TERMINUS

BY: STEPHEN GALLAGHER

Part Three

First Air Date: 22 February 1983
Running time: 24:39

DOCTOR: I'd appreciate some help.

KARI: Is it a machine?

DOCTOR: No. He's wearing radiation armour. Keep him covered.

KARI: My power pack's d*ad.

DOCTOR: Come on.

DOCTOR: Let me have your radio.

KARI: It's always the same pattern.

DOCTOR: Well, at least the level's acceptable, for the time being. Come on.

NYSSA: Are you in charge?

EIRAK: Be quiet.

NYSSA: Please listen.

EIRAK: Shut the door.

INGA: You'll get nothing out of them. They're not interested.

NYSSA: I've got to make them understand.

INGA: You can't even bribe them. The only thing they care about is Hydromel, the drug that keeps them alive.

NYSSA: What are they going to do with us?

INGA: Supposedly cure us, but I rather think they're going to let us die.

SIGURD: Lazar assessment from t*nk three, Eirak.

EIRAK: Coloured water. They must think we're fools. They've even reduced the size of the consignment.

SIGURD: Why the cutback?

EIRAK: Maybe our performance is down.

SIGURD: But we process everyone who comes here. Why doesn't the Company send someone to see the conditions we work under?

EIRAK: Maybe they already have. We are slaves. The Company doesn't need to tell us anything.

VALGARD: Intruders. I saw two people down in the stockyard, a man and a girl. They went into the Forbidden Zone.

EIRAK: Lazars?

VALGARD: No. No, they were too fit. And they were armed.

SIGURD: Agents from the Company.

EIRAK: Why didn't you stop them?

VALGARD: I tried.

SIGURD: Why are they in the Forbidden Zone?

EIRAK: The perfect place to hide. We never go there. As the Company has decided to cut back our supply of Hydromel, it is in our own interest to learn why. If the couple in the Forbidden Zone are from the Company, their knowledge is vital.

VALGARD: How do we find them?

EIRAK: Someone must go after them.

VALGARD: Why don't you? You're supposed to be our honoured leader.

EIRAK: I'm needed here.

VALGARD: So you keep telling us, although I sometimes wonder whether we need you at all.

SIGURD: Valgard!

EIRAK: You think you could be better?

VALGARD: Yes.

EIRAK: All right, I'll make you an offer. Bring back the spies and I'll step down in your favour.

VALGARD: I have your word on that?

EIRAK: You have the Vanir as your witness. Think of it as a bet. If you're ambitious enough, you'll accept it.

VALGARD: All right, agreed.

EIRAK: Then go!

SIGURD: He'll die in the Forbidden Zone.

EIRAK: He hates me. He'll succeed.

SIGURD: And you will give him what you say?

EIRAK: Of course.

INGA: There's no way out, just as there's no cure. It's hopeless.

NYSSA: Tell me about the Forbidden Zone.

INGA: You don't give up, do you.

NYSSA: Tell me.

INGA: I only know what I've heard. It's where the radiation's too strong for them, and where we're supposed to be cured.

NYSSA: And what's the Garm?

INGA: You'll find out soon enough.

SIGURD: They're starting to move the Lazars. t*nk three.

OLVIR: I'll be down in a moment.

SIGURD: I've just come from the equipment store. I think we have a third intruder.

EIRAK: Excellent. Carry on with those.

EIRAK: It seems Valgard's mission was unnecessary after all. Come on, we'll apprehend this one ourselves.

DOCTOR: Why do the crew put up with such a radiation leak?

KARI: It could be part of the cure.

DOCTOR: Olvir said there wasn't one. So, why don't they repair it?

KARI: They may not know how to.

DOCTOR: Hmm. Radiation. Fallout. Now that's a thought.

KARI: What?

DOCTOR: Nothing. Just an idea worth pursuing.

EIRAK: You. Turn around.

EIRAK: You fool.

SIGURD: But it spoke.

EIRAK: Perhaps you're developing the Lazar disease.

VALGARD: I'm going.

EIRAK: It's hardly touched. Take her first, then.

SIGURD: You.

NYSSA: No. No, wait. Others are worse than me.

EIRAK: The fit ones go first. Take her.

NYSSA: No. No, please. No.

DOCTOR: What is it?

KARI: I can hear someone singing.

TURLOUGH: Tegan.

TEGAN: What?

TURLOUGH: If ever you had to k*ll someone, could you do it? Could you?

TEGAN: No. I don't know. If it was important, to save my friend, to defend myself.

TURLOUGH: But cold-bloodedly?

TEGAN: You're weird, Turlough. What a subject to bring up at a time like this. Come on, let's find the control room.

GUARDIAN (OOV.): You are a fool, boy.

KARI: Who is it?

DOCTOR: Well, he seems happy enough. Let's find out.

KARI: No.

DOCTOR: He's hurt. Hello, I'm the Doctor. Can I help?

BOR: Most kind. Yes. A burden is a, er, something or other. Most kind. Thanks. This way.

BOR: The cold ground. Rest in peace.

TURLOUGH: Curious. What do you make of this?

TEGAN: It's a map. Like one of those diagrams when they thought the Earth was at the centre of the universe.

TURLOUGH: Hmm. Strange, isn't it.

DOCTOR: Terminus entrance. At least we know where the radiation comes from.

DOCTOR: Look at the damage. Easy now.

BOR: Thank you. Most kind. Most kind. My name is, er, Bor. I. Haven't we met somewhere before?

DOCTOR: Indeed. I'm the Doctor.

BOR: Short term memory's the first to go.

KARI: He needs a medic.

BOR: Do you know anything about engines?

DOCTOR: A little.

BOR: I tried to pull down the control cables. I picked the wrong ones. Power lines. As I couldn't stop the radiation, I had to try and wall it in. Now things are even worse.

DOCTOR: In what way?

BOR: The whole lot's unstable. Know what would happen if one of those exploded? It'd be more than just a loud bang.

DOCTOR: Chain reaction.

BOR: Nothing in the universe would be safe.

KARI: What?

BOR: Did I tell you? One of the engines has already exploded.

DOCTOR: When?

BOR: No, oh, it was a long time ago. It's all in the computer. That one will go next. I didn't find out why until I followed the control cables.

KARI: Why wasn't Terminus destroyed in the expl*si*n?

BOR: Terminus is protected.

VALGARD: Tell them nothing, Bor. They're Company spies.

BOR: Really? They seemed so friendly.

VALGARD: You forget our last encounter. The power pack is exhausted. I'm taking you back, but not before I've beaten some respect into you.

BOR: My wall!

KARI: Doctor!

NYSSA: Let me go. Please, please, let me go.

SIGURD: Don't you want to be cured? This is for your own good.

NYSSA: Please, let me go.

SIGURD: At least, that's what I'm told.

KARI: What's that?

DOCTOR: Some sort of signal.

DOCTOR: Come on.

NYSSA: No! What is that thing?

SIGURD: Your cure. The Garm's found Bor.

BOR: Most kind.

SIGURD: Let's get him to Eirak while he can still talk.

OLVIR: Let's see that chain.

NYSSA: No!

OLVIR: It's me, Nyssa.

NYSSA: Quickly! Quick.

OLVIR: I can't, I'm not strong enough.

NYSSA: Olvir!

KARI: What are you looking for now?

DOCTOR: The control lines. The ones Bor said he followed.

TURLOUGH: There must be a way to recreate the door we entered this ship by. Wait here.

KARI: This is a complete waste of time. Bor doesn't know what he's talking about. He's suffering from radiation sickness.

DOCTOR: Yes, you're right about the sickness. I want to find out what he discovered.

KARI: Does it matter?

DOCTOR: I think it could be rather important.

SIGURD: Bor, can you hear me?

BOR: Sigurd?

SIGURD: Why did you do it? You knew you couldn't survive in the Forbidden Zone.

BOR: Worth a try. The pilot's d*ad, you know.

SIGURD: Pilot?

BOR: Of Terminus.

SIGURD: What?

BOR: But he's still there. He's going to f*re up the engines again and they won't take it and the big bang will happen all over again.

EIRAK: Where's his helmet?

SIGURD: He didn't have it. He's delirious. He needs Hydromel.

EIRAK: There isn't any to spare.

SIGURD: But he's dying.

EIRAK: So why detain him?

GUARDIAN (OOV.): You have not destroyed the Doctor.

TURLOUGH: I haven't found him yet.

GUARDIAN (OOV.): k*ll the Doctor.

TURLOUGH: I will, I will. I have a plan.

GUARDIAN (OOV.): You have nothing.

TURLOUGH: I do! But I need to get back to the TARDIS.

GUARDIAN (OOV.): Why?

TURLOUGH: Trust me.

TEGAN (OOV.): Turlough!

TURLOUGH: How do I recreate the door?

GUARDIAN (OOV.): Fail me again

TURLOUGH: I won't, I promise.

GUARDIAN (OOV.): Then search for an emergency bypass switch.

TURLOUGH: Where?

GUARDIAN (OOV.): You have skills. Use them. Look beneath your feet.

TEGAN: What are you doing?

TURLOUGH: Remember when we were underneath the floor? Well, I noticed something familiar. It's only just come to me what it was. Come on.

DOCTOR: Terminus control.

KARI: Look.

NYSSA: Olvir!

DOCTOR: Do you remember Bor saying one of the engines had exploded?

KARI: Did he?

DOCTOR: He was wrong. It didn't come to that. Look at this. Terminus was once capable of time travel.

KARI: So?

DOCTOR: Well, to push a ship of this size through time would require an enormous amount of energy.

KARI: What are you getting at?

DOCTOR: Well, think about what we've learnt. Terminus seems to be at the centre of the universe, yes? Now, imagine this ship in flight. Suddenly the pilot finds he has an enormous amount of unstable fuel on board. What would you do?

KARI: Jettison it.

DOCTOR: Perfectly normal procedure. Unfortunately, he ejects his fuel into a void.

KARI: And it exploded.

DOCTOR: Starting a chain reaction.

KARI: How big?

DOCTOR: Enormous. Biggest expl*si*n of all time. Event One.

KARI: The Big Bang?

DOCTOR: Yes.

KARI: It isn't possible.

DOCTOR: A chemical reaction in a primeval swamp can create life on a planet. Why couldn't the universe be created by a similar chance factor, hmm?

KARI: But exploding fuel in space? It's almost too simple.

DOCTOR: It only appears simple because the circumstances were exactly right.

KARI: Well, if what you're saying is right, why wasn't Terminus destroyed in the expl*si*n?

DOCTOR: Well, the pilot time-jumped the ship forward before realising how unstable the fuel was. The resulting shockwave must have caught up with him, boosting the ship billions of years into the future.

KARI: k*lling the pilot and damaging the second engine.

DOCTOR: Yes.

KARI: If there was a second expl*si*n, would it have the same effect as the jettisoned fuel?

DOCTOR: Not quite. Whereas the first expl*si*n created the universe, the second would undoubtedly destroy it.

TURLOUGH: There it is. Emergency bypass. We'll soon have that door open.

TEGAN: Where's the light coming from?

TURLOUGH: It's nothing.

KARI: What's happening?

DOCTOR: I don't know. Oh, no.

KARI: What?

DOCTOR: It wasn't the pilot's decision. The computer's just started an a*t*matic sequence to jettison the unstable fuel. If we don't do something quickly, the whole universe will be destroyed.
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "20x15 - Terminus - part 3"}