Hello everyone! 🙂
Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!
Return to ‘The Space Hotel’, as we continue onwards with this fan-fiction story by me with the Fifth Doctor, Nyssa and Billy. This week, it’s time for ‘Part Three’ of the story. We begin with Chapter 9, as we find out what happened to our TARDIS heroes as they were last caught in the fire of a simi-suite!
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. 🙂
9. Lost Memories
Roll original 1982 Peter Davison opening credits
REPRISE
Nyssa struggles to breathe, as she helps Les to get out of the blazing inferno in the Roman House simulation in simi-suite #5 on Level #59.
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?!”
(CONTINUES INTO:)
SCENE #74 – INT – LOBBY, LEVEL #1 – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
Next morning, Gordon is at the reception desk. The doorbell then rings. Gordon is reluctant to answer the doorbell.
GORDON
(hesitates) “Uh…can someone answer that, please?”
The doorbell still rings.
GORDON
(frustrated) “Hello?!! Is there no-one there to answer it?” (Pause) “There must be someone!”
Enuji enters.
ENUJI
“Allow me.”
GORDON
(ruefully) “No, not you!”
Enuji sighs, as she leaves the lobby.
GORDON
“Oh it doesn’t matter! I’ll get it! I’ll get it! Always doing the hard work!”
The bell keeps ringing, as Gordon approaches the door.
GORDON
(shouts) “Alright! Alright! I’m coming! Don’t bash the door down!”
Gordon presses a few buttons to unlock the security mechanisms on the door panel. Once unlocked, the front door slides opens electronically. Gordon meets a newspaper boy at the door.
GORDON
“Hello! What do you want? I’m the manager! What do you want?”
NEWSBOY
(excitedly) “Newspapers, newspapers, newspapers! Here we are; here we are; here we are! Newspapers, newspapers, newspapers!”
Gordon snatches the newspapers from the newsboy.
GORDON
(furiously) “You’re late!” (Pause) “Now! What’s in the headlines then?”
Gordon picks up one of the newspapers and opens it to read the headlines. He looks through the front page.
GORDON
“Hmm, hmm. Yes.” (realises; horrified) “No!”
NEWSBOY
(intrigued) “What?”
Gordon realises the newsboy is still there, standing next to him.
GORDON
(gradually) “Go away!”
Gordon presses a button and the front door slides shut on the boy’s foot.
NEWSBOY
(cries; in pain) “Ow!!! Hey, you shut the door on my foot!”
Suddenly, the door falls off its hinges.
GORDON
“Well, take the door with you!”
NEWSBOY
(happily) “Oh, I think I will. Thank you.”
The newsboy happily takes the door away with him. Gordon makes his way back to the reception desk and slams his fist hard on it.
GORDON
“Elizabeth! ELIZABETH! Where are you, YOU WOMAN!!?”
Elizabeth then enters.
ELIZABETH
“What’s the matter now, Gordon?”
GORDON
“Have you seen the newspapers?”
ELIZABETH
“No I haven’t!”
GORDON
“Why not?”
ELIZABETH
“Because you haven’t shown them to me yet!”
GORDON
“Oh.” (Pause) “Well…have a look at the headlines!”
ELIZABETH
“Why? What does it say?”
Elizabeth takes the newspaper from Gordon. She looks to see what it says.
GORDON
“There!”
ELIZABETH
“Well?”
GORDON
“Well?! My dear woman, it says massive star about to go supernova in next forty-eight standard hours!”
ELIZABETH
“So?”
GORDON
(panics) “Well don’t you see what this means? Utter chaos! All plans bound to go horribly wrong! What are we going to do? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!”
ELIZABETH
“Now don’t panic, Gordon.”
GORDON
(panics) “Who said anything about panicking?! I’ve still got a headache after Enuji knocked my head with a picture frame!”
ELIZABETH
“Was that when you were sorting out the fire?”
GORDON
“Yes! And my head still feels like peanuts! Not to mention a bit like too many juices overflowing!”
ELIZABETH
“That’s your brain, Gordon.” (Pause) “Anyway if you followed my suggestion on how to handle the matter, then there wouldn’t be a supernova happening.”
GORDON
“I don’t remember you making any suggestion.”
ELIZABETH
“Of course not! You weren’t listening!”
Just then, Joel enters.
JOEL
“Hello, Mum!”
ELIZABETH
“Hello, Joel!”
JOEL
“Hi, Dad!”
GORDON
“Get lost, you rat!”
JOEL
“So? How was the fire, Dad?”
GORDON
(flustered) “I don’t know how it was! How should I know?”
ELIZABETH
(to Joel) “Are you going out, dear?”
JOEL
“Yes I am. Going to fetch that space car that Dad wants me to bring back!”
GORDON
“Yes! And I expect it to be clean when it gets back!”
ELIZABETH
(puzzled) “Why shouldn’t it be clean, Gordon?”
GORDON
“Oh, Elizabeth! Fancy you not knowing the answer to that?! Those crooks that stole the car might have dropped something!”
ELIZABETH
“Like what?”
GORDON
(hesitates) “You really don’t want to know!”
JOEL
“Anyway! I’m off!”
ELIZABETH
“Alright, dear. Be careful now!”
JOEL
“Don’t worry, Mum! I won’t come back with shots in my chest. But even if I do, I’ll still keep on smiling!”
ELIZABETH
“Very well. Good luck!”
JOEL
“Thanks. Bye, Mum!”
ELIZABETH
“Bye, dear.”
JOEL
“Bye, Dad.”
GORDON
(uninterested) “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.”
Joel leaves. Gordon and Elizabeth continue their debate.
GORDON
“So, what are we going to do then? What do you suggest? How do we solve our problem?”
ELIZABETH
“We just have to remove the evidence.”
GORDON
(wryly) “Uh, hello! Two people are close to the evidence at this moment!”
ELIZABETH
“We just have to trust Joel will get there in time.”
As the two continue their debate, Lady Mite hides in the shadows listening to their conversation.
LADY MITE
“Events are moving fast. I must act quickly!”
Lady Mite then slip away quietly.
SCENE #75 – INT – OPERATIONS ROOM (STATION) – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
On the Zondor space station with Larry and Bob, Larry tries to wake Bob up. He smacks him on the face.
LARRY
“Bob?” (impatiently) “Wake up! Bob, wake up!”
Bob eventually wakes up with a start, bewildered by what’s going on.
BOB
(bewildered) “What happened? What happened?”
LARRY
“You’re on the space station! With me!”
BOB
“Oh. Am I?”
LARRY
“Yes. I brought you up from the lower levels. I sent you down there to investigate.”
BOB
“Did you?”
LARRY
“When I last talked to you, you were in the store room! That was when I lost contact with you and went down to fetch you! You were lying on the floor!”
BOB
“Was I?”
LARRY
“I brought you back up here to see if you were alright. I thought you had a shock!”
BOB
“Had I?”
LARRY
(annoyed) “Will you stopping asking questions and tell me what happened?”
BOB
“Will I?” (snaps out of it) “Oh sorry. What happened?”
LARRY
“Yes! And think carefully!”
BOB
(thinks) “Let me think. What can I remember?”
Bob thinks back, as a flashback occurs.
SCENE #76 – INT – STORE ROOM (STATION) – 37TH CENTURY – EVENING (FLASHBACK)
The flashback begins. Bob makes his way into the store room as the doors slide open automatically. As Bob enters, Larry contacts him on his pocket communicator.
LARRY (V’O)
“Bob? Bob, are you there already?”
Bob takes out his pocket communicator to answer Larry. He presses a button to switch it on.
BOB
(through communicator) “Yes, Larry. I’m in the storage facility right now!”
LARRY (V’O)
“Well, be careful as you go now. And get a move on!”
BOB
(through communicator) “Yes, Larry. You can have complete confidence in me!”
Something slams to the floor.
LARRY (V’O)
“What was that?”
BOB
(gradually; through communicator) “I dropped my torch-beacon, Larry!”
LARRY (V’O)
(frustrated) “Well pick it up then!”
Bob picks up the torch-beacon from the floor, switches it back on and walks forward.
BOB
(nervous; through communicator) “Hey! It’s a bit spooky in here, Larry. And dark too!”
LARRY (V’O)
“Can’t you get the computer to turn the lights on?”
BOB
(through communicator) “I’ll try.” (calls out loud) “Eh, Computer! Lights on, please.”
No response.
LARRY (V’O)
“Anything.”
BOB
(through communicator) “Nope. Perhaps it’s not working.”
LARRY (V’O)
“I’ll try operating them on my end. I’ll see if I can access the internal lighting system.”
Moment of silence, as Bob waits whilst Larry works on the lights.
BOB
(through communicator) “Thanks for helping me with the booby traps by the way, Larry.”
LARRY (V’O)
“That’s alright. As I’ve always said, ‘a little kindness goes a long way’!”
BOB
(through communicator) “When did you ever say that?”
Moment of silence.
LARRY (V’O)
“Oh by the way. There’s another booby trap set in that store room. So don’t step forth…”
Bob then cries out in pain, as he steps into something.
LARRY (V’O)
“Bob, are you alright? Bob?!”
Bob bears the pain.
BOB
(in pain; through communicator) “I’m fine. I’m fine. Just got trapped in one big man trap!”
LARRY (V’O)
“Hang on! I think I’m getting somewhere with lights. Switching on…now!”
In the store room, a buzzing sound occurs as the lights slowly switch on.
LARRY (V’O)
“Is that better? Can you see?”
BOB
(through communicator) “Not really.”
LARRY (V’O)
(sighs) “Mr. Fussy.”
BOB
(through communicator) “Could you put some more lights on?”
Another buzz is made, as the illumination is increased.
BOB
(through communicator) “A little more!”
Another buzz.
BOB
(through communicator) “More!”
Another buzz.
BOB
(through communicator) “More!”
Moment of silence. Another buzz.
BOB
(through communicator) “More!”
LARRY (V’O)
“That’s the best I can do, Bob.”
BOB
(through communicator) “Shame.”
LARRY (V’O)
“Well. That’s gratitude.”
BOB
(reassuringly; through communicator) “Ah, it’s alright! I can see now! At least if I put the beacon on.”
Bob switches on his light-beacon.
BOB
“Now, let me see…”
Bob gasps at the sight he sees.
LARRY (V’O)
“What’s the matter, Bob? What is it?”
BOB
(through communicator) “There are bodies in here with me, Larry! Bodies!”
LARRY (V’O)
“Bodies?”
BOB
(through communicator) “Lots of them! They’re all on the floor!”
LARRY (V’O)
“How can there be bodies there, Bob? We’re the only two people here!”
BOB
(intrigued; to himself) “They all have their eyes shut.” (Pause) “Hey! Some of these look like some of the guests from the hotel! I wonder if…” (gradually; shocked) “Oh! Oh…oh…oh…”
Bob falls to the floor, as he faints. The intercom is left switched on.
LARRY (V’O)
(calls) “Bob? Bob, are you there?” (Pause) “Bob, are you alright?! Bob?!” (panics) “Answer me, Bob! ANSWER ME!”
Bob remains unconscious. The flashback finishes.
SCENE #77 – INT – OPERATIONS ROOM (STATION) – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
Back with Larry and Bob now…
BOB
“It was us, Larry! ‘Us’ lying on the floor in the store room!”
LARRY
(sceptical) “What are you talking about, Bob? What do you mean ‘us’?”
BOB
“What I said! There was me lying on the floor with my mouth wide open, and you with your finger sticking up your nose!”
LARRY
“Hey! Now stop that, Bob!”
BOB
“But it’s true!”
LARRY
“What, me sticking my finger up my nose?”
BOB
“No, no. I mean ‘us’ being there in the store room. It was definitely us down there!”
LARRY
“It can’t have been ‘us’, Bob! We were here for goodness sake!”
BOB
“Alright then! Why don’t we go and have a look!”
Just then, a beeping sound occurs as someone attempts to make contact on the intercom.
LARRY
“Here! That’s the intercom!”
BOB
“The intercom?!”
LARRY
“We’re getting a message! It’s her ladyship! Come on!”
Larry gets up with ease, while Bob is in pain.
BOB
(cries; pained) “Oww!”
LARRY
“What is it?”
BOB
(pained) “I’ve still got this man trap on my foot! And I didn’t ask for cheese!”
LARRY
“Just stay there! I’ll answer her ladyship’s call.”
BOB
“But what about what I saw in the store [room…”]
LARRY
(dismissively) “Oh that can wait! This is something important!”
Larry flicks a few switches, as he attempts to establish a communications channel connection.
LARRY
(through intercom) “Hello, your ladyship!”
A deep manly voice responds at the other end.
MALE GUEST (V’O)
(fumes) “What did you call me?”
LARRY
(apologetically; through intercom) “Oh. Sorry. Wrong channel!”
Larry flicks a switch to get onto the right channel. Lady Mite then speaks on the intercom.
LADY MITE (V’O)
[“…Are you] receiving me, Mr. Cooper. Come in!”
LARRY
(through intercom) “Ah! Lady Mite!” (cautiously) “It is Lady Mite, isn’t it?”
LADY MITE (V’O)
“Yes it is.”
LARRY
(through intercom) “Positive?”
LADY MITE (V’O)
“Of course!”
LARRY
(through intercom) “Final answer!”
LADY MITE (V’O)
“Sorry?”
LARRY
(through intercom) “Do you want to phone a friend?”
LADY MITE (V’O)
“What are you talking about?”
LARRY
(snaps out of it; through intercom) “Sorry. I get these things sometimes.”
LADY MITE (V’O)
(anxiously) “Listen. I haven’t much time. Have you done what I instructed you to do?”
LARRY
(through intercom) “Yes, we did. Bob said he saw some dead bodies in the store room, but I think he’s mentally ill and not quite…”
LADY MITE (V’O)
(triumphant) “Just as I predicted! Now listen, Mr. Cooper! I shall be joining you soon on the station.”
LARRY
(through intercom) “Oh, that’s great! Great news!” (to Bob) “Isn’t that great, Bob?”
BOB
“What?”
LADY MITE (V’O)
“But I still have a task for you to do. Those stabilisers you got with you…”
SCENE #78 – INT – ROOM #126, LEVEL #26 – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
Back at the space hotel, in Room #126 on Level #26, Nyssa wakes up in bed. She yawns away after a long sleep. She rouses from her sleep, as she sits up in bed. Billy then enters in his capacity as waiter, carrying a tray to serve breakfast to Nyssa.
NYSSA
(perplexed) “Billy?”
BILLY
“Good morning, Nyssa! Did you sleep well?”
NYSSA
(woozy) “Yes. Yes I did. Though I still feel…like I’m…” (yawns) “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
BILLY
(happily) “No, that’s fine. You yawn beautifully, Nyssa. If that’s the right thing to say.” (Pause) “Here you are.”
Billy places Nyssa’s breakfast tray on her lap whilst she’s in bed.
NYSSA
“Is that breakfast?”
BILLY
“Yes. Fruit salad. Orange juice. And a little bit of toast. You do need carbohydrates apart from the other things like proteins and vitamins.”
NYSSA
“That’s very thoughtful of you, Billy. Thank you.” (Pause) “Where’s the Doctor?”
BILLY
“He’s out on the patio.”
NYSSA
“Ah.” (calls) “Morning, Doctor!”
DOCTOR
(calls; from a distance) “Good morning, Nyssa! Sleep well?”
NYSSA
(calls) “Yes, thank you!”
Nyssa picks up a slice of toast from her tray.
BILLY
“The Doctor said there’s going to be a big supernova occurring.”
NYSSA
“Really! Maybe we’ll be able to see it. Did he say which star it was?”
BILLY
“No, I can’t quite remember. You’ll have to ask him.”
Moment of silence, as Nyssa munches away at her toast.
NYSSA
“Have you had any breakfast, Billy?”
BILLY
“I’m rushed off my feet at the moment, Nyssa. Being a waiter’s hefty work!”
NYSSA
“Well come and sit down and have some toast with me.”
BILLY
“Oh no, no! You enjoy that! I’ll…”
NYSSA
“I insist, Billy! Come and sit down!”
BILLY
(gradually) “Oh, alright then. Thanks.”
Billy goes to sit beside Nyssa on the bed, as she passes a plate of toast to him.
NYSSA
“Help yourself to the toast, Billy.”
BILLY
“Oh. Thank you!”
Billy takes a slice of buttered toast from the plate and munches on it. Nyssa soon uses a spoon to eat away at her fruit salad.
NYSSA
“Did you sleep well?”
BILLY
“Yeah, I did thanks. Though I got interrupted in the middle of the night.”
NYSSA
“Oh dear. What happened?”
BILLY
“I don’t know. I can’t remember.”
Billy munches his toast.
BILLY
(realises) “Oh. I should have brought some tea with me.”
NYSSA
“Well you can share the orange juice with me.”
BILLY
“No, I can’t! It’s yours!”
NYSSA
(reassuringly) “I’m fine sharing with you.”
BILLY
“I know but…all the same…I shouldn’t really stay for too long. Mr. Rotenhend might find out what happened to me. I might get into trouble.”
NYSSA
“Oh don’t worry about Mr. Rotenhend! Surely you can spend some time to talk to friends.”
BILLY
“Yeah but Mr. Rotenhend’s Mr. Rotenhend, isn’t he?! He can get very cranky when it comes to waiters not doing their jobs!”
NYSSA
“He over-exaggerates if you ask my opinion. Anyway, you deserve some time off.”
BILLY
(flattered) “Well, that’s nice of you to say so.”
A moment of intimacy occurs between them.
NYSSA
“They work you too hard, Billy. I mean, it fits well with what we’re doing. But you should have some time to yourself. Or with someone.”
BILLY
“You really think so?”
NYSSA
“Yes. Especially after that fire…”
Moment of tense silence.
BILLY
(concerned) “Nyssa? Are you alright? What’s the matter?”
NYSSA
(gradually; realises) “Billy! I just remembered!”
Nyssa then gets out of bed, as she puts on her dressing gown.
BILLY
“Remembered what?”
NYSSA
“The fire yesterday!”
BILLY
“But it’s out now.”
NYSSA
“Is it? How do we know that?”
BILLY
“What?”
NYSSA
“Come on. We must see the Doctor!”
Bewildered and slightly disappointed, Billy follows Nyssa as she goes off to find the Doctor.
SCENE #79 – EXT – ROOM #126 PATIO, LEVEL #26 – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
The Doctor meanwhile sits on the patio, reading the morning newspapers and having breakfast. Nyssa and Billy then enter.
DOCTOR
(cheerfully) “Hello, Nyssa! Didn’t expect you to get up so soon! Enjoy your breakfast?”
NYSSA
“Doctor! Listen to me!”
DOCTOR
“What’s wrong? Didn’t you like the fruit salad?”
BILLY
“Did I say something wrong to you back there, Nyssa?”
NYSSA
(to Billy) “Excuse me, Billy.” (to Doctor) “Doctor, what was the last thing you remember before waking up this morning?”
DOCTOR
(thinks) “Well…the last thing I remember was rescuing everybody out of those simi-suites.”
NYSSA
“That’s the last thing you remember?”
DOCTOR
“Yes! In fact…the place caught fire!”
NYSSA
“I know. I was in one of the simi-suites trying to rescue someone.”
DOCTOR
“Yes. Billy and I were trying to rescue you when we found you hadn’t come out of the simi-suite. So we went back in.”
NYSSA
“Did you rescue me in the end?”
BILLY
(flippantly) “Well, let’s hope so. You’re standing here, aren’t you?”
NYSSA
“No I mean…do any of you remember rescuing me?”
Moment of silence.
DOCTOR
“Uh…no. Sorry Nyssa, I can’t remember ever rescuing you.”
BILLY
“Me neither! Is it important?”
NYSSA
“I felt myself burning. The fires were all around me. But I should have been vaporised into atoms. Not standing here.”
DOCTOR
“Do you have burn marks?”
NYSSA
(checks) “I don’t seem to have any on my arms? Are there any on my face?”
DOCTOR
“No. You’re perfectly clean on the face.”
BILLY
“Perhaps there are burns on your sides or something?”
NYSSA
“I’d better check.”
DOCTOR
“Uh, Billy. I think we should turn the other way.”
BILLY
“Eh?” (realises) “Oh of course. Excuse us, Nyssa?”
NYSSA
(confused) “Why are you two turning the other way?”
BILLY
“Oh? Don’t you want some privacy?”
NYSSA
“I’ve checked anyway. There’s no burn marks anywhere on my body.”
DOCTOR
(sighs) “Well, thank goodness for that.”
BILLY
“I don’t see how this is relevant.”
NYSSA
(concerned) “Billy, I can’t remember what happened to me! How I managed to find myself from burning in flames to having breakfast in bed. There’s a gap in my memory as to what logically occurred. I don’t know what my actions were during all that time after yesterday and before this morning.”
DOCTOR
“I can’t remember how I got into this room. I must have decided to go to bed sometime.”
BILLY
(realises) “I see what you’re getting at. The last thing I remember was seeing you Nyssa burning to cinders, thankfully you’re still here. Next I was being bossed around by Mr. Rotenhend and given a tray by Bruce the android as to where to go with carrying breakfast to somebody’s room.”
DOCTOR
“It’s almost as if someone’s deliberately blocked our memories to events from yesterday before today.”
BILLY
“Could this be relevant to the murders?”
DOCTOR
“There’s no point in dismissing the possibility!” (realises) “Yes! Yes, the murders! The young couple Jo and Joe; Mr. Stedman; Truk the chef and Admiral Brown’s double. It’s all coming back!”
NYSSA
“How could we have forgotten that? About our investigation?”
DOCTOR
(thinks) “Someone, possibly the culprit or murder suspect, is attempting to prevent us from carrying out our investigations. That someone is eager and determined to do it.”
BILLY
“We still haven’t got very far in finding out who could have done it.”
DOCTOR
“Well, I suppose we should get back to where we left off with our investigations at once. Come on, Nyssa. You’d better get dressed. I’m sure your dressing gown’s pleasant, but I don’t think it’s proper to wear when going out.”
NYSSA
“Doctor, I wasn’t going to wear this all day.”
BILLY
“You’re lovely in it.”
NYSSA
(startled; shyly) “Oh. Well thank you, Billy. That’s kind of you.”
Just then, loud rough knocks are made onto the door to Room #126.
GORDON
(shouts; from a distance) “Walker?! Walker?! Are you in there?”
BILLY
“Oh no. It’s Mr. Rotenhend. If he finds me in here, he’ll kill me!”
DOCTOR
“I’ll sort him out. I wish to speak to him.”
NYSSA
“I’ll hide you in my room, Billy. If Rotenhend asks for you, the Doctor will tell him I’m changing. So he’ll be gentlemanly not to come into my room.” (to Doctor) “Right, Doctor?”
DOCTOR
“Yes. Of course.”
BILLY
“Thanks, Nyssa.”
NYSSA
“And I won’t be lying, Billy. Because I am going to change, so you’ll have to look away whilst you’re in the room with me.”
BILLY
“Oh. Right”
Nyssa takes Billy back to her bedroom, whilst the Doctor heads for the door of Room #126.
SCENE #80 – INT – CORRIDOR, LEVEL #26 – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
In the corridor outside Room #126 on Level #26, Gordon knocks hard on the door.
GORDON
(shouts) “Walker?! Walker?! Are you in there?!”
Gordon keeps knocking on the door. Eventually the Doctor answers and opens the door to see him.
DOCTOR
(annoyed) “Really, Mr. Rotenhend! Do you really have to knock so hard?”
GORDON
(shouts) “You shut up…” (corrects himself; politely) “Oh. Sorry, Doctor. Err…how are you?”
DOCTOR
“If this is the sort of behaviour you display to all guests at this hotel Mr. Rotenhend, then I think it’s a shoddy attitude. I should complain to the inspectors!”
GORDON
(panics) “Oh no, please! Please don’t no! Not in the books! We’re finished if you mention us in the books!”
DOCTOR
“When you say ‘we’ Mr. Rotenhend, what do you mean ‘we’?”
GORDON
“Well….’we’ as in…’we’!”
DOCTOR
“‘We’?”
GORDON
(changes subject) “Have you seen that boy of yours?”
DOCTOR
“Boy? You mean Billy?”
GORDON
“That Walker boy of yours, sir, has not been about recently today! He should be carrying out his duties?”
DOCTOR
“I’m sure he is. And while we’re at it, have you seen the Admiral today?”
GORDON
“The Admiral?” (thinks) “Err…searching…”
DOCTOR
“What?”
GORDON
“Uh sorry. Remembering…Ah yes! I remember. No I haven’t.”
DOCTOR
“Well. I hope he’s okay. Goodbye then, Mr. Rotenhend.”
GORDON
“Uh but what…?”
The Doctor shuts the door on Rotenhend. Rotenhend cries out in pain, before the Doctor opens the door again.
DOCTOR
“Sorry about that. Did I hurt you?”
GORDON
(in pain) “No. You got my nose. I’d better go and see Lady Mite!”
DOCTOR
“Lady Mite?”
GORDON
“Yes. She asked for these interferometric crystals…”
DOCTOR
“Did you say…Lady Mite?”
GORDON
“Yes. I did.”
DOCTOR
(astonished) “How extraordinary.” (to Gordon) “Thank you, Mr. Rotenhend. You may go.”
Slightly confused, Gordon leaves to go and find Lady Mite. Meanwhile, the Doctor stands in the doorway of Room #126.
DOCTOR
(astonished) “Well, well, well. Lady Mite!”
SCENE #81 – INT – INDIGO SUITE #4, LEVEL #20 – 37TH CENTURY – MORNING
In Indigo Suite #4 on Level #20, the Weerd Chancellor and the Weerd Elder are in conference whilst they have breakfast.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“The Holiyak Referendum Charters have to be upheld sometime, Elder. I’m making sure it’s your responsibility to see it come through.”
WEERD ELDER
“Yes, your grace. Do you wish my congregation to track any balloon changes in the Alismall Region?”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Oh yes, I suppose so. They never listen anyway, since they regard us as their enemies.”
WEERD ELDER
“In a way we are. We still haven’t got you up to get that treaty signed for them.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Well it’s very difficult to go to the toilet to get a receipt.” (enquiringly) “Which collar shall I wear today? The Intergalactic or the Inter-dimensional?”
WEERD ELDER
“Err…the Intergalactic I believe.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(surprised) “Oh? I would have preferred the Inter dimensional today? But if you insist Elder, then so be it.”
Moment of silence.
WEERD ELDER
“Have you made firm plans for today then, your grace?”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Yes I have. I shall be in this room all day with monitors around me.”
The Weerd Chancellor presses switches for the monitors.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Well done to all of you Weerds for setting mini-cameras in different parts of the hotel last night. Once an accident occurs, I shall come down like a bog of slime to those who disrupt a chancellor’s rest at his hotel.”
The Weerd Chancellor lies back in the comfort of so many monitors around him in the room. Just then, Bruce and Enuji enter.
ENUJI
“Wee?”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Who dares enter the chancellor’s chambers?”
WEERD ELDER
“Yes. Who dares enter into the chancellor’s chambers?”
BRUCE
(drearily) “Sorry for interrupting, but…”
WEERD ELDER
“His grace did not give you permission to speak!”
ENUJI
“Coo?”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“HIS GRACE DID NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEAK!!”
Moment of silence.
ENUJI
“Coo?”
BRUCE
“Shut up.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“You may have permission.”
WEERD ELDER
“You may have permission.”
BRUCE
“We came to deliver your breakfast. It’s in foils, though I don’t understand why you should have them.”
WEERD ELDER
“How dare you, sir android!”
BRUCE
“No, sir. I’m not a ‘sir’, sir.” (to Enuji) “Enuji. Give them their breakfast and let’s get out of here while we can.”
ENUJI
(confused) “Wee. Wee.”
Bruce and Enuji set their breakfasts on the table. They then both lift the foils up.
BRUCE
“Your breakfast, your grace.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“It’s the wrong one!”
ENUJI
“Wong? Wong? Eh?”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“This isn’t the breakfast I asked for. I asked for live rats and walking scorpion! This is ham sandwiches and a pot of tea for two? Where’s my breakfast gone to?”
BRUCE
“Enuji? What did you do with Mr. and Mrs. Augusto’s breakfast this morning?”
ENUJI
“Me na kno.”
Suddenly, screams come down the corridor, as a man and woman get attacked by a scorpion with snapping pinchers.
ENUJI
“Coo?”
BRUCE
“Excuse us, your grace. We must fetch your breakfast for you.”
Enuji and Bruce leave the Chancellor’s suite, as they attend to the missing breakfast outside. The door slides shut behind them.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Where was I, Elder?”
WEERD ELDER
“These monitors, your grace.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“Ah yes.” (to Weerds) “And as I speak, I not only speak to one Weerd…but I say to you dear brothers…”
WEERD #1
“You’re not my brother.”
WEERD #2
“You’re not mine either.”
WEERD #3
“I thought you were my sister.”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(interjects) “As I say to you all, I can make sure I monitor every aspect of life in the hotel! This is to preserve the Weerd people.”
The Weerd Chancellor flicks a switch as a monitor turns on.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
“For example, if I were to look at one of the monitors, monitoring one of the corridors, with rooms on the twenty-sixth level, then I should be able to see any kind of suspicious activity that goes on. As of now, I can even see a young lady going into the turbo-lift and…Whoa!”
WEERD ELDER
“What is it, your grace? You’ve found something”
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(gradually) “A young lady!” (awed) “A young lady! She’s so pretty!”
The girl that the Weerd Chancellor sees on the monitor is Nyssa, who goes into the turbo-lift with the Doctor behind her. They hear them talking with the audio speakers on.
NYSSA (V’O)
(calls) “Come on, Doctor. The turbo-lift’s nearly here.”
DOCTOR (V’O)
“Alright. I’m coming.”
The Weerd Chancellor watches the lift doors slide shut with Nyssa and the Doctor inside.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(gradually; awed) “Ooh! Gorgeous! She’s so gorgeous!” (Pause) “I must have her! I must have her!”
The Weerd Chancellor continues to watches the monitors, fascinated. He doesn’t hear Bruce and Enuji re-enter the suite.
BRUCE
“Grace, sir. We have your scorpion. And your rats!”
Bruce holds the vicious scorpion in his hands as it snips away with its pinchers. Enuji is scared stiff, as she carries the rats about her. The Weerd Chancellor is oblivious to Bruce and Enuji’s problems, as he watches Nyssa on the monitors.
ENUJI
(screams) “Raz! Heeeeeeee! Na, na neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
BRUCE
“Uh, could someone take this scorpion away? It’s snapping away at my head circuitry. It’s bound to have my head off.”
A wire is cut by the scorpion, as Bruce’s head is cut loose.
BRUCE
“See. It’s just cut my wires out.”
Bruce’s head falls to the floor.
BRUCE
“And now my head’s on the floor. Yippee. I have a headless body.”
Bruce’s dreary head lies on the floor. Enuji tends to the rats; the Weerds watch the Chancellor and the Chancellor watches Nyssa on the monitors, infatuated.
WEERD CHANCELLOR
(awed) “So pretty! So very, very pretty!” (Pause) “I must have her!”
TO BE CONTINUED…
© Tim Bradley, 2016
Bradley's Basement 