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.

73. Chapter 73 - Operation Han Solo

INT. LOCKER ROOM - BARRACKS

Private SELENA FRANCO pulls on a pair of snow boots. A tattoo on her right arm reads "Fight to Live".

Corporal DECLAN BEERS opens his locker and spits an impossibly huge wad of chewing tobacco into a cup he keeps inside. He pushes the cup to the back of the locker. Private ARTHUR JACKSON, changing, sees this and cringes.

JACKSON
You know that's really disgusting. You know that, right?

BEERS
It's for luck. I throw it out when I get back.

JACKSON
If it hasn't crawled away on its own by then.

Jackson turns around and grabs an undershirt. We see a tattoo on his arm that reads "Fight to Survive".

Beers closes the locker. A tattoo on his arm reads "Fight to Win".

Loud and stern Sergeant AL FRICK enters the locker room smoking a cigar. Frick's tattoo reads "Fight or Die".

FRICK
Uh, what are you penguins waiting on, the DJ? This ain't no ladies night at Long John and Jim's, get your panties on and let's move!

The COMMANDO TEAM hurries to finish dressing. They pull on arctic camouflage gear and head out to...

INT. ARMORY - BARRACKS

The commandos collect handguns, knives, and assault rifles, distributed by weapons expert Corporal COLETTE HILLER.

INT. LAUNCH BAY - BARRACKS

Franco mounts a tactical snow vehicle (TSV), similar to a snowmobile, but built like a tank with a rocket engine on the back. Jackson loads his weapons into the back.

FRANCO
Hey, move your ass, Jackson.

JACKSON
I'd rather move yours, baby.

He purses his lips and blows her a kiss. She rolls her eyes, stands up on the TSV, and pretends to catch his kiss with her butt cheeks.

FRANCO
Yeah, here's a kiss for you.

She farts.

JACKSON
Hey, beam it on down. Farts cure cancer. Everyone knows it.

Jackson hops on the TSV behind her and reaches for her breasts.

JACKSON
I just hold on right here?

Franco elbows him in the gut. He winces, clearly in pain, but not wanting to show her how much. He wraps his arms around her waist and laughs it off.

JACKSON
Hey, if I get excited, it's probably just the vibration.

Franco pulls on protective goggles and starts up the TSV. It revs loud, like a suped up race car.

Five other pairs of commandos board TSVs of their own. Beers leads a team of eight into the rear of a harrier-type hover-copter called a Cutter.

BEERS
Let's go. Move it, move it, move it. Destiny waits for no one.

Frick walks by Beers and mumbles under his breath.

FRICK
Friggin' hate when he talks up that destiny crap.

Frick opens the door to the cockpit. He sits behind Private KASH, who is in the pilot's seat, leaving the co-pilot's seat open for the man approaching; General HUGH 'HURRICANE' POLLOCK. He's a rock of a man, not some politician who got ultra comfortable behind a desk. He's fierce, hands-on, and imposing as a hurricane, hence the nickname.

Frick pushes the door open for Pollock.

GENERAL POLLOCK
Thank you, Sergeant Frick, I can get my own door.

Pollock sits in the co-pilot's chair. He makes a motion forward to Kash.

GENERAL POLLOCK
Let's roll out.

KASH
Yes, sir, General.

Kash flips a switch on his dashboard and speaks into his radio.

KASH
Eagle Eye to Saber Unit, we are a go. Repeat, Operation Han Solo is a go.

Kash fires up the Cutter. The six TSVs race forward through an opening garage door out onto the snowy plains of the arctic, followed by a slower-moving cargo vehicle, followed by the Cutter in the air.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - MARLOWE-1

Carolyn grows angry at Newt's workstation when it doesn't respond the way she wants it to. She slams her hands on the keyboard and screams. Tarin notices this from across the command center and limps over.

TARIN
I'm pretty sure you have to press control-alt-delete first.

CAROLYN
It keeps rejecting my access code. I tried a workaround, but it's not... I know what I'm doing, but I'm not a hacker. I can't break through firewalls and security systems. We need Newt for that.

TARIN
But you have the system up and running?

CAROLYN
I think so.

Desmond runs in.

DESMOND
Tarin!

TARIN
What?

DESMOND
Trouble.

Tarin follows Desmond.

EXT. MARLOWE-1 - DAY

Tarin follows Desmond outside to where Hoffa is seen peering through binoculars.

TARIN
Give 'em to me.

Hoffa hands Tarin the binoculars.

HOFFA
See fer yerself.

Tarin looks through the binoculars and sees the commando team approaching. They're far away, but won't be for too much longer.

TARIN
We're out of time. Get everybody inside the shelters. Arm yourselves, if you can. Desmond, I want you to evacuate as many people from the command center as you can into another section of the facility.

DESMOND
What? Why?

TARIN
They're coming for the Doctor. Whatever happens is going to happen around him. Let's try and keep our people as far away from him as we can. Go, go!

Desmond runs. Tarin turns to Hoffa.

TARIN
Good luck, friend. Keep your head down.

HOFFA
You, too.

They shake and head in opposite directions.

INT. INFIRMARY - MARLOWE-1

Wainwright and the Doctor continue to perform surgery on Newt, when Tarin enters. Wainwright looks up, angry.

WAINWRIGHT
What the hell do you think you're doing?

TARIN
They're here.

The Doctor looks up. He and Tarin share a look.

DOCTOR
I can't stabilize her right now. If I leave her, she'll die.

WAINWRIGHT
Leave her? What the hell are you talking about? We're in the middle of performing brain surgery on this poor girl.

TARIN
This is our last chance to call for help.

WAINWRIGHT
You don't even know if they're hostile.

TARIN
They blew up Yuri!

WAINWRIGHT
Okay, fine. Even if you got a message out to someone who could help us, they'd be hours, if not days away from being able to do something. By then, it would most likely be too late, anyway. Newt will die right now if you take the Doctor away.

TARIN
I have a responsibility to everyone who calls this facility home, not just Newt.

WAINWRIGHT
I won't let you!

Wainwright grabs a scalpel from a tray and throws it at Tarin. It misses, badly, but her point is made.

WAINWRIGHT
Don't you come any closer.

Tarin thinks, clearly conflicted. An idea occurs.

TARIN
I have an idea.

Tarin limps back out.

The Doctor shakes his head, but concentrates on Newt.

WAINWRIGHT
If you abandon this girl, I'll cut both your big ears off.

DOCTOR
I like my big ears.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - MARLOWE-1

Tarin runs in just as Desmond escorts people out.

TARIN
Wait, wait, hold on.

DESMOND
What?

TARIN
We need to get Newt's workstation into the infirmary. I need some hands.

Carolyn overhears this and stands up at Newt's workstation.

CAROLYN
We can move the hardware, but I don't think they have the access points in the infirmary.

TARIN
We can run the cables all the way down there if we have to.

DESMOND
We don't have anything long enough to-

TARIN
Christ, there's cables everywhere.

He bends down and rips some cables right out of the wall.

TARIN
Cut them, splice them. You're a god damned engineer. Act like one.

Desmond and a couple others move over to Newt's station and start disassembling. Carolyn helps.

INT. INFIRMARY - MARLOWE-1

Tarin enters and holds the door open for Desmond, Carolyn, and a couple other workers to bring in Newt's workstation.

WAINWRIGHT
What the hell is this?

TARIN
Over there.

Carolyn walks the monitor over to a nearby table. She pushes all of the equipment on the table onto the floor and deposits the monitor on top. She and the rest of her small team start re-assembling the workstation while Desmond splices cables as fast as any human could.

TARIN
We couldn't bring the Doctor to Newt's station, so we brought Newt's station to the Doctor.

Through the ceiling, we hear the sound of the Cutter's engines as it circles overhead.

TARIN
They're here.

Desmond hands to Carolyn a bouquet of cable ends.

DESMOND
Plug these in. I'll get them setup on the other end.

Desmond leaves a trail of cables behind him as he runs back out into the hall.

TARIN
(to Desmond in the hall)
Get back here when it's done.

WAINWRIGHT
This is insane. How are you doing, Doctor?

DOCTOR
I've managed to stop the bleeding. The pressure is relieved. Can you extract the hematoma?

WAINWRIGHT
Yes, but I'll need an extra pair of hands.

DOCTOR
Tarin, I'm promoting you to head nurse.

Carolyn turns on the cobbled together workstation.

CAROLYN
I have power.

Tarin limps over to Newt's side.

TARIN
It can't be me. I've never even put a band-aid on another person.

DOCTOR
Just wash your hands and arms, put a mask and gloves on, and do exactly what this woman tells you to do.

TARIN
I'm really not-

DOCTOR
I'm really not asking!

Tarin nods, then goes to the sink to wash up as the Doctor instructed.

Desmond runs back in. With the door open, Piggy, who has somehow managed to get loose, sneaks inside. No one notices.

DESMOND
Try it.

Carolyn nods.

CAROLYN
We're good. I'm detecting the network.

DOCTOR
(to Wainwright)
Switch with me.

Wainwright and the Doctor switch places. Tarin walks over.

DOCTOR
(to Tarin)
All right, buddy, you're up.

TARIN
Uh-huh.

The Doctor pulls his mask off, then his gloves, and runs over the makeshift workstation. He pulls out his sonic screwdriver, then removes the workstation's side panel to expose its inner hardware. He uses the sonic screwdriver on the hardware.

DOCTOR
(to Carolyn)
Try it now.

Carolyn types in a command. It produces an error message.

CAROLYN
Nope.

DOCTOR
What about now?

Again.

CAROLYN
It's not working.

At the surgical table, Tarin tries not to vomit.

WAINWRIGHT
I need some gauze.

Tarin offers her some gauze.

WAINWRIGHT
Uh, my hands are a little full, here. Could you? Right there, in the corner, just dab the pus.

TARIN
The pus, right.

He dabs the pus.

TARIN
(grossed out)
Oh, I think I touched her brain.

WAINWRIGHT
Try to just get the pus. And don't feint.

Carolyn continues to receive error messages.

CAROLYN
It's not working.

DOCTOR
All right, I have an idea.

The Doctor tries something new, plugging the sonic screwdriver directly into the workstation like an antenna.

DOCTOR
Move over.

Carolyn moves out of his way and the Doctor enters a few commands of his own. Out of nowhere, Piggy jumps into his lap.

DOCTOR
Oh, hello again, my friend.

CAROLYN
How did he get out?

DOCTOR
I've learned to never underestimate a resourceful pig.

The Doctor continues working and the workstation display changes. It now looks like the Tardis' interface.

CAROLYN
What did you just do?

DOCTOR
This is called 'cheating'.

The Doctor points to a camera lens/microphone embedded in the workstation's monitor.

DOCTOR
Does that cam work?

CAROLYN
It should.

DOCTOR
(impersonating Star Trek crewmen)
"Open hailing frequencies." "Hailing frequencies open, Captain." This is station Marlowe-1 to...

The Doctor looks around and observes everyone around staring intently at what he's doing.

DOCTOR
...to... um... anyone out there. Whoever's picking up this message, please respond. Repeat, please respond. It is of vital importance, repeat, vital importance, over.

DESMOND
Wait, won't this just be picked up by the army coming here?

DOCTOR
Uh, no, not quite. I know exactly where the signal's going.

The Doctor smiles.

CUT TO:

INT. SPECIMEN HOLD - BRYGOSAN SHIP

A door opens in a dark room. Rose runs inside from the bright hallway and hides. She leans against the wall, a frantic wreck, and tries to catch her breath.

ROSE
It's all right. It's okay. You're going to be fine. You're a total idiot for not running away when you had the chance, but you're fine. It's okay.

A few feet away, a digital screen lights up with the Doctor's face.

DOCTOR (V.O.)
It is of vital importance that you respond to me immediately. Repeat, we are all in great danger. Please respond.

ROSE
Doctor?

She looks over at the panel and sees his face.

ROSE
Oh my god, Doctor.

She crawls over to the panel, the lone source of light in the room.

ROSE
Doctor, is that you? I mean, is it you-you?

DESMOND (V.O.)
Doctor, they'll be here any second.

WAINWRIGHT (V.O.)
I need help over here!

ROSE
Doctor, can you hear me?

DOCTOR (V.O.)
If you're getting this message, I need you to respond. My name is the Doctor.

ROSE
Dammit, dammit, dammit, one of you stupid buttons do something!

Rose searches the panel, pressing any and every button she finds.

ROSE
Don't go. Please don't go.

DOCTOR (V.O.)
Rose?

She looks up.

INT. INFIRMARY - MARLOWE-1

The Doctor stares at the screen, and Rose's face, in amazement. She smiles with such relief on the other end.

ROSE (V.O.)
Doctor, thank god.

DOCTOR
Rose, is that you?

ROSE (V.O.)
It's me. Are you you-you?

DOCTOR
I'm me-me. Where the bloody hell are you?

ROSE (V.O.)
I'm on the Brygosan ship. The other you took me here and then he killed one of them and now I don't know what he's going to do and I ran away and I don't know where I am or how to get away and all I want to do is go home.

DOCTOR
Ah.

ROSE (V.O.)
Also, I'm really furious with you.

DOCTOR
What happened to your face? Is that a chicken?

INT. SPECIMEN HOLD - BRYGOSAN SHIP

Rose self-consciously touches the implant on the side of her head that looks sort of like a chicken.

ROSE
It's a long story.

Oink.

Rose blinks, confused at the sight of a little green head that pops up from the Doctor's lap.

ROSE
Is that a pig?

DOCTOR (V.O.)
Also, sort of, a long story. Listen to me, though, I need to know exactly where you are on that ship.

ROSE
I don't know where I am. I ran away and hid in some random room. I could be anywhere.

DOCTOR (V.O.)
Well, look around. Is there anything that might give you a clue?

A growling sound is heard. Simply vicious. Rose tenses.

ROSE
Um. Maybe.

The lights flicker on.

All around Rose and deep into the recesses of the ship we see cages upon cages of animal specimens from the Brygosans' conquered planet. The ones nearest Rose are vicious snarling beasts, with three foot fangs like a sabretooth tiger, and scattershot eyes like a fly. Its spiked skin secretes a red oil that makes it look like a wounded animal, but the ferocity in its eyes suggest its much more likely to do the wounding.

It growls at Rose and leaps at her, refreshed from a several thousand year sleep. She screams and jumps back.

DOCTOR (V.O.)
Rose, are you okay?

All the many animals hiss, screech, growl, and scream at Rose from their cages. It's so loud, she has to hold her hands over her ears. As a result, she doesn't hear when the door opens behind her and a large BRYGOSAN WARRIOR enters.

INT. INFIRMARY - MARLOWE-1

The Doctor watches helplessly as the warrior approaches Rose from behind.

DOCTOR
Rose, behind you!

The warrior grabs her from behind and the comlink goes dead.

In the same moment, Franco and Jackson storm through the doors of the infirmary, followed by the rest of the Saber Unit commando team.

FRANCO
Everyone freeze!

JACKSON
Hands up! Everyone! Stop what you're doing, now!

Everyone who can put their hands up does. Wainwright continues to operate. Jackson notices and points his gun at Dr. Wainwright.

JACKSON
Hey, you, are you deaf?!

WAINWRIGHT
In case you didn't notice, I'm in the middle of a surgery!

JACKSON
Oh. Dude, is that a brain?

General Pollock enters and surveys the room. He makes eye contact with Tarin. They say nothing to each other.

Pollock then turns his steely eyes on the Doctor. He walks over to within a couple of feet of the Doctor and stares him down.

GENERAL POLLOCK
Doctor. We've been expecting you.

Piggy hides behind the Doctor's legs.

-To be Continued...-