Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 12, Episode 8 - The Ark in Space: Part Four - full transcript

The Doctor tries to protect the humans still in cryogenic suspension from the Wirrn, who are determined to use Earth as their new breeding ground.

(DOCTOR WHO THEME PLAYS)

(CREAKING)

(WHIRRING)

Run, Doctor! Run!

Stay, Vira, stay...

Abandon the Ark, Vira!

Take the transport ship.

Leave now.

If you stay, you are doomed.

That would be desertion!

Then, you must die - all of you!



When the Wirrn emerge, you will be hunted down

and destroyed,

as you destroyed us!

We've never destroyed...

What does he mean?

Long ago...

Long ago, humans came to the old lands.

For 1,000 years, the Wirrn fought them,

but you humans destroyed the breeding colonies.

The Wirrn were driven from Andromeda.

Andromeda?

So our star pioneers succeeded?

Since then, we have drifted through space,
searching for a new habitat.

The Ark is ours!



It must be ours!

Wirrn live in space. You don't need the Ark!

You know nothing!

We live in space,
but our breeding colonies are terrestrial.

You could leave and go on.
There's room in the Galaxy for us all.

In the old lands,

senseless herbivores, cattle,

were the hosts for our hatchlings.

Now we shall use the humans
in the Cryogenic Chamber.

We shall be informed with all human knowledge.

In one generation,

the Wirrn will become
an advanced, technological species.

We shall have power!

That proposition is genetically impossible!

I already have all Dune's knowledge!

High-energy physics, quantum mechanics...

Every ramate in the next hatching of Wirrn

will possess the sum of your race's learning.

That is why you must die!

Time to leave.

Leave the Ark, Vira,

or die with the rest of your race!

Something must've happened to them.

- If we go out, it may happen to us!
- I think we should investigate.

There are no lights. I want to see
where I'm putting my feet!

Well, you should worry!

(BANGING)

- Doctor! It's taken you long enough!
- We bumped into Noah.

- Again?
- Yes.

Quite chatty this time. Garrulous, even.

You've got the power on.

No, Commander, I'm using photon energy.
Just enough for the lights.

Well, what did Noah say?

Vamoose or stick around and get killed.

I'm ready to go!

- Doctor?
- Anyone for a jelly baby?

Why don't we all pile in the Tardis?

- No?
- Tardis?

Yes, a sort of spaceship thing
in there. Room for us all.

Vira has no intention of leaving, have you?

- I can't.
- Of course not. So neither can we.

Oh, well...

that settles us.

We can't let the Wirrn eat through
the sleepers as though they were...

- Jelly babies!
- Exactly!

Let them be turned into surrogate humans?

It's the most immoral suggestion!

- How can we stop them?
- High-voltage power.

If we can send enough power
through the Cryogenic Chamber bulkheads...

- Like an electric fence?
- Yes!

The Wirrn would never dare cross it.

But we don't have electrical power
and they control the solar stacks.

We can forget that, then, can't we?

Doctor...

- Unless we can lure them out...
- Wait a minute!

- How can we do that?
- Bait!

Human bait!

If one of us distracts them,
I might be able to get the power on!

- Doctor...
- We're trying to make a plan!

If they have Dune's knowledge,
they'd just turn it back off!

Not if we electrify the switch itself.

You'd need time.
The switch boxes are non-conductive.

Well, we can't do without oxygen indefinitely!

What were you trying to say, Sarah?

I was wondering about
the transport ship Noah mentioned.

- What about it?
- It'll have its own power system!

Four granavox turbines!

It can generate twice the Ark's power!

How can we reach it?

Here's the connecting ramp.

It's less than 100 meters from this control room.

How do we run a cable from the ship
to the Cryogenic Chamber?

If it's in the open, they'll cut it.

- Aren't there conduits?
- Yes,

but they're only about this wide.

We'd need a mechanical cable runner.

Why can't I take that cable through?

- Well, I'm about that wide!
- It's hardly a job for you!

I reckon she might just squeeze through, Doctor.

Good girl, Sarah!

Come on. Hurry. The Wirrn are about to move.

You go to the ship
and I'll start wiring the chamber!

This is the transport ship.

And here's the conduit.

We'll connect one end up here.
You have to drag the other end through.

- Do you think you can manage it?
- I'll have to!

Good luck.

It seems very narrow, Sarah!

Does that lead straight to the Cryogenic Chamber?

No, there are many junctions.

How will she find her way in the dark?

We'll give her a two-way radio.

We have a plan of the conduits. We can guide you.

All right, Commander!

Beautiful!

We could head straight to Earth now!

Nothing could stop us!

You've completed all checks?

Yes...Commander.

Waste no more time. Give the girl the radio.

(WHIRRING)

How are you doing, old girl?

How do you think I'm doing? Twit!

I'm sorry! I thought you were stuck!

Hello, Rogin? Hello?

I've reached another junction,
a sort of Y-fork.

That's good.

You're more than halfway there.

Now, take the right conduit. Do you understand?

Got you.

(GRUNTS OF EFFORT)

Yes. Sarah?

Yes?

The section you're in now runs
right through the infrastructure.

Move as quietly as you can.

(Understood.)

Oh...!

(RATTLING)

Now, it's the second opening
you come to on your left.

- You understand?
- Yes.

Rogin...

is it much further?

No, about another 15 meters.

You're almost there!

Oh, I hope so! Don't think
I can go on much longer...

Yes, you can!

Come along, Sarah! Stick at it!

That's the trouble! I keep getting stuck!

Marvelous thing about old Sarah.
Terrific sense of humor.

(PANTING)

Come on, Sarah! Hurry!

Doctor! Where are you?

Straight ahead!

Look - I'll shine a light.

- Can you see?
- Yes!

Doctor, I can't move!

'Course you can! You've got this far.

No, I'm stuck!

Don't panic, Sarah, don't panic.

Ease round and try again.

I'm jammed!

I can't move at all...!

Stop whining, girl! You're useless!

Oh, Doctor!

''Oh, Doctor!''!
Is that all you can say for yourself?

Stupid, foolish girl!

We should never have relied on you!
I knew you'd let us down!

That's the trouble with girls like you!

You think you're tough,

but when you're really up against it,
you've no guts at all!

Hundreds of lives at stake
and you lie there, blubbing!

You...wait...till I get out!

I can manage! I don't need your help, thank you!

Yes, you do. Yes, you do!

Ow!

Ow!

- Go away!
- You've done marvelously, Sarah!

I'm very proud of you, I really am!

What...?

Conned again! You're a brute!

Me, a brute? Don't be ungrateful!
I was only encouraging you! Come on!

Hello, Rogin?

The Doctor's connecting the cable.

Beautiful. Let me know
when to switch the power through.

Close the door to the access chamber.

Argh!

- Are you ready?
- Yes!

- Switch on now!
- Right!

Not bad for a lash-up!

Has it gone, do you think?

(SQUEAKING)

Reporting to the others.

They'll know where we are now.

(VIRA) Hello, Doctor?

- Are you all right down there?
- For the moment.

You lack confidence?

The Wirnn don't give up that easily.
They need the Ark.

How is it at your end?

There's been no sign of them
in this part of the Ark.

Doctor...

(SQUEAKING)

I think we've got some more visitors.
Don't let the power drop!

(SQUEAKING)

Gone away.

I think so. I can't hear anything now.

Either discretion is the better part of valor or...

Or what?

Or they're planning something.

Yes, but we're safe here, aren't we?

Unless they chew through the floor.

I've left a free-running cable just in case.

The insulation should stand up to it.

Argh!!

(SQUEAKING)

(WHIMPERING)

Cheer up! We're still on our feet!

Those things are so venomous!
They'll never give up!

And neither shall we, Sarah!

What we're protecting here is too precious.

Why have they turned the power back on?

We'll find out soon enough.

(NOAH) Vira? Can you hear me?

She can hear you. What do you want, Noah?

Your resistance is useless.

We control the Ark!

And we control the Cryogenic Chamber!
I repeat - what do you want?

We offer you safe passage from the Ark.

Surrender now and your lives will be spared.

- Not a chance!
- What does Vira say?

She agrees with me, don't you, Vira?

(NOAH)
Let Vira speak! She is the commander!

(DOCTOR) She's busy -
resuscitating more humans.

You lie!

Listen, Noah! Now, hear me.

You're beaten!

The Ark is of no value to you without its humans,

so why not leave us in peace?

Humans require two mass pounds
of oxygen a day

to stay alive, Doctor.

We Wirrn can live for years without fresh oxygen.

If you refuse to surrender,

we shall shut down the oxygen pumps.

And if we surrender?

I have said - you will
be allowed to leave the Ark.

The Wirrn hate all humans.

Once outside, we'd be attacked.

I am the swarm leader.

I guarantee your safety.

The Wirrn will spare your lives...

but leave the sleepers for us!

Noah, listen to me!

If there's any part of you
that's still human,

if you've any memory of the man
you once were,

leave the Ark!
Lead the swarm into space.

That's where the Wirrn belong, Noah.

Not on Earth, not where YOU were born.

Remember the wind and the sun,

the fields,

the blue sky... That's Earth, Noah.

It's for the human race. Don't abandon it.

I have...

no memory...of the Earth.

I say, Rogin, I don't want to be an alarmist,

- but I think I saw something moving!
- You're right!

They're coming up the funnel.

Commander.

Start Starboard 4.

Starboard 4.

(HUMMING)

Running.

- Negative thrust out.
- Neg thrust...

..out.

- Full boost.
- Full boost.

And...check.

(HUMMING INCREASES)

(HISSING)

Close boost.

Close boost.

Close Starboard 4.

And close Starboard 4.

- I bet that singed their whiskers!
- They won't try that again.

- I wonder if Noah...
- Noah?

Not important.

Are you all right over there?

Ahoy there, Doctor! We're fine, thanks.

We heard a rocket engine.

A warning. How are things with you?

All right at the moment.

- Good.
- Keep in touch.

I don't know if it's my imagination,
but it seems to be getting stuffy.

- It's your imagination.
- You'd say that anyway!

They're coming in through the reversion vents!

Look at them! There's a whole army
of them out there!

Doctor, the Wirrn have space-walked
round the Ark

and have broken into our cargo hold.

How many of them are there?

Can't say. It looks like
the entire swarm's attacking.

How long will it take them
to reach your control deck?

A few minutes only. The interior
bulkheads have a low stress factor.

Cut the power! We're coming out!

Power off, Doctor.

Good. Set the controls on automatic
take-off and evacuate the ship!

We'll do as you say, Doctor!

Come on, Sarah, come on! Run! Run!

It's crawling with the brutes!

Are you coming or staying?

Into the Ark as fast as you can!

You too, Sarah!

Harry, you go with the girls!

(SQUEAKING)

Rogin...help me with the synestic locks...

I thought that was your idea!

What are you going to do, Doctor?

Just look after Sarah, Harry!

Leave this to me.

You know what'll happen?

There's no point in us both being
killed by the blast! Get in the Ark!

Don't want trouble
with the space technicians' union!

That's my job!

(SQUEAKING)

(HUMMING)

(HUMMING INCREASES)

[ Skipped item nr. 328 ]

They must both have died instantly.

Come on, Sarah!
He'd have wanted you to be brave.

Doctor!

Where's Rogin?

Rogin's dead. I woke up in a protection hatch.

Oh, Doctor!

- You're safe!
- Yes.

We're all safe now, Sarah,
thanks to Rogin's bravery...

and perhaps something else.

Something else?

Some vestige of human spirit.

Was Noah on our side
and one step ahead of us at the end?

You mean by leading the swarm into the shuttle?

(BEEPING) Look!

Space Station Nerva.

(NOAH) Goodbye, Vira!

[ Skipped item nr. 345 ]

- The shuttle's blown up!
- He must've known that would happen!

Noah deliberately neglected
to set the rocket stabilizers.

More than a vestige of human spirit.

It can all begin now, Vira.

Mankind is safe.

I must get my people back to Earth!

Without the transport ship, I'll have
to rely on the matter transmitter.

- Yes.
- It will be a long operation.

It can only convey three people at a time.

Yes...if it was functioning properly.

The signal's faulty.

Probably the diode receptors.
I'll just beam down and check them.

- To Earth?
- Yes, that's where the trouble is.

Fetch me a coat from the Tardis.

You never know what the solar flares
have done to the weather.

It isn't anything serious?

Probably no more than a spot of corrosion.

Whatever it is, it shouldn't take long to fix.

It'll give me a chance to see
if the planet is fully viable again.

What's keeping them? Sarah?

Coming!

Here's your coat.

I don't remember inviting you two!

Er...no, you didn't. But here we are.

Well, the Brigadier did tell me
to stick with you, Doctor,

and orders is orders!

I hope you don't mind being left.

Well, I won't be alone for long.

Life is returning to the Ark
and soon to the world.

Have a jelly baby, Vira!

Oh...thank you.

Thank you.

Sh!

Whatever you do, tell everybody
about it - and mind the steps!

Oh...! Ow!