(DOCTOR WHO THEME)
You're all Earthlings. What are you doing on this ship?
Are you hostages? Is that it?
DOCTOR: Well, Bigon?
Tell them nothing.
(BEEPING)
- You have not been told by Monarch? - No.
Then we must be silent on this.
His Majesty commands me to tell you
that we arrive on planet Earth in four days.
He invites you to complete your journey as his guests.
Well, that's very civil of His Majesty. Who are you?
We've already met.
This is Enlightenment and I am Persuasion.
Goodness. How you've changed.
You're what I sketched.
Yes. You're a very good draughtswoman, my dear.
I want to go.
ENLIGHTENMENT: There's no need to be frightened. Please.
TEGAN: I'm not frightened.
ADRIC: How did you do it? Change like that?
We enjoy the most advanced technology in the universe.
- Magical. - No, not magic, Doctor.
A skill like any other.
- You mean anyone can do it? - ENLIGHTENMENT: Yes.
- Me? - If you wished.
But you have no need yet.
- But you have. - ENLIGHTENMENT: As you have seen.
The dominant emotion on planet Earth is fear.
When last we were there, our reception was hostile.
- Yes. That doesn't surprise me. - Well, we must read your history books.
You will be welcome to do so.
It will be necessary for me to instruct you in our computer languages.
One couldn't wish for a more enchanting teacher.
- PERSUASION: A very elevated one. - Enlightenment.
- Minister of Enlightenment. - DOCTOR: Yes, of course.
And you must be Minister of Persuasion.
Close watch this, Doctor.
Control, report what is known of this being also Gallifrey and artron energy.
May one ask the purpose of your journey to planet Earth?
- Resettlement. - Our planet, Urbanka, no longer exists.
Inokshi, our sun, was an irregular variable.
- It collapsed 1,000 years ago. - We left before the end.
In time to escape the black hole.
- Many of you? - Three billion.
Three billion?
- How many ships? - One.
- One! - This one.
They have been told enough.
(BEEPING)
Yes. Well...
CONTROL: Data on Doctor, Gallifrey, artron energy not memory bank.
Inference, fifth dimension.
This Doctor cannot have brought mathematics further than I. Infer again.
The occult.
Superstition? No.
Isolate them! I must know more about them.
Now that you are refreshed, you must see your quarters.
Bigon will show you. He was the last to use them.
I see. So we've accepted your invitation?
- Graciously. - Of course.
BIGON: This way please.
-Au revoir. - I hope so.
Here you will be comfortable. I was.
Yikes.
- Where are the others? - My boy?
The rest of the three billion.
I'm sure that Monarch or one of his ministers
will wish to satisfy your curiosity.
I hope we're not putting you out.
No. I have no need of this accommodation now.
- You're with your family? - I have no family.
Not since I was rescued from Earth a hundred generations ago.
Why does the old fool have to chatter?
I must leave you now.
- We're shut in. - A hundred generations.
Seems young for his age, don't you think?
But three billion people, how big can the ship be?
- It's impossible. - On the face of it.
I wanna get out of here.
I want to get off this ship. I don't wanna be rescued.
Make up your mind.
Well, can you get us out of here? Can you get us back to the Tardis?
Oh, I don't anticipate a great deal of difficulty.
Good. Then I wanna go now!
I knew a sailor once, friend of mine, chap named Drake.
- What's that got to do with it? - He said something like,
"There's time enough to get to Terminal 3
- "and beat the Armada, too." - Armada?
Could there really be more than one of these?
MONARCH: This Doctor interests me more and more.
On no account is he to leave.
(BUZZING)
And now he's blocked out the sound. Here we have a lively intelligence.
- He could make a valuable ally. - Or a dangerous enemy, Your Majesty.
He's too jocular, irresponsible.
Such a being prefers mental anarchy. They call it freedom.
What nonsense, the pair of you.
I have eliminated the concept of opposition.
I was thinking of Bigon, Your Majesty.
- Bigon cannot oppose. - But he does not conform.
Well, of course. He's a philosopher, a doubter, we need doubt.
It's the greatest intellectual galvaniser.
With respect, Your Majesty, there's a sensitivity in his persona
which suggests what, in the flesh time, was called "soul".
It's the first time, Enlightenment, I've heard you blaspheme.
- I beg Your Majesty's pardon. - I should think so.
Flesh time indeed.
You approach lese majeste, when you put the soul in the past tense.
(HIGH-PITCHED BUZZING)
Must you make that awful noise?
If our conversation is to remain private, yes.
They must be lying or mad.
Three billion people on one ship, it'll never get off the ground.
Of course they're mad.
100 generations on this thing, they've got to be mad.
She didn't talk of people, she talked of population.
- Comes to the same thing. - Sloppy thinking, Adric.
Do you know there are at least 3 billion bacteria in this chamber alone?
And if a frog with a funny head who can turn itself into a semblance
of a human being in a matter of minutes,
there isn't much of a limit to what it can't do.
To say nothing of the dress-making.
- All that's not so difficult. - Not difficult?
- These Urbankans are terribly advanced. - Terribly is too right.
I understand bio-engineering, but I'm also an expert in cybernetics.
What's cybernetics?
A science concerned with the control mechanisms of machines.
What machines?
I've seen three large frogs and four very peculiar human beings.
No. You've seen more than that.
You saw two sketches you made come to life.
- Don't remind me. - I'm sure machines did that.
We're talking of flesh and blood.
I am beginning to wonder.
I mean, here we are, four days from Earth
on a spaceship with three billion and three frogs.
And four Earthlings. Why?
Wait a minute, wait a minute, how long is 100 generations?
- What's generation in years? - Call it 25.
- 2,500 years. - Right. Right.
So it's at least 2,500 years
since our hosts last visited Earth when they rescued Bigon.
If the return journey to Urbanka takes the same time as the journey to Earth...
- How's your ancient history, Tegan? - Like I feel, awful.
Well, not to worry, mine's pretty good.
Now, the Futu dynasty in China, I would put at 4,000 years ago.
The Mayans in South America flourished 8,000 years ago.
And Kurkutji the Aborigine says it's so long since he was taken
he can't remember. How about 12,000 years?
But that's mad.
Yes, so you keep saying, Tegan. Is anyone saying you're wrong?
- I am. I think it's brilliant. - So do I. Pure logic.
Or maybe Tegan's right. Why do it?
Are you saying that this aborigine was taken 12,000 years ago?
No, but his ancestor was.
Wouldn't be the first time that whole generations
have known of no other life than a spaceship.
Then what are you saying?
I'm saying that the Urbankans have visited Earth four times
and taken at least one cultural representative.
And this time, they're coming for good.
Well, I say good.
Three billion Earthlings plus three billion Urbankans,
I really don't think so. I really don't think so at all.
Then what are we gonna do?
Explore.
What action shall I take, Your Majesty?
None. He will take the action.
He has a sonic device, primitive but effective.
He'll want to explore.
Arrange a recreational to divert him,
but keep him separated from the boy or girl.
They will tell me more about this Doctor than he will himself.
Bring these.
- What shall we do? - Come on.
Doctor! We've lost the others.
I get the feeling we were meant to lose them.
- But we can't just leave them. - Well, what do you suggest?
Come on, and try to keep calm. We'll get nowhere if you lose your head.
MONARCH: Let them move freely.
In the meantime, Enlightenment, I will examine Bigon.
Your Majesty.
(FLUTE MUSIC PLAYING)
More Earthlings.
Hello?
Some sort of entertainment.
- Welcome to our recreational. - Thank you.
Where are your junior companions?
I'm afraid they've got lost, you know what children are.
No, I don't as it happens, but they won't get far.
Please.
We have these little soirees from time to time.
It is a recreation from work and study
and representative of the different cultures.
How is Urbanka represented?
We have no comparable culture, such concepts are for the primitive.
You must resist the temptation to tell this Doctor about my mission.
I have been telling the truth for over 2,500 years.
Then keep silent.
You weren't made immortal to engage in endless gossip.
I want to know more about this Doctor before I tell him of the ultimate.
When you do this, his hand will be against you.
Then I will cut it off.
We cannot find the ultimate. There is no ultimate to find.
I have heard enough blasphemy for one day.
If it weren't for me, you'd still believe your Earth was flat.
Now, hold your tongue!
This Doctor will know about us when I know more about him.
Now, leave us!
Very bright light.
- For photosynthesis. - What's that?
The light on the plants converts carbon dioxide into carbohydrate.
The plants give off oxygen.
ADRIC: Hello.
- Shouldn't we look for the others? - No, no.
As Persy over there said, they can't be far.
- What if they harm them? - Why should they?
- I don't know why but I think they will. - Nonsense.
- Wouldn't make any sense. - Doesn't have to.
I think they're mad. Think you are, too.
Well, take the advice of a mad man
- and look happy. - Why?
Try to look as if you are enjoying yourself.
In these situations, it's the best form of defence.
And it gives me time to think.
(DOOR OPENS)
(GASPING)
- They have lungs. - Let them remember that.
Not enough oxygen.
ADRIC: They don't need oxygen.
Excuse me.
He's ice cold.
They've all got one of these.
No! She goes too far.
- I'm sorry. - Don't you do that to her!
Come on.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
I want to look as if I'm explaining the contest.
I must see you in private as soon as possible.
I fancy I've made our quarters private enough.
Good. Could you divert the attention for a moment?
- I'll do my best. - In 10 seconds please.
Act after me.
Doctor!
PERSUASION: Are you not well, Doctor?
Quite all right, thank you. Just a dizzy spell.
It must be the altitude.
- What a fatuous remark. - Ah, the flesh time.
- What was all that about? - A little diversion.
I think we're on to something. Bigon wants to talk to me.
ADRIC: I don't suppose it's any use speaking to this lot either.
Look, an electron microscope.
ADRIC: What's this?
NYSSA: Looks like an induction furnace.
Is it wise, Your Majesty, to let the children see the Mobiliary chamber?
Enlightenment questions my wisdom?
- They will communicate with the others. - Certainly.
But I intend to control and qualify that communication.
What do they do in here?
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(ABORIGINAL MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
I can't say I share your taste in entertainment.
It is not as it seems.
NYSSA: So that's what they do in here.
Bring the children to me.
So you were right.
Four visits, every 4,000 years or so?
No. The first visit was over 35,000 years ago when Kurkutji was taken.
It took 20,000 years for the Urbankans to reach Earth.
Monarch has doubled the speed of the ship on every subsequent visit.
So you last left Urbanka 1,250 years ago?
How can organic life endure that long?
The only organic life aboard is in the Flora Chamber.
This compound is not me.
This is me.