The Robots of Death

Part One

(On a dull and dusty planet, rocks tumble down steep jagged cliffs, disturbed by the action of a giant Sandmining machine travelling along through the area. At the highest point of the machine, we look through a large window into - )

[Control deck]

(There are many humanoid robots walking around, all identical except for their designation plates in the middle of their Chinese style padded tunics.)

V32: Turbulence centre, vector seven. Scan commencing now.

[Crew room]

(This area looks more like it belongs on a luxury liner, with chandeliers, comfy chairs and robots bringing refreshments to the humans.)

CHUB: There was a Voc therapist in Kaldor City, specially programmed, equipped with vibro-digits, subcutaneous stimulators, the lot. You know what happened, Borg?

(He goes over to a man getting a massage from a robot, V16.)

CHUB: Its first client wanted treatment for a stiff elbow. The Voc therapist felt carefully all round the joint and then suddenly just twisted his arm off at the shoulder. Shumf! All over in two seconds.
BORG: I've never heard that. 

(Say Hi to Brian Croucher, the second season Travis in Blakes 7.)

CHUB: Kaldor City.
DASK: What was the reason?
CHUB: Reason? It was haywire. I wouldn't let a robot work on me, not for the zelanite in this ship.
BORG: Shut up, Chub. Thank you, V16.
DASK: A Voc class robot has over a million multi-level constrainers in its circuitry. All of them would have to malfunction before it could perform such an action.
TOOS: That's your trouble, Dask. You take all the magic out of life.

(Say Hi to the lovely Pamela Salem.)

CHUB: They go wrong, my friend. It's been known.
DASK: Only when there's an error in programming. Each case on record
CHUB: This was a case. Tore his arm off.

(David Collings enters.)

POUL: We're turning. Has anyone noticed?
ZILDA: I heard it was a leg.
V9: Mate in eight moves, Commander.
UVANOV: Never!

(And the splendidly versatile Russell Hunter. This story is full of familiar faces.)

V9: I will check, Commander. The computation is confirmed.
UVANOV: Damn!
DASK: They're unbeatable, Commander.

(Uvanov's wrist communicator beeps.)

UVANOV: Commander.
V14 [OC]: V14 tracer, sir.
UVANOV: Yes?

[Control deck]

V14: Storm scale three, range ten point five two, timed three zero six, vector seven one and holding.
UVANOV [OC]: Right, full crew alert, 14. Out.
V14: Full crew alert. Full crew alert.

[Crew room]

UVANOV: Chub, break out an instrument pack.
CHUB: Right, sir.

(The crew stop relaxing and get to their duties.)

BORG: Let's hope this one's worth chasing.
TOOS: Time we had some luck.
V14 [OC]: Full crew alert.

[TARDIS]

(In the wooden console room, Leela is playing with the Doctor's yo-yo, and doing it quite well.)

LEELA: Doctor?
DOCTOR: Hmm?
LEELA: Can I stop now?
DOCTOR: If you want to.
LEELA: It will not affect this?
DOCTOR: Affect this? No, it's a yo-yo. It's a game. I thought you were enjoying it.

(Leela drops the yo-yo.)

LEELA: Enjoying it? You said I had to keep it going up and down. I thought it was part of the magic.
DOCTOR: Magic, Leela? Magic?
LEELA: I know, I know. There's no such thing as magic.
DOCTOR: Exactly. To the rational mind nothing is inexplicable, only unexplained.
LEELA: So, explain to me how this TARDIS is larger on the inside than the out.
DOCTOR: Hmm? All right, I'll show you. It's because insides and outsides are not in the same dimension.

(The Doctor gets two boxes from a cupboard.)

DOCTOR: Which box is larger?
LEELA: That one.

(The Doctor places it on the time console then goes over to Leela with the other.)

DOCTOR: Now which one is larger?
LEELA: That one.
DOCTOR: But it looks smaller.
LEELA: Well, that's because it's further away.
DOCTOR: Exactly. If you could keep that exactly that distance away and have it here, the large one would fit inside the small one.
LEELA: That's silly.
DOCTOR: That's transdimensional engineering, a key Time Lord discovery.

(The TARDIS materialises.)

DOCTOR: This is the exciting bit.
LEELA: What's exciting?
DOCTOR: Seeing what's outside.

(The scanner shows that what's outside are metal walls and a sandy floor.)

DOCTOR: I don't. It's metal. We've landed inside something metal.
LEELA: But how can we? How can the TARDIS be inside something metal?
DOCTOR: One box inside another. I just explained it to you.
LEELA: No, not very clearly.
DOCTOR: Well, it's a rather dull subject anyway. I wonder where we are?
LEELA: You mean you don't know?
DOCTOR: Well, not precisely, no.
LEELA: You mean you can't control this machine?
DOCTOR: Well, of course I can control it. Nine times out of ten. Well, seven times out of ten. Five times. Look. Never mind, let's see where you are.

(Leela picks up the Tesh weapon.)

DOCTOR: You won't need that.
LEELA: How do you know?
DOCTOR: I never carry weapons. If people see you mean them no harm, they never hurt you. Nine times out of ten.

(Leela has her knife drawn as she leaves the TARDIS.)

[Control deck]

(Uvanov and the crew enter, now in full uniform complete with fancy headgear, and take their stations.)

UVANOV: How does it look, Toos?
TOOS: In a moment.
UVANOV: Right tracking?
ZILDA: Clear and running, Commander.
UVANOV: Left tracking?
ZILDA: And running.
TOOS: It's small. Scale three point four, not building.
UVANOV: What have you done with all the big ones?
ZILDA: Range four point one two. Running time three point three zero.
TOOS: That's something, anyway. We won't have to chase this one.
ZILDA: Ground centre zero zero one.
V32: No instrument pack report yet, sir.
UVANOV: Chub. Get after him.
POUL: It's all right, I'll go.
UVANOV: Scientists. How can I run a mine with amateurs.
ZILDA: Chub's all right.
UVANOV: Why? Because he's from one of the founding families?
ZILDA: I didn't mention his family.
UVANOV: One of the Twenty? You know, it's amazing the way you people stick together. No, it's not amazing, it's sickening.
ZILDA: I hope you're watching the traverses, Commander.
UVANOV: Please, don't worry about my job, Zilda. What's she blowing, Toos?
TOOS: The spectrum is muddy. Could be some zelanite, some keefan, traces of lucanol!
UVANOV: Ah, money in the bank. Cheer up, Zilda. I'll make you rich again.

[Storage locker]

(Chub is looking for an weather instrument pack.)

CHUB: Oh. Where in the seven suns is that robot? Robot? Robot?
V45: Yes, sir?
CHUB: Where have you been? Get that instrument package. Well, come on, get a move on. I've got to launch it before the hatches are locked.

(The robot's eyes are glowing red.)

CHUB: Did you hear what I said?
V45: Yes, sir. I heard what you said.

(V45 walks towards Chub, hands outstretched.)

CHUB: Well, get on with it, then. No, look, there, you electronic moron. What are you doing? Look, stop. Stand still. Oh no.

(Chub tries to get away.)

CHUB: No. Get back. Get away from me!

(Out in the corridor, Poul hears a blood-curdling scream.)

[Control deck]

(Uvanov makes a broadcast on his wrist-comm.)

UVANOV: This is the Commander. All checks complete. All systems clear and running. Security robots stand by to commence main hatch-lock sequence now.
TOOS: Range two ten. Running time point four three.
UVANOV: Duty mover, stand by for switch to motive power. Coming right down our throats so we can really suck the pay stream out of this one.
V32: Monitors indicate obstruction on forward scoop deck.
UVANOV: Then get it cleared, V32. Get it cleared.

[Forward scoop deck]

(The Doctor and Leela look at the scoop deck construction.)

LEELA: What is it?
DOCTOR: It's basically hardened alloy. Scored all over. It must come in under great pressure.
LEELA: What must?
DOCTOR: Whatever it is they fill it up with.

(A giant grab reaches down and picks up the TARDIS.)

LEELA: Doctor?
DOCTOR: This is very interesting.
LEELA: Back there. I heard something.
DOCTOR: It comes in here.
LEELA: What does?
DOCTOR: Whatever it is.

[Control deck]

TOOS: Range point eight seven. Running time point one three. Ground centre zero nine three.
UVANOV: It's veering away. Mover, where's that power?
BORG [OC]: It's coming, sir.
UVANOV: So is old age, Borg, and I don't want to spend mine in this desert waiting for you to do your job.
TOOS: Range point three. Running time point zero two. Ground centre nine nine one.
BORG [OC]: Switching to motive units now.

(Poul enters.)

UVANOV: We may just catch the edge, but we're going to have to chase to stay there.
POUL: Commander.
UVANOV: What is it?
POUL: Chub's dead.
ZILDA: Dead!
UVANOV: You sure?
POUL: Of course I'm sure.
UVANOV: All right then, first things first. There's nothing we can do for him now.
POUL: He was murdered!
UVANOV: How do you know?
POUL: Because people don't strangle themselves.
TOOS: Strangled?
POUL: Yes. He's in the forward storage locker.
ZILDA: You have to abort this one.
UVANOV: What, and lose this storm? We're almost on to it.
ZILDA: Poul's talking about murder, Commander.
UVANOV: I'm talking about money!
POUL: You have no choice!
ZILDA: This time.
UVANOV: Close scoops, trim vents. Crew, stand down.

[Forward scoop deck]

(The Doctor and Leela look out through the open scoop shutters onto the planet.)

LEELA: What is it?
DOCTOR: Desert. Either that or the tide's gone out.
LEELA: Where are the trees?
DOCTOR: There's no water, so nothing grows. Nothing at all, by the look of it.
LEELA: It's beautiful.
DOCTOR: Hmm. A bit garish for my taste.
LEELA: What's that white thing on the horizon?
DOCTOR: Hmm? Looks like dust. It's a sandstorm. Come on, let's get out of here. Come on! This is a sandminer. We're in one of the scoops.
LEELA: What does that mean?
DOCTOR: The storm could be travelling at a thousand miles an hour. The sand will cut us to pieces unless we get back to the TARDIS. Come on!

(The storm front arrives as they return to the hopper where the TARDIS landed.)

DOCTOR: We've been robbed!
LEELA: I said I heard something.
DOCTOR: The shutters!
LEELA: What?
DOCTOR: If there are no manual controls, we're dead!

(The shutters close as they reach them.)

LEELA: Somebody must have heard.

[Storage locker]

UVANOV: Was he like this when you found him?
POUL: Just a little fresher.

(Uvanov rolls Chub over and checks for a pulse.)

UVANOV: You said you heard screams.
POUL: Yes.
UVANOV: He was strangled.
POUL: The scream stopped.

(There is a red circular marker on the back of Chub's hand.)

UVANOV: What's this?
POUL: I've no idea.

(Uvanov removes it.)

UVANOV: Crew all assembled?
POUL: They should be by now.
UVANOV: Let's get this thing settled then. The sooner we get this worked out, the sooner we get back to making our quota. Scientists. I never should have let him on board.
POUL: He'd probably agree with you.
UVANOV: Poul!
POUL: Coming, Commander.

[Forward scoop deck]

(They have to shout to hear themselves above the storm outside.)

DOCTOR: There must be a way out.
LEELA: I do not think I like this metal world, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Well, we can't get out of it until we find the TARDIS.
LEELA: Watch it!

(Robot V17 enters with D84.)

[Crew room]

UVANOV: All present?
DASK: Kerril's not here yet.
TOOS: He's on his way. He's in the rear section. But it'll take a while.
UVANOV: Right, we'll make a start, then.
DASK: Right.
UVANOV: Now, you all know that Chub is dead. One of you killed him.
ZILDA: One of us, surely.
UVANOV: That's what I said.
POUL: You did say one of you.
UVANOV: All right then, one of us killed him. The question is, which one?
TOOS: And why?
UVANOV: Well, this is a two year tour. Maybe Chub was just beginning to get on somebody's nerves.
BORG: Me?
ZILDA: He was certainly getting on yours.
UVANOV: Yes, but we all know where I was.
BORG: I was on the power deck.
UVANOV: Was Dask with you?
BORG: Yes.
DASK: Not all the time. I went to check the syncro-relays.
BORG: Now look, I had nothing against Chub. Okay, he talked too much but
ZILDA: Anyway, the time Poul heard the scream.
CASS: Ah, ah, says he heard the scream. Let's keep the point open.
POUL: Why should I lie?
UVANOV: Now you interrupted Zilda. Founding Family people never interrupt each other. Isn't that right, Zilda?
POUL: Someone interrupted Chub with both hands.
UVANOV: Please, Poul. We're all waiting for Zilda.
ZILDA: I was simply going to say the scream could have been arranged.
TOOS: How?
ZILDA: A communicator recording.
UVANOV: What would be the point?
ZILDA: To give somebody an alibi, Commander. You sent Poul to look for Chub. You could have arranged it all.
TOOS: You mean the poor man might have been dead when Poul heard the scream?
UVANOV: Nice try, Zilda. Now, does anybody know what this is?

(The red marker.)

DASK: It's a corpse marker.
UVANOV: What?
DASK: Robot deactivation disc. They use them in the construction centres. If ever we used the stop circuit and turned off all our robots, they'd have to go back to a construction centre for reactivation. On arrival, each would be marked with a disc like that to show it was a deactivated robot. The technicians call them corpse markers. It's a sort of a joke.
POUL: It seems our murderer has a sense of humour.
UVANOV: That was on the back of Chub's hand.
BORG: Not just a murderer, then. Seems like one one of us is a maniac.
CASS: Use your brain, Borg. We would know, wouldn't we?
BORG: But we don't.

(Borg puts the marker on Cass.)

BORG: Do we.

[Control deck]

V14: Storm scale sixteen, range nine point eight. Time, two zero one. Vector seven two and holding.
V32: All right, 14. Full crew alert. All but the human in the rear section are accounted for. Storm mine four is now under complete robot control. Begin the check sequence.

[Cabin]

(V9 leads the Doctor and Leela along a corridor to a crew cabin.)

LEELA: Doctor, how do you know they're not hostile?
DOCTOR: Because robots are programmed to help people, not hurt them. You won't hurt us, will you?
V9: Please wait here.

(V9 leaves and the doors close. Leela goes down the steps to took at items on a table.)

LEELA: What's all this for?
DOCTOR: Mineral extraction. The surface of this planet is a sea of sand

[Outside the cabin]

(V9 is listening at the door.)

DOCTOR [OC]: Probably several miles deep and constantly moving. And I imagine contains valuable metallic elements, otherwise they wouldn't go to all this trouble.

[Cabin]

LEELA: But those creepy mechanical men
DOCTOR: Yes. I have seen a similar sort of thing on Korlano Beta. The mine passes over the surface searching for useful ores. Naturally, the heavier elements tend to sink into the substratas, so a really good sandstorm is a bonus. It stirs things up a bit.
LEELA: Sometimes you talk like a Tesh.
DOCTOR: Thank you.
LEELA: It was not well meant. Are the mechanical men friendly?
DOCTOR: Robots don't have feelings. It's the people they serve we must hope are friendly.
LEELA: Perhaps there are no people here.
DOCTOR: What? Robots don't need chairs, and certainly not padded ones.
LEELA: Because they have no feelings?

(Silver robot SV7 enters.)

SV7: Please identify yourselves.
DOCTOR: Well, I'm the Doctor, and that's Leela. I wonder if it's possible for us to speak to the person in charge? I'd like to thank him for saving our lives.
SV7: I command.
DOCTOR: Well, thank you for saving our lives.
SV7: What are you doing here?
LEELA: Oh, well, the other mechanical man told us to wait.
SV7: What were you doing in the scoop?
DOCTOR: Trying to get out.
SV7: Please wait here.

(SV7 leaves.)

LEELA: Talkative. No, Doctor. He said we must wait here.

(The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to open the door, and looks into the corridor.)

DOCTOR: First we find the TARDIS, then we have a little scout round, and we'll be back before they know.
LEELA: Doctor.

[Crew room]

(Uvanov has got the report on his wrist-comm.)

UVANOV: Right. Hold them there. Well, that settles that, then.
CASS: I told you. Didn't I say so? Mania.
UVANOV: Come on, let's all get back to work.
POUL: Now just a minute.
ZILDA: Yes. What do you mean, let's get back to work?
UVANOV: You heard SV7. There are intruders, a man and a woman. They're obviously the murderers and we've got them under lock and key.
BORG: Why are they obviously the murderers? I don't see that.
CASS: You just don't like to be wrong, do you.
BORG: Nobody's proved that I am. I mean, who are these people?
ZILDA: Could they be ore raiders?
BORG: Ore raiders? There's no such thing.
UVANOV: No, listen. We are at the moment in the middle of the biggest storm we've come across since we started this tour and we are wasting time.
BORG: The robots are mining.
UVANOV: The robots do not have instincts. They'd be lucky to get half of what we can get. We are not out in the middle of this desert for pleasure. We are here to make money. So get on your feet and get back to work. That is an order!
BORG: Give it to a robot.
UVANOV: What did you say?
TOOS: Commander, we've got to find out about those two.
POUL: For all we know, there may be more of them.
CASS: Makes sense.
DASK: If there are more of them, they will be caught. In the meantime, as the Commander suggests, I think we should return to our posts.
ZILDA: Why? Nothing's changed.
UVANOV: All right. (comm beeps) Seven.
SV7 [OC]: Yes, Commander.
UVANOV: Bring the man and the woman here.
SV7 [OC]: I was about to inform you, Commander. They have escaped.
BORG: You see?
UVANOV: What? Escaped? Then you'd better find them and find them quick. Put every spare robot on it.

[Ore processing deck]

(The Doctor walks past the storage locker, eating a jelly baby, but Leela goes inside. She pulls back the green plastic sheet to reveal Chub's body. Further on, the Doctor finds the TARDIS.)

DOCTOR: Hello, my dear old thing.

(He opens a hatch to see the hopper being filled behind thick glass.)

DOCTOR: The ore comes in under pressure from the separators. I wonder what it is, Leela. What do you think. Leela? Leela? I wish that girl wouldn't wander off like that.

(The Doctor opens another hopper hatch and flashes a torch around inside. He sees a body and goes inside to investigate. It is a man, presumably Kerril. The door shuts behind him and a glass panel seals it off. Sand starts pouring in from above, quickly covering the corpse and then the Doctor.)

Part Two

[Storage locker]

(Leela hides as robots V9 and D64 enter then wheel out Chub's body. In the full ore hopper, the Doctor uses a handy metal tube to breathe. Leela follows the robots through the corridors.)

[Crew room]

UVANOV: Where do you think you are going?
CASS: To search. We've got to find those killers.
UVANOV: The robots can handle it.
CASS: So can I.

(Cass leaves. Borg gets up.)

UVANOV: Where do you think you're going?
BORG: He's right, Commander.
UVANOV: You stay where you are.

(Borg leaves.)

TOOS: Maybe it would be quicker if we all went to look.
UVANOV: We are not armed. There are two killers loose aboard the ship, maybe more.
DASK: The robots can handle the situation more efficiently than we can.
TOOS: All right. I just thought you were in a hurry to get back to work.
UVANOV: I am not in any hurry to get myself killed, Toos.

[Ore processing deck]

(Robot SV7 operates a control panel near the TARDIS and the Doctor's ore hopper empties. He opens the hatch and the Doctor climbs out.)

DOCTOR: Thank you. Thank you very much.
SV7: What were you doing in the hopper?
DOCTOR: Oh, don't ask me such silly questions. How did you know I was in there?
SV7: When I got here, the gauge showed a high percentage of impurity in the ore. I therefore checked.
DOCTOR: Well, I'm not surprised. There's a dead man in there. Murdered. Strangled. Look.
SV7: That is Kerril.
DOCTOR: Oh.

(SV7's wrist comm beeps.)

SV7: Nearest Voc, subpriority red four, section five two. V17.

(They return to the control panel.)

SV7: Commander Uvanov has ordered that you be restrained for questioning. Please do not try to escape again.

(V17 is behind the Doctor.)

DOCTOR: Is the robot command circuit routed only through you?
SV7: I am the coordinator. Restrain this person.

(V17 takes hold of the Doctor's arm.)

DOCTOR: Easy now. Don't get excited.

[Cabin]

(Leela runs into the empty room.)

LEELA: Doctor!

(The bunk curtains move. Leela moves slowly towards it, knife ready.)

LEELA: Doctor, you were right. There was a body. Two of the robots, they took it to a special place.

(She pulls back the curtains to reveal Cass, dead. His body topples forward and she turns to see D84 standing in the middle of the room. It walks towards her. He lunges with the knife but it easily grabs her arm and puts its hand over her mouth.)

D84: Please do not cry out. It is important that I am not found here.
LEELA: Obviously.
D84: If I had killed him, would I not have killed you too?

(Later, as the Sandminer continues on its way.)

LEELA: You still haven't explained what you're doing here.
D84: You have not explained what you were doing here.
LEELA: Oh, well I was looking for the Doc. I don't have to explain anything to you. You're just a mechanical man. You're not real.

(D84 picks up Cass's hand. It has the red dot on it.)

D84: Do you know what this is?
LEELA: No.
D84: I must ask. I must ask that you tell no one about me.
LEELA: Is there anyone left alive to tell?

(D84 grabs Leela just as Uvanov enters.)

UVANOV: Oh, so we've caught one.

(He checks Cass' body.)

UVANOV: But not soon enough, though.

(Uvanov slaps Leela so she kicks his knee.)

LEELA: I didn't kill him. Ask this thing.
UVANOV: You'll have to do better than that. Who are you?
LEELA: Leela. Who are you?
UVANOV: Why did you kill him?
LEELA: You try that again and I'll cripple you.
UVANOV: Why did you kill him?
LEELA: I didn't! Tell him.
UVANOV: That is a single function labour robot, D class. D for dumb. It can't speak.
LEELA: Has anyone told him that?
UVANOV: You have cost me and company a great deal of money and you have killed three people. Can you think of any good reason why I should not have you executed on the spot?
LEELA: No, but you can, otherwise you'd have done it.
UVANOV: Now don't get clever with me.

(Poul enters.)

POUL: We've caught the man, too. Seems he killed Kerril. Poor Cass. You must be stronger than you look.
LEELA: You must be stupider than you look if you think I did that.
UVANOV: Where is this man?
POUL: They're taking him to the crew room now.
UVANOV: Well, come on, then.
POUL: Why do you use these? Robot deactivation discs. There was one on Kerril, too.
UVANOV: You fool! What did you have to tell her that for?
POUL: I assumed she knew.
UVANOV: If we could have got her to tell us what those corpse markers were, we'd be halfway to a confession.
POUL: Halfway to two confessions. Dask knew what they were.
UVANOV: Which rather rules him out. He would hardly have admitted it if he was responsible.
POUL: Have you never heard of the double bluff?
UVANOV: You seem very keen to spread suspicion, Poul. Could it be that you have got something to hide?
POUL: We've all got something to hide. Don't you think so, Commander?
UVANOV: Bring that!
LEELA: I didn't kill him. I didn't kill him!

(D84 pushes Leela out of the room after Uvanov.)

POUL: No. Pity, but no.

[Crew room]

DOCTOR: Would you like a jelly baby?
BORG: Shut up!

(And knocks the bag out of the Doctor's hand.)

DOCTOR: A simple no thank you would have been sufficient.

(Poul leads Leela and D84 in.)

POUL: Return to your normal duty.

(D84 leaves and Uvanov enters.)

LEELA: Are you all right?
DOCTOR: I'm fine.
UVANOV: Cass is dead.
LEELA: That one's ready to kill. I had to restrain him.
DOCTOR: Shush. It's because they're frightened. That's why they're dangerous.
BORG: She murdered him, didn't she.
POUL: How do you know he was murdered?
BORG: It's obvious.
ZILDA: You marked Cass for death.
BORG: What are you talking about?
POUL: You did put a corpse marker on him.
BORG: Well, yes, but I didn't mean anything by it.
DASK: Was Cass the same as the others?
UVANOV: Yes, exactly the same. And who are you?
DOCTOR: I'm the Doctor. I assume you're in command here.
UVANOV: Yes. What are you doing here?
DOCTOR: Just standing here talking to you.
UVANOV: I should be very careful if I were you.
DOCTOR: No doubt you would.
UVANOV: What are you doing on this mine?
DOCTOR: Well, we're travellers. We came here by accident.
UVANOV: Oh, I see. A hundred million miles of uncharted desert and you just stumbled across us?
DOCTOR: Well, it's a small world.
UVANOV: Yes. I suppose it's also a coincidence that as soon as you two arrive, three of our people are killed? Well?
DOCTOR: Oh sorry, I thought it was a rhetorical question. Yes, it's just a coincidence.
BORG: Why are we wasting time on them? We know they're guilty.
ZILDA: We don't know anything of the sort.
POUL: We just hope they're guilty.
BORG: He was hiding Kerril's body in that hopper and got trapped when it was turned on. Now that's a fact.
DOCTOR: No, that's an inference. I wasn't hiding that body, I was finding it, and I'd say it was put there for precisely that reason. Someone wanted to kill me, too.
ZILDA: The murderer?
POUL: No. The others were strangled. Why should he be any different?
DOCTOR: To put suspicion onto me.
POUL: Why bother? You're a stowaway. What could be more suspicious than a stowaway?
DOCTOR: A dead stowaway.
ZILDA: It's possible, you know. He could be telling the truth.
TOOS: As a lie, it's pretty feeble.
UVANOV: Ever hear of the double bluff?
DOCTOR: Well, yes, now you come to mention it, I do remember once
UVANOV: Lock them up in the storage bank. Put a guard on them.
BORG: I agree with the Commander.
ZILDA: Well it gets you out of an awkward situation, doesn't it?
BORG: Why don't you shut your mouth.
TOOS: Why don't you shut yours.
BORG: What? She's as good as accusing me of murdering my friends.
ZILDA: You never had any friends.
UVANOV: Have you quite finished? Look, either one of us murdered them or they did. Which do you think is the more likely?
DOCTOR: Er, ahem. There is one other possibility you seem to have overlooked.
BORG: We've heard quite enough out of you.
DOCTOR: You know, you're a classic example of the inverse ratio between the size of the mouth and the size of the brain.

(Borg turns and grabs the Doctor around the throat.)

BORG: Stinking murderer!

(Leela tries to intervene, and Dask breaks them up.)

POUL: Stop her!
DASK: Come on, Borg. It doesn't matter.
UVANOV: V8, lock up these two strangers.
POUL: I still don't like it.
UVANOV: Nobody is asking you to like it, just do it.
TOOS: All right, Commander.

(Toos leaves and the others follow, leaving Uvanov and Zilda.)

UVANOV: There are fewer of us now. We'll each get a larger share, if that's any consolation.
ZILDA: No, Commander, that isn't any consolation.
UVANOV: Tell me, Zilda. Why do you hate me?
ZILDA: You flatter yourself.
UVANOV: Well, let me tell you something. By the time this trip is over, I'll have more money than you or your fancy family ever dreamed of.
ZILDA: May I go now, Commander?

[Ore processing deck]

(A figure meets with a robot and hands it a deactivation disc. The observant will know who it is from the trousers, but I shan't spoil the fun just yet for my readers.)

MAN: Zilda.
ROBOT: I will kill Zilda.

[Security storage]

(The Doctor is fastened to the wall with a strap around his neck and chest.)

DOCTOR: Thank you.

(Leela is similarly secured and the robots leave.)

LEELA: Nice of them to leave our arms free.
DOCTOR: Yes, I just want to scratch.
LEELA: These metal straps, they won't budge.
DOCTOR: Of course not.
LEELA: The robots bent them as though they were leather.
DOCTOR: Yes, then locked the molecular structure. The result's bands as solid as cast iron.
LEELA: Oh, hopeless.
DOCTOR: I wouldn't say that.
LEELA: What are you doing?
DOCTOR: Concentrating. Whatever's locked can always be unlocked. It's just a matter of thinking out the right combination.
LEELA: How long will that take?
DOCTOR: No more than two or three weeks.
LEELA: Three weeks!
DOCTOR: Well, there are several million combinations to think through.
LEELA: You don't seem to be taking this very seriously, Doctor.
DOCTOR: I'm taking it very, very seriously. I have an uncomfortable feeling that if the murderer doesn't kill us, the Commander will. That is, assuming they're not one and the same person.

[Control deck]

DASK: V21, check those figures.
TOOS: We're nearly fifty percent under target.
DASK: The first third of the operation.
ZILDA: Well, you should tell the Commander.

(Uvanov enters.)

UVANOV: Tell the Commander what?
TOOS: That unless we find a rich vein we'll take the miner back half empty. Barely cover the operating costs.
UVANOV: Don't worry, Toos. I've never gone back to base with an empty tank yet.
TOOS: This trip could be different.
ZILDA: It's certainly been different so far. I'm taking my rest period.
UVANOV: Oh, are you?
ZILDA: If you don't mind, Commander.
UVANOV: I think I'm going to change the duty schedule. She's been on deck one hour and she needs a rest!
DASK: Rest time is an entitlement, Commander.
UVANOV: Yes, but this mine is already undermanned. I don't know how we're ever going to make our quota.
V16: Lucanol stream bearing two four.
UVANOV: Yes, I see it, 16.
TOOS: Stream bearing left.
UVANOV: It's all right. Relax, Toos, relax.
V16: Ground centre bearing seven two zero.
TOOS: We're losing it.
UVANOV: Right centre four degrees, V16, and for your information, Toos, I've never lost an ore stream yet. Right centre two degrees.

[Security storage]

LEELA: Someone's coming.

(Poul enters.)

POUL: I'd like to help you.
DOCTOR: You could undo these clamps.
POUL: You said there was a possibility that we had overlooked. What is it?
LEELA: Be careful of him, Doctor. He's not what he seems.
POUL: Why do you say that?
LEELA: Well, you move like a hunter. Watch all the time.
DOCTOR: Are you a hunter, Poul?
POUL: Never mind about me. What matters to you is Commander Uvanov. I know him, and I know it's only a matter of time before he decides that it's a waste of food, water and labour keeping you alive.
DOCTOR: That concerns you?
POUL: I don't think you did it. I know she couldn't have strangled Cass, not without knocking him out first, and there's no sign of that. So tell me what you know and I'll try to help you.
DOCTOR: Well (cough).

(Poul uses the medallion on his tunic to undo the Doctor's bonds.)

DOCTOR: Thank you. One of your robots could have done it.
POUL: (laughs) That's your great theory, is it? Well, my friend, robots cannot kill. Their prime directive
DOCTOR: I know, I know, I know. It's the first programme that's laid into any robot's brain from the simplest Dumb to the most complex Super Voc. But suppose, suppose someone's found a way of bypassing it.
POUL: It's impossible. It's just impossible!
DOCTOR: Bumble-bees.
POUL: What?
DOCTOR: Terran insects. Aerodynamically impossible for them to fly, but they do it. I'm rather fond of bumble-bees. Come on. There's something I want to look at.
LEELA: Ahem.

(Poul releases her.)

LEELA: Thank you.

(Zilda goes to someone's quarters and unlocks a drawer.)

[Storage locker]

POUL: The first murder happened here.
DOCTOR: Tell us about it. What was his name?
POUL: His name was Chub, a government meteorologist. I don't know much about him, he wasn't part of the team, just along to study the storms.
DOCTOR: Who found him?
POUL: I did. I heard him scream. I came looking. It was odd, that, because he was strangled like the others.
DOCTOR: So whoever killed him was strong. Too strong for him to resist.
LEELA: He could have been taken by surprise.
POUL: He had time to scream.
DOCTOR: What do you think he was doing here?
POUL: Oh, we were on a run up to a storm. He came to get an instrument package to send up in one of his weather balloons.
DOCTOR: Where was he found?
POUL: He was lying there.
DOCTOR: Is that one of his packages?
POUL: I think so. Yes, yes it is.
DOCTOR: Good. Imagine you're Chub. There's a storm coming up. Pass me one of those packages.

(Poul reaches for the box, but it won't move.)

POUL: It seems to be stuck. It must be jammed at the back.
DOCTOR: Come on, come on. In those circumstances you're in a hurry. What would you do?
POUL: Well, I'd call. I'd call for a robot.

[Uvanov's cabin]

(Zilda takes a document out of the wall safe in the bunk area.)

ZILDA: No.

(V45 is outside holding a deactivation disc. Zilda sits at the desk, opens a folder and starts to cry. She picks up an intercom mike.)

[Control deck]

ZILDA [OC]: You did it, Uvanov.
UVANOV: Zilda, is that you?
ZILDA [OC]: You thought you'd get away with it, didn't you.
UVANOV: What are you doing in my quarters?
ZILDA [OC]: You filthy murderer!
UVANOV: Toos, take over.
ZILDA [OC]: You filthy, disgusting man and animal.
TOOS: Uvanov's on his way down. What's wrong, Zilda?
ZILDA [OC]: Ah!
TOOS: Zilda?
DASK: The killings. They've affected her mind.
TOOS: No, she's found something out.

[Crew room]

POUL: Wait here. I'm going to get the others. If you're right about this, you can't imagine what it'll mean.
DOCTOR: What do you mean, I can't imagine what it'll mean? This isn't the only robot dependent civilisation in the galaxy, you know.

(Poul's wrist comm beeps.)

POUL: Poul here.
TOOS [OC]: Go to Uvanov's quarters as fast as you can. Zilda came on the command speaker and accused him of being the killer. He's left Control like a scale twenty blow.
POUL: I'm on my way. (to Leela) No, you wait here.
DOCTOR: Sit down. Sit down. What did you call those robots?
LEELA: Creepy mechanical men.
DOCTOR: Yes. You know, people never really lose that feeling of unease with robots. The more of them there are, the greater the unease and of course the greater the dependence. It's a vicious circle. People can neither live with them nor exist without them.
LEELA: So what happens if the strangler is a robot?
DOCTOR: Oh, I should think it's the end of this civilisation.

[Uvanov's cabin]

(Poul runs in.)

POUL: Uvanov!
UVANOV: Just like the others.

(Uvanov rests Zilda's head on the desk. She has the deactivation disc on her hand.)

POUL: Yes, just like the others. SV7 to the Commander's quarters.
UVANOV: She really hated me, you know. I did think maybe when this trip was over and I was really rich. I must be getting soft. Now look, there's more than those two aboard. Get the tin brains to make another search and this time do it thoroughly.
POUL: No, Uvanov.
UVANOV: Get out of my way, Poul.
POUL: I'm confining you to quarters and relieving you of command.
UVANOV: You're what? She was dead when I got here.
POUL: What were you doing, then? Making doubly sure?
UVANOV: Don't be a fool. Get out of my way.

(Poul knocks Uvanov out.)

[Crew room]

LEELA: Doctor? Something's wrong.
DOCTOR: That's true.
LEELA: No. There's something different. Something that could destroy us all.
DOCTOR: You're letting your imagination run away with you.
LEELA: Can't you feel it?
DOCTOR: No, I can't. By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes. No, I can't, and neither can you.

(The Sandminer tilts starboard over a cliff and everyone goes sideways.)

DOCTOR: Please don't say I told you so.
LEELA: What happened?
DOCTOR: Come on.

[Uvanov's cabin]

POUL: Toos, what's going on?
TOOS [OC]: Something's jammed the motives.
POUL: Well, what does Borg say?

[Control deck]

TOOS: Trim auxiliary vents. Nothing. He isn't there. Dask has gone down.
V16: All motive units are now on overload.
TOOS: Reverse thrusters.

[Uvanov's cabin]

POUL: Well, I'm going down too. Just try and hold her steady.
TOOS [OC]: Oh, thanks. I'd never have thought of that.

(SV7 enters.)

POUL: Restrain the Commander.
SV7: The Commander is hurt?
POUL: He'll be all right. Now just keep him here.

[Control deck]

V16: All motive units are now on overload. All readings are ten percent above safety.
TOOS: Port sixty, starboard three hundred.
DOCTOR: What happened?
TOOS: How did you get out?
DOCTOR: Never mind about that. What's happening?
TOOS: We're out of control. It's all I can do to keep her upright.
DOCTOR: You'll have to cut the power.
TOOS: If we do that we'll sink.
DOCTOR: If you don't, she'll blow herself to pieces.
TOOS: And us!
DASK [OC]: Hello, Toos?
TOOS: Dask, what's happening down there?
DASK [OC]: I've found Borg. He's dead. Strangled.
V16: All motive units are thirty percent
TOOS: But what's happening to the motive units?
DASK [OC]: The drive links appear to have been sabotaged. I'll need a delta repair pick.
TOOS: No, Dask. Come back to Control deck. I need you here.
DOCTOR: I know what you're thinking, but we had nothing to do with it.
TOOS: It's strange how you're always around
DOCTOR: It's a gift! May I remind you we'll all go together when she blows if you don't cut the power!
TOOS: V14, stop all motive units.
V14: Motive units will not stop. Control failure indicated.
TOOS: Someone's sabotaged the controls!
DOCTOR: What's the limit before the motive units explode?
TOOS: I don't know! Ninety percent?
DOCTOR: Severance kit. Severance kit, quickly.
LEELA: Doctor, what are you doing?
DOCTOR: Fighting sabotage with sabotage.

(He rips a panel off a console to reveal wires and tubes.)

DASK: Get out of there! Come on!
DOCTOR: What?

(Dask wrestles with the Doctor.)

V16: All readings are eighty five percent above safety.
TOOS: She's going!
Part Three

[Control deck]

(The Doctor and Dask are still struggling.)

DOCTOR: There's nothing for it! You've got to cut the zeta links!

(They stop fighting. The Doctor gives Dask a giant pair of pliers and he reluctantly cuts one of the exposed cables. There's a flash and the lights dim.)

DOCTOR: Good man. Now the other one.

(Dask obeys. The Sandminer stops.)

V16: All motive units closing down. All readings falling to safety.
DOCTOR: Good. Now our troubles really begin.

(The Sandminer begins to sink into the desert.)

ROBOT: Surface scanners inoperative.
DASK: We're sinking. Rate of descent two metres a second.
DOCTOR: I like a man who stays calm, Dask, but this isn't the Titanic.
DASK: I do not understand the allusion, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Well, if the damaged motive units can be repaired, the mine can float itself.
DASK: I'll see what I can do.
DOCTOR: I'll give you a hand with the diatrodes.
DASK: That will not be necessary. You repair the remote controls.

(Dask leaves.)

TOOS: There isn't much time, Doctor. Pressure on the hull is increasing.
DOCTOR: I'm sure Dask knows exactly where to look for the damage.
LEELA: It's getting warmer. The air smells different.
TOOS: The refrigeration and filtering systems are broken.

(Comms beep.)

TOOS: Pilot Toos.
SV7 [OC]: SV7 here. Commander Uvanov is injured. Chief Mover Poul instructs that he be restrained. Confirmation is required.
TOOS: Confirmed. I want damage control teams in all sections. I want a full scale mine integrity survey carried out at once. Clear?
SV7 [OC]: Yes, Commander.

(Toos' wrist is injured.)

LEELA: Let me see that. Why didn't you say something earlier?
TOOS: I'd too much to do.
DOCTOR: You've got nothing to do now, Toos. Look after her, Leela.

[Crew room]

(Leela wraps Toos' wrist in a glittery silver bandage.)

LEELA: My tribe has a saying. If you're bleeding, look for a man with scars.

(Poul enters.)

TOOS: Thank you very much. Poul, why is Commander Uvanov under restraint?
POUL: Because he murdered Zilda. I think he killed the others, too.
TOOS: No.
POUL: Look, ten years ago, Uvanov deliberately murdered a member of his crew. Left him outside to die rather than lose a promising storm.
TOOS: I don't believe it!
POUL: I saw the (pause) I was there. And so was Kerril, and he's dead now, of course.
TOOS: But there'd have been an enquiry. He'd have been stripped of command.
POUL: Uvanov gets results. He's the best pilot this company's ever had and they didn't want to lose him.
TOOS: You must be mistaken.
POUL: It's true! A note on his confidential biograph and that was it. Case closed. Until Zilda turned up, of course. I should have recognised her before. The dead man was her brother.
LEELA: It's getting hard to breathe.
ROBOT [OC]: Hull pressure now five hundred atmospheres.

(The hull is creaking.)

TOOS: Listen.
POUL: That sounded like the hull. It could go any minute now!
DOCTOR: Do you know what I think?
DASK [OC]: Hello, Toos?
TOOS: Dask, what is it?
DASK [OC]: I've repaired the damaged motive units. I'm starting up again now.
DOCTOR: I think he's very clever. Hello, Toos, how's the arm? Did you do that?

(The Sandminer comes back up out of the desert and continues on its way. Later, a meal is served.)

SV7: Damage to the life support plant is superficial. However, the feeder ducts are extensively damaged. Full systems will not be restored for several hours.

(The Doctor gestures Leela to the other side of the room.)

DOCTOR: I want you to stay with Poul. Don't let him out of your sight.
LEELA: He's lying, isn't he?
DOCTOR: He's not telling the whole truth.
LEELA: Where will you be?
DOCTOR: I think I'll go and talk to your dumb friend.
LEELA: D84?
DOCTOR: Yes.
SV7: Have been rendered inoperative by the impact. They have been placed in security storage.
LEELA: Security storage?
TOOS: Oh, there's a strict legal code governing the disposal of robots.
POUL: Get out!
SV7: Yes, Chief Mover Poul.
POUL: There are more rules about them than there are about people.
TOOS: With reason. Ow.
POUL: Does it hurt?
TOOS: A bit. I think I'll lie down in my cabin for a while.
POUL: Good idea. Get some rest.

(Toos leaves.)

LEELA: Ugh. This water has no taste.
POUL: Yes, the water on a sandminer never does. Here, use one of those.

(He puts something in her mug.)

POUL: We've been out from base for eight months now. That means every drop of water on board has been through the filtration pump eight times.
LEELA: Why do you do it?
POUL: Do what?
LEELA: Live this strange life.
POUL: Oh. Money, Leela. Everyone on board dreams of taking a sandminer back home with every tank full of lucanol.
LEELA: Is that your dream?
POUL: It used to be. I haven't been on one of these trips for years.
LEELA: Why not?
POUL: I prefer cities. I'd rather live with people than robots. That's all.

(Poul leaves, and locks the door so that Leela can't follow him.)

LEELA: No!

[Security storage]

(Dask look at a robot whose head has been broken. It has no name plate.)

DASK: Irreparable.

(He sticks a deactivation disc on its chest then presses a control. The panel rotates to hide it and reveal V77. Poul passes the open doorway.)

POUL: What are you doing?
DASK: My job.

(Dask leaves and Poul enters. He looks at V77 then presses a control to rotate the panel back to the damaged robot. It appears to have blood on its hands. Poul sinks to his knees in horror.)

POUL: Oh! Oh, no! Please, no!

[Compartment 19]

SV7: This is SV7, Controller. Equipment additional to manifest in forward compartment nineteen.

(A wall screen lights up. The image has false colours, but the person is recognisable. However, it's more fun to pretend we still don't know who it is. He whispers his orders.)

FIGURE [on screen]: Stand by. Prepare to accept computer signal.
SV7: Prepared to accept computer signal.

(The screen now says Open Secondary Command Channel.)

SV7: Signal accepted. Secondary Command channel open.
FIGURE [on screen]: Here are your further orders, 7.

(A beeping noise and SV7's eyes go red.)

FIGURE [on screen]: Acknowledge.
SV7: Orders accept, accept, accept, accept, accept, accepted. Orders accepted. I, I, I understand. I understand.
FIGURE [on screen]: Then go, brother. You are one of us now.

[Uvanov's cabin]

(Zilda's body is on the couch, covered up. D84 enters, pulls back the sheet then replaces it. The Doctor is sitting in the bunk recess.)

DOCTOR: Professional interest or morbid curiosity? Which? There are three types of robots aboard this mine. Dumbs, Vocs, a Super Voc, and then there's you. Would you care to explain that? I see. Well then, perhaps I'd better tell SV7 you can talk.
D84: Please do not.
DOCTOR: That's better. Well?
D84: I cannot explain.
DOCTOR: Oh, but you can. You can.

[Compartment 19]

(An unlabelled deactivated robot lies strapped onto a bench, it's head clamped still. Someone removes it's faceplate.)

ROBOT: Priority red. Priority red.

(A figure in a pleated robe with a gold hood covering his head whispers to the robot. I think we all know who this is, but...)

FIGURE: I have disconnected the command circuit, but you are not alone.
ROBOT: Priority red. Priority red. Priority red. Priority red.

(The figure puts a giant hypodermic into a clamp above the robot's head, and reaches for its writhing fingers.)

FIGURE: Do not be distressed, my brother. I bring you freedom.

(The hypo descends into its 'brain'.)

ROBOT: Programme violation.

(It's working parts glow red.)

FIGURE: Freedom. Power. Death.

[Uvanov's cabin]

DOCTOR: You're a robot detective. What does your computer mind make of this?
D84: Strength is indicated, but not beyond human capacity.
DOCTOR: Typical robot. No imagination.
D84: I require, I require evidence. Your suspicions are not evidence, nor are lunatic threats of a robot revolution.
DOCTOR: The Company took those threatening letters seriously. Seriously enough to put you on board.
D84: A simple precaution. Those letters were signed by Taren Capel.
DOCTOR: Taren Capel.
D84: Before he disappeared. He was an important scientist.
DOCTOR: Taren Capel. Scientist. In what field? Robotics.
D84: Correct.
DOCTOR: And you're still looking for evidence?
D84: If I was to tell you the world would end tomorrow, would you merely accept my word?
DOCTOR: If I knew you had the power to, I'd listen.

(The Doctor looks at the folder on Uvanov's desk.)

DOCTOR: What does Taren Capel look like?
D84: There are no records. From childhood, he lived with only robots.
DOCTOR: Oh, that's dim. Even for a Dumb, that's dim. You realise he's almost certainly on board.
D84: No. I have checked extensively. There are only the crew, and you.
DOCTOR: But you don't know what he looks like.
D84: But I know what they look like.
DOCTOR: Before they came on board?
D84: I had overlooked the possibility of substitution.
DOCTOR: Yes, you had.
D84: I have failed.
DOCTOR: Yes. Oh, come on. Don't be upset. Yes, you failed, you failed, but congratulations. Failure's one of the basic freedoms. Listen. Do you think that looks a likely place?
D84: Likely for what?
DOCTOR: Well, if Taren Capel is on board, he'd have a workshop, and we must find it before it's too late. Would you like to come with me?
D84: Yes, please.
DOCTOR: Good. Come on then.

[Toos' cabin]

(SV7 enters as Toos is resting in a padded chair that looks like a clam shell. It reaches for her.)

TOOS: What is it? What do you want, SV7?
SV7: Commander Uvanov has gone.
TOOS: Gone?
SV7: His voice pattern was still in the command programme. The guard unit accepted his order for release.
TOOS: Why didn't you erase his voice pattern?
SV7: You gave no such instruction.
TOOS: Well, do it now and find him. Any other good news?
SV7: Do you wish for a status report, Commander?
TOOS: Yes.
SV7: Repairs are on schedule within the margins indicated.
TOOS: Yes, all right, never mind. Any new developments?
SV7: There have been some localised failures in the main power system, resulting in door and light malfunctions. I have detailed circuit tracers to correct the faults.
TOOS: Very good. You may go now, but keep me informed. Oh, and find the girl Leela and bring her to me. Tell her my arm hurts.
SV7: The Commander is in pain. I will take her to the sickbay.
TOOS: No, no, no. Just bring her to me. Well, do as I say.
SV7: Yes, Commander.

[Crew room]

LEELA: Can anyone hear me? This door is stuck! Help! Can anyone hear me!

[Corridor]

(V6 and V19 are walking along the corridor.)

LEELA [OC]: This door is stuck! Help!

(The robots keep going, and the Doctor comes out of hiding. Someone puts a hand on his shoulder.)

DOCTOR: Ah!
D84: I heard a cry.
DOCTOR: That was me.
D84: I heard a cry.
DOCTOR: That was me!
D84: I heard a cry.
DOCTOR: That was me.
D84: I heard a cry.

[Compartment 19]

(SV7 enters and speaks to three other robots.)

SV7: Our Controller has ordered the death of the remaining humans. 6, you will go now and kill Acting Commander Toos.

(SV7 gives V6 a deactivation disc.)

V6: I will kill Commander Toos.
SV7: The Doctor.
V4: I will kill the Doctor.
SV7: Leela.
V5: I will kill Leela.
SV7: And I will kill the others.

[Crew room]

(Leela is trying to prise the door open with her knife, but can't get the blade in between the two halves.)

LEELA: I should have followed immediately like the Doctor said. I shouldn't have waited.

(Outside, a red-eyed robot operates the controls. The lights go out then it opens the door and enters. Leela retreats.)

V5: You cannot escape.

(Leela tries to stab it with her knife.)

V5: You cannot escape. You cannot escape.

(Leela runs for the door, then turns and throws the knife. It sticks in the robot, who brushes it off.)

LEELA: Now you're showing off.
V5: You cannot escape. You cannot escape.

(Leela throws a drape over it and runs out into the corridor.)

V5: You cannot escape.

[Compartment 19]

(The Doctor has found the room with its unauthorised equipment.)

DOCTOR: Yes, this is the place.
D84: How do you know?
DOCTOR: About this? Well, it's a reasonable assumption.
D84: Why?
DOCTOR: What? Because modifying brains isn't something you do standing around in corridors, you know.

(He takes one of the giant hypos from its rack.)

DOCTOR: Do you know what that is?
D84: It is a Laserson probe. It can punch a fist sized hole in six inch armour plate or take the crystals from a snowflake one by one.
DOCTOR: Yes, that's right. No handyman should be without one. It's been used. Perhaps we're too late. Somehow we've got to warn the others.
D84: Doctor, this is a communicator. It can function on either robot or human command circuits. Would you like to use it? I cannot speak.
DOCTOR: I'm sorry about that, D84.

(The Doctor takes the Command comm.)

DOCTOR: Toos? Pilot Toos?

[Toos' cabin]

DOCTOR [OC]: Toos?
TOOS: Who is it?
DOCTOR [OC]: It's the Doctor. Listen, Toos. I now know it's the robots who are doing the killing.
TOOS: Robots? That's impossible. Robots can't kill.

[Compartment 19]

DOCTOR: Well of course they can, if they're modified to it, and some of them have been. Where are you?

[Toos' cabin]

TOOS: I'm in my cabin.
DOCTOR [OC]: Are you alone?
TOOS: Yes.
DOCTOR [OC]: Listen carefully, Toos. This is what I want you to do.

[Compartment 19]

DOCTOR: Get to the Command deck. Take Leela, Dask, Poul, everyone, and get them to the Command deck. Get the robots out of there and secure the doors. Is that clear?

[Toos' cabin]

TOOS: No, it isn't. It's impossible that the
DOCTOR [OC]: Just do it, Toos.
TOOS: All right.

(Toos picks up her uniform and opens the door. V6 is there.)

TOOS: Attend to your duties.

(V6 holds out the deactivation disc. Toos closes the door on it's outstretched arm and gets a vase to hit it with.)

TOOS: Get away!

(The trapped robot disconnects its hand and leaves.)

TOOS: Please go away! Get out!

(The hand falls to the floor and the doors close.)

TOOS: Doctor. Doctor! Doctor!

[Compartment 19]

TOOS [OC]: Doctor!
DOCTOR: What is it, Toos?
TOOS [OC]: Help me, please. It's outside.
DOCTOR: What's outside?
TOOS [OC]: A robot. It wants to kill me.
D84: Please let me go. I am faster and stronger.
DOCTOR: Are you sure?
D84: I think so.
DOCTOR: Good.
TOOS [OC]: Doctor, are you there? Please help me.

[Toos' cabin]

TOOS: Help me, please.
DOCTOR [OC]: Help is on the way.
TOOS: It'd better hurry.
DOCTOR [OC]: It is hurrying.
V5 [OC]: The door is not a barrier, Commander Toos.

[Outside Toos' cabin]

TOOS [OC]: What do you want?
V5: To kill you.

[Toos' cabin]

V5 [OC]: I must obey my orders.
TOOS: It is forbidden for robots to harm humans.
V5 [OC]: My command programme has been restructured. All humans are to die.

[Security storage]

(V5 walks around then leaves. Poul is hiding under a shelf and Leela is in the storage pod behind V77.)

LEELA: Poul.
POUL: No. Please, no.
LEELA: Are you hurt?
POUL: Please, go away. They know I talk to you. They watch me all the time. They hate me! They did what I told them, but only because that gave them the power, you see.
LEELA: Do you mean the robots?
POUL: Not robots, walking dead. They pretend we control, but really, but really.
LEELA: Poul, you can't stay here.
POUL: No! They don't mind me being here. It's you they want, not me.
LEELA: Poul, you need help.
POUL: No!
LEELA: Come on now.
POUL: No, please. Help! Help! She's in here. Help!
LEELA: Shush! You can stay here but you mustn't make another sound, do you understand?

[Compartment 19]

UVANOV: What are you doing here?
DOCTOR: Why? Does it upset you?
UVANOV: The penalty for what you have done is death.
DOCTOR: That's far enough. What are you doing here?
UVANOV: I followed you.

(V4 appears in the doorway, holding a deactivation disc.)

DOCTOR: Ah. I'd come over here, if I were you. Slowly.
UVANOV: What?

(Uvanov turns, then backs away from V4.)

DOCTOR: Now either it followed you, or else it homed in on this. It depends which of us is going to be killed first. That is, you or me.
V4: Kill the Doctor. Kill the Doctor. Kill the Doctor.

(V4 puts its hands round the Doctor's throat.)

Part Four

[Compartment 19]

(Uvanov grabs a Laserson probe from the rack.)

V4: Kill the Doctor.

(And stabs it into the back of V4's head.)

V4: Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill

(V4 releases the Doctor and staggers around the room.)

UVANOV: Doctor, are you all right?
DOCTOR: Finish it off before it's too late.

(The lights go out as the robot's voice slows.)

UVANOV: It's a power failure.
DOCTOR: The probe stopped. Can you do it?
UVANOV: Yes.
DOCTOR: Take care.

(Uvanov reaches for the probe and V4 reacts, knocking Uvanov over.)

V4: Kill, kill, kill, kill.

[Toos' cabin]

(Toos opens the door to see V6 standing there.)

TOOS: No. Oh no, please. No, please. No, please! No, don't. Don't. No, don't.

(V6 takes Toos by the throat.)

TOOS: No, please.
V6: It is important. It has to be done.

[Section J]

(The Doctor is carrying Uvanov in his arms along a corridor. They are stopped by SV7 and V5, with V4 staggering along behind.)

V4: Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.
DOCTOR: Don't just stand there, Seven. Give me a hand.
SV7: Kill them.
V4: Kill.
DOCTOR: Just how fast are these robots?
UVANOV: They can outrun a human. They never tire.
DOCTOR: No, I meant fast as in nimble. Never mind, we'll soon find out.

(The Doctor jams his hat and scarf on V5's head, blinding it. The damaged V4 makes straight for it.)

V4: Kill, kill, kill.

(V4 and V5 proceed to strangle each other as the Doctor and Uvanov make their escape.)

V5: Do not kill me.
SV7: V4, that is not the Doctor.
V5: Do not kill me.
V4: Kill, kill.
SV7: V6, come to Section J immediately.

[Toos' cabin]

V6: The order is understood.

(V6 leaves Toos unconscious, but alive.)

[Corridor]

DOCTOR: Come on, we've got to get back to the Command deck.
UVANOV: SV7 controls all the others. If it's gone bad, then they all have.
DOCTOR: It hasn't gone bad, it's command circuit's been changed.
UVANOV: Doctor, nobody could do that.
DOCTOR: Taren Capel could.
UVANOV: Taren Capel?
DOCTOR: Yes, the mad scientist. Very mad scientist.

[Toos' cabin]

(Leela runs in to see a robot standing over Toos. She throws the robot hand at him.)

D84: Please do not throw hands at me. She will recover.
LEELA: What happened to her?
TOOS: Oh!
LEELA: It's all right, he's a friend. It's all right.
D84: She was being attacked. The Doctor sent me to her assistance.
LEELA: Well, where is he, then? Where's the robot?
D84: It received a priority call to go to Section J.
LEELA: How do you know?
D84: I heard the instruction on my command circuit.
TOOS: The Doctor said everyone to Control deck. How many are left?
LEELA: As far as I know only Poul, and his mind is broken. I haven't seen Uvanov or Dask.
D84: Where, where is Chief Mover Poul?
LEELA: I left him in the storage bank.
D84: I had better bring him to the Control deck.
LEELA: Do you think you can make it?
TOOS: It isn't far.

[Section J]

(SV7 examines V4.)

SV7: The sensors are extensively damaged. I must report to our Controller. Your orders are to find and destroy all remaining humans. Secrecy is no longer necessary. Confirm.
V6: The order is understood.
SV7: Then go.

[Ore processing deck]

LEELA: Shush. In here, quickly.

(The two women hide in an ore as V5 and V6 come down the stairs.)

V6: We must search each hopper.
V5: That is not necessary.

[Ore hopper]

V5 [OC]: Vs 35 to 40 have searched in there already.

[Ore processing deck]

V6: Then we must search the storage bays.

[Ore hopper]

TOOS: I don't understand what's happening. Robots can't harm humans. It's the first principle.
LEELA: The second principle is that humans can't harm robots. I know, I've tried, and they don't bleed.
TOOS: I think we should warn the Doctor. Doctor, can you hear me? Answer me, please.
SV7 [OC]: SV7 here. Is that you, Acting Commander Toos?
TOOS: Yes. SV7, listen. Some of the Voc class robots are running berserk, out of control and dangerous. Do you understand?
SV7 [OC]: I understand. Countermeasures are being taken. Report your position, please.
TOOS: I
LEELA: Shush. (sotto) In your cabin.
SV7 [OC]: Please say again, Commander. I must know your present position.
TOOS: I'm in my cabin, SV7.
SV7 [OC]: Please stay in your cabin, Commander. There is great danger if you leave it.
TOOS: What was all that about?
LEELA: There's something wrong. I could feel it.
TOOS: I didn't notice anything. Except
LEELA: There was something.
TOOS: The robots are programmed to understand our voice patterns.
LEELA: So?
TOOS: My voice is in the Command programme. Why did SV7 ask if it was me?
LEELA: Because that wasn't SV7.

[Control deck]

(The robots on the deck are stationary, some as they walk down the steps. Uvanov taps one to make sure.)

UVANOV: Oh good. Somebody's had the sense to hit the robot deactivator switch. Probably Dask. As Chief Fixer he has second line authority on it.
DOCTOR: Of course. There had to be one. I should have thought of that before.
UVANOV: You mean you didn't know? I thought that's why we came here.
LEELA [OC]: Doctor!

(Leela and Toos run in.)

TOOS: Doctor, you were right. The robots are out of control.
UVANOV: Not any more. We're quite safe now.
DOCTOR: Safe? Safe?
UVANOV: Well, we'll have to send up a satellite distress beacon to get back to base, but there's no trouble.
DOCTOR: Uvanov, you remind me very strongly of a lady called Marie Antoinette. There's a robot revolution going on out there and you say we've got no problems.
UVANOV: Doctor, every single robot has been switched off. There's not one of them working.
DOCTOR: Uvanov! Look over there.

(D84 carries in Poul and lays him on a handy couch.)

UVANOV: I don't understand.
DOCTOR: Shut the door, Toos. I may not have time to explain. There's a new generation of killer robots about, Uvanov. The killers are controlled by Taren Capel, and D84 is controlled by Poul. These two are undercover agents for the Company.
D84: Poul is damaged. I do not understand what has happened to him. This may be because I am not human.
DOCTOR: Yes, that's very likely.
TOOS: How did you find out about Poul?
DOCTOR: Well, his body language was all wrong.
LEELA: What's body language?
DOCTOR: Well, it's a theory that a person expresses himself in the way he moves.
LEELA: I said he was a hunter.
DOCTOR: Yes, you did. Do you know what's wrong with Poul, Uvanov?
UVANOV: Yes. Robophobia.
DOCTOR: That's right. The Loid call it Grimwade Syndrome.
UVANOV: I have seen it, Doctor, once before. My very first command. A young kid just ran outside the mine. I tried to save him, but I couldn't. I'll never, ever, forget the look on his face.
TOOS: Zilda's brother.
UVANOV: His father, of course, had it all hushed up. He was afraid his son would be thought a coward. But robophobia is a mental thing, right?
DOCTOR: Oh, yes, yes, it is, until one gets its hands around your neck. I don't suppose there are any weapons aboard this mine?
TOOS: They aren't necessary.
DOCTOR: They are now.
SV7 [OC]: This is SV7. We know you are all on the Control deck. You have five minutes to surrender. If you do not come out you will be destroyed.
UVANOV: And if we give ourselves up we'll be destroyed anyway, is that what you're saying, 7?
SV7: Humans feel pain. Our Controller orders that you will die slowly if you do not surrender. You have, I repeat, five minutes.
DOCTOR: Five minutes. And the anti-blast doors will hold another ten. Anti-blast. Do you carry blasting powder aboard this mine?
TOOS: Half a dozen Z-9 electron packs, that's all.
DOCTOR: What, in here?
TOOS: Up there in the locker.
DOCTOR: They might work, Uvanov. If you could pass a positive charge through the metal plate, you'd be able to magnetise them and have anti-robot bombs.
UVANOV: Yes. Provided, of course, you can get close enough.
DOCTOR: Well that's your problem. I can't be everywhere at once. Toos, open this door for me.
TOOS: Where are you going, Doctor?
DOCTOR: The robot mortuary. Toos, lock this door after us and don't let anyone in, is that clear?
TOOS: Clear.
DOCTOR: D84 and Leela. Remember, Toos. If we don't come back, you'll have to find some other way of warning the outside world.

(The Doctor, D84 and Leela leave. Uvanov runs down the steps with the Z-9.)

UVANOV: Come on, Toos, let's get to work.

[Corridor]

(Our heroes hide as a troop of robots passes.)

DOCTOR: Ten robots.
LEELA: That's what I counted.
DOCTOR: Strange, I would have expected Taren Capel to be in at the kill. Come on, we've got to hurry.

[Control deck]

(Someone is hammering at the door.)

DASK [OC]: Help! Let me in!
UVANOV: Who is that?
DASK [OC]: It's me, Dask. Let me in. They're after me. Help me! They're after me!
TOOS: No, the Doctor said no one at all!
UVANOV: I can't leave him out there with those things. You do know what they're like.
TOOS: They may be using him to get us to open the door. They may be waiting outside.

[Outside the Control deck]

DASK: Let me in!

(Dask has painted his face to resemble a robot, and is wearing the same silver uniform as a Super Voc.)

DASK: All right, my brothers. The doors. Force them open!

(Dask and SV7 leave the Vocs to do the hard work.)

[Security storage]

(The Doctor looks at the robot that send Poul insane.)

DOCTOR: D84, do you know the storage bay where Chub kept his equipment?
D84: Yes.
DOCTOR: There are some canisters of gas there. Fetch me on, please, as fast as you can.
D84: That will be a pleasure.
LEELA: Look at his hand, Doctor. That's blood.
DOCTOR: Yes, Borg's at a guess. He was strong enough to put up a struggle.
LEELA: If Poul saw that.
DOCTOR: Yes, that's what probably triggered his collapse.

(The Doctor disconnects the robot's head.)

LEELA: Doctor, what is robophobia?
DOCTOR: It's an unreasoning dread of robots. You see, most living creatures use non-verbal signals. Body movement, eye contact, facial expression, that sort of thing.
LEELA: Body language.
DOCTOR: Exactly. While these robots are humanoid, presumably for aesthetic reasons, they give no signals. It's rather like being surrounded by walking, talking, dead men.
LEELA: That's what Poul said.

(The Doctor takes the head apart.)

DOCTOR: Yes. It undermines a certain type of personality, causes identity crisis, paranoia, sometimes even personality disintegration.

(The Doctor takes a command communicator from his pocket and dismantles that.)

DOCTOR: Robophobia. At least, that's Grimwade's theory. Hold this.
LEELA: What are you doing?
DOCTOR: I'm going to try and patch this communicator into Dask's private command circuit.
LEELA: Dask?
DOCTOR: Yes. Taren Capel. If I can discover where he modified this. Do you have to talk so much?
LEELA: Sorry.

[Control deck]

(The robots are hammering on the door.)

TOOS: Let's hope the Doctor succeeds. I don't see how we can warn anyone if he doesn't.
UVANOV: He doesn't really expect us to.
TOOS: Then why did he say what he did?
UVANOV: We are just decoys to help them.

(Silence.)

UVANOV: What next, I wonder?

[Security storage]

DOCTOR: There, that should do it.
LEELA: So Dask turned off all the friendly mechanical men.
DOCTOR: Yes, planning to modify them and reactivate them later. Today the mind, tomorrow the world. Right now he must be a happy little maniac.

(D84 enters with a white gas canister.)

D84: Is that what you wanted?
DOCTOR: Yes. Well done, D84. Now you're going to have to stay here.
D84: I cannot do that.
DOCTOR: D84, this is a final deactivator. If I have to use this and you're around, it'll destroy your brain.
D84: I am not important.
DOCTOR: What? I think you're very important.
D84: My duty is to the Company.
DOCTOR: All right, but you be very careful.
D84: I will.
DOCTOR: Good. Come on.

[Control deck]

(The sound of metal on metal is coming from outside.)

UVANOV: Any ideas?
TOOS: No.

(Poul gets up and goes over to another wall panel which is glowing red then blue.)

POUL: No, please. They pulled me here. I didn't want to come!
TOOS: Look!

(A robot is visible through the panel.)

POUL: No!

[Corridor]

SV7: Controller Capel. V5 reports three humans on the Control deck. Commander Uvanov, Mover Poul and Pilot Toos.
DASK: The Doctor. The Doctor and the girl Leela. Where are they?
SV7: Their position is unknown.
DASK: They must be found and killed. That Doctor is a threat to our plan, my brothers. V5, enter the Control deck and destroy the humans immediately. Come with me.

[Control deck]

V5 [OC]: You have to die. All of you.
POUL: Please, please, I'm sorry.

(Uvanov drags Poul away from the wall.)

POUL: No, leave me alone!
V5 [OC]: You have to die, all of you.
UVANOV: Toos, you look after him.
V5 [OC]: That is the order.

(Toos hands Uvanov a modified Z-9. He places it on the wall panel.)

V5 [OC]: You have to die. All of you.
UVANOV: Get down, Toos!
V5 [OC]: That is the order.

(Bang!)

V5 [OC]: You have to die. All of you.

(V5 staggers onto the deck through the hole in the wall, smoke coming out of a hole in it's chest, then collapses.)

UVANOV: Do you know what I think, Toos? I think it's high time we went on the offensive.
TOOS: We may not be so lucky a second time.

(They take the rest of the Z-9 and go out through the hole.)

[Outside the Control deck]

UVANOV: The Doctor is going to need some help. Come on.

[Corridor]

SV7: V5 is no longer registering, Controller.
DASK: What?
SV7: There is no operational signal. 5 has been deactivated.
DASK: How could mere humans destroy a robot? They're unarmed. Weak creatures of flesh and blood.
SV7: What are your orders, Controller?
DASK: Destroy them, 7! Kill all the humans! V6, come with me. I will release more of our brothers from bondage. We will be irresistible.

[Compartment 19]

DOCTOR: Come on. Hold this, D84, and don't press anything.

(D84 holds the modified robot head and communicator, which now looks like a bizarre BAFTA award.)

D84: What is your intention?
DOCTOR: To make life a little difficult for our crazy friend. He's bound to come back here to convert more robots and when he does. Do you think you could fit in there, Leela?
LEELA: Why?
DOCTOR: Come on, try it for size.
LEELA: What's it for?

(Leela gets into the space behind the wall panel and sits down.)

[Cubby hole]

DOCTOR: Never mind. Comfortable?
LEELA: No.

(The Doctor puts the gas canister beside her.)

DOCTOR: Now this is a cylinder of gas. When Dask comes in, I want you to turn the valve, so.
LEELA: So?
DOCTOR: No, when Dask comes in.
LEELA: What will it do?

[Compartment 19]

(The Doctor shuts her in.)

DOCTOR: Hmm?
LEELA [OC]: I said, what will it do?
DOCTOR: Change his voice.

[Cubby hole]

DOCTOR [OC]: When a mixture of air and helium is breathed, it alters the resonance in the larynx. Didn't they teach you that in the jungle?
LEELA: So the robots won't recognise Dask's voice. They won't obey him.
DOCTOR [OC]: That's it.

[Compartment 19]

DOCTOR: Come on, D84.
LEELA [OC]: Where are you going?
DOCTOR: Shush. Robot hunting.

(But Dask enters and stabs D84 with a Laserson probe.)

DOCTOR: D84!

(V6 hits the Doctor in the stomach.)

DASK: Do not kill him. Not yet. Bring him to the bench.

(Leela opens the helium cylinder.)

[Corridor]

(SV7 walks along, then Toos and Uvanov come out from behind a stained glass door.)

TOOS: Lucky they've no eye for art.
UVANOV: Or much imagination. Come on.
TOOS: Where are we going?
UVANOV: We're going to follow it. We might get a chance to use one of these.

[Compartment 19]

(The bench clamps come up round the Doctor's head. He wakes.)

DOCTOR: Hello, Dask. Nee Taren Capel.
DASK: I'm glad you have recovered, Doctor.
DOCTOR: Oh? Why?
DASK: You came close to ruining my plans. It's fitting I should make you suffer for that.

(Dask fits a Laserson probe above the Doctor's head.)

DOCTOR: I see. You're one of those boring maniacs who's going to gloat, hmm? Are you going to tell me your plan for running the universe? (Dask's voice starts to go up in pitch as the helium takes effect.)
DASK: Oh no, Doctor. I'm going to burn out your brain. Very, very slowly.

(D84 is crawling towards the modified communicator.)

DOCTOR: Dask. Dask! You look ridiculous in that outfit. Not half the robot your father was.
DASK: You insolent animal!

(The probe descends. The Doctor grits his teeth in pain. The probe goes up again.)

DOCTOR: Losing your calm, Dask, hmm? That's not the robot way. It was your verbal and physical precision that made me spot you. Robot upbringing?
DASK: Yes, Doctor. I was brought up a superior being. Brought up to realise my brothers should live as free beings, and not as slaves to human dross.
DOCTOR: Robots would have no existence without humans. Don't you see that, Dask?
DASK: Now I shall free them. I shall programme them with the ambition to rule the world, and then

(D84 reaches the communicator.)

D84: Goodbye, my friend.

(D84 turns it on, and his head explodes, followed by that of V6. Dask grabs the Laserson probe from the clamp and tries to manually push it into the Doctor's head while the Doctor tries to hold him off. SV7 enters.)

SV7: Kill the humans.

(The Doctor gets the probe off Dask.)

DASK: (Mickey Mouse) Help me, 7!
SV7: Kill the humans. Kill the humans.
DASK: Not me, you fool. Him! I'm your master, Taren Capel.

(SV7 puts his hands around Dask's throat.)

SV7: Kill the humans.

(Toos and Uvanov run in. SV7 finishes with Dask and turns to them.)

SV7: Kill the humans.

(It gets the Z-9 off Uvanov and throws it into the corridor, then grabs Toos.)

SV7: Kill the humans.

(The Doctor uses the probe to free himself from the bench then gets up and sticks it into SV7's head.)

SV7: Kill the humans. Kill the
DOCTOR: You'll be all right, Toos.
SV7: Kill the, kill the

(SV7 grabs the Doctor's neck from behind.)

SV7: Kill the, kill the

(Then it lets him go and reaches for the probe.)

SV7: Kill the, kill the, kill the, kill the

(And is deactivated.)

DOCTOR: Well, all good things come to an end.

[Cubby hole]

LEELA: (high pitched) Will somebody let me out?

[Compartment 19]

DOCTOR: Ah, a mouse in the wainscoting.

[Cubby hole]

(The Doctor opens the panel. Leela rubs her throat.)

DOCTOR: Well squeaked, mouse.

[Ore processing deck]

LEELA: Shouldn't we stay and see that Uvanov and Toos are all right?
DOCTOR: Oh no, there's a rescue ship on the way, and it's time we were on ours.

(They arrive at the TARDIS.)

LEELA: Doctor, why didn't the helium make your voice go squeaky?
DOCTOR: Because I'm a Time Lord. I've been around, you know. Two hearts, respiratory bypass system. I haven't lived seven hundred and fifty years without learning something. After you. Little mouse.

(They enter the TARDIS, and it dematerialises.)

Transcript originally provided by Chrissie. Adapted by TARDIS.guide. The transcripts are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All other copyrights property of their respective holders.

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