The Visitation
Written By: Eric Saward
Episode Four
1. Squire's House. Cellar. Cell
(The DOCTOR is held prisoner. The TERILEPTIL is explaining that the black rat is to kill humanity. We see a cage of rats that have
been infected by a genetically re-engineered version of the black death.)
TERILEPTIL: ...A final visitation.
DOCTOR: Then, who will serve you?
TERILEPTIL: Now we have your TARDIS, we can travel the universe and acquire androids.
DOCTOR: This carnage isn't necessary!
TERILEPTIL: It's survival, Doctor! Just as these primitives kill lesser species to protect themselves, so I kill them.
DOCTOR: That's hardly an argument...
TERILEPTIL: (angrily) It's not supposed to be an argument. It's a statement. If you try to escape or interfere with this
cage, your friends controlled minds have but one thought. ...to kill you!
(The TERILEPTIL leaves, locking the door behind him. RICHARD MACE, holding a gun, moves to cover the door.)
DOCTOR: Tegan? I know you never listen to a word I say, but, please put the cover back on the cage. You can do it. Just concentrate
and you can override the control. Think hard! Cover the cage!
(TEGAN starts to release the cage door. The DOCTOR moves forward. RICHARD MACE raises his gun, stopping the DOCTOR.)
DOCTOR: No, don't! Please listen to me! It's the Doctor. Don't open it! If you do it's the end for us all...
(The cage door is almost open. The DOCTOR discharges a power pack, hitting RICHARD MACE. He drops his gun, and stumbles back onto
the bed. The DOCTOR struggles with TEGAN.)
DOCTOR: Tegan! Tegan, we haven't got time to fight.
(The DOCTOR removes the power pack from her bracelet. She collapses. He sits next to RICHARD MACE and does the same for him.)
DOCTOR: (to RICHARD MACE) How are you feeling?
RICHARD MACE: What happened?
DOCTOR: Steady! You'll be all right.
RICHARD MACE: How do you know that?
DOCTOR: I'm the Doctor. (pause) Take it easy.
(The DOCTOR gets up again to check on a recovering TEGAN.)
2. Driveway, Squire's House
(The MILLER, the TERILEPTIL, and the ANDROID are by the cart, waiting to leave.)
TERILEPTIL: You! Search for the TARDIS, and when you find it, pilot it to the base yourself.
(The ANDROID, with his DEATH mask, turns round and leaves.)
3. Woods
(ADRIC is lead through the woods by some VILLAGERS.)
4. Cellar. Cell
(The DOCTOR leads TEGAN to the bed so that she can rest. The DOCTOR sits beside her. RICHARD MACE paces around the room.)
DOCTOR: How do you feel, now?
TEGAN: Groggy, sore and bad-tempered!
DOCTOR: Oh, almost your old self.
TEGAN: It's not very funny. I feel awful. Why's he so full of beans?
RICHARD MACE: I'm a man of iron.
DOCTOR: More likely, the electrical charge I gave him.
(The DOCTOR looks at handcuffs.)
DOCTOR: So, what am I to do about these?
(The DOCTOR holds the handcuffs up.)
RICHARD MACE: Have no fear! I am at hand. Have you a piece of wire?
(The DOCTOR takes a safety pin from his pocket.)
DOCTOR: (handing the safety pin to RICHARD MACE) Will this be any good?
RICHARD MACE: Ah, interesting device. Perfect! (starts to unlock the handcuffs) I once knew a French acrobat. He wasn't very
good at tumbling, but his skill with a piece of bent iron was phenomenal. Luckily, he passed his skill onto me which made me (able)
to extricate my fee from the strong boxes of more than one disreputable theatre manager. (opens the handcuffs) Eureka!
5. NYSSA and TEGAN'S Bedroom
(NYSSA connects the heavy duty cable to the sonic booster.)
6. Driveway, Squire's House
(The TERILEPTIL, now on the cart, speaks to the MILLER.)
TERILEPTIL: Return to the laboratory. You have my instructions.
MILLER: Gid-up! Walk on!
(The horse and cart move off, and the MILLER returns to the house.)
7. Cellar. Cell
(RICHARD MACE is trying to open the door with the safety pin.)
TEGAN: Will the terileptil really do what he said?
DOCTOR: Open the cage and find out.
TEGAN: Well, I meant on such a scale?
DOCTOR: Oh, yes.
TEGAN: To kill all those people, it's monstrous!
DOCTOR: The terileptils find it disturbingly easy to justify themselves. (to RICHARD MACE) How are you doing with that
lock?
RICHARD MACE: Gently, sir! Picking a lock is an art.
TEGAN: Can't you use your screwdriver?
(The DOCTOR points to his destroyed sonic screwdriver. TEGAN picks up the gun from the floor.)
TEGAN: What about the gun?
RICHARD MACE: No, no! No, that would be heard.
TEGAN: (seemingly pointing the gun at the DOCTOR) Can't we risk it?
DOCTOR: Uh,
(Seeing the gun pointing at him, he reaches over, and takes it from her.)
DOCTOR: just a moment more!
RICHARD MACE: I'm nearly there!
TEGAN: It's impossible. You can't pick a lock with a safety pin.
RICHARD MACE: I released the Doctor.
TEGAN: Yes, that was handcuffs. I'm talking about a door lock. (to the DOCTOR) For all we know the Terileptil and the android
could be miles away by now.
DOCTOR: You're right. (to RICHARD MACE) Stand back!
RICHARD MACE: (still fiddling with the lock) Five seconds longer.
DOCTOR: I said, stand back.
(RICHARD MACE continues to fiddle with the lock as he begins to move away. Once RICHARD MACE is far enough away the DOCTOR shoots
a hole in the door. Once it is safe, RICHARD MACE darts to the door and inspects it.)
RICHARD MACE: You missed! You wasted our only shot.
DOCTOR: I never miss.
RICHARD MACE: (pointing) There's your shot; there is the lock. (Spanning the gap with his hand) A span separates
them both.
DOCTOR: Try the door.
(RICHARD MACE opens the door, amazed.)
DOCTOR: You see!
(The DOCTOR and TEGAN go through the door.)
RICHARD MACE: Impossible! I must have picked it.
(RICHARD MACE follows them.)
8. NYSSA and TEGAN'S Bedroom
(NYSSA puts on some earmuffs, then switches on the sonic booster. The room vibrates. She switches it off, satisfied that it works)
NYSSA: Done it!
9. Cellar, Control Room
(The DOCTOR, hidden, creeps towards the room. The MILLER spots him, and closes the energy barrier.)
10. Wine Cellar
(The DOCTOR rushes to the door, but it is too late. The wooden door leading to the rest of the house closes, and locks.)
TEGAN: Not again?
11. Cellar, Control Room
(The MILLER crosses to the far side of the room. Putting down his gun, he waits.)
12. Wine Cellar
(The DOCTOR sighs as he tries the switch to open the barrier, without success.)
DOCTOR: The master control is overriding the switch. Stack some of these empty boxes up along here.
(The DOCTOR points to where he wants them. He begins to dismantle the switch.)
TEGAN: Now, what are you up to?
(Then, the DOCTOR sticks the safety pin into it.)
13. Cellar, Control Room (and the Wine Cellar)
(The energy barrier dissipates. The MILLER looks on in surprise. Taking his gun, he tries to activate the barrier again, with no
success. He ventures forwards, pointing his gun. TEGAN pops up from behind the far boxes.)
TEGAN: G'day
(The MILLER aims his gun at her, but is knocked over by falling boxes, pushed by the DOCTOR. The gun goes off, hurting no one. The
DOCTOR takes the power pack from the MILLER'S bracelet.)
TEGAN: (to the MILLER) You all right?
DOCTOR: Just stunned!
(The DOCTOR enters the Control Room, followed by TEGAN and RICHARD MACE.)
DOCTOR: They've gone!
TEGAN: But, where?
DOCTOR: A nearby city. Which is the nearest city?
RICHARD MACE: London.
TEGAN: We'll never find them there!
DOCTOR: Have a look around. See what papers you can find.
TEGAN: Oh, you think they'd've left a forwarding address.
DOCTOR: (angrily) Will you... (calms down) Just look around. There might be something.
14. Woods
(The VILLAGERS still have ADRIC. The ANDROID appears dressed as DEATH, scaring the VILLAGERS. They run off, screaming, letting ADRIC
escape. Hiding behind a tree, he observes the ANDROID, and decides to follow it as it moves off.)
15. Cellar, Control Room
(RICHARD MACE and TEGAN look through papers that they have found, whilst the DOCTOR looks at the machinery.)
RICHARD MACE: I can't make head nor tail of this.
DOCTOR: You wouldn't.
TEGAN: It's all mathematical formulae.
DOCTOR: ...or Terileptian script. You know, I didn't realise their technology was so advanced.
TEGAN: (sarcastically) I'm so glad you're impressed.
DOCTOR: What? Oh, yes.
RICHARD MACE: (tossing the papers aside) I mean we can't even read them.
DOCTOR: Doesn't matter.
(The DOCTOR pushes some buttons, then opens up a panel to take out what looks like a computer microchip board.)
DOCTOR: Ah, this is it. Let's see them replace this in a hurry.
TEGAN: What is it?
DOCTOR: The control panel. I've disconnected it.
TEGAN: (sarcastically) Oh, great! You've liberated a whole lot of villagers. What about the base?
DOCTOR: Oh, we'll find it.
TEGAN: (even more sarcastically) Just like you found Heathrow?
DOCTOR: (fed up of TEGAN'S sarcasm, he changes the subject) Let's get back to the TARDIS.
16. Wood, near the TARDIS
(ADRIC follows the ANDROID.)
17. TARDIS Console Room
(NYSSA, whilst putting away the toolbox, sees ADRIC approach the TARDIS on the scanner. She opens the doors.)
18. Wood, near the TARDIS
(NYSSA comes out of the TARDIS and waves to ADRIC, who appears to wave back, but he is warning her.)
ADRIC: Look out!
(NYSSA turns round to see the ANDROID emerging from behind the TARDIS. She quickly runs back into the TARDIS, and tries to close
the door, with no avail. The ANDROID prevents her. ADRIC runs up and attacks the ANDROID. It knocks him down.)
19. TARDIS, Console Room
(The ANDROID enters and fires his gun.)
20. NYSSA and TEGAN'S Bedroom
(NYSSA puts on her earmuffs.)
21. TARDIS, Console Room
(The ANDROID puts down his mask on the console and makes his way further into the TARDIS.)
22. NYSSA and TEGAN'S Bedroom
(NYSSA starts up the sonic booster. The ANDROID enters the bedroom and fires his laser at the sonic booster. And fires again, but
the sonic booster is impairing its balance and aim. He fires again, but the laser is weak. It blows up.)
(NYSSA disconnects the heavy duty cable from the sonic booster. She collects a fire extinguisher from a box in the hall, and puts
out a small fire created by the ANDROID when it blew up. She sits on the bed, takes off the earmuffs and sighs.)
(ADRIC enters the TARDIS, and crosses over to the bedroom. He sees the ANDROID is destroyed and smiles.)
ADRIC: You did it!
NYSSA: (sadly) I did it.
ADRIC: You all right? Not hurt?
NYSSA: I'm fine. Just a little sad. It was such a magnificent machine.
ADRIC: That machine tried to kill you.
NYSSA: It was a slave. It was only doing what it was told. (pause) I think we should check how much damage has been done
to the TARDIS.
(Putting down the earmuffs on the bed, NYSSA starts to move away to the...)
23. Hall, leading to the Console Room
(ADRIC follows her.)
ADRIC: What about the Doctor and Tegan?
NYSSA: Where do we look?
ADRIC: Tegan will still be at the house. Now you've destroyed the android it's perfectly safe to go there.
NYSSA: It's beginning to get dark. Aren't you forgetting the woods are still full of your friendly villagers?
ADRIC: We could go in the TARDIS.
NYSSA: No, Adric! You move this ship and we could finish up anywhere.
ADRIC: And if we don't, (emphasises his words) the Doctor and Tegan could finish up dead.
(NYSSA thinks about this.)
24. London. A City Gate
(The TERILEPTIL drives the cart into London.)
25. Squire's House. Servant's Hall
(RICHARD MACE loads himself up with guns from the weapons cupboard.)
26. Main Hall
(TEGAN checks the front door. The DOCTOR checks the window.)
TEGAN: Still locked.
(The DOCTOR, now, checks the front door.)
DOCTOR: So is this!
(TEGAN is dumbfounded.)
27. Living Room
(The DOCTOR enters and crosses to the window. RICHARD MACE enters from the servant's hall, overloaded with weaponry.)
DOCTOR: (trying to open the window) Ah, we'll try this one.
TEGAN: Oh, not again!
RICHARD MACE: Uh, That exit is impossible, my dear sir. I would never get through it.
DOCTOR: If you abandon some of that junk, you might.
RICHARD MACE: This, my Doctor, is our insurance.
TEGAN: Looks more like overkill to me.
DOCTOR: It's stuck!
TEGAN: Can't be!
DOCTOR: It's been sealed. We'll have to find the back door.
(There is a sound. The sound of the TARDIS materialising. They all look around.)
RICHARD MACE: What is that?
DOCTOR: Help, if we're lucky.
(The TARDIS flickers in and out of existence near the window.)
TEGAN: What's wrong?
DOCTOR: I don't know.
TEGAN: Not the android?
28. TARDIS, Console Room
(ADRIC fiddles with the controls of the console, but the time rotor goes dead.)
NYSSA: Stay calm! Why won't it work?
ADRIC: Perhaps, I'm pushing the wrong buttons.
NYSSA: Maybe, she was damaged by the booster.
29. Living Room
(The TARDIS continues to flicker in and out of existence.)
RICHARD MACE: What is this?
DOCTOR: It may be the only glimpse you ever get of my TARDIS.
30. TARDIS, Console Room
(ADRIC continues to press buttons.)
NYSSA: Try and think what the Doctor would do if he were here.
ADRIC: He'd probably get angry.
NYSSA: I said empathise, not be silly.
(ADRIC thinks.)
ADRIC: Got it!
(ADRIC thumps the console. The time rotor begins to move. ADRIC waves his arms in a gesture of 'There you are, I have done it')
NYSSA: Brilliant!
31. Living Room
(The TARDIS materialises fully.)
TEGAN: At last! You really should get this crate serviced, you know!
(ADRIC pops his head out of the TARDIS.)
ADRIC: We made it! (spots the others) Doctor! Tegan! You're safe!
DOCTOR: So, you got here at last.
TEGAN: Come on, Doctor, be grateful! If nothing else, it saved us a long walk.
DOCTOR: I like long walks.
(The DOCTOR makes his way to the TARDIS. NYSSA has already come out.)
NYSSA: (to the DOCTOR) It worked!
(The DOCTOR enters the TARDIS.)
TEGAN: (to ADRIC) Anyway, I'm pleased to see you.
RICHARD MACE: I, too, my friend.
ADRIC: Where's the terileptil?
TEGAN: Ask the Doctor.
32. TARDIS, NYSSA and TEGAN'S Bedroom
(The ANDROID lays on the floor, destroyed. The DOCTOR examines it. He, then, goes to the...)
33. Console Room
(NYSSA enters the TARDIS. The DOCTOR approaches her.)
DOCTOR: Well, I knew the booster would work in theory, but practice is another matter.
NYSSA: Thank you.
(TEGAN, ADRIC, and RICHARD MACE have also entered the TARDIS.)
RICHARD MACE: This isn't possible!
ADRIC: That's what I thought at first. But, it is!
(The DOCTOR has begun to set the controls of the console.)
RICHARD MACE: It's amazing! Quite amazing!
NYSSA: (to the DOCTOR) Where are we going?
DOCTOR: Oh, in search of our terileptil.
(The DOCTOR thumps the console to make it work, just like ADRIC had done.)
ADRIC: You know where he is?
DOCTOR: Yes! Yes! That's why I'm searching.
34. London. A Group of Houses Outside a Bakery
(The TERILEPTIL stops his cart, dismounts, and enters the bakery.)
35. TARDIS, Console Room
(The scanner shows a map of old London. A white line traverses it, rapidly. All wait in anticipation.)
TEGAN: Will you, please, tell me why we're doing this?
DOCTOR: Wait and see!
(On the scanner, the white line homes in on something. Suddenly, two white lines criss-cross. Something has been found.)
DOCTOR: That's it!
(The DOCTOR leaps to the console, pressing buttons.)
TEGAN: What is it?
DOCTOR: The terileptil base.
TEGAN: How do you know?
(On the scanner, a diamond shape envelopes a small area of the map.)
ADRIC: There's something there.
TEGAN: How do you know it's their base?
DOCTOR: It's an electrical emission from a piece of scientific equipment. Not something you'd expect to find in seventeenth century
earth.
TEGAN: Why didn't you say that's what you were looking for?
DOCTOR: Because, I wasn't looking for it until I found it.
36. London. A Group of Houses Outside the Bakery
(A man walks passed the houses and down the street. The TARDIS materialises, scaring the horses. The DOCTOR exits the TARDIS.)
37. Bakery, Rear Room
(The soliton machine is fully operational. The TERILEPTILS take in the air that is second nature to them, soliton.)
TERILEPTIL: Enough!
(The machine is switched off. The other TERILEPTILS move it away.)
38. Outside the Bakery
(The horse and cart stand outside the bakery.)
DOCTOR: (about the horse) Here's an old friend.
ADRIC: But, where are the terileptils? They could be anywhere around here!
DOCTOR: When a miller's cart stands outside a bakery, it isn't hard to deduce where the miller is.
(The DOCTOR approaches the house, the 'Baker' sign is now visible.)
DOCTOR: Almost as if we were expect.
(The DOCTOR enters the house.)
39. Bakery, Front Room
(The room glows from the fire of the bread oven.)
(The Doctor and then the others enter. Adric falls over, making a clatter.)
40. Back Room
TERILEPTIL: (hearing the noise) Quickly, the door!
(The other TERILEPTILS cover the door.)
41. Bakery, Front Room
(RICHARD MACE lights a torch from the fire.)
NYSSA: Where are they?
(RICHARD MACE hands the DOCTOR the torch.)
42. Back Room
(The DOCTOR and RICHARD MACE enter the room, RICHARD MACE pointing his gun. The DOCTOR sees the TERILEPTIL. The other TERILEPTILS
are hiding behind the door.)
DOCTOR: Good evening!
TERILEPTIL: Welcome, Doctor!
DOCTOR: You're expecting me?
TERILEPTIL: I was expecting my android, but, if you have brought the TARDIS here yourself, so be it.
DOCTOR: I brought the android as well.
TERILEPTIL: ...and your friends. Please, come in. But, first, put away your gun.
RICHARD MACE: You jest, sir!
TERILEPTIL: No, see! (puts down his gun) I mean you no harm. I have obviously underestimated you all.
(The DOCTOR and RICHARD MACE, unconvinced, do not move.)
TERILEPTIL: Now!
(The other TERILEPTILS close the door, trapping the DOCTOR and RICHARD MACE. A TERILEPTIL attacks RICHARD MACE, who fires his gun
and the TERILEPTIL is hit. It collapses. RICHARD MACE stumbles back and the lead TERILEPTIL tackles him. It drops its laser gun in the
struggle. Another TERILEPTIL tries to strangle the DOCTOR, making him drop the torch. The torch lights the straw on the floor. The DOCTOR
winds his TERILEPTIL.)
(NYSSA and TEGAN enter. TEGAN picks up the gun and starts battering the TERILEPTIL attacking the DOCTOR, releasing him. NYSSA and
ADRIC try to put out the fire using sacks. The DOCTOR releases RICHARD MACE from the lead TERILEPTIL, who then grabs the DOCTOR'S leg.
He escapes from the grasp, obviously wounded.)
(Fire approaches the dropped TERILEPTIL gun. It starts to bleep alarmingly.)
TEGAN: What's that?
DOCTOR: The gun's about to explode!
(The gun looks ready to go, as fire envelopes it.)
DOCTOR: Quick, everyone out of here!
(Everyone is shepherded out, ADRIC being the last to be pushed out by the DOCTOR.)
43. Front Room
(The house starts to disintegrate because of the fire.)
44. Outside the Bakery
(The DOCTOR, NYSSA, TEGAN, RICHARD MACE and ADRIC are safe outside the house.)
NYSSA: Shouldn't we try and help them?
(There is an explosion from within the house.)
DOCTOR: Too late! That's the soliton machine exploding.
(The horse stirs, scared. RICHARD MACE calms it.)
DOCTOR: Wait! Quick! Everything into the flames.
(He picks up the contaminated boxes from the cart and throws them into the fire. The others do the same.)
RICHARD MACE: (calling) Night Watchman!
(The NIGHT WATCHMAN appears.)
RICHARD MACE: Fetch a squirter! Arouse the street!
45. Back Room
(The TERILEPTIL screams in pain as blisters burst on his face from the intense heat.)
46. Outside the Bakery
DOCTOR: We must go! Our presence here would raise too many awkward questions. Could we drop you off anywhere?
RICHARD MACE: I'm afraid your pace of life is a little to fast for me, sir.
(Burning timber is falling from the house.)
RICHARD MACE: Ah! I shall stay here and fight the fire. A much, much quieter occupation.
DOCTOR: (to the companions) Into the TARDIS!
RICHARD MACE: Goodbye, Doctor!
DOCTOR: Oh, (finding the control panel in his pocket) a keepsake!
(The DOCTOR gives RICHARD MACE the control panel.)
RICHARD MACE: Ah!
DOCTOR: Good luck!
(The DOCTOR reaches the door of the TARDIS. NYSSA is waiting for him.)
NYSSA: Won't it confuse the archaeologists?
(The DOCTOR and NYSSA enter the TARDIS. RICHARD MACE is nearly hit by falling debris as the fire continues. The TARDIS dematerialises.)
RICHARD MACE: (calling out) Goodbye, Doctor!
47. TARDIS, Console Room
(The DOCTOR sings 'London bridge is falling down' as he sets the controls.)
TEGAN: Doctor, shouldn't we have helped put out the fire? We are partially responsible.
DOCTOR: I have a sneaking suspicion, (puts his hat on the hat stand) this fire should be allowed to run its course.
ADRIC: How do you mean?
DOCTOR: I'll explain, someday.
48. Outside the Bakery
(A plaque clearly has the name of the street chalked upon it. Pudding Lane. It is enveloped by flames. The Great Fire of London of
1666, rages on...)
THE END
CREDITS
Written by Eric Saward
Cast
THE DOCTOR: Peter Davidson
TEGAN: Janet Fielding
NYSSA: Sarah Sutton
ADRIC: Matthew Waterhouse
ANDROID: Peter Van Dissel
MILLER: James Charlton
RICHARD MACE: Michael Robbins
TERILEPTIL: Michael Melia
Designer: Ken Starkey
Costumes: Odile Dicks-Mireaux
Make-Up: Carolyn Perry
Studio Lighting: Henry Barber
Visual Effects: Peter Wragg
Film Cameraman: Peter Chapman
Film Editor: Ken Bilton
Studio Sound: Alan Machin
Title Music: Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
arranged by Peter Howell
Incidental Music: Paddy Kingsland
Special Sounds: Dick Mills
Production Assistant: Julia Randall
Production Associate: Angela Smith
Assistant Floor Manager: Alison Symington
Script Editor: Anthony Root
Producer: John Nathan-Turner
Director: Peter Moffat
©BBC MCMLXXXI
TRANSCRIBED BY: NOEL WHITEHALL