(DOCTOR wHO THEME)
(RADIO BEEPING)
- Yeah. - Base checking. You all right out there?
BALDwlN: All quiet.
- BRAUN: Where are you? - Sector 5.
- we've hit a rich load. - Sector 5?
Listen, I just took a sun shot.
You have 15 degrees to full night. You better get out of there fast.
Right.
Professor, that was Braun. we've got to leave.
- what? - It's 15 degrees to night.
Just look at this, Baldwin. It's showing more than 70 pure.
we'll never make base from here, sir, if we don't leave now.
The last time we hit a vein as rich as this,
- you know what happened? - Yes.
Lorenzo died. He was the first.
That's when it all seemed to start.
we lost it. The vein vanished.
This damn planet took it back.
It's alive, you know, Baldwin. It watches every move we make.
I won't be beaten again. Load the canisters.
Professor, please. There isn't time now.
- we can return tomorrow. - It'll be gone by tomorrow.
Don't you see, man?
It knows. It senses what we're trying to do.
I'm not trekking back though that jungle in the dark.
If you don't come now, I shall have to leave you.
well, then leave. Leave.
(STATIC CRACKLING)
(DISTRESSED CRIES)
(GROANING)
Braun?
(PANTING)
Braun?
Sorenson wouldn't come. He...
Braun?
where are you?
(STATIC CRACKLING)
(GROANS)
(BEEPING)
(GASPING)
DOCTOR: Hmm?
what did you say?
You promised me we'd be back in London five minutes before leaving Loch Ness.
- Did I? - Oh, you're trying to wriggle out of it.
- wriggle out of what? - Your promise.
we're on the edge of a time-space vortex, and you're talking in minutes.
SARAH: Oh, I see.
- what's gone wrong this time? - Nothing. Nothing at all.
what makes you think something's gone wrong?
Because you always get rude when you're trying to cover up a mistake.
Nothing of consequence. Slight overshoot, easily rectified.
Come on. where are we?
we've come out of the time vortex at the wrong point, that's all.
A few years too late.
- How many? - 30,000.
(BEEPING)
That's a distress call.
Someone's in trouble.
- where? - who knows.
Stand by for emergency materialisation.
(wHOOSHING)
which way?
This way.
You don't know where we are.
Oh, with any luck, we're near enough to reach wherever it is...
That is not what I meant.
before whatever it was that made them transmit the call overwhelms them.
- That is, if we're not too late already. - I mean what planet?
Oh, it's a weak signal.
Never mind the diffractive interference of the time warp.
Could you move any faster?
I'm doing the best I can.
(STATIC CRACKLING)
There it is. Zeta Minor.
The last planet of the known universe.
Crew deck, orbital entry imminent.
Ponti and De Haan to command area. Ponti and De Haan to command area.
Vishinsky, you'll lead the landing party.
without Ponti?
You are the most experienced officer.
- You are going to scan first? - No.
It's advised procedure before physical landing on any ex-planet.
Technically, Zeta Minor is not an ex-planet.
Professor Sorenson's party has been on the surface for months.
They might have been dead for months. They've not reported.
Vishinsky, you know our field position.
we've enough for the return journey and an emergency reserve.
I cannot waste that on a low-level scan.
It's your decision, Controller. I'll get equipped for descent.
Sarah?
You all right? what's the matter?
I don't know.
Just suddenly felt so odd,
as though my mind left my body.
You all right now?
- Yes. - You look all right.
(CHUCKLES)
what's that you've found?
Hmm? Hand tool of some kind.
So the people who sent that signal must be humanoid.
well, if they've got hands...
The descent chamber's ready, Ponti.
Yes, Controller.
The probe will remain in free orbit
in case emergency escape procedures are needed.
From the time you land, maintain permanent audio contact.
Understood, Controller.
The descent area is the one selected for Sorenson,
so you should have no difficulty locating the base.
Unless something gets in our way.
You're equipped and trained to deal with all normal contingencies.
The prime purpose of this mission is to locate
Professor Sorensen's expedition.
If hostile forces are found to be operating on Zeta Minor,
we've the capacity to eliminate them.
(BEEPING)
Right, we're in orbit. Prepare for descent.
SARAH: Looks like we're too late.
DOCTOR: Several months too late, by the look of him.
DOCTOR: Anyone about?
No one about.
Can't we have some lights?
Probably the power's run down.
That would account for the weak signal.
Yes.
Ah.
what?
Automatic distress button.
It all adds up.
May have been running for months.
High-capacity power cell dependent on sunlight for charging.
So we're still in the solar system.
we're still in a solar system.
But what particular star provides the light and energy?
wherever we are, we're a long way out.
- SARAH: I wonder what happened here. - Hmm?
well, this is clearly the base for some kind of scientific expedition,
possibly geological, something went wrong
and they sent out a distress signal.
And died before help arrived.
Yes. Something like that.
A lost expedition.
So, what are we gonna do?
So, let's go back to the Tardis and fetch my spectromixer.
I'll fix our position by that star.
And I'll repair this power cell and try and make contact.
well, you can get on with that now. I'll fetch the spectromixer.
- Good idea. Would you do that? - why not? I know the way.
Good thinking.
- what are you waiting for? - The key.
Right.
- See you. - Mmm.
(wHIRRING)
Sarah.
Don't touch. Keep back. It may be a trap.
Landing party to probe.
Understood.
You've acted correctly. Do not attempt entry.
VISHINSKY: Shall we apply disintegrators?
On no account. It will yield essential information on hostile forces.
Your orders are, transpose object to probe. Out.
Prepare the quarantine berth.
(BEEPING)
(wHIRRING)
All right. Stand clear.
Movement. Over there.
Approach and identify yourself.
Professor Sorenson.
I've been observing you for some time.
One has to be careful on this planet.
Appearances can be deceptive.
- You all right, Professor? - Oh, yes.
It's nearly dawn. The days are quite safe.
But how are you?
Galactic Mission Control received no word from you.
They sent us to investigate.
I'm well... I'm more than well.
My theory about Zeta Minor has proved to be true.
Only last night I made the vital discovery in Sector 5.
where are the others?
Baldwin returned to the base last night. He was suffering from fatigue.
He'll be fine now. Come, I'll show you the way.
There were eight in your expedition.
Yes, we've had difficulties.
Conditions are hard.
we've lost some but...
The important thing is, the mission has been a success.
- we've found what we came to find. - How many have you lost?
He'll be... He'll be fine now.
It's just tiredness. He needs a good rest.
It's not far.
Baldwin.
He's dead.
Yes. Murdered.
Just like the others.
Stay where you are.
(wHIRRING)
Stand just where you are.
where am I?
You are in orbit around planet Zeta Minor.
You're a Morestran prisoner.
(GASPING)
I can't breathe.
An oxygen type.
Could be an earthling. Transfer oxygen to quarantine area.
Command deck calling you, Controller.
Right. Complete the quarantine procedures and bring the alien to me.
And see what she's holding.
VISHINSKY: He calls himself the Doctor. He's not of our world.
Claims to have landed in response to a distress call.
Have you checked the transmitters down there?
Yes, but any signal would have been monitored by our receivers.
Perhaps my receivers are better than yours.
Shut up!
My manners certainly are.
Can't Sorenson explain?
VISHINSKY: He's too shocked. His mental state is strained.
Understandable. We arrived just in time.
And the prisoner?
Just repeats the same story.
Keep a careful watch on him.
I may have better fortune.
(STATIC CRACKLING)
You picked it up?
That's what I said. We picked up a distress call and landed immediately.
Do you have any idea where Zeta Minor is situated?
- No, not exactly... - It's beyond Cygnus A.
It's as distant again from the Artoro galaxy
as that galaxy is from the Anterides.
It's on the very edge of the known universe.
You just happened to be passing when you received this distress call?
(STAMMERING) well, no. we were actually on our way to London, to Earth.
To Earth? You said you came from Earth.
Yes, we do.
That is I do.
(BEEPING) You see, the Doctor said we could...
- we could be... - Report.
MAN: Landing site moving to obverse.
Decision to land on planet or continue in orbit imperative.
we'll go in now, before night.
I think you and your friend, the Doctor,
know much more about Zeta Minor than you want us to think.
Take her away.
Commence landing procedure.
we'd only been working a few weeks when Lorenzo went.
After that, Gura and then Summers.
And then, for a while, it stopped.
we thought that we were safe,
that whatever it was had decided to leave us in peace,
but it wasn't to be.
- The killings always happened at night? - Oh, yes.
- The nights were the worst. - Naturally.
Any force of alien infiltrators is going to operate under cover of dark.
A full and immediate confession would save you great discomfort.
Discomfort?
You mean you're going to torture me?
Interrogate you, and nobody, Doctor,
withstands Morestran interrogation for very long.
Put him with the other prisoner.
we must try and contact the home planet again.
Not a chance, Controller. This far out, we're on our own.
SALAMAR: well?
we've searched a wide belt of the jungle in all directions.
No sign of any other life.
So that seems to narrow the killer down to our two aliens.
Prepare to execute them.
Let's go, shall we?
How?
Through the window.
They're magnetically locked.
But the power is low.
(STATIC CRACKLING)
(SARAH GASPING)