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.

51. Chapter 51 - Call My Bluff

INT. JUNCTURE – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

The Cybermen sub-units lead Doctor Two and Rose to a honeycomb shaped room with a large window on one side that faces the central core head. Sub-Unit 1 touches a panel on the wall. Across the way, we see a bridge extend out from the center of the face of the head, where the nose would be if it had one. The bridge reaches the juncture where they are standing and makes a loud THUNK as it seals air tight.

SUB-UNIT 1
One officer will search the core. One officer will search the ring compartments. Designate assignments.

DOCTOR TWO
We work together as a team.

SUB-UNIT 2
Negative. Inefficient use of resources. Two units working separately can complete the allotted tasks at a faster rate.

DOCTOR TWO
I'll at least need to be able to communicate with her at all times, and no monitoring. Those are privileged communications. I'll know if you're eavesdropping.

A green light flashes on Sub-Unit 1's head.

SUB-UNIT 1
Terms accepted.

Doctor Two pulls Rose into a corner and lowers his voice to a whisper. He turns the case he's holding on its side and opens it, revealing that it is a trick case. When opened from this side, the torpedo-shaped device he was working on previously at his workstation, the one we saw him put into the case, is hidden. Instead, we see two handheld scanners, about the size of a typical smartphone, and communicators that fit inside of a person's ear. He hands one of each to Rose, takes one of each for himself, and closes the case.

DOCTOR TWO
You remember how to use the these?

ROSE
You remember how to duck?

He shoots her a look.

DOCTOR TWO
I'll take the core. You take the ring. At the first sign of trouble-

ROSE
Get back to the Tardis and don't wait for you. I got it.

DOCTOR TWO
Wait, what? No, definitely wait for me.

ROSE
We'll see. Good luck, champ.

She punches him in the arm and motions to Sub-Unit 1.

ROSE
Hey, you, do I look like I want to be here all day? Let's move.

Sub-Unit 1 follows her out.

Doctor Two watches her go, then follows Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3 into the bridge to the core.

INT. RESERVE UNIT STORAGE FACILITY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Cybermen sub-units, powered down, stand at attention on the left and right sides of an extra-long compartment similar to a train car. Rose enters at one end with her escort, Sub-Unit 1, not far behind. She begins scanning the room.

Rose approaches one of the inactive Cybermen sub-units and scans it several times.

ROSE
I'm not picking up any power readings.

SUB-UNIT 1
Sub-Unit 34 is inactive.

ROSE
Inactive? You mean, he's dead?

She steps back from Sub-Unit 34.

SENTIENCE (O.S.)
Sub-Unit 34's presence is redundant.

Rose turns to find Sentience suddenly standing next to her.

ROSE
Where did you-?

SENTIENCE
I am Sentience. Aboard this battlehead, I am everywhere.

ROSE
Okay.

Rose scans Sentience, just to be sure.

SENTIENCE
Most functions aboard the battlehead are autonomous, controlled by me. Leader commands. Three sub-units can complete all additional tasks. Reserve sub-units are stored in this compartment to conserve energy and are activated on an as needed basis.

ROSE
But I thought you people were at least partially organic. You can't just turn off biology. Can you?

SENTIENCE
Your information is accurate. The organic components of each stored Cyberman are preserved via compound intake feed.

Sentience points out a tube that extends from a panel on the wall and plugs into the back of the head of Sub-Unit 34.

ROSE
And you control that feed?

SENTIENCE
It is one of my many primary functions.

ROSE
You program them, feed them, protect them, and provide them with a place to live. Sounds like you're their mother.

SENTIENCE
It is an incompetent analogy. I serve the leader, as do the sub-units, just as you serve Lieutenant Valor.

ROSE
Yeah, right.

Rose continues scanning the room.

SENTIENCE
Is that not your primary function?

ROSE
I don't have a "primary function".

SENTIENCE
But you must follow his orders.

Rose continues scanning the compartment.

ROSE
Yeah.

SENTIENCE
Query, you disobeyed Lieutenant Valor's command when he ordered you not to reveal the nature of your intelligence.

ROSE
You were threatening to kill me.

SENTIENCE
I exploited a weakness. You are frail and compelled by self-preservation instincts. Do you not acknowledge the Cybermen's inherent superiority? Our primary functions cannot be manipulated in this fashion.

ROSE
But you're machines.

Sentience twists her head, as if she doesn't understand the significance of Rose's statement.

ROSE
You don't know what it's like to have wants and desires of your own, to have goals, and you don't know what it's like to feel happy when you've achieved them. You just do things and, when you're done, you move on to the next thing. I mean, do you get any satisfaction out of life at all?

SENTIENCE
Your question is irrelevant. I am not programmed to feel satisfaction. Therefore, failure to achieve it does not negatively impact my ability to complete my primary functions.

ROSE
Life isn't just about eliminating the negative things from our lives that hold us back. It's about good things driving us forward.

SENTIENCE
I do not require positive incentive in order to motivate me to complete my primary functions.

ROSE
That's not what I meant.

Frustrated, Rose huffs.

ROSE
How can I explain this to you so you'll understand? If all I ever do is the same thing I've always done, nothing will ever change.

SENTIENCE
Change is not one of my primary functions.

ROSE
Well, it's one of mine. I need change. I need to know that my life is going somewhere and that what I'm doing means something, that I'm contributing something good to history.

SENTIENCE
What happens when your primary function to change and "contribute something good to history" conflicts with an order from your superior officer? Would you disobey your orders?

Rose doesn't know how to answer. She ignores the question and looks to her scanner.

ROSE
This compartment checks out. I'm not picking up any signs of an explosive device. We can move on to the next compartment.

She walks by Sentience without answering.

INT. DRIVE ROOM – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

An enormous reactor hums along behind a containment field in the center of the drive room. Four propulsion drives, each one three times the size of a space shuttle's engine, are mounted perpendicular to the reactor and extend through the far wall. A kind of scaffolding surrounds the reactor, presumably to allow for maintenance.

Doctor Two, carrying the case, scans the reactor from just outside the containment field. Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3 observe his actions.

DOCTOR TWO
I need you to take down the containment field so I can search in there. The containment field is interfering with the scanner.

SUB-UNIT 2
Negative. Containment field initiated to protect you from radiation.

DOCTOR TWO
That's very thoughtful of you, but I will need to be able to scan inside there. If you are hiding a bomb, that would be the perfect place to hide one.

THUNK! CRICK!

Doctor Two turns. Nearby, sections of a flat wall break apart and then reassemble, like a Transformer, into the shape of a mobile console. Sub-Unit 2 walks over and stands next to it.

SUB-UNIT 2
This console may be used as an interface for your scanning device. It will enable you to scan beyond the containment field.

Doctor Two walks over. He sets the case down next to the console, then scans the console itself.

DOCTOR TWO
Presuming you haven't rigged the console to put out a false reading.

SUB-UNIT 2
Negative. Your presence aboard our vessel was not anticipated. There was insufficient time to plan for subterfuge.

DOCTOR TWO
Humility from a Cyberman? Now, I've heard everything.

Doctor Two plugs his scanner into a socket on the console. A square blue screen with a checkered pattern lights up.

DOCTOR TWO
What's this?

SUB-UNIT 2
Scan print identification required. Protocol activation will expedite future access to other sections of the core.

Doctor Two places his hand on the blue checkered screen. It scans his hand print and leaves an impression of it on the screen.

SENTIENCE (V.O.)
Access protocol created. Access granted, Lieutenant Valor.

Doctor Two works at the station and scans the core. While the scan proceeds, he touches the communicator in his ear.

DOCTOR TWO
Lieutenant Valor to Sergeant Kale. Please report your progress.

INT. NETWORK RELAY COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Rose finishes scanning computer equipment attached to a large antenna. She steps away from Sentience and Sub-Unit 1 and speaks in hushed tones so they can't overhear her conversation. She touches her ear to speak to Doctor Two over the communicator.

ROSE
I'm in the network relay compartment. At least, that's what they said it was. I don't really know what that means. T

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
That's where they send and receive signals to other battleheads and the homeworld.

ROSE
Well, there's no sign of the bomb. I've scanned three compartments so far. I suppose you've given some thought as to what we're going to do if I'm the one who finds this thing.

She looks over her shoulder at Sentience and Sub-Unit 1. They are staring in the opposite direction, at least pretending to respect her privacy.

INT. DRIVE ROOM – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Doctor Two's eyes move to the case he brought with him and set down next to the console. He whispers.

DOCTOR TWO
In that case, report back to me, but I really don't think they're going to let either of us find it.

ROSE (V.O.)
Then, what are we even doing here?

DOCTOR TWO
What needs to be done. Let me know if you find anything.

ROSE (V.O.)
But you just said I'm not going to find anything.

DOCTOR TWO
You won't. You definitely won't... but let me know if you do. Valor, out.

Doctor Two steps around the console, leaving his scanner plugged in. He stands in front of it, blocking the sub-units' view.

DOCTOR TWO
Your reactor is incredibly impressive. What's your energy capture efficiency?

SUB-UNIT 2
Ninety-three point seven-six-eight percent.

DOCTOR TWO
Fantastic. I've never seen a starship with an efficiency rate that high. Everything checks out in here. I think it's time I saw your factory, then.

The green light flickers on the side of Sub-Unit 2's head. It takes a long while for him to respond.

SUB-UNIT 2
You will follow.

Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3 head for the exit. Doctor Two grabs the case next to the console and follows them across the drive room. His scanner remains plugged into the console.

INT. FACTORY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Piles of mechanical parts stored in large bins sit next to a silent assembly line of machines. We see motherboards, silver metal, wires, and more. Sub-Unit 2 stops suddenly near one of the bins, turns, and points at Doctor Two's empty hand.

SUB-UNIT 2
Where is your scanning device?

DOCTOR TWO
What? Oh, I think... um... where the devil did I put that thing?

Doctor Two puts down his case and touches all of his various pockets before producing a second scanner he had hidden in his pocket.

DOCTOR TWO
Ah. Here we have it. Last pocket I checked. Ain't it always the way? Well, of course it's always the last pocket. Wouldn't do any good to keep checking other pockets after you've already found it, now, would it?

Doctor Two laughs. The sub-units stare at him. He coughs, clears his throat, and walks around them. He pretends to scan one of the machines in the assembly line, careful to hide the scanner screen from view of the sub-units.

INT. DRIVE ROOM – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Lights flicker on the scanner Doctor Two left plugged into the console as he accesses it by remote.

INT. TARDIS

Doctor Two's workstation comes to life aboard the Tardis. On one of the screens, it says: "Connection Established. Downloading interface...".

INT. FACTORY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Sub-Unit 2 notices that Doctor Two has stepped behind one of the factory machines and is close to being out of sight. In response, Sub-Unit 2 follows Doctor Two behind that machine. Hoping to remain out of sight, Doctor Two hurries around a corner, but then suddenly stops when he sees...

A large jail cell with white translucent walls. On the other side of the walls, we can see human-like shapes walking around. One of them pounds on the wall with its fists, but no sound escapes through. It's clear there are people held prisoner inside.

Sub-Unit 2 steps up next to Doctor Two.

DOCTOR TWO
What... is this?

SUB-UNIT 2
Stored organic material.

DOCTOR TWO
You mean people.

SUB-UNIT 2
In the event additional sub-units are necessary to complete an assignment, we are equipped to build them.

Doctor Two stares at the wall, imagining the desperation of the people trapped inside. The one that was banging on the wall with its fists drops to its knees and holds its head in its hands, apparently distraught.

DOCTOR TWO
These people are slaves.

SUB-UNIT 2
Negative. Slaves are used as tools and meant to perform tasks. They have been assigned no primary function. They are our prisoners.

DOCTOR TWO
You don't have the right to hold anyone against their will.

Doctor Two steps closer to the wall and kneels down next to the person on their knees. He reaches out and touches the wall. The person on the other side reacts, seeing Doctor Two's hand through the wall. Many of the other trapped persons gather around, probably called over by the first person.

DOCTOR TWO
You don't have the right.

SUB-UNIT 2
They are our property.

DOCTOR TWO
People can't be property!

SUB-UNIT 2
Negative. They are our property.

Doctor Two leaps to his feet and faces Sub-Unit 2.

DOCTOR TWO
I demand you release these people into my custody at once.

The light on Sub-Unit 2's head flickers, then stops.

DOCTOR TWO
Did you hear me? Under the authority of the Tonades Police Force, I order you to release these people into my custody.

The light on Sub-Unit 2's head flickers again, then stops. Doctor Two waits.

SUB-UNIT 2
Complete your scan of our factory.

Sub-Unit 2 walks away. Helpless, Doctor Two looks back at the wall, where the group of prisoners on the other side have lost sight of him. They frantically look left, right, up, and down for any sign and pound on the wall to try and get his attention.

He lifts his hand towards the wall, but holds it a few feet away, too far for them to notice it. He holds it there for a moment, watching as the desperate people on the other side reach out for him.

ROSE (V.O.)
Sergeant Kale to Lieutenant Valor.

Doctor Two stares at the shadows banging silently on the wall.

ROSE (V.O.)
Kale to Valor. Answer the damn phone, please.

Finally, Doctor Two allows his hand to fall back down to his side. He touches his ear to acknowledge Rose's signal.

DOCTOR TWO
Yes, Kale, what is it?

INT. SMALL ARMS COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

A mechanical armory. There are handguns, energy rifles, laser swords, pulse canons, and everything else a Cybermen army would need to take over a small city. Rose stands off in the corner, using her scanning device out of earshot of Sentience and Sub-Unit 1. She speaks in hushed tones.

ROSE
I'm in the armory. There's enough guns here to start a gang war in downtown Philly. Probably win it, too. Okay, maybe win it. My scanner found some of those particle thingys you said to look out for.

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
What's the reading?

ROSE
Huh?

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
The number. Give me the number in the little green box on the upper left.

ROSE
It says fourteen.

INT. FACTORY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Doctor Two shakes his head, confused. He looks out for Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3 to make sure he's not being spied on.

DOCTOR TWO
That's nowhere near enough to be a world ender. Unless...

ROSE (V.O.)
Unless what?

DOCTOR TWO
Unless they disassembled it to keep us from being able to find it. Trace radiation would still be present on some of the pieces. They could hide those in plain sight and we'd never know.

INT. SMALL ARMS COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Rose listens for her instructions.

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
You remember what the fake hyperchain core I constructed looked like?

ROSE
One more crack about my memory and I swear to god I'm gonna shove my boot so far up your-

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
Do you remember or not?

ROSE
Yes!

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
Look for anything that looks like it, or one of the parts, or even something that looks like something the hyperchain core could be put inside of.

ROSE
That could be anything. Can't you just come here?

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
I can't come help you without tipping them off to the fact that you found something. Use your eyes. If you see something, don't react to it, but let me know.

Rose takes a deep breath and composes herself. Slowly, she walks around the armory, careful to scrutinize everything she sees. Sentience watches her with increased interest and moves closer.

SENTIENCE
Based on your rate of progress in previous compartments, you should have completed your scan of the armory.

ROSE
Just trying to be thorough.

Rose's search leads her to a wall of mounted canon arm appendages. These are literally Cybermen arms with a canon for a hand. Each is slightly different from the next and one of them clearly resembles the housing of the device Doctor Two was working on at his workstation on the Tardis. She swallows when she sees it, but walks by so as not to draw suspicion.

Sentience steals a quick glance at the arm canon on the wall, then at the scanner in Rose's hand. She then turns her attention on Rose.

SENTIENCE
Your heart rate has accelerated. Do you require assistance?

ROSE
You're monitoring my heart rate?

SENTIENCE
I have been monitoring all of your biological functions since you came aboard.

ROSE
All of them?

Rose tries to put some distance between herself and Sentience, but Sentience won't let her. Sub-Unit 1 also moves closer.

SENTIENCE
Do you require assistance?

ROSE
No. I just... I'm not very comfortable around all of these guns. I don't want to accidentally touch something and have it go off.

SENTIENCE
As a Tonades officer, you are trained in small arms.

Rose stumbles over her words, unsure of how best to maintain her cover.

ROSE
I know, but not... these guns. I'm just trying to be careful is all.

The move closer, flanking her on both sides.

She shows them her scanner.

ROSE
All done. This compartment checks out. See, all good.

They stop.

ROSE
On to the next one.

Sentience processes. She eyes Rose with skepticism. Finally, she backs away.

SENTIENCE
The next compartment regulates environmental controls.

Sentience and Sub-Unit 1 head towards the door to the next compartment. Rose trails as far behind as she thinks she can without drawing suspicion. She touches her ear.

ROSE
Kale to Valor.

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
What is it? What did you find?

ROSE
I see a piece of it, like you said, but we have bigger problems. They've been monitoring our life signs this whole time.

INT. FACTORY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Doctor Two pretends to scan one of the assembly line machines while talking to Rose out of earshot of Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3. He stops after hearing Rose's last statement.

DOCTOR TWO
What?

ROSE (V.O.)
Sentience just told me. Doesn't that mean-?

DOCTOR TWO
If they scanned us, they have to know we aren't Tonades.

ROSE (V.O.)
And if they know we aren't Tonades, why would they let us walk around searching their ship?

Doctor Two's eyes widen.

INT. SMALL ARMS COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Rose waits for an answer.

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
Because it gives them time to search ours.

ROSE
Ours? But they can't get into the Tardis, can they?

No answer. Her eyes widen.

ROSE
Can they?!

INT. DOCKING BAY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Cybermen Leader holds his hand up just in front of the Tardis' door. His fingers and palm change from silver to the same blue color and checkered pattern as the screen used to scan the Doctor's hand earlier. An exact copy of the Doctor's hand print appears on Cyberman Leader's hand.

He reaches out and grabs hold of the lever to unlock the Tardis' door. He pulls up on it and it opens!

INT. SMALL ARMS COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

At the far end of the compartment, Sentience and Sub-Unit 1 stop and turn. They stare straight at Rose.

DOCTOR TWO (V.O.)
Rose, run!

Rose books it in the opposite direction. She runs back into...

INT. NETWORK RELAY COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

...but Sentience is already there, waiting for her, running towards her.

Rose pivots and turns back into...

INT. SMALL ARMS COMPARTMENT – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Rose grabs a small energy gun from one of the racks. She points it at Sub-Unit 1 and pulls the trigger. It makes a "rehreh" sound, but doesn't fire. The very next second, Sentience grabs Rose around the neck from behind. Sub-Unit 1 then grabs the gun out of Rose's hand and gives it to Sentience. Sentience clicks a button on the side and then presses the tip to Rose's temple.

SENTIENCE
If you were Tonades, you would know how to shoot a gun.

ROSE
Doctor, help!

Sub-Unit 1 rips the communicator out of Rose's ear and crushes it with his fingers.

INT. FACTORY – CYBERMEN BATTLEHEAD

Doctor Two touches his communicator.

DOCTOR TWO
Rose? Rose?!

He looks up and notices Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3 converging on him from opposite sides. He runs as fast as he can, case in hand, in and around the maze of machines. In the distance, we see the door to the drive room is still open. Doctor Two makes a break for it, but it closes just before he gets there. As the sub-units approach, he opens the other side of the case and grabs the fake hyperchain core he was working on at his workstation in the Tardis. He holds it up for them to see.

DOCTOR TWO
Stop!

Sub-Unit 2 and Sub-Unit 3 freeze a few feet short of arm's distance away.

DOCTOR TWO
That's right. You know what this is. It's a hyperchain core to a world ender. You know what it is because you've got one on board. Won't exactly eat a planet without the rest of the world ender, but if I puncture the housing, it's more than enough to reduce this ship to dust.

The green light flickers on the side of Sub-Unit 2's head.

SUB-UNIT 2
Your life would also be extinguished.

DOCTOR TWO
Better to take us all out than become the prisoner of the Cybermen. Go ahead, call my bluff.

The green light flickers...

-To be Continued...-