THE RESCUE
THE POWERFUL ENEMY
Written by DAVID WHITAKER
1: INT. CAVE
(The TARDIS materialises in a darkened cave.)
2: EXT. SPACESHIP
(A Spaceship lies at the bottom of a mountainside in a desolate valley. It is long and sleek, like a rocket. It displays the serial number “201” and a
Union Jack adorns one of the tail fins. The spaceship has broken in two upon landing and one half of it is at a slight angle to the other. It is obvious that it
will never fly again. The only sign of movement is a radar dish spinning round on top of the ship.)
3: INT. SPACESHIP. LIVING QUARTERS
(The dish is picking up a signal that is being relayed to a communications console inside the ship. A young GIRL runs into the ship from outside. She has
medium length hair and wears a short black dress with a zigzag collar design. She runs over to the bleeping console. She picks up a microphone but thinks better
of it and runs through a door next to the console, shouting as she goes...)
GIRL: Bennett!
4: INT. SPACESHIP. CORRIDOR
(She runs down a corridor, that is in the section of the ship that is broken in two, and runs up to a door.)
GIRL: Bennett! The rescue ship’s landed! Bennett, let me in!
(She knocks loudly on the door.)
BENNETT: (OOV.) Come in.
5: INT. SPACESHIP. BENNETT’S CABIN
(BENNETT, a bearded, crippled man in his thirties, lies on the bed. The GIRL runs up to him, excited with her news.)
GIRL: (Happily.) Bennett. The rescue ships landed! It’s arrived. We’re being taken back! Isn’t it marvellous?
BENNETT: (Dismissively.) Can’t be the ship.
GIRL: Its quite clear on the detector - listen!
(The bleeping sound from the communications console reaches them in the cabin.)
BENNETT: (Looks evasive.) Must be a fault, must be. Did you talk to them by radio?
GIRL: No. I was going to but I…I thought I’d tell you first. (Disappointed.) I thought you’d be pleased Bennett.
BENNETT: The rescue ships not due for another three days. It can’t even find Dido unless we guide it down. You know that.
GIRL: But its showing on the screen! Come and look. I’ll help you.
BENNETT: Did you hear it land.
GIRL: N…no…no, I didn’t but it…
BENNETT: The rescue ship can’t land silently.
GIRL: It must have done. It’s just got here early that’s all. It is here. It’s as plain as anything on the screen.
BENNETT: What’s its location?
GIRL: I don’t know. Somewhere on the mountain.
BENNETT: Look, Vicki. I know how badly you want to get off this planet. We both want to get away but its no good building up our hopes. Go and radio the
rescue ship. You’ll find your mistake…
(VICKI’S look of hope fades. She nods and turns to leave.)
BENNETT: And Vicki, watch out for Koquillion.
(VICKI suddenly looks scared.)
VICKI: I…I haven’t seen him today.
BENNETT: He’ll be around somewhere. And remember he knows nothing about the rescue ship.
VICKI: (Nodding and nervous.) I…I know.
BENNETT: So be careful. If he finds out, he’ll kill both of us.
(She leaves. BENNETT turns over on his bed.)
5: INT. SPACESHIP. LIVING QUARTERS
(VICKI returns to the main quarters and sits down at the communications console. She picks up a microphone, switches the radio on and tunes in.)
VICKI: Planet Dido to rescue ship. Planet Dido to rescue ship. Come in please. Over.
(The voice of the SPACE CAPTAIN comes through along with a great deal of static.)
SPACE CAPTAIN: (OOV.) Rescue ship to planet Dido. Receiving you on strength two. Over.
VICKI: (Excited.) Is it true? Have you… (She calms her voice.) Have you landed? Over.
SPACE CAPTAIN: (OOV.) Landed? We’re still sixty-nine flying hours away. We’re proceeding on a normal course. We shall…
VICKI: (Interrupting.) But you…you can’t be. I mean…
SPACE CAPTAIN: (OOV.) Now don’t worry. We’ll be there. Try to hold on just a bit longer. We’ll contact you for directions in seventeen hours
from now. Repeat, seventeen hours. Breaking contact now.
VICKI: No!
SPACE CAPTAIN: (OOV.) Over and out.
VICKI: No!
(She tries frantically to re-establish contact.)
VICKI: Dido to rescue! Dido to rescue!
(She gives up the attempt and puzzles over the SPACE CAPTAIN’S statement.)
VICKI: Sixty-nine hours away?
(She looks at the radar contact, still bleeping and quite visible on the screen…)
VICKI: Who’s landed on the mountain?
6: INT. TARDIS. CONSOLE ROOM
(The DOCTOR lies asleep in his chair as the TARDIS completes its materialisation. BARBARA runs into the room with IAN. They go over to the console.)
BARBARA: ...and you know how the ship has a…a faint sort of trembling while we’re moving? Well, I suddenly realised that it had stopped.
IAN: I believe you’re right…Barbara. I think we have landed. But the Doctor’s never slept through a landing before.
(They go over to the old man and both gently shake him.)
BARBARA: Doctor! Doctor!
IAN: Doctor!
BARBARA: Wake up!
DOCTOR: Hmm? What’s the matter? What is it? What is it? Oh good gracious me! Don’t tell me I went off to sleep! (He rubs his eyes.)
IAN: Yes you did!
DOCTOR: Oh!
IAN: And at a very critical time. Ah well! I suppose it did you a world of good.
DOCTOR: (Laughs.) Deep in the arms of Morphius, eh my boy! (Laughs again.) Well, I feel a bit sticky. I must go and have a wash.
BARBARA: Oh, but Doctor, the trembling’s stopped.
(He tenderly pats her face.)
DOCTOR: Oh, my dear! I’m so glad you’re feeling better!
(IAN laughs quietly as he holds up the DOCTOR’S coat for him to put on.)
BARBARA: No not me - the ship!
DOCTOR: Oh, the...oh my…I’m so sorry!
IAN: (Helping him put his coat on.) Doctor, we appear to have landed while you were asleep.
DOCTOR: What? Oh, I say! I must never allow this sort of thing again now. Must we? No! Well all we have to do is to turn the power off.
(He goes to the console, presses a switch and the ship falls silent.)
BARBARA: Then we have landed.
DOCTOR: Yes…er, (To IAN who is in the way.) excuse me, (To BARBARA.) materialised, I think, is the better word. Well now, lets have a
look and see what’s doing.
(He walks round the console checking read-outs.)
DOCTOR: Yes, the airs very good. The temperature. Yes, wh…wh…wherever we are, I think its nice and fine. (Yawns.) Oh, pardon me! Forgive
me! I’m so sorry. Yes. Well, I must say, this looks most promising. Now, lets have a little look shall we?
(He switches on the scanner. It shows the cave outside.)
IAN: Very dark. Can’t really make out anything at all. It looks very rocky whatever it is.
DOCTOR: Yes. It does somewhat. Might be a cave, or…even perhaps underground.
BARBARA: You mean we could be trapped down here?
DOCTOR: Oh. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything my dear Barbara. We can of course, always travel through…solid matter…in flight… and all, again,
we can, we can take off again quite easily, no I do think we ought to step outside and have a look. I will too. Susan, er j…
(He suddenly remembers his loss. IAN and BARBARA look at each other with concern as a look of sorrow passes over the DOCTOR’S face. BARBARA steps forward
and speaks gently to him.)
BARBARA: Doctor, why don’t you show me how to open the doors?
DOCTOR: Hmm, y…y…yes, yes, yes, my dear of course, yes, er how silly of me, yes, er, number four switch.
(He points to a control that BARBARA activates. The doors glide open with their normal electronic hum. BARBARA smiles.)
DOCTOR: Very good! Very good! But you won’t of course try to do that during transit will you?
(He laughs. BARBARA raises her eyes to heaven. The three then walk outside.)
7: INT. CAVE
(The flashing light on top of the TARDIS illuminates their surroundings.)
IAN: It is a cave. You were right Doctor.
(BARBARA sniffs the air with a look of distaste on her face.)
BARBARA: Strange funny smell. Doesn’t smell like anything on Earth.
DOCTOR: No, it doesn’t my dear, no no, but I…I do know that smell.
IAN: Recognise it?
DOCTOR: Yes, yes. More or less. Hmm. Hmm. (He turns back to the ship.) Oh, er, have a look round, I should, but don’t go too far away. Remember
we haven’t had much luck with these caves during our travels.
BARBARA: Well what are you going to do?
DOCTOR: Oh, I think I’m going to have a nap!
(Laughing, he goes back inside the TARDIS.)
IAN: A nap! Huh, well that’s a new one isn’t it? He’s usually the first one to be up and dashing off for a look.
BARBARA: Oh maybe we’re going to see a new side to the Doctor.
IAN: Yeh, well he isn’t getting any younger is he? You know, it’s the first time he’s been to sleep during a landing. Barbara, I’ve got an idea
he’s getting a bit
(IAN makes a senile old man movement. BARBARA laughs. The door of the TARDIS suddenly opens and the DOCTOR pokes his head out.)
DOCTOR: Remember I can hear what you’re saying. (He points to a rock.) Pick up that stone for me would you?
IAN: (Embarrassed.) Er, th…this one Doctor?
DOCTOR: Yes!
IAN: Er, certainly.
(He picks up the rock and passes it to the DOCTOR.)
DOCTOR: (Smiling.) Thank you.
(He goes back inside the ship. A look of relief that the DOCTOR didn’t make an issue of his joke passes over IAN’S face.)
BARBARA: All the old associations are still in the ship. You can’t expect him to say goodbye to Susan and then forget about her the next minute.
IAN: No, I suppose not. I wonder what she’s doing now?
BARBARA: If I know any…anything about David, she’s learning to milk cows!
IAN: Yes, he’s a nice chap David.
BARBARA: Mmm. Come on.
(She starts to head off but IAN points in another direction.)
IAN: There may be a way over here, you know.
BARBARA: Yes but I think the sun is coming through that way.
IAN: Ah, so it is.
(They walk out of the cave in BARBARA’S preferred direction and walk down a passage. Behind them a figure walks from the other side of the cave towards the
TARDIS. Dressed in a long cloak, its hands seem to be claws and thorny spikes. It head is also covered in spikes and its eyes are on the end of two stalks. It
carries a strangely shaped bejewelled club. It walks up to the TARDIS and stares down the passage that IAN and BARBARA have just taken.)
8: EXT. LEDGE
(IAN and BARBARA exit the other end of the passage and find themselves on a ledge on a mountainside. IAN stares over the ledge.)
IAN: Barbara! Look.
(They see the crashed spaceship down in the valley below.)
BARBARA: It’s a spaceship!
IAN: Yes…broken in two.
(IAN suddenly spots the union jack on the tail fin.)
IAN: Can you see on the side! A flag! It’s from home!
BARBARA: Yes! You know it must have crashed.
IAN: Yes, although you see those buildings? It might have been destroyed at the same time as they were on the ground.
BARBARA: There’s no movement. No sign of life at all.
IAN: No, no there isn’t, is there? Well, there must be people or…things on this planet.
BARBARA: Ian.
IAN: Hmm?
BARBARA: Are you going to tell the Doctor about this?
IAN: Well yes, why not?
BARBARA: Well, knowing the Doctor, he’ll want to go down there and investigate.
IAN: Well, for once, I’d agree with him Barbara. If there any of those crew members left we should get in touch with them.
(BARBARA looks behind her.)
BARBARA: (Scared.) Ian!
(He turns round and sees the spiked CREATURE stood on the ledge behind them. The CREATURE speaks in a slightly high pitched but nevertheless menacing voice.)
CREATURE: You are strangers here?
(IAN and BARBARA say nothing but just fearfully stare at the CREATURE’S strange and exotic appearance.)
CREATURE: Answer my question. Do you come from Earth?
BARBARA: Er, yes. Yes, we do.
CREATURE: Where is your rocket ship?
IAN: (Nodding towards the passageway.) You’ve just come out of the cave. You must have seen it?
CREATURE: You landed here…in that box?
BARBARA: Well I know it sounds fantastic but…we have no reason to lie to you.
IAN: Well, obviously you’ve had a good look around. Did you see any sign of another ship having landed?
CREATURE: Are there any other crewmembers?
IAN: Yes, there is o…
(BARBARA motions for him to be silent. He stops but realises that he’s said too much not to go on.)
IAN: One more…he’s back in the ship.
CREATURE: I would like to meet him. Go and fetch him. I will take you all to the city.
(IAN walks back towards the passage.)
IAN: Coming, Barbara?
BARBARA: Yes.
(IAN walks into the passage but fails to spot that the CREATURE has stood in front of BARBARA to prevent her following. It raises it’s club to scare her
then lowers it.)
CREATURE: Why are you frightened?
(BARBARA walks backward towards the ledge, the CREATURE following.)
BARBARA: Keep away.
CREATURE: I am your friend. You can trust me!
BARBARA: Can I?
(The CREATURE pushes her back towards the ledge. Suddenly, it pushes her over and with a scream, BARBARA falls over the ledge to the valley, down below.)
9: INT. TARDIS. CONSOLE ROOM
(Even with his glasses on, the DOCTOR also needs a magnifying glass to examine the rock from the cave.)
DOCTOR: Hmm, hmm yes…yes, yes. Oh…
(He then examines his notes, tuts to himself, takes his glasses off and puts them in his pocket.)
DOCTOR: My writing gets worse and worse! Dear dear dear dear dear. Well, undoubtedly, we’ve landed on the planet Dido. Hmm. How remarkable. Well, I
must say. I’ll be rather nice to meet these friendly people again after all these years. (Laughs.) Fancy landing back here again. Hmm! I wonder if I
were to tell Ian that it was deliberate, whether he’d believe me or not? (Laughs, then.) Oh no, of course, I was asleep! Oh (He laughs again.)
Pity! Pity! Pity! (Laughs.)
10: EXT. LEDGE
(On the ledge the CREATURE looks over the edge, then steps back and adjusts some settings on his club, pointing it at the passageway. There is a slightly
high pitched electronic sound and then there is an explosion in the passageway. Rocks come tumbling down…)
11: INT. CAVE
(IAN is runs towards the rockfall but is pushed backwards by the force of the explosion. The noise brings the DOCTOR out of the TARDIS, coughing and
spluttering in the dust.)
DOCTOR: (Coughs.) Chesterton! Chesterton! Where are you, my dear boy? Oh, I can’t, Oh, I can’t see anything!
(He runs back inside the TARDIS.)
12: EXT. BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF
(BARBARA lies unconscious at the bottom of the cliff with the branch of a tree lying on top of her. A shadow falls over her as someone finds her.)
13: INT. CAVE
(The DOCTOR comes out of the TARDIS carrying a large torch.)
DOCTOR: Chesterton!
(IAN groans. The DOCTOR hears this and runs towards the sound. He finds IAN slightly stunned sat against the wall of the cave.)
DOCTOR: My dear fellow! Are you alright?
IAN: (Weak and breathless.) Barbara…
DOCTOR: What? Where is she?
IAN: Barbara…I thought she was with me. I…I heard her scream…
DOCTOR: Steady, steady, steady…
IAN: I went back and…an explosion.
DOCTOR: Come on, come on, get your breath back.
(He helps him to stand upright.)
DOCTOR: Now, now then, you alright?
IAN: Yeah…
DOCTOR: well, lets try and look for her shall we?
IAN: Yes…yes…this way…
DOCTOR: Be careful now, be careful.
(His arm round IAN, They hobble towards the passage)
DOCTOR: Oh, good gracious, the whole roof’s fallen in!
IAN: This blocks the cave! Barbara!
(They start to try and unblock the passage.)
DOCTOR: Oh I hope we shan’t get another fall. I don’t think the TARDIS is likely to…
(IAN gives up trying to shift the rockfall.)
IAN: No use…Doctor!…this wasn’t an accident.
DOCTOR: (Shining the torch in IAN’S face.) Wh..wh..what are you talking about, my boy?
IAN: Oh it was a…thing, repulsive thing with a…hideous face.
DOCTOR: With hands and feet like claws?
IAN: Yes, that's it? How do you know?
DOCTOR: Well this is the planet Dido. I’ve been here before, I know them very well.
IAN: What?
DOCTOR: They’re very friendly people.
IAN: (Incredulous.) Friendly?
DOCTOR: Yes!
IAN: Oh, it certainly wasn’t friendly to us! Must have kept Barbara, that (Suddenly remembers.) …that scream! Barbara!
(He turns back to start pulling at the rockfall. The DOCTOR pulls him back.)
DOCTOR: Oh don’t for heavens sake start scratching there. Try and find another way out. This thing, was it armed?
IAN: No, no, it wasn’t. Wait a minute, it was carrying…some sort of jewelled club…about so long.
DOCTOR: With a big head, resembling a spanner?
IAN: Yes.
DOCTOR: Yes.
IAN: I don’t know why you bother to ask.
DOCTOR: Yes, that may account for this.
IAN: What?
DOCTOR: When I was here last time, if I remember rightly, they’d just perfected this thing. It’s a ray, used in construction work.
IAN: Ahh…
DOCTOR: Now look here, what about Barbara, are you alright? Are you capable?
IAN: Yes I’m not too bad.
DOCTOR: Come along! Don’t just sit there my dear boy, stand up, stand up (Laughs.) Come along, that’s it, mind your head, it’s only dust,
(He dusts IAN down.)
DOCTOR: No bones broken? Eh?
IAN: Thank you Doctor, the most thorough going medical I’ve ever had!
DOCTOR: Yes, it’s a pity I didn’t get that degree, isn’t it!
(They laugh. The DOCTOR hands the torch back to IAN.)
DOCTOR: ‘scuse me.
(They come out of the passage into the main part of the cave.)
IAN: You say these people were friendly?
DOCTOR: Really. Very friendly people.
IAN: If that’s a sample, I’ll take the Daleks anytime.
DOCTOR: (Dabbing his forehead with his handkerchief.) Now look here, you take yourself off there (Points.) and try and find Barbara.
IAN: Yes.
DOCTOR: Come along and be careful.
IAN: Yeh, we need to be careful. These people are dangerous..
(He walks off leaving the DOCTOR quietly pondering.)
DOCTOR: But why…why…what could have happened to changed them? I wonder?
14: INT. SPACESHIP. LIVING QUARTERS
(VICKI is rearranging some blankets on a bunk. She hears a noise outside the closed door of the ship and jumps back. She grabs some rocks off a console and
sits with them quickly at a table. The door opens and the CREATURE walks in.)
CREATURE: You have been outside. Stand up!
(VICKI does as instructed.)
CREATURE: What were you doing?
VICKI: (Nervous.) I…walking.
CREATURE: In future, you will go no further than fifty yards from this ship. (VICKI closes her eyes in fear.) You understand?
(She nods. The CREATURE comes nearer.)
CREATURE: You were dragging something. A sack?
VICKI: Ohh…just some stones, I…I, I collect them. They’re very beautiful.
(She holds them up. The CREATURE knocks them out of her hand and walks towards the door that leads to BENNETT’S cabin.)
CREATURE: I’m going to talk to Bennett. Remember you both owe your lives to me.
VICKI: I…I heard a sound (The CREATURE turns back to face her.) …from the mountain…a, an explosion.
CREATURE: A space machine has arrived.
VICKI: People?
CREATURE: A warlike people! They wanted to pillage the ship! I could not save them from my people, as I do Bennett and yourself. They’re walled up in a
cave. If they’re not dead already, they will die of hunger and thirst.
VICKI: (Shouts.) I bet you never gave them a chance, you could have…
(The CREATURE holds up its club. VICKI gasps and squirms as she realises she has gone too far…)
VICKI: I’m sorry!
CREATURE: Remember, I am the only one who can save you from my people. You should be grateful! I am your only protection!
(The CREATURE walks off towards BENNETTS’ quarters closing the connecting door behind it. VICKI goes to listen at the door.)
15: INT. SPACESHIP. CORRIDOR
(The CREATURE goes up to the door of BENNETT’S cabin and tries to open it.)
BENNETT: (OOV.) You can’t come in.
KOQUILLION: It is Koquillion! Open the door.
(The door opens and it walks in.)
16: INT. SPACESHIP. LIVING QUARTERS
(VICKI hears this and goes back to the bunk. She pulls the blankets back, to reveal BARBARA.)
VICKI: Koquillion has just seen me helping you here. I knew he would. I knew. He knows everything. Everything!
BARBARA: Well, tell me…
VICKI: Shhh! He’ll hear you!
BARBARA: (Whispers.) Oh, alright!
VICKI: Please stay there. He might come back. You don’t know him like I do.
BARBARA: Yes, but listen, what’s your name?
VICKI: Vicki.
BARBARA: That short for Victoria?
VICKI: No, just Vicki. V,I,C,K,I.
BARBARA: I’m Barbara, look, tell me more about this Kokillion.
VICKI: He just keeps us here, Bennett and me. There’s a rescue ship on the way. He doesn’t know about that. But he’ll find out. I know he will.
BARBARA: But why does he keep you here?
VICKI: They…they killed all the crew. We…when we landed we, we made contact here. Everyone on board was inven, invited to a grand sort of meeting. I
couldn’t go, I was ill, a fever or something. I stayed here that night. I remember waking up, a thunderstorm I thought, but is was an explosion. Bennett…Bennett…dragged
himself back. I was ill for days, I didn’t know about it ‘til later. I came around and…found Bennett. He can’t walk. We just wait and then Koquillion. (She
collapses into sobs on BARBARA’S shoulder.)
BARBARA: Well, if his people killed all your crew, why did, doesn’t he kill you.
VICKI: We don’t know. My father was taking me…my father…
(She starts crying again at the memory, and as BARBARA watches sympathetically, wipes away her tears.)
VICKI: Your ship, is your ship still here?
BARBARA: Yes.
VICKI: (She starts and turns to BARBARA.) I’ve just remembered. He told me tha…didn’t you hear him? Th…they killed all your crew too.
(BARBARA considers this appalling news.)
17: INT. PASSAGEWAY
(IAN and the DOCTOR walk along a narrow, mist filled, ledge. IAN is carrying the torch.)
IAN: Ahh, I wonder how much further Doctor?
DOCTOR: Oh, I can’t understand it. I just can’t understand it. Violence is totally alien to people on this planet.
IAN: Oh, people change, Doctor. New leader, different set of circumsta…
DOCTOR: No no no, my dear Chesterton, no. All the more reason for people on this planet to hate death and destruction. My dear boy, when I was here
before, the, what, the total population amounted to, a handle of people, merely a hundred.
IAN: Is that all?
DOCTOR: Yes, exactly, all the more reason for holding onto life. Oh peace, friendship, happiness. This means everything to the people here.
IAN: Yes, yes, I see what you mean. Well, you ready to carry on?
DOCTOR: (Waving his handkerchief.) Me? Carry on? My dear fellow, it was you that stopped! (Laughs.)
18: INT. SPACESHIP. LIVING QUARTERS
(VICKI is tending to a wound on BARBARA’S arm.)
VICKI: Sorry Barbara, I forgot all about your cuts and bruises.
BARBARA: Oh it could be worse. It’s the arm mainly. I must have strained it catching hold of that tree to break my fall.
VICKI: There. How’s that?
BARBARA: That feels much better.
(VICKI walks away as BARBARA rolls her sleeve back down.)
VICKI: Wonder if Koquillion ‘s gone?
BARBARA: what are the other people like?
VICKI: Mmm? Oh, he’s the only one we see. They live quite near here I believe but, well, I don’t know.
(She opens a locker and brings out an advanced sort of gun.)
VICKI: This fires a flare.
BARBARA: Is that for the rescue ship?
VICKI: Yes, I always keep it ready. There’s room to land round here you know.
BARBARA: It’ll all be ending for you soon then?
VICKI: (Quietly.) Yes.
BARBARA: Well, you don’t sound very sure?
VICKI: (She looks towards BENNETT’S cabin.) There’s always Koquillion. He could stop us. He could keep me here….forever
(She turns back to BARBARA who has a sorrowful look on her face.)
VICKI: What are you looking like that for?
BARBARA: Like what?
VICKI: You’re sorry for me aren’t you? I’m perfectly alright, you know. I don’t care if nobody ever comes, I’m fine. I’m perfectly alright.
(She puts the gun back in the locker. She suddenly hears a noise from the corridor. In a panic, she hustles BARBARA back to the bunk and re-covers her with
the blankets.)
VICKI: Quick!
(She finishes covering her and dashes to sit at the table. The door opens. It is BENNETT, holding onto the door for support.)
VICKI: (With relief.) Ah, Bennett!
BENNETT: He’s gone. I tried to get things out of me but I didn’t tell him.
VICKI: No.
BENNETT: I didn’t tell him about the rescue ship.
VICKI: No.
BENNETT: He told me about the people on the mountain. He’s killed them. We’ve got to stick together Vicki. He’s killed them!
VICKI: (Shakes her head and smiles.) No he hasn’t Bennett! Not all of them anyway.
(She steps over to the bunk and pulls the blankets back. BARBARA sits up. BENNETT stares at her.)
19: INT. LEDGE IN PASSAGEWAY
(The DOCTOR and IAN continue their passage through the mountain.)
IAN: The ledge is narrowing out now Doctor
DOCTOR: What’s that, my boy, What? What’s that?
(The DOCTOR slips. IAN grabs him.)
IAN: Oh, oh, careful!
DOCTOR: (Nervous laugh.) Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! I say, look, have you noticed the ledge? It’s narrowing out!
IAN: (Ruefully.) Yes, Doctor!
DOCTOR: Wait, wait!
IAN: Huh?
DOCTOR: Point the torch, shine it down there.
(He grabs IAN’S hand and points the torch down over the ledge.)
DOCTOR: You see that? It’s quite a chasm.
IAN: Yes.
DOCTOR: Hmm!
IAN: Certainly is. Not very much to hold onto here either. Just have to keep ourselves…pressed against the rockface.
DOCTOR: M…my dear boy, if I pressed myself any harder against this thing I would be doing myself an injury!
(They hear a roaring noise from below. IAN shines the torch directly into the DOCTOR’S face.)
IAN: What was that?
DOCTOR: Well, it’s not me, is it! Shine the torch down there!
(IAN shines the torch back down into the chasm. A reptilian creature, its face similar to KOQUILLION’S lies below.)
DOCTOR: What…
IAN: What’s that nightmare?
DOCTOR: Isn’t it sufficient that it…it’s down there and we’re up here? Hmm?
IAN: Yes…it’s got eyes! I saw them, Green!
(The DOCTOR laughs gently)
IAN: Hmm, used to daylight. Must have come in from the outside.
DOCTOR: Oh. Very good, yes. Very intelligent reasoning. So good…I might have said the same thing myself!
IAN: Gotta get out of here. What we need are some good handholds. Oh, here we are, all provided.
(IAN has found three mask like carvings in the wall. Again, they resemble KOQUILLION’S face but each has a large curved ring handle sticking out of them.)
IAN: Right Doctor, somebody’s been this way before.
DOCTOR: Well now, be careful.
IAN: Yes I will, just hold onto that.
(He passes the DOCTOR the torch.)
IAN: Try this. It’s alright.
(IAN grabs hold of the first ring and swings himself over.)
IAN: Yeh? Give me the torch.
(He takes the torch from the DOCTOR.)
IAN: Swing yourself over. (The old man does so.) Alright? OK?
DOCTOR: Yes.
(IAN grabs the third face handle.)
IAN: Watch this one. It’s loose. Oh!
(The handle comes away from the face with some cords attached to it leading back into the rock.)
IAN: …hurry up, I’ve pulled it out!
(IAN stumbles but regains his balance on the ledge in front of a much larger face carving.)
DOCTOR: What?
IAN: Oh I’m over. Can you manage?
DOCTOR: (Examining the pulled out handle.) Chesterton. Its oil, it’s got oil on it!
IAN: What’s that noise?
DOCTOR: Come back here! They’ve trapped you into pulling this thing out.
IAN: What’s that noise Doctor? I…
(A series of sharp spikes extend from either side of the face carving overreaching the extent of the ledge - with IAN trapped between them.)
DOCTOR: Don’t go any further!
IAN: What…I can’t go either way!
(The DOCTOR examines the ring mechanism. IAN shines the torch over the ledge towards the reptile roaring below. He turns round. From the centre of the face
carving, a further series of sharp spikes start to slowly extend towards him.)
IAN: Doctor, They’re pushing me towards the edge!
(The reptile below roars, awaiting its victim…)
Next Episode
DESPERATE MEASURES
Dr. Who
WILLIAM HARTNELL
Ian Chesterton
WILLIAM RUSSELL
Barbara Wright
JACQUELINE HILL
Vicki
MAUREEN O’BRIEN
Bennett
RAY BARRETT
Space Captain
TOM SHERIDAN
Koquillion
SYDNEY WILSON
Title music by
RON GRAINER
with the BBC
Radiophonic Workshop
Incidental music by
TRISTRAM CARY
Designer
RAYMOND P. CUSICK
Associate Producer
MERVYN PINFIELD
Producer
VERITY LAMBERT
Directed by
CHRISTOPHER BARRY
(c) BBC tv
Transcribed By
JOHN TOMLINSON