PART TWO

Written by Rona Munro

Original air date: 29 November, 1989
Run time: 24:13

1: EXT. ???

And suddenly the Doctor and the Sarge are lying in the sand, on that mystery planet.

THE DOCTOR: You stupid --

A growl interrupts him. A cheetah man, lying on the ground with them, chowing down on some bloody meat.

The two freeze.

SARGE: Where the hell are we?

THE DOCTOR: Shut up, and we may survive.

The Doctor and Sarge get up, walking -- not running -- away from the feeding cheetah man. They find themselves before a pair of tents. Another pair of cheetah men appear, approaching but not attacking. The two continue walking backwards, herded by the cheetah men towards one of the tents. Realizing this, the Doctor uses his umbrella and lifts the tent flap.

Behind it is the mystery man who's been controlling the cat. A goateed, familiar face.

The Master.

MASTER: Why, Doctor... what an unexpected pleasure.

And before the Doctor's own, the Master's eyes change from human... to the glowing yellow of the cheetah people...

2: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

Ace watches as the twin black cats feed off of... something... or someone. It's mostly down to bones and guts by now. Shreela joins her.

SHREELA: They don't bother us. They only eat us when we're d*ad. It's like they're watching us...

ACE: Yeah...

3: EXT. TENT -- ???

The Doctor takes a step back.

MASTER: Run, Doctor. Run.

The Sarge starts to do just that, but the Doctor grabs his arm.

THE DOCTOR: Don't run!!

The Master emerges from the tent, grinning like... well, like a Cheshire cat. From a pocket, he pulls out a ball of silver foil -- he tosses it at the Sarge's feet -- the Sarge panics, bolts --

THE DOCTOR: NO, PATERSON!!

Too late. The Sarge is suddenly surrounded by a dozen angry, hungry cheetah people...

MASTER: I was relying on your intelligence, Doctor. It would be such an uncivilized death...

The cheetah people are all over the poor Sarge now...

THE DOCTOR: (realizing) They're just playing with him...

MASTER: Yes. Actually a fun-loving species. (looks at the Doctor) Doctor, there are things I must discuss with you.

4: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

Ace, Shreela, Midge and Derek peek from behind a bush.

ACE: Okay, so what do we do?

MIDGE: "Do?" We die. Maybe today, maybe next week. We could hurry things up a bit, go and find of those big p*ssy cats. That what you want to try?

SHREELA: We tried to fight them once. They caught Steven.

MIDGE: She threw sticks at it.

ACE: Oh yeah? And where were you, Midge?

SHREELA: You can't hurt them!

DEREK: They're invincible!

ACE: (jumps to her feet) Nothing's invincible!

MIDGE: (snide) That's right Ace, you tell ‘us. You sort us out.

SHREELA: (gets up) Better get back to camp. We're not safe in the open air.

ACE: Well, are we any safer back there? At least out here in the open you can see them coming!

SHREELA: They usually don't bother us in there. They only hunt in the open. Unless they're hungry, then they take us anywhere.

ACE: (to herself) Why do they only hunt in the open... ?

MIDGE: (gets up) What do you think this is, "The Wonderful World of Wildlife"? Who knows? Why do they always ride through here?!? Why do they always eat us up without ketchup?

ACE: They always ride through here?

MIDGE: So what?

ACE: So let's get one!

MIDGE: (laughs unconvincingly) What?

ACE: NOTHING'S invincible! (to Shreela) We've got to fight back!

Shreela slowly nods. The group heads back to the woods...

5: EXT. TENT -- ???

The cheetah people are still playing with their food -- namely the Sarge.

THE DOCTOR: (picks up the foil ball and stuffs it in his pocket) That was a useful trick before.

MASTER: (pulls out three more) Pretty, aren't they? They're a useful distraction.

THE DOCTOR: Charming.

The Doctor snatches the foil balls out of the Master's hands and runs toward the cheetah people.

THE DOCTOR: Come on, pussycats! Come on!

The Doctor takes the foil balls and... starts juggling.

The cheetah people stare at him. What the... ?

THE DOCTOR: (flings the balls every which way) Fetch! Come on, fetch!

The cheetah people stare at him deadpan for a moment. Then they go back to the Sarge.

MASTER: I'm afraid they're not so easily distracted. They're more interested in him.

The Doctor runs over to one of the cheetah people's horses, leaping upon it. As the cheetah people start toward him, the Master holds up his hands.

MASTER: STAY!! STAY!!

The Doctor rides the horse through the cheetah people, over to the Sarge's side.

MASTER: Doctor, why don't we leave these animals to their meal?

SARGE: Apologies --

He jumps on the horse behind the Doctor. The cheetah people start towards them --

MASTER: (to the cheetahs) NO!!

The Doctor starts riding toward the Master.

THE DOCTOR: Bit of healthy exercise, Paterson! Do you a world of good!

MASTER: Doctor, I'm warning you. I control these animals. They're mine to command! I control them!!

The Doctor and Sarge gallops past the Master, out of sight. The cheetah people turn their attention to the Master, miffed at missing out on a meal. The Master backs into the tent, wagging a finger.

MASTER: Very well. I'll find some other food for you.

6: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

Ace and Shreela have set up a trip wire between two trees on the path the cheetah riders travel.

ACE: Come on, Shreela!

SHREELA: (her eyes going wide) Shhh...

Ace hears it too. She ducks behind the tree.

A Cheetah person rides up, in no big hurry. He pauses the horse before the wire. He gazes at it, as if it's a curiousity. Then, extending his claws, he plucks the wire apart with one hand and rides off. Ace looks glum.

SHREELA: Plan B?

7: EXT. ??? -- DIRT ROAD

The Doctor and Sarge trot along this dusty path in the middle of nowhere. The smoke trail is still rising in the distance.

SARGE: It's just not like me, you know. You ask anyone -- "Sarge'll keep his head in a crisis." You ask any of the lads. I don't scare easily, Doctor, believe you me.

THE DOCTOR: Hmm.

SARGE: I was on one of those survival courses, you know, S.A.S style of thing. I was the only one that ate the worm stew.

THE DOCTOR: (sounding bored) Very impressive.

SARGE: But this... this is just -- where the hell are we, anyway?

THE DOCTOR: We're on the planet of the Cheetah People. Intelligent carnivores. No one knows much about them -- they don't survive long enough to find anything out.

SARGE: You're trying to tell me we're on another planet?

THE DOCTOR: (brings the horse to a stop) Yes. The trouble is, I've never heard of the Cheetah People hunting so far away from their feeding grounds before. And the kitling...

SARGE: The what?

The Doctor nods out across the plain. Luxuriating in that direction... a black cat.

THE DOCTOR: That. A kitling. A feline vulture. It's got the power of teleportation. It can jump from world to world hunting for carrion.

A rumbling noise echoes through the air. The Doctor and Sarge looks off to the side.

THE DOCTOR: I think we're going to be in big trouble, Sergeant.

8: EXT. PERIVALE -- STREET

The milkman is off on his daily rounds, dropping off two fresh bottles and picking up one at a door. Whistling, he heads back out into the street. He pauses to pet a black cat -- or a Kitling, as we now know it -- that's sitting on the wall. He then continues toward the milk truck, as the Kitling watches, licking its lips...

9: EXT. ??? -- WOODS

A small campfire's been set up. And the lunch being cooked is roast Kitling. Derek rubs his arms nervously as the others sit about. Midge seems ready to jump out of his skin --

MIDGE: It's gonna get us all k*lled... It's gonna get us all k*lled!!

He snaps, leaping atop Derek, punching at him hard. Shreela and Ace run over and pulls him off.

MIDGE: NO!! GET OFF ME!!

Ace forces Midge to the ground.

ACE: SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!

The noise of a horse whickering...

SHREELA: Listen!

A horse is coming up. Ace grabs a large branch and thrusts it into the f*re, lighting the end.

The horse travels into a trip wire -- this one close to the ground. The wire goes taut -- Ace runs into view, waving the torch around, howling-- and finds one very startled Sarge lying on the ground.

"AHEM!!"

Ace turns around.

The good Doctor is hanging in mid-air, his ankles caught by the wire. It's all he can do to keep his hat on.

ACE: (grins) What kept you?!?

THE DOCTOR: How many times have I told you about playing with f*re?

10: INT. TENT -- ???

Sitting on a rough chair, the Master feeds a kneeling Cheetah person a piece of meat. He pets the Cheetah's head absentmindedly, watching as the others feast on a d*ad body nearby, thinking to himself.

MASTER: (to himself) Where are you, Doctor? What's your plan... ?

11: EXT. ???

The Doctor is walking along the blasted plain, with the Sarge, Ace, Shreela, Derek and Midge in tow. He uses a small compass, looking about. They set up watch on a high slope.

SARGE: Got to stick together, lads. That's the way. Stealth -- that's what's needed here.

At the bottom of the slope, a few Cheetah people are lounging about, toying with the remnants of a few good people.

SARGE: Stealth... and surprise. (to the Doctor) You follow me, and I'll get us through this. I'm a hunting animal. I've got instinct for it.

THE DOCTOR: Oh, do shut up. (consults his compass -- no wait, that's a minicomputer!) This planet's disintegrating. According to my calculations, the safest place at the moment is over there.

He points toward that far-off smoke column. Only it's not so far off anymore. It's clearly emanating from a volcano, as if the rumbling wasn't enough of a clue.

MIDGE: Yeah, but what about them?

THE DOCTOR: We have to make our way through.

SARGE: This disintegration -- you think we're going to blow up?

THE DOCTOR: Well, it is an old planet. A bit frayed at the edges. But we'll be safe over there. Safe from the Cheetahs, and the Master...

ACE: Master? Who's he?

THE DOCTOR: An evil genius. One of my oldest and deadliest of enemies.

ACE: Do you know any nice people? You know, ordinary people? Not power-crazed nutters trying to take over the galaxy?

THE DOCTOR: I don't think he's trying to take over the galaxy this time.

ACE: So what's all this in aid of?

THE DOCTOR: He's got some kind of mind-link. The cats, the Kitlings...

ACE: Um... they find things for the Cheetah People to eat.

THE DOCTOR: Yes...

He puts the compass/watch/computer away and gets up.

THE DOCTOR: Come on.

He leads the group down the slope...

12: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

... as the Master walks up another, cradling a Kitling in his arms.

MASTER: Hunt him. Seek him out. Find him for me. Hurry.

He sets the Kitling down, and it slinks away. He closes his eyes, seemingly wracked by pain.

MASTER: Must keep control... I must keep control...

13: EXT. ???

The Doctor gingerly leads the group down the slope toward the Cheetah People. Derek slips slightly --

DEREK: Ohh!

MIDGE: (grabs his arm) No sudden movements!

THE DOCTOR: (holds up his hand) They won't bother you... unless they're hungry.

And with them feeding, that doesn't seem too likely. But they are well aware of the party, and it's all Ace can do to keep the jittery Derek down.

THE DOCTOR: They're essentially a fun-loving species...

He kneels down and picks up a human skull.

THE DOCTOR: (tugs at his collar) Is it my imagination... or am I getting hot?

ACE: Doctor, I think we'd better keep moving.

THE DOCTOR: (puts the skull down) Yes. Quietly... gently... just taking a nice little stroll...

The party continues across the Cheetah area, and eventually comes out into a nice clearing.

THE DOCTOR: You see? It's all a matter of keeping your head and allowing for the unexpected --

Flash of light --

THE DOCTOR: Oh no...

-- and the terrified milkman running down a rock face, screaming his head off.

MILKMAN: AAAHHH!!! OH GODD!!!!

He sprints through the party -- and right into the waiting arms of the Cheetah people. A rider and a couple of walking Cheetahs watches from the top of the face as the slaughter begins. Ace grabs a rock --

THE DOCTOR: DON'T MOVE!!

ACE: WHAT?!?

THE DOCTOR: There's one thing more dangerous than being att*cked by a Cheetah, and that is ATTACKING a Cheetah! You do NOT know what it will do to you!!

ACE: DOCTOR --

THE DOCTOR: DON'T MOVE!!!

The Cheetahs are all around the party now -- the poor milkman's trying to evade them --

SARGE: (fed up) I'm not putting up with this. I'm not standing here and getting eaten alive!!

He does what Ace tried to do a second ago -- picks up a rock and chucks it at the rider, running at him --

MIDGE: (does the same) Me neither!!

SARGE: (chucks another rock) YAAAHH!! COME ON THEN!! COME AND FIGHT!!

The rider doesn't need to be asked twice. He races down the rock face at the group. Ace breaks free of the Doctor, running to protect the milkman --

THE DOCTOR: DON'T MOVVEEE!!!

One by one, the humans are run down by the Cheetahs -- the milkman, Derek...

... and from above the fray, at the edge of a cliff, the Master and his Kitling watches.

THE DOCTOR: (going hoarse from the shouting) DON'T RUN!! STAY STILL!!!

Derek is completely terrified, being batted around by two Cheetahs --

DEREK: HELP ME!!!

Ace runs at the rider --

ACE: Come on, then!!!

She chucks her rock, clocking the Cheetah on the head. He slips off the horse --

ACE: (runs at the horse) DOCTOR!!

Shreela wrestles one Cheetah off Derek --

SHREELA: Get off!!

The Doctor watches helplessly as the fight turns against the humans...

THE DOCTOR: I TOLD YOU TO STAY STILL!!!

He nevertheless helps out, using his umbrella to trip a Cheetah up. He tips his hat to him.

THE DOCTOR: STAY STILL!! DON'T RUN!!!

Nobody's listening to him now. The humans are taking to their heels, racing up the rock face...

SARGE: Come on!!

The Doctor looks around, panicking --

THE DOCTOR: Ace? ACE?!?

14: EXT. ??? -- LAKE

Ace stops running at the side of a lake, gasping for breath.

A rider comes into view at the other side of the lake -- the same one Ace clocked a moment ago. It slides off the ground, prostrate on the ground. It crawls its' way to the lake, moaning, finally collapsing at the edge of the water.

Ace runs across the lake, grabbing the Cheetah by the neck, turning it over...

Its' eyes snap open, staring right at Ace...

15: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

The Doctor runs around, trying to find Ace.

THE DOCTOR: Ace...

He comes to a stop at some old stone ruins of some sort.

THE DOCTOR: (disappointed) Oh, Ace...

The growl of a Kitling -- the Doctor spins around --

The Master, looking at him from atop one of the ruins.

MASTER: Good hunting, Doctor?

16: EXT. ???

Meanwhile, a rider is finally catching up with Midge. The rider dismounts, walking toward Midge. Another Cheetah comes into view. Midge braces himself --

And suddenly, the other Cheetah plows into the rider, biting and clawing like crazy.

Midge can't believe his luck. But then the rumbling starts again...

17: EXT. RUINS -- ???

The Doctor and Master watches the volcano from the ruins as the rumbling continues...

MASTER: They're fighting again in the d*ad valley.

18: EXT. d*ad VALLEY -- ???

The two Cheetahs are really going at it. One finally gains the upper hand, k*lling the other...

19: EXT. RUINS -- ???

The rumbling's continuing, getting louder...

THE DOCTOR: It's breaking up.

MASTER: This planet's alive. The animals are part of the planet. When they fight each other, they trigger expl*si*n. They hasten the planet's destruction.

THE DOCTOR: How long before it blows up?

MASTER: Not long. They've been fighting a long time.

THE DOCTOR: Why did you bring me here?

The Master says the last thing the Doctor ever expected to hear him say...

MASTER: I need your help.

20: EXT. LAKE -- ???

The Cheetah slowly pulls its way up, purring. It reaches out, it's arm touching Ace's jacket... or rather, the astronaut patch on Ace's jacket. Realizing this, she pulls it out, making it easier to touch. It looks at Ace with a strangely intelligent stare... a strangely human stare...

21: EXT. d*ad VALLEY -- ???

The other Cheetah's gone now, and the wounded rider lies on the ground. Midge finds a d*ad animal skull, and breaks a horn out from it. Walking slowly over to the rider, he grips the horn like a dagger and buries it in the creature's heart...

22: EXT. RUINS -- ???

THE DOCTOR: You're trapped. You can't escape.

MASTER: Just so. It seems the creatures of this world can't take us away from this place. They can only bring us to this place.

THE DOCTOR: Yes. They can only return home with their prey.

MASTER: I never thought of it quite that way.

THE DOCTOR: But now that we're both trapped, what good is it to you?

MASTER: You'll find a way out, Doctor. You must.

THE DOCTOR: Why should I help you?

MASTER: It's not just death we're all facing. This place... bewitches you. (gestures to the ruins) If we stay here, we'll be like the people who built these. They thought they could control the planet... the wilderness. They were the ones that bred the Kitlings. Creatures with minds they could talk to, eyes they could see through the way I do. It only led to their corruption. We shall become like them...

The Master's eyes suddenly turns glowing yellow again. He smiles, showing off animal fangs. Cheetah fangs.

MASTER: We shall become animals.

The Doctor recoils at the sight. And nearby, by the light of the red moon, a Kitling howls...

The Master delights in the howl. The Doctor simply shakes his head and walks off.

23: EXT. ???

The Cheetah people lounge around, chewing at the numerous d*ad people around them... another rumbling begins...

24: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

The Sarge, Shreela, and Derek finally stop to rest some distance away from the Cheetahs.

SARGE: You all right, lad, eh?

DEREK: Yeah.

The sound of footsteps makes them look out. Midge is walking up to them, the blood-covered horn in hand. His demeanor seems completely different now... almost feral...

25: EXT. LAKE -- ???

RIDER: http://Www..wwwaterr...

ACE: What?!?

RIDER: Ww... waterrr... will make me well... very fast...

Ace stares at the talking Cheetah with wide eyes. She runs over to the lake, scooping up some water with her cupped hands. She stares at the water -- in her hands, it seems to be glowing pink. She walks over to the Cheetah with it. The Cheetah laps it up, nods, then drifts off to sleep. Ace is about to pat it on the head...

THE DOCTOR: (comes up) Ace?

ACE: What is it?

He doesn't answer. He walks slowly over to the Cheetah...

ACE: Should we leave it, Doctor?

THE DOCTOR: They're extremely dangerous creatures. They could eat you. Or...

ACE: Or what?

THE DOCTOR: Worse.

ACE: What's "worse?"

THE DOCTOR: (a strange, sinister tone in his voice) Let's just say... they're dangerously attractive.

He looks down at the sleeping Cheetah.

ACE: I think it's the one that chased me. It k*lled that boy.

THE DOCTOR: It could be useful to us...

ACE: (runs over) You mean it could help us get home?

THE DOCTOR: They're hunting animals, Ace. We're their prey. They bring their prey home.

ACE: So what?

THE DOCTOR: We need an animal whose home is Earth.

ACE: Better keep it alive, then.

THE DOCTOR: Ace?

Ace walks back over to it, kneeling by it.

ACE: Yes?

THE DOCTOR: It could be very dangerous for you.

ACE: Don't worry, Professor. I'm no one's bowl of cat food.

From the look in his eyes, that's not what he was talking about...

And from the distance, behind a bush, the Master watches...

MASTER: (to himself) "Whose home is Earth... "

He smirks.

26: EXT. ???

The Sarge regroups the kids together.

SARGE: Right. You just follow the Sarge, and I'll get us all through this. There's nothing I don't know about survival. It's k*ll or be k*lled, right? k*ll or be k*lled.

MIDGE: (nodding) k*ll or be k*lled.

SARGE: Good lad. You'll come through. We'll come through, if you just follow the Sarge. Are you with me?

MIDGE: Yes.

SARGE: Are you all with me?

MIDGE: Yeah!

Shreela and Derek look uneasily at each other.

SARGE: Well, you'd better get with me, because if we're going to survive we can't carry shirkers and we can't carry deadwood!

Midge glares at the other two, a very ominous look in his eyes. Derek goes from nervous to scared.

MIDGE: No deadwood.

27: EXT. ??? -- ELSEWHERE... 

Somewhere in the graveyard of d*ad people, the Master carves a chunk of clothing out of a carcass. He looks up as a rumble begins, very worried indeed...

28: EXT. LAKE -- ???

Ace absentmindedly tosses rocks into the lake, as the Doctor stays by the rider. The rider looks up, growling at him. The Doctor gets to his feet.

ACE: Where are the others?

THE DOCTOR: I don't know. We'll have to find them, and soon.

ACE: It's weird, Doctor. I think I like this place... I like it. I feel like I belong here...

It's just what the Doctor's expected. And dreaded.

THE DOCTOR: (to himself, looking from Ace to the rider) Connected...

ACE: I'm a bit scared. It feels... exciting.

THE DOCTOR: (insistently) What do you feel?

ACE: (gets up) Like I could run forever... I can smell things as clear as pictures!!

THE DOCTOR: Anything else?

ACE: Well...

She turns to face him.

ACE: I'm starving, Professor.

DEREK: (from far off) HELP!!!

The Doctor and Ace bolt toward --

29: EXT. ???

Where Midge is trying to run Derek through with his horn dagger -- the Sarge trying to pull him off --

SHREELA: NO!

SARGE: Don't be a fool!

SHREELA: No! Get off him!

SARGE: Stop it!

SHREELA: Midge!

The Doctor and Ace run up, the Doctor grabbing Midge by the shoulders and forcing him to look into the Doctor's eyes...

THE DOCTOR: Midge...

MIDGE: He's going to get us all k*lled ‘less someone sorts him out.

THE DOCTOR: "Sorts him out?"

MIDGE: Yeah!

The Doctor abruptly notices a homemade necklace on Midge -- one that looks like it was made from bones. He grabs the necklace.

THE DOCTOR: Where did you get this?

MIDGE: I k*lled it.

The Doctor lets go, taking a step back. Everyone else's jaws drop. Midge for his part seems ecstatic.

MIDGE: I k*lled it...

SARGE: Now then, son... why don't you just give me the w*apon, eh?

Midge jumps up and spins around, looking for a second like he'll give the Sarge the horn -- right through the chest. Then he runs off.

THE DOCTOR: (starts after him) MIDGE!!

Midge spins to face him.

THE DOCTOR: (to Midge) It's not too late to go home.

SHREELA: Home?

Midge suddenly doubles over in pain... then straightens. His eyes have turned yellow. He hisses at them, his teeth elongating into fangs. He turns and races away.

THE DOCTOR: Come on. We'd better follow him.

They start after him, but someone else has seen him as well -- the Master and his Kitling. The Master tugs at the makeshift rope he's made from the clothing, grinning from ear to ear. He then starts after Midge himself.

THE DOCTOR: This way!

The Master catches up to Midge first, using the rope as a noose to trap his feet and yank him to the ground. He quickly ties the noose around Midge's neck as the Doctor's party arrives.

MASTER: Go hunting. Go home.

Midge starts sniffing around, looking at the Doctor's group --

THE DOCTOR: Midge!!

MASTER: You see, Doctor, you did help me. You kept these others alive just long enough to serve my purposes.

THE DOCTOR: Midge, wait!!

MASTER: Only the animals of this place can leave, Doctor, because they carry it with them.

THE DOCTOR: Midge, listen to me!!

Midge's only answer is a hiss. The Master nearly laughs.

MASTER: He doesn't remember his name. (to Midge) Go home.

Midge stares at the Master. He turns to run -- flash of light -- and Midge and the Master are gone.

SHREELA: So there is a way out!

THE DOCTOR: A way out? Yes. We wait for one of us to change, and then we use them. Before they try to escape or k*ll us all.

SARGE: Well, there's no telling who'll be next, is there? Just get a grip and... (looks hard at the staring Derek) What're you looking at? It's him, isn't it? He's the one!! (jumps back) You stay away from me!

SHREELA: Look!

In the distance, the rider on her horse.

ACE: (walks a bit toward the rider) Oh yeah! She's better! Doctor, look!

When Ace turns back to the Doctor, her eyes have turned bright yellow...
{"type": "series", "show": "Doctor Who", "episode": "26x13 - Survival - part 2"}