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Doctor Who
POISONED SKIN
by
tswheaton
First Draft March 2008
© TRAVIS S WHEATON, 2000
Australian Writers Guild Assoc Member No.12444
Geelong, AU
Author's Note:
For many a year I have been trying to develop a "Return to *** " story, but never quite getting it right. My original plot was very "Nimon-y", but I've developed it away from that now hopefully. It was originally intended as an Eighth Doctor story, but I decided to "update" it to 10 and Martha (as at time of writing).
(You'll know the *** in a moment...)
So far I have only written about the first 1/4 of the script, though I've plotted it out through to the climax.
If there's enough interest, I will look at writing some more...
.
EXT. SUBURBAN HOUSE
A white van pulls up outside a typical suburban home. The van declares itself to be the enemy of all creepy crawlies, with numerous methods of communication offered to arrange the booking of the van's services.
A man gets out of the van, goes to the rear, opens the double doors and arms himself.
.
INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE — FOYER
The door opens, revealing the Exterminator. He is pointed down to the cellar by a disinterested humanoid, who promptly returns to the lounge room to the waiting television set.
.
INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE — CELLAR
The Exterminator prods and probes various likely corners and alcoves with the tip of his spray gun.
EXTERMINATOR
No use hiding, I know you're in there.
He chuckles to himself.
There is movement behind an old refrigerator.
EXTERMINATOR
Ah, got you now!
He gleefully exclaims, before sidling over to the fridge. He gives a little test spray of his weapon. Something behind the fridge rustles again.
He pulls the fridge out from the wall.
Immediately he steps back in horror, screaming.
.
INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE — LOUNGE ROOM
Mother, father, and daughter are sitting in front of the television. They are all cross-legged on yoga-style mats. They don't appear to hear the sound of screaming coming from below. As one, they begin to chant.
FAMILY
Om… Om… Om… Om...
.
OPENING TITLES
.
INT. TARDIS CONSOLE ROOM — TIMELESS
The TARDIS is quiet, and empty. The lights ebb and flow gently to their own rhythm.
Without warning the exterior doors burst open as MARTHA scrambles inside, closely followed by THE DOCTOR, who ends up sprawled atop her.
The Doctor kicks the door closed, and they both sigh with relief.
Martha wriggles around to face the Doctor.
MARTHA
Seriously. ANY ordinary, happy people?
The Doctor grins at her.
THE DOCTOR
Oh, but where's the fun in that?
He awkwardly climbs off Martha, then helps her to stand. He heads towards the TARDIS console.
Following him, Martha starts a list, counting off on her fingers.
MARTHA
The fun part is not being shot at, chased
with pointy spears, threatened with
decapitation, sent to the Salt Mines of
Argon V, —
The Doctor, who has been setting the TARDIS in motion, suddenly stops still, causing Martha to nearly crash into him.
THE DOCTOR
Argon V is a beautiful planet!
MARTHA
That's maybe, but I only saw it from
five miles underground!
The Doctor relents, holding up his hands.
THE DOCTOR
Ok, ok. So, you want me to take you
somewhere boring?
Martha considers the offer, then nods her head.
THE DOCTOR (con't)
Somewhere devoid of guns and spears
and — anything else pointy?
Again, and enthusiastically, Martha nods.
THE DOCTOR
No mines?
MARTHA
No mines, prisons, killer robots, Daleks...
For a moment the Doctor looks stumped, before a small smile starts to emerge at the corner of his lips.
THE DOCTOR
Markin!
Martha looks at the Doctor as if he's cursed.
MARTHA
Beg your pardon?
THE DOCTOR
Planet full of philosophers, poets, dandelion
chasers... Nothing interesting ever happens
there, EVER, and - I know — I visited just
before the End and it was still boring. Whole
planet just breathed a collective — sigh —
and disappeared, forever.
Running her fingers over her hair, Martha listens to the Doctor's description.
MARTHA
Is there a beach?
The Doctor leans on the TARDIS console and pulls a face at Martha. He points to the interior door.
THE DOCTOR
Three levels down, 29th door on the left,
just after the Plant Room — perfectly good
swimming pool.
MARTHA
Doctor, have you actually tried following
your directions? I swear you have no idea
where anything is in this TARDIS.
Sidestepping around the console, the Doctor scratches his head.
THE DOCTOR
That's the problem with an infinitely
configurable infrastructure. You always
forget where you put things.
MARTHA
Markin?
The Doctor pulls a face at Martha, mimicking her own from moments ago, before flashing her a beaming smile.
THE DOCTOR
Markin it is!
He flicks a switch, and the TARDIS jolts widely.
.
EXT. MARKIN CITY LIMITS — MORNING
From above, the city looks like a giant wagon wheel; its stone walled buildings stretch out from a large central library in twisted spokes.
The TARDIS materialises just outside a small building. There is no sign of life.
Martha slowly peers out of the doors, before emerging into the street. She is now wearing a flowing toga. The Doctor soon follows her, dressed in a slightly more stylish outfit.
Whilst holding the material of her robe out from her body, Martha turns to the Doctor.
MARTHA
Are you sure this —
The Doctor has come to a complete standstill. He raises a finger to his lips.
THE DOCTOR
Something's wrong.
Martha stops worrying about her attire and looks around. There is no one in sight. The street is littered with everyday items, abandoned. There are large cobwebs over doorways and windows of the stone dwellings.
THE DOCTOR
This is — just wrong. I know this place.
It should be bustling with activity. Well —
it should be bustling with thinkers and
laureates.
Martha picks up a ceramic jug, discarded and broken. It is covered in an intricate pattern.
MARTHA
This place looks like it's been abandoned
for…
The Doctor rushes over to Martha and pushes her into a small alley. Moments later a group of five ragged looking people scurry around the corner.
They stop near the TARDIS, all of them wary of their surroundings. Upon closer inspection, they are all armed — but not with guns. Slingshots, wooden daggers, a spear; all low-tech though still capable of causing injury.
The leader of the group, a fair haired woman named SADII, pulls a young boy, OLRIC, aside.
Before addressing him, she turns to an older woman, KARI.
SADII
(to KARI)
Kari, keep an eye out.
(to OLRIC)
You nearly got us killed back there!
From their hideaway, Martha sees the weapons they are carrying.
MARTHA
(whispering)
Poets?
THE DOCTOR
(whispering)
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
Olric hurtfully peers at the ground.
OLRIC
It looked like there was only one of
them, and that man was still alive.
SADII
There's no such thing as only one, and
he was dead already.
MARTHA
(whispering)
What's going on?
The Doctor shakes his head.
THE DOCTOR
Something is majorly wrong here!
The Doctor steps out of the hiding spot and into the middle of the group.
THE DOCTOR
Hello!
All five aim their weapons at the Doctor.
Martha slowly steps out to join the Doctor.
MARTHA
Hi.
She waves at the group of surprised Markins.
SADII
Who are you?
THE DOCTOR
More to the point, what's going on here?
This is Markin, isn't it? It's supposed to
be a planet of peace.
He sweeps his hands around at the assembled group.
THE DOCTOR (CON'T)
This is all just WRONG!
The Markins stare the Doctor up and down.
MARTHA
Yeah, I thought the pen was mightier
than —
Lowering his slingshot, Olric falters.
OLRIC
It's all just gone to hell!
SADII
Shut-up, Olric!
(to the Doctor)
How can you not know?
Another of the group aggressively pushes forwards, spear aimed at the Doctor's head.
PAOL
Who are they, Sadii?
Sadii steps closer and pushes Paol back.
SADII
We can't stay out here much longer.
We'll take them with us.
PAOL
We're not showing them our base!?
The Doctor raises his eyebrows at Martha. She shrugs.
Their non-verbal communication is not lost on Olric.
OLRIC
They know something! Did you see?!
They… Maybe they control them! Maybe
they brought them here!
SADII
(bitter)
We know who brought them here.
(to THE DOCTOR)
Now would not be a good time to lie to us.
THE DOCTOR
Haven't said a word, yet.
PAOL
He's a liar.
Martha steps in front of the Doctor, towards Paol, doing her best to look menacing and aloof.
MARTHA
Watch your mouth — do you know who
he is?
The Doctor turns to Olric with a quizzical glance.
THE DOCTOR
Who are 'them'?
SADII
You really don't know?
PAOL
We're wasting time.
Moving idly past Olric, the Doctor advances on Sadii.
THE DOCTOR
Really don't know. Come from out of
town. Tell me who 'they' are.
Sadii stares into the Doctor's eyes. She starts to open her mouth, however Kari races towards them from her vantage point.
KARI
One soldier, heading our way.
Justina, the final member of the group, glares at Olric. He fidgets awkwardly under her gaze.
OLRIC
I know — it's never one.
Fingers trembling on his spear, Paol looks around, then to Sadii.
PAOL
What about them?
SADII
We take them with us.
Watching the transaction, the Doctor steps between them.
THE DOCTOR
You know, if you just tell me —
Paol pushes his spear under the Doctor's nose, and uses it to move him in the opposite direction down the street.
PAOL
Just move!
Taking his lead, Justina does likewise with Martha.
As a group they start running down the street.
Martha comes alongside the Doctor, and raises her eyebrows.
MARTHA
Crackpot mercenaries totting primitive
weapons, making us run from a mysterious
enemy. It's always the same with you.
She grins.
.
EXT. MARKIN STREET — MOMENTS LATER
Kari and Olric lead the group, with Sadii taking up the rear.
The lead two round a corner, then rapidly backtrack.
KARI
It's a trap!
As they retreat, the Doctor and Martha watch as two 6 foot long spiders scurry around the corner in front of them.
Martha comes to a rapid halt, fear splashed across her face. The Doctor however continues moving closer, staring in disbelief at the spiders.
Sadii, Paol, and the others in turn except for the Doctor spin around to retreat, however they find another spider now blocking their path.
Sadii, Olric, Kari, Paol and Justina, all scatter with practiced speed, firing stones from their slingshots and throwing small hand-held weapons. Paol approaches the rear spider with his spear.
Realising he is now in the middle of a battle, the Doctor looks around for Martha. He rushes over to her, and points out an open doorway. Martha shakes her head.
MARTHA
I'm not hiding!
She picks up a rock from the ground and throws it at one of the spiders which is menacing Olric.
THE DOCTOR
What are they doing here?
MARTHA
You know them?! Why am I not surprised.
Sadii is trying to bring her group together in a defensive motion.
MARTHA
Are they — poisonous?
The Doctor turns to her and screws up his face as if she's just asked the most stupid question, then shrugs.
THE DOCTOR
I don't know. Poisonous minds though.
MARTHA
Minds?!
The Doctor leaves Martha with that thought as he rushes out into the midst of the fight and holds up his hands to both sides.
Sadii and her crew cease their defence, and the spiders take a hesitant move backwards.
The Doctor takes a step closer to the spiders. Sadii watches on suspiciously.
THE DOCTOR
What are you doing here? This isn't your planet.
The spiders twitch but do not otherwise respond.
Watching curiously, Paol whispers to Sadii.
PAOL
What's he doing?
SADII
I don't know.
Martha slowly steps over to join Sadii.
THE DOCTOR
(under his breath)
Come to that — even Metabilis wasn't
your planet.
(to the spiders)
You have no right to be here.
The spiders again dance from foot to foot to foot to foot.
THE DOCTOR
These people were helpless and — what —
you just waltzed in and conquered them?
With unbridled passion Sadii leaps forwards.
SADII
Conquered? There was no conquer —
they devoured everyone!
The Doctor spins around to look at Sadii, confused.
THE DOCTOR
Everyone?
MARTHA
Doctor look out!
As he speaks, the spiders jump forward, one landing on the Doctor, knocking him to the ground. Martha rushes to try and help him.
Sadii distracts the other spider, and Paol leaps forwards and stabs it with the spear, making it writhe in agony.
Seeing the Doctor's plight, Kari rushes over and helps Martha to fend the spider off the Doctor's struggling form. As she frees him, the spider turns its attention to her, latching itself around her body, fangs penetrating her torso. It lets her go, her body crashing lifelessly to the ground.
OLRIC
No!
Olric runs towards the spider, wildly shooting with his slingshot. One of the missiles connects with one of the spider's eyes. Justina joins Olric, and manage to inflict enough damage that the spider retreats up the side of a building and out of sight.
They both then rush to Kari's body.
Martha is cradling the Doctor. He is in shock, staring at Kari's body.
Sadii and Paol join Olric and Justina at Kari's body.
Olric raises his tear stained face to stare at the Doctor.
OLRIC
She died for you.
Kneeling down, Sadii places her hand on Olric's shoulder.
SADII
She died for all of us.
.
INT. UNDERGROUND CELLER
THE DOCTOR
This can't be how it ends?
