"(DOCTOR WHO THEME)" "(PANTING)" "MARSHAL:" "Over here!" "Move in!" "Path!" "He's heading to the path!" "This way!" "Over here!" "(ELECTRONIC BEEPING)" "Mutt!" "Mutt!" "Hurry, you men." "Hurry!" "Mutt!" "(SCREAMING) Mutt!" "Mutt!" "Sir!" "Marshal, your mask!" "Mutt mad he is." "Sport to him." "Come on, before he passes out." "Solos." "Stinking rotten hole." "Can't even breathe." "What a planet." "Not long now, soldier." "Should have given them independence years ago." "Look at it." "Disgusting mess." "Get rid of it." "Sir." "Make out a report." ""Mutt found dead." As usual." "Stubbs calling Skybase." "Returning shortly." "ETA: 42-0-6." "Have dealt with mutant native alert, area seven." "Mutant tracked and found dead on arrival." "Cause unknown." "Doctor?" "Hmm?" "Are you going to be very much longer?" "No, nearly finished, Jo." "What are you doing anyway?" "I'm making a minimum inertia superdrive for Bessie." "Oh." "Well, for your information, it's well past lunchtime, and I'm..." "Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear." "Lunch?" "No." "Bomb?" "No, nothing so exciting." "Well?" "It's an assignment." "Well, then, it is exciting." "No, it's a container of some kind, Jo, from them." "Time Lords?" "That's right." "Well, aren't you going to open it?" "I'm not allowed to open it." "Huh?" "Well, I couldn't, even if I wanted to." "No, I'm not meant to." "I couldn't open it even if I wanted to." "No, it's only meant for one person and/or creature." "It will only open for one person." "And/or creature." "That's right." "Yes, I'm just the messenger boy." "Well, can't you just refuse?" "They only send these things in a real emergency, Jo." "It's top priority, a three-line whip." "No." "No, I've got to go." "How do you know where to deliver it?" "(TARDIS HUMMING)" "I think that has already been decided." "Hang on, wait for me." "I'm coming, too." "That's out of the question." "It's bound to be dangerous, probably difficult." "All the more reason." "You need me to look after you." "Sorry, Jo, that's a lot of rubbish." "Not this time." "Au revoir!" "Oh, no, you don't!" "(WHOOSHING)" "Well, where are we?" "It's a bit like the tradesman's entrance, isn't it?" "What do you mean?" "I don't see any red carpet, do you?" "Doctor, look." "We're flying." "We're not exactly flying, Jo." "We're in planetary orbit." "We must be on a... (COMM SCREECHING)" "MAN:" "Skybase One." "This is Skybase One." "A skybase." "Amazing!" "MAN:" "Duty personnel to reception and transfer section." "Clear visiting party." "We are expected then." "Next, escort them through bacteriological decontamination hall." "Skybase One, out." "Bacterial what?" "Put less delicately, Jo, delousing." "Cheek." "(BOTH LAUGHING)" "Father." "(HUMMING)" "Greetings, Ky." "I knew you would be here, Varan," "with your Overlord masters." "And why are you here?" "I was summoned." "You will attend the conference?" "The conference?" "More lies from the Overlords." "More promises of freedom." "Yet Ky still came?" "I came to demand that the Overlords stop murdering our people." "Mutants must be rooted out." "They are evil and diseased." "Who tells us that?" "My eyes tell me." "No, Varan, the Overlords tell you." "They tell you to kill and you kill." "My people are warriors." "It is honourable to fight." "Where is the honour in hunting down unarmed creatures?" "It is our duty, Ky." "They are diseased." "If it is a disease, what has caused it?" "Once we were farmers and hunters." "The land was green, the rivers ran clear, the air was sweet to breathe." "And then the Overlords came, bringing Earth's poisons with them, calling it progress." "We toiled in their mines, we became slaves." "Worse than slaves!" "Liar!" "Murderer!" "You have nothing else to hunt, so you hunt your own kind." "So, you've arrived, Ky." "As you see, Overlord." "We come when we are called." "Well, don't just stand there making speeches, get into decontamination." "And the rest of you." "Varan, the Marshal wants to see you." "Alone." "Wait." "Mutt!" "Mutt!" "(GROANING)" "Taking their time, aren't they, Jo?" "Jo?" "Jo, where..." "Oh, they you are." "Doctor?" "Are you sure we're in the reception area?" "Looks more like a broom cupboard." "Where exactly are we, time-wise?" "Don't use expressions like that, Jo, please." "All right, century-wise. (CHUCKLING)" "According to the TARDIS's instrument readings, we are now in the 30th century empire." "I see." "What empire?" "Your empire." "Earth's empire." "Yes, great colonists, Earthmen, you know, Jo." "Once they'd sacked the solar system, they moved onto pastures new." "Solos is one of them." "One of the last." "Did you ever read Gibbon's Decline and Fall?" "." "No." "Is it good?" "Jo, this is like that, do you see?" "No." "Oh." "Well, empires rise and empires fall." "And if this is their idea of a reception, this one has obviously crumbled." "To get out of here, I've obviously got to try and break the circuits." "Ah, Varan." "Why has Ky been summoned to this conference?" "Oh, you've seen him, then?" "He called me murderer." "Me, Varan." "I should have finished with him there and then." "No, Varan." "We want no martyrs." "I have other plans for Ky." "You said I would represent my people." "You will be there." "You and Ky." "Now, listen." "(BEEPING)" "The box." "What?" "The box!" "Oh, yes, of course." "Here, you take it." "All right." "It's all right, there's nobody about." "Come on." "(COMM SCREECHING)" "MAN:" "Attention." "Attention." "Computer confirms door malfunction in storage area four." "That's us." "Investigation, please." "Yes, I know." "I'm not sure I like being described as a malfunction." "(JO CHUCKLING)" "COTTON:" "Check." "I repeat." "Investigation, please." "That's us." "What is it?" "A door." "Door?" "All the way over there for a door?" "Yeah." "Seems a bit pointless, doesn't it?" "Ah, leave it." "Leave it till morning." "We have only just got back up here after that Mutt hunt." "Tell you what." "What?" "You won't catch him rushing about tonight." "Who?" "His nibs, the Marshal." "Understand?" "I want a man I can trust, and trust absolutely." "All my warriors can be trusted." "They will fight to the death for Varan." "Then you will need this pass." "It is good." "Hmm." "I doubt if Ky will think so." "Varan," "I shall want to see this man of yours myself." "Now?" "Afterwards." "Fool." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Doctor." "We can't wander around here all night with nobody noticing, now, can we?" "Doctor, look!" "MAN:" "Attention." "Attention." "Door malfunction in storage area three." "Immediate investigation ordered." "Possible emergency." "Out." "We should have gone the first time." "Come on." "Oh, we couldn't have known." "Come on!" "We're in enough trouble already." "Two malfunctions, eh?" "I don't like the sound of that." "I can't hold it much longer." "What is it?" "I've no idea but whatever it is, it isn't friendly!" "Away from that door." "DOCTOR:" "Look, you fool..." "Away from the door!" "Look at his hand!" "Stubbs and Cotton investigating malfunction storage area three." "Mutant native contacted and destroyed." "Two other non-personnel found and held." "Report ends." "Good evening, sir." "Will you please come with us to reception?" "I assume I have no choice?" "This way, sir." "Mutant native, you said?" "That's right, sir." "A Mutt?" "On my skybase?" "How?" "MAN:" "He was Varan's bodyguard, sir." "Varan's bodyguard?" "Get me a full report at once." "Hold the other two, and get Varan." "I've asked for a full report, Administrator." "I should think so." "What happened to your security arrangements?" "And why wasn't I informed that Varan was here?" "Really, Marshal, on the eve of the independence conference." "They'll be a full security clampdown." "The Solonians will never know." "As for Varan, he was merely reporting on Ky's activities." "Spying for you, you mean." "All part of security." "Security?" "Such as we had tonight?" "Natives and the devil knows who else running amok." "Good heavens, man, we're not at war with the Solonians." "We're giving them independence." "Eventually." "Not eventually, Marshal, now." "Total and absolute independence." "We're pulling out." "Pulling out?" "I take it you've been too busy with security to study the latest reports from Earth?" "We can't afford an empire any more." "Earth is exhausted, Marshal." "Finished." "Politically, economically and biologically finished." "Then why go back?" "We could keep Skybase on Solos, take over the whole planet." "Out of the question." "Apart from the Solonians themselves, there's the problem of the atmosphere." "They're both problems that can be solved." "Ky's already making political capital out of your experiments in that field." "Hmm." "The mutants." "Exactly." "There is no proof that my atmospheric experiments have anything at all to do with these mutations." "The Mutts are a menace and must be wiped out." "And that's your alternative to independence?" "Genocide?" "Give them independence, they'll starve out of total incompetence." "Nevertheless, they shall have their independence, whether they're ready for it or not." "When you summoned this conference, Administrator," "I assumed you'd follow your usual line." "Which is?" "Fob them off with promises, a few minor concessions." "It's always worked before." "Well, this time I'm conceding all Ky's demands." "But..." "We have no choice." "We must return to Earth." "But I've put years of my life into this planet." "The whole, my whole career..." "I'm afraid things are going to be a bit tricky for ex-colonial officials." "Still, don't worry, old chap." "We'll find you something." "The Bureau of Records, perhaps." "Something clerical." "Get me that fool Varan." "Doctor?" "What?" "You can see the planet in daylight now." "Oh, yes, so you can." "It's not like our Earth, is it?" "It's all grey and misty." "Well, the Earth these people know now, Jo, in the 30th century empire," "is even more grey and misty." "It can't be!" "Land and sea alike, all grey." "Grey cities linked by grey highways across grey deserts." "Really?" "Slag, ash, clinker." "The fruits of technology, Jo." "Morning." "Good morning, sir." "I've seen your statements." "What is it you want?" "As briefly as possible." "We come from Earth." "Who sent you?" "Overlord Centre." "The council, you mean?" "Yes." "The council has no further interest in Solos." "Well, they certainly had when we left." "Just when did you leave, Doctor?" "Some time ago now." "He's lying." "He's got no pass." "Look, this was an emergency." "There have been no shuttles, no departures from Earth, no arrivals on Skybase in weeks." "For goodness sake, does it matter how we got here?" "They must be from Solos." "Let him speak." "Why are you here?" "This is why." "Jo?" "Thank you." "Yes, well, obviously it's not for you." "Nor you, it would seem." "Is this some kind of joke?" "Who is it for?" "What is it, anyway?" "Well, it's a container of some kind, but I must confess..." "Then open it!" "I can't." "Open it!" "You're wasting your time, Marshal." "This box will only open for the person to whom it was sent." "We shall see." "Stubbs?" "Sir." "Stand back." "Do you see?" "You must know who it's for." "They were found with the Mutt." "They must be saboteurs." "Don't be a fool." "If we were saboteurs, that'd be a bomb, and thanks to you we'd all be blown to smithereens by now." "Sir, the Solonian delegates are ready for you." "Thank you." "Well, whatever it is, it'll have to wait." "Marshal?" "I'll be with you in a moment." "Now, perhaps you'll tell me just what this is really all about." "But he has!" "What he told you is the truth." "What are you?" "Some sort of special agent for the council sent to check on me?" "If you really want to find out what's in this box..." "I shall find out." "Then may I suggest that you take it to the conference." "It could well be for someone there." "Could it?" "I think there are more important things." "Far more important things." "Stubbs!" "Sir?" "Don't let these two out of your sight." "Sir." "Which is he?" "By the door." "Does he understand the new instructions?" "He understands." "Is he reliable?" "He is my son." "Your son?" "You asked for someone in whom we could trust." "Yes." "Good, Varan." "(COMM SCREECHING)" "MAN:" "His Excellency the Administrator." "Skybase One." "Skybase One." "This is an Overlord telecast." "(ELECTRONIC FANFARE PLAYING)" "Bombastic signature tune." "It always impresses them on Solos." "Does it really?" "MAN:" "His Excellency the administrator is about to make his final statement of terms relating to the question of independence in the presence of the Solonian All Peoples Union." "What's your view, Stubbs?" "Independence?" "Yeah, the sooner the better." "Let's get off and home." "Plenty to sort out there." "Yes, quite so." "Have you got a family back on Earth?" "I hope so, miss." "Do you hear from them very often?" "I get reports, you know." "The odd video." "No letters?" "Letters?" "What..." "Sorry about that, Stubbs." "Well done, Jo, you did that beautifully." "Pity." "He was rather sweet." "Do you think so?" "Come on, let's get to that conference." "Here, you take that." "Some 500 years ago, we Earthmen, Overlords, as you call us, arrived on Solos." "Our ancestors, yours and mine, made a solemn treaty." "A pact, a bond." "An act of friendship..." "Treachery." "and mutual cooperation between our two peoples." "A bold concept." "Two different cultures, far apart in terms of development, uniting together to create a new society," "a new and richer world." "Now, after 500 years of..." "Exploitation." "expert scientific and technical aid," "we have steered you to the verge of..." "Disaster!" "To the verge of independence." "Segregation." "...rights and privileges as citizens of empire." "You, the peoples of Solos, have given us much." "And we in return have given you..." "Mutts!" "a strong and stable system of government, despite... (SOFTLY) Freedom now!" "Freedom now!" "Despite, I say, recent acts of terrorism, violence and subversion." "ALL:" "Freedom!" "Freedom!" "Freedom!" "The only black mark on the history of amicable relations" "unparalleled throughout the empire!" "We want freedom and we want it now!" "Where do you think you're going?" "To the conference, of course." "Not without a pass." "Sorry, sir." "Pass?" "What pass?" "Nobody in without a pass, sir." "Look, all this has been arranged by the Administrator." "Sorry, sir." "That Mutt." "Extra security all over." "Look, this thing contains important documents." "Details of the whole independence agreement, ready for signing." "Open it up, please, sir." "What?" "Can't risk weapons in there, sir." "ADMINISTRATOR:" "Now it is my duty to set out the final conditions that Earth Council has laid down." "We have had 500 years of oppression and slavery." "Good friends, I beg you to listen." "You polluted the lands we live by!" "We have no need to quarrel." "Now you want to take from us the very air we breathe!" "Guards!" "Earth government is prepared to concede..." "Arrest him!" "If you will only let me finish!" "(SHOT FIRING)" "Out!" "Go!" "MARSHAL:" "Stop him!" "Get back to Solos!" "MARSHAL:" "Stop him!" "No, I can't open it." "Out of my way, Overlord." "The box, it's opening!" "Wait!" "This is for you!" "I'll get him, Doctor." "Wait!" "After him!" "After him!" "He must be stopped!" "Wait!" "Listen!" "I've got to talk to you!" "Listen!" "MARSHAL:" "Stop him!" "What are you doing?" "They will not shoot an Overlord." "But I'm not an Overlord." "I've come to help you." "Come on, you fool, shoot!" "No, you can't!" "I said fire!"