolts!
(The door closes.)

[INT. Council room]

(The DOCTOR runs in. Some members are chatting informally on and near the benches.)
DOCTOR: Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I'd like to say one thing, and let me make it perfectly clear, I stand before you desperate to find the exit. Can anybody help me?
(He joins their huddle. The GUARDS who enter run straight past, allowing the DOCTOR to make his way onward.)

[EXT. Entrance to the complex]

(SOLDEED rushes in, firing energy from his staff. SORAK is not far behind. The DOCTOR is now in front of the entrance to the complex, looking at the grey wall.)
SOLDEED: Doctor, in the name of the Second Skonnon Empire.
(He falls backward as the others did.)
SORAK: He went into the complex.
SOLDEED: But of course. All according to plan. The Nimon will take care of him. Heh-heh. Goodbye, Doctor. Hehehehehehe!

[INT. Corridors in the complex]

(The DOCTOR is sticking gold stars on each wall panel as he passes it. We hear a whirring noise, and he turns round and notices that the panels there are no longer marked with stars. He continues in the direction in which he was originally headed.
ROMANA and the SACRIFICES are now in an area where several young people in yellow are being kept in clear plastic body-shaped storage compartments on the walls.)
SETH: Are they dead?
ROMANA: No. They seem to be in some sort of suspended animation. This must be the Nimon's deep freeze.
TEKA: What's that?
ROMANA: Well, by the look of that poor husk in there, I'd guess that the Nimon feeds by ingesting the binding energy of organic compounds such as flesh. This must be his storeroom, his larder. This poor thing must be waiting her turn.
TEKA: That's horrible!
SETH: Look, what are we going to do?
ROMANA: Well, there's no point hanging around here. Let's see if we can find a way out.
CO-PILOT: Oh no, you don't. Stay where you are!
ROMANA: And what are you doing? We're in this together, you know.
CO-PILOT: You may be, but I'm going to get out of here. Now, get through there. I want you all together. That's better.

[INT. Nuclear furnace area]

(They enter the next section of the complex.)
CO-PILOT: Nimon! Nimon! They're here! I've brought you the tribute from Aneth!
NIMON: (entering with a roar) Who dares call the Nimon?
CO-PILOT: Er, uh, it's, it's me. I do, sir. I've brought you the latest sacrifices.
NIMON: I need no-one to bring the sacrifices to me.
CO-PILOT: They were very rebellious, sir. I brought them all the way from Aneth. They were trouble, sir. Soldeed thought-
NIMON: He did not send you to bring me sacrifices. He sent you to be executed.
CO-PILOT: No, really!
NIMON: You are a liar and a coward.
(The CO-PILOT fires his gun as the NIMON approaches. This has no effect.)
NIMON: You shall die.
CO-PILOT: (falling to his knees) Mercy, Lord Nimon. I brought you the tribute!
(The NIMON bends forward, pointing his horns at the CO-PILOT. They light up, and red bands of energy hit the CO-PILOT. The NIMON roars and faces the others in the party.)

The above notes, transcription, etc. by Anna Shefl

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