DOCTOR WHO
THE ARK IN SPACE
BY ROBERT HOLMES
PART ONE
5:30pm - 5:55pm
[SCENE_BREAK]
DOCTOR: All the same, I think we'll just check a few of the beds while we're here.
HARRY: What are we checking for, exactly?
DOCTOR: Just to make sure that everything's in order.
HARRY: Right-o.
HARRY: Doctor?
DOCTOR: What have you found?
DOCTOR: Sarah! Oh, Sarah Jane!
HARRY: We can't help her now.
DOCTOR: No. She'll be like that for 3,000 years at least. Even if we had a resuscitation unit, it's doubtful if we could revive her now.
HARRY: There must be something we can do! What would a resuscitation unit look like?
DOCTOR (OOV.): Very like an oxygen cylinder. You'll recognize it if there is one. HARRY: Well, it's dead, anyway.
DOCTOR: Very dead. Almost mummified.
HARRY: What is it?
DOCTOR: That's something we can leave till later. No sign of the resuscitation tank?
HARRY: I hardly had a chance to look.
DOCTOR: Emergency medical kit, wouldn't you say?
HARRY: Bit beyond me, I'm afraid.
DOCTOR: There must be something there that would help Sarah, but what? What? HARRY: Doctor, look!
DOCTOR: Of course! They don't need a tank! The resuscitation phase is programmed in! (OOV.)Look, she's starting to breathe!
HARRY (OOV.): Yes, I think she is!
DOCTOR (OOV.): No doubt about it.
HARRY: That means there's hope for Sarah. Yes, look - she's moving. (To the woman.) Something you want? Can't I do that for you?
HARRY: Independent sort of bird, isn't she?
DOCTOR: Leave her, Harry.
HARRY: But she's...
DOCTOR: There's nothing you can do. She knows what she's doing.
VIRA: Explain yourselves.
DOCTOR: Well... there isn't very much to explain. We're just travellers in space like yourself.
VIRA: That is not adequate.
HARRY: My name's Sullivan. Surgeon Lieutenant Harry Sullivan, actually. And, er, this is the Doctor.
VIRA: You claim to be med-techs?
HARRY: Sorry?
DOCTOR: My doctorate is purely honorary. And Harry here is only qualified to work on sailors.
VIRA: My name is Vira. I am a first med-tech.
DOCTOR: Well, I'm delighted to hear it! You see, we happen to be in rather desperate need of medical help.
VIRA: This female is a stranger.
HARRY (OOV.): She's a friend of ours.
HARRY: She got caught in the machinery.
VIRA: She was not among the chosen.
HARRY: Well, she's among the chosen now, isn't she?
DOCTOR: Is there any way of reversing the cryogenic process?
VIRA: That can be dangerous. How long since she underwent tissue irradiation?
HARRY (OOV.): Can't be more than an hour, can it, Doctor? We haven't been here more than an hour altogether.
VIRA: Receding neural activity.
HARRY: Is there anything you can do for her?
VIRA: Is she of...value?
HARRY: Of value?! She's a human being, like ourselves! What sort of question is that?
DOCTOR: The answer is yes.
VIRA: Your comrade is a romantic.
DOCTOR: Perhaps we both are.
VIRA: I will inject a monod block.
HARRY: That'll do the trick, eh?
VIRA: Your colony speech has no meaning.
HARRY: I mean, it'll bring her around - reverse the process?
VIRA: She will either survive or die. The action of the antiprotonic is not predictable.
DOCTOR: I see. You've changed her body into a battlefield.
VIRA: Battlefield? I hypoied in classicals, but you dawn-timers have a language all of your own!
DOCTOR (Whispering. To HARRY.): We have a small communications problem.
HARRY (Whispering. To the DOCTOR.): I wish there was something I could do.
VIRA: It is done. There is nothing further. As she revives, her electrical field will draw power from the bionosphere.
VIRA: Here is our Prime Unit.
HARRY: Prime Unit?
VIRA: Er... our leader, I think you would say. Noah.
HARRY: Noah? Oh, I see. As in Noah's Ark, eh?
VIRA: It is a name from mythology. His real name...is Lazar. But we called him Noah as an amusement.
HARRY: Er...joke?
VIRA: Joke? Oh, yes... There was not much joke in the last days.
DOCTOR: What happened in the last days, Vira?
VIRA: Your colony has no records, no history? Where are you from?
HARRY: London, actually... England. The Earth.
VIRA: That's not possible. Earth is dead.
DOCTOR: I'm afraid you're probably wrong about that.
VIRA: The solar flares destroyed all life on Earth.
DOCTOR: Ah, solar flares? I see...
VIRA: Our scientists calculated it would be 5,000 years before the biosphere became viable again.
DOCTOR: Oh, the absolute minimum, I'd say. But I'm afraid I have something of a shock for you, Vira.
VIRA: Shock?
DOCTOR: You've overslept by several thousand years. You see, when we came here, we found a massive systems failure.
VIRA: The systems have no capacity for failure!
DOCTOR: Possibly not. But a long time ago, when you were dormant, you had a visitor. Come, I'll show it to you.
VIRA: Is it from space? How did it get here?
DOCTOR: I don't know yet, but observe the size of the brain pan. It had a purpose in coming here, and, once inside, it severed most of the satellite's control systems, including your alarm clock, so to speak.
VIRA: What purpose...?
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY: Still no change, Doctor.
DOCTOR: No... For once in my life, I feel surplus to requirements.
[SCENE_BREAK]
VIRA: Doctor?
DOCTOR: What is it?
VIRA: There is a technical fault in the bionosphere.
DOCTOR: I don't think the fault's at this end. It's in the main power supply.
VIRA: It must be corrected! If his heart stops now, there is nothing I can do.
DOCTOR: Don't worry. I noticed the Ark has a secondary power supply. Harry, you stay here and keep an eye on things.
HARRY: Right-o.
VIRA: Yes, but... The Ark was designed to have a negative fault capacity.
HARRY: Gremlins can get into everything, old girl. That's law of the sea.
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY: There you are! What did I tell you? The Doctor's a first-class boffin.
VIRA: Good. He will revive soon.
DOCTOR (OOV. On the intercom.): Harry?
HARRY: I say! That was quick!
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY: Doctor? Doctor, where are you?
DOCTOR (OOV.): In the Control Room. Have you got the power back on in there?
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY (OOV.): Yes, we have. Everything's shipshape now.
DOCTOR: Splendid. The fault seems to be in the main solar stack. I'm just going to take a look.
HARRY (OOV.): Right-o.
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY: I say, Doctor, don't be long, will you?
[SCENE_BREAK]
NOAH: Vira...
VIRA: Welcome, Commander.
NOAH: It's over. It's over, Vira. You and I are alive again!
VIRA: And together.
NOAH: Who is this?
HARRY: Lieutenant Sullivan, sir.
NOAH: A regressive?! Here?
HARRY: I'm no regressive! I'm a Naval officer! Sarah...
NOAH: Clearly a regressive! His speech patterns prove it. How did he get here?
VIRA: They claim they are travellers in space.
NOAH: They?
VIRA: There are three of them. Another male called the Doctor and that female. They say she was irradiated by error.
HARRY: Vira, she's coming round!
NOAH: There was a regressive faction among the volunteers for Colony 9.
VIRA: With a zero-zero survival predic. One generation.
NOAH: Even so... our genetic pool has been balanced, cross-matched, compat-evaluated. Three random units could threaten our survival.
VIRA: The Council can decide, Noah. The plan had a 7% stretch factor.
HARRY: I think she's going to be all right.
VIRA: She will revive soon.
HARRY: Oh, thank heaven for that! Well done. The Doctor will be delighted.
NOAH: Where IS the Doctor?
HARRY: Oh, he says you've got a spot of bother in your... Anyway, he's gone to fix it.
NOAH: What?
HARRY: Er...solar stacks, I think he said. (To VIRA.) Yes, she's breathing!
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY (To a still unconscious SARAH.): Soon have you up and about, old thing. This won't hurt a bit.
SARAH: Urgh!
HARRY: Perhaps just a little bit.
VIRA: If you are space travellers as you claim, you should leave now.
HARRY: I say, that's a bit brusque, isn't it? If it hadn't been for the Doctor...
VIRA: Noah will not permit contamination of the genetic pool. All regressive transmitters have been eliminated.
HARRY: Oh, come off it! We're not contaminating anybody!
VIRA: He has the authority to initiate condign action. Personally, I consider your destruction is not necessary.
HARRY: Well, thanks very much...
SARAH: Harry...
HARRY: Yes. Do you think you can stand? Gently. Mind - there's a step down.
SARAH: I feel so muzzy... What's this? What's happening?
HARRY: It's all right...
[SCENE_BREAK]
SARAH: Ten thousand years?
HARRY: Well, according to the Doctor.
SARAH: It's unbelievable, Harry! What's...that?
HARRY: Don't know. We found it in the cupboard.
SARAH: In the cupboard?
HARRY: Yeah. It's a sort of...sort of galactic woodworm, I suppose.
SARAH: It is dead, isn't it?
HARRY: Oh, yes, been dead for years. It's nothing to worry about.
VIRA: Come here!
HARRY: What's the trouble?
VIRA: What have you done with Dune?
HARRY: Dune?
VIRA: Where is he? Answer me!
[SCENE_BREAK]
DOCTOR: Ah, there you are! Awake at last!
NOAH: Move away!
DOCTOR: I'm just shutting down the power in the main stack.
NOAH: Touch that switch and I'll atomize you!
DOCTOR: Noah!
NOAH: Earth is ours!
DOCTOR: My dear man, if you think for one moment we're laying claim to Earth, you couldn't be more mistaken! We're here to help you.
NOAH: By deactivating the main solar stack?
DOCTOR: Precisely! There's something trapped in the stack, Noah, but at the rate it's absorbing energy, it won't be trapped for long. The stack must be shut down. Well... if you'd been down there with me you...
[SCENE_BREAK]
VIRA: The revivification pattern was inbuilt. Dune was allotted Pallet 3.
SARAH: Oh... Well, perhaps he recovered early?
HARRY: Yes, that's possible. After all, some people need more sleep than others.
NOAH (OOV. On the intercom.): Vira? Hear me. Hear me...
[SCENE_BREAK]
VIRA: Yes, Noah? Where are you?
[SCENE_BREAK]
NOAH: Main Control. I found the Doctor here about to sabotage the power system. He's been dealt with.
[SCENE_BREAK]
VIRA (OOV.): Noah, we have a problem. Pallet 3 is empty.
[SCENE_BREAK]
NOAH: Explain.
VIRA (OOV.): Technician Dune is missing. There is no explanation.
NOAH: The explanation is that the regressives have taken him. Any other problems?
[SCENE_BREAK]
VIRA: No, Commander.
[SCENE_BREAK]
NOAH: Then, proceed with the schedule. I'm about to check the power stacks.
[SCENE_BREAK]
VIRA: Commander Noah will question you on his return. Complete truth is advisable.
HARRY (To SARAH.): Cocky bunch, aren't they?
SARAH: What do you think's happened to the Doctor?
HARRY: I think we better find out, don't you.
SARAH: Yes.
HARRY: Come on, then.
[SCENE_BREAK]
SARAH: Doctor! What's wrong with him?
HARRY: Haven't a clue, Sarah!
SARAH: You're supposed to be a doct...
HARRY: Sh! He's alive anyway. His hearts are beating.
SARAH: Oh, Doctor...!
HARRY: Incredible. He's absolutely rigid.
SARAH: Harry, do something!
HARRY: There's no response at all!
DOCTOR: ..you wouldn't find it so amusing.
SARAH: Oh, Doctor!
DOCTOR: Ah, Sarah! You're back. Splendid! Where's Noah? Shot me, did he? Cut off in mid-sentence. I might have been saying something important. I WAS saying something important!
SARAH: Look, are you all right?
DOCTOR: What...? Blinding headache, that's all. I hate stun guns! Where is he?
SARAH: Who?
DOCTOR: Noah, of course! Who else?
HARRY: We overheard him on the intercom, saying something about checking the solar stacks...
DOCTOR: What? The idiot! Quick! There might be still time!
HARRY: Are you sure you're all right?
DOCTOR: Never mind about me, Harry! There's a man in danger!
[SCENE_BREAK]
HARRY: Strange that they ##### the ship. Why didn't Vira try and stop us?
DOCTOR: Not her function, Harry.
HARRY: How do you mean?
DOCTOR: By the 30th century, human society was highly compartmentalized. Vira is a med-tech. And I suspect we're an executive problem.
NOAH: Right, Doctor. But not a difficult one. You can easily be eliminated.
DOCTOR: Unlike the thing you saw in the solar stack, eh, Noah?
NOAH: I saw a pathetic attempt at sabotage. The observation port is damaged.
DOCTOR: It's escaped! We're too late.
SARAH: What's escaped?
NOAH: Turn about. We will return to the Cryogenic Section.
DOCTOR: You're absolutely right. There's no time to lose. Come on!
[SCENE_BREAK]
LIBRI: Vira.
VIRA: Welcome.
NOAH: Welcome, Libri.
LIBRI: Keep back! Keep back!
NOAH (To VIRA.): What's the matter with him?
LIBRI: Keep back!
NOAH: Is it his mind?
VIRA: No, his reactions were normal.
LIBRI: Keep away!
VIRA: Libri, this is Noah. You remember Commander Noah?
LIBRI: I'm sorry... I saw something standing there...
DOCTOR: What was it you saw, Libri?
NOAH: Silence! You're here to answer questions, not ask them!
LIBRI: It was horrible. A shape... I'm sorry... I'm all right now.
VIRA: Temporary neuro-ocular confusion.
DOCTOR (To HARRY.): The process is much too slow. They're not going to make it.
NOAH: No further warnings.
HARRY: You'd shoot too, wouldn't you! (Whimpering.) Nice fellow...
NOAH: Libri... Keep these three under guard. Kill them if they give any trouble.
LIBRI: Yes, sir.
VIRA (OOV.): Noah? Where are you going?
NOAH: The system must be shut down.
VIRA: What?
NOAH: The revivification must be stopped.
VIRA: Why? I don't understand.
NOAH: It is an order. I am the commander.
VIRA: But the first phase isn't completed. And we need the technical crew, Noah, to operate the station.
NOAH: Yes... No! No...the p-plan is changed... Hear me, hear me, the plan is changed!
VIRA: No, what is it? Is it something to do with Dune?
NOAH: Dune?
VIRA: Technician Dune. I reported him missing.
NOAH: But I'm here. I am Dune.
VIRA: What?
NOAH: The system must be shut down! No more aliens!
VIRA: Noah, come back.
DOCTOR: He must be stopped.
VIRA: Something has happened to his mind. There was a power fault during his revival.
DOCTOR (To LIBRI.): Get after him, man!
LIBRI: No, no...he gave me an order.
DOCTOR: Don't be an imbecile. Tell him, Vira!
VIRA: There is no procedure for stopping the revivification programme. It could be damaging, Libri.
LIBRI: But he is our commander!
DOCTOR (OOV.): Can you be sure?
LIBRI: What?
DOCTOR: When you first saw him, you had a subconscious impression, you said, of something horrible. That wasn't Noah, was it?
LIBRI: No.
DOCTOR: Believe me, he must be stopped.
DOCTOR: Good!
VIRA: It's not advisable for you to try and escape.
DOCTOR: You take some convincing that we're on your side, don't you? Now, what's all this about a missing technician?
VIRA: Pallet 3. I found it empty.
SARAH: Noah thinks that we're to blame.
HARRY: Chap's jumped ship, that's all. Happens all the time.
SARAH: Oh, come on, a space satellite's a bit different from a ship, Harry!
HARRY: No Sarah, I bet there's the equivalent of a dinghy missing.
DOCTOR: It's not quite empty.
SARAH: What's that?
DOCTOR: Membrane.
SARAH: Membrane?
DOCTOR: Part of the eggshell.
SARAH: Where's it from?
DOCTOR: It's almost too horrible to think about.
DOCTOR: The egg tube is empty.
SARAH: That thing?
DOCTOR: The progenitor. The queen colonizer.
SARAH: I don't understand.
DOCTOR: Ever heard of the Eumenes?
HARRY: Eumenes? One of our frigates.
DOCTOR: It's a genus of wasps that paralyses caterpillars and lays its eggs in their bodies. When the larvae emerge, they have a ready-made food supply.
SARAH: Oh...!
DOCTOR: Strange how the same life patterns recur throughout the universe.
HARRY: Doctor, are you saying that slug thing...?
DOCTOR: Ciliated larvae, Harry. Dune was power systems technician, I imagine.
VIRA: Yes, but how did you know...?
DOCTOR: It - or they - went straight to the solar stack.
VIRA: You mean Dune's knowledge...?
DOCTOR: Has been thoroughly digested, I'm afraid.
SARAH: Don't make jokes like that, Doctor.
DOCTOR: When I say I'm afraid, Sarah... I'm not making jokes!
[SCENE_BREAK]
LIBRI: Commander...
NOAH: Give me the gun!
LIBRI: I'm sorry, Commander.
NOAH: Give me the gun!
LIBRI: No, you're not well.
NOAH (OOV.): I order you!
LIBRI: I can't!
LIBRI (OOV.): Please, Commander! Stay back! Please...
LIBRI: Don't force me to...
NOAH: You fool, Libri!
Plan: A: Harry; Q: Who helped the Doctor revive Vira? A: the Ark's medtech; Q: What is Vira? A: Sarah; Q: Who does Vira help? A: station commander Noah; Q: Who becomes suspicious of the newcomers? A: the newcomers; Q: What does Noah become suspicious of when he is revived? Summary: The Doctor and Harry revive the Ark's medtech, Vira, to help Sarah.But when station commander Noah is revived, he becomes suspicious of the newcomers.