TEXT: THE ROMANS DENNIS SPOONER 5:40pm - 6:05pm [SCENE_BREAK] 1: INT. GLADIATORIAL SCHOOL (IAN makes a lunge at DELOS but stumbles and falls to his knees. DELOS holds his sword over IAN'S neck. NERO holds his thumb down.) NERO: Cut off his head! (DELOS raises his sword in the air.) NERO: Kill him! (BARBARA cries out.) NERO: Kill him! (DELOS hesitates, then makes a run for NERO instead. The Emperor and BARBARA make a run to the back of the platform.) NERO: Guards! Guards! IAN: Look out Delos! (DELOS kicks one of the approaching guards to the ground and uses his shield to throw sand from the floor in the second one's face. IAN runs forward and covers him with his net. DELOS mounts the stage but before he can strike a blow at NERO, a third guard runs on the platform. They fight whilst IAN takes on SEVCHERIA and another guard. NERO laughs whilst BARBARA'S face shows panic.) NERO: That's better my dear, now they really are fighting for their lives! (DELOS overcomes his opponent with a sword thrust. He falls at NERO'S feet.) NERO: Get up you coward and fight! Get up! Your Caesar commands it! (NERO kicks at the dead guard who rolls off the platform. The way out, off to one side of the platform is now free.) DELOS: Ian! We can get out this way! (IAN jumps onto the stage.) IAN: Come on, Barbara! (But NERO holds her back as SEVCHERIA and a guard run for the platform. DELOS holds them back.) BARBARA: I can't, Ian! I can't! NERO: Kill them! Kill them! BARBARA: Run quickly! SEVCHERIA: After them! IAN: I'll come back for you somehow! (IAN and DELOS dive
SUMMARY:
Landing in Rome, A.D. 64 the travellers take a rare holiday. While Ian andBarbara are happy to relax, the Doctor and Vicki set off to pursue adventure. However, adventure soon finds Ian and Barbara too as they are kidnapped by slave traders, and the Doctor's imitation of Maximus Pettulian sees him taken to the court of Emperor Nero where he inadvertently plays a part in deciding the course of history...