The Barren Planet
by
Kris Hart
Scene 1 – INT. TARDIS Console Room
The Doctor runs up into the TARDIS console room, flinging his Overcoat away in the process.
He gets to the console then turns round and faces Lucy.
Lucy had just closed the door.
The Doctor grins.
Doctor
So, where'd ya wanna go?
Lucy
Erm... Alien Planet?
The Doctor turns to the console.
Doctor
Alien Planet it is then.
He starts programming the coordinates
Doctor
I promise you lots and lots of aliens...
He turns back to her and his face lights up.
Doctor
OH! I can take you to the Deep South!
Lucy (Confused)
The Deep South?
Doctor
... Nah... To alien for a first trip...
He turns back to the console.
Lucy starts to walk around the console. She looks at the console, stopping briefly to look at some buttons every few milliseconds. The something caught her attention.
The Doctor continued to work round the console.
Lucy
Oh My God!
The Doctor looks up at Lucy
Doctor
What? What is it?
Lucy
You've got a hand in a jar. A Hand in a jar, bubbling away.
Doctor
Erm... yep. It's my hand
Lucy turns to him
Lucy
Right... It's your hand? And that makes it all the more reason to have your hand in a jar (!)
The Doctor looks back to the console.
Lucy
I can see both your hands...
Doctor
10 out of 10 for observation.
Lucy
But...
He holds onto the console.
Doctor
Hold on tight!
Lucy
What?
The TARDIS comes to life and starts to spin and shake all around. Lucy and the Doctor hold on tight. The Doctor laughs loudly.
--DOCTOR WHO THEME--
The TARDIS comes to a complete halt.
The Doctor stares at the ceiling for a few seconds, while Lucy sorts her hair.
Lucy
Are we there?
Doctor
Yep!
He smirks and then runs to the door, grabbing his coat on the way.
He stands at the door.
Doctor
Come on.
Lucy gets up and walks to the doors. The Doctor smiles.
Doctor
Lucy Green. Say hello to...
Scene 2 – EXT. Planet, Sundown
He opens the door.
Doctor
.. The greatest mega city...
He stops dead. Tumble weeds and sand blow about on the sandy ground where the TARDIS stood.
Lucy
If this is the greatest. What's the worst?
The Doctor walks out the TARDIS he looks all around. Sand for as far as the eye cold see. He bends down and picks up some sand and then lets it seep through his fingers.
Lucy
So... Where are all the Aliens?
Doctor
... Yeah... I seem to have got the timing wrong... This isn't sand... it's dust... the entire city reduced to dust... probably within 30 seconds...
Lucy
What do you mean? An Entire city wiped out in an instant.
She laughs. He looks at her.
Lucy
That could never happen!
Doctor
Oh yes it can. It happens every day. My planet is just rocks and dust now...
She looks at the Doctor
Doctor
Anyway... Moving On.
He walks back into the TARDIS.
Doctor
Come on. Let's go to the second mega city.
He turns round to see Lucy walking in the other direction.
Doctor
Lucy? Lucy?!
She turns.
Lucy
What?!
Doctor
Where are you going?!
Lucy
To find life!
He walks over to her.
Doctor
Look I said there's no life here so that means... there is probably life somewhere.
He starts to walk in the direction Lucy was going.
Doctor
Come on, let's go.
Lucy smiles then runs to catch up with him.
Scene 3 – INT. Spaceship
A dark gloomy spaceship. Green lights are flashing on the wall and switches and buttons cover the wall and ceiling. Big lumps stick out of the ground and move as if they were breathing. As if the ship was alive.
A large creature, about 8 foot tall when fully standing, was sitting at in a chair staring at monitors. On one of the monitors we see two people walking across the sand. The Doctor and Lucy.
The beast snarls.
Scene 4 – EXT. Planet, Sundown
The Doctor is striding along the sand, his coat blowing in the wind.
Lucy is shivering.
Lucy
For a desert planet it's bloody freezing!
The Doctor spots something lying on the ground about 3 metres away. He runs over and bends down.
Lucy jogs over to the Doctor.
Lucy
What is it?
Doctor (Examining the piece of metal)
It appears to be a control device of some sort, dunno what. It looks familiar though.
He stands up and examines it closely
Doctor
It controls… something… but it appears to have been here a while. Well made. Only a slight bit of rust or corrosion, whatever you wanna call it.
He looks around and suddenly he is blinded by the sun reflecting off something shiny.
He holds his hand in front of his face and stare, or at least tries to.
He starts to run towards the light.
Lucy sighs and the jogs in the direction he was heading
Lucy thinks to herself "That sun looks a bit close"
The Doctor reaches the edge of what appeared to have been a Lake, except with no water.
The Doctor smiled.
In the middle of the Crag was a metal monster.
Lucy stands next to the Doctor just as he utters the words in delight.
Doctor
A Skarasen!
He starts to run down to the bottom of the crag.
Lucy
Oh, for god's sake! Not more running!
She starts to, reluctantly, follow him.
Scene 5 – EXT. Planet, Sundown, Bottom of Crag
The Doctor skids down the last few feet of the crag, while Lucy trudges, only putting her heel into the sand as if to get more balance.
The Doctor walks over to the metal beast. He strokes the metal surface.
Lucy finally reaches the bottom; she walks over to the Doctor
Lucy
What is it?
Doctor
A Skarasen. A water beast. Part Machine, Part Organic. The Organic part of this one is dead. This Device…
He flings the device into Lucy's hands.
Doctor
.. Controls, well controlled it. You've been here a while haven't you.
He pats the metal body.
Doctor
But...
He turns back to Lucy.
Doctor
The Bad thing is… If he's here… that means someone else is here… or they could've left... but knowing my luck…
The Doctor face fills with pain and he falls face down on the ground.
Lucy
Doctor?!
She notices the dart in his back.
She looks up onto the edge of the Crag and sees 3 people standing there, one holding a gun.
She shouts up to them.
Lucy
What did you do that for?! He wasn't doing any harm!
Lucy feels something creep up behind her but before she could turn she feels the force of something hit the back of her neck.
She falls to the ground like an old rag doll.
She sees blurry shadows crowd round her.
Lucy (weak)
Help me, who… who are you?
The large beast stares at her then lifts it foot. Its foot comes crashing down and Lucy's face.
Everything goes black.
Scene 6 – INT. Dark Room
Lucy wakes up. She sees nothing but darkness.
She stands up feeling around the wall.
The wall is soggy and bumpy, she feels one of the bumps and then it suddenly moves.
She jumps backwards.
She can hear water dripping.
She tries to listen for noises.
She starts to shout.
Lucy
Hello? Is there anyone there?
She lowers her voice.
Lucy
No? Anyone? No one?
She waits a few moments then sighs.
She sits down in the middle of the floor.
Lucy starts to think. "I wonder if he's ok?" Not expecting an answer.
Suddenly she hears a key in a lock, although she can't find a lock.
She hears a few bolts unlocking and then a door creaking open.
Light suddenly fills the room and she sees she is in a slimy room full of dead and decaying creatures.
She looks at light waiting for her eyes to adjust.
A figure appears at the door.
It's a man. The man hurries into the room.
Man
Oh my god. I never knew people were in here. Are you ok? My names Owen, I'm here to save you.
She looks at him.
Lucy
Are you? Are you really?
Owen
Yes. The Planet is soon going to burn. We came here to check for survivors. We found these People, they tried to kill us. Gone mad they had. So we wondered if there were any prisoners we checked and then we heard you shouting so I can to get you.
Lucy
We?
Owen
Yeah. Me and two other people, Joan and Robert.
Lucy
Who are you?
Owen
That's not important right now. We have to get you out.
He escorts Lucy out the room and starts to walk her down a corridor.
Lucy turns to him.
Lucy
I have a friend, he was shot with a dart when we were captured, and he might still be in here.
Just as she'd finished they turn a corner to see the Doctor lying on the ground with a bullet wound through his head. Blood had run down his mouth and was now dry.
Lucy runs over to him and crouches down and shakes him.
Lucy
Oh Doctor. Please wake up!
Tears fall from her eyes. Her hands start to shake.
Lucy
Please. Please!
Owen walks over and puts his hand on her shoulder and tries to pull her away.
Owen
Come on we've got to get going.
Lucy turns to Owen in frenzy.
Lucy
Don't touch me!
Owen grabs her and pushes her hand up her back.
Owen
I'm not going to let you endanger the lives of me and my crew mates. Now come on!
He takes Lucy along the other corridor
Lucy looks back at the body of the Doctor lying on the ground.
Scene 7 – EXT. Planet, Sundown
Lucy and Owen emerge from a spaceship that is buried into the ground.
The start to walk across the sand, Owen still holding Lucy close by.
Lucy can see a ship crashed into the sand.
As they get closer she can see two people on the exterior of the ship.
Owen shouts to them
Owen
Joan! How's the ship coming along?
Joan sees them but doesn't reply.
Owen and Lucy finally arrive there.
Owen
Well?
Joan
It's gone, Owen. Nothing we can do. It burnt up on entering the atmosphere.
Robert appears from inside the ship.
Robert
I told you not to fly so close to that sun.
Owen had let go of Lucy. Lucy walked over to the ship as the others continued to talk.
Lucy feels the ship.
Lucy remembers something the Doctor was saying
FLASHBACK
Doctor
… It appears to have been here a while. Well made. Only a slight bit of rust or corrosion, whatever you wanna call it.
/FLASHBACK
She looks at the rust on the ship.
Lucy (mumbling)
There's a lot…
Owen puts his hand on Lucy.
Owen
I'm afraid we're stuck here.
He looks up at the sun, which has got closer.
Owen
Looks like we're all going to die…
Lucy gulps and then realises.
Lucy
My friend has a ship.
Owen looks at Joan and Robert and smiles.
Owen
Looks like we have hope after all.
Owen turns to Lucy
Owen
What sort of ship?
Lucy
A TARDIS.
Owens's face lights up.
Owen
A… a…. a TARDIS?
Lucy
Yeah… Type… 30 or 40 or something
Joan
That will do.
Robert
Yes, that will do nicely.
Lucy
Ok, we just need to get the key.
Scene 8 – INT. Spaceship
Lucy runs over to the Doctor's body, Owen, Joan and Robert closely following.
Lucy puts her hand in his pockets and searches for the TARDIS key.
Owen
Come on, hurry up!
Lucy
I'm trying, alright!
The ship creaks and jolts.
Joan
The sun is getting closer; it's burning up the planet.
Lucy pulls the TARDIS key out of the Doctor's pocket.
Lucy
Ah ha! Got it.
Owen
Right, good. Now come on!
He runs for the exit, followed by the rest.
Scene 9 – EXT. Planet
The exit the ship to see flames all over the place.
They all start to run away from the ship, dodging flames as they go.
Lucy tries to keep up with them but they didn't seem to get tired.
The continuing running and then, suddenly, Lucy sees the TARDIS in the distance.
Lucy smiles and starts to pick up pace.
They arrive outside the TARDIS and Lucy puts the key in the lock.
She turns the lock, but with trouble. She stops for moment thinking.
Owen
Well come on!
Scene 10 – INT. TARDIS Console Room
Lucy opens the door and the rest enters. She then shuts the door.
Robert
Good, God! It's amazing!
Joan walks round the TARDIS console
Joan
It really is.
Owen walks up and stares. He touches the console.
Suddenly Alarms start sounding. Red lights flash from all around the TARDIS.
Lucy looks all around and suddenly a Hologram of the Doctor appears by the door. She turns and looks
Doctor (Hologram)
This Time Capsule has detected hostile life-forms, masquerading a humans, hopefully not inside a Skin suit, I 'ated them. The Time Console is shutting down; it shall not awaken until I give my Bio-Print access code. The TARDIS is locking onto my Bio-Print now and teleporting me here… With a Gun!
The Hologram disappears.
The TARDIS Time Column starts to power up.
Owen, Joan and Robert turn to it. Something starts to appear, a humanoid form.
The humanoid appears to be holding a large item in its hand.
Owen, Joan and Robert quickly run for the door.
Lucy blocks there way.
Owen grabs Lucy and flings her over to the console, where she hits her head. She turns to look at the door but they are already gone.
The Doctor fully appears holding a large stick.
Doctor (Charging Forward)
ARRRRRRR!!...
He looks around.
Doctor
Oh… there're not here.
He drops the stick and then turns and sees Lucy lying against the console with a bleeding cut on her forehead.
He rushes over
The Doctor lifts her up and helps her stand.
Doctor
Lucy? You ok?
She smiles.
Lucy
Doctor!
Lucy hugs the Doctor.
Lucy
I saw you! You were dead!
He grins.
Doctor
Oh, that's a long story.
She lets go of him.
Lucy
Now, let's get off this planet.
Doctor
Yep
The Doctor starts to hit buttons.
Lucy
I don't care if I didn't get to meet any aliens.
Doctor
Oh, but you did.
Lucy
Did I?
Doctor
Yeah, those people. Didn't you here what the Hologram me said? "Aliens masquerading as Humans".
He slams on the console.
Doctor
Hmm… That's strange…
Lucy
What is?
Doctor (scratching his head)
The TARDIS isn't accepting my Bio-Print code…
The Doctor thinks
Doctor
Oh! Oh, of course!
Lucy
What?
FLASBACK Images of the Doctor being held down by Owen and Robert /FLASBACK
Doctor (Voiceover)
They most likely knew about this…
FLASHBACK Joan approaches and sticks a needle in the Doctor's arm. The Doctor struggles. Joan injects the fluid /FLASHBACK
Doctor (Voiceover)
The injected me with their DNA, to stop me from escaping…
Lucy stares at him
Lucy
They had this all planned?
Doctor
Down to the last detail
He runs out to the door.
Lucy
Where are you going?!
Doctor
Back to the ship.
He smiles madly at Lucy
Doctor
You coming?
Lucy laughs and then runs through the open door
The Doctor exits and shuts the door behind him.
Scene 11 – INT. Spaceship
Owen is standing at the controls of the ship.
Robert enters the room
Robert
What if the plan doesn't work?
Owen
Of course it will work.
Robert
Yeah, but what if it doesn't? Is Plan B ready?
Owen
Yes, yes. Everything's in place.
He points to the screen which shows Joan in a Boiler Suit in a red room.
Owen
Joan's just checking the missiles and then the Rift Drive.
Robert
It has to be ready, no mistakes. If this procedure with the Time Lord fails then…
Doctor
Then what?
Robert and Owen turn round,
The Doctor is standing in the doorway. Lucy is next to him.
Doctor
Hello
He waves
Doctor
Go on, Lucy. Have some manners, wave.
Lucy waves at them.
Lucy
Are we waving Hello or Bye-Bye?
Doctor
Dunno…
Owen
What are you doing here?!
The Doctor laughs.
Doctor
I know all about your little plan. Injecting me with your own DNA so I can't get my TARDIS to accept my Bio-Print. And I can't get the TARDIS to work easier because it would need a full sample of my PURE DNA and since I have yours in mine… that won't work. Sorta like when you forget your password for the BBC Website and you need your password to reset your password but that's a different story.
Lucy
And how did you get a copy of the Doctor and he was dead! It wasn't a dummy, it was flesh and blood!
The Doctor smiles at Owen.
Doctor
Oh there clever. They'd kill there own kind just to survive.
Owen
You can talk, Doctor!
The Doctor ignores this comment, like he's heard it too many times before. He turns to Lucy
Doctor
They're called Zygons.
He turns quickly to Owen and Robert like a quiz show host
Doctor
Cue Transformation!
Owen and Robert stay the same.
Doctor
Aww, you could've at least played the game…
The Doctor turns back to Lucy.
Doctor
They can take Bio-Prints of any living thing and transform themselves into it. I've met them a few times. Most memorably at Loch Ness. Anyway, they transformed that Zygon into me… and then killed him… probably not of free will.
Owen laughs
Owen
Oh I do love a good struggle, makes it more realistic.
Lucy looks disgusted.
Lucy
Probably irrelevant but how did they get your clothes and a TARDIS key copied?
Doctor
Ah, they scanned me when I was unconscious and then made copies of my clothes and items.
He turns to the Owen
Doctor
Hang on, does that mean you cloned my Super-Ultra-Rare-Mega-Brilliant Digimon Card?! Brilliant!
He turns back to Lucy.
Doctor
The Prince of Forcan 4 will be SOOOO Jealous!
Suddenly Robert starts to gurgle.
The Doctor turns to Robert and grins madly.
Doctor
YAS!!
Lucy looks confused
Lucy
What is it? What's happening? Is he gonna explode?!
Doctor
He's going to transform. The Bio-Print is wearing off
Owen grins at the Doctor.
Owen
Believe me Doctor, that is not a good thing.
Robert's form starts to change and he changes to a Large Orange Beast about 8 feet tall. It has no neck and nodules all over its body.
Lucy backs against the wall.
Doctor
The true form of a Zygon.
The Zygon roars.
Owen laughs.
Owen
Get Him!
The Doctor grabs Lucy and runs out of the room.
Robert follows them, running at full pace.
Scene 12 – INT. Spaceship Corridor
The Doctor runs all the way down the corridor, with Lucy holding his hand as he drags her along.
The Doctor runs into a room and hits a button which shuts the door.
Scene 13 – INT. Spaceship Pod Room
He sshh's Lucy and puts his ear against the door.
He listens closely and then hears the Zygon zoom by the door.
Lucy
Doctor.
He turns round and sees a row of 7 pods each with different people in.
He walks over to them and puts his hand on one of the pods.
Lucy
What are they?
Doctor
There're human.
Lucy
Are they dead?
Doctor
No. But they probably wish they were.
Lucy walks over to one.
Lucy
Oh my god! It's Robert!
The Doctor strokes one of the pods.
Doctor
Yeah. They're the people they get the body-Prints from. They must have been here years, these Uniforms are dated. 42nd Century I'd say.
He wipes away some of the dirt off the pod.
Doctor
"Torchwood Sanctuary Base 6 Crew. Captain Owen Hunter" They were just Crew on a ship… they must've crashed.
Lucy
That would explain why there is a rusted ship outside. They were pretended it was theirs and that it had just crashed. But it was too rusted.
Doctor
Yeah. All these people were heading back for Sanctuary Base 6… Must have been visiting.
Lucy
You been there?
Doctor
Yeah, and I don't intend to go back.
Banging starts on the door.
The Doctor stands in front of Lucy and spreads his arms out to protect her.
The Door falls to the ground with a large bang.
Joan, Owen and Zygon Robert appear from the smoke.
Owen
I've had enough of you now, Doctor! I realise now, we don't need you as much as we thought we did.
Doctor
Oh yeah! What did you need me for!
Joan
As prisoner. As a Hostage. We were heading for Earth when we crashed on this godforsaken rock!
Doctor
And what were you heading to Earth for?
Joan
For War! Payback for what they did to us!
Doctor
How did you know I would come here?!
Owen
We were informed years ago. You told someone about coming here.
Lucy
How could he if he didn't know he was gonna come here!!
The Doctor turns to Lucy and makes some hand movements.
Doctor
Wibely Wobely Timey Wimey
Lucy
What?!
Doctor
I'll explain some other time!
Owen
Anyway Doctor, I've had enough! All we need is your machine. You can die!
Owen nods at Zygon Robert
Owen
Kill him, now!
Doctor
Oh do it yourself!
The Doctor whips out his Sonic Screwdriver and uses it on the Life Support system of the Torchwood crew's pods. The system explodes.
Doctor
I'm Sorry. I'm So Sorry.
Owen and Joan start to gurgle.
Lucy
What's happening?
Doctor
If the original bodies die, then the Zygons transform back. There Bio-Print inside them is still linked to the original body.
Zygon Robert continues to advance.
The doctor looks at the burning console. He waits a minute until Robert is standing in front of a Pod.
Doctor
Fire!
The Doctor presses the Sonic Screwdriver against the console and a pod door flies open, knocking Robert away, and smashing against the wall.
The Doctor grabs Lucy's hand and leads her out the door.
Scene 14 – EXT. Planet
The Doctor and Lucy exit the ship.
The Planet is in burning flames now.
The Doctor starts running Lucy follows.
Lucy shouts to him
Lucy
How is the Zygon ship bigger on the inside!?
Doctor
When it crashed it was organic and it started growing into the planet!
Lucy and the Doctor return to the outside of the TARDIS.
The Doctor gets the key out of his pocket and opens the door
Scene 15 – INT. TARDIS Console Room
The Doctor runs up to the console.
Lucy
Doctor we didn't fix your Bio-Print!
The Doctor pops up from behind the console.
Doctor
Hello
He waves his spare hand at Lucy
He pushes it against the console and suddenly the console comes to life.
Doctor
Security Protocol 24437
The TARDIS Column comes to life and starts to race up and down.
Scene 16 – EXT. Planet
The TARDIS disappears.
The Planet glows a bright red and sizzles and then explodes
Scene 17 – INT. TARDIS Console room
The Doctor sits down in the seat.
Lucy looks at the Hand which was now back, bubbling away, in the jar.
Lucy
So you're still saving the world even when you haven't got a head.
She laughs and then puts her hand in her pocket and pulls out a TARDIS key.
She puts her hand out to him.
Lucy
Here.
He closes her hand.
Doctor
You keep it. We can't have you not being able to get in here anymore.
She smiles.
The Doctor stands off the seat.
Doctor
So… Where to next?
Scene 18 – EXT. Time Vortex
The TARDIS spins through the Time Vortex
THE END