" Paul!" " Shh." "We'll fan out from here." "Remember the orders." "No shooting unless we have to." " l got separated from the others." " lt's all right." "But a group of them this time and orders not to shoot unless they have to." " Hunters." " l wonder what it's all about." "This heat is awful." "If it doesn't stop soon, I'll..." "Paul, look!" "(Groans)" "(Sobs) Oh, Beth!" "Simon!" "It's dead." "The whole bush." "And, Paul, the creek!" "It's dried up." "What's happened?" "Why are they dead?" " l looked after them as well as I could." " (Cracking)" "Look out!" "It's dead, too." "Just bone dry." "Just fell off the tree." "Well, of course." "That's it." "They've finally done it, Simon." "2957 and the Technocrats." "They've done something to the whole world." "They're burning us up." "(Big Ben chimes)" "(Controller 2957) But it isn't our responsibility." "A rise in temperature is a national concern." "(Alpha Four) lt's us they're asking, Controller." "Reports from Scotland." "The level of the Clyde is down another 20 centimetres." "The evaporation rate is ten above normal." "It should go to Central Coordination." "I can't be expected to deal with it here." "You had a watching brief at the start of geographical reconstruction." "I beg your pardon." "I was under the impression you were concerned when rivers were diverted." "I was involved, if that's what you mean." " l was an assistant to..." " Commander Traynor, yes." "Here's the Wye Valley simultaneous reception." "Advanced defoliation conditions." "The trees are dying because there isn't enough moisture in the atmosphere." "What's that?" " We've lost reception." " What was it?" "(Alpha Four) A curious phenomenon." " Lightning." " What?" " Did you see the dancing lights?" " Yes." " lt must be lightning." " Lightning doesn't look like that." "What thunder sounds like this thunder sounds?" "Whoever heard of thunder or lightning when there isn't any moisture?" " Volunteers to move that branch." " (Kids grumble)" "Arthur and Kevin." "Quickly." "Move it." "Hurry up." "Beth?" "Beth, what are you going to do?" "Emigrate." "Blast off for Mars." "But if nothing will grow any more, I mean for food." "We'll have to think about it, won't we?" "There's not even any water in the creek." "Would you mind not intoning responses?" "This whole business has nothing to do with you." "You and Simon only have to slip through the time barrier and you're shot of it." "That's not a very nice thing to say." "I obviously don't want to chat about it, do I?" "Up until now I've quite enjoyed your company." " Have you?" " Yes." "That other Beth in the ice Box." "She gave me the creeps, but if I became you, doing what you're doing, that wouldn't be bad at all." "All right. I'm sorry." "No, it doesn't matter." "You're as concerned as I am." "Couldn't someone..." "Isn't there somebody who could help you?" "Like who, for instance?" " There's 2957." " Oh, please." "Well, there is and he's got a duty, in a way." "He knows about you here while nobody else does." "Have you had a touch of the sun?" "It wouldn't be surprising." "2957 and his kind started all this." "2957 and his kind created the problem." "You don't think I'd turn to them if I was down to my last drop of water." " You can't afford to be so proud." " Oh, can't I just?" "They're the villains." "They're the turncoats." "This wasn't such a bad old world, but for now, all we know, they've put paid to it." "Anyway, if I know anything, 2957 would shrink at the idea of me at the moment." "Technocrats are essentially cautious people." "I'm a Misfit." "Remember?" "Not one of the chosen people." "Controller speaking." "Considering Section Four, Atlantic progress map." "Give me visual recognition, please." "Mist." "Everywhere, mist." "This is extraordinary." "I've been correlating the reports." "The southern Atlantic area is covered in thick mist." " indeed, Controller." " Thousands of square miles." "Here in Europe, we suffer from temperatures above those permitted by the Master Plan, lightning in the form of random electrical discharge and thunder that heralds no storm." "I've been correlating reports, too." "Well, something I can do for you, Alpha Four?" "During my training, I was taught that the Master Plan was a complex and interconnected project." "Any part was considered to depend on any other part." " lt can fail if a single detail is neglected." " That's true." "This tape informs us there's been a serious delay in constructing the Atlantic Sea Curtain." "More to the point, this tape's been edited." " Edited?" "Are you sure?" " Not much doubt of it." "Who could have done it?" "It's forbidden." "That's what we must now try to find out." "That's what we're bound to settle, whatever the outcome." "Now, let me get this straight." "Let me understand the true purpose of this delegation." "is it to suggest that I might have edited these tapes?" "You're not denying the tapes have been tampered with?" "Not if I'm reliably informed so." "Then who had more opportunity?" "That's what we have to ask." " And who had less reason?" " Sorry?" "Think what you're saying." "This is my sector." "Would I go to such lengths to destroy what I'd set out to achieve?" "We've had similar anomalies in the past." "One you were intimately connected..." " Look here..." " Something's gone seriously wrong." "Controller, we are guardians of the Master Plan, we Alphas." "We can't afford to overlook any possibility, ignore any clue." "And you're prepared to look on me as a kind of Commander Traynor?" "The seaway canals. I supervised construction of these, my friends." "A mighty project to carry the flood water from east to west before pumping it into the deep Atlantic." "Now, if I felt like sabotage, would I have carried all that out efficiently?" "And then chosen to make a mess of a lesser matter like the Sea Curtain?" "Hm?" "Very well." "I shall devote my best endeavours to finding out who tampered with these tapes." "I must warn you I shall have to take the matter further if you can't satisfy us." "You know, Four, you ought to realise there's more to running a sector like this than just getting control of it." "Power can be a punishment as well as a reward." " You don't believe that?" " No, of course not, Four." " But on the other hand..." " Well?" "What 17 means, I think, is that being the sort of persons we are, we shouldn't give the appearance of being ambitious." "It's our business to serve, not compete." "Being an Alpha clone doesn't mean inferior social status." " No, of course not." " A clone could even have command." " No, but tradition up till now..." " Oh, tradition." "The only tradition that matters is serving the Master Plan." "That's what we're all here for, isn't it?" "And that's what we must think of above all else." "Together with 2957, or in spite of him." "Yes, well, back to the treadmill." "We've certainly wasted enough time for one morning." " Four." " Yes, I'm looking at it from every angle." " All's well with the sector." " All's well with the plan." "Controller's office, scrambling, personal flash, no record, no monitoring." "(Bleeping)" "Vera, it's no good." "The cabbages are dead." "They won't grow." " They might, Paul." " No." "Then we'll just have to let them seed." "Start again." " They won't make any seeds." " You're so sure?" " l'll give them water." " Water's got to be rationed." "Vera, come back." "Listen to me." " Hello, Liz." " Simon, I've got to talk to you." "Poor old Vera seems to be going round the bend." " She's a B plus. I didn't know they could." " For God's sake." "All right. I didn't want to talk about that." "I just want to ask a question." " Would 2957 help Beth?" " Help her?" "How?" " With food and that, if he was asked." " l suppose so." " You're sure about that?" " Well, he likes her." "Yes." "Beth isn't so sure, but then Beth's like me, a D minus." "And we D minuses don't really know how A pluses behave." " lf you go on that nonsense, forget it." " We've got to do something." "You and I can get away any time we like, but the Community will die if somebody doesn't help them, die!" " We'd better wait here." " What for?" "We're on the edge of the jungle." "I'd best check there aren't any hunters." "(Rustling)" "(Gasps)" " Simon!" "Simon!" " What's the matter?" "There was somebody here!" "A man!" "It looked like Commander Traynor." "(2957) So if we can isolate the precise section on this tape, too..." " Yes, Controller." " We're all set." "When you're ready." "Get the message converted to captions in the same way." "Remember, you're here to observe and make judgements." "Yes." "That's the edit." "The entire directive to start manufacture of the Sea Curtain excised." "All right." "That'll do." "Comments, 17." "Well, in a queer way, it's just like the edit on the other tape." " Explain." " lt's not clean, Controller." " Not sensible." "Almost..." " Arbitrary?" " Yes." " And no attempt to cover tracks." "It could have been done by someone who didn't know what he was removing." "Controller, Alpha Four may have spoken a little hastily earlier." "He's been under a strain lately." "We just want to get to the bottom of the matter, 17." "Nothing more." "What's all the secrecy about?" "We can't explain what we're doing here." "Now, that's Controller 2957's office, room 209." " Do we mention Commander Traynor?" " That's forbidden." " Why?" " Because he..." "The fact of the matter is..." "Forget it. lt's too difficult." "Sorry, Simon." "Didn't realise it was A plus stuff." "Nobody here." "There will be in a minute. lt's not 2957." "Controller's office, scrambling." "Personal flash, no record, no monitoring." "(Bleeping)" "Ah, you're there." "I suppose I should be grateful." "Sorry. I was on the west side of the jungle. I couldn't get back easily." "Treat these reports with importance." "What have you to tell me?" "Nothing much." "We saw some pink birds, brought them down." "I don't mean about your stupid hunting." "Your special commission." "Oh, that." "Well, nothing much there either, really." "Didn't see any people." " Not a soul?" " No." "You must have done." "I've seen people in that jungle." " You, Alpha Four?" " On this very screen." "Not more than a few hours ago." "A boy whose name is Simon and a girl." "Also someone else who..." "That's another matter." "You're to redouble your efforts." "I found out that when Controller 2957 disappears from his office, he goes in the direction of the jungle." "It may have something to do with the people there." " Yes, Alpha Four." " Get me the information I want." "It's a question of the Master Plan, ultimately of security." "We clones have our duty." " What was that about?" " Better go after him." " Who is he?" " 2957's assistant." "I knew he was up to no good." "If he knows about Beth and the Community." "That's just what I mean." "He'll use what he knows to hurt 2957." "So you see, Alpha Four, you've been a little too earnest." "Yes, I think so." "The tape editing is crude." "Not the work of a professional." "You were right to suspect me first, but now we can look for the real culprit." "(Bleeping)" "For goodness sake, it must be here." "Perhaps in the other file, Alpha Four." " (Alpha Four) Very well. I'll attend to it." " Don't you want me to run it for you?" "No." "You're excused." "'Commander Charles Traynor, late of the Royal Navy." "'Founder of the Ministry of Forward Development." "He is a public enemy." "'He was stripped of social registration and declared a social criminal." "'Persons seeing him are required...'" "(Door opens)" "It's hot in here." "Isn't the air conditioning working?" " Liz." " That's right. I came about Beth." "You foolish child." "If you were discovered..." "Beth's in trouble." "She's got no food." "Her water supply's nearly finished." " You'll have to go." " Beth's in trouble." " Yes, I understand." " Won't you help?" " Me?" " Simon said you would." "Beth didn't think so." "Well, life's...more complicated than you imagine, Liz." "Beth made her decisions long ago." "It's her affair. I have my own problems." " You're afraid." " No. lf things were different..." "Yes, you are." "What's worse..." "Get out!" "Don't you know how dangerous it is?" "Get out before you ruin everything." " The computer was right." " Computer?" "Saying you and Beth were incompatible." "It did her a good turn." "'Successfully completed stage one of European geographical construction." "'Within a year, Charles Traynor had betrayed his trust." "'Evidence was produced to show he had held up progress 'on the diversion of northern British rivers." "'The Master Plan required completion here by May 1985." "'By June, Traynor was still insisting...'" "Who is it?" "Right." "Now that you're back, we'll get down to business." "We'll have some explanations." " Commander Traynor!" " Easy." "The jungle's full of eyes and ears." "We don't want to attract attention." " l won't do anything." "You're hurting." " Give me your word." "Promise!" "(Gasps)" "Cos I'm an old man now, you know, and I can't keep up with the youngsters the way I once could." "Now, sit down." "There are some things I need to know." "What are you doing here?" "Why didn't you go back through the time barrier?" " Why should we?" " l saw Simon before." "Didn't he tell you?" "No." "He never said anything about that." " ln fact, all he said about you was..." " Yes?" "I'm not sure." "You couldn't be talked about or something." "Oh." "Then he wouldn't break his word to me." "Not even as far as you were concerned." "Good boy." "Good boy." "Well..." "Perhaps I shouldn't have been quite so violent with you, Liz." "Cos I need my neck for a while yet." "But it's so difficult for me to know friend from enemy any more." "What are you doing in this jungle?" "Why are you?" "That wasn't the question." "It's a strange place for you and Simon to be, isn't it?" "If you wanted to know something about the life of 1990, you'd have been better off in the conurbations." " We went up today to see.." " Yes." "Yes." "To see, I think, Simon's future self." "Tell me, what does Simon think of his future self?" " l don't know." " You don't know?" "He's still up there, a bit mixed up about it." "And you?" "You like 2957?" " Like him?" " As what Simon will be one day." "No." "Oh, I mean..." "Oh, golly, can he really be like that?" " Such a coward." " Hm?" "Honestly, Commander, it was shameful." "He says he likes her, says he respects her, but he won't lift a finger to help her." "Oh, no, not him." "That would be going too far." "Who, Liz?" "Who does Simon... I mean 2957, like and respect, but won't lift a finger to help?" "What do you want here?" "Ah." "Something stands between us, you mean." "The great issue of the times perhaps." "The struggle between light and darkness." "And each of us must choose his side."