But No Such Material Exists.

DOCTOR: They've started. I see from the computer the ship is powered by antimatter. 
BRIGGS: So? 
DOCTOR: How is the antimatter contained? 
BRIGGS: A stabilised vessel. Berger's the expert. 
DOCTOR: Is there any way we could tap the stabilising device? 
BERGER: Yes, the machinery's here. 
(She takes him to a wall panel and opens it.) 
DOCTOR: Excellent. 
ADRIC: Are we going to stabilise the shield? 
DOCTOR: Yes. 
BRIGGS: Will it work? 
BERGER: It might. It's worth a try. 
(The Doctor gets to work.)

[Tardis]

KYLE: Shall we call them? 
NYSSA: No. 
(Nyssa takes the comm-unit from Kyle.) 
NYSSA: I'm sure everything's all right.

[Freighter bridge]

(Briggs keeps Ringway covered with a gun while the Doctor and Berger work.) 
ADRIC: Just explain what you're trying to do. 
DOCTOR: We are under attack, Adric. 
ADRIC: Well, tell me quickly. 
DOCTOR: All right. First, tell me, what is the square root of three point six nine eight seven three? 
ADRIC: Er, about one point nine two three two one. 
(The Doctor calls up the answer on the computer screen. 1.923208.) 
BERGER: 

That's not possible. 


DOCTOR: 

Oh, he's very good. 

And almost right. 


ADRIC: 

Will you just try and explain 

what you're doing? 


DOCTOR: 

Antimatter powers the ship. 

For the antimatter to remain safe, 

it has to be contained in a vessel 

with a totally stable molecular structure 

otherwise it would, well —

blow to bits. 


ADRIC: 

But no such material exists. 


DOCTOR: 

Absolutely right, although 

with computer-controlled electronics, 

it is possible to simulate it. 


ADRIC: 

You're saying that that machine 

will constantly adjust and readjust 

the molecular structure of 

the antimatter vessel? 


DOCTOR: 

Right. However destructive the antimatter is, 

the vessel is always stable. 


ADRIC: 

That's very clever. 


DOCTOR: 

Oh, it is. 


BERGER: 

But will the device work 

to stabilise the shield? 


DOCTOR: 

Well, if it doesn't — 

We're Dead.