Thursday, March 8, 2007

The Twin Dilemma III

17. EXT. GARDENS (NIGHT)

The Doctor and Peri emerge from the TARDIS, still holding hands. The Jacondan slips behind a tree as they step from the police box. The Doctor is talking.

DOCTOR
...not as if everyone gets a chance to see their planet’s future, is it?

PERI
You’re sure this is Earth?

DOCTOR
Actually... no. Earth, middle of the second millennium, is a bustling place. Prime real estate like this should have been bought up years ago.

PERI
So we’re not on Earth? One of those colonies?

DOCTOR
Yes... unless!

He turns and moved off into the woods. Peri hurries after him.

PERI
Unless what?

The Jacondan emerges from the shadows. He moves after them, holding his gun.


18. INT. APARTMENT (NIGHT)

Romulus and Remus sit in front of a blackboard-sized computer screens. With no hint of emotion in their faces they move their hands across the keyboard. On the screen, a futuristic pattern like musical notes are being formed. As one pattern appears, a similar but not identical one appears beneath it. The shapes dance and move, sometimes canceling each other out, sometimes multiplying. As they work a familiar wheezing, groaning sound is heard. The twins immediately abandon their work and swing their chairs in the direction of the noise, which ends quickly. A few moments later the door unseals itself and Azmael enters, smiling benignly.

AZMAEL
Ah! Good evening.

ROMULUS & REMUS
How did you get in here?

AZMAEL
How does one enter a dwelling?

ROMULUS & REMUS
No one is allowed in when our parents are away.

AZMAEL
Do I look as if I’m going to harm you?

As he speaks, Azmael glances at the patterns. He is fascinated.

ROMULUS & REMUS
Who are you?

AZMAEL
Professor Edgeworth.

ROMULUS & REMUS
We’ve heard of you.

ROMULUS
You’re the scientist researching the fundamental implications of time travel.

AZMAEL
To little or no critical tolerance.

ROMULUS & REMUS
Our father speaks highly of you.

Azmael studies the patterns. He mutters to himself.

AZMAEL
So he should. This mathematical equation... Or is it a symphony.

ROMULUS
It’s a game we play.

REMUS
It lets us think better.

AZMAEL
A symphony of mathematics... You must have so many thoughts you get dizzy.

It’s a joke. Not that the twins understand that. Azmael sighs.

AZMAEL
I came here to see your father.

ROMULUS
It’s late.

REMUS
He’s out.

ROMULUS & REMUS
This is no time for social calls.

AZMAEL
Yes, I apologize. I was hoping to get here sooner. I had an invention I wanted your father to examine. It’s indebted on his magnum opus, The Square Root of Minus Three In Real Physics. The definitive work, I’m sure you’ll agree.

The twins shake their heads.

AZMAEL
Why not?

ROMULUS
It’s wrong.

REMUS
The square root of any minus number cannot be found.

AZMAEL
Until your father discovered the answer.

ROMULUS
He’s wrong.

REMUS
He made a mistake.

ROMULUS & REMUS
There is no answer.

AZMAEL
I believe you. Why haven’t you told anyone else? I dare say for a revelation like that that there are quite a few hyper mathematicians who would provide you with far more luxury than is here.

REMUS
It would upset our father.

ROMULUS
He might not visit us any more.

ROMULUS & REMUS
Like mother.

Azmael grimaces.

AZMAEL
Yes. Tragic business. I’m sure it will sort out. Now, perhaps you could help me with my device.

He takes from his pocket a remote control with only one switch. He hands it to the twins. Romulus holds it up while Remus circles it, staring intently.

REMUS
It is a modified electro-magnetic pulse generator.

ROMULUS
These devices are banned. Unshielded pulses damage all computer equipment inside the broadcast area.

AZMAEL
Ah, yes. But this does not generate EM pulses, but rather Van Cassidine energy. A delta particle wave.

ROMULUS & REMUS
That could be worse.

AZMAEL
Examine it yourself. There is no way that device could harm any living creature containing a central nervous system. See?

He reaches forward and stabs the control. A wave of light emerges from the box and sweeps out in all directions before dispersing – all in one second. The twins are frozen. Azmael regards them sadly, then his resolve returns.

AZMAEL
Noma! Noma! Get out here!

Noma and Drak enter.

AZMAEL
Take one of them each. We’ve got to move quickly and collect the others!


19. EXT. GARDENS (NIGHT)

The Doctor moves through the foliage and stops as he comes across a grey, smooth wall which stretches endlessly in either direction, cutting off the garden with the outside world. The Doctor gives a satisfied nod and tries to climb the wall, but can't get a purchase. Peri catches up with him. She's a bit out of breath.

PERI
What is it?

DOCTOR
This!

Peri speaks slowly.

PERI
It's a wall.

DOCTOR
Yes, Peri, thank you, I am aware of that. Here.

He makes a stirrup of his hands.

PERI
What?

DOCTOR
Up. Look over the top.

PERI
Is it safe?

DOCTOR
I'd do it myself, but I'm not sure you could hold my weight. Come to think of it, I have no idea how much this body weighs. Come on, Peri, stop lollygaging!

PERI
Lolly-what?

DOCTOR
Just do it, Peri. Please?

With a doubtful expression, Peri puts her foot into his hands and with some effort she manages to lock her hands over the edge of the wall. She peers over it. We see her POV: the city-scape of skyscrapers, towers, space ports, lakes, antennae. All dimly lit against the purple sky. Peri boggles.

PERI
Whoa.

DOCTOR (VO)
What is it?

PERI
This prime bit of real estate... we're on top of a tower block! There's this city, it's huge, it's like New York on steroids!

The Doctor nods thoughtfully.

DOCTOR
An artificial environment. Someone wants someone else to believe they're in the middle of the countryside. I wonder why?

We see he is beginning to pace. Peri is no longer supported.

PERI
Maybe it's just for some rich rock star or something?

DOCTOR
Mick Jagger the Thirteenth, perhaps?

PERI
Well I doubt it'd be Elton John... Hey!

She loses her grip. The Doctor notices and at the last second manages to catch her.

DOCTOR
Careful.

PERI
Well, what do we do now?

DOCTOR
Stay very, very still.

Peri opens her mouth to speak when she hears a rustle from the bushes. Something is moving through the leaves towards them.


20. INT. AZMAEL'S TARDIS (DAY)

Tight shot. We see Noma and Drak leading Romulus and Remus through the doorway to the apartment. Zoom out to see this doorway is just behind a pair of TARDIS doors. We are in a TARDIS slightly older than the Doctor's – the walls are the same set, but the console is the old one from Tom Baker's days with a different, metallic time rotor with no glass cover. There are computer banks dotted around the place, linked to the console and some plastic furniture. All the sound effects are sixties ones, rather than the ones we associate with the TARDIS of 1980s. As the Jacondans lead the twins in, Azmael operates controls. The apartment door swings shut as do the TARDIS double doors. He moves to adjust the other computer banks before returning to the console.

AZMAEL
The delta wave will scramble all the systems for a period of nine minutes, without detection. If there's a random check, however...

The twins are being seated at a table.

NOMA
Then get us moving, Azmael!

AZMAEL
What do you think I'm trying to do? This ship is not some getaway vehicle!

NOMA
You have used it as such before!

AZMAEL
Well, it didn't work because I'm still stuck with you.

NOMA
You stupid old fool...

AZMAEL
Show some respect you avian cretin! It's your planet and your people in danger, not mine!

NOMA
And you wonder why you were deposed?!

Azmael looks up at Noma. He is very, very angry. Dangerously angry.

AZMAEL
How dare you...

DRAK
Master Azmael. Please.

Azmael scowls and crosses to the main console. As he operates the controls, the time rotor begins to rise and fall. A few moments later, the wheezing, groaning noise begins.


21. INT. APARTMENT (NIGHT)

We see the closed door to the apartment shimmer, blur and fade away... leaving an identical closed door in its place. The noises fade, leaving the room empty and the screens showing nothing but static.


22. EXT. GARDEN (NIGHT)

The Doctor lowers Peri silently. The scuffling continues.

DOCTOR
Peri... when I say 'run', run...

The Doctor opens his mouth to shout this when...

PERI
Wait!

The ginger tabby emerges from the foliage. Peri sags with visible relief.

PERI
Oh... Doctor, it's just a cat.

DOCTOR
I'm not blind, Peri. Hello!

PERI
Doesn't seem surprised to see us.

DOCTOR
Cats are rarely surprised. Very intelligent animals, you see – they know so much and care so little it's rare for them to even be interested.

PERI
I thought you liked cats.

DOCTOR
I do. It wasn't a criticism, just a statement of fact. After all, who was it who said 'The cat, he walked by himself and all places were alike to him'?

PERI
Confucius?

DOCTOR
Yes, Confuc – no! No, it was not Confucius, Peri! It was Rudyard Kipling. Just So Stories.

PERI
Sorry.

The cat hurries off.

DOCTOR
Odd. I wonder what...

Two Jacondans emerge from the shadows. They have their pistols aimed at the Doctor and Peri. They advance silently. The Doctor reacts exaggeratedly.

DOCTOR
Oh! Aliens!

He holds out his hands, waving them desperately.

DOCTOR
No, no, no, d-don't shoot! It's not my fault! Not me!

He grabs Peri and shoves her in front of him.

DOCTOR
It's – it's all her fault! Don't shoot!

PERI
What are you doing?!

He falls to his knees, hiding behind Peri.

DOCTOR
Mercy! PLEASE! Mercy!

The Jacondans exchange look. What the hell is wrong with this guy?

PERI
Have you gone crazy?!

DOCTOR
You can't kill me, please! We're not even armed! We're armless! And harmless!

He rises and crosses over to them, babbling all the time.

DOCTOR
I'm not your enemy! Please, it's all her fault, she's always leading me astray, making me do bad things like... er... like, well, like this.

The Doctor suddenly grapples with the two Jacondans, using an admirable display of earthly and unearthly martial arts to disarm them and fling them, battered and bruised to the floor. One of them snatches up his gun and fires at the Doctor, who steps aside at the last second. The blast strikes the second Jacondan, who was standing behind the Time Lord about to plunge his knife into his back. The second Jacondan sqawks and collapses.


23. INT. SPECIAL INCIDENTS ROOM (NIGHT)

A chamber lower down inside the tower. It is brightly-lit, with several screens showing Earth from space. Blue-uniformed men, women and the occasional alien OPERATIVES move about calmly and professionally, with various computer banks and tracking equipment humming. It is the future of CID. Sipping a cup of coffee is HUGO LANG, a good looking space pilot whose dashing good looks hide the fact he's a smug prat. Nearby is ELENA, a far nicer if less aesthetically pleasing female technician. A few moments to establish this before a series of shrill alarms begin to sound. Red lights flash. Everyone is startled.

ELENA
Weapons fire in the gardens, Lieutenant!

HUGO
Alert the General. I'll head the squad. Lock down the eastern complex!

He runs for the door, snatching a pistol from a rack as he goes. Elena warily begins adjusting controls on her console. More alarms begin to ring.


24. EXT. GARDENS – NEAR EXIT (NIGHT)

Alarms can be heard here as well. Not far away is another wall. Red lights flash instead of purple. A large tree materializes in a patch of clearing. A panel in the trunk slides back and Azmael pokes his head out.

AZMAEL
What have you fools done?!


25. EXT. GARDENS – NEAR WALL (NIGHT)

The alarms and lights are here too. The Doctor is tending the injured Jacondan while Peri guards another with his own gun.

PERI
What's happening, Doctor?

DOCTOR
I was right. We're in the middle of some top-security installation – the energy discharge of this weapon set off countless alarms.

PERI
This is bad, right?

The Doctor places a folded handkerchief over the injured Jacondan's feathered shoulder.

DOCTOR
I think you're correct in that assumption. Luckily for you the shot cauterized the wound. Now, quickly, what are Jacondans doing here on Earth?

The Jacondan hisses, but does nothing else.


26. INT. AZMAEL'S TARDIS (DAY)

Azmael, Noma and Drak stand by the console. Azmael hits a switch and we see one roundel is replaced with a scanner image. It shows a door in the wall nearby opening.

DRAK
Someone's used their blaster!

NOMA
I ordered them to use blades when necessary.

AZMAEL
You obviously don't command them well enough. This is a shambles! If anyone suspects we are from Jaconda, it will spark all-out war between the systems!

Noma clucks, frustrated. Troops are running from the doorway.


27. EXT. GARDENS – NEAR EXIT (NIGHT)

Hugo and half a dozen SQUADDIES in uniform, all holding rifles, run out into the garden.

HUGO
Split up! Head for the perimeter and sweep back.

SQUADDIE
Surely we should check the complex...

HUGO
I'm in command, Roderick, do as I say!

The squaddie rolls his eyes. They split up. Three Jacondans watch on from hiding.


28. EXT. GARDENS – NEAR WALL (NIGHT)

As before.

DOCTOR
Listen. Some secrets are worth dying for. Others are worth killing for. Do you want to establish what your secret is?

The Doctor picks up the knife and holds it in the vicinity of the alien's throat. Peri looks on, rather alarmed.

DOCTOR
Maybe I should kill you, put you out of your misery and maybe that will get your fellow talking. Because I don't intend to waste any more time here?

PERI
Doctor, you can't!

The Doctor ignores her. He's furious.

DOCTOR
What are you doing here?!?

Gunfire. The Doctor ducks. A blast ricochets off the tree. The second Jacondan tackles Peri, snatches her gun and moves to his comrade. Hugo and another SQUADDIE are not far away, firing warning shots through the trees.

DOCTOR
Get down, Peri!

HUGO
Surrender at once or we will use lethal force to bring you down!

The Jacondan fires a volley of fire through the trees while his injured comrade struggles through the foliage. Peri is beginning to panic. The Doctor is back to normal.

PERI
Oh, no, not guys with guns again.

DOCTOR
Yes, you're right. Back to the TARDIS. They wouldn't want our help anyway.

They scramble along the wall as the Jacondan and Hugo exchange shots. The Jacondan is struck in the stomach and collapses, dead into the grass. Hugo runs past the body after the Doctor and Peri. The squaddie tries to keep up.

HUGO
Halt! I order you to halt! Start halting already!

The second, injured Jacondan lurches out of the shadows and skewers the squaddie through the back of the neck. He snatches up the dead Jacondan's weapon and staggers off.

to be continued...

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