Doctor Who - American Version - Serial

by RevolutionMan

Doctor Who - Presented as a re-imagining of the show Doctor Who for American audiences. It presumes NO connection to the continuity established by the long running British television series, but absolutely WILL borrow heavily from that awesome/amazing show. Some characters will be re-named. Some "laws" will be broken. A serial adaptation, in script form.

41. Chapter 41 - The Vault

INT. HONCHO'S OFFICE – PRESERVER HEADQUARTERS

Doctor Two and Rose stand in front of the Honcho's desk. Their audience; the Honcho, Golden Monkey, Silver Samurai, and Bronze Cyberman. As Doctor Two makes his presentation, a three-dimensional holo-image projected just above the surface of the desk illustrates what he says, beginning with a scale model of the Zira Clinic.

DOCTOR TWO
The Zira Clinic has a secret. Only a handful of doctors and nurses know the truth. Those that do speak about it in hushed tones, behind closed doors and always out of earshot of patients, families, and, if I'm right, the Tonades Police. They call it the Vault.

Doctor Two changes the holo-image to a blueprint of the original clinic.

DOCTOR TWO
The original clinic was a six-story building built on the same grounds as the current one. What you see here are the official specifications filed with the central authority. What you don't see are designs for the construction of ten sub-levels devoted almost entirely to labs fit for experimentation focused on "life extension" techniques.

Doctor Two manipulates the holo-image to include the sub-levels.

GOLDEN MONKEY
Why aren't the sub-levels on the official records?

DOCTOR TWO
I think you can use your imagination on that one. Suffice it to say, the founders reasoned that their progress might proceed a little smoother were they able to avoid legal scrutiny of their techniques. Over the years, the clinic has undergone several renovations and expansions. It's now a huge mega-conglomerate, having absorbed every major hospital and rehabilitation treatment center on the planet. But while the scope of their work may have changed, those sub-levels are still there, they are active, and they are being used for their initial purpose.

THE HONCHO
What does any of this have to do with us?

Doctor Two and Rose exchange a glance.

ROSE
Because they're holding captive as many as three-hundred rare species in those labs.

The Honcho and Preservers appear stunned.

SILVER HUMANOID
Three-hundred?

DOCTOR TWO
Three-hundred, held in cryogenic stasis chambers, against their will, for study. I was able to positively identify a Carrionite, Rutan, Korven, Usurian, Cyberman...

BRONZE CYBERMAN
Cyberman? You saw an actual Cyberman, with your own eyes?

DOCTOR TWO
(nods)
When Rose was arrested, I managed to escape for a short time to the sub-levels. I was eventually caught, but not before I had stumbled upon several hundred of those chambers, each one occupied by a member of a different rare or "extinct" species.

GOLDEN MONKEY
You expect us to believe you just happened to stumble upon the sub-levels, when they've gone unnoticed by outsiders for all these years?

DOCTOR TWO
I'll be honest, it helped that I knew where they were.

GOLDEN MONKEY
And how did you know that?

DOCTOR TWO
Because I built them. I'm one of the founders of the Zira Clinic.

That one even catches Rose by surprise. He notices.

ROSE
You didn't tell me that.

DOCTOR TWO
You didn't ask.

ROSE
But when I brought you here, you'd acted like you'd never been here before.

SILVER HUMANOID
That would make you tens of thousands of years old.

Doctor Two ignores Rose.

DOCTOR TWO
I'm a Time Lord. I have a time machine. Why is that difficult for you people to understand?

SILVER HUMANOID
I just thought it was a name... to make yourself sound cool.

GOLDEN MONKEY
Let's skip ahead a bit. Are you asking us to raid the clinic? Again?

DOCTOR TWO
I'm not asking you to do anything. You people are the Preservers. This is what you do. You have your mission, already.

BRONZE CYBERMAN
What's in it for you?

DOCTOR TWO
That's my business.

GOLDEN MONKEY
If you want our help, it's our business, too.

DOCTOR TWO
And you, madam, aren't paying close enough attention. I'm not asking for your help. You are asking for mine. I built that clinic. I know the ins and the outs better than anyone. I'm your ticket to accomplishing more good work in one day than I'm betting you've done in your entire lives.

GOLDEN MONKEY
Assuming we believe you, and you can get us inside, around the Tonades, and to the sub-levels, how do you expect us to liberate that many people without anyone noticing?

DOCTOR TWO
I was very much looking forward to your ideas on that part.

BRONZE CYBERMAN
If they're being held against their will, couldn't we just alert the Tonades? Why do we have to sneak them out at all? Couldn't we just send in an anonymous tip?

The Honcho and Doctor Two exchange knowing glances. The Honcho understands what his men don't.

THE HONCHO
There's humans down there, aren't there?

Doctor Two nods.

DOCTOR TWO
Three.

ROSE
If we tell the Tonades about them...

THE HONCHO
They'll be killed.

Golden Monkey studies the Honcho's face. He twitches nervously.

GOLDEN MONKEY
What are you thinking?

The Honcho studies Rose's face and picks at his teeth with his fingernails.

THE HONCHO
(to Golden Monkey)
You and the Doctor draw up a plan. Have three options on my desk in one hour.

GOLDEN MONKEY
Honcho-

THE HONCHO
Do it.

Golden Monkey nods. She, Silver Humanoid, and Bronze Cyberman leave. The Doctor moves to follow, with Rose, but...

THE HONCHO
Rose, I would very much like to speak with you.

Doctor Two waits, looks at her. She nods, assuring him it's okay. He leaves.

The Honcho stares at her for a few uncomfortable seconds.

THE HONCHO
Please tell me this isn't a lie to get out of marrying me.

ROSE
Is that what you think this is?

THE HONCHO
I don't know what to think. I don't know what I'm doing.

ROSE
Well, it's not. I promise you. The Doctor would never lie about something this important.

He paces and undoes his dress shirt and tie. He wriggles his body, as if uncomfortable in his own skin.

THE HONCHO
You know what our people did.

She nods. He walks over to the window overlooking the factory floor and clears the blinds. He watches Golden Monkey and Doctor Two spitball ideas off each other.

THE HONCHO
Do you know why I have them wear the masks?

Rose walks over, looks at what he's seeing.

ROSE
I figured it was to protect their identities.

He shakes his head.

THE HONCHO
I told them it would make them strong. Each mask represents another race our people destroyed. I told them, if they wore the masks, all those souls would not be forgotten, and that they would be with them at their side on every mission. The truth is, the masks freak me out, like ghosts. They haunt me, by design, so I never forget what our people did. But today, I forgot.

He looks at her, smiles.

THE HONCHO
I saw you and I was happy. Not for our people, for me. I'm so lonely, here. The Preservers, they're all good people. They would all give their lives for the mission, but they don't feel what I feel, the weight of immeasurable death pressing on my soul, because of what our people did. I never imagined I would ever encounter another person who would understand what I feel, my pain. I was even jealous of the Doctor, because I believed you were mine, and it was his fault you loved him.

ROSE
I don't-

He puts up his hand to stop her.

THE HONCHO
It doesn't matter if you do or don't. None of it matters, because I was wrong. I allowed myself to feel happiness and I had no right. All the good works in the universe will never matter, because the people who died in the war are never coming back. No matter how many people I save, it doesn't cancel out the people in hell because of the human race. They're still there.

ROSE
I've never killed anyone in my life. But earlier today, I was arrested, not for something I had done, but because of who I am. A man wrapped his hand around my throat and squeezed. He looked at me in a way no one else has ever looked at me. That man truly hated me, with every fiber of his being. He told me he wanted me dead, and I believed him.

THE HONCHO
You didn't deserve that.

ROSE
No, I didn't, anymore than you deserve what you're doing to yourself right now. I don't know your past. I don't really know you, but from what you've told me and what I've learned about you in the time I've been here, I see you as a man trying to do the right thing. I see a man willing to sacrifice his own wants and needs to try and change the universe. And this universe definitely needs changing. A woman I admire very much, Brene Brown, once said, "We cannot grow when we are in shame, and we can't use shame to change ourselves or others." You will never do the most good you can do while simultaneously being ashamed of who and what you are.

THE HONCHO
I saved you being ashamed of what I am. I saved your Doctor, and then I thought about killing him.

Rose looks scared.

THE HONCHO
I'm not going to. Imagine if I had? I would have killed the last Time Lord in the universe. We would never have known about the people being held prisoner. Because of my jealousy and hurt, I would have failed so many. I still don't trust him. There's something about that man, the way he looks at people. There's something not right.

The Honcho stares at Doctor Two. Rose follows his eyes. On the floor, Doctor Two looks up and sees that he's being watched.

THE HONCHO
You tell me I'm wrong and I want to believe you. I see nothing clearly, so I will. Just tell me again that you trust him. Tell me that you're not doing this to get out of marrying me. Tell me his word is worth the lives at risk.

A tear rolls down his cheek.

THE HONCHO
I'm ready to believe you. This is everything I have.

Rose watches the tear fall from his cheek.

INT. FACTORY FLOOR – PRESERVER HEADQUARTERS

Doctor Two, Golden Monkey, Silver Humanoid, and Bronze Cyberman huddle over a diagram of Soluden City. Bronze Cyberman points.

BRONZE CYBERMAN
What about this sewage line? It says here it passes under the building, but the depth is wrong if there's a sub-level there.

DOCTOR TWO
(shakes head)
The depth is right. The line goes through the building on the east end. They use the current to partially power a generator that limits the excess draw on the city's power grid so as to avoid suspicious energy usage.

Rose walks up behind Doctor Two and taps him on the shoulder.

ROSE
Can I talk to you?

DOCTOR TWO
(to Golden Monkey)
I'll be right back.

Golden Monkey nods.

SILVER HUMANOID
What if we stole some Tonades uniforms?

Rose takes Doctor Two aside to talk in private.

DOCTOR TWO
What do you need?

ROSE
You didn't tell me you were one of the founders of the clinic.

DOCTOR TWO
And?

ROSE
How did you get out of your room without anyone noticing?

DOCTOR TWO
Any more?

ROSE
Yeah. How come you're not sick anymore?

DOCTOR TWO
Doctor, heal thyself.

ROSE
That's not an answer.

DOCTOR TWO
You know what? I don't owe you an answer. You are my companion. We do what I say and you're just along for the ride and to help when I need help with what I am doing in that particular moment. This is what we're doing. I don't owe them an explanation and I certainly don't owe you one.

She slaps him across the face.

The Preservers look up, having noticed due to the loudness of the slap. She shoots them a look, "encouraging them" to mind their business. When they do, she turns her attention back on Doctor Two.

ROSE
You don't talk to me that way.

DOCTOR TWO
You slapped me.

ROSE
These are desperate people.

DOCTOR TWO
I can't believe you slapped me.

ROSE
They are putting their lives on the line.

DOCTOR TWO
So am I.

ROSE
And so am I! I thought we were passed this "holier than thou" all-knowing crap when you agreed to teach me how to pilot the Tardis.

DOCTOR TWO
I-?

He huffs.

DOCTOR TWO
I can't believe I did that.

ROSE
You want to keep secrets from me, fine. Be a mysterious jerkface all you want, but ever since I looked inside that weird panel on the Tardis, I have trusted you with everything. I don't know why, I just, I felt connected to you. I felt like I knew you and it didn't matter that I didn't know where we were or what we were doing, or even just how close we were to getting ourselves killed. I believed in you. I had no explainable reason to do so, but I did. And for the first time since then, I'm starting to doubt it, and I don't like feeling like this.

DOCTOR TWO
The fate of the universe rests on what we do next.

ROSE
Right now, I'm more concerned about the fates of the good people in this building. We are going to help them, right?

DOCTOR TWO
Right.

He smiles.

GOLDEN MONKEY (O.S.)
Doctor...

They turn. Golden Monkey motions for them to come over.

GOLDEN MONKEY
I think we may have an idea. I'd like to hear your opinion on something.

Doctor Two walks over, leaving Rose to wonder about his true motivations. She looks up at the Honcho's office. She sees the Honcho and he closes the blinds.

Rose looks across the factory floor at the rocket in the distance. She thinks to herself, unsure of what the future holds.

-To be Continued...-