The Space Pirates

Written by Robert Holmes

Episode 1

Original Air Date: 8 March, 1969
5:15pm - 5:40pm

1: SPACE

(A huge beacon - a large decagonal structure made of eight pre-fabricated sections, a docking station and a power shield section - hangs in the blackness and silence of space. The words on the side of the structure designate it as "ALPHA 1". A smaller black, pointed ship moves up next to and docks with the beacon.)

2: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA ONE. AIRLOCK

(The pressure gauge in the airlock reaches normal and the doorway from the new ship buzzes opens to admit three men dressed in helmets and space armour. They carry various pieces of equipment. One of them is an older moustached man - DERVISH. He is dressed in a uniform and helmet of the same ilk. He watches as one of the other two men moves to the doorway which leads into the beacon itself and starts to open it.)

3: SPACE

(Soon, outside the beacon, two men in helmeted spacesuits traverse along the hull. As they do so, they attach a small magnetic devices to the outside of the beacon along with a propulsion unit.)

4: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA ONE. PASSAGEWAY

(CAVEN, the leader of the raiders, walks into the beacon from the airlock. He wears a ribbed and armoured uniform with a helmet which covers most of his head but leaves his nose, mouth and cold eyes exposed.)

CAVEN: Dervish... (Shouts.) Dervish!

(DERVISH walks up to him from within the beacon.)

DERVISH: We're nearly finished.

CAVEN: About time.

DERVISH: Our men are just coming. We'll detonate by radio beam.

CAVEN: Right, hurry it up.

(The other two men return and they all re-enter their ship. The door to the airlock buzzes closed behind them.)

5: SPACE

(The ship moves away from the beacon. A radio signal transmits from the ship and, seconds later, a huge expl*si*n takes place that breaks the beacon up into its component sections.)

6: SPACE

(A V-Ship, a large military cruiser with the registration number V41-LO, moves through space. It is flat with an small Eagle design on the front of the ship.)

7: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

(Inside the ship, the flight deck is on two levels. The upper level, whose front panel is decorated also with an Eagle insignia, is the command area whilst the flight technicians sit on the lower level. A large monitor screen dominates one of the walls of the lower level. All the occupants of the ship wear space-age military uniforms consisting of silvery suits with metallic interlocked diamond collar insignia. MAJOR IAN WARNE, the young American second in command, walks into the room and past TECHNICIAN PENN, another young man with dark hair and a moustache, on the lower level.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Everything all right, Penn?

TECHNICIAN PENN: Fine, sir.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Fine.

(WARNE makes his way up to the upper level by way of some steps at the back and approaches an older grey-haired man who sits in a command chair overlooking the flight deck. The dais in front of the chair is covered by a large astral grid-map. At the back of the command level is a small monitor screen.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: You sent for me, sir?

(GENERAL HERMACK looks up and speaks in a rich clipped tone.)

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah yes. Ian, sit down.

(WARNE sits in the chair next to him.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Thank you.

GENERAL HERMACK: Any information on that beacon signal yet?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: No sir. There's been no response to the secondary emergency circuits either.

GENERAL HERMACK: No, there wouldn't be.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Sir?

GENERAL HERMACK: What do you think has happened to that beacon?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Well, it's difficult to say, sir. It could be a failure in the solar energy store.

GENERAL HERMACK: No, the emergency power would operate and we'd get a May-Day signal.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Well?

(WARNE considers, then...)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Oh, you don't think this is a mechanical failure, sir?

GENERAL HERMACK: No, no, I don't. These beacons are practically fool proof.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: You got any ideas?

GENERAL HERMACK: Yes, I have. And I must be right - Argonite! These beacons are almost entirely constructed of Argonite.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Of course, sir! What are you going to do about it?

(HERMACK turns to the controls in front of his chair and switches on the ship wide communications. He picks up a microphone and speaks into it as all the personnel on the flight deck stop and listen to the echoing message...)

GENERAL HERMACK: (Into microphone.) Attention all personnel. This is General Hermack. Your V-Ship is now fifty days and many billions of miles out from Earth. You're entering the fourth sector of our galaxy. In this sector for some time now, Earth Government has been aware that a highly organised g*ng of criminals have been roaming the space ways, and preying upon defenceless cargo ships. The main target of these criminals is Argonite, the most valuable mineral known to man, and so far only found on the planets of the Fourth Sector. A government space beacon marking the approaches to the planet New Sarum has ceased transmitting its navigation signal. These beacons, as you know, are constructed of Argonite. It is my belief that the criminals are attacking the government navigation beacons and plundering the Argonite. There can be no other explanation for its failure. This being the case, I have decided to...abandon our present mission and to investigate the missing beacon in the New Sarum sector. I want all section commanders on the bridge at twenty hundred hours, sector four, solar time. Resume normal duties until then.

(He switches off and turns back to WARNE who gestures to the grid map.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: There are eighteen space beacons cra...scattered across this sector, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: Seventeen, Ian, until the one at New Sarum's replaced.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Seventeen. And they're millions of miles apart.

GENERAL HERMACK: Mmm hmm.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: So how can we be sure which one the pirates are likely to att*ck next?

GENERAL HERMACK: (Smiles.) Ha ha! We can't.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Well exactly. The odds are seventeen to one against us being in the right place at the right time.

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah! With our speed, I think we can cut those odds a bit.

(He also points to the map.)

GENERAL HERMACK: Now, there are four beacons in the Pliny Solar System here. That is where we'll start our patrol.

8: SPACE

(Beacon "ALPHA 7" is as seemingly as peaceful in the blackness of space as its recently destroyed counterpart. Again, the sleek, pointed ship docks with the structure.)

9: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA SEVEN. AIRLOCK

(Again the airlock gauge rises and the door to the newly arrived ship buzzes open. CAVEN and DERVISH both enter the airlock followed by the two space-suited pirates who again carry their equipment and start to ready it. CAVEN watches the two men impatiently.)

CAVEN: (Urgently.) Come on! Speed it up.

DERVISH: Caven, I don't like this.

CAVEN: Nobody's asking you to like it. Just get those scissor charges laid into position.

DERVISH: If we att*ck any more beacons we'll have the whole of the Interstella Space Corps in this sector.

CAVEN: Look. As of this moment, the Space Corps has its hands full of trouble. Brush f*re wars in three different sectors . There's never been a better time for getting rich.

(DERVISH opens the door to the beacon.)

DERVISH: Right lads. Now we'll lay four charges along the main axle, then we'll attach booster charges around the hull. Okay.

(The two pirates move into the beacon. DERVISH is about to follow but CAVEN stops him.)

CAVEN: You're a good engineer, Dervish. Just do your job and leave the Space Corps to me, eh?

DERVISH: Okay, but I worked ten years for Earth Government.

CAVEN: You should've stayed with them. They'd have given you a pension.

(CAVEN laughs.)

DERVISH: Attacking Government property is one crime they make sure never pays.

CAVEN: Sixteen hundred tons of pure Argonite pays all right, Dervish. To me this is like a floating bank.

(CAVEN laughs again and the two men step into the beacon.)

10: SPACE

(The two space-suited pirates float along the outside of Beacon Alpha Seven, again placing charges and a propulsion unit.)

11: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

(WARNE is on the lower command deck and stops before the station of TECHNICIAN PENN.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: What range are the forward scanners set for, Penn?

TECHNICIAN PENN: Fifteen hundred, sir.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Well, reset them at, er, two thousand. Right?

TECHNICIAN PENN: Very good, sir.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: And keep a sharp eye on that screen. There are lots of rogue asteroids in the Pliny System.

TECHNICIAN PENN: Sir.

(WARNE steps up to the upper deck where HERMACK is giving instructions to another part of the V-Ship through the tannoy system.)

GENERAL HERMACK: (Into microphone.) Oh and one thing more. Make sure the Minnow ships are fully fuelled, and put the detonation heads on their m*ssile. Report back as soon as that is done.

(HERMACK finishes giving his instructions.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: We're approaching the Pliny system now, sir. We've made scanner contact with the four beacons. They're functioning normally.

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah good.

(He looks over the astral chart and indicates one point on it.)

GENERAL HERMACK: Now this - the planet Ta here - is the main one in the system. We'll orbit here for a few weeks and see what happens.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: So that's Ta, huh?

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah, you've heard of it?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Yeah, that's the headquarters of the Issigri Mining Corporation. The most productive planet in the entire galaxy.

GENERAL HERMACK: Hm hmm. Madeleine Issigri has built quite a place there. Which is one reason for basing ourselves in the Pliny system.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Why's that a reason, sir?

GENERAL HERMACK: Well, if we're out here long, Ian, the men will need somewhere for rest and recreation. Deep space sickness is the one thing we can't chance.

(PENN calls up from his lower deck station.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: Major Warne?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: What is it Penn?

TECHNICIAN PENN: I've got a contact sir. At...

(He checks the radar scanner.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: Beacon Alpha Seven.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Well hold on it. Any identification?

TECHNICIAN PENN: No sir. Too far away.

(HERMACK studies PENN'S screen from the upper level.)

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah, it's a space ship right enough. Check central flight information, Ian, and see if anyone should be out there.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Right sir.

(WARNE walks off to check and HERMACK shouts our an order to his crew.)

GENERAL HERMACK: Change course for Beacon Alpha Seven.

(He then speaks through the ship's tannoy system.)

GENERAL HERMACK: (Into microphone.) Bridge to Power Room, I want ten seconds main boost.

(The rising sound of the engines echoes through the room. WARNE returns with his report.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: According to flight information, sir, there should be no ships in the area within the next seventeen days.

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah, well whoever they are they've not yet reported to central flight information.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Do you think it's the Pirates?

GENERAL HERMACK: It could be. Though some of these commercial flights don't always like to report their whereabouts, er, for reasons of their own. Anyway we shall soon know.

12: SPACE

(The pirate ship moves away from Beacon Alpha Seven and off into space.)

13: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

(This movement shows on PENN'S radar screen.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: She's backing off, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: Keep track of her.

(The blip on the screen gathers pace as they all watch.)

12: SPACE

(The pirate ship moves further off.)

14: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

TECHNICIAN PENN: She's moving quite fast, sir.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Got a good turn of speed for a commercial.

GENERAL HERMACK: Is Beacon Alpha Seven still functioning?

(WARNE checks a reading.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: Yes, sir. Very strong signal.

GENERAL HERMACK: Ah, well, that's something.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Maybe they were just picking up emergency supplies, sir. Some of these beacons do carry reserve medical and oxygen equipment.

TECHNICIAN PENN: (Puzzled.) Sir, I've... got another signal coming in now. It's a UHF!

MAJOR IAN WARNE: UHF? Well that's reserved for demolition teams.

GENERAL HERMACK: Well, put it on audio.

TECHNICIAN PENN: Yes sir.

(PENN does as instructed and the warbling signal is heard across the flight deck issuing from a loudspeaker.)

15: SPACE

(Space Beacon Alpha Seven explodes, again not into fragments but into its component pre-fabricated sections.)

16: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

TECHNICIAN PENN: Alpha Seven's broken up, sir!

GENERAL HERMACK: (Angrily.) Argh! Right under our noses. Main boost.

(Again the sound of the rising engines is heard.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: Lost the beacon, sir. No more signal.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: No there won't be. It's probably in a dozen separate bits by now.

GENERAL HERMACK: Penn, hold contact with that pirate ship!

TECHNICIAN PENN: Yes, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: At least we can be sure they don't get away. Ian give me a projected arrival, time.

(WARNE checks a console.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Three hours, sir. Maybe I can get a visual on the main scanner.

(In place of the image of the radar signal, a picture of a pirate ship and the beacon fragments appears on the front view screen.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: There she is, sir. And that's what's left of the beacon.

GENERAL HERMACK: (Pleased.) Oh we've got them cold, Ian! We'll be onto them long before they get rid of that salvaged scrap.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Yeah, providing she doesn't see us approaching, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: They don't know...

TECHNICIAN PENN: That ship looks fast...

GENERAL HERMACK: They don't know we're in the same area.

(Suddenly the image on the screen starts to become less distinct.)

GENERAL HERMACK: What's wrong with the scanner?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Seem to be losing visual contact, sir.

TECHNICIAN PENN: The ship's moving away, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: What?

TECHNICIAN PENN: Just started to go...and the beacon debris's going with her.

GENERAL HERMACK: Hold that contact, Penn!

TECHNICIAN PENN: It's no good, sir. She's going too fast.

GENERAL HERMACK: They must have twice our speed.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Maybe the minnows can hold her?

GENERAL HERMACK: Not at this distance. They haven't the fuel.

TECHNICIAN PENN: Lost contact, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: (Resigned.) Oh...hold the same course.

TECHNICIAN PENN: Sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: Keep searching.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: They must have attached rocket units to the beacon, sir, the way it moved off.

GENERAL HERMACK: Yes. They're very well organised. They cut the beacon into several manageable pieces by means of scissor charges, then sh**t the bits off to some pre-arranged collection point. Very clever.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: And quick. It cuts down the time they're at risk. And they just burn out the Argonite at their leisure.

GENERAL HERMACK: Ian, we shall have to rethink our tactics. We shall never catch them by normal patrol methods.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: What else can we do, sir?

GENERAL HERMACK: (Thinks.) Man the beacons.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Man them?

GENERAL HERMACK: It's the only answer. We'll drop small parties of four or five men on each beacon, and give them rations and supplies for two months.
Well all these mark five beacons were designed as emergency survival centres.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Yes sir, but I don't think anybody has ever tried living on them. Some of these beacons are pretty primitive.

GENERAL HERMACK: (Snaps.) I'm not interested in men's comfort, Major! Set course for the nearest beacon.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Yes, sir.

17: SPACE

(Some time later, the V-Ship docks with another Space Beacon - Alpha Four, in order to carry out HERMACK'S strategy.)

18: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. AIRLOCK

(The airlock pressure rises and the hatch from the V-Ship opens to admit the dark-skinned LT. SORBA and four other men who carry their g*n and rations for their protracted stay. WARNE follows them into the airlock and small box-shaped communicator with a round aerial on top of it.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Here's your radio, lieutenant. It's beamed automatically to main control. All you have to do in the event of trouble is press this button, right?

LT. SORBA: Don't worry, I'll press it.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Remember your main job here is to give us the earliest possible warning in the event of the pirate ship approaching right?

LT. SORBA: And after that, we fight them.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: After that, I think you'll have to, Joe. Good Luck.

LT. SORBA: Thank you.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: See you in about six weeks.

LT. SORBA: I hope.

(WARNE goes through the airlock and back into the V-Ship. The door closes behind him.)

19: SPACE

(The V-Ship disconnects from the Beacon and moves off.)

20: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

(WARNE walks back onto the flight deck through the opening door as HERMACK gives the order to go onto their next destination.)

GENERAL HERMACK: Set a course for Alpha Nine.

TECHNICIAN PENN: Very good, sir.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: I told Lieutenant Sorba we'd be back in about six weeks, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: Or much earlier if the pirates raid Alpha Four. How's morale on the picket?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Oh, it's pretty high sir. I think they're hoping for the chance of a party.

GENERAL HERMACK: They understand they have to sh**t on sight?

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Yes sir, I told them. No, anybody poking their nose aboard Alpha Four will find plenty of trouble waiting for 'em.

21: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPUTER BAY

(The TARDIS materialises in the middle of this potential b*ttlefield. Its arrival point is a cramped computer bay in one of the sections.)

22: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPANIONWAY

(Meanwhile, LT. SORBA is briefing three of his men in one of the narrow companionways of the beacon. As he does so, the fourth of his SPACE GUARDS climbs down a ladder into the companionway.)

LT. SORBA: Now we're going to be here for about six weeks. Settle down...

(The SPACE GUARD pushes through him comrades.)

SPACE GUARD: 'Scuse me.

LT. SORBA: ...and keep your eyes open. Take care about...

SPACE GUARD: (Interrupts.) Sir!

LT. SORBA: What? What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the observation tower?

SPACE GUARD: There's something in the computer bay, sir.

LT. SORBA: Something? Well what do you mean by that?

SPACE GUARD: I heard something in there, sir - a noise.

LT. SORBA: All right, we'd better check it out then. Come on.

(The men run off towards the computer bay with their g*n held.)

23: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPUTER BAY

(The DOCTOR steps out of the TARDIS and looks round his darkened surroundings. The TARDIS is at the back of the small compartment on a raised platform. In front of the platform is a square piece of machinery.)

DOCTOR: Oh dear.

(ZOE, dressed in light-coloured hotpants and matching top, steps out of the TARDIS behind him.)

ZOE: Well, what's wrong?

DOCTOR: Well, I...well, I don't think we're...we're quite where I expected.

(JAMIE mutters in no great surprise. The DOCTOR spots the piece of machinery and starts to look over it.)

DOCTOR: But never mind. This looks very interesting.

JAMIE: Interesting? A piece of old machinery?

DOCTOR: Yes. I...I've never seen a computer quite like this before, Jamie.

(ZOE starts to look round the compartment.)

ZOE: It looks like some sort of control room.

DOCTOR: Yes, but what does it control?

JAMIE: Ah, well I think we'd better get out of here before somebody catches us.

ZOE: Good idea.

(She indicates a door to her left.)

ZOE: There's a door here.

JAMIE: No, Zoe, I meant in the TARDIS.

DOCTOR: Jamie, stop worrying. There's obviously nobody here.

JAMIE: Well, how do you know that?

DOCTOR: Well, this machine is programmed to operate by itself.

JAMIE: Eh?

ZOE: Yes, but what does it do?

DOCTOR: Well, I'm not sure Zoe, but I...I think we're on an unmanned spacecraft in a...in a fixed orbit. We're...we're too far away from anywhere to be a...a weather satellite. Let's see what, er, what clues we can find through here, shall we?

(They are about to leave the computer bay through the hatchway indicated by ZOE into the corridor when JAMIE sees a floor panel opening in the upper level of the bay.)

JAMIE: What's that?

DOCTOR: What?

(Before JAMIE can answer, SORBA pops his head through and starts f*ring at the trio.)

JAMIE: Doctor!

ZOE: Oh Jamie, run!

(The DOCTOR, JAMIE and ZOE bolt into the corridor, but away from the computer bay and the TARDIS. JAMIE slams the hatch behind him.)

24: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. CORRIDOR

JAMIE: Nobody here eh?

ZOE: Oh now what are we going to do? The TARDIS is in there.

DOCTOR: There's only one thing we can do.

ZOE: What?

DOCTOR: Run.

JAMIE: Well, maybe next time you'll listen to me.

ZOE: If there is a next time.

(They dash off as the hatch opens with SORBA and his men in pursuit. SORBA turns round to his men.)

LT. SORBA: All right there are only three of them and they can't get away. Hunt them down and don't forget - sh**t to k*ll.

(They carry on the chase.)

25: SPACE

(Meanwhile, the Pirates' beta dart ship docks with Beacon Alpha Four.)

26: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. AIRLOCK

(The airlock buzzes open and CAVEN and DERVISH step through, looking round.)

CAVEN: Alpha Four. Another present from the home planet's tax payers.

DERVISH: Same procedure as last time?

CAVEN: Yes, Dervish, but now that you've had a little practice get those scissor charges laid a bit quicker eh?

(The sound of sh*ts from SORBA and his men reach them.)

DERVISH: Hey, what's that? Caven, those were blaster g*n!

CAVEN: Get the crew in here - at the double.

(DERVISH moves back through the airlock into the beta dart to get the crew.)

27: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. ANOTHER CORRIDOR

(The TARDIS crew, somewhat out of breath, run into another corridor and lock the connecting door behind them.)

JAMIE: Are you all right, Zoe?

ZOE: Yes, I think so.

(The DOCTOR turns a locking bar on the hatch door.)

DOCTOR: That should hold them for a little while.

ZOE: Oh, why are they trying to k*ll us? We haven't done anything.

JAMIE: (Indignantly.) No!

DOCTOR: I don't know. But we're certainly not stopping to find out.

(A strange sound reaches them.)

JAMIE: What's that? (Points.) Look!

(The light of a thermic lance appears on the door as SORBA and his men start to cut their way through.)

DOCTOR: Come on. Let's find somewhere else to hide.

(They run down the corridor into another room.)

28: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. CORRIDOR

(SORBA and his men continue cutting through the door.)

29: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPARTMENT

(The TARDIS crew find that they have reached a d*ad end. They are on another small platform which has a handrail running along it. On the right hand side of the lower level is a bank of machinery.)

JAMIE: Doctor, there's no way out of here.

DOCTOR: What?

JAMIE: Look!

ZOE: (Plaintively.) Oh Doctor, what can we do?

DOCTOR: Well, I don't know. If we go down there we'll bump straight into them. I'm afraid we're trapped!

30: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. CORRIDOR

(The pirates catch up with the space corps and sh**t down SORBA'S men in front of the doorway they are still cutting through. As SORBA collapses, he uses the radio beam to send out a distress signal.)

31: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

TECHNICIAN PENN: Thirty minutes from Beacon Alpha Three, sir

GENERAL HERMACK: Right, warn the picket to stand by on C deck, Ian.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Right, sir.

(He is about to step away, but an alarm beep starts to be heard in the room.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: Emergency from Beacon Alpha Four, sir!

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Sorba's being att*cked!

GENERAL HERMACK: Set course for Alpha Four. Try and get me a visual on the scanner, Ian.

TECHNICIAN PENN: On course, sir.

(HERMACK speaks into the communicator.)

GENERAL HERMACK: (Into microphone.) Bridge to Power House: I want main boost for as long as you can hold it without vapourising the motors.

32: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. CORRIDOR

(CAVEN and his men are standing over the bodies of the space corps guards. CAVEN notices SORBA is still moving.)

CAVEN: This one's still alive.

DERVISH: So the Space Corps were too busy to bother about us eh?

CAVEN: (Harshly.) Shut up! I'm thinking.

DERVISH: There's no time for thinking - we've got to get out of here!

CAVEN: Four space guards and an officer. What are they doing here?

DERVISH: There must be a cruiser in the area.

CAVEN: Not a big enough crew to defend the beacon, but they must have been put on board for a reason.

(He notices the radio beam device near SORBA'S hand. He picks it up to examine it.)

CAVEN: What's this?

DERVISH: It looks like a fixed beam transmitter. (Realises.) Why that's it! Well, they'll...they'll be on their way back here by now.

CAVEN: (Quietly.) Then you'd better get moving.

DERVISH: Well, you don't still want the beacon cutting up?

CAVEN: That's what we came here to do.

DERVISH: Well, you might...!

CAVEN: (Interrupts.) Don't waste time. Get on with it.

(As DERVISH walks off, CAVEN takes out his g*n and destroys the transmitter...)

33: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

(...and the signal on the flight deck cuts out.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Could be their radio's packed up, sir?

GENERAL HERMACK: Yes. Can you give me a projected arrival time?

(WARNE checks his console.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Two hours, twenty minutes.

GENERAL HERMACK: I should have left a stronger picket.

MAJOR IAN WARNE: Oh no, sir. We haven't the man power. Besides, Sorba knew he could only hope to delay things.

GENERAL HERMACK: I am going to get that g*ng of m*rder thieves if I have to spend the next ten years out here!

34: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. CORRIDOR

(LT. SORBA, weakened from his wound, lies in a heap on the floor, with CAVEN standing over him. SORBA looks over his fallen comrades.)

CAVEN: Yes, Lieutenant, you're the last of the toy soldiers.

LT. SORBA: sh*t in the back.

CAVEN: (Laughs.) You mean we're disqualified? You don't want to play any more?

LT. SORBA: You can laugh now. But you won't get away with this.

CAVEN: Who's going to stop me, Lieutenant?

LT. SORBA: How did you get those decoys aboard?

CAVEN: (Puzzled.) Decoys?

LT. SORBA: Those three that lead us into your ambush.

CAVEN: Concussion Lieutenant, or stalling for time - which?

LT. SORBA: You know who I'm talking about. They ran off into the aft-companion way.

CAVEN: None of my men down there. Must be some of yours.

LT. SORBA: (Sarcastically.) Sure, we were having a private training session with loaded Thermite g*n.

CAVEN: (Considers.) We did hear f*ring in the airlock. You mean there really is someone else in there?

LT. SORBA: I thought you'd planted them there.

CAVEN: Well, whoever they are, I've got no time to bother with them now.

(DERVISH runs up to CAVEN.)

DERVISH: I've laid the charges. Just fixing the rockets.

CAVEN: Good.

(He gestures to SORBA.)

CAVEN: Well, if he can walk get him out of here. If he can't leave him.

(CAVEN fires his g*n at the round lock on the hatch door to the compartment.)

DERVISH: What are you doing ?

(CAVEN fires again.)

CAVEN: Just sealing a coffin, Dervish.

35: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPARTMENT

(On the other side of the door, the three travellers strain to listen to the pirates' conversation.)

JAMIE: I wish we could hear what they're saying.

ZOE: I believe they're trying to burn through it.

DOCTOR: Just a minute. I think they've gone away.

ZOE: Well, I don't understand. Why didn't they come in here after us?

JAMIE: Aye, they must've known we were trapped.

DOCTOR: Well...

JAMIE: Why not finish us off?

DOCTOR: They didn't seem very friendly did they?

(The DOCTOR, who has been leaning against the door to listen, suddenly jumps back.)

DOCTOR: Oh!

JAMIE: What's the matter?

DOCTOR: Well it's hot. You try.

JAMIE: Er, ah, no thank you.

ZOE: I told you they were trying to burn through it.

JAMIE: Well, why haven't they?

(They hear a banging noise outside the compartment.)

ZOE: ...

JAMIE: Shh!

ZOE: What's that?

(They move to listen against the outer wall.)

DOCTOR: There's something moving out there.

ZOE: It sounds as though somebody's on the hull.

36: SPACE

(Once again, two space-suited pirates attach the charges and propulsion units to the hull.)

37: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPARTMENT

JAMIE: What are they doing?

DOCTOR: I don't know Jamie. Perhaps they're cleaning the windows?

JAMIE: Oh... (Realising.) Hey?

ZOE: Look, why don't we sneak back to the TARDIS and get out of here?

JAMIE: Aye, while we've still got the chance.

DOCTOR: Sensible idea, Zoe. Er, umm. You sure there's nobody out there?

ZOE: Well, I haven't heard anybody for ages. Come on.

(ZOE approaches the door.)

DOCTOR: Mind out, it's hot.

(She touches the door.)

ZOE: Well it's not hot any more.

DOCTOR: What?

(ZOE tries to open the door, but it won't budge.)

ZOE: Oh, I can't unlock it.

JAMIE: Oh, let me, Zoe. You'll have to eat more porridge.

(JAMIE gives it a try, but to no avail.)

DOCTOR: Jamie, I don't think it's any use. You know what I think they've done?

JAMIE: What?

DOCTOR: They've welded the lock. We're prisoners.

38: SPACE

(The Pirates' Beta Dart detaches from the beacon and moves off.)

39: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

(PENN calls up to the commanding officers on the upper deck.)

TECHNICIAN PENN: They're leaving Beacon Alpha Four, sir.

40: SPACE

(The Beta Dart continues to speed off.)

41: INT. V-SHIP FLIGHT DECK

MAJOR IAN WARNE: It's exactly what happened before.

GENERAL HERMACK: What is our arrival time?

TECHNICIAN PENN: Still ninety minutes to go, sir.

GENERAL HERMACK: (Furiously.) We are going to be too late again!

(They suddenly hear the detonation radio signal.)

MAJOR IAN WARNE: The beacon should blow any second now.

42: SPACE

(Space Beacon Alpha Four explodes.)

43: INT. SPACE BEACON ALPHA FOUR. COMPARTMENT

(The TARDIS crew is thrown to the floor screaming, as smoke fills the exploding beacon.)
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "06x29 - The Space Pirates - part 1"}