ROBOT

By: Terrance Dicks

Episode Four

First Air Date: 18 January 1975
Running time: 24:29

BRIGADIER: Well, I brought along something that will deal with it.

DOCTOR: I very much doubt it, Brigadier.

ROBOT: Go! Go now, or I will destroy you all.

WINTERS: Well, everything seems to be very satisfactory. And how are you getting on, Professor?

KETTLEWELL: I've just finished making the preliminary linkups. You don't really intend to use the destructor codes, do you?

WINTERS: I want everything in readiness.

KETTLEWELL: But if they don't agree, if they call our bluff, we'll surrender, won't we?

WINTERS: No. We shall f*re the m*ssile.

KETTLEWELL: But you can't. It would mean a nuclear w*r.

WINTERS: You want a better world, don't you? We shan't gain it without some sacrifices. Now, start the countdown, Professor.

HARRY: How are we doing, Miss Smith?

SARAH: Okay.

HARRY: Yeah, I think it's coming.

WINTERS: What about food and water? How long can we hold out if the worst happens?

JELLICOE: I'm not really sure.

WINTERS: Then you should be. Take me to the food storage. We must make a proper check. (To KETTLEWELL.) Keep your eye on our friends outside, Professor.

JELLICOE: Wait.

JELLICOE: What are we going to do with them?

WINTERS: They're obviously no use to us as hostages. We can't afford useless mouths to feed. They'll have to be disposed of. Later.

HARRY: That was a near one.

SARAH: We're nearly there, I think.

HARRY: Yeah.

SARAH: Okay.

BRIGADIER: What's the range and power of that w*apon, Doctor?

DOCTOR: Power? Almost unlimited. Range, well, it could drill a hole in the surface of the moon.

BRIGADIER: And knock out anything we send against it.

DOCTOR: Yes. Well, it's no use staying here. Brigadier, prepare your men for an att*ck. Try and draw the robot away from the door. I'll slip around behind it and finish cutting the lock.

BRIGADIER: You don't stand much chance, you know.

DOCTOR: I know, but we have to try.

BRIGADIER: Right. We'll cover you as long as we can. All right, Benton?

KETTLEWELL: Can't... I won't.

JELLICOE: Don't attempt to stop it.

KETTLEWELL: No, I can't do. I won't do it!

JELLICOE: Let it run!

KETTLEWELL: Thank heavens you've come.

SARAH: Can you cancel what you've been doing?

KETTLEWELL: There's no time.  I'll punch in the hold signal.

HARRY: So, now open the main doors. We're going outside.

KETTLEWELL: Yes.

SARAH: There.

HARRY: All right.

DOCTOR: Wait. The doors. Sarah.

SARAH: Doctor! (To the ROBOT.) Look, please don't sh**t. We're no danger to you.

ROBOT: You must go. The soldiers must go.

SARAH: You've got to let him in there.

ROBOT: They are enemies of the human race.

SARAH: No, they're the enemies in there. They want to start an atomic w*r. k*ll millions of people!

ROBOT: You must go or I will k*ll... I must k*ll you. I must destroy you.

KETTLEWELL: No, no! He was only telling...

ROBOT: I have k*lled the one who created me.

DOCTOR: Now's our chance.

BRIGADIER: Get away from that keyboard.

WINTERS: You won't sh**t, Brigadier.

SARAH: Maybe he won't, but I will. Move away!

WINTERS: Why not? It's finished. The f*ring instructions have gone out.

BRIGADIER: I can still get the major powers to use their fail-safe procedures.

WINTERS: Too late, Brigadier.

BRIGADIER: Cancel the destructor codes!

WINTERS: When that reaches zero, the m*ssile will be fired, and no one can send the cancel codes in time.

DOCTOR: She may be right, Brigadier.

BRIGADIER: Benton, get them both out of here.

BENTON: Miss Winters.

BRIGADIER:   Go!

DOCTOR: The trouble with computers, of course, is that they're very sophisticated idiots. They do exactly what you tell them at amazing speed, even if you order them to k*ll you. So if you do happen to change your mind, it's very difficult to stop them obeying the original order, but... not impossible.

HARRY: Congratulations, Doctor.

SARAH: Oh, you've done it!

BENTON: Well done, Doctor.

BRIGADIER (OOV.): Right, that's over. Now for a little mopping up.

BENTON: Right, sir.

BRIGADIER: Vanished? How can they have vanished?

BENTON: We were all pretty busy inside, sir, mopping up the rest of that t*nk lot. We noticed the robot was gone when we came out and everyone assumed that someone else had got it.

DOCTOR: And Sarah?

BENTON (OOV.): Well, we thought... We thought she'd gone home.

DOCTOR: Gone home? You mean not one of you connected the disappearance of Sarah with the vanishing of the robot?

BRIGADIER: You're sure there is a connection?

DOCTOR: I think so. Don't you?

HARRY: Why Sarah?

DOCTOR: The robot k*lled Kettlewell, remember? The man who created it. It must be in a state of tremendous emotional shock. What more natural than it should turn to the one person who ever showed it kindness?

BRIGADIER: Hmm. Keep looking, Benton.

BENTON: Right, sir.

SARAH: Honestly, they're bound to find us.

ROBOT: Anyone who finds us will be destroyed.

SARAH: Why? What's the point of more k*lling? I keep telling you, it's all over. What can you do alone?

ROBOT: I can bring about the destruction of humanity. But do not fear, Sarah. You alone will be saved. The bunker is cleared. Come.

DOCTOR: Well?

BENTON: Still nothing, sir. We're spreading the search radius wider and wider, but the bigger the area to cover, the harder it gets.

DOCTOR: There is just one teeny-weeny little thing.

BRIGADIER: What's that?

DOCTOR: Something else you haven't thought of. What are we going to do with it when we find it?

BRIGADIER: Yes. You know, just once I'd like to meet an alien menace that wasn't immune to b*ll*ts.

BENTON: Excuse me, sir.

BRIGADIER: Hmm?

BENTON: Well, when Professor Kettlewell was here talking to Miss Smith, he said the robot was made of some kind of living metal. He even said it could grow.

DOCTOR: Did he now?

BENTON: Yes. And he went on about some kind of metal virus. Something that att*cked the living metal.

DOCTOR: The same way disease att*cks animal tissue.

BENTON: Well, something like that. Anyway, I just wondered if we could...

DOCTOR: Yes?

BENTON: I'm sorry. It was probably a daft idea, anyway.

DOCTOR: Wonderful, Mr. Benton! Wonderful! Brigadier, I must get to Kettlewell's place at once. You find the robot.

BRIGADIER: (To HARRY.): You better go with him.

HARRY: Right, sir.

BRIGADIER (To HARRY.): Keep in RT contact.

SARAH: No! Don't hurt him! Let him go! He's not important enough. (To the SOLDIER.) Don't sh**t. Just leave now. Don't worry about me. Just go.

BENTON: Look, sir!

SARAH: No! No! Why? Why?

ROBOT: I destroyed Kettlewell. I must see that his plan does not fail.

SARAH: But... But he changed his mind. He wouldn't want you to continue.

ROBOT: Mankind is not worthy to survive. Once it is destroyed, I shall build more machines like myself. Machines do not lie.

DOCTOR: Why didn't that silly man write up his experiments properly?

BRIGADIER (OOV.): Doctor, this is the Brigadier. Can you hear me?

HARRY (On the phone.): This is Lieutenant Sullivan, sir. The Doctor's rather busy at the moment.

DOCTOR (To HARRY.): Tell him to stop pestering me. I've found a metal virus and I'm trying to prepare an active solution but he must give me time.

BRIGADIER (On the phone.): Sullivan, tell the Doctor we've found the robot.

HARRY (OOV.): Well done, sir. Where is it?

BRIGADIER (On the phone.): It's shut itself inside the bunker with Miss Smith.

DOCTOR: Yes! Yes, of course! Suppressed Oedipus complex, leading to excessive guilt and overcompensation.

BRIGADIER (OOV.): Doctor, Oedipus is not...

DOCTOR (On the phone.): Brigadier! The robot will try to carry out Kettlewell's plan. Is the computer terminal in the bunker still active?

BRIGADIER (OOV.):  Far as I know. I don't suppose...

DOCTOR (On the phone.): Can you switch off the electricity supply?

BRIGADIER (OOV.): Yes... No, no. It's on a special sealed-circuit.

DOCTOR (On the phone.): Then warn all the major powers. The emergency is not over. They must operate full fail-safe procedures at once.

SARAH: Yes! You see, they've operated the fail-safe mechanism. Give up now. Please!

ROBOT: Humanity must be destroyed. It is evil. Corrupt.

SARAH: But you can't take on the whole world. Don't you understand? They'll destroy you.

ROBOT: Do not fear. I cannot be destroyed. Come.

DOCTOR (OOV.): Come along, man. Come along.

HARRY: This any good?

DOCTOR: We've done it, Harry. We've done it.

BENTON: Sir.

BRIGADIER: No one is to open f*re. She may find a chance to get clear.

ROBOT: Stay here.

BENTON: It's going to att*ck, sir. Should we pull back?

BRIGADIER: Of course, the very thing. I think just for once, we're not going to need the Doctor.

BRIGADIER: Follow me and hold your f*re till ordered.

ROBOT (To SARAH.): You will be safe. See how I deal with our enemies.

BRIGADIER: She's out of the line of f*re. Launch your grenades.

BENTON: Smith, Hampton, get down here quickly with the launcher.

BENTON (OOV.): f*re!

BRIGADIER: Right, pull back!

HARRY: Curiouser and curiouser.

DOCTOR: Said Alice.

HARRY: Exactly.

DOCTOR: I see our little problem seems to have grown. Where's Sarah?

BENTON: She's safe enough, Doc.

BRIGADIER: I gave it a blast with the disintegrator g*n.

BENTON: It left her up on the roof.

DOCTOR: Really, Brigadier, you should be more careful with your little toys. You've given it just the infusion of energy it needed.

BRIGADIER: Well, I've sent for the a*tillery, and the RAF are on their way.

DOCTOR (OOV.): I hope that won't be necessary.

BRIGADIER: What on earth is that?

DOCTOR: Another piece of brilliance from the late Professor Kettlewell, and one that will solve our problem, I hope. Drive on, Harry.

HARRY: Right, Doctor.

DOCTOR: Wish me luck, Brigadier.

BRIGADIER: Now, just a moment, Doctor!

SARAH (OOV.): Hey! Hey, get me down!

BRIGADIER: Don't just stand there, Mr. Benton. Go and help Miss Smith.

BENTON: Right, sir.

BRIGADIER: What was that stuff?

DOCTOR: Some of Kettlewell's metal virus in an active solution.

BRIGADIER (OOV.): Will it work now the thing's that size?

DOCTOR: Oh, even faster I hope. Look. It's thrown the growth mechanism into reverse.

HARRY: Oh, well done, Doctor.

DOCTOR: Thank you, Harry.

BRIGADIER:  I'll have it taken away. Broken-up, just in case.

DOCTOR: No. No, Brigadier, that won't be necessary. Look.

DOCTOR: Sarah. Sarah? Would you like a Jelly Baby? I had to do it, you know.

SARAH: Yes, yes, I know. It was insane and it did terrible things, but at first, it was so human.

DOCTOR: It was a wonderful creature capable of great good. And great evil. Yes, I think you could say it was human. You know, what you need is a change. How about a little trip in a TARDIS? I'm just off.

SARAH: Wait, you can't just go.

DOCTOR: Why not? It's a free cosmos.

SARAH: The Brigadier...

DOCTOR: The Brigadier wants me to address the Cabinet, have lunch at Downing Street, dinner at the Palace, and write 17 reports in triplicate. Well, I won't do it. I won't, I won't, I won't! Why should I?

SARAH: Doctor, you're being childish.

DOCTOR: Well, of course I am. There's no point in being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes. Are you coming?

HARRY: Hello. Well, what are you two up to now, eh?

DOCTOR: We're just going on a little trip. Would you like a Jelly Baby?

HARRY: Little trip? What, in that old police box?

DOCTOR: Yes, as a matter of fact, in that old police box.

HARRY: Come along now, Doctor. We're both reasonable men. We both know that police boxes don't go careering around all over the place.

DOCTOR: Do we?

HARRY: Of course. The whole idea's absurd.

DOCTOR: Is it? Hmm. You wouldn't like to step inside a moment? Just to demonstrate that it is all an illusion.

HARRY: If you think it will do any good.

DOCTOR: Yes, it'll make me feel a lot better.

SARAH: Doctor!

DOCTOR: In you go.

HARRY: Right-o.

HARRY (OOV.): Oh, I say!

BRIGADIER:  Doctor, about that dinner at the Palace, Her Majesty... Yes. Well, I'll tell them you'll be a little late.
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "12x04 - Robot - part 4"}