Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 7, Episode 13 - The Ambassadors of Death: Episode 2 - full transcript
UNIT retrieve the returned Recovery 7 but then Carrington hijacks it while the Doctor and Liz try to decode the signal he sent.
Subtitles:
Doctor Who Transcript Project
Doctor Who Season 7
The Ambassadors of Death 2 of 7
Original Air Date: 1970/03/28
Let's see what he's got to say
for himself this time.
I want that tape.
Do you realise the importance of it?
Rather more than you, Doctor.
So, you understood the message?
Hand it over.
What are you going to do with it?
Doctor, give me that tape.
Since you insist.
This is no time for conjuring tricks.
Put up your hands up.
- Where is that tape?
- Perhaps he sent it into the future?
Doctor,
are you trying to force me to shoot you?
- Doctor I think you...
- Careful Brigadier, he's frightened.
You, over here.
Come here.
- No! You're hurting.
- Be quiet.
Don't try to follow me.
- I'll go after him...
- Yes.
- Guards.
- Are you all right?
Taltalian?
I think we can safely leave him
to the Brigadier and his men.
What did you do with the tape?
- What?
- The tape.
- The tape.
- Yeah.
Well, here it is here
You didn't send it into the future,
did you?
No, no, no. No, that was simply
transmigration of object.
There's a great deal of difference
between that and pure science, you know.
Now then,
what about decoding this tape?
Let me see now.
Well, that'll be the
analogue digital converter.
Yes, yeah, that's just
what I was looking for.
Let me.
Thank you.
Got away.
This place is like a rabbit warren.
I've set up a search.
Brigadier,
what did you find at the warehouse?
- A transmitter.
- And?
We took several prisoners.
One of them knows a great deal
more than he's saying.
Well, I'd like to have a talk with him.
- All right, Corporal.
- Sir.
Well, have you decided to talk yet?
Why didn't you shoot me
when you had the chance?
Why don't you sit down, old chap?
Now, you were under orders not to
harm the Brigadier, weren't you?
Who gave you those orders?
- I can't answer any questions.
- Anything found on him?
- No, his pockets were empty.
- Clothes?
The sort of thing
you can buy anywhere,
but all the labels were cut out.
Mmm, you've been
very thorough, haven't you?
You're in very serious trouble,
you know?
I can hold you here on security charges
for a very long time.
Don't you realise that the men...
you are working with were seriously
interfering with our space project,
and thereby endangering
the lives of three astronauts.
Look, I want answers from you,
and I'm going to get them.
Brigadier,
you're wasting your time.
Come on.
- This man knows something.
- Yes, but he's not going to tell us...
and I think we've got
more important things to do.
All right.
Corporal.
Looking after you all right, are they?
Had a cup of tea?
- Yes, thanks.
- That's good.
Stand to attention, when you're talking
to me and call me sir.
Sir.
Just as I thought.
Sergeant aren't you?
A soldier.
Are you a deserter?
No, no, he's acting under orders.
- Sir, this just came.
- Thank you.
Doctor.
There has been
another extraordinary development...
in the mystery of Mars Probe 7.
The two space capsules,
Mars Probe 7 and Recovery 7,
which have been locked together
in radio silence, have now separated.
But there is still no communication
from Charles Van Lyden...
nor from astronauts
Michaels and Lefee.
Still no word from them?
Nothing.
Space control to Recovery 7,
do you read me?
Tracking report: Capsules now
approximately seven miles apart.
Eleven minutes from scheduled
re-entry burn.
I wish I had your confidence.
Tracking report:
Distance between capsule widening
Nine miles.
Thirteen miles.
Twenty-five miles.
It's started.
Ten minutes too soon.
What's he think he's doing?
Well, that's it for an hour.
I'd better go and see how Liz
is getting on with the decoding.
Don't you want to see what happens?
No if they're going to attempt a re-entry
they must make at least one Earth's orbit.
I'll be back in time for re-entry
are you coming?
No, I'll run a security trace
on our prisoner.
Tracking report:
Recovery 7 speed now
18 thousand miles per hour and increasing.
Capsule will leave our radar range
within three minutes.
Closing to two-point-nine five.
Notify global tracking stations,
fix an open communications circuit.
I want that capsule tracked
every second.
Yes, there's no pattern to it at all.
It's nonsense.
Perhaps because
we're feeding it nonsense.
Maybe that sound from the capsule
was just freak static.
Yes.
- I wonder...
- Wonder what?
Maybe there's
a computer malfunction.
That's impossible
there's a self-checking mechanism.
Well even that could go wrong.
I'll feed it a standard test programme.
Never mind all that,
ask it what two and two make.
What?
- Liz, ask it.
- All right.
This is ridiculous,
I checked that machine this morning.
How long have you known
Doctor Taltalian?
Well, I've been his chief assistant
for two years.
- I still can't believe all this.
- It says two and two make five.
It's typical
I never did trust those stupid things.
No, no,
this isn't just malfunction.
Taltalian must have sabotaged it.
Reappearance time
this hemisphere ten seconds.
Tracking report
from Massachusetts:
Height, one hundred miles.
Speed, twenty thousand and reducing.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Zero.
Capsule now in our tracking range
and control range.
Main control,
start transmitting,
now.
We have contact,
we have contact.
Transmitters on, now.
It's not responding.
Repeat transmission,
boost power.
Repeat transmission,
now.
It's no good.
Tracking report:
Height, ninety miles and reducing.
Speed,
twenty thousand and holding.
It'll burn up.
It's responding.
Recommence transmission
and maintain.
Recommencing transmission, now.
Fire retro jets five seconds.
Retro jets, five seconds, now.
We have radar contact on screen now.
Tracking report:
Height, Eighty-five miles, still reducing.
Speed eighteen thousand
reducing to...
seventeen thousand.
Sixteen thousand.
Well, after what was a pretty
rough re-entry by...
present day standards, astronauts
Van Lyden, Michaels and Lefee...
will soon be experiencing
the buffeting of Earth's atmosphere,
when their huge parachutes lower them
on the last few miles of their descent.
Under normal circumstances with two
or three Earth orbits as a run up,
Controller Cornish could bring them
to within one hundred yards...
of their scheduled landing place.
As it is, all we know is
that the space capsule is about...
to land somewhere
in the south of England.
Drop speed now thirty miles
and reducing.
Capsule drifting sou-sou-west
two degrees.
Rate of drift: Three knots.
Ground level preparations completed?
The area will be cordoned off
as soon as it lands.
Civil air routes warned?
Airlines cleared?
All planes have been diverted.
Drop speed now
twenty-two miles per hour...
reducing to eighteen.
Height one mile.
Drift rate: Three knots.
Contact lost,
contact lost.
Something wrong?
No, no. No, they always lose radar
contact in the last few seconds.
We've made it.
Well done, old chap, well done.
Yes congratulations controller,
wonderful job.
If they're alive.
Hello, Recovery 7,
do you read me?
This is Cornish.
You are safe and landed.
Open the hatch.
Hello, Recovery 7, do you read me?
It's no use.
Must be unconscious.
Better try opening it ourselves.
It's impossible.
- Either the mechanisms jammed or...
- They've locked it from the inside.
Then, we'll have to cut it open.
It's too dangerous for the astronauts.
Then what are we going to do.
Take it back to the space centre?
Right.
Quick, the RT UNIT's Frequency.
Brigadier to UNIT control.
Brigadier to UNIT Control.
UNIT Control, I want a route cleared
from here to the Space Centre.
Outriders top priority.
Sir.
Excellent, couldn't be better.
By the time you get the capsule back to the
space centre, I'll have everything ready.
I'll go with the capsule.
See you at the space centre.
All right.
If you make it.
I'll go with you.
Keep to the prepared route
and clear the away ahead of us.
You bring up the rear.
- Get out of the way, please.
- I'm afraid I can't.
Will you please get out of the way, sir?
We're carrying a very important cargo.
Yes, if you want me to get out of the way,
I'm afraid you'll have to help me.
Old Bessie seems to have stopped.
Ready?
I'll let the brake off.
Right, push.
Thank you very much.
Don't worry,
it'll switch itself off,
eventually.
- Helicopter and smoke bombs.
- Yes, they were very well organised.
We lost the capsule
and the Doctor's vanished.
How on earth?
I brought it here.
Doctor.
Thank heavens you're all right.
We found the car,
thought they'd got you.
Didn't you find two angry men
stuck to my car?
No, just the car.
Can't have got
that force field strong enough yet.
Cornish?
Yes.
- Doctor, it's for you.
- Thank you.
Hello?
Yes, Liz.
Yes, right.
I'll be down straight away.
I'll tell you all about it later.
Liz thinks she's on to something.
Will you be able to make contact?
I'm not sure.
The equipment's being connected now.
If you're right, Liz.
This is a definite attempt
at pictographic communication.
Could be just random patterns?
What with this symbol repeated twice?
And this one repeated four times?
Oh no.
Who in the world would want
to send a message in this form?
No one on this world,
but an alien intelligence
so different,
this is the only way
they can communicate.
Doctor, you don't think...
I think that it's high time the Brigadier
and I had a talk to the top man.
Dobson here.
They've started to crack the code.
- Exactly what are you suggesting?
- I should have thought that was obvious.
Every step we take,
someone's ahead of us.
Yes, Doctor Taltalian for instance,
I've got his file here.
Checked and double checked like
everyone else working on this project.
And yet,
he sabotages his own computer,
draws a gun on the Doctor
and then runs away like a criminal.
Well, it's extraordinary.
I've known Bruno Taltalian for years.
Look, that is quite beside the point.
The question is: Who else is involved?
I can see your reasons for concern,
but you have got the capsule back now.
Yes,
we've got the capsule back all right,
and it's safely installed
at the Space Centre.
But the astronauts
still refuse to come out.
Well, I shall initiate a top-level
investigation immediately, Brigadier.
- With respect...
- Now, I'm sure...
you'll want to get back
to the Space Centre.
Is that all you've got to say,
Sir James?
Sweep it all under the carpet, eh?
Come on, Doctor.
- I'll keep you informed sir.
- I should be most grateful, Brigadier.
Thank you, gentlemen.
All right.
Won't you sit down?
Recovery 7, do you read me?
Any response yet?
Nothing.
Recovery 7, do you read me?
Well, I suggest we cut it open.
I've got men
with thermal lances standing by.
I think I'm getting something.
They have got the capsule,
what went wrong?
I don't know yet.
They've started
to crack the code, too.
- What are you going to do about UNIT?
- It's already been dealt with.
They've got quite a surprise coming.
Hello, Recovery 7, do you read me?
Hello Recovery 7, do you read me?
Hello, Space Control.
This is Recovery 7.
Will you clear us for re-entry?
Charlie.
This is Ralph Cornish.
You are back at Space Control.
Open the capsule.
We are not cleared for re-entry.
Charlie? You are back
at Space Control. What's wrong?
Open the hatch.
Hello, Space Control,
this is Recovery 7.
Will you clear us for re-entry?
Let me try.
Hello, Van Lyden?
What is the capital of Australia?
We are not cleared for re-entry.
- How many beans make five?
- Hello, Space control, this is Recovery 7.
Will you clear us for re-entry?
- Van Lyden!
- We are not cleared for re-entry.
Right, cut it open.
Doctor Who Transcript Project
Doctor Who Season 7
The Ambassadors of Death 2 of 7
Original Air Date: 1970/03/28
Let's see what he's got to say
for himself this time.
I want that tape.
Do you realise the importance of it?
Rather more than you, Doctor.
So, you understood the message?
Hand it over.
What are you going to do with it?
Doctor, give me that tape.
Since you insist.
This is no time for conjuring tricks.
Put up your hands up.
- Where is that tape?
- Perhaps he sent it into the future?
Doctor,
are you trying to force me to shoot you?
- Doctor I think you...
- Careful Brigadier, he's frightened.
You, over here.
Come here.
- No! You're hurting.
- Be quiet.
Don't try to follow me.
- I'll go after him...
- Yes.
- Guards.
- Are you all right?
Taltalian?
I think we can safely leave him
to the Brigadier and his men.
What did you do with the tape?
- What?
- The tape.
- The tape.
- Yeah.
Well, here it is here
You didn't send it into the future,
did you?
No, no, no. No, that was simply
transmigration of object.
There's a great deal of difference
between that and pure science, you know.
Now then,
what about decoding this tape?
Let me see now.
Well, that'll be the
analogue digital converter.
Yes, yeah, that's just
what I was looking for.
Let me.
Thank you.
Got away.
This place is like a rabbit warren.
I've set up a search.
Brigadier,
what did you find at the warehouse?
- A transmitter.
- And?
We took several prisoners.
One of them knows a great deal
more than he's saying.
Well, I'd like to have a talk with him.
- All right, Corporal.
- Sir.
Well, have you decided to talk yet?
Why didn't you shoot me
when you had the chance?
Why don't you sit down, old chap?
Now, you were under orders not to
harm the Brigadier, weren't you?
Who gave you those orders?
- I can't answer any questions.
- Anything found on him?
- No, his pockets were empty.
- Clothes?
The sort of thing
you can buy anywhere,
but all the labels were cut out.
Mmm, you've been
very thorough, haven't you?
You're in very serious trouble,
you know?
I can hold you here on security charges
for a very long time.
Don't you realise that the men...
you are working with were seriously
interfering with our space project,
and thereby endangering
the lives of three astronauts.
Look, I want answers from you,
and I'm going to get them.
Brigadier,
you're wasting your time.
Come on.
- This man knows something.
- Yes, but he's not going to tell us...
and I think we've got
more important things to do.
All right.
Corporal.
Looking after you all right, are they?
Had a cup of tea?
- Yes, thanks.
- That's good.
Stand to attention, when you're talking
to me and call me sir.
Sir.
Just as I thought.
Sergeant aren't you?
A soldier.
Are you a deserter?
No, no, he's acting under orders.
- Sir, this just came.
- Thank you.
Doctor.
There has been
another extraordinary development...
in the mystery of Mars Probe 7.
The two space capsules,
Mars Probe 7 and Recovery 7,
which have been locked together
in radio silence, have now separated.
But there is still no communication
from Charles Van Lyden...
nor from astronauts
Michaels and Lefee.
Still no word from them?
Nothing.
Space control to Recovery 7,
do you read me?
Tracking report: Capsules now
approximately seven miles apart.
Eleven minutes from scheduled
re-entry burn.
I wish I had your confidence.
Tracking report:
Distance between capsule widening
Nine miles.
Thirteen miles.
Twenty-five miles.
It's started.
Ten minutes too soon.
What's he think he's doing?
Well, that's it for an hour.
I'd better go and see how Liz
is getting on with the decoding.
Don't you want to see what happens?
No if they're going to attempt a re-entry
they must make at least one Earth's orbit.
I'll be back in time for re-entry
are you coming?
No, I'll run a security trace
on our prisoner.
Tracking report:
Recovery 7 speed now
18 thousand miles per hour and increasing.
Capsule will leave our radar range
within three minutes.
Closing to two-point-nine five.
Notify global tracking stations,
fix an open communications circuit.
I want that capsule tracked
every second.
Yes, there's no pattern to it at all.
It's nonsense.
Perhaps because
we're feeding it nonsense.
Maybe that sound from the capsule
was just freak static.
Yes.
- I wonder...
- Wonder what?
Maybe there's
a computer malfunction.
That's impossible
there's a self-checking mechanism.
Well even that could go wrong.
I'll feed it a standard test programme.
Never mind all that,
ask it what two and two make.
What?
- Liz, ask it.
- All right.
This is ridiculous,
I checked that machine this morning.
How long have you known
Doctor Taltalian?
Well, I've been his chief assistant
for two years.
- I still can't believe all this.
- It says two and two make five.
It's typical
I never did trust those stupid things.
No, no,
this isn't just malfunction.
Taltalian must have sabotaged it.
Reappearance time
this hemisphere ten seconds.
Tracking report
from Massachusetts:
Height, one hundred miles.
Speed, twenty thousand and reducing.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Zero.
Capsule now in our tracking range
and control range.
Main control,
start transmitting,
now.
We have contact,
we have contact.
Transmitters on, now.
It's not responding.
Repeat transmission,
boost power.
Repeat transmission,
now.
It's no good.
Tracking report:
Height, ninety miles and reducing.
Speed,
twenty thousand and holding.
It'll burn up.
It's responding.
Recommence transmission
and maintain.
Recommencing transmission, now.
Fire retro jets five seconds.
Retro jets, five seconds, now.
We have radar contact on screen now.
Tracking report:
Height, Eighty-five miles, still reducing.
Speed eighteen thousand
reducing to...
seventeen thousand.
Sixteen thousand.
Well, after what was a pretty
rough re-entry by...
present day standards, astronauts
Van Lyden, Michaels and Lefee...
will soon be experiencing
the buffeting of Earth's atmosphere,
when their huge parachutes lower them
on the last few miles of their descent.
Under normal circumstances with two
or three Earth orbits as a run up,
Controller Cornish could bring them
to within one hundred yards...
of their scheduled landing place.
As it is, all we know is
that the space capsule is about...
to land somewhere
in the south of England.
Drop speed now thirty miles
and reducing.
Capsule drifting sou-sou-west
two degrees.
Rate of drift: Three knots.
Ground level preparations completed?
The area will be cordoned off
as soon as it lands.
Civil air routes warned?
Airlines cleared?
All planes have been diverted.
Drop speed now
twenty-two miles per hour...
reducing to eighteen.
Height one mile.
Drift rate: Three knots.
Contact lost,
contact lost.
Something wrong?
No, no. No, they always lose radar
contact in the last few seconds.
We've made it.
Well done, old chap, well done.
Yes congratulations controller,
wonderful job.
If they're alive.
Hello, Recovery 7,
do you read me?
This is Cornish.
You are safe and landed.
Open the hatch.
Hello, Recovery 7, do you read me?
It's no use.
Must be unconscious.
Better try opening it ourselves.
It's impossible.
- Either the mechanisms jammed or...
- They've locked it from the inside.
Then, we'll have to cut it open.
It's too dangerous for the astronauts.
Then what are we going to do.
Take it back to the space centre?
Right.
Quick, the RT UNIT's Frequency.
Brigadier to UNIT control.
Brigadier to UNIT Control.
UNIT Control, I want a route cleared
from here to the Space Centre.
Outriders top priority.
Sir.
Excellent, couldn't be better.
By the time you get the capsule back to the
space centre, I'll have everything ready.
I'll go with the capsule.
See you at the space centre.
All right.
If you make it.
I'll go with you.
Keep to the prepared route
and clear the away ahead of us.
You bring up the rear.
- Get out of the way, please.
- I'm afraid I can't.
Will you please get out of the way, sir?
We're carrying a very important cargo.
Yes, if you want me to get out of the way,
I'm afraid you'll have to help me.
Old Bessie seems to have stopped.
Ready?
I'll let the brake off.
Right, push.
Thank you very much.
Don't worry,
it'll switch itself off,
eventually.
- Helicopter and smoke bombs.
- Yes, they were very well organised.
We lost the capsule
and the Doctor's vanished.
How on earth?
I brought it here.
Doctor.
Thank heavens you're all right.
We found the car,
thought they'd got you.
Didn't you find two angry men
stuck to my car?
No, just the car.
Can't have got
that force field strong enough yet.
Cornish?
Yes.
- Doctor, it's for you.
- Thank you.
Hello?
Yes, Liz.
Yes, right.
I'll be down straight away.
I'll tell you all about it later.
Liz thinks she's on to something.
Will you be able to make contact?
I'm not sure.
The equipment's being connected now.
If you're right, Liz.
This is a definite attempt
at pictographic communication.
Could be just random patterns?
What with this symbol repeated twice?
And this one repeated four times?
Oh no.
Who in the world would want
to send a message in this form?
No one on this world,
but an alien intelligence
so different,
this is the only way
they can communicate.
Doctor, you don't think...
I think that it's high time the Brigadier
and I had a talk to the top man.
Dobson here.
They've started to crack the code.
- Exactly what are you suggesting?
- I should have thought that was obvious.
Every step we take,
someone's ahead of us.
Yes, Doctor Taltalian for instance,
I've got his file here.
Checked and double checked like
everyone else working on this project.
And yet,
he sabotages his own computer,
draws a gun on the Doctor
and then runs away like a criminal.
Well, it's extraordinary.
I've known Bruno Taltalian for years.
Look, that is quite beside the point.
The question is: Who else is involved?
I can see your reasons for concern,
but you have got the capsule back now.
Yes,
we've got the capsule back all right,
and it's safely installed
at the Space Centre.
But the astronauts
still refuse to come out.
Well, I shall initiate a top-level
investigation immediately, Brigadier.
- With respect...
- Now, I'm sure...
you'll want to get back
to the Space Centre.
Is that all you've got to say,
Sir James?
Sweep it all under the carpet, eh?
Come on, Doctor.
- I'll keep you informed sir.
- I should be most grateful, Brigadier.
Thank you, gentlemen.
All right.
Won't you sit down?
Recovery 7, do you read me?
Any response yet?
Nothing.
Recovery 7, do you read me?
Well, I suggest we cut it open.
I've got men
with thermal lances standing by.
I think I'm getting something.
They have got the capsule,
what went wrong?
I don't know yet.
They've started
to crack the code, too.
- What are you going to do about UNIT?
- It's already been dealt with.
They've got quite a surprise coming.
Hello, Recovery 7, do you read me?
Hello Recovery 7, do you read me?
Hello, Space Control.
This is Recovery 7.
Will you clear us for re-entry?
Charlie.
This is Ralph Cornish.
You are back at Space Control.
Open the capsule.
We are not cleared for re-entry.
Charlie? You are back
at Space Control. What's wrong?
Open the hatch.
Hello, Space Control,
this is Recovery 7.
Will you clear us for re-entry?
Let me try.
Hello, Van Lyden?
What is the capital of Australia?
We are not cleared for re-entry.
- How many beans make five?
- Hello, Space control, this is Recovery 7.
Will you clear us for re-entry?
- Van Lyden!
- We are not cleared for re-entry.
Right, cut it open.