NIGHTMARE OF EDEN

BY: BOB BAKER

Part One

Original Air Date: 24 November 1979
Running time: 24:17

RIGG: We seem to be ahead of schedule, Secker.

SECKER: Great.

RIGG: What?

SECKER: The sooner the better.

RIGG: Oh.

RIGG: Captain here. We're coming out of warp in thirty seconds.

COMPUTER: This is your flight computer speaking. We are about to go into orbit around the planet Azure. Passengers may leave their seats when the blue light comes on, but are requested not to remove their protective coveralls until instructed. Will passengers please remember that the Empress will be at seven tenths G, so please be careful when you first start to move around. Thank you.

RIGG: I've got a malfunction. Check it out, will you?

RIGG: Secker, these coordinates are wrong. Did you set these?

SECKER: What's a few degrees?

RIGG: What's a few degrees? What's the matter with you, man? We're flying an interstellar cruise liner, not riding a bicycle!

SECKER: So?

RIGG: So we shall be going into the wrong orbit!

SECKER: So?

RIGG: Well, it could mean delays. It could. Oh.

RIGG: Oh no!

RIGG: Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is cruise liner Empress reporting collision. Space collision on approach to Azure.

RIGG (OOV.): Damage control, report to the bridge.

CREWMAN: The two ships are sticking straight through each other, sir.

RIGG (OOV.): Any blowouts? How's the pressure?

CREWMAN: Everything's okay except we can't get through to some of the passenger sections. They're blocked off. The hull of the other ship, sir, is sticking right across the entrance to B deck.

RIGG: A deck, report. A deck, are there any casualties?

RIGG: Have you got that damage report yet? Well?

RIGG: Oh, it's all your fault, Secker. I'll carry the can. I'll lose my job but you, you'll never work in West Galaxy again. Go on, check the power, man. Come on, move yourself! This is an emergency!

DOCTOR: Hmm.

ROMANA: Fascinating.

DOCTOR: Bit of a mish-mash.

ROMANA: Why wasn't there an expl*si*n?

DOCTOR: Well, one of the ships must have been in dematerialised form when it happened. Nasty. Could cause terrible problems.

K9: Affirmative. The overlap areas are highly unstable, master.

DOCTOR: Yes. Interfaces, I should say.

K9: Affirmative.

ROMANA: I don't think we should interfere.

DOCTOR: Interfere? Of course we should interfere. Always do what you're best at, that's what I say. Now, come on.

ROMANA: Who was that?

DOCTOR: I don't know.

ROMANA: Shall we follow?

DOCTOR: At our own pace.

DYMOND: What are you going to do about the damage to my ship?

RIGG: Mister Dymond, I am concerned with my ship, my crew, and nine hundred passengers. We're fully covered comprehensive on all third party damage, so don't worry.

DYMOND: I was involved in the most important job, and you just come crashing in on me, then you tell me not to worry? What am I going to do for a ship?

RIGG: The Company will compensate you. Get in touch with your insurance people!

DYMOND: Then I insist that you sign a document to the effect that this collision was entirely your fault!

RIGG: I can't do that! What were you doing there, anyway? You were right in the middle of a launch and land window for commercial flights.

DYMOND: I was given complete clearance from Azure Control. You were off course!

DOCTOR: Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. I'd say it was knock for knock, wouldn't you?

RIGG: What? Are you a passenger?

DOCTOR: No, no. We answered your mayday. I'm from Galactic Insurance and Salvage. Been having a look around. This is my assistant, Romana. I'm the Doctor. How do you do?

RIGG: How'd you do. What's that?

DOCTOR: Oh, K9? Well, a computer of sorts.

RIGG: It looks more like a dog. Does he bark?

DOCTOR: No. But he has been know to bite. Aren't we going to introduce ourselves?

RIGG: Oh, yes. My name's Rigg, Captain Rigg.

DOCTOR: We just met.

RIGG: Yes. Er, this is Mister Dymond, the owner of the other vehicle involved in the, er, incident.

DOCTOR: How do you do.

RIGG: Salvage, you say?

DOCTOR: Yes.

RIGG: Yes, well, I can't discuss anything until I've spoken to the Company.

DOCTOR: What about a better idea? Why don't we try to separate the ships?

DYMOND: Impossible.

DOCTOR: I like doing the impossible.

ROMANA: If it's possible to get into the situation, theoretically it should be possible to get out of it.

DOCTOR: Oh, you've spoilt it now.

ROMANA: But look, at the time of the collision this ship was partially dematerialised.

DOCTOR: Therefore if we can recreate identical circumstances the ships could be separated.

ROMANA: It's just a question of exciting the molecules. Put your ship on full thrust.

DOCTOR: Then full reverse.

ROMANA: Well, it's worked before, you know.

DOCTOR: I preferred it when it seemed impossible.

RIGG: Yes, well, it might work if I could get any power.

DOCTOR: Are you pressing the right button?

RIGG: Of course I am.

DOCTOR: Can we switch on the wreck of the power unit?

RIGG: Well, we could do, but it's dangerous.

DYMOND: Worth a try anything to get out of this mess.

RIGG: It could damage your ship.

DYMOND: That's nice coming from someone who's just crashed into it. I'll risk it.

DOCTOR: All right, all right. Where's the power unit?

RIGG: Secker'll show you. Secker, take the Doctor to the power unit.

DOCTOR: Good. No, Romana, you stay here. I might need you. I'll take K9. K9? K9?

K9: Affirmative, master. Affirmative.

RIGG: Well, Romana, why don't you and Mister Dymond wait in the lounge?

ROMANA: Right.

RIGG: Just down the corridor on the right.

SECKER: You go down here to section five, then left into the shuttlebay, and down to level B. You can't miss it.

DOCTOR: Hold on, I thought the idea was you'd show me.

SECKER: I've told you, haven't I? What's the difference? I'm busy.

DOCTOR: How very odd.

K9: Affirmative.

DOCTOR: Any idea what this is, K9?

K9: A fungus. Source of the drug XYP.

DOCTOR: Yes?

K9: Dangerous, addictive. Known as Vraxoin.

DOCTOR: Vraxoin? I've seen whole communities, whole planets destroyed by this. It induces a kind of warm complacency and a total apathy. Until it wears off, that is, and soon you're d*ad. Come on.

TRYST: It is my ambition to become the first zoologist to qualify and quantify every species in our galaxy. One more trip and I may achieve it.

ROMANA: Are you planning another?

TRYST: Ah, well, the next is always on my mind, but is a question of finance. I was hoping to meet a sponsor on Azure, but this accident may have ruined my chances.

ROMANA: A sponsor?

TRYST: Yes, well, the government used to fund me, but the galactic recession put a stop to that. Now all they do is to assign me special travel facilities on government subsidised spacelines, but first class.

ROMANA: What's that machine?

TRYST: Ah, that is my CET machine. The Continuous Event Transmuter. It is an invention of mine. I will show you.

ROMANA: It looks as if you've invented the cinematograph.

TRYST: What you see may seem to be just a mere projection, but it is in fact a matter transmutation.

DELLA: You see, when we've collected the specimens for study, they're converted into electromagnetic signals and stored on an event crystal in the machine.

TRYST: And they go on living and evolving.

DELLA: In the crystal.

TRYST: This image projection allows us to see them whenever we wish. The flora and the fauna are actually in a crystal. I hope you can appreciate what a technical achievement that is.

ROMANA: A crude form of matter transfer by dimensional control.

TRYST: Crude?

ROMANA: Well, prototype. And you could have problems with it.

TRYST: Problems? But it works perfectly.

ROMANA: Nothing works perfectly.

TRYST: Oh, yes, but

ROMANA: What about the materialisation collision? It's caused all sorts of unstable matter interface. They'll probably affect the dimensional matrix of your machine.

TRYST: The what?

ROMANA: Have you thought of that?

TRYST: Are you claiming superior knowledge?

ROMANA: Equal, perhaps.

DYMOND: I wish everyone would stop showing off and get something done about my ship.

RIGG: We seem to have to have a slight problem, Azure. We're doing out best to sort it out and meanwhile we'll continue to orbit. Rigg out.

RIGG: Ah, Doctor. The man from Galactic.

DOCTOR: Yes.

RIGG: Back so soon?

DOCTOR: Yes. I'll tell you something about your man Secker.

RIGG: What about him?

DOCTOR: He ran away.

RIGG: Yes, well, he has been behaving rather strangely. Seems to be in a different world.

DOCTOR: Yes. Perhaps he's unwell. Can I have a look at your log and check to see if he's been to any planet where he might have picked up Vraxoin?

RIGG: Doctor, this is the milk run. Station nine to Azure, Azure to Station nine. A straight charter for the whole season.

DOCTOR: What about one of the passengers? One of them could have been the carrier, so to speak.

RIGG: No, Doctor. They've all had prevocation checks. The Azurian authorities insist on it.

DOCTOR: Anyone else?

RIGG: Tryst.

DOCTOR: Tryst?

RIGG: Yes. A zoologist. He arrived at Station nine after a long expedition with his equipment and he's looking for a holiday.

DOCTOR: Where had he been?

RIGG: Well, all over. Oh, but he's all right. We checked him over.

DOCTOR: Yes, but I'd still like to know where he's been.

RIGG: Yes, and I'd like to know just who you are.

DOCTOR: Me?

RIGG: Yes.

DOCTOR: Well, I told you. I'm from Galactic.

RIGG: Galactic went out of business twenty years ago.

DOCTOR: I wondered why I hadn't been paid.

RIGG: Now that's not good enough.

DOCTOR: That's what I thought. Where can I find Tryst?

RIGG: Well, he's in the first class lounge.

DOCTOR: Good, good. Look, you try and find Secker and meet me in the first class lounge and

RIGG: Yes, and

DOCTOR: No, no. Do you want this ship repaired or not?

RIGG: Well, yes, of course I do.

DOCTOR: Well then, just find Secker and meet me in the lounge in five minutes.

RIGG: But I

DOCTOR: Bye.

RIGG (OOV.): Secker, report to the bridge.

DOCTOR: Really? Then where did you go?

TRYST: We went through the Cygnus gap.

DOCTOR: What?

TRYST: And then we did a slingshot over to a small system, just three planets, M37. You know?

DOCTOR: I do.

TRYST: The second planet supports life in a very early stage of evolution. The molluscs, the algae, the primitive insects. I can show you.

DOCTOR: No, no, no, that's perfectly all right. I'm just interested in the voyage. It's fascinating.

TRYST: Here you are, a copy of my log. I published it to go with my lectures.

DOCTOR: The Volante.

TRYST: Yes, the name of my ship.

DOCTOR: And you invented this marvellous machine to collect your specimens? You know, I knew a man once who toyed with an idea like this. What was his name? Professor Stein?

TRYST: Professor Stein?

DOCTOR: Yes.

TRYST: Oh, a dear friend. He was my mentor. We worked on this idea together before he died, of course. Then we stopped. You knew him?

DOCTOR: Yes, well, by reputation. He once gave a seminar on the

DYMOND: Doctor, Doctor, Doctor. All very well reminiscing but don't we have an urgent problem to deal with? I'm anxious to be on my way.

DOCTOR: Of course. You're extremely anxious to be on your way.

DYMOND: Yes. You see, I didn't actually expect a spaceliner to materialise halfway through my ship today.

DOCTOR: No.

RIGG: Doctor, we can't locate Secker. My men are still looking.

DOCTOR: Could you take me to the power unit yourself?

RIGG: Well, yes, all right.

DOCTOR: Good, good. Tryst, thank you very much for your story. Very interesting. We must have a chat about this machine of yours sometime.

TRYST: Yes.

DOCTOR: And about the notion of your capturing alien species for your own private zoo.

TRYST: Zoo?

DOCTOR: Yes.

TRYST: No, Doctor, this is important scientific research. I am helping to conserve endangered species.

DOCTOR: By putting them in this machine?

TRYST: Oh, yes.

DOCTOR: Ah, yes, of course. Just in the same way a jam maker conserves raspberries.

ROMANA: Oh, don't mind him. He just likes to irritate people.

TRYST: Yes, well, he has a right to criticise. I suppose. Still, I'm very pleased to have someone of intellect to speak with again, after such a long voyage cooped up with all the same peoples.

ROMANA: How many were on your ship?

TRYST: Ah, well, to begin with there was ten, but we lost one.

ROMANA: How?

TRYST: He died.

ROMANA: How did he die?

TRYST: He died.

RIGG: Did you find out anything from Tryst?

DOCTOR: No. K9 checked all the planets he'd been to.

K9: Affirmative.

DOCTOR: None of them could explain Secker's condition.

RIGG: Are you certain?

DOCTOR: Absolutely sure.

RIGG: Oh dear.

K9: Caution. Area of overlap is highly dangerous. Molecular structure of the two ships is incompatible, causing matter interface.

RIGG: What?

DOCTOR: Fascinating. The two ships are rejecting each other. Molecularly speaking, that is.

RIGG: Like a tissue transplant, you mean.

DOCTOR: Exactly. Exactly. Is there another way to the power unit?

RIGG: Well, we can try from below the shuttlebay. We'll have to cut our way through. I could put in a request for lasers, have them sent up from Azure.

DOCTOR: That won't be necessary. I've got my own equipment.

DELLA: What are you doing?

ROMANA: Oh, I was just having a look. I hope you don't mind.

DELLA: I don't, no.

ROMANA: Then why have you switched it off?

DELLA: I don't mind. Tryst does. This machine's his baby. Nobody touches it except for him.

ROMANA: Has it ever gone wrong?

DELLA: No. Why should it?

ROMANA: Pff. Lots of reasons. Do you think I could just have a look at that last one? Eden, I think it's called.

DELLA: No, not that one.

ROMANA: What's the matter?

DELLA: It's just that Eden brings back such unpleasant memories for me. That was where we lost the other crewmember.

ROMANA: Oh, I see. He was a friend of yours.

DELLA: More than that, but it doesn't matter now. Excuse me.

RIGG: We won't be able to make it, Doctor. The place to cut through is beyond that overlap.

DOCTOR: Where's the power unit?

RIGG: Up there.

K9: Caution, master. You're entering a matter interface.

RIGG: What the devil did that?

DOCTOR: I don't know.

RIGG: Medics level four. Meet you at the elevator. Move!

DOCTOR: K9, see if you can find anything in there.

K9: The mist is a matter interface and therefore dangerous, master.

DOCTOR: Just go near the edge.

K9: Affirmative, master.

K9: Sensors will not function in the environment, master.

RIGG: Let's get him to the sickbay, quick!

DOCTOR: Hello. No wait, please.

RIGG: It was an att*ck by somebody, or something.

DELLA: Horrible. But why?

RIGG: I don't know. Have you ever seen anything like that before?

DELLA: No. No, I haven't.

TRYST: Ah, Captain, I get your message. What is the problem?

RIGG: Look at this.

TRYST: Where did this happen?

RIGG: Down under the shuttlebay. Secker was in one of the matter interfaces.

TRYST: Yes, that could be the answer. Who knows what forces exist in an unstable zone such as that?

RIGG: You didn't hear the scream. Tryst.

RIGG: You didn't bring any live specimens on board my ship, did you?

TRYST: Oh, no, Captain. I assure you. No, all my specimens are laser crystal recordings.

RIGG: Good, good.

K9: This way, mistress.

ROMANA: How far?

K9: Approximately seven metres and closing.

ROMANA: Doctor! What happened?

DOCTOR: I. Bushwhacked!

ROMANA: What?

K9: Please clarify. Statement does not compute.

DOCTOR: Bushwhacked!

K9: Oh. Bushwhacked. Cowardly att*ck by a person or persons unknown.

DOCTOR: Gone.

ROMANA: Has something been stolen?

DOCTOR: Yes. Someone aboard this ship is smuggling drugs. Vraxoin.

ROMANA: Vraxoin!

DOCTOR: Yes.

ROMANA: I thought that was stamped out long ago.

DOCTOR: Yes.

ROMANA: The only known source was destroyed, wasn't it?

DOCTOR: That's right. They incinerated an entire planet. Someone's found another source.

DYMOND: What is the man doing? He comes up with a marvellous idea then he fiddles about.

RIGG: I've got my own problems, Dymond, including a d*ad navigator. And now the Doctor says he's going to blast his way into the shuttlebay. How do I explain a great gaping hole in the side of the ship?

DYMOND: I just wish he'd get on with it. I've got a schedule to keep.

RIGG: So have I.

ROMANA: Doctor, this machine.

DOCTOR: What, the lift?

ROMANA: No, not the lift, the CET machine.

DOCTOR: What about it?

ROMANA: It doesn't just take recordings.

DOCTOR: Oh no, the animals themselves are converted into magnetic signals, and their habitats.

ROMANA: So he's left bald patches on the planets he's visited?

DOCTOR: Yes. The CET machine's just an electric zoo. For cages, read laser crystals. Either way, the animals are trapped inside.

ROMANA: I hope so.

DOCTOR: What do you mean?

ROMANA: Well, you saw how primitive the device was. It's terribly unstable. This ship is full of unstable matter zones. It gives me the creeps. It wasn't just a mirage that att*cked Secker.

RIGG: k*lled him.

DOCTOR: What?

RIGG: Secker's d*ad. They couldn't save him.

DOCTOR: That's a pity. He might have been able to say what att*cked him.

RIGG: I asked Tryst, but he couldn't help either.

DOCTOR: Right, first things first. Romana, you take care of the CET machine.

ROMANA: What are you going to do?

DOCTOR: Separate the ships. Come on, Rigg.

DOCTOR: Well, Captain, you'll have to show us the best place.

RIGG: It's a pity we can't get further up there, and I don't want to damage an airseal or cut through a stress point.

DOCTOR: Oh, I'm sure K9 will be careful, won't you, K9?

K9: Affirmative, master.

DOCTOR: Go. Make it as big as you can, K9.

RIGG: Very handy, that machine of yours, Doctor.

DOCTOR: He's not just a mobile blowtorch, you know. He's saved my life on lots of occasions. b*at me at chess, once. Shush.

RIGG: Right, Doctor, give me a hand.
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "17x13 - Nightmare of Eden - part 1"}