Scientist Lesterson discovers the Daleks plot to reproduce themselves and then seize control of the Colony.
THE POWER OF THE DALEKS 5:50pm - 6:15pm [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 1 - LESTERSON'S LABORATORY DALEKS: We will get our power. We will get our power. We will get our power. We will get our power. We will get our power. We will get our power. (As the Daleks continue chanting, Lesterson moves forward, and turns the power supply dial from full to half. The Daleks are immediately 'drained' of half their power - their movements and speech become sluggish.) FIRST DALEK: Turn back the power supply. LESTERSON: I will, I will. But I want you to remember that I control you. FIRST DALEK: We are your servants. LESTERSON: I know. Remember it. I gave you each a special charge to bring you back to life. Any further power you need must come from this generator. And I control it. Is that clear? FIRST DALEK: We obey. (Lesterson turns the power supply dial back to full power. The Daleks are immediately restored to their former condition. Two of the Daleks swiftly glide into the capsule.) LESTERSON: Where are they going? DALEK: To await your orders, master. LESTERSON: Good. Have you completed the blueprints for the meteor storm computer? DALEK: It is ready. (The Dalek leads Lesterson to a workbench, where a number of thin metallic sheets lie on top. Lesterson eagerly examines the blue prints.) LESTERSON: Oh, it's marvellous! I'm glad we understand each other. DALEK: We understand the human mind. [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 2 - GOVERNOR'S TERRACE (In Hensell's terrace, Bragen now sits behind the Governor's desk. Now wearing a new Deputy-Governor's uniform, Bragen watches impatiently as Valmar works on a communications device attached to the table.) BRAGEN: Isn't that finished yet? VALMAR: Nearly. (Valmar picks up the receiver.) VALMAR: This is Valmar. Test call please. (Valmar replaces the receiver. A few seconds later, the communicator buzzes, and Valmar picks up the receiver again.) VALMAR: Terrace. So I can hear you clearly all right, good. Now try and get in connection now with the interior, and then the perimeter stations. (Valmar replaces the receiver, and turns back to Bragen.) VALMAR: Well, no troubles now. BRAGEN: About time. This work should have been completed long before this. VALMAR: Well, I did the best I could! BRAGEN: Well, it isn't good enough! VALMAR: Then get someone else, Bragen. BRAGEN: Be careful! I shall be watching you, Valmar, after this - now get out! (Valmar strides from the office, just as the Doctor and Ben burst in. Trailing them, is a flustered guard.) BRAGEN: What does this intrusion mean? GUARD: I'm sorry, Bragen. I tried to stop them. DOCTOR: Intrusion? It's no intrusion. We're just returning the various calls that you made. This guard tried to tell us you were busy. You're not a bit, are you? BRAGEN: All right - I'll see them. (As the guard leaves, the Doctor studies Bragen closely.) DOCTOR: Oh, what a nice new uniform. Very smart, very smart. I would like a hat like that. BRAGEN: Well, what do you want? BEN: (Waving a piece of paper.) Some joker has kidnapped Polly and sent us this note. DOCTOR: Yes. BEN: Well, we want to know what you're doing to find her. BRAGEN: Now that the communications are restored we can start a search. BEN: Yeah, I can just imagine what kind of job you'll make of that. Haven't you heard anything yet? BRAGEN: The planet is a large one. (At that moment, a Dalek glides into the room. Attached to its sucker stick, is a small tray. A glass sits on the tray.) DOCTOR: (To the Dalek.) So! They've given you the run of the colony, have they? DALEK: We obey. Do I bring liquid for your visitors? BRAGEN: (Taking the solitary glass.) No. They won't be staying much longer. (The Dalek glides from the room.) BEN: Look, Doctor, if he's not going to help us, we'll have to search for Polly ourselves. BRAGEN: Sound advice. Why don't you, Doctor? DOCTOR: Ah, ah, Examiner. (The Doctor and Ben hurriedly leave the room. As they walk down the corridor, the Doctor whispers to Ben.) DOCTOR: I wonder how much longer they'll be able to move around on these floors? BEN: Eh? DOCTOR: Floors. They're not metal. BEN: Doctor. (Meanwhile, Bragen prepares to return to his work, when the communications device buzzes. Bragen switches on the monitor to reveal Hensell.) HENSELL: Ah, there you are Bragen. Thank heavens the communications are working again. It's bad enough being stuck out here on the perimeter. Well? Your report man. Hurry up. I've got a very full schedule. BRAGEN: There is nothing to report, Governor. HENSELL: The Examiner? BRAGEN: I'm taking good care of him. HENSELL: Good, you know my orders. BRAGEN: Yes, sir. HENSELL: All right, well you can reach me here if you have to, that's all. BRAGEN: One moment, Governor. When will you be coming back? HENSELL: Oh, not for a day or two at least. You can manage, can't you? BRAGEN: Yes. Yes of course, Governor. (Hensell's image disappears from the scanner. Bragen suddenly realises that the Dalek has re-appeared in front of the desk.) BRAGEN: What do you want? DALEK: Have you finished your liquid? BRAGEN: No. No I haven't. (Bragen watches suspiciously as the Dalek glides away.) [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 3 - CORRIDOR (In a nearby corridor, Janley is pinning a piece of paper on to the noticeboard. Another colonist, Kebble, walks up to Janley. Nearby, the Doctor and Ben have heard the sounds of conversation.) JANLEY: You'd better check the agenda. KEBBLE: I'll do it now. (As Janley walks off, Kebble commences to scan the noticeboard. Nearby, the Doctor removes a magnet from his pocket, and whispers to Ben.) DOCTOR: Static you see. They need a constant supply of static from the floor, some sort of electrical field. BEN: Doctor. Why should he...? (Ben indicates to the Doctor to look around the corner. Kebble is walking away from the noticeboard. Further down the corridor, three Daleks are gliding past.) DOCTOR: It's madness! BEN: What is? DOCTOR: Letting them run around like this. BEN: Hey, wait a minute! Bragen had one acting as a servant, and we've just left him! DOCTOR: One Dalek in Bragen's office - three Daleks just gone down the corridors. That makes four! BEN: Where did the fourth one come from? DOCTOR: Well, Lesterson can't have been making them. Perhaps there were more in the capsule than we thought? BEN: We must go and see Lesterson. Yeah, and show him this note. Maybe he or Janley knows where Polly is. (Ben turns back to the noticeboard, looking for Kebble.) BEN: We frightened him off. I wonder what the fascination of this notice board is? DOCTOR: It looks like a perfectly ordinary noticeboard to me. BEN: Yeah, well come on, Doctor. We must find out who's got Polly. Doctor, come on! (The Doctor reluctantly strolls off after Ben. Glancing back one last time, the Doctor notices that another man is standing in front of the noticeboard. The man is busy writing down notes. Realising that the Doctor is watching him, the man hurriedly folds his papers, and places them in his pocket.) [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 4 - LESTERSON'S LABORATORY (Lesterson, with a piece of paper in his hand, approaches Janley.) LESTERSON: Janley? JANLEY: What is it? LESTERSON: The Daleks. They've given me another list of materials they need. JANLEY: (Taking the list.) Let me see. We've got all those things? LESTERSON: Yes, but why these quantities, Janley? Why? How can they have used up all the materials I gave them? What is it? D... why, it's only a matter of a few hours ago. JANLEY: They're building new things for us. LESTERSON: Yes, well I don't want them to do anything without consulting me. What is it they do inside there? JANLEY: You're worrying too much. LESTERSON: Look Janley, say what you like, but I'm beginning to believe that the Examiner is right about the Daleks. Their original thinking terrifies me. If we can control them, fine. But if not... JANLEY: Yes? LESTERSON: Then I shall have them destroyed. It's too dangerous. The Examiner knows something about them that we don't. I'm going to ask his advice. JANLEY: I wouldn't bring the Examiner into it if I were you. LESTERSON: And why not? JANLEY: You want him to find out about Resno? LESTERSON: Oh, a little accident. How is he? Is he better? JANLEY: He's dead. LESTERSON: What are you talking about? You told me he was... JANLEY: You're busy with the experiments on the Daleks. LESTERSON: But you should have told me. But... but the body -- it'll have to be reported. JANLEY: Don't worry, no one will find the body. LESTERSON: Oh Janley, you've done a terrible thing. JANLEY: The experiments on the Daleks were more important. LESTERSON: More important than human life? No. No, I won't accept that. JANLEY: You will. You must! Your carelessness was the cause of Resno's death. You murdered him. It's only your word against mine. LESTERSON: I won't be blackmailed by you! JANLEY: All I want is for you to go on as you are. Scientific discovery can't stop dead, Lesterson. (At that moment, the Doctor and Ben stride into the laboratory.) LESTERSON: I told the guard that no-one was to be allowed in. DOCTOR: "Accord every access" remember? BEN: We're looking for Polly. LESTERSON: Well, she isn't here, and I haven't seen her. BEN: Well, she's been kidnapped. LESTERSON: Oh, it sounds a little unlikely. BEN: Oh it does, does it? Well, we've got this note which tells us so. LESTERSON: I'm very sorry, but I don't know anything about it. DOCTOR: Lesterson? LESTERSON: Yes? DOCTOR: You haven't been building Daleks, have you? LESTERSON: Building? No I wouldn't know how to begin. DOCTOR: And there were only three in the capsule? LESTERSON: Yes. DOCTOR: Well we've just seen four. One in the Governor's office and three in the corridor! LESTERSON: But that's not possible! DOCTOR: There's only one explanation. The Daleks are reproducing themselves! (Lesterson thoughtfully picks up the list of materials requested by the Daleks.) JANLEY: These things are machines. How could they reproduce? DOCTOR: Machines! What makes you think they're just machines. The Daleks are brilliant engineers. Nothing is beyond them given the right materials. LESTERSON: What? DOCTOR: I said nothing is beyond them given the right materials. LESTERSON: Oh... DOCTOR: Lesterson, what's the matter? LESTERSON: Oh... (Lesterson crushes the list of materials, and throws it on to the floor. He then sits down on a stool, covering his face with his hands. The Doctor slowly walks towards the dejected scientist.) JANLEY: Leave him alone. He's just been overworking, that's all. BEN: Well, he looks bad. JANLEY: Will you both go away. Guard! It's you - badgering him with questions. You've done nothing but hound him ever since you arrived on Vulcan. (Janley waves at the guard standing at the door.) JANLEY: Bragen's orders were that no one was to be admitted. GUARD: Yes, but I thought that the... the Examiner. JANLEY: He attacked Lesterson. Get them out of here. Both of them. BEN: He did not attack Lesterson. JANLEY: Out, do you hear?! (The guard forces the Doctor and Ben to leave the room.) BEN: All right, all right. (Janley quickly crosses to the communicator, and lifts the receiver.) JANLEY: Janley here. Tell Valmar to come over to the lab right away. Good. (Janley turns back to Lesterson, who is still slumped on the stool. Grabbing hold of Lesterson's arm, Janley guides the scientist to a couch.) JANLEY: Now, it's all right. Come on. Rest here for a bit. There. You've been doing far too much. (Lesterson mumbles in agitation.) JANLEY: Ssssh. (Janley forces Lesterson to drink a glass of water, which she has secretly spiked with a sedative. As Lesterson fades into unconscious, Valmar enters the room.) JANLEY: I've sedated him. VALMAR: Well, what's the matter with him? JANLEY: Overwork, I suppose. He just suddenly broke up. Anyway, it'll give you a chance to lay in the new power cable the Daleks have asked for. VALMAR: You don't miss a trick, do you? (Janley walks across to the Dalek capsule.) JANLEY: (Speaking into the capsule.) We're going to lay in the new cables you wanted. (The door to the capsule glides open, and a Dalek appears.) DALEK: Good. VALMAR: You're sure this is okay, Janley? JANLEY: Of course. We help them. They help us. DALEK: Yes. We are your servants. JANLEY: Don't take too long about it, Valmar. Oh, you saw the notice, did you? VALMAR: I saw it. (Valmar walks into the capsule, holding the power cable in his hands.) [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 5 - CORRIDOR (Back in the corridor, the Doctor is examining the noticeboard.) BEN: Well, we're still no nearer finding Polly. What are we hanging about here for? DOCTOR: Ben, I've found a message in code. It's an anagram, you just take the capital letters, see, work it out yourself. BEN: Oh, I can't do crosswords. DOCTOR: Meeting tonight, 2000 hours. R O C K E T -- Rocket. R O O M - Room. P. Rocket Room P! (The Doctor turns back to Ben thoughtfully.) DOCTOR: It's the rebels way of calling a meeting. Only tonight we're going to be there - early. BEN: Yeah, maybe we're nearer finding Polly than I thought. [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 6 - ROCKET ROOM P (Later than night in Rocket Room P, the Doctor and Ben hide at the back of the room. They wait for the meeting to commence.) BEN: (Shifting uncomfortably.) Aw, I've got pins and needles now. DOCTOR: What's the time? BEN: Time we went home! DOCTOR: Yes. (Eventually, the rebels start filing into the room. The group includes Valmar (with a Dalek), and Janley (carrying a small case). Janley opens the case to reveal the Dalek gun-stick. Valmar connects the gun-stick to the Dalek. As the rebels gather around a table, a man enters the room, and stands in the shadows. The Doctor and Ben are unable to determine his identity.) JANLEY: Now, we're going to demonstrate something. You section leaders can pass on what you've seen. So far, we've been concerned with testing the strength of the Governor with a few acts of sabotage. But now, we're ready to take over. KEBBLE: (Peering at the Dalek.) What is that thing? I've seen them moving about, but all we've been told is that it's a machine Lesterson discovered. JANLEY: Valmar? VALMAR: (Displaying a small device.) Well, Lesterson removed the armaments of the Daleks he discovered. I've rearmed this one, but with a controlling device. We can regulate the fire power and turn it off and on whenever we choose. JANLEY: Shall we have the demonstration now? (The man in the shadows nods.) BEN: That's the one we want. He must be the boss of this outfit. DOCTOR: Sssh! (The Doctor stares thoughtfully at the group of rebels. Without thinking, he retrieves his recorder, and places the tip in his mouth. Horrified, Ben quickly prevents the Doctor from blowing a tune. The Doctor casually places the recorder back in his pocket. Meanwhile, Janley has set up a metallic sheet on a small stand.) JANLEY: This screen is two inch thick tungsten steel. Right, Valmar. VALMAR: (To the Dalek.) Fire at the screen. (Valmar presses the control switch, while simultaneously tapping the Dalek on its dome. The sheet of metal is destroyed. All the rebels cringe back in alarm.) JANLEY: Quiet! You must keep quiet. We're too vulnerable here. KEBBLE: But, you can't control a thing like that. It'll turn on us! JANLEY: No it won't. KEBBLE: I wouldn't let any of my group go anywhere near it. VALMAR: I can control it. KEBBLE: Prove it. Ah, you daren't! I'm not talking about that thing firing at the wall or bits of metal or anything. I mean people. Have you tested whether it... you can stop it from killing people? Our people? VALMAR: Look, I can show you what I've done here. KEBBLE: Forget it. How do you know a Dalek can tell the difference between the Governor's people and our people? VALMAR: But I can tell the difference, you fool! And I control it. KEBBLE: We want something better than words. JANLEY: (Moving in front of the screen.) Test it on me. Will that satisfy you? KEBBLE: Well yes, but... BEN: She's out of her mind! (The Dalek swings its eye-stick towards Janley, as Valmar turns to the man in the shadows.) VALMAR: Is it all right? (The man hesitates a moment, before raising his arm in assent.) VALMAR: (To the Dalek.) Now, when I tell you to fire... DALEK: I am your servant. (Once again, Valmar presses the control switch, while tapping the Dalek on the top of the dome. This time, nothing happens. The rebels move in towards Valmar, congratulating him.) JANLEY: Get back to your places. KEBBLE: Are you all right? JANLEY: Of course. I don't take needless risks VALMAR: Oh well done, Janley. JANLEY: You haven't disarmed the Dalek! Well go on take the gun away. We don't want any accidents. Now, what about the girl? KEBBLE: We've got her safely locked up. Never fear. JANLEY: I think the best thing for us to do is... BEN: Hear that? Maybe they'll say were she is. (Ben moves forward for a better look, but his arm catches a loose box. The box crashes to the ground. Startled, the rebels all turn to the back of the room.) JANLEY: Who's there? BEN: (Whispering to the Doctor.) You stay there, I'll distract them. Find out where Polly is. (The Doctor attempts to restrain Ben, but the young sailor is already on his feet, and racing towards the door. Janley steps in front of Ben, as the Dalek swivels around, its gun at the ready.) JANLEY: No! BEN: Help! Help! (Kebble quickly intercepts Ben, and strikes him unconscious. Ben collapses to the floor.) JANLEY: The guards will have heard that! Come on we've got to get out of here! Take him and lock him up! Quick! Out! (The rebels hurriedly file from the room. A few seconds later, the Doctor is left alone with the mysterious man, and the Dalek. Suddenly, the man steps from the shadows, and begins to speak.) BRAGEN: You might as well come out. We know you're there. DOCTOR: (Walking out from the hiding place.) Bragen! BRAGEN: Of course. Who else is fitted to be leader of the rebels? (The Dalek spins around, pointing its gun-stick towards the Doctor.) DOCTOR: No doubt you want to be leader of the Daleks too. BRAGEN: I am the leader of the Daleks. DOCTOR: (Noticing the Dalek moving closer.) Well see if you can stop this one from killing me. BRAGEN: (Also noticing the Dalek.) Stop! You heard me, that's an order. Turn away. Fetch the guard. DALEK: I obey. (The Dalek hesitates momentarily, before gliding from the room.) DOCTOR: You hope to have it both ways, Bragen. But how will you look in front of the Governor, when I explain your dual role to him? BRAGEN: The Governor will hardly listen to an impostor. DOCTOR: An impostor? How do you propose to prove that? BRAGEN: My guards are now going to produce the body of the real Examiner from the mercury swamp. DOCTOR: The one you murdered. BRAGEN: The one you pretended to be. DOCTOR: Murder's a far worse crime than impersonation. BRAGEN: Yes, but you can't prove I'm a murderer, while I can prove that you're an impostor. (The Dalek re-enters the room, along with Janley and two guards.) BRAGEN: (To guards.) Take this man away. Detain him. (The guards escort the Doctor from the room.) JANLEY: A dangerous man. BRAGEN: Now the only one left is the Governor. JANLEY: Perhaps we should have dealt with the Examiner earlier. BRAGEN: I'll deal with him in time -- and Quinn. [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 7 - CELL BLOCK (Quinn is sitting quietly in his cell, when he detects the sounds of movement. Standing up, he notices the Doctor being locked up in an adjacent cell. The guard activates a small box, which emits a high-pitched whining noise. This causes the lock on the door to automatically seal.) QUINN: You're the last man I expected to see here. DOCTOR: (Peering at the lock.) Hmm. Work's by sound, does it? QUINN: I'm speaking to you, Examiner. DOCTOR: Oh, I'm sorry. QUINN: If you'd listened to me in the first place, you wouldn't be locked up here now. DOCTOR: Well your imprisonment hasn't been entirely wasted. It's brought your enemy out into... QUINN: Bragen? I've known that all along. DOCTOR: Yes. But, ah, did you know that he was the leader of the rebels? QUINN: Bragen? The leader? DOCTOR: Yes. It's quite a simple sort of lock, really. QUINN: Hensell's trouble is he thinks he can run this colony on his personality alone. (The Doctor sits on the bed, and removes a variety of items from his pockets.) DOCTOR: But even if he knew of the danger, could he do anything? The rebels are well organised. QUINN: The Governor's popular. He can count on the mine workers of the perimeter for support. DOCTOR: In that case we must get word to him. QUINN: If you'd done your job properly, Examiner, you wouldn't be here now, and I'd have been out too. DOCTOR: Ah yes. But then, I'm not the real Examiner. Ben, Polly and I -- We're... we're just travellers, that's all. I found the Examiner, dead. Bragen murdered him. QUINN: Everything leads back friend Bragen. Just give me a chance get my hands on him. DOCTOR: We aren't going to have the chance, unless we can get out of here. QUINN: There's just a little matter of the cell doors. (Quinn moves forward and rattles the door.) [SCENE_BREAK] SCENE 8 - LESTERSON'S LABORATORY (In the laboratory, Lesterson slowly awakes from his drugged state. He staggers to the workbench, and wets his handkerchief. As he pats his forehead with the handkerchief, he notices a Dalek gliding towards the capsule entrance. Another Dalek appears from within the capsule.) LESTERSON: Ah... Oh... SECOND DALEK: You sent for me? FIRST DALEK: Take up a position at the communications room. Watch and report. SECOND DALEK: I obey. LESTERSON: (Muttering to himself.) They're conspiring together! Oh, why didn't I realise? The Examiner was right. They are evil! (Lesterson cautiously moves into the capsule. He is forced to bend forward, as he makes his way through one of the cramped corridors. Noticing a light ahead of him, Lesterson follows the corridor around a bend.) LESTERSON: (Noticing more Daleks.) There are four. They can't be reproducing! (As Lesterson moves through a number of doorways, he hears the sounds of activity a short distance ahead. Eventually, Lesterson reaches the end of corridor. A small glass panel is positioned on the wall. Staring through the panel, Lesterson gasps at the contents of the large chamber before him. Dozens of Daleks are gliding through the room - many of them are operating instrument panels. At one end of the room, a conveyor belt is moving through an archway. A bottom half of a Dalek casing suddenly appears on the conveyor. Lesterson watches as the casing moves forward, and is enveloped by a jet of steam. A few seconds later, the casing is covered by a foaming liquid. Lesterson watches in horror as another Dalek scoops up a bubbling green mass from within a glass globe, and places the mass inside the Dalek casing. The top half of the Dalek is then placed over the casing. Lesterson shrinks back terrified, as this procedure is repeated over and over again.) FIRST DALEK: Dalek nine complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. NEW DALEKS: (Repeated independently by each new Dalek over top of the methodical count.) We are the new race of Daleks! FIRST DALEK: Dalek ten complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek eleven complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek twelve complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek thirteen complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek fourteen complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek fifteen complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek sixteen complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek seventeen complete. SECOND DALEK: Check. FIRST DALEK: Dalek eighteen complete.
The Power of the Daleks - part 4