(Ben lies on the ground, nursing a bruise on his head from General Cutler's blow. Polly, kneeling next to Ben, tries nursing his wound. Cutler is preoccupied with the launch of the rocket at Mondas. Dyson and Barclay look on anxiously.)
POLLY: We'll be able to see it in just a few
seconds.
COUNTDOWN VOICE: T-minus 20 seconds... T-minus
15 seconds... T-minus 10 seconds, 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3...
2... 1... Blast off!
(The computer monitor's screen is temporarily obscured by the rocket's afterburn. Suddenly, the afterburn clears and the rocket is revealed not to have taken off.)
POLLY: Ben, we made it! The rocket hasn't gone off, it didn't work! Now we've all got a chance of life!
(The General is enraged. He turns to Ben and Polly.)
GENERAL CUTLER: Your Cybermen friends may have a chance of life, but not you, sailor!
(He looks at the unconscious Doctor.)
GENERAL CUTLER: Nor that old man. Now go get him up
here.
POLLY: But he's ill!
GENERAL CUTLER:
He's gonna get worse. Get him up!
(As he speaks, the Doctor recovers and speaks weakly to Cutler.)
DOCTOR: No need... I'm here.
BEN:
Doctor, you alright?
DOCTOR: Yes, yes, yes...
(to
General Cutler) Your plan is foiled, sir. You cannot fire the
rocket!
GENERAL CUTLER: Listen, you just arrived in time...
get over there.
DOCTOR: I must protest!
GENERAL
CUTLER: Move on over!
(Cutler turns around and sternly addresses Dyson.)
GENERAL CUTLER: Dyson, get through to Zeus 5!
(With the General's attention drawn elsewhere, Polly moves over to the Doctor.)
POLLY: What's happened to you, Doctor?
DOCTOR:
I'm not sure, my dear. Comes from an outside influence. I
guess this old body of mine is wearing a bit thin.
POLLY: What
do you mean "wearing a bit thin"?
DOCTOR: Oh, don't worry
child, don't worry, don't worry... Oh, let's have a look, dear boy,
eh?...
(The Doctor rises to his feet. He, Ben and Polly move over behind General Cutler, who is pointing a pistol at Barclay's head. Barclay sits watching him calmly.)
GENERAL CUTLER: Barclay... that rocket was sabotaged with your
help. Now you're gonna get it off the ground again. I'm gonna give
you one more chance or you're gonna get killed with them.
BARCLAY:
I can't fire this rocket, and neither can you.
GENERAL CUTLER:
How long will it take you to refuel?
BARCLAY: Long
enough!
GENERAL CUTLER: Alright, if that's the way you want to
play it... get up. Get up! Get over there!
(He motions Barclay over to the wall, with the Tardis crew.)
DYSON: I'm getting a signal, sir. From Lieutenant Cutler, sir.
(Lt. Terry Cutler appears on Dyson's monitor. The General moves over to listen to his son.)
TERRY CUTLER: I'm tumbling badly and there's little control
left in the capsule - I must speak fast!
GENERAL CUTLER: Yes,
go ahead, son!
TERRY CUTLER: This new planet, there's
something strange happening.
GENERAL CUTLER: What do you
mean?
TERRY CUTLER: Well it seems to brighten up like a sun
and then darken again.
(The Doctor has been listening, and adds to Terry Cutler's remarks.)
DOCTOR: It cannot absorb much more energy!
(Nearby, a radar technician notices blips on his radar.)
RADAR TECHNICIAN: Sir, Cyberman spaceships on approach
path.
GENERAL CUTLER: Shut up, will you? Go ahead,
son.
(The General is growing increasingly agitated. Lt. Cutler's signal is becoming weaker by the second.)
TERRY CUTLER: Okay... controls going again... energy loss severe... It's like... it's like being on a switchback... I ca- I can't seem to -
(The image on the screen cuts out, and there is a disturbing silence as the static fades away.)
GENERAL CUTLER: Get that signal back!
DYSON:
It's gone... could be a power failure.
(The General starts to show even more signs of panic and strain.)
GENERAL CUTLER: Come on, man! Come on, Dyson, get that
signal!
RADAR TECHNICIAN: Sir, Cyberman ship on descent
now!
BARCLAY: The enemy will landing again.
(For the first time, General Cutler seems to lose control. His face is sweating and his shoulders are slumped forward.)
GENERAL CUTLER: The enemy! The enemy! I'll tell you who the enemy is. You are the enemy!
(He turns to face the Doctor.)
RADAR TECHNICIAN: The Cybermen sir, they must have
landed!
GENERAL CUTLER: You killed my son.
RADAR
TECHNICIAN: But sir, they've landed!
(General Cutler is oblivious to the warnings. He rounds upon Barclay, the Doctor, Ben and Polly with his pistol drawn. All the technicians in the room scatter for cover. Cutler points his gun at the four.)
GENERAL CUTLER: My son is the one person I gave a care about in this whole world, and you killed him. So now I'm going to kill you... and I'll start on you, Doctor!
(The crack of rifle shots is heard from outside the room, followed by the whine of Cyber-weapons. Polly begins to scream. The whine of the Cyber-weapon is heard again. General Cutler spins around to see a Cyberman standing in the doorway! He shoots a bullet into the Cyberman's front armour, only to see it ricochet harmlessly. The cyber-weapon whines again, and this time is followed by silence. There is a horrified look on the General's face, and smoke begins to pour out from his collar. He slumps to the ground, dead. The Cyberman casually walks into the room, followed by two others. The men in the room stand frozen like statues. The Doctor steps forward; immediately the lead Cyberman swings around to face him, weapon levelled.)
KRANG: Silence. Anyone who moves will be killed instantly.
(The Doctor turns and points to Barclay, Ben and Polly.)
DOCTOR: We owe you our lives. That man was going to have us shot.
(He points to the body of General Cutler. Krang, the new Cyberleader, ignores the Doctor and gestures to the guards with his Cyber-weapon. Without hesitation, the guards obey, tossing down their guns and raising their hands. Krang points at the Doctor and his friends.)
KRANG: Go with the others down there.
(The Doctor, Ben, Polly and Barclay join the guards and base technicians.)
BEN: There's gratitude for yer! We save their grotty
planet Mondas for what?
DOCTOR: Shh!
(Krang turns around and looks at the Doctor and Ben.)
KRANG: Saved Mondas? We do not believe you. We
have seen a rocket missile aimed at Mondas.
DOCTOR: That is
so. We prevented it being fired at you. We helped you.
Therefore, I suggest you help us.
BEN: No use talking to these
geezers.
(Krang raises his hand for silence.)
KRANG: And what do you ask in return for
this?
DOCTOR: Your planet is finished. It will
disintegrate. We know why you came here. So why not stay and live
with us in peace, hmm?
KRANG: We will confer. Keep your
places. Anyone who moves will be killed instantly.
(Krang walks over to the other two Cybermen in the room to discuss the proposal.)
BARCLAY: Can we trust them?
BEN: No, of course
we can't.
DOCTOR: We have no chance. We must play for
time. Be quiet!
(The Doctor advances towards Krang.)
DOCTOR: Well sir, what have you decided?
KRANG:
We cannot talk while that missile is aimed at Mondas. It must be
disarmed first.
DOCTOR: A moment, please.
(He turns to Barclay.)
DOCTOR: Are you able to disarm this
rocket?
BARCLAY: Well, yes - but...
DOCTOR: It
will give us the time we need!
BEN: The time for Mondas to
burn out?
DOCTOR: Yes, now quiet!
(to Krang)
We accept your terms. The warhead will be removed from the
rocket.
KRANG: It must be removed to below ground
level.
BARCLAY: Well, there's the Radiation Room. It's
the deepest in the base.
KRANG: That will do. And to
make sure you do this, we will take two hostages.
(He points to Polly.)
KRANG: That girl will go to the spacecraft.
(He then turns to the Doctor.)
KRANG: You will stay here with us.
(to Ben, Dyson and
Barclay) You three must go to the rocket.
DOCTOR:
You must do as they say.
(Ben approahes the Cybermen.)
BEN: Look, if you want a hostage, what about
me?
KRANG: You are needed to help with the
warhead.
BEN: Now look here, you're not taking
Polly!
DOCTOR: Let me handle this, my boy!
BEN:
But Doctor...
DOCTOR: All of you - go with
Barclay.
BARCLAY: But Doctor, I do think
that...
DOCTOR: Go. I think it is
wiser.
BARCLAY: Very well. Come on Dyson.
(The Doctor walks towards the Cybermen and addresses Krang.)
DOCTOR: You give me your word this young girl will be returned
to me when that bomb is safely stored away?
KRANG:
Yes.
DOCTOR: Very well, child, off you go. And don't
forget your coat, I don't want you to get cold!
(One of the Cybermen leaves the Tracking Room with Polly.)