Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 7, Episode 15 - The Ambassadors of Death: Episode 4 - full transcript

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Doctor Who Transcript Project

Doctor Who Season 7
The Ambassadors of Death 4 of 7

Original Air Date: 1970/04/11

Will you let go of my arm?
You're hurting me.

I've brought you some company

I thought they told you
to get both of them.

He wouldn't keep the appointment.

She's a scientist.
She can give you a hand.

Doctor Lennox.

Somebody remembers you.

How are our zombie friends?



Surviving, but only just.

I didn't expect
them to be dancing a jig.

- Start making yourself useful.
- What if I don't?

I might just lock you
in there with them.

I've issued Miss Shaw's description
to every police force in the country.

Why? Do you expect
her to be wandering the streets?

No sir, just a formality.

I took the liberty
of examining the things...

found on the bodies of those two men.

They should have gone to Forensics,
sir. Untouched.

No need for that, Forensics can't tell
us anything, we can't see for ourselves.

Look a newspaper cutting
in a foreign language.

Anyone can buy
a foreign newspaper, General.

What about this comb then, with the makers
imprint on it in the same language?



Let me look.

Very remiss of them keeping this.

They could have been planted, sir.

No, the only people who could set up
an organisation of this size,

would be foreign agents
with enormous resources behind them.

And hair combs.

They want to use
the radiated astronauts as a weapon.

I've told you where your astronauts are,
General. They're still in orbit.

That's ridiculous.

Is it? When your Professor Heldorf
had the aliens in his care,

he started to record some sort of radio
communication impulses.

Astronauts do have walky-talkies
in their helmets, you know.

Then,
why didn't Heldorf talk to them?

Yes, well perhaps he was recording the
level of radioactivity in their bodies?

Yes, well I don't think so.

Well,I'm going down to the Space Centre,
use the computer.

I trust your man, Taltalian,
won't hold a gun on me this time.

Doctor, nothing is to be gained
by deciphering these impulses.

Our objective should be
to find the missing astronauts.

General, how many times
must I tell you,

your astronauts are still in orbit.

My objective is to find out what
these aliens are trying to say to us.

What's the K factor?

Fuel, one thousand two hundred,
ninety-seven tons.

No other available source?

Liquid fuel in production
two thousand tons.

Well, that can be speeded up.

The new M3 Variant's highly volatile.

It was not intended
for manned spaceflight.

We'll have to use it.

The lift-off rate
would crush the astronaut.

What about reducing the Gs
by mixing K and M3?

I will compute that.

But you will still have to get
your rocket built.

Well, the minister is putting up
every possible objection.

What do you expect?

This Doctor's theory is ridiculous.

I thought you were supposed
to be helping me,

or do you intend to commit
more sabotage?

I was ordered to do that
by General Carrington.

I have computed the assembly
of the rescue rocket as you asked me.

You're not armed, I hope?

I would not have used that gun

not on a fellow scientist.

Thank you.

I'm much relieved.

- Have they found your assistant?
- No, not yet.

May I have the use
of your computer?

Yes, certainly and I'm sure...

Doctor Taltalian will be only
too pleased to help you.

Er, when you have a moment,
I'd like to see you in the control room,

about the Recovery Capsule.

I'd like to programme
these impulse records, if I may.

What do you hope to learn from them?

Well if I knew,
I wouldn't need a computer, would I?

To make a start,
we must have some idea.

Well, I suspect some sort of pattern.

This could take a long time.

Well, it mustn't Taltalian, it mustn't.

Doctor,
I am not trying to obstruct you.

Excuse me.

Hello, Taltalian here.

Yes.
Who is that?

A moment, please.
It is for you.

Hello, yes?

Yes, it is.

Who is this?

My assistant, Liz Shaw.

They have found her?

No, someone threatening to kill her
if I don't stop interfering.

Well,
let's get back to work shall we?

Two million rads,

dropping to two million,

minus fifty thousand.

Minus five, o, thousand.

You'd better tell Reegan,
we've only got one more canister left.

Well?

Do you want them to die?

You'd better be right.

It's no use, they lock it.

Are you a prisoner?

That's a matter of opinion.

Are you or aren't you?

I can come and go as I please.

But I haven't got anywhere to go.

You were a respected scientist, once.

Grossly underpaid.

Can you help me?

I...

I lost my key somewhere...

for that door up there.

They'll find me in the cubicle,

locked and bolted from the outside,
do you understand?

Yes, of course.
Why don't you come with me?

Where would I go?

These impulses are mathematical formulae
for building an electronic device.

What sort of a electronic device?

Well, I'll have to build
it to find out, won't I?

In defiance of the message
threatening Miss Shaw's life?

Well, how are these people
going to know what I'm doing...

unless somebody tells them?

Who would do that?

You for instance?

You are being most insulting.

And you are being
continually obstructive.

I acted under the orders
of General Carrington.

Did you? Or are you involved with
the people who are really behind this?

What people are you talking about?

The people who kidnapped Miss Shaw
who kidnapped the three astronauts?

Have you told the Brigadier
about your suspicions?

No, not yet.

Why not,
if you are so sure of your facts?

Well, I thought I'd offer
you some sort of alternative

a ruthless investigation
by the Brigadier...

or a few quiet words with me,
and your name kept out of things.

I don't know what you are talking about.

I think you do, Taltalian.

And I'm going to give you a little time
to think it over.

Right,
well, if you'll excuse me,

I must see what can be done
about building this machine.

Think over what I've said.

I shall expect
to hear from you very soon.

Doctor Talt...

- ...alian.
- Get in, Miss Shaw.

I tell you, nobody helped me

that door was left open.

You might have killed poor Lennox,
locking him in with those things.

He should have thought of that
before he joined you.

Get over there and help him.

- Go on.
- Don't touch me you.

And Will, make sure that door
is kept locked.

Did you bring it?

These are the operating instructions.

This is the communication code.
It's quite simple.

A little too simple.

- What does that mean?
- I need to talk to those things.

You have a list of simple signals
and commands

transmit and they will obey.

And if they don't?

You threaten to cut off
their supply of radiation

there is a signal for that too.

And translating their replies?

There's a machine for that?

Yes, in my computer room,
you don't need it.

I'm the one dealing
with these creatures.

You will use these creatures
to carry out a series of raids...

on carefully chosen targets.

You know enough to do your job,
but I have further instructions for you

Have you now?

Your call to the Doctor threatening
the girl's life was stupid.

- It might have slowed him down a little.
- On the contrary,

it merely made him more determined
and suspicious.

- Suspicious of me.
- Too bad.

He has got to be put out of the way,
permanently.

To save your neck?

He is about to discover
how to construct one of those machines.

- Clever.
- And he has got to be stopped.

All right, I'll deal with him.

And since your own skin's in danger,
you can help me.

Taltalian?
Do you have you any proof?

No, not a scrap.

Then, why accuse him?

Something even his computers
don't have

intuition.

I think I rattled him.

Taltalian was acting
under Carrington's orders.

Quinlan explained that.

Yes, I know, I heard him.

- And I didn't believe a word of it.
- Why not?

Well, first they try keeping us
in the dark altogether...

and when that didn't work,

they fall back on
some prepared cover story.

Contagious radiation indeed.

Then what is happening, Doctor?

I don't know.

Perhaps I'll know better...

when I've built this device.

- What's this?
- Advanced electronic equipment.

- I need it at once.
- Right, I'll see to it.

Good
I'll be in my laboratory.

I suppose there's no news?

Miss Shaw?

No, nothing.
We're doing all we can.

Yes, of course.

Thanks for keeping quiet.

Do you think he suspects you helped me?

He suspects everyone.

If at first you don't succeed...

- You won't get another chance.
- We'll see.

How did they get you back?

I ran into an old friend.

I have got to get back.

It's a delicate operation.

It's quite simple.

All you have to do is set the dial
to the time you require.

How long do you need to get
clear of the building?

- Ten minutes, maybe more
- Let's say quarter of an hour.

We can't have you taking risks.

Now, you leave the case as near
to the Doctor as you possibly can.

You slide these catches together,

and that starts the mechanism.

Fifteen minutes later,
no more Doctor.

But, what if he should try to open
the case while I am still away?

The same result, a little earlier.

It's too risky.

It's you he's after.

Very well.

Doctor Taltalian?

Do as you're told and
your troubles will be over.

Every available astronaut
is suddenly not available,

not fit, transferred to other duties,

waiting for security clearance.

Is that all?

All? Well, what good's a rocket
without a pilot?

I'll take the rocket up
for you myself.

Thank you, Doctor,

but I don't think you realise
just what's necessary.

My dear man, I've spent more time in space
than any astronaut on your staff!

Not I'll admit in the rather primitive
contraptions that you use, but...

I'll manage.

- I don't think you realise what's...
- I can also withstand considerably...

more G-force than most people,

even though I do say so myself.

Well if you insist.
You can take the tests.

Tests, simulations,
anything you like.

When that recovery capsule is ready,
I'll take it up.

Hello, Doctor,

I was just coming over to see you.

Well I've saved you a journey,
haven't I?

Do you have the computations for lift-off?

All but the final phase.

Well, let me have them
as soon as possible will you?

I'll see about those tests, Doctor.

Have you, thought over
what I spoke to you about?

- Yes.
- And?

I will tell you everything,
if you will give me a chance to get away.

Very well.

The information I need is in my car,
I will go and fetch it.

You will wait for me here?

Yes, all right.

I think I've got it now

Send "stand up"

Forward.

Send "stop".

There can be no problems
with that thing?

It's simple enough...

even you might be able to
manage it.

We can do without the back-chat,
let me have it.

Taltalian gave
you this thing didn't he?

Never you mind.

That case you gave him.
What was it?

Well, you could say it was
a way of killing two birds...

with one stone.

You seem to have been right
about Taltalian.

A lot of good it did me
and him.

He was obviously trying to plant
a time bomb on you.

- Lucky for you the mechanism was faulty.
- I'm not sure that it was, look at this.

See this is set to zero.

Taltalian must have thought
he had plenty of time to get away,

when in fact this bomb was
set to go off instantaneously.

So whoever gave it to him wanted
to get rid of both of you?

Yes.

Taltalian was a weak link, you know.

I think his employers
wanted him out of the way.

- Another dead-end, then?
- Yeah, I'm afraid so.

Brigadier, look at this.

What's that?

Well, it's something very similar
to the machine, I'm trying to build.

And Taltalian had one all the time.

Well, time's running out.

Cornish is almost ready
to put up that recovery rocket.

You were supposed to stop him, sir.

Don't you think I've tried?

I've tried every possible delay.

You must keep on trying, Sir James.

That Doctor's even volunteered
to pilot the recovery rocket.

He must be stopped.

We could tell him the truth?

No.
We know too little about him.

There may be not alternative.

There's got to be.

If that rocket goes up,
it means disaster for the entire world.

Now don't you worry, sir.
Everything's going fine.

Yes, it's a pity about that.

This Doctor fellow must have nine lives.

Tonight?
Well it's a bit soon.

All right, if I must, I must.

I'll see to it.

Right.

Will, go and get the van.
There's a good fellow

Okay, Mr. Reegan.

You're taking them away?

No, Just a little excursion.

Open the door.

This thing

can it work the other way round,
so they can talk to us?

No, just sends impulses
they seem to understand.

But there could be a machine?

I imagine so.

I think I'll be paying two visits tonight.

Halt!

Halt or I'll fire!

I tell you, it converts radio impulses
into human speech.

The aliens in Heldorf's Laboratory were
trying to communicate with him.

So you were right, they aren't human.

I never believed they were.

Now, if I could only build
the other half of this thing.

We could contact the astronauts
or whatever they are.

Yes, probably- if you were to hurry up
with those parts that I've ordered.

Most of them are coming
from Japan, Doctor.

Yes?

Yes he's here.

Sir James Quinlan.

Hello, yes, Sir James.

Doctor, I'd like to know,
if it's still your intention...

to pilot the recovery rocket?

Most certainly.

I can't persuade you
that you're action would be disastrous?

You might. If you were to tell me
the truth, Sir James

the whole truth.

Then you leave me no choice.

Will you come and see me,
please, me at once?

Very well, Sir James.
Thank you.

He wants me to come and see him.

He says he's going to tell me
the whole truth.

Well, I'm coming with you.

Sir James.