TEXT: THE TENTH PLANET BY KIT PEDLER AND GERRY DAVIS first broadcast - 29th October 1966 [SCENE_BREAK] 1. TRACKING ROOM (Ben lies on the ground, nursing a bruise on his head from General Cutler's blow. Polly, kneeling next to Ben, tries nursing his wound. Cutler is preoccupied with the launch of the rocket at Mondas. Dyson and Barclay look on anxiously.) POLLY:...succeeded in just a few seconds. COUNTDOWN VOICE: T minus 20 seconds... T minus 15 seconds... T minus 10 seconds, 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Blast off! (The computer monitor's screen is temporarily obscured by the rocket's afterburn. Suddenly, the afterburn clears and the rocket is revealed not to have taken off.) POLLY: Ben, you made it! The rocket hasn't gone off, it didn't work! Now we've all got a chance of life! (The General is enraged. He turns to Ben and Polly.) GENERAL CUTLER: Your Cybermen friends may have a chance of life, but not you, sailor! (He looks at the unconscious Doctor.) GENERAL CUTLER: Nor that old man. Now go get him up here. POLLY: But he's ill! GENERAL CUTLER: He's gonna get worse. Get him up! (As he speaks, the Doctor recovers and speaks weakly to Cutler.) DOCTOR: No need... I'm here. BEN: Doctor, you alright? DOCTOR: Yes, yes, yes... (To General Cutler.) Your plan is foiled, sir. You cannot fire the rocket! GENERAL CUTLER: You just arrived in time... get over there. DOCTOR: I must protest! GENERAL CUTLER: Move! (Cutler turns around and sternly addresses Dyson.) GENERAL CUTLER: Dyson, get through to Zeus 5! (With the General's attention drawn elsewhere, Poll
SUMMARY:
The Cybermen take over the base again, apparently to stop the humans using the Z-Bomb, but then the Doctor realises they intend to use it themselves to destroy Earth.