More deleted scenes, this time
from
Doctor Who: The Space Race,
written in December 2012 – January 2013 and released in October 2013. It’s
still available
here and I previously blogged about it
here and
here. Obviously
these deleted scenes constitute ‘spoilers’ so peruse at your peril.
The following deleted scenes were
just cut from my ‘long’ draft before the first draft that I submitted to script
editor Alan Barnes, so they were removed by me, at nobody’s behest but my own.
I had to be quite ruthless to ensure that each episode was not too long.
Looking at what I cut, there’s a lot of explanation about the spy intrigue that
got simplified. There’s also a lot of stuff with the Doctor and Nikita (later
renamed Larisa) arriving on the moon that got cut. I also restructured the end
of part four so that Mikhail’s death was a bit later on, when Peri and Leonid
are present.
I’m going to present the detailed
sections in their ‘raw’ state, unhelpfully removed from any sort of context. As
you can see, nearly every line gets rewritten and reduced before I even
deliver a ‘first’ draft. The struck-through bits was cut (obviously) while the
underlined bits are additions/replacements.
I shall detail the differences
between the first and second drafts in my next blog.
PART ONE
PERI
Yes, this has really been our lucky night.
FX: DOOR CLOSED
LEONID
You are sure you are both unharmed? What
happened
to you?
DOCTOR
Ah,
our
car,we swerved to avoid another vehicle on the road,
and, well, you can see what happenedguess the rest.
LEONID
There was quite an explosion, I saw.
PERI
Yes, the petrol tank must’ve caught fire or
something. We only just managed to get clear in time.
LEONID
And it was just the two of youno-one else
in the car?
DOCTOR
YesNo,
just the two of us. You said we were expected?
LEONID
Of course. That is why Captain Kozlov
sent me out here, to find you when you did not arrive on schedule.
...
MIKHAIL
She’s not even aware that she’s floating in
deep-space.
DOCTOR
Listen to me. I need you to tell me who you are.
What’s your name?
MARINKA
(VIA
RADIO)
No. Let me out first! Let me out now!
MIKHAIL
She doesn’t seem to be aware that she’s floating in
deep-space.
PERI
Like I said, short-term memory loss resulting from
shock.
MIKHAIL
Or brain damage. If there was a problem with the
life-support, and she was starved of oxygen –
NIKITA
Cerebral hypoxia? It’s a theory, I suppose.
DOCTOR
(USING RADIO) I will let you out. But first I need
you to tell me. Who are you?
MARINKA (VIA RADIO)
Who am I?
DOCTOR
If you’re not Marinka, who are you? What’s your
name?
MARINKA (VIA RADIO)
(INCREASING HYSTERIA) I don’t know. I don’t
know. I don’t know!
...
NIKITA
Right now? But we can’t.
DOCTOR
You must have some way of operating the capsule by
remote control?
NIKITA
Yes, but that’s not the problem. It’s orbital
trajectory has already been calculated.
DOCTOR
Then we’ll just have to calculate a new one, won’t
we?
NIKITA
But even then, the journeyShe’s over
three hundred and fifty thousand kilometres away. It will take at
least three days.
for her to
return home
DOCTOR
Three days. I only hope she can last that long.
...
LEONID
Leonid, please call me Leonid.
PERI
Only if you call me Kristina.
LEONID
How is your work going, if I may ask?
PERI
At the moment there’s not a lot we can do but wait.
LEONID
How long is it before the capsule is due to return?
PERI
Not sure, a few more hours yet.
LEONID
And Miss Talonov, she is well?
PERI
I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to tell you.
Sorry.
LEONID
No, I understand, it is normal. We will have to be
patient.
PERI
Not much else we can be, right now. Can’t even go
outside.
LEONID
Kristina. Your quarters, they are
comfortable?
...
He might take me for a spy? But my
identity papers -
NIKITA
- can be faked. Or stolen.
DOCTOR
I think I’ve proved myself, haven’t I?
NIKITA
To my satisfaction, yes. But not everyone is as
trusting as me.
SCIENTIST
Miss Petrov, Doctor Kalahsnikov – it’s
time.
NIKITA
Thank you. You have the new trajectory?
DOCTOR
I have. More to the point, do you think you’ll be
able to bring the capsule down by radio control?
NIKITA
We don’t have any choice. Alright. Contact Activate
remote guidance system.
...
PERI
What were these suspicions?
ALEXEI
You should have been briefed.
PERI
Unfortunately our briefing papers were in our car
when it caught fire. What suspicions?
ALEXEI
I believed there iswas
someone based
in this centre,the cosmodrome who
has
beenwas passing on our research to a third
party.
...
PERI
She escaped?
ALEXEI
No. Someone Or the enemy agent must
have come for her.
PERI
Her fellow agent had come to rescue her.
ALEXEI
I don’t think so. You see, now that I knew
Valentina was an agent it was only a matter of time. Where could she run, where
could she hide? No. Her fellow agent had come to silence her.
PERI
This Valentina, what wasis
she like?
ALEXEI
ALEXEI
She was little more than a girl.
Aboutis small, attractive, about your age.
PERI
PERI
(REALISING) And she disappeared...
just before I arrivedgot here.
ALEXEI
Yes. That’s why I sent Leonid out, that night. To
find her.
PERI
Then she could still be alive.
ALEXEI
Then you must find her. But something in my heart
tells me she is dead. The last time I saw her, she was in fear for her life,
begging me to stay. But she would not say who she was working with, who she was
afraid of, and I was angry at her betrayal. I only wanted to scare her.
PERI
To make her talk.
...
NIKITA
(VIA
RADIO)
Cutting open capsulehatch seals
now, over.
FX: ALEXEI ENTERSMOVE TO
STEPPE.
MIKHAIL
Captain Korlov, you’re just in time for the
celebrations.
ALEXEI
Celebrations? You mean she’s back?
PERI
And still in one piece.
MIKHAIL
Another great Soviet achievement! The first human
to orbit the moon!
PART TWO
DOCTOR
I think you were right. Somebody did
interfere with the capsule. When it was on the far side of the moon.
NIKITA
But that’s even more ridiculous. And how do you
know this is Laika? It could be any dog, couldn’t it?
DOCTOR
Any dog that went into space and never returned to
Earth?
...
DOCTOR
I think that confirms it. This is Laika.
MARINKA
Yes... I remember that name. Laika.
NIKITA
I don’t believe it, a cosmonaut has been replaced
by a talking dog, from space, and you’re asking it questions like it’s a human
being!
DOCTOR
I can’t think of a better way of getting answers,
can you?
NIKITA
(CALLS OUT) Sergeant Kurakin?
LEONID
(RUNNING TOWARDS THEM) Yes, ma’am?
NIKITA
Have the capsule prepared to be winched back to the
cosmodrome.
LEONID
Yes, ma’am. And Cosmonaut Talanov?
NIKITA
To remain inside the capsule until she’s had a full
medical examination. No-one is to have any contact with her, understand?
LEONID
Yes, ma’am. (RUNS OFF)
FX: IN B/G, LEONID AND SOLDIERS SHOUTING
INSTRUCTIONS.
NIKITA
The fewer people who know about this, the better.
MIKHAIL (VIA RADIO)
Miss Nikita. What’s going on out there, over?
FX: MOVE TO MISSION CONTROL.
...
PERI
Dissection? But if that is Laika, then – [you
can’t]
MIKHAIL
Then let’s hope she’s co-operative. She’s been away
for six years. I’d like to know where’s been all this time.
...
DOCTOR
Yes. It seemsI think it’s
safe to conclude the enemy agent decided to make sure ofmurdered her
in order to guarantee her silence.
PERI
And this enemy agent is who killed Kalashnikov and
Pushkin?
DOCTOR
Yes. If Valentina was Captain Kozlov’s lover, no
doubt she passed on the news that he had informed the KGB of his suspicions.
PERI
And that two KGB agents were on their way posing as
scientists from Moscow.
DOCTOR
And so the enemy agent intercepted them en route,
killed them, dumped Marinka’s body in the car, and then left the bomb so that
no evidence would ever be found.
PERI
And this enemy agent is still somewhere in this
base.
DOCTOR
Yes. They’re probably also responsible for
sabotaging the radio relay to Vostok seven, to try to make sure it never
returned to Earth.
...
DOCTOR
Yes. And the only person who knows we’re not who we
claim to be is the enemy agent who killed the real Kalashnikov and Pushkin.
PERI
Who will probably try and kill us.
DOCTOR
They haven’t yet. No. I think they’re trying to
work out which side we’re on. Whether we are also working for the west.
PERI
And until they can be sure either way, they can’t
break their cover.
...
MIKHAIL (VIA RADIO)
What is your
health status? Over.
DOCTOR
We’re both
fine. You really should stop worrying. Over.
NIKITA
The Doctor
has been keeping me entertained with stories about his work in Moscow. I’m not
convinced they are all true. Over.
DOCTOR
Of all the cheek!
...
ALEXEI
They’veShe has
managed to kill, slaughter some of my best men. Only an idiot would not be
scared.
PERI
But it’s just
a few laboratory animals.
ALEXEI
No. We’ve
been trying to keep it quiet but it’s all the animals, domestic dogs and cats,
even the rats.
PERI
They’ve all
joined with Laika?
ALEXEI
All of them. So
you will understand if I do not wait around.
...
NIKITA
You think
that whatever happened to Vostok Seven will happen to us?
DOCTOR
And you
don’t? It seems almost certain. Unless, of course, Vostok Seven’s life support
failure wasn’t due to outside influence...
...
50. INT.
MISSION CONTROL
MIKHAIL
Five minutes
to radio silence. Over.
NIKITA (VIA RADIO)
All systems
normal. Over.
MIKHAIL
Then, all
going well, we will speak again in forty-five minutes. Over.
NIKITA (VIA RADIO)
All going
well. Over.
...
NIKITA
Then
we will both
die together. I am prepared to die for my country. Are you?
DOCTOR
For your
country? That’s why you’re here. To make sure the Russians don’t find out that
the Americans got to the moon before them. That’s why you sabotaged Vostok
Seven.
NIKITA
That was the
plan. Cosmonaut Talanov killed due to a life support failure, her capsule
burned up on re-entry. Just, and this will become
one more failed mission for the Soviets to hush up.
DOCTOR
And that’s
how I knew
DOCTOR
Of course!
That’s why you had to be sabotaged Vostok seven. To make
sure the enemy agent. Who else would have hadSoviets
didn’t find out about the opportunity to sabotage the
radio link?
NIKITA
I was merely
following orders.
DOCTOR
And killing
Valentina Cherlin, was that following orders too?
NIKITA
Regrettable,
but once Kozlov had discovered her treachery, I couldn’t risk being exposed.
She would have talked eventually, the two KGB interrogators Kozlov sent for
would have made sure of that.
DOCTOR
Kalashnikov
and Pushkin?
NIKITA
Yes. After I
‘rescued’ Cherlin from Kozlov’s apartment, I took her with me to intercept the
two agents. She provided a distraction, allowing me to shoot them both. And
then her.
DOCTOR
Leaving a
bomb behind you to cover your tracks.
NIKITA
So imagine my
surprise when you and “Doctor Pushkin” turned up in mission control. I knew you
weren’t the KGB agents. But who were you working for?
DOCTOR
And have you come to any conclusions?
NIKITA
I think you
are agents of a third party. One of those amateurs from the British
counter-measures group, perhaps. Because if you were American, you
wouldn’t have joined me on this suicide mission. moonbase!
DOCTOR
Suicide
mission? What are you talking about?
PART THREE
NIKITA
I
designed it, I supervised its construction. I think I am capable of landing it. Now, if you
will excuse me.
DOCTOR
Nikita,
listen to me –
FX: SHE
UNDOES STRAPS, STARTS MOVING.
NIKITA
Don’t try
anything. Or I will shoot. And at this range, I cannot miss.
...
56. INT. MISSION
CONTROL.
MIKHAIL
Explain this
to me again. Miss Cherlin was having an affair with Captain Kozlov?
ALEXEI
I’m afraid
so, sir. I... she made me believe she loved me, sir.
MIKHAIL
When in fact
she was just using you to get access to confidential documents?
ALEXEI
Yes, sir.
MIKHAIL
You will be
court-martialled for this in due course, Captain.
PERI
It wasn’t his
fault. If it wasn’t for Alexei, I wouldn’t be here. You see, I’m a KGB
investigator.
MIKHAIL
The KGB?
Impossible. They would have informed me.
PERI
Not while you
were one of the potential suspects. We knew there was an enemy agent in this
base. We just didn’t know who.
MIKHAIL
But now you
believe Miss Cherlin was passing on these documents to Miss Petrov.
PERI
Yes. It all
fits. Miss Petrov has been working to undermine your Vostok mission. She
sabotaged your radio link. She was probably responsible for the capsule’s
life-support failing too.
MIKHAIL
And now she
is in Vostok eight... with your friend, Doctor Kalahsnikov.
PERI
Yes.
57. INT.
CAPSULE.
FX: VIBRATIONS HAVE STOPPED, REPLACED BY LOW-LEVEL
WARBLING AND OCCASIONAL CREAK OF METAL.
NIKITA
(WAKING) What
happened –
DOCTOR
You were knocked out. Not by me, I
hasten to add.
NIKITA
My gun. Where
is it?
DOCTOR
In very small
pieces. Hope you don’t mind, but firearms in enclosed spaces make me nervous.
NIKITA
But we’re
still on a descent orbit. I have to get to the lunar lander!
DOCTOR
There isn’t
any need. Look at the altimeter.
NIKITA
Altitude thirty
kilometres. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight... We’re going to crash!
DOCTOR
I don’t think
so. We’re going down, true
enough. But something is slowing our velocity.
NIKITA
What? But I
burned all the fuel, the retro-rockets are not active.
DOCTOR
No. It’s the result of
some outside influence. A force field of some kind, I should imagine.
NIKITA
What?
DOCTOR
I think that
whatever it was that saved Laika has chosen to save us too. We should be
grateful. If it hadn’t intervened, we’d both be dead.
...
57. INT.
CAPSULE.
FX:
VIBRATIONS HAVE STOPPED, REPLACED BY LOW-LEVEL WARBLING AND OCCASIONAL CREAK OF
METAL.
NIKITAALEXEI
Yes, sir.
MIKHAIL
Marinka
Talanov, Nikita Petrov and Doctor Kalashnikov all died in... an engineering
accident. Have their next of kin informed.
...
59. INT.
CAPSULE.
NIKITA
You think this is the result of... extra
terrestrial influence?
(WAKING) What
happened...?
DOCTOR
You
were knocked out.Well, it’s beyond contemporary human technology. And
we know that Vostok seven was subject to alien interference.
NIKITA
We
do? Because of what happened to Laika?
Not by me, I hasten to add.
NIKITA
My gun. Where
is it?
DOCTOR
Because it
returned at all. You know your physics as well as I do. To prevent the capsule
continuing into deep space, it would have to have made a course correction
whilst on the far side of the moon - just as we didIn very small
pieces. Hope you don’t mind, but firearms in enclosed spaces make me nervous.
FX: BUTTONS
PRESSED.
NIKITA
Cosmonaut
Talanov couldWe’re still on a descent orbit. I have
madeto get to
the correction.lander!
DOCTOR
There’s no
need. Look at the altimeter.
NIKITA
Altitude thirty kilometres.
Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight... We’re going to crash!
No. Because by that point she was already dead. The
life support had failed. You made sure of that.
NIKITA
What is your point, Doctor?
DOCTOR
No. We’re
going down, true enough.My point is, something made
that course correction, and I don’t think it was Laika, do you?
But something is slowing our velocity.
NIKITA
What? But I
burned all the fuel, the retro-rockets can’t fire.
DOCTOR
No.
It’s the result of some outside influence. A force field of some kind, I should
imagine.You mean, whatever performed the surgery on Laika,
also changed the course of the capsule so that it would come back to Earth,
with her on board?
DOCTOR
Precisely. The question is, why?
...
ALEXEI
So Valentina never had any feelings for me.
I was an idiot to imaginebelieve otherwise.
PERI
Oh, no. We all make mistakes, love is like that.
The heart rules the head.
ALEXEI
My feelings for her, though, they were true.
So where is sheValentina now? You have
found her? That’s how you found out about Miss Petrov?
PERI
No. I... located Valentina’s diary, in her
apartment.
ALEXEI
Then where is she?
PERI
Alexei, do you trust me?
ALEXEI
Of course I trust you. You are an agent of the KGB.
PERI
No, but apart from that. Do you trust me?
ALEXEI
Yes. Why?
PERI
Because I’m afraid... . I don’t
know any other way to tell you this. But Valentina is dead. She was
shot. By Miss Petrov.
...
NIKITA
I had no
choice. I couldn’t risk being exposed. She would’ve betrayed me, the two KGB
interrogators would’ve made sure of that.
DOCTOR
Kalashnikov
and Pushkin?
NIKITA
Yes. After I
rescued Valentina from Kozlov’s apartment, I took her with me to intercept the
two agents. She provided a diversion, pretending to be lost out on the steppe,
allowing me to shoot them both.
...
ALEXEI
Who are you?
An American agent?
PERI
No. No, just
a civilian. Here to help. The Doctor, he’s a genuine expert on space things.
And me? Well, I did help find your enemy agent, didn’t I?
ALEXEI
If you did.
What is your real name? Where are you from?
PERI
You don’t
want to know, honestly.
ALEXEI
I wouldn’t
ask if I didn’t want to know.
...
DOCTOR
No. Then there must be another explanation. Maybe
there’s no-one home?
NIKITA
The whole point of the moonbase was that it would
be manned and on permanent alert.
...
DOCTOR
Precisely. Whenair. By rights,
standing here in direct sunlight, we should be being roasted alive. And blinded
by the glare, for that matter.
NIKITA
So this force field, it’s acting as a kind of
filter?
DOCTOR
And insulating us from cosmic rays. At least, I
hope it is. I forgot to pack my umbrella.
NIKITA
To create an environment whereSo
we can walk on the surface of the moon without pressure suits. Where we can
reach down and touch the ground with our own bare hands.
FX: SHE PICKS UP ROCKS, DUST.
DOCTOR
Ah, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.
NIKITA
Ugh. The dust. It’s sticky.
DOCTOR
Yes. It’s positively charged with static
electricity. Like rubbing a balloon. Gets everywhere, I’m afraid. You’ll be
shaking it out of your shoes for weeks.
NIKITA
(FX: BRUSHING HANDS) Great.
DOCTOR
Try not to breathe it in, either. The particles are
very sharp, will do all sorts of nasty damage to your lungs. Like asbestos.
FX: THEY START WALKING.
NIKITA
Right now, I think it would be worth it. To be
standing on the moon. It’s unbelievable. Miraculous.
...
DOCTOR
“Here is no water
but only rock, rock and no water and the cracked earth, ringed by the flat
horizon only.”
NIKITA
Yes. The horizon, it’s so close, and the air’s so
clear, it’s almost as if you could reach out and touch it. And the sky... it’s
black. There aren’t any stars.
DOCTOR
Well, it is the middle of the day, after all. But
there is some colour here.
NIKITA
What, your coat?
DOCTOR
No. Over there, just above that mountain.
NIKITA
(SHE SEES IT) The Earth.
DOCTOR
A precious blue jewel in the endless firmament.
NIKITA
It’s so small. And fragile.
DOCTOR
Yes, rather puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
NIKITA
Makes me think we can’t let the reds destroy it,
yes.
DOCTOR
Thank you. For a brief minute there I had some hope
for the future of mankind. But you had to bring up politics, didn’t you?
...
ALEXEI
Sir. I’ve ordered all guards to check and seal the
entrance points of this building. Every window, every door.
MIKHAIL
Very good, captain. I want this place locked down.
And if those animals try anything, I want them repelled with lethal force.
ALEXEI
Yes, sir. I’ve also positioned some men on the
roof, sir, to act as look-outs.
MIKHAIL
Excellent. And as soon as it’s daylight, they’ll be
able to pick them off.
...
DOCTOR
Don’t think I didn’t notice the rocket silos.
NIKITA
This moonbase gives the united states second strike
capability, to retaliate in the event of a soviet attack.
DOCTOR
And assure mutual destruction. Humanity? You take
your first steps on another world and what do you do? You embroil it in another
of your... petty ideological disputes!
...
73. INT.
OBSERVATION ROOM.
FX: PERI AND LEONID ENTER, CLOSE DOOR. ANIMALS CAN
BE HEARD SHREAKING, HOWLING ETC.
PERI
Well at least now we know what they’ve done with
all the people they killed.
LEONID
Bozhe moi. They’re laying them out on tables
like... they’re preparing them for some sort of medical operation.
PERI
I think that’s exactly what they’re doing.
LEONID
What are you talking about?
PERI
They don’t need people for food. They need them for
spare parts.
LEONID
Careful, Peri. Don’t get too close to the glass –
FX: ANIMAL AGITATION INCREASES.
LEONID
Oh no. It’s too late. They’ve seen us.
PERI
We have to get out of here.
LEONID
There’s only one way out, back down the stairs.
FX: HE OPENS DOOR. ANIMALS BARKING, HOWLING,
SPITTING. HE SLAMS DOOR SHUT AND LOCKS IT.
PERI
And I think they know that.
FX: SCRABBLING ON OTHER SIDEREACH BOTTOM
OF DOOR,
THEN CRASHING.
LEONID
I’m not sure how long this door will hold them.
PERI
Then help me shift this table, these chairs. We
need to build a barricade.
74. INT.
MOONBASE.
FX: A LOWER LEVEL, TUNNELS, WALKING ON STONE. HUM
OF POWER.
DOCTOR
I have to say, despite everything, this is an
astonishing achievement. Some of the technology here wouldn’t look out of place
in the mid nineteen-eighties.
NIKITA
All patented by the military and confidential. I
expect they’ll let some of the advances leak out for domestic use when they’ve
moved on to other things.
...
84. INT.
MISSION CONTROL.
FX: DOOR OPENS, PERI AND LEONID ENTER.
MIKHAIL
Sergeant Kurakin – what’s going on?
LEONID
The animals attacked, sir. Laboratory rats. They
wiped out almost all our men, and Captain Kozlov.
PERI
We were lucky to get away at all.
MIKHAIL
And where are the animals now? Did they follow you?
PERI
No, they in the laboratory. I think they’re using
that as some sort of base...
...
NIKITA
You think you’ll be able to pilot us back to Earth?
DOCTOR
I don’t see why not. I’ll certainly be able to get
us as far as the Earth side of the moon so we can make radio contact. I expect
they’re all quite worried about us.
NIKITA
You don’t intend to tell them about the moonbase?
DOCTOR
No, Miss Petrov. Your secret is safe with me.
PART FOUR
NIKITA
So
when we return to Earth, the KGB can have me executed.
DOCTOR
I don’t think
so. This is a major diplomatic incident which makes you a very valuable
bargaining chip. They’ll keep you alive. Which you won’t be, if you don’t break
your cover.
NIKITA
That’s my choice? Either I betray myself or I die?
...
NIKITA (VIA RADIO)
You don’t
understand, it will be interpreted as an act of war.
PATERSON
I understand
only too well. But I guess that ship sailed when you sent your cosmonauts to
steal one of our rockets.
NIKITA (VIA RADIO)
I
am not working for the Soviets. I am agent Topaz working for the US Defence
Intelligence Agency.
PATERSON
What?
Lieutenant – [check this]
ANDREWS
Yes, sir.
NIKITA (VIA RADIO)
I am a US
citizen with a Soviet cosmonaut as my prisoner.
DOCTOR (VIA RADIO)
Yes, she’s
telling the truth!
...
FX: ANIMALS IN B/G, CLICKING AND CHECKING
GUNS.
LAIKA
You have explainedAll the principles of
the weapon to the others?
ALEXEI
I have, comrade Laika.
LAIKA
And all the rhesus monkeys are now
armed?
ALEXEI
They are, and spare ammunition has been
gatheredcomrade Laika.
...
LEONID
Heading there now, sir. One thing. We think we spotted
Laika, sir, running away from the Cosmodrome.
MIKHAIL (VIA RADIO)
What? Where was she going? Over.
LEONID
Not sure, sir. Too dark. Do you want us to
investigate? Over.
MIKHAIL (VIA RADIO)
No, continue to capsule. Out.
...
102.
EXT.
STREET.
FX: LAIKA RUNNING THROUGH SNOW.
ALEXEI
Laika, where are we going?
LAIKA
To take our revenge on humankind.
FX: TANNOY ON.
MIKHAIL (VIA TANNOY)
Attention. All residents. There is a rabid dog on
the loose within the town. Any sighting is to be reported immediately. Do not
approach the animal. You are to remain indoors for your own safety.
FX: TANNOY OFF.
LAIKA
For their own safety? The human general has
condemned them all to death!
...
104.
INT. JEEP.
FX: IN TRANSIT.
DOCTOR
General Leonov You had all the
animals gassed? Not sure I approve, seems a little extreme.With C O two?
LEONID
You weren’t there, Doctor, weWe
didn’t have much choice, Doctor. It was us or them.
DOCTOR
I’m more worried about how it might look.
PERI
Look? To who?
NIKITA
It turns out the human race has been found wanting.
DOCTOR
But the animals arethey’re
still alive? Albeit in, that’s the land of nod?
PERI
Most of them. But we saw Laika get away, there
might be others.
DOCTOR
Laika is still on the loose? What a resourcefulmain
thing
she is.
PERI
Doctor, she’s killed people. Innocent people.
DOCTOR
Yes. I know. She might’ve been given intelligence,
but at heart she’s still a wild animal.
PERI
Doctor, you haven’t said, what you found on the far
side of the moon?
DOCTOR
Well, it’s quite a long story –
...
106. INT.
SILO.
FX: FOOTSTEPS ON METAL GANTRY, A HUGE CHAMBER WITH
LOTS OF ECHO.
MIKHAIL
(CALLING OUT) Alright, Laika. I know you’re in here
somewhere... No point in hiding, there’s a good dog.
LAIKA (DISTANT)
(CALLING OUT) You are the one who placed me in the
rocket. You condemned me to death.
MIKHAIL
At the time, you were just a dumb animal.
LAIKA (DISTANT)
(CALLING OUT) I was so alone. So afraid. You left
me in pain. Tortured me. And my comrades.
MIKHAIL
Your comrades?
FX: GUN CLICKS.
ALEXEI (NEARBY)
Remember me, General?
107. INT.
CORRIDOR.
FX: DOCTOR AND NIKITA RUNNING UP TO US.
NIKITA
Doctor, what are we doing here?
DOCTOR
I promised the probe that we’d demonstrate that
humanity is capable of looking after its fellow species.
NIKITA
So... the gassed animals?!
FX: THE GASSED ANIMALS ARE STIRRING.
DOCTOR
Yes. Fortunately they’re all still alive, by the
look of it.
NIKITA
And coming around. The C O 2 must be clearing.
DOCTOR
(RUNS) Then we don’t have much time.
NIKITA
(RUNS) Much
time to what?
DOCTOR
(RUNS) Dinner! Come on!
108. INT.
SILO.
MIKHAIL
A rhesus monkey. With the voice of Captain Kozlov.
ALEXEI
Do not move, general. Or I will shoot.
MIKHAIL
And it’s carrying a rifle! (CALLING OUT) Laika! You
have me at your mercy. Let me help you. Tell me what you want.
LAIKA (CLOSER)
What I want, General, is justice. For myself and my
comrades.
MIKHAIL
Justice?
LAIKA
To make sure that no others will suffer as I have
suffered. To end the work that is done here. The
experimentation. The creation of weapons like these.
MIKHAIL
(REALISES) The warheads. You’re going to trying to
set off one of the nuclear warheads.
LAIKA
Humankind will die, by its own hand.
MIKHAIL
You’re psychotic. Insane.
LAIKA (CLOSER)
Just how you made me, General. Look at me. Look at
what you created!
MIKHAIL
Oh, I’ll do more than look –
FX: GUN COCKED – AND ALEXEI FIRES HIS RIFLE.
MIKHAIL (KILLED)
LAIKI (WOUNDED)
ALEXEI
Laika, are you alright?
LAIKA
(IN PAIN) Do not worry. It is... just a flesh
wound.
ALEXEI
The human is dead?
LAIKA
Yes, comrade. You gave him a swift and painless
execution. A kindness he never offered us. We will give the rest of humankind
an equally humane death.
...
NIKITA
Where are we going? Not that... wooden box.
DOCTOR
That’s exactly where we’re going.
NIKITA
But there must be a hundred dogs, cats and monkeys
on our tail, there’ll never be enough room for them.
FX: CAR DOOR OPENS.
DOCTOR
Oh, you’d be surprised. Believe me.
FX: DOCTOR JUMPS OUT.
...
DOCTOR
That is one option, yes. But I have a
better idea. Keep the animals out of my way, could you? I need
to concentrate....
PERI
Fine, Doctor.
NIKITA
This thing... it’s a spaceship.
DOCTOR
You think I am unaware of that fact?
NIKITA
But if you had a spaceship, why did we take a
rocket to the moon?
PERI
One of the circuits broke down. The TARDIS is not
exactly what you’d call reliable.
DOCTOR
But now fully restored to working order.
FX: TARDIS BEGINS TO LAND.
