DESTINY OF THE DALEKS

BY: TERRY NATION

Episode Four

Original Air Date: 22 September 1979
Running time:26:05

SHARREL: Malfunction.

AGELLA: No, I didn't arm the device. It seemed unnecessary as we merely wanted to draw the Doctor into the open.

SHARREL: Very well. Take her. You two, take him.

DAVROS: Advise Dalek Central Control in space that I require immediate transportation.

DALEK: It has been done. A deep space cruiser is on its way.

DAVROS: When will it reach Skaro?

DALEK 2: Estimated arrival time, six hours.

DAVROS: Six hours? Too long. Every moment we remain on Skaro we are vulnerable to att*ck. All operational Daleks to remain on maximum alert until I am aboard the cruiser and safely in space. Maximum alert.

DALEK: As you command.

DAVROS: My safety is to be your primary concern. You will make any sacrifice that is required to protect me.

DALEK: I obey.

DAVROS: Very well. Now, you have a computer sphere containing the logistics and status of the Dalek battle fleet.

DALEK: It contains every detail of the situation.

DAVROS: Bring it to me.

DALEK: The information was checked and supervised by the Supreme Dalek.

DAVROS: Supreme Dalek. Pah. That is a title I shall dispute most vigorously. I created the Daleks. It is I who will guide their destiny. I am the Supreme Commander!

DALEK: You will be obeyed.

DAVROS: Excellent. Now I wish to concentrate. Leave me.

DALEK: I obey.

AGELLA: Motors are running up. Chargers operating in full capacity. We will have launch power in thirty two minutes.

SHARREL: Commence lift-off countdown. Is the device reset?

LAN: Yes. Commander, I think it wise that the device be activated manually. If it is left on a*t*matic, the Daleks may find it and destroy it. It must be guarded to the very last moment.

SHARREL: Yes.

LAN: The operator will be destroyed, of course.

SHARREL: Necessary. You will perform this function, Lan.

LAN: Yes, Commander.

SHARREL: Take the device to the designated location. Report when you are in position, then stay with the device. Detonate on my radio command.

LAN: Understood.

DOCTOR: Robots! Of course!

SHARREL: Welcome back, Doctor.

DOCTOR: One race of robots fighting another. Is she going to be all right?

SHARREL: She'll recover.

DOCTOR: Good, good.

SHARREL: Tell me, Doctor, when did you first realise we were robotic?

DOCTOR: The night the roof fell in on Agella.

AGELLA: Agella.

DOCTOR: Agella, yes, how's your hand?

SHARREL: Disfunction or death, as you know it, only occurs in us with massive circuitry disturbance. We are infinitely superior.

DOCTOR: Are you really?

SHARREL: We function logically.

DOCTOR: My condolences to you.

SHARREL: Why, Doctor?

DOCTOR: Because you'll never defeat the Daleks. Let me demonstrate. Romana?

ROMANA: Yes?

DOCTOR: Are you feeling all right?

ROMANA: Yes, Doctor.

DOCTOR: Good. We're going to play a game. Now.

DAVROS: A concise report and a fascinating problem. The Daleks have met a foe worthy of their powers. Another race of robots.

DALEK: Correct. Dalek superiority will ultimately triumph and the Movellan force will be exterminated.

DAVROS: You have been fighting them for centuries, and still you are not victorious!

DALEK: It is only a matter of time.

DAVROS: No. Two gigantic computerised battle fleets locked together in deep space, hundreds of galactic battle cruisers vying with each other for centuries, and not a sh*t fired?

DALEK: Our computers are planning the moment of maximum advantage.

DAVROS: And so are theirs. It will never come. You have reached a logical impasse.

DALEK: Understood.

DAVROS: So that is why you have returned to find your creator.

DALEK: You will reprogramme our battle computers for us. The Movellans will be exterminated!

DOCTOR: Paper wraps stone.

ROMANA: Ha, stone blunts scissors.

DOCTOR: Scissors cuts paper. Ha, ha! But suppose we were two computers controlling two great battle fleets, each one working perfectly logically to outmanoeuvre the other. Well, you're robots, you try it.

SHARREL: We're perfectly

DOCTOR: Try it! Go on.

DOCTOR: Ha! You see? You're caught in an impasse of logic. You've discovered the recipe for everlasting peace. Congratulations. I'm terribly pleased.

SHARREL: Our objective is victory, Doctor. The destruction of the Dalek fleet.

DOCTOR: You play with me, eh? Come on.

SHARREL: Paper.

DOCTOR: Scissors cuts paper.

SHARREL: Stone.

DOCTOR: Paper wraps stone.

SHARREL: Scissors.

DOCTOR: Stone blunts scissors. Again. Scissors cuts paper.

SHARREL: Stone.

DOCTOR: Paper wraps stone.

SHARREL: Scissors.

DOCTOR: Stone blunts scissors.

SHARREL: Thank you, Doctor. Our battle computers must have a new element programmed into them. An advantage, however small, that will change the balance of power. You.

ROMANA: And the Daleks want the same thing.

DOCTOR: Yes.

SHARREL: When we reach the fleet, you will reprogramme our computers.

DOCTOR: I will?

AGELLA: Yes. The Dalek fleet will be wiped from the heavens and nothing will stand in our way of the conquest of the galaxy.

DOCTOR: No, you've overlooked something. Suppose I was willing to help you to change the balance of power, which I'm not, Davros will be doing exactly the same things for the Daleks. I mean, he may be mad, but his computer skills are almost as great as mine.

SHARREL: That is precisely why we're taking you with us, Doctor. When we're safely in space, the Nova device will detonate and destroy Davros. With your skills, the impasse will be broken.

TYSSAN: Now, this bit here and this bit here. Good.

TYSSAN: Now, let's see if the Doctor's right.

DALEK: Report.

DALEK 2: Surface scans indicate the Movellan ship is preparing for launch.

DALEK: Estimated time to lift-off?

DALEK 2: Twenty one minutes. Report continues. Listening scanners have detected non-Movellan voices inside the space vehicle. Computers identify the voices as those of the Doctor and his companion.

DAVROS: They must be stopped. The Doctor could reprogramme the Movellan battle computers. He would counteract my advantage. The Movellan ship must be destroyed.

DALEK: Our firepower will be ineffective against its hull.

DAVROS: Then we need more than firepower. Unpack the expl*sives.

ROMANA: Scissors cuts paper. (quietly) Let's get out.

DOCTOR: (quietly) Yes. (normal) Paper wraps stone. (quietly) How?

ROMANA: Stalemate. (quietly) Do something.

DOCTOR: (quietly) When I give the signal, move.

DOCTOR: Stone blunts scissors.

ROMANA: Good plan. Scissors cuts paper. Paper wraps

DOCTOR: Jelly baby.

ROMANA: Jelly baby?

DOCTOR: Doctor catches robot.

AGELLA: Commander, Lan is not answering my signals.

SHARREL: Go out and check he's still in position.

AGELLA: At once.

SHARREL: Launch programme.

TYSSAN: Well done, Lan.

DAVROS: Now, understand me clearly. You will not deviate from your objective no matter what the provocation. Let no opposition halt you. When you reach the Movellan space vehicle, position yourselves around the ship as close as possible to the hull. The sacrifice you make will ensure total Dalek victory in the space w*r! Carry out your orders!

DALEK 2: We obey.

DAVROS: Total Dalek victory. Then on to still greater conquests. I will lead. Davros will lead!

DOCTOR: Don't you ever speak to me like that again, you understand? Never!

ROMANA: What did I say?

DOCTOR: Jelly baby! You keep out of this. It's a personal matter, isn't it.

ROMANA: Yes.

DOCTOR: So just mind your own business.

ROMANA: You tell him.

DOCTOR: And you mind your own business, too.

ROMANA: What?

DOCTOR: Duck!

DOCTOR: Oh well, so much for logic. A mind that can be scrambled by a dog whistle.

ROMANA: These are Movellan minds?

DOCTOR: Yes, well, not quite. They're just power packs with some main circuits.

ROMANA: Orders for the day and the power to carry them out.

DOCTOR: Yes, that's it. Tyssan! Tyssan. Well done, Tyssan. Any news of Davros?

TYSSAN: Nothing.

DOCTOR: The Daleks will be sending a ship for him. We mustn't let him get away.

TYSSAN: We've only got a handful of men. How can we stop him?

DOCTOR: One, two, three, four, five. I'll go alone. Ask me why.

TYSSAN: Why?

DOCTOR: They're unconscious. Also I'm a very dangerous fellow when I don't know what I'm doing. You stay here, Tyssan. You'll need this ship to get home. Romana, you help him.

DOCTOR (OOV.): I will return!

DALEK 2: Do not deviate. All units proceed as ordered. The space vehicle must be destroyed.

DOCTOR: (quietly) Davros. Davros! (normal) Davros.

DAVROS: Doctor!

DOCTOR: Hello. I didn't think getting to see you would have been so easy. Are you just going to sit there quietly and wait for the Dalek ship to pick you up?

DAVROS: I have one more thing to do before I leave. It seems we have both been much in demand, Doctor.

DOCTOR: Well, it's nice to be wanted, isn't it.

DAVROS: Putting aside our differences for a moment.

DOCTOR: Oh?

DAVROS: Speaking simply as scientists, the problem is fascinating, don't you agree?

DOCTOR: Oh yes, two vast computers so evenly matched they can't out-think one another.

DAVROS: Two spacefleets totally impotent.

DOCTOR: Yes.

DAVROS: You know how the stalemate can be broken, of course.

DOCTOR: Oh, of course.

DAVROS: I realised you would. So obvious but they can't see it. Would you have told the Movellans?

DOCTOR: Oh, no.

DAVROS: I suspected you wouldn't.

DOCTOR: Would you have told the Daleks?

DAVROS: But I dared not take the risk. I had to stop them taking you.

DOCTOR: But you failed. The prisoners set me free.

DAVROS: The Movellan ship will never lift off! Soon my Daleks, carrying more than half a megaton of expl*sives, will press against the hull and I will simply activate this control to detonate.

DOCTOR: Really. And how will you stop me activating that control before they reach their target?

DAVROS: I would not.

DOCTOR: Really?

DALEK: Do not move.

DAVROS: You see, there's nothing you can do to stop it now.

DALEK 2: Let no opposition halt you. Advance for total Dalek victory! Objective sighted. Advance!

TYSSAN: Well, we got them all.

ROMANA: Was Commander Sharrel with them?

TYSSAN: No. I thought he was up here.

ROMANA: Well, I can't find him.

TYSSAN: Oh, it's not important. Even if he got away, he can't do much on his own.

ROMANA: The Nova device! He'll try to detonate!

DALEK 2 (OOV.): Now commencing final approach to ship.

DAVROS: Very soon now, Doctor. Very soon.

DALEK 2: Do not deviate. Let no opposition halt you.

TYSSAN: Right, there's a Dalek force coming. Now pick up what w*apon you can. We've got to hold them.

DALEK 2: Exterminate!

DAVROS: When the Dalek ship arrives, you will accompany us.

DOCTOR: Oh, I'm sure they'll welcome me with open arms. I mean, they would welcome me with open arms if they had arms. Please, please, no offence meant at all.

DALEK: Malfunction.

DAVROS: Behind you.

DALEK: Malfunction.

DAVROS: Behind you.

DALEK: Visual circuit is impaired.

DAVROS: To your right. To your left.

DALEK: Malfunction.

DAVROS: To your right. This way!

DALEK: Malfunction.

DAVROS: Not me, you fool!

DALEK: Vision impaired! Vision impaired! Malfunction! Loss of visual control. Malfunction! Malfunction!

DALEK: Malfunction! Loss of control! Loss of control! Loss of control!

DOCTOR: Bye, bye.

DOCTOR: My hat!

DAVROS: Keep away.

DOCTOR: What?

DAVROS: Keep back.

DOCTOR: All elephants are pink. Nellie is an elephant, therefore Nellie is pink. Logical?

DAVROS: Perfectly.

DOCTOR: You know what a human would say to that?

DAVROS: What?

TYSSAN: Elephants aren't pink.

DAVROS: Bah. Humans do not understand logic.

ROMANA: They're not slaves to it like the Daleks or the Movellans.

DOCTOR: That's why the Daleks came back for you. They remembered they were once organic creatures themselves, capable of irrational, intuitive thought, and they wanted you to give it back to them to get them out of their trap of logic.

DAVROS: I have failed!

DOCTOR: Yes. What does it feel like?

DAVROS: What will happen to me?

TYSSAN: A high security ship has started out from Earth to meet us. You will be taken to stand trial for your crimes against the whole of sentient creation.

DAVROS: There is not a ship, not a prison that can hold me!

DOCTOR: No, but I think this little device can. It's a cryogenic freezer. Even you can't escape from a solid block of ice. Bye, bye, Davros.

TYSSAN: Doctor! Doctor!

DOCTOR: That was a narrow escape. Come on, we've got some digging to do.

ROMANA: Doctor, could you really have solved their problems and won the w*r for them?

DOCTOR: Of course I could. It's obvious.

ROMANA: Was it?

DOCTOR: Yes. Both sides were fighting with computers, perfectly logically. Each computer could predict the move of the other and counter it. Result, stalemate.

ROMANA: So the first side that switches its computer off and does something irrational

DOCTOR: Wins the battle, yes. Make mistakes and confuse the enemy.

ROMANA: Brilliant.

DOCTOR: Yes.

ROMANA: Is that why you always win?

DOCTOR: Yes. What?

ROMANA: Because you always make mistakes.

DOCTOR: Mistakes? Me? Well, perhaps once a century or so.

DOCTOR (OOV.): Well, I have made the odd mistake.

ROMANA (OOV.): Not that switch.

DOCTOR (OOV.): What?

DOCTOR (OOV.): Oh, yes.
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "17x04 - Destiny of the Daleks - part 4"}