Hello everyone! 🙂
Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!
We’ve come to the end of ‘Part Two’ of ‘The Space Hotel’, as we venture forth into Chapter 8. In this chapter, the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Billy may be getting closer to the truth of what’s going on. This could mean trouble, as a fire starts in one of the simi-suites. Stay tuned for ‘Part Three’ next week!
Here is a brief summary of what ‘The Space Hotel’ is all about.
The TARDIS takes the Doctor, Nyssa and Billy to Rotenhend Hotel 360 in the 37th century. They meet a rude hotel manager and murders take place.
Enjoy!
Tim. 🙂
8. Fire Alarm
SCENE #67 – INT – ROMAN HOUSE (SIMI-SUITE #5) – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
Meanwhile in one of the simi-suites on Level #59, three hotel guests enjoy a simulation of a Roman banquet as a triculium is formed. These hotel guests are Val, Pete and Les. They lie on couches, relaxing and enjoying themselves.
VAL
“Enjoying the food?”
PETE
“Yes, Val! Great Roman banquet! These are the best snails and oysters I’ve ever had!”
LES
“Aren’t the lobsters delicious? Shame it can’t be the real thing though. It would have been nice to have lived in the Roman times.”
VAL
(casually) “Ah well. That’s the benefit of having a hotel like this, Les. They provide all the food that’s needed for a banquet! Stuffed pig, pigeons, breast of peacock, ants eggs…”
LES
“Ants eggs?”
PETE
(loudly) “Ants eggs, Les.”
LES
(disgusted) “Ugh!”
PETE
“Shame there isn’t any ice cream.”
VAL
“Oh. That reminds me.” (calls) “Johnny! Is the ice cream ready?”
Johnny enters.
JOHNNY
(stressed) “Not yet!”
PETE
“Well, get on with it, mate. You’re meant to be serving us, remember?”
JOHNNY
“I don’t see why I’ve got to be the slave!”
LES
“Cos you’re good on the spot. And you’ve got smashing legs.”
JOHNNY
(wryly) “Oh. Thanks, Les. I thought this was supposed to be a holiday.”
PETE
“Exactly, Johnny.”
JOHNNY
“Good.”
VAL
“So get on with sorting the ice cream.”
Johnny sighs. Les chokes after drinking from her goblet.
LES
“Slave! My wine isn’t sweet enough! Fill this goblet with honey, will you?”
PETE
“And Johnny? Could I have a refill with my goblet? And fetch an extra cushion for me, will you?”
JOHNNY
“What is it you want me to do then, Val? Sort out your ice cream, sweeten Les’ wine, fill up Pete’s goblet or get an extra cushion? I can’t do all these things at once. What shall I do?”
Moment of silence, as Val thinks on this.
JOHNNY
(wryly) “Take your time, Val.”
VAL
“Yes exactly, Johnny. Just take your time.”
PETE
“No rush, Johnny.”
LES
“Just get on with it, will you.”
JOHNNY
(sighs) “I could have been a fireman.”
Just then, the holographic simulation shudders, phasing in and out. Les drops her glass, whilst Johnny knocks something over and it smashes to the floor. Eventually the shuddering and phasing comes to stop.
PETE
(startled) “What was that all about?”
LES
“And I’ve dropped my wine to the floor.”
JOHNNY
“Uh, Val.”
VAL
“What is it, slave?”
JOHNNY
(panics) “Drop the slave bit, Val.”
PETE
“What is it, Johnny?”
JOHNNY
(panics) “I’ve knocked one of the fire lamps over.”
PETE
“Oh great! The carpet’s caught fire.”
VAL
(calmly) “Don’t worry. The computer will sort it out.” (to computer) “Computer! Put the fire out.”
But despite Val’s command, the fire keeps burning away.
JOHNNY
“Val! The fire hasn’t gone out.”
SCENE #68 – EXT – FOOTBALL FIELD (SIMI-SUITE #6) – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
Next door, in simi-suite #6, two boys play football with holographic teams on each side playing against other. The two boys are Ryan and David. A goal is made and the crowd cheer enthusiastically in the background. Ryan cheers triumphantly, whilst David groans unhappily.
RYAN
(cheers triumphantly) “My goal! My goal! That’s four nil to me, David.”
DAVID
(groans) “Alright, Ryan! No need to gloat about it!”
RYAN
(excitedly) “Come on! Let’s play again.”
The game starts again. The ball is kicked about as both teams play against each other. Sooner or later, the ball is kicked off across the far end of the field. David’s team has the advantage over Ryan’s.
DAVID
(laughs out loud) “Ha-ha! Ha-ha! You’ve missed your chance, Ryan! Loser!”
RYAN
“Stop it!”
DAVID
(gloats) “My team’s kicked that ball far off the side of the field. You better get it if you want to win!”
RYAN
“For goodness sake, David. You’re wearing me out.”
DAVID
(impatiently) “Come on, Ryan! We haven’t got all day!”
RYAN
“I’m going! I’m going!”
Ryan goes to fetch the ball at the far end of the pitch. He then bumps into something invisible that hits him in the face. He falls back onto the ground.
DAVID
(calls) “Hey, Ryan! What did you fall over for? Stop mucking about!”
RYAN
(calls back; wearily) “Something…something pushed me!”
Ryan gets up on his feet. He raises his hand to touch the air. There’s an electronic fuzzy sound as the ‘whatever’ it is that Ryan bumped into pushes him back.
RYAN
“See! See, David?”
DAVID
“No, Ryan. I can’t see!”
RYAN
“Of course you can’t, idiot. There’s some invisible wall here!”
DAVID
“Don’t call me an idiot!”
RYAN
“I can call you what I like. I’m your brother. Even though you’re older than me, I can…”
DAVID
“Oh shut up!”
RYAN
“Why you…”
Both start fighting each other.
DAVID
“Wait, wait, stop. Don’t fight. Remember what our mother said. We’re not allowed to fight!”
RYAN
(sighs) “Let’s see if we can get rid of this thing that’s in our way.”
David touches the air as he feels the electricity of the force-field shell around them.
DAVID
“It must be a force-field!” (Pause) “Yep! It’s definitely a force-field!”
RYAN
“Oh great! We’re playing football in a force-field.”
DAVID
(out loud) “Simi-suite! Take this force-field away!”
Moment of silence.
RYAN
“Do you think it’s gone now?”
DAVID
“Well there’s only one way to find out. Walk forward.”
RYAN
(warningly) “Err, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
DAVID
(confidently) “Oh shut up! I know where to look. I know that nothing’s going to happen to me! Nothing’s going to happen to me!”
David steps forward, before he bumps into the force-field again. He falls back and reacts in shock.
DAVID
(wearily) “Ouch! What hit me?”
RYAN
(smugly) “I did warn you.”
DAVID
“Shut up!”
Just then, electric sparks go off as the force-field closes in around the two boys.
RYAN
“Uh David? What’s going on?!”
DAVID
(worried) “I don’t know. The force-field’s pushing us into the centre of the football field.”
RYAN
“Hey look at the other players!”
One minute, the football players are playing football. The next minute, they vanish into a puff of logic.
RYAN
“They’ve gone!”
DAVID
“Yes they have. Hey this force-field’s still pushing us!”
The force-field keeps enclosing around the two boys.
RYAN
“It’s trapped us!”
DAVID
(cries) “Help! Help somebody help!”
RYAN
“Mum! Dad! Can anyone help us?!”
Ryan and David panic, terrified, as the force-field keeps them trapped and pushes them into the centre of the football field.
SCENE #69 – INT – LOBBY, LEVEL #1 – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
Back at reception in the lobby on Level #1, the Doctor, Nyssa, Billy and the Admiral debate about the current situation.
NYSSA
“There are a lot of variables in these murder cases, Doctor.”
DOCTOR
“Yes Nyssa, I agree with you. The fact that Truk the chef is robotic…”
NYSSA
“Yes. And the fact that there are…were two versions of the admiral here…”
DOCTOR
“One of which is dead.”
NYSSA
“And the arrival of an alien species visiting this hotel.”
DOCTOR
“And the two men with the stabilisers…”
NYSSA
“…having gone…”
DOCTOR
“…and stolen a space car! It’s a wonder…”
NYSSA
“…how much more is there to these…”
DOCTOR
“…murder cases!”
BILLY
(interjects) “Uh, Doctor. About those two men…”
DOCTOR
“Some sort of conspiracy is going on here!”
ADMIRAL
(suspicious) “Perhaps there’s a secret agent in this hotel then. A Weerd spy!”
NYSSA
“The list of suspects, Doctor!”
DOCTOR
“Yes! Well! Truk’s dead, or shut down if you like, so that’s him ruled out. There’s Mr. and Mrs. Rotenhend as really potential suspects. Bruce the android. Mr. Cooper and Mr. Hill – the two gentlemen. Enuji. The Admiral.” (Pause) “There are so many guests staying at this hotel, it will take some time for all the guests to be questioned.”
NYSSA
“Yes. I wonder how long. Weeks surely.”
DOCTOR
“Or maybe months.”
NYSSA
“Even years.”
BILLY
“Years!”
DOCTOR
“I said ‘there are so many guests here’, Billy.”
BILLY
“Yes you did, Doctor.”
NYSSA
“So we must evaluate all possibilities and study the suspects at close range.”
DOCTOR
“Quite right, Nyssa. So let’s get a move on and…”
BILLY
“Doctor…”
DOCTOR
“Don’t interrupt me, Billy! As I was saying…”
Gordon then makes an announcement on the tannoy.
GORDON
(shouts, through tannoy) “Attention! Attention! Please attend for the arrival of our new guests at Rotenhend Hotel three-sixty! With their own chancellor and first elder – the Weerds!”
A strange national anthem is played for the Weerds. It is distinctly alien and obviously unusual. The Weerds enter, as they are escorted into the lobby. These include the Weerd Chancellor and the Weerd Elder.
NYSSA
(to Doctor) “Those are Weerds?”
DOCTOR
“They most certainly are, Nyssa. And really pleasant looking.”
NYSSA
“Depends what you mean by pleasant looking.”
BILLY
(amazed; thrilled) “Wow! I can’t…I can’t believe I’m seeing this! The Weerds! They look so…weird! And alien!”
The anthem comes to a stop. The Weerd Chancellor belches loudly, echoing in the lobby.
BILLY
“And vulgar.”
ADMIRAL
“That’s another one of their traits. Monstrous fiends. No sense of good manners at all!”
Meanwhile, Gordon steps forward to greet the Weerds.
GORDON
“My dear gracious and charming Weerds. May I be the first [to…?”]
WEERD ELDER
(sharply) “Do not speak in front of his grace!”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Do not speak in front of his grace!”
WEERD ELDER
(to Weerd Chancellor) “That’s you, sir.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Only I give permission to speak around here!”
WEERD ELDER
(to Gordon) “Only his grace gives permission to speak around here!”
GORDON
“I apologise most sincerely, but I…”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(annoyed) “How dare you speak in my presence! I haven’t given permission!”
WEERD ELDER
“He hasn’t given permission!”
GORDON
(stutters) “I-I-I…”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“We gave you firm warning!” (to Elder) “Elder! Execute him!”
WEERD ELDER
“Execute him. Yes, sir!”
The Doctor steps forward.
DOCTOR
“Uh excuse me. I don’t think that’s necessary…”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(shrieks angrily) “What in Dum-Bum’s name is this, Elder?! I give commands and no-one obeys! No one is to speak!”
WEERD ELDER
(to Doctor) “Didn’t you hear his grace? No one is to speak!”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Unless I give permission!”
WEERD ELDER
“Unless he gives permission.”
Moment of awkward silence.
GORDON
“Can I have permission…?”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(shouts) “SILENCE!”
WEERD ELDER
“Silence!”
Another moment of awkward silence.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“You may all have permission to speak!”
WEERD ELDER
“You may all have permission to speak! His grace commands it!”
GORDON
“Thank you, your grace! Thank you, thank you!”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Speak, Mr. Rotenhend!”
WEERD ELDER
“Speak, Mr. Rotenhend!”
GORDON
“Yes, well. I’m Mr. Rotenhend and I welcome you all to Rotenhend Hotel. I assure you that we have your suite arranged…”
Whilst Gordon talks to the Weerds, the Doctor and the others are in conference.
BILLY
“That Weerd Chancellor isn’t someone I would like to come into face-to-face contact with.”
NYSSA
“Are all Weerds like this?”
DOCTOR
“Yes, I’m afraid so. They have a less friendly appeal than a grumpy cat!”
ADMIRAL
“I can see why this murderer, whoever he or she is, wants to jeopardise these creatures’ visit to the hotel. They’re ungrateful and vicious.”
DOCTOR
(matter-of-factually) “Yes. Well we haven’t sorted out all the potential suspects yet, Admiral. There’s still a few more left to question, apart from those two crooks.” (Pause) “I wonder what’s become of Mr. Rotenhend’s son, Joel.”
NYSSA
“Yes. I wonder what’s become of him.”
BILLY
“I know.”
DOCTOR
(astonished) “What?”
BILLY
“I know of what’s become of Mr. Joel, Doctor.”
DOCTOR
“How do you know?”
BILLY
“I was there! After I signed my waiter contract with Mr. Rotenhend, his son came in. It was before Truk the chef was killed.”
DOCTOR
“Deactivated!”
NYSSA
“Yes, Billy. Go on! What happened?”
BILLY
“Mr. Rotenhend was so insistent on getting his space car back that he’s sent his own son to get it back for him. There’s no knowing what’s become of him now.”
DOCTOR
(slightly disappointed) “And you knew this, Billy.”
BILLY
“Yes I did.”
DOCTOR
“You knew this and you never told us!”
BILLY
(exasperated) “I was going to tell you, Doctor!”
DOCTOR
“Well I didn’t hear you!”
NYSSA
“He did, Doctor. He did try and tell you!”
BILLY
“I made five attempts to get your attention, but you wouldn’t let me tell you.…” (respectfully) “…Doctor.”
Just then, a loud displeasing ringing noise blares and echoes all over the halls of the lobby. Everyone is staggered and disturbed by the noise.
BILLY
(shocked) “What…what was that?”
The Weerds are also displeased by the noise.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(shrieks) “What is that sound?!”
WEERD ELDER
“What is that sound, Mr. Rotenhend?”
GORDON
(calmly) “Oh nothing to worry about. It’s only the fire alarm.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(alarmed) “WHAT?!”
WEERD ELDER
“What?!”
GORDON
“The fire alarm.” (gradually; shocked) “That means there’s a fire! A fire!” (stammers) “F-F-F-F-F-Fire!”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(astonished) “Fire?!”
WEERD ELDER
“Fire?!”
GORDON
“Fire!”
WEERD ELDER
“Fire!”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Fire?! Fire?! Where?”
WEERD ELDER
“Fire?!”
GORDON
“Hmm! Fire!”
WEERD ELDER
“Fire?! Where?”
GORDON
(yells) “FIRE!!! FIRE!!! FIRE!!!”
The computer voice speaks, as the fire alarm goes off.
COMPUTER VOICE
“Attention. Fire hazard occurring on level fifty-nine.”
GORDON
“Fire, Chancellor. Fire Elder. Fire!”
WEERD ELDER
“Fire.”
GORDON
“FIRE!!! FIRE!!! FIRE!!!” (Pause) “SO GET OUT!!! GET OUT!!! FIRE!!! FIRE!!! FIRE!!! FIRE, EVERYBODY! FIRE!!! FIRE!!!”
COMPUTER VOICE
“Repeat. Fire hazard on level fifty-nine.”
NYSSA
“Level fifty-nine? That’s one of the simi-suite sections where that young couple was found.”
DOCTOR
(annoyed) “And I thought they would have had that place quarantined! Typical!”
Enuji and Bruce enter to help escort everyone out of the hotel.
ENUJI
“Coo? Coo?”
BRUCE
(drearily) “Fire. Fire. Everybody out. Fire. Fire.”
Everybody is hurriedly escourted out of the hotel by Enuji and Bruce.
BILLY
“We better help everybody else out.”
NYSSA
“Agreed.”
Billy, Nyssa, the Admiral and the Doctor also help in getting everyone out of the hotel.
NYSSA
“Everybody out of the hotel, please. Move this way!”
BILLY
“That’s right! Move along now!”
The Weerd Chancellor however is unhappy at being escorted out of the hotel.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“I refuse to be treated like this! Being pushed out!”
WEERD ELDER
(loudly) “His grace refuses to be treated like this! Being pushed out!”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“I shall make a complaint!”
WEERD ELDER
“His grace will make a complaint!”
Most of the guests are eventually escorted out of the hotel. Gordon meanwhile turns to Enuji and Bruce.
GORDON
(calls) “Bruce; Enuji! Help me with the fire extinguishers! Come on, you two! Now!”
ENUJI
“Wee, Monmoir! Wee!”
BRUCE
(drearily) “No, Enuji! The other way. The fire extinguishers are in the other direction.”
GORDON
(impatiently) “Come on, you two! Come on!”
Bruce and Enuji follow Gordon to fetch the fire extinguishers. Meanwhile the Doctor heads for the turbo-lift, as he presses a button to call it up.
NYSSA
“Where are you going, Doctor?”
DOCTOR
“Into the turbo-lift.”
The turbo-lift doors open, as the Doctor goes in.
NYSSA
“I can see that. But why…?”
DOCTOR
“I’m going to see if there are any guests in the simi-suites on level fifty-nine. I’m going to make sure they’re alive and well.”
NYSSA
“I’ll come with you.”
BILLY
“Me too.”
ADMIRAL
“Me three!”
MALE GUEST
“Me four!”
DOCTOR
“What are you doing here? This lift is only available for four.”
Nyssa, Billy and the Admiral get in the lift with the Doctor. The lift doors slide shut on the male guest before he can get in. The males guest remains standing in front of the closed lifted doors.
MALE GUEST
(saddened) “No-one wants my help any more. Oh well.”
The male guest then leaves to join the other guests.
SCENE #70 – INT – CORRIDOR, LEVEL #59 – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
In the corridor with the entrances leading to the simi-suites on Level #59, the Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver. The sonic screwdriver buzzes away, as the Doctor tries to get one of the simi-suite’s doors to open. However the sonic screwdriver doesn’t have much success. The Doctor slaps the screwdriver with his hand, annoyed.
DOCTOR
(tells off; to screwdriver) “Come on, friend! Get these doors open!”
The Doctor tries again, but the sonic screwdriver doesn’t work as the simi-suite’s doors remain shut. Nyssa, Billy and the Admiral watch as this happens.
NYSSA
“Come on, Doctor! What’s keeping you?”
DOCTOR
“The simi-suite doors. The sonic screwdriver can’t break through the locking mechanisms. It’s a deadlock seal.”
BILLY
“There must be something we can do to open them!”
ADMIRAL
“There is, as a matter of fact.”
BILLY
“Hey?”
The Admiral fumbles in his pockets as he fetches out a grenade.
ADMIRAL
“I’ve had this little darling with me all this time since the war years and never got round to using it.”
NYSSA
“You’re not going to use that grenade, are you?”
ADMIRAL
“And why not?”
DOCTOR
(warningly) “Err, I wouldn’t use that if I were you, Admiral. In a hotel like this…”
ADMIRAL
“I’m going to place it by the door and set it off right now!”
DOCTOR
“I really wouldn’t, Admiral.”
The Admiral places the grenade on the simi-suite’s doors and switches it on.
ADMIRAL
“Going off in…five…”
DOCTOR
“Admiral…”
ADMIRAL
“…four…” (urgently) “Get back.”
The Admiral urges the Doctor; Nyssa and Billy to stand back from the simi-suite’s doors.
DOCTOR
“That’a going to kill a lot of people.”
ADMIRAL
“…three…”
DOCTOR
(raises voice) “So if you really wish to…”
ADMIRAL
“…two…”
DOCTOR
(raises voice) “You must be out of your mind!”
ADMIRAL
“…one.”
DOCTOR
(shouts) “Get down!”
The Doctor, Nyssa, Billy and the Admiral get down on the floor, as they wait for the explosion to occur. There is then a small bang. Eventually, all four get themselves up from the floor.
BILLY
“Was that it?”
NYSSA
“Quite a small explosion, wasn’t it?!”
ADMIRAL
“Quaint little devices for espionage missions. And very effective!”
DOCTOR
“But it hasn’t worked. The doors are still shut.”
ADMIRAL
“You think so?”
The Admiral steps forward to the simi-suite’s doors.
ADMIRAL
“Open.”
The doors of the simi-suite slide open at the Admiral’s command. As that simi-suite’s doors opens, all the other simi-suite doors open too.
BILLY
(astonished) “They’ve all opened! The simi-suite doors have all opened!”
ADMIRAL
“See, Doctor! You see!”
NYSSA
“Maybe you shouldn’t have bothered building that new sonic screwdriver, Doctor.”
DOCTOR
(disappointed) “Yes.” (to screwdriver) “Why must you disappoint me, you little thing?”
Just then, screams echo from inside the simi-suites.
NYSSA
“Some people are inside. In the simi-suite in front of us.”
BILLY
“And in the one next door.”
DOCTOR
(to Nyssa) “Nyssa, you and I go in this simi-suite.” (to Billy) “Billy, you and the Admiral go in the other one.”
BILLY
“Right you are, Doctor.”
DOCTOR
“Let’s go!”
The Doctor and Nyssa head off into simi-suite #5, whilst Billy and the Admiral head off into simi-suite #6.
SCENE #71 – INT – LOBBY, LEVEL #1 – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
Back in the lobby on Level #1 at reception, Gordon, Enuji and Bruce struggle with the fire extinguishers on hand as they fight the fire. The fire alarm continues blaring out loud.
GORDON
“Come on, you two! Get a move on! We’ve got a fire here in this hotel and we’ve got to put it out!”
BRUCE
“This is as fast as we can go, sir.”
GORDON
“Well it’s not good enough.” (to Enuji) “Stop playing around with your chair, Enuji! Let’s go!”
ENUJI
“Coo?”
GORDON
(groans) “Oh, s’il vous plait!”
ENUJI
“Ah! Wee, wee.”
GORDON
“And drop the chair!”
ENUJI
“Coo?”
GORDON
“Drop the chair!”
Moment of silence.
GORDON
(shouts) “NOW!!” (Pause) “Drop it!”
Enuji drops the chair and it lands on Gordon’s foot.
GORDON
(shrieks) “Oh my…FOOOOOOOOOOOOT!”
Bruce presses the lift button and the turbo-lift doors slide open.
BRUCE
“Shall I open the lift door, Mr. Rotenhend?”
GORDON
“You just opened it, Bruce!”
BRUCE
“Then there’s no point in asking is there?”
GORDON
“Uh?”
Elizabeth then calls from the office.
ELIZABETH
“Gordon? Is everything alright?”
GORDON
“No, we’re dying! But don’t bother to come out!”
ELIZABETH
“Well do you mind being quiet, I’m trying to read in here!”
GORDON
(tuts) “Women!” (to Enuji) “Here! Enuji! Take this!”
Gordon hands the fire-extinguisher to Enuji, to which she takes from him.
ENUJI
“Coo?”
GORDON
“And whatever you do! Don’t press that button! Press that button there!”
ENUJI
“Coo?”
GORDON
“Press that button, but not that button there!”
ENUJI
“Coo?”
GORDON
“Press that…oh what’s the point.” (to Bruce) “Bruce. Show her how it works!”
BRUCE
(moans) “Very well.”
GORDON
“Let’s go inside the turbo-lift! I’m getting anxious.”
BRUCE
“To sort out the fire?”
GORDON
“No, to get away from that burglar alarm!”
BRUCE
“You mean fire alarm.”
GORDON
“Well, I can’t tell which is which, can I?!”
The trio go inside, as the turbo-lift doors slide shut. As the turbo-lift goes down, a flushing whizzing sound occurs from inside.
GORDON
(shouts angrily) “You idiot, Bruce! You pressed the wrong button! You pressed the wrong button on that fire extinguisher!”
SCENE #72 – INT – CORRIDOR, LEVEL #59 – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
Back on Level #59, the Doctor escorts the guests from the Roman banquet in simi-suite #5. The guests include Val, Pete and Johnny. Meanwhile Billy and Admiral Brown escort the two boys out of simi-suite #6. The banqueting guests cough, as they suffer from the fumes and flames.
DOCTOR
“It’s alright! You’re safe now!”
PETE
“The safety mechanisms must have been switched off. Someone sabotaged them!”
VAL
(wryly) “Oh, Pete! You think?!”
DOCTOR
(calls) “Billy; Admiral! Have you got everybody out in the simi-suites at your end?”
BILLY
“Yes. Everybody’s out!”
ADMIRAL
“Only two guests were found. These two young lads!”
Val and Pete then rush over to Ryan and David.
VAL
(calls) “Ryan! David!”
RYAN
“Mum; Dad! Where have you been?”
PETE
“Are you two alright?”
DAVID
“We’re fine. This man and waiter got us out. But what happened…?”
VAL
(angrily) “You boys gave me a shock! You had mummy worried sick! How could you do such a thing? Going off into a simi-suite like that?!”
RYAN
“But, Mum! You told us to…”
VAL
“Quiet, Ryan. Let me finish!”
DAVID
(to himself) “Spoil sport mummy!”
VAL
“You be quiet too, David!”
PETE
(concerned) “Johnny’s here with us, Val! But where’s Les got to?”
BILLY
“Doctor? Where’s Nyssa?”
The Doctor looks back into simi-suite #5, as flames blaze inside.
DOCTOR
“Oh no! She must be still inside.”
JOHNNY
“And Les is in there!”
DOCTOR
“I’m going back!” (calls) “Nyssa!”
BILLY
“Wait for me! I’m coming with you!”
The Doctor and Billy head back into simi-suite #5, whilst Val, Pete, Johnny and the children wait and bicker outside.
SCENE #73 – INT – ROMAN HOUSE (SIMI-SUITE #5) – 37TH CENTURY – AFTERNOON
In simi-suite #5, fire blazes as the Roman banquet hall burns. Electric sparks go off, as the simi-suite’s holographic projectors malfunction and sections of the simulation fragment slightly. Nyssa struggles to breathe, as she helps Les to get out of the blazing inferno.
LES
(coughs) “I can’t take any more of this! This fire’s too much!”
NYSSA
“Just stay with me! We’re almost through!” (coughs) “I can see the way out of here!”
Nyssa and Les cough, as they make their way through the flames.
DOCTOR
(calls) “Nyssa! Nyssa, where are you?”
BILLY
(calls) “Nyssa! Don’t panic! We’re coming!”
NYSSA
(calls back) “Doctor; Billy! Help me! There’s a woman with me and she’s suffering badly!”
LES
(coughs; groans) “I’m going to die! I think I’m going to faint!”
NYSSA
“No you’re not! Stay with me, please! Stay with me!”
Just then, a gush of flame surrounds Nyssa, causing her to shriek, terrified. She backs away from the flames with Les beside her.
BILLY
“Doctor, I can see her!” (calls) “Nyssa!”
DOCTOR
(panics) “Oh no!” (calls) “Nyssa, can you hear us?”
NYSSA
(cries; suffers) “Doctor; Billy! There’s fire all around me! I can’t get through!”
DOCTOR
(calls) “Nyssa, stay where you are! Whatever you do, stay where you are!”
NYSSA
(suffers) “The fire’s coming towards us!”
BILLY
(calls) “Hold on, Nyssa!”
NYSSA
(suffers) “It’s getting hotter and hotter!”
LES
(suffers) “I can’t take this anymore!”
Nyssa cries out in terror, as the flames seemingly engulf her and Les. It’s like the fire’s got them before the Doctor and Billy can rescue them.
BILLY
(panics) “I can’t see her, Doctor! I can’t see her!”
DOCTOR
(calls; anxiously) “Nyssa, where are you?! Nyssa?!”
Sting music. Roll original 1982 Peter Davison end credits.
TO BE CONTINUED…
© Tim Bradley, 2016
Bradley's Basement 