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SHADA
By
DOUGLAS
ADAMS
PART THREE
(would have been transmitted 2nd February 1980)
1. ALLEY(The sphere pursues the DOCTOR down the street. It knocks a passer-by over, spilling groceries over the sidewalk. It pauses at the sign when it finds the bicycle, makes beeping sounds to itself, and then heads after the DOCTOR down the passageway. The DOCTOR has depressingly realised that the alley he's taken ends in a wire mesh gate. There are doors to the buildings on either side, which he tries to open without success. The sphere passes the end of the alley, turns back, and then heads for the DOCTOR's head. The DOCTOR sees it coming and tries desperately to climb the wire mesh gate, but he finds that his boots' tips are too large to fit inside the mesh for footholds. The sphere floats above him and begins to descend toward his forehead. Frantically, the DOCTOR jumps down from the fence and tries to squeeze under them, but he gets stuck halfway through. the sphere floats closer and reaches the DOCTOR's head. The DOCTOR's eyes grow wide in fear. And then suddenly the grating industrial wheeze of the TARDIS is heard, and the battered police box materialises in the alley almost on top of the DOCTOR. The sphere seems disoriented, and, in fact, it retreats completely from the DOCTOR. ROMANA's head pokes its way out of the TARDIS, looking up and watching the departing sphere.)
ROMANA: DOCTOR!
DOCTOR: Yes?
ROMANA: Shhh. Hurry.
DOCTOR: Coming!
(The DOCTOR gets up off the ground and leaps into the TARDIS. It rapidly dematerialises, with the end of the DOCTOR's scarf sticking out of the door.)
2. TARDIS, CONSOLE ROOM (NOT MADE)(The DOCTOR is taking a breather by the doors whilst the time rotor is rising and falling. K9 is here.)
DOCTOR: Romana, thank you, thank you very much, thank you so much...
(He runs, understandably, out of steam.)
K9, you took your time.
ROMANA: It was K9 who traced you. He picked up that voice babble.
DOCTOR: (brushing this aside) Romana, we've got to get the book back.
ROMANA: I thought that's where...
DOCTOR: I dropped it.
ROMANA: Dropped it!
DOCTOR: (fiercely) Yes, dropped it! What was that thing chasing me!
K9: Unidentified, Master. Origin unknown.
ROMANA: All we know is it attacked the Professor...
DOCTOR: The Professor ... how is he? (ROMANA can't reply for a moment.) How is he?
K9: The Professor's life is terminated, Master.
DOCTOR: (horror-struck) Dead!
ROMANA: We think that thing stole his mind. The sphere.
DOCTOR: When did this happen?
ROMANA: Just when...
DOCTOR: I thought you were meant to be looking after him.
ROMANA: I had just gone back into the TARDIS.
DOCTOR: Why?
ROMANA: (braving it) I had just gone back into the TARDIS for some milk.
DOCTOR: For some milk.
ROMANA: Yes.
DOCTOR: I see.
ROMANA: Well, otherwise he was... going out to get some himself.
DOCTOR: You needn't explain.
(The DOCTOR takes over the TARDIS controls.)
3. CHRIS'S LAB (NOT MADE)(CLARE is sitting on a chair. She has fallen asleep over a bench. The teletext attached to the X-ray machine suddenly chatters into life again. It disturbs her sleep but doesn't wake her up.)
[TOM - over the sphere hovering off into the distance.]
TOM: Romana explained that K9 had traced the sphere after it had attacked the Professor. I decided to retrieve the book.
4. PROFESSOR'S ROOM(CHRIS watches the Professor worriedly and moves to close his eyes. As he bends over to close them, his hand passes straight through the PROFESSOR's body and the body completely vanishes.)
CHRIS: Professor!
(It's the DOCTOR he gets instead, as back in the corner of the room the TARDIS materialises. The DOCTOR, ROMANA, and K9 disembark.)
DOCTOR: Who are you?
CHRIS: Chris Parsons, Bristol Grammar School and Johns.
DOCTOR: Never heard of you. You're the one causing all the trouble.
CHRIS: Me?! Well, where's the book?
DOCTOR: Where's the Professor?
CHRIS: Well, he just, just, just...
DOCTOR: He just what?
CHRIS: Well, I just don't know. His body just disappeared into thin air.
DOCTOR: Where was the body?
CHRIS: There. (He shows the DOCTOR the exact spot on the floor where it disappeared) It disappeared just before you arrived.
DOCTOR: Here?
CHRIS: Yes.
(The DOCTOR examines the area and then looks up suddenly.)
DOCTOR: He's gone! He must have been on his very last regeneration. (stands up) Did you say that someone had stolen his mind?
ROMANA: Yes.
DOCTOR: Yes. That's what Skagra threatened to do to me.
(ROMANA and CHRIS pipe up upon hearing that name.)
ROMANA & CHRIS: Skagra?
DOCTOR: You know the name?
CHRIS: Just before the Professor died, he said three things.
DOCTOR: What?
CHRIS: 'Beware the sphere. Beware Skagra.'
ROMANA: ...and 'Beware Shada'.
DOCTOR: (reacts as if he knows that name) Shada!
ROMANA: Do you know the name?
DOCTOR: Shada, Sha-? No. (to CHRIS) You?
CHRIS: Doesn't mean anything to me.
DOCTOR: (to himself) Well, Mr Skagra, or whatever it is you call yourself, you've killed a Time Lord and a very old friend of mine. It's time you and I had a little chat! K9!
K9: Master?
DOCTOR: K9, can you find any trace of that sphere?
K9: Affirmative, Master, but it is far, far too weak to take a bearing.
DOCTOR: We'll have to wait till it's active again. Now listen, K9, the moment the signal becomes clear...
K9: Affirmative, Master.
DOCTOR: Right. (to the others) We'll wait in the TARDIS.
ROMANA: Excellent thought.
(The two Time Lords walk off toward the TARDIS.)
DOCTOR: Come on. You too, Bristol.
(CHRIS follows them inside, followed by K9.)
5. RIVER CAM(On the outskirts of Cambridge, near the field where the ship is parked, a man is fishing on the banks of the Cam. He throws his line in and waits for the fish to bite. However, he gets bitten himself, by the angry sphere, which decides to catch him. He casts another line until suddenly the sphere floats right next to him. He looks and stares at it in surprise, until it attaches itself to his forehead. His eyes and forehead crinkle as his mind is drained. He suddenly pitches forward and lands face-down and unmoving in the water, while the sphere floats off into the air and on a more determined course.)
6. CHRIS'S LAB (NOT MADE)(Light is pouring in the window, and CLARE is still asleep over the table. The teletext machine chatters again, and this time it causes CLARE to wake with a start. She reacts to the light outside and looks at her watch. She is startled at the time.)
CLARE: Chris? Chris? Are you there?
(She looks at her watch again and shakes it. Then she goes to look at the readout. She tears it off and stares at it in surprise.)
Where has he got to?
(She takes down a university directory from a shelf. She looks up an entry.)
Charlton, Charlton, Chester, Christie, Chronotis.
(She writes down the address and leaves.)
[TOM - over the sphere hovering off.]
TOM: Clare was woken from a deep sleep by the teleprinter. She tore off the text and rushed out.
7. TARDIS, CONSOLE ROOM (NOT MADE)(The DOCTOR, ROMANA, and CHRIS are sitting round in various attitudes of sleeping.)
K9: (suddenly alert) Master!
DOCTOR: (waking with a start) Have you got something, K9?
K9: Affirmative, Master. The sphere is active. 5.7 miles at bearing 4.378. Velocity 15.3.
DOCTOR: Good dog.
(The DOCTOR prepares to dematerialise.)
8. CORRIDOR(Outside the Professor's rooms, CLARE arrives and knocks at the door, receiving no reply.)
CLARE: Hello?
9. PROFESSOR'S ROOM[TOM - over the TARDIS dematerialising.]
TOM: As I prepared to dematerialise, K9 detected the sphere's activity.
(CLARE enters the room - just too late to see the TARDIS leaving.)
CLARE: Hello?
10. FIELD(The sphere floats by the car SKAGRA stole and into the deserted field beyond. Further across the same field, the TARDIS materialises. Emerging quietly but quickly, the DOCTOR and the others are just in time to see the sphere disappear as it enters the invisible ship.)
DOCTOR: Did you just see what I didn't see?
ROMANA: No.
DOCTOR: Neither did I.
CHRIS: It just vanished.
DOCTOR: That's what I said. (pointing to a deposit a cow had left) Watch that cow pat.
(The DOCTOR and CHRIS walk off while ROMANA keeps the door open for K9.)
ROMANA: Come on, K9.
11. SHIP (NOT MADE)(The sphere has returned to SKAGRA - who is back in his white suit - in the ship. SKAGRA ceases his study of the book.)
SKAGRA: Report.
(The sphere obediently settles onto the playback cone and shows him on a screen the scene of the DOCTOR escaping into the TARDIS. SKAGRA is visibly annoyed by this.)
Continue. (to the SHIP) What is that machine?
(The picture resolves into computer graphics of the TARDIS exterior.)
SHIP: My Lord, it displays characteristics of a Gallifreyan time capsule, Type 39, possibly Type 40.
SKAGRA: Present whereabouts?
SHIP: In close proximity, my Lord. Intruders are approaching the ship.
SKAGRA: Show me!
(On the screen we see a close-up of the DOCTOR and Co. approaching the ship purposefully [Over this - TOM.])
TOM: The sphere reported to Skagra that I had escaped and was approaching the ship.
12. FIELD(The DOCTOR steps straight into the invisible side of the ship and stops painfully, rubbing his nose.)
DOCTOR: Oof! Don't move. (He feels the invisible wall as though pantomiming. CHRIS looks at ROMANA, who gives him a friendly smile.) K9, there's something here.
K9: Affirmative, Master!
DOCTOR: Then why didn't you tell me, you stupid animal?
K9: I assumed you could see it, Master.
ROMANA: What is it, K9?
K9: A spacecraft, Mistress, of very advanced design. Many of its functions are beyond my capacity to analyse.
(All three feel the strange craft - it looks like all three are feeling thin air.)
CHRIS: If I'd built something that clever, I'd want people to see it.
DOCTOR: Shhh. K9, what's it powered by?
K9: Insufficient data.
DOCTOR: Aren't we all? Where does it come from?
K9: Insufficient data.
ROMANA: What does it look like?
K9: Very large, Mistress.
CHRIS: How large?
K9: One hundred metres long.
DOCTOR: (impressed and looking about) That should keep the cows guessing. There must be an entrance somewhere.
CHRIS: (spotting something) What's that carpet doing there?
(The DOCTOR spots the carpet.)
DOCTOR: What's that carpet doing here?
(He is looking in the direction of a red carpet that is lying on the grass in front of the ramp to SKAGRA's ship.)
13. SHIP (NOT MADE)(SKAGRA is watching them on his screen.)
SKAGRA: Admit them.
SHIP: My Lord.
TOM: Skagra instructed the ship to allow us to enter.
14. FIELD(We hear a door opening.)
K9: A door is opening, Master.
DOCTOR: Affirmative, K9. Affirmative,
(ROMANA and CHRIS join him at the foot of the ramp and then follow him as he walks up the invisible ramp into the ship. K9 lags behind until the DOCTOR waggles his leg.)
Come along, K9, heel.
K9: Affirmative, Master.
15. SHIP, ENTRANCE (NOT MADE)(They find themselves inside a hexagonally shaped corridor whose walls pulsate with a very bright light.)
CHRIS: Better than an old police box.
DOCTOR: Shhh. K9, any sign of that deranged billiard ball?
K9: Master?
DOCTOR: The gaggleback, the beastie.
K9: Master?
DOCTOR: The sphere!
K9: All signal sources are confused, Master.
DOCTOR: Romana, I'd feel happier if you three went outside again. No point us all walking into the spider's web.
ROMANA: No Doctor, I'll stay. You might need help.
DOCTOR: I...
(Suddenly a cube of light engulfs all of his companions and they disappear.)
Romana!
(He searches round for traces of them. As he turns to face up the corridor again, SKAGRA is there.)
SKAGRA: They will not be harmed, Doctor, For the moment.
DOCTOR: I'm not very impressed by the party tricks, Skagra. This is your name, isn't it?
SKAGRA: These party tricks, Doctor, are purely functional, their purpose precisely defined, as is mine.
DOCTOR: Where have you taken my companions?
SKAGRA: Come with me, Doctor.
16. PROFESSOR'S ROOM(CLARE is looking about the Professor's rooms urgently.)
CLARE: Chris? Chris Parsons? Professor Chronotis? (She finds Chris's backpack on the floor and only then realises that many books are scattered on the floor.) Chris?
(She can tell something has happened and becomes frightened. She hurries out nervously.)
17. SHIP, CORRIDOR (NOT MADE)(SKAGRA enters, followed by the DOCTOR.)
DOCTOR: Skagra, what have you done with the Professor's mind?
SKAGRA: It will be put to a more useful purpose.
DOCTOR: I would argue that it was serving a very useful purpose where it was.
SKAGRA: Not to me.
DOCTOR: You realise he had died?
SKAGRA: Only his mind was of use to me. Not his life.
DOCTOR: You take a very proprietorial attitude to other people's brains.
SKAGRA: It seems to me that Time Lords take a very proprietorial view of the universe.
DOCTOR: Just exactly who are you, Skagra?
SKAGRA: That knowledge will be of no use to you.
DOCTOR: Then I think you may as well tell me.
SKAGRA: And I think I may as well not. We have more important matters to discuss.
TOM: Finding no sign of the sphere, I suspected a trap. Suddenly, a cube of light surrounded Romana, Chris, and K9 and they disappeared. Skagra revealed himself to me and took me deeper into the ship, assuring me that my companions would come to no harm. I chided him for the death of the Professor, but Skagra revealed that he was only interested in the old man's mind.
18. SHIP, MAIN CONTROL ROOM (NOT MADE)(SKAGRA enters, followed by the DOCTOR. SKAGRA picks up the book. He weighs it thoughtfully in his hand.)
SKAGRA: This book, Doctor...
DOCTOR: Which book, this book? (He takes it and looks at a couple of pages.) I've read it. It's rubbish.
(He hands it back. SKAGRA gives it back to the DOCTOR.)
SKAGRA: Then perhaps you would read it to me?
DOCTOR: I have a very boring reading voice. By the time I'd get to the bottom of the first page, you'd be asleep, I'd escape, and then where would you be?
SKAGRA: Read it to me.
DOCTOR: I presume you can't read Gallifreyan then?
SKAGRA: Like a native. Read it to me, Doctor.
DOCTOR: All right. Are you standing comfortably?
SKAGRA: I am.
DOCTOR: Then I'll sit down.
(As he does so, he notices the sphere next to him.)
'Grrr vdd thrrr hurburgh dud dududud vvvlllll' - I'm paraphrasing, of course.
SKAGRA: (warningly) Doctor...
DOCTOR: Shh, this is a good bit... 'jjjjjdddrrr gr gr gr hummmmm...'
(Suddenly, a look of mock worry comes over his face. He hunts through the book.)
Skagra, do you realise this book doesn't make one bit of sense?
SKAGRA: Doctor, a fool would realise it was written in code.
(The DOCTOR stares at it.)
DOCTOR: Skagra!
SKAGRA: What?
DOCTOR: This thing's written in code! How am I doing?
SKAGRA: I believe you know the code.
DOCTOR: Who, me?
SKAGRA: Yes.
DOCTOR: Oh, no, no. I'm afraid I'm very stupid. Very stupid. I am very very stupid.
SKAGRA: Doctor, I believe you as a Time Lord know this code, and you will give that knowledge to me!
DOCTOR: There's no point in giving me orders, I'm very very stupid.
SKAGRA: That is not an order.
DOCTOR: No?
SKAGRA: It is a statement of fact.
DOCTOR: Ah, how stupid of me.
(SKAGRA makes a gesture. The sphere rises and approaches the DOCTOR.)
SKAGRA: You will give me that knowledge because you have no choice.
DOCTOR: Ah, well, I don't know about that. I don't know about anything, in fact. I'm an appallingly stupid person.
SKAGRA: That, Doctor, will soon be very true.
(The sphere attaches itself to the DOCTOR's forehead. With a long cry of pain, he collapses in his seat.)
[TOM - over the inside of the book.]
TOM: And in the ship's control room, I was shown the book by Skagra, who attempted to force me to reveal the code in which it was written. Of course, I refused. But I kept on asserting my own stupidity. Responding to Skagra's gesture, the sphere attached itself to my head and I let out an agonising cry as I fell back in my seat.
19. SHIP, BRIG(Somewhere else in the ship, ROMANA, CHRIS, and K9 are captives within a totally featureless room with no door. Chris completes his circuit of the small room.)
CHRIS: There's no door. We must have got here by some sort of matter transference.
ROMANA: (a little sarcastically) Very clever.
CHRIS: Oh, I suppose you do this sort of thing all the time.
ROMANA: (smiling) Yes, actually. (She then bends down next to K9) K9, can't you pick up any trace of the Doctor?
(K9's ears rotate weakly)
K9: Negative, Mistress. Every signal is shielded.
(ROMANA begins tinkering with some of K9's circuits.)
CHRIS: I was meant to be delivering a paper to the Astronomical Society tonight.
ROMANA: (concealing her disinterest badly) Oh, yes? (to K9) Can you pick up anything now?
(K9's ears rotate.)
K9: Negative, Mistress.
CHRIS: Finally disprove the possibility on life on other planets.
ROMANA: Oh yes?
CHRIS: Well, I can deliver it next month.
ROMANA: (to K9) Now try.
(K9's ears rotate.)
CHRIS: Have to be a complete rewrite through.
K9: Triple negative.
CHRIS: (feeling the walls) Curious substance this wall.
ROMANA: (whose frustration boils over at the situation.) Oh, blast it!
K9: Please duck.
(K9 immediately extends his nose laser and shoots a beam at the wall. It ricochets and nearly hits ROMANA and CHRIS, who rapidly duck and throw themselves at the floor. The laser retracts.) Apologies, Mistress.
ROMANA: Not at all.
K9: The wall is blast-proof.
ROMANA: It was a good try, K9.
(Suddenly K9's ears twist as normal.)
K9: Mistress, I am now picking up faint signals.
(Both CHRIS and ROMANA squat beside the dog.)
ROMANA: What is it?! Can you let us hear it?
K9: Affirmative, Mistress.
(He puts it on his speakers and the sound of the sphere's babble can be heard, though this time slightly different, with a deeper voice mixed in with the babble.)
CHRIS: Sounds different this time.
K9: A new voice has been added.
ROMANA: A new voice?
K9: Affirmative. It is the Doctor!
(CHRIS and ROMANA look at each other in shock.)
20. ST CEDD'S COLLEGE(CLARE is running from the Professor's rooms. She is fumbling with some notes and a bag and not watching where she is going when she runs straight into the porter.)
WILKIN: Oof! Mind where you're going.
CLARE: You don't know where Professor Chronotis has gone, do you?
WILKIN: Calm down. Isn't he in his room?
CLARE: No, I've just come from there.
WILKIN: Well, that's funny. He didn't come out this way. I'll tell you what - if you'd like to leave a message, I'll see he gets it.
CLARE: It's terribly urgent. A book a friend of mine was taking to him, well, I think it's very dangerous.
WILKIN: Well, what I say is people shouldn't write things if they don't want people to read 'em.
CLARE: No, you don't understand. The book itself, it's atomically unstable. It seems to be absorbing radioactivity. I think it's very very dangerous.
WILKIN: What, a book's doing that?!
CLARE: Yes. We must find the Professor.
WILKIN: All right, Miss. I tell you what, you go back to his room and I'll ring round the college and see if I can find out where he's got to.
CLARE: Yes. But, wait, oh, look, it's... (she looks apprehensively the way she had come) All right, I'll go back.
(She then proceeds to do. )
WILKIN: I don't know. Nowadays they'll publish anything.
21. SHIP, CONTROL ROOM (NOT MADE)(In the control room, the DOCTOR is slumped in the chair, apparently dead, and now alone as SKAGRA has gone.)
22. SHIP, BRIGROMANA: Are you positive, K9? Absolutely negative?
K9: Affirmative, No signals on any frequency, Mistress.
(ROMANA sighs and stands.)
ROMANA: I wish I could get out of here.
(Suddenly the cube of light reappears and ROMANA disappears as the cube also does. CHRIS turns in surprise.)
CHRIS: That's it!
K9: Please explain.
CHRIS: That's what you have to say! I wish we could get out of here. (nothing happens.) I wish we could get out of here? (Nothing happens again. He gets up and disgustedly hits the wall.) I wish we could get out of here! Blast! (K9's nose laser begins to take aim again until CHRIS stops him hurriedly.) No, no, no, no, no, K9. Good dog.
(K9's laser retracts.)
23. SHIP, CORRIDOR (NOT MADE)(ROMANA materialises in the block of light. She stumbles and spins round. SKAGRA is standing there - with the carpet bag.)
ROMANA: What have you done to the Doctor?
SKAGRA: Nothing you would like to hear about.
ROMANA: Let me see him!
SKAGRA: You would not enjoy it. I have taken his mind. Come!
(With an iron grip, he takes hold of her arm and moves her down the corridor, towards the exit.)
ROMANA: Let go of me! Who are you? What do you want?
SKAGRA: I want many things. At the moment, I want you to stop struggling. Come!
(He pushes her forward.)
24. FIELD(The invisible door opens, and SKAGRA forces ROMANA down the invisible ramp. She struggles.)
ROMANA: Where are you taking me? (No reply) Where are you taking me?
SKAGRA: Quiet! Or I'll use the sphere on you as well.
(The sphere drifts down the ramp after them, and the door is heard to close.)
25. SHIP, CONTROL ROOM (NOT MADE)(The DOCTOR is still stumped.)
26. SHIP, BRIGCHRIS: How did she get out and not me?
(K9's ears turn as he computes and he reaches a conclusion.)
K9: Insufficient data.
(This is getting a little too much for CHRIS.)
CHRIS: (angrily) Insufficient data! Insufficient data. Why did I get myself involved in this?
(K9 computes again and concludes again.)
K9: Insufficient data.
(CHRIS sighs.)
27. FIELD(SKAGRA and ROMANA are now nearing the edge of the field, approaching the TARDIS. )
ROMANA: (feigning ignorance of their destination) Where are you taking me?
SKAGRA: Your travelling capsule?
(They stop outside the TARDIS door.)
ROMANA: If you think I'm going to open the door, you're going to be extremely disappointed.
SKAGRA: It's just as well I have the Doctor's key.
(He takes the mentioned key, inserts it into the TARDIS lock, and opens the door. He forces ROMANA inside, causing an 'Ow!', and follows her in. The sphere floats in behind them. The door closes, leaving the key in the door.)
28. TARDIS, CONSOLE ROOM (NOT MADE)(SKAGRA doesn't look amazed at the big room but walks straight to the console.)
SKAGRA: No doubt you also refuse to operate the capsule for me.
ROMANA: Of course. And no-one can operate it other than the Doctor or myself, so bad luck.
SKAGRA: If the Doctor can operate it, then so can I.
(He has the sphere land on top of the console and with one hand on the sphere he begins to operate the TARDIS controls with the other hand. ROMANA tries to stop him, but Skagra forces her roughly to the side.)
29. FIELD(The TARDIS dematerialises, leaving the field again apparently empty.)
30. PROFESSOR'S ROOM(Inside the Professor's rooms, CLARE grows more impatient and starts to search the room. She looks in drawers, on benches, and in cupboards. On the mantlepiece she finds a large rusted key. She considers this for a moment and looks for what this key might be for. She finds a wooden cupboard on the right wall beneath a bookcase, which she tries the key on. It opens, and inside she finds some punting gear, and behind that some futuristic-looking equipment that also looks somehow old-fashioned. She places her hand on the shelf above, and it swings around, proving to be a false shelf and revealing a gold-coloured complex control panel, also futuristic and yet somehow old-fashioned. CLARE becomes intensely curious, and she presses a button. Indicators light up, The curtains close and the room darkens. She looks around for any other effects and can see none. Lights on the console have come on now, and so she touches another switch. Suddenly there is a small explosion on the console that knocks her back against the desk, where she hits her head and knocks herself out. The entire room shakes violently, and the air appears to shimmer as though with a tremendous amount of heat.)
31. ST CEDD'S COLLEGE(WILKIN makes his way along the courtyard with a look of defeat on his face.)
[Here the video and the script go two different ways. The video version contain spoilers for the following scenes; therefore, we will follow the script-book version. You will see why from TOM's link.]
32. CORRIDOR, ST CEDD'S COLLEGE(WILKIN steps up to the Professor's door and knocks.)
PROFESSOR: Miss? Are you in there, Miss?
(He hears no reply and opens the door, expecting to find the young woman inside. His jaw drops, and his eyes widen in amazement as he finds a glowing blue void beyond the door.)
33. SHIP, MAIN CONTROL (NOT MADE)(The DOCTOR slowly stirs. He groggily stares around until his eyes focus. He picks up the ends of his scarf and twiddles with the tassels aimlessly. After a few moments, he closes his eyes as though trying to find a thought. He lapses from concentration to mindlessness.)
DOCTOR: (quietly) Very stupid, Very stupid!
(A broad grin spreads across his face, and he jumps to his feet with his memory restored.)
(energetically) Ha! Very stupid.
(He leaps to his feet but regrets it. He is still very groggy. He shakes his head.)
DOCTOR: Skagra?
SHIP: My Lord has departed.
(The DOCTOR spins round.)
DOCTOR: Who's that?
SHIP: My Lord Skagra.
(The DOCTOR whirls round again, unable to pinpoint the voice.)
DOCTOR: No! Who's speaking?
SHIP: The servant of Skagra. I am the ship.
DOCTOR: The ship? A talking ship?
SHIP: Correct.
SKAGRA: Skagra must be hard up for friends. Will you tell me where my companions are?
SHIP: I will not. You are an enemy of Skagra. Any orders you give me are hostile to my Lord.
DOCTOR: Oh, I don't mean any harm.
SHIP: I do not understand why you are moving.
DOCTOR: What?
SHIP: (sounding puzzled) You are dead. Your entire mind was to be seized into the sphere.
DOCTOR: Ah, well, it wasn't, was it? The trick on these occasions is not to resist. I just let the thing believe I was very stupid, and it then didn't pull nearly hard enough. It got a copy but left me with the original intact. Understand?
SHIP: No, I do not.
DOCTOR: No. Nor do I. Perhaps I really am stupid.
[Here seems a logical place to put the first bit of TOM's link - this takes place between WILKIN walking into the courtyard and arriving in the corridor in the video.]
TOM: In the ship, I slowly came to. The ship wondered why I wasn't dead, and I explained that I'd let the sphere believe that I was stupid and so it didn't pull at my mind very hard. It had taken a copy of my mind, but the original (pointing at his head) was intact.
[Carrying on.....]
(Suddenly a brain wave hits the DOCTOR.)
DOCTOR: No! I know. I am dead! And if I'm dead, then I'm an ex-enemy of Skagra's. Correct?
SHIP: Correct.
DOCTOR: (a little dangerously) Then, if I'm dead, I cannot give orders that would be any kind of threat to Skagra. Correct?
SHIP: Correct.
DOCTOR: Then, will you please release my companions?
SHIP: They will be released.
DOCTOR: Excellent! Thank you. (He smiles, until he notices a change in the atmosphere of the room.) It's getting very stuffy in here.
SHIP: You are dead?
DOCTOR: Yes! I thought we'd sorted that out.
SHIP: I am programmed to conserve resources. Since there are no live beings in this area, I have shut down the oxygen supply.
DOCTOR: What!
(The DOCTOR begins gasping for breath, and he sinks to the floor. The last thing he hears while conscious is the voice of the ship saying over and over:)
SHIP: Dead men do not require oxygen!
(The DOCTOR loses consciousness... and lies motionless.)
TOM: With a fascinating display of illogic logic, I convinced the ship that I was dead in order to secure the release of my companions. The ship agreed but shut down the oxygen supply. As I sank to the floor gasping for breath, the last thing I heard was the voice of the ship - 'Dead men do not require oxygen!'
Doctor Who
TOM BAKERRomana
LALLA WARDSkagra
CHRISTOPHER NEAME
Chris ParsonsDANIEL HILL
Clare KeightleyVICTORIA BURGOYNE
Professor Chronotis
DENIS CAREYWilkin
GERALD CAMPIONVoice of Ship
SHIRLEY DIXONVoice of K9
DAVID BRIERLEY
Title Music by
RON GRAINER
and the BBC RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOPIncidental Music
DUDLEY SIMPSON
KEFF McCULLOCHSpecial Sound
DICK MILLSProduction Assistant
RALPH WILTONProduction Unit Manager
JOHN NATHAN-TURNERDirector's Assistant
OLIVIA BAZALGETTEAssistant Floor Manager
VAL McCRIMMONVisual Effects Designer
DAVE HAVARDElectronic Effects Operator
DAVE CHAPMANVision Mixer
JAMES GOULDVideotape Editor
ROD WALDRONStudio Lighting
MIKE JEFFERIESStudio Sound
JEFF HARTSHORNCostume Designer
RUPERT ROXBURGHE-JARVISMake-Up Designer
KIM BURNSScript Editor
DOUGLAS ADAMSDesigner
VICTOR MEREDITHProducer
GRAHAM WILLIAMSDirector
PENNANT ROBERTS(c) BBC MCMLXXIX (1979)
(c) BBC Video MCMII (1992)
Transcribed by LEE HORTON, checked and edited by ANNA
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