Volcano

Written by Dennis Spooner
(Based on an idea by Terry Nation)

Original Air Date: 1 January, 1966
5:50pm - 6:15pm

1. DALEK BASE, THE PLANET KEMBEL

DALEK 1: Inform the Dalek Supreme that the Time Destructor is ready for testing.

DALEK 2: Are all circuits operational?

DALEK 1: Yes, the Taranium core has been fitted.

2. DALEK CONTROL ROOM - KEMBEL

(Three members of the Dalek Alliance, Mavic Chen, Celation and Trantis, are discussing recent events.)

CELATION: (To Chen.) Having had your contribution to this great w*apon stolen, it must be a relief to you now that the Daleks have managed to recover it.

MAVIC CHEN: Without my help, it is unlikely that they'd have got it back.

TRANTIS: At least that absurd story that it was my people from Trantis who stole the Taranium has been discredited.

CELATION: Yes; they were from Earth, I believe.

MAVIC CHEN: Only two of them: and they are under the influence of some creature from another galaxy.

TRANTIS: He looked like an Earth creature.

MAVIC CHEN: That's only a disguise. The Daleks know of him. He is some kind of time and space traveller.

CELATION: Then he is nothing to do with me. We have not yet conquered the dimension of time.

MAVIC CHEN: I hear your experiments in that field are progressing, Trantis.

TRANTIS: We have not yet succeeded. Only the Daleks know how to break the time barrier.

CELATION: And this other creature, from wherever he comes?

MAVIC CHEN: Oh he's of no importance now. After all, we're here to witness the testing of the Time Destructor, are we not?

(On the other side of the room, the Dalek Supreme receives a report.)

DALEK SUPREME: All is ready?

DALEK: It is.

DALEK SUPREME: Program it for testing.

DALEK: All that is needed is a subject.

DALEK SUPREME: The subject has been selected.

(The Dalek Supreme's eye-stick swivels and focuses on Trantis.)

3. INSIDE THE TARDIS

(One of the TARDIS instruments is registering. The Doctor, Steven and Sara are studying it.)

SARA: What do you mean, you don't know?

THE DOCTOR: My dear, this machine can only tell us we're being followed. Not who by.

STEVEN: It must be the Daleks.

THE DOCTOR: Yes, a hasty conclusion, but possibly right. Although I don't understand how they could have tested that Taranium so quickly.

SARA: We must get back to the planet Kembel.

THE DOCTOR: Oh, nonsense, my dear.

SARA: We must. We've got to destroy the Daleks' invasion fleet.

4. THE TESTING ROOM - THE DALEK BASE ON KEMBEL

(Trantis has been secured in position for the test of the Time Destructor. Mavic Chen and Celation are discussing him.)

CELATION: I wonder why they chose him.

MAVIC CHEN: It was his own choice really.

CELATION: What do you mean?

MAVIC CHEN: He was so eager to make a contribution to the Time Destructor that they've let him make one. His life.

DALEK SUPREME: Prepare to activate the Time Destructor.

DALEK: Are the other two creatures to be present at the destruction?`

DALEK SUPREME: Yes, their greed for power is so great that they can be trusted. Activate the machine.

DALEK: I obey.

(The Dalek activates the Time Destructor. The device immediately begins to pulse with light. Trantis cowers away in fear.)

MAVIC CHEN: So, that's what's supposed to happen. A kind of abject insanity.

CELATION: I do not know, though I always thought Trantis was a little unstable anyway.

(The machine continues to operate but appears to have no effect on Trantis. The delegates watch with concern.)

MAVIC CHEN: Nothing's happening to him.

CELATION: The Time Destructor does not work.

MAVIC CHEN: But that's impossible. It must work. It must.

DALEK SUPREME: The destructor is having no effect.

DALEK: The mechanism is functioning perfectly.

(The Dalek checks the controls of the machine.)

DALEK: The fault is in the Taranium.

(The Dalek Supreme moves to Mavic Chen.)

DALEK SUPREME: The Taranium core has failed.

MAVIC CHEN: It can't be true; there must be some mistake.

DALEK SUPREME: The Daleks do not make mistakes. You have lied to us, you have not given us the Taranium.

MAVIC CHEN: Why should I lie? I can only benefit from my alliance with you. I brought you Taranium, the real Taranium.

DALEK SUPREME: The core is worthless.

MAVIC CHEN: No, no it can't be. It came from Uranus, I know it did.

DALEK SUPREME: We fitted the core you gave us. It has failed to activate the Time Destructor, therefore it is not Taranium.

MAVIC CHEN: It was the old man, that time-traveller.

CELATION: What?

MAVIC CHEN: He must have changed it.

CELATION: But it was you who said that what he gave you was the Taranium core.

MAVIC CHEN: I know, but I didn't check. How could I? The old man fooled us. The Daleks should have checked before they fitted it - before they let the old man go.

DALEK SUPREME: Report to Skaro. They must send a time machine to us immediately.

DALEK: I obey.

DALEK SUPREME: You will both wait here.

CELATION: But this is nothing to do with me. I was invited as an observer.

DALEK SUPREME: Very well, you can return to your section. You, Mavic Chen, will wait here for the arrival of the time machine.

MAVIC CHEN: Yes.

DALEK: What about the subject?

DALEK SUPREME: The subject? (Pauses to think.) Exterminate him.

(Trantis is exterminated.)

5. INSIDE THE TARDIS

(Steven is studying the time curve indicator.)

STEVEN: It's still following us.

THE DOCTOR: Yes, yes.

SARA: When are we going to land?

THE DOCTOR: Pretty soon, my dear, pretty soon.

SARA: And I thought you knew what you were doing.

THE DOCTOR: I know full well what I'm doing, child, now don't get so excited.

STEVEN: They're getting closer, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR: Hmm, yes, I see. Yes, I must do something drastic.

(The Doctor moves to the controls and operates a switch.)

SARA: What are you doing?

THE DOCTOR: Landing, my dear. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?

6. LORDS CRICKET GROUND

(In the radio commentary box, two commentators, Trevor and Scott, are watching England play a test match against Australia.)

TREVOR: Well, the English batsmen are really fighting against the clock now, Scott.

SCOTT: My word, yes. Seventy eight runs in forty five minutes to win.

TREVOR: It really has been an exciting game, hasn't it, Scott?

SCOTT: Very exciting.

TREVOR: Well, let's have a look at the scoreboard, shall we?

(The TARDIS materialises on the outfield.)

TREVOR: Now, you'll see... Goodness me, take a look at that, Scott.

SCOTT: Take a look at what, Trev?

TREVOR: There's a Police Telephone Box on the pitch.

SCOTT: My word, yes.

TREVOR: Well this really is extraordinary. You don't remember anything like this happening before, do you, Scott?

SCOTT: No. (Pauses to think.) No.

TREVOR: (Looks behind him to where a researcher is hastily poring over cricketing manuals.) Well, anyway, Ross is looking through the record books and if there has been anything like it before, I'm sure he'll find it for us.

SCOTT: You know, Trev, this puts a new light on the game.

TREVOR: What light's that, Scott?

SCOTT: Well, I know your ground staff are excellent, but even assuming they get rid of it in say, ten minutes, England will still have to get their seventy eight runs in... thirty-five minutes.

TREVOR: Yes; yes well I think we can safely say this has been a very bad break for England.

SCOTT: A very bad break. Especially as the weather's been holding off so well.

TREVOR: Yes it has, hasn't it. Been holding off remarkably well. Well, let's have another look at the scoreboard shall we, although not very much has been happening these last few...

SCOTT: It's making a funny noise.

TREVOR: What's that, Scott?

SCOTT: A funny noise coming from the Police Box.

(The TARDIS dematerialises.)

SCOTT: It's gone again, Trev.

TREVOR: Yes, so it has. Well that wasn't too bad was it, Scott?

SCOTT: Two and a half minutes, I make it, Trev.

TREVOR: Yes, well there's the position. England wanting seventy eight runs in forty two and a half minutes to win.

7. INSIDE THE TARDIS

THE DOCTOR: Yes, it's definitely some sporting occasion.

SARA: Oh, I hardly think so, Doctor.

STEVEN: Was it on Earth, do you think?

THE DOCTOR: Oh, possibly, my dear fellow, possibly.

(Steven looks at the time curve indicator.)

STEVEN: Yes, well, wherever it was, there's still someone on our tail. Hey, look at this.

(All three study the time curve indicator.)

THE DOCTOR: Yes, my plan hasn't worked. It's following us closely.

8. DALEK CONTROL ROOM, KEMBEL

(A Dalek time machine materialises and a Dalek emerges from it.)

DALEK: Your order has been carried out. The time machine is ready to commence operations.

DALEK SUPREME: Excellent. Organise a task force for the pursuit of the time-travellers.

DALEK: I obey.

DALEK SUPREME: Ascertain their position on the space-time scope.

DALEK: I obey.

(The Dalek Supreme turns to address Mavic Chen.)

DALEK SUPREME: Mavic Chen, you will accompany the task force. You will ensure that the Taranium core is returned to Kembel.

MAVIC CHEN: Of course, I shall do everything in my power.

DALEK SUPREME: If you fail, or if we find that you have deceived us, you will suffer the same fate as the time-travellers - annihilation!

9. THE PLANET TIGUS

(The TARDIS materialises on the volcanic planet of Tigus. All around, volcanoes are erupting.)

10. INSIDE THE TARDIS

(The Doctor, Steven and Sara are looking at the picture on the scanner.)

SARA: Where are we, Doctor - do you know?

STEVEN: It doesn't look very pleasant, does it?

THE DOCTOR: No, we must take off quite soon.

(The time curve indicator stops registering.)

SARA: It's stopped.

STEVEN: What does that mean, Doctor? Have we shaken it off?

THE DOCTOR: No, my boy, we haven't shaken them off. Whoever it was following us has landed, they've landed out there.

(On the surface of Tigus, a large rock materialises near the TARDIS and a familiar figure emerges: the Meddling Monk - laughing to himself.)

11. ON THE SURFACE OF TIGUS, NOT FAR FROM THE TARDIS

STEVEN: You know, Doctor, it would help if we knew what we were looking for.

SARA: I still say it was madness to come out here. We should have taken off again - or tried to get back to Kembel.

THE DOCTOR: My dear young girl, what good would it be to run away. The sooner we find who's pursuing us the better.

(Steven absent-mindedly kicks a rock - then wishes he hadn't!)

STEVEN: Hey - hey, this is hot.

THE DOCTOR: Yes, well I can well imagine that. This is a new planet, my boy - it's cooling down, cooling down.

(As Steven and Sara move away, the Doctor ponders the situation.)

THE DOCTOR: Fascinating, yes extremely fascinating. I wonder; I wonder who would take the time and trouble to follow us, hmmmm? Yes, I think there is an explanation, but unlikely. Possible, very possible.

(The Monk, meanwhile, has found the TARDIS and sets to work on the lock, with his bag of tools. The Doctor stands on a rock and calls out.)

THE DOCTOR: Hello there. Hello. Don't you think we should meet and talk it over, hmm?

STEVEN: Doctor, who are we waiting for?

THE DOCTOR: Oh, you'll see, my boy, you'll see.

STEVEN: Oh come on, tell us, otherwise you'll say you were right whoever we meet.

THE DOCTOR: You lack one quality of all the others my boy, and that is patience.

SARA: (Pointing.) Doctor, look!

(Standing over them is the Monk, a rock raised above his head, ready to be thrown.)

THE DOCTOR: Ah, tch, tch, tch; my dear Monk. Don't be so ridiculous. Put that down at once.

MONK: Well, hello Doctor. Keeping well?

THE DOCTOR: Oh, no complaints, no. And you?

MONK: Oh, so so, you know, just so so.

SARA: (To Steven.) Who is it?

MONK: (To Steven.) Delighted to see you again, young man.

STEVEN: Thanks. I wish I could say the same for you.

THE DOCTOR: I suppose congratulations for your escape are quite in order.

MONK: Oh thank you. Most kind of you Doctor. Yes, it took a bit of time, but I finally managed to by-pass the dimensional controller.

THE DOCTOR: Yes, a very... a very interesting solution. Yes, I'm sure. Though I think it would make for rather an uncomfortable ride. However, I don't suppose it affected you very much, being an amateur.

MONK: Yes, it was rather uncomfortable. But then, we can't have everything, can we. And as for being an amateur, we shall see. Anyway, it was better than
1066.

THE DOCTOR: Yes, I suppose so.

SARA: What's he talking about, 1066?

STEVEN: It's alright. We've met the Monk once before. I'll explain later.

THE DOCTOR: And you returned here for one obvious reason, did you not?

MONK: I'm afraid so, Doctor. Revenge is a strange thing, isn't it?

THE DOCTOR: Yes, yes, quite, quite. Tell me, any plans?

MONK: Ho, ho. And all carried out as well. Doctor, you remember you left me in 1066? Now I've marooned you on the planet Tigus, look.

(The Monk bursts out laughing, and the others join in.)

MONK: Oh, it's funny this. Forgive me laughing, Doctor, but I don't seem to be able to control it. Well, goodbye, Doctor. Perhaps I'll come back one day and rescue you.

STEVEN: Hey, wait a minute.

THE DOCTOR: Don't waste your breath, young man. The most important thing is, is to find out what he's done to the TARDIS.

12. OUTSIDE THE TARDIS

(The Doctor finds he is unable to open the TARDIS door.)

THE DOCTOR: He probably used some kind of ray.

SARA: What does that mean?

THE DOCTOR: That means we cannot get back into the TARDIS, child.

(Nearby, out of sight, the Monk is watching and chuckling to himself. Steven is attempting to pick the lock.)

THE DOCTOR: Oh, you will achieve nothing, dear boy, nothing.

SARA: Yes, perhaps. But it's better than just accepting everything.

THE DOCTOR: Yes, like I am, I suppose?

STEVEN: Well, you haven't been taking much interest, have you, Doctor?

THE DOCTOR: Oh, and why not, dear boy? Why not? Because I am using my brain, I'm trying to solve this problem. Now just stand back, and cover your eyes, please.

(The Doctor removes the large ring from his finger.)

STEVEN: What does that do?

THE DOCTOR: Perhaps nothing, perhaps everything. Will you do as you're told at once, cover your eyes - please.

(The Doctor holds the ring near the lock and reflects the sunlight onto the lock. The ring becomes hot and he drops it with a gasp. Sara pushes the door, which remains shut.)

SARA: It hasn't worked.

THE DOCTOR: Wait a moment, child.

(The Doctor unlocks the door with his key.)

THE DOCTOR: Now try.

(Sara pushes the door open.)

STEVEN: You're a genius, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR: Yes - I know, my boy, I know.

(The TARDIS dematerialises.)

MONK: Oh, no, no. Don't think I'm going to leave it at this. You haven't heard the last of me, Doctor. You haven't heard the last of me!

13. INSIDE THE TARDIS

STEVEN: If you ask me, we haven't heard the last of that monk.

THE DOCTOR: Quite so, dear boy. He'll be on our trail again as fast as he can get going.

SARA: Yes, but next time we'll be expecting him.

THE DOCTOR: Exactly, my dear, exactly. Now, Steven, there's something I want you to do. Go to that indicator and let me know the instant the Monk's TARDIS registers.

STEVEN: Yes, all right, but first you tell us something. How did you break that lock?

THE DOCTOR: Oh, that's all very simple, dear boy. You see, the sun in that particular galaxy has very unusual powers. I merely reflected its powers through that ring.

SARA: Is there something special about it?

THE DOCTOR: Yes, it has certain properties. The combined forces of that sun together with the stone in that ring was sufficient enough to correct the Monk's interference.

STEVEN: Yes, but what properties has it?

THE DOCTOR: Now, I don't want to discuss this any more. About turn, and do as you're told. Go along.

14. DALEK CONTROL ROOM, KEMBEL

(A Dalek reports to the Dalek Supreme.)

DALEK: The task force is now aboard.

DALEK SUPREME: Commence countdown.

(An audible countdown is heard.)

Ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven, ninety-six...

(Nearby, a Dalek is monitoring the path of the TARDIS.)

DALEK: The enemy ship is preparing to land.

DALEK SUPREME: Compute their bearing and advise task force. Task force will use the homing beam.

DALEK: Enemy ship located. Space-time bearing; planet Earth, London, 1966.

15. INSIDE THE TARDIS

(The TARDIS has materialised in Trafalgar Square, London, on January 1 1966, just after midnight. All around, people are celebrating the New Year. The Doctor, Steven and Sara are watching the revelry on the scanner.)

STEVEN: Well, you won't be able to carry out your repairs here, Doctor.

THE DOCTOR: No.

SARA: It's some sort of celebration, isn't it?

THE DOCTOR: I don't quite know. You just listen, my dear. Listen.

(They listen to the bells pealing.)

16. DALEK CONTROL ROOM, KEMBEL

(The countdown continues.)

Twenty-two, twenty-one, twenty, nineteen, eighteen...

17. INSIDE THE TARDIS

THE DOCTOR: It's Earth. I've seen that place before.

SARA: What do you think they're celebrating?

THE DOCTOR: Well, as far as I can remember, I've seen them behave in a fashion like that on a former occasion.

STEVEN: What was that?

THE DOCTOR: The Relief of Mafeking.

18. DALEK CONTROL ROOM, KEMBEL

(The Countdown reaches its climax.)

Four, three, two, one, zero.

(The Dalek time machine dematerialises.)

DALEK SUPREME: Report to Skaro. Our time machine is now in pursuit. Nothing can match Dalek technology. The universe shall be ours. Conquest is assured.

(The cry of "Conquest" rings out from all Daleks.)
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "03x17 - Volcano"}