The
Olympian Experiment
by
Robin
Gordon
Episode
4: Daleks
SCENE
46 (continued)
The
Polyfemos are watching the Cyclopic Eye’s view of the cavern
on
their screen. They see the intruders lying unconscious and
Sarah
in the grip of a gigantic beetle-like monster.
AIAIA:
Let the
Uperonian-Kentar take the circeoid aliens to their stables.
* *
*
SCENE
47
A
cell off the main cavern. The Doctor, Sarah, Odysseus, Eurylochos and
Elpenor are psycho-tranquillised. Each is living in his or her own
little world and is oblivious of the others: Eurylochos is feasting,
Elpenor gambling, Odysseus arriving home, the Doctor explaining the
theory of time-refraction to a fully comprehending Brigadier, and Sarah
is conversing with the Young Time Lord.
ELPENOR:
What about your slave girl? Why don’t you bet
her?
I’ll stake my Cretan dagger, the one with the gold hilt.
Elpenor
casts an imaginary dice and wins.
ODYSSEUS:
Even my faithful old Argus waiting at the gate.
Come on, old fellow. Good boy.
He
stoops to receive the enthusiastic greetings of a dog visible only to
him.
DOCTOR:
… and these chronons, or time particles, then behave in
almost
exactly the same way as photons, and of course the result is bound to
be … that’s right Brigadier. Are you
acquainted with
the theorem?
ELPENOR:
All right! Best of three if you want. Now let me.
Elpenor
casts his dice.
ELPENOR:
I
win again. The gods are with me tonight.
SARAH:
…but if you’re only 749 now, I mean will be 749
when I
know you, how can you already be as old as you are 4,000 years
ago? Or, to put it another way …
Eurylochos
silently gets to his feet, leaves his imaginary feast and walks out of
the cell. The others continue their lives without noticing.
DOCTOR:
Well, if you knew all the time, Alastair, I can’t see why you
always pretend to be so … military.
* *
*
SCENE
48
The
Brain Analysis Chamber. A crystalline table with other
crystals
grouped around it. The Polyfemos stand in a weary group at
one
side of the room. The Forkiads concentrate on a Cyclopic
Screen
which shows Eurylochos walking along a corridor or tunnel.
As
always Aiaia articulates the collective thought of the Polyfemos,
speaking as if musing to himself. The other councillors moan
in
agreement or occasionally wail
“Aiaia”.
AIAIA:
The Circeoids have immense physical power … but there is no
danger … we are stronger … we can control all
creatures. All creatures obey us. We are the
Polyfemos. We are the High Council of Circe. We
rule the
Circeans, and the Circeans will rule the Universe.
POLYFEMOS:
Ai … ai … a …
AIAIA:
Soon our rule will spread to the Seven Galaxies, and if there are
worlds beyond the Seven Galaxies they too will acknowledge the rule of
Circe.
POLYFEMOS:
Ai …ai … a …
Eurylochos
enters the room. The Polyfemos become
agitated.
Eurylochos stands still. A Cyclopic Eye floats in after him
and
comes to rest on the floor. As it touches down Ogugia buries
his
face in his hands and slumps exhausted. Calupso and Nausikaa
are
not in much better shape.
AIAIA:
We
have no need to fear. The creature is our slave. We
control its thought.
The
members of the Polyfemos regain control of themselves.
AIAIA:
Let
the Circeoid take its place on the scanning table.
The
Polyfemos moan. Eurylochos lies down on the scanning
table.
While he is getting into position Aiaia continues musing.
AIAIA:
Their hands have fingers and opposable thumbs, like ours. Yet
they are as powerful for their size as the claws of an
Uperonian-Kentar. Is our long search ended? Have we
at last
found the servants we need? These Circeoids will carry for
us. They will build and test the spacecraft we need to spread
our
power through the Seven Galaxies. Of all the planets in the
Universe we shall enslave first the planet of the Circeoids.
POLYFEMOS:
Ai … ai … a …
AIAIA:
It is a pity that this specimen must die. We have so
few.
But we must analyse the brain of one of them. Let the
Forkiads
begin their work.
Ogugia
concentrates. The Cyclopic Eye rises from the floor and moves
into position above the head of Eurylochos. As Calupso and
Nausikaa concentrate theCyclopic Screen glows, swirls, then shows a
succession of images: the landscape of Greece, peaceful life, battle
scenes from
the siege of Troy, the storm, the shipwreck, the first meeting with the
Doctor and the arrival on Circe. The Polyfemos sigh and
moan. Eurylochos gasps with pain throughout the
analysis.
At the end he cries out as a final spasm of pain sears his brain, and
he dies. Calupso and Nausikaa collapse into
exhaustion.
Ogugia maintains concentration until the Cyclopic Eye lands, then he
too slumps wearily. The Polyfemos are also tired.
They sigh.
AIAIA:
We have learned much. Their planet is fruitful.
They have
the instinct to fight and to worship. We Circeans will make
ourselves their gods and they will fight in our name … We do
not
know where to find their planet … we must analyse more
brains
… but first the aliens must build us spacecraft from the
ruins
of the ships we have wrecked. Let us think how we can
influence
their minds so that they will worship us and serve us for
ever.
When that is accomplished we need no longer use our power to keep them
psycho-tranquillised and to control their actions.
The
Polyfemos sigh deeply.
* *
*
SCENE
49
The
construction site. A spaceship is being built from the
remains of
ships which have crashed on Circe. Various non-humanoids are
performing tasks. The Alpha-Centauran moves among them
checking,
calculating and pointing out faults to be corrected. The
Doctor
and Sarah are working at an open inspection hatch welding together
shafts, cables, etc. with the help of a Dalek which is using its
blaster as a welding gun. Cyclopic Eyes hover overhead.
An
Uperonian-Kentar trundles up, balancing a massive metal panel on its
back. The Doctor, Sarah, Odysseus and Elpenor leave their
tasks
and move to unload it. They rest the panel on the ground and
the
Uperonian-Kentar lumbers away. Elpenor stiffens as if hearing
a
call, then, without a word, he walks away. The others hold
the
panel steady while a Dalek drills a row of neat holes with
its
blaster gun.
* *
*
SCENE
50
The
Polyfemos watch on a Cyclopic Screen as Elpenor is subjected to the
song of the Siren.
AIAIA:
The
Circeoid must worship the Circean.
The
Polyfemos moan. Elpenor shudders.
AIAIA:
The
Circeoid is made in the image of the Circean. It must worship
the Circean with its body and its mind.
The
Polyfemos moan. Elpenor drops to his knees.
AIAIA:
It
is enough. Let the Siren and the Circeoid return to their
stables.
The
Siren flies away. Elpenor remains kneeling.
AIAIA:
The Circeoid must return to its stable. It is the command of
the
Circeans. It is the command of the Polyfemos.
The
Polyfemos concentrate harder and moan. Elpenor does not move.
AIAIA:
Has the time come? Has our power drained away? The
Circean
people have long been near exhaustion. Each year we have
needed
more and more of them to support us. Each year more have been
needed to move and operate the Cyclopic Eyes. But the drain
is
gradual. We cannot have lost all our vital force.
The Siren
obeyed us. Let us try once more. We must
concentrate.
The
Polyfemos concentrate.
AIAIA:
Let the Circeoid, the Achaian, the creature called Elpenor
stand. It must stand. Stand! –
We must
concentrate. The Circeoids must obey. We need
them.
Let the creature stand.
Elpenor
does not move. The Polyfemos relax their concentration.
AIAIA:
What has gone wrong? Are the Circeoids immune to our
power? Let the Forkiads show us the other Circeoids.
The
Cyclopic Screen goes blank, then shows the construction site.
AIAIA:
Let the Circeoids understand that the Circeans have no further us for
them. They are to be exterminated by the Daleks.
Let the
Circeoids line up to meet death.
The
Doctor and the Humans line up in front of a Dalek.
AIAIA:
Let
the Circeoids resume their work. Let them understand that
they must serve the Circeans.
They
return to work.
AIAIA:
Our power is as strong as ever. We need have no
fear. Soon
the worship of all creatures in the Universe will strengthen
us.
We will be gods of the Universe.
POLYFEMOS:
Ai … ai … a …
AIAIA:
As for the specimen named Elpenor, our experiments have destroyed its
mind. Let the nearest Uperonian-Kentar return it to its
stable. It will die soon.
* *
*
SCENE
51
The
cell. The Doctor, Sarah and Odysseus are deep in
psycho-tranquillised imaginings. Elpenor sits glassy-eyed and
open-mouthed in a catatonic trance.
SARAH:
I can’t believe it the Tardis has actually worked.
We’re really here. There’s the Brigadier,
and Harry,
and Mr Benton too.
DOCTOR:
… you see, Zeus, we’ve got to have three players
for four
dimensional chess, so if Poseidon won’t play we shall have to
ask
Morbius. It’s really very simple.
It’s just
like three dimensional chess except that instead of merely anticipating
all the possible moves stemming from the present position,
you’ve
got to remember all the possible moves that could have resulted from
any of the previous states of the game. You’ll soon
get
used to it.
ODYSSEUS:
Gold. That’s what I’ve brought you
Penelope. Gold and jewels! Look at these.
Odysseus
spreads out imaginary treasures.
ODYSSEUS:
My share of the spoils of Troy and her allies.
SARAH:
I’m going to soak in a nice hot bath for hours …
and hours … and hours …
DOCTOR:
Ah, but you can’t do that, because five
moves ago that would have put you in
check.
ODYSSEUS:
But best of all, I’ve brought you this.
Odssyeus
unties the bag from his belt and brings out the Metabelis crystal.
ODYSSEUS:
There isn’t another one like it in the world. Look
how beautiful it is.
Odysseus
looks at the crystal. It begins to glow. He stares,
fascinated and is immersed in its power. His head echoes with
the
sounds of war and the screams of the dying.
ODYSSEUS:
So many brave men … so many … the flower of our
nation
… never again … never again … I warned
then
… they wouldn’t listen … I ploughed ten
furrows for
ten years of war … so many dead … dead
…
The
sounds of war turn to the blowing of a desert wind and the sighing and
meaningless lamentation of dead souls bereft of reason.
ODYSSEUS:
It is the sighing and meaningless lamentation of dead souls bereft of
reason … Achilles … Aias … my friends
who fell at
Ilion … and … Agamemnon …murdered
… by his
wife … can such things be?
The
lamentation becomes a shriek. Odysseus falls back exhausted
as
the crystal loses its power. Then he comes to himself.
ODYSSEUS:
Am I mad? … I was mad … I think the gods have
cleared my
wits – the gods, or the crystal. Now I am sane and
if I am
sane, the first thing to do is … to stop talking to myself.
Odysseus
looks around. The Doctor and Sarah are still immersed in
their
private fantasies. Elpenor is still catatonic.
SARAH:
… for hours … and hours … and hours
… Ah, that feels so good!
Sarah
stretches in her bath.
DOCTOR:
Check mate! My game I think.
Odysseus
picks up the crystal and approaches the Doctor.
ODYSSEUS:
Zeus and all you gods of high Olympos, I pray you not to send him such
visions as you sent me.
Odysseus
holds out the crystal to the Doctor, who ignores it.
DOCTOR:
Of course I'll give you a game, Morbius, if someone else will play
too. I don't suppose you’ve seen my old chum, the
Master,
around, have you? He always liked a gamble.
ODYSSEUS:
I like a gamble too.
DOCTOR:
Who …?
ODYSSEUS:
I am Odysseus of the nimble wits.
DOCTOR:
Can you play four-dimensional chess? Do you know the pieces?
ODYSSEUS:
What is this piece called?
Odysseus
gives the Doctor the crystal.
DOCTOR:
This? This is the queen … the most powerful piece
on the
board … the … blue … queen …
The
crystal glows, releasing a montage of the Doctor’s past, his
various avatars, accompanied by music similar to the theme music.
* *
*
SCENE 52
The
Council Chamber of the Polyfemos. Aiaia speaks for them and
they moan in unison.
AIAIA:
The fright we suffered when the Circeoid did not obey, has drained our
energy. We must be careful. We must conserve our
strength. We must find new sources of energy. We
could use
the Circeoid whose brain we destroyed … No, there is nothing
left in the creature but death. We cannot take more from the
vine, or it will cease to bear fruit, and our bodies need the
fruit. We cannot take more from our people or they will
die. We cannot afford to lose any more Circeans until we have
enough energy to reproduce. We cannot use the Circeoids, we
need
them to build the ship. Afterwards we may drain their life
forces. Which of the other aliens can we absorb? We
must
think … but not now. Now we are too
tired. Now we
must rest. Only the Forkiads must watch. Let all
our people
except the Forkiads and their supporters, rest.
The
Polyfemos subside into uneasy sleep.
* *
*
SCENE
53
The
cell. The Doctor, Sarah and Odysseus are trying to wake
Elpenor
with the crystal. Elpenor is thrashing about with his arms
and
legs and screaming wildly.
SARAH:
We’ll never do it.
DOCTOR:
Don’t give up hope. He’s much quieter
now. Listen, I think he’s trying to speak.
ELPENOR:
Don’t let it get me! The fangs! Help
me!
I’m being sucked down. The jaws! The
vine! The
whirlpool! I’m drowning.
Elpenor
clutches at Odysseus, shuddering convulsively and gasping for
breath. Gradually he quietens and is still. The
crystal
fades.
ODYSSEUS:
Elpenor!
No
response.
ODYSSEUS:
Elpenor!
Still
no response. The Doctor tips Elpenor’s head back to
examine his eyes.
DOCTOR:
Are you all
right?
ELPENOR:
All righ’ …? Yes …
I’m all righ’ …
DOCTOR:
Do
you know where you are?
Elpenor
looks around and makes a great effort to think.
ELPENOR:
Here.
ODYSSEUS:
Do you know me?
Elpenor
shakes his head in puzzlement.
DOCTOR:
Who are you? What is your name?
ELPENOR:
Name? What’s name?
DOCTOR:
He
may get better. I don’t know.
ELPENOR:
I
have … heard … the song of the Siren.
DOCTOR:
Let him rest while we think what to do next.
SARAH:
Let's get out of here.
ODYSSEUS:
Don’t forget the Eye.
Sarah
peeps out of the cell.
SARAH:
It’s up near the ceiling.
ODYSSEUS:
We’ve got to destroy it.
DOCTOR:
We’d have to find some way of luring it down to ground level
without the watchers suspecting a trap, and keep it here long enough to
smash it.
SARAH:
How
does it work?
DOCTOR:
It must be worked by telepathic energy. That stimulates, the crystal
causing minute vibrations which generate electronic impulses, and these
are amplified into oscillating currents in the interfaces between the
different substances forming the crystalline retina. Light
failing on the retina through the transparent lens amplifies or
distorts these oscillations, and these variations are picked up by the
telepath.
SARAH:
You
mean it’s a long-distance eye?
DOCTOR:
Yes.
ODYSSEUS:
Then let’s show it the crystal.
DOCTOR:
It might work. The only problem is that we’ve got
to make
the watcher concentrate on the crystal, and to do that we’ve
lot
to set the crystal off. It will be dangerous. We
don’t know what effect the crystal may have if it’s
used
again so soon, and besides whoever uses it may well be totally
overwhelmed by the power behind that Eye. Unless we can
snatch
him back on time by physical force, he could be totally destroyed.
ODYSSEUS:
There is only one person …
The
Doctor nods.
SARAH:
Not
you, Doctor.
DOCTOR:
No, not me, Sarah.
SARAH:
You
mean … me?
DOCTOR:
It’s not just our own lives that are at stake.
We’ve got to stop the Circeans ever getting off this planet.
ODYSSEUS:
You are the only one who came out of the spell without suffering
– and you’re the only one small enough to pull back
into
the cave without wasting valuable time.
SARAH:
Couldn’t we just sabotage their ship while we’re
working tomorrow.
DOCTOR:
By
tomorrow they’ll know that they no longer control our
minds. It has to be now. Will you do it?
Sarah
gulps and nods.
* *
*
SCENE
54
The
cavern outside the cell. Sarah comes out with the
crystal.
She holds it up then puts it carefully on a rock. She waves
in
the direction of the Cyclopic Eye, which is balanced on a ledge near
the roof on the opposite wall of the cavern. It turns
slightly to
look in her direction. She beckons to it and points at the
crystal.
DOCTOR
[from
the, shadows]:
Don’t ham it up, Sarah. This isn’t a
pantomime.
Sarah
grins nervously and kneels beside the crystal. She
concentrates
and it begins to glow. The Cyclopic Eye rises slowly from its
ledge and comes nearer, drifting lower and lower.
Suddenly
the crystal flares brightly as the Forkiads’ collective mind
is
entranced. Sarah opens her mouth in an agonised soundless
scream. The Doctor and Odysseus spring from the shadows,
seize
her and hurl her back into the cave. The Cyclopic Eye has
come to
rest on the floor beside the crystal. The brilliance of the
crystal begins to dim as the Doctor and Odysseus reappear with crowbars
and begin smashing the crystalline eye. Sharp fragments
splinter
off it.
Elpenor
comes out of the cell.
ELPENOR:
Girl sad. Crying. What are you doing?
ODYSSEUS:
Smash the evil eye!
ELPENOR:
Smash the evil eye!
Elpenor
seizes a rock and crashes it down upon the Eye, which shatters into
fragments.
ELPENOR:
I
have heard the song of the Siren, but the Evil Eye is dead.
DOCTOR:
Sarah!
The
Doctor goes into the cell.
* *
*
SCENE
55
The
cell. Sarah is lying on the floor sob-grunting.
SARAH:
Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh …
DOCTOR
[despairingly]:
Sarah.
He
picks her up and carries her out of the cell.
* *
*
SCENE
56
The cavern. The
Doctor
comes out of the cell carrying Sarah.
DOCTOR:
I
may have destroyed her mind for ever. Oh, Sarah!
ODYSSEUS:
What now? How do we get out of the cavern?
DOCTOR:
There’s only one
way. Follow me.
The
Doctor carries Sarah towards one end of the cavern, followed by
Odysseus, who is leading Elpenor.
* *
*
SCENE
57
The cell of the
Daleks. The Daleks are still circling and muttering
“Exterminate! Exterminate! The Daleks
will rule the Universe!” Enter
the Doctor carrying
Sarah
and followed by Odysseus and Elpenor.
DOCTOR:
Daleks! The most vicious and dangerous creatures in the
Universe.
ODYSSEUS:
There’s nowhere to hide here.
DOCTOR:
Oh
yes there is.
The
Doctor lays Sarah on the ground, then he seizes one of the Daleks and
manhandles it into a corner, where he swiftly opens the top.
Odysseus looks inside then draws back with an expression of disgust.
DOCTOR:
You’d never believe they were once people like us, would
you? Give me your cloak.
Odysseus
hands over his cloak. The Doctor fumbles inside the Dalek
travel-machine and brings out the creature wrapped in the
cloak.
He tips it out behind a rock and hands the cloak back.
DOCTOR:
I shouldn’t wear it again if I were you. Now, all
we’ve got to do is take out the creature’s
life-support
systems, and there will be room for us to hide inside the
travel-machines.
Odysseus
watches carefully while the Doctor tinkers inside the Dalek
travel-machine with his sonic screw-driver.
DOCTOR:
We unscrew this piece here, slide that flange out there, then we undo
this, and just another turn here … and this whole section is
ready to lift out, like this …
The
Doctor is about to lift out the Dalek life-support system when Elpenor
interrupts.
ELPENOR:
The girl has heard the song of the Siren.
DOCTOR:
What?
ELPENOR:
She has gone where she is called.
Sarah
is wandering down the cavern towards the Humans’ old cell.
DOCTOR:
Sarah!
Sarah
does not respond. She somnambulates on.
DOCTOR:
I
must get her back before they bring another Eye. Wait here!
The
Doctor goes after Sarah.
ELPENOR:
The Evil Eye is dead.
Elpenor
starts forward. Odysseus holds him back.
ODYSSEUS:
No! You stay here. You must help me.
ELPENOR:
Yes, King … King …
Elpenor
struggles to remember.
ODYSSEUS:
Odysseus.
ELPENOR
[as
if relieved of a great
worry]: King
Odysseus
* *
*
SCENE
58
The
cavern: outside the Humans’ cell. Sarah drops to
her knees
and searches among the fragments of the Cyclopic Eye until she finds
the blue crystal from Metabelis III, which had fallen from the rock
unnoticed and been forgotten. She holds it up and stares at
it. It remains unchanged.
SARAH:
Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh … Please! Please!
The
Doctor arrives. He puts his arm around her.
DOCTOR:
Come on, Sarah. You’re safe now.
Sarah
shakes him off, her eyes still fixed on the Crystal.
SARAH:
Please!
DOCTOR:
They’ll have another Eye here soon. Come on.
He
tries to lift her to her feet. She shakes him off.
The
crystal begins to glow. Her face assumes an expression of
agonised ecstasy.
DOCTOR:
Sarah. Sarah.
He
shakes his head, sighs and sits down near her, taking care not to look
at the crystal.
* *
*
SCENE
59
The
Council Chamber of the Polyfemos. Aiaia speaks, the others
moan,
in unison in time with his expression of their thoughts.
AIAIA:
When the new Cyclopic Eye arrives we shall know what to do.
These
Circeoids tire us more than any other species. We can no
longer
bear it. They are beyond our control. They must be
exterminated.
* *
*
SCENE
60
The
cavern: outside the Humans’ cell. The
crystal’s glow fades. Sarah stirs.
DOCTOR:
Better now?
SARAH:
Oh
Doctor, it was horrible. It was like being sucked down by a
whirlpool.
Unseen
by them a new Cyclopic Eye has entered the cavern and is watching them
from as high up near the roof as it can get.
DOCTOR:
You’re all right now, Sarah. Can you walk?
SARAH:
I
think so.
He
helps her to her feet. She sees the Eye.
DOCTOR:
That’s better.
SARAH:
Doctor! Look!
DOCTOR:
Ah.
SARAH:
Didn’t the plan work?
DOCTOR:
It’s a new Eye.
SARAH:
What do we do?
DOCTOR:
I’m thinking, Sarah. I’m thinking.
A
Dalek comes purposefully down the cavern.
DALEK:
Aliens! Aliens! They must be exterminated!
Two
more Daleks follow.
DALEKS:
Exterminate! Exterminate!
The
Doctor and Sarah dive into the cell as the first Dalek blasts a nearby
rock to atoms.
*
*
*
SCENE
61
Inside the
Humans’
cell. The Doctor and Sarah huddle together in a corner.
DOCTOR:
Well, goodbye Sarah.
There
is another Dalek blast outside.
SARAH:
Goodbye Doctor.
They
shake hands. Two Daleks enter the cell.
