“The Doctor Who story mentioned by Salman Rushdie
in The Satanic Verses,
The Mutants is also incredibly dull.”
Rushdie thought the fact that naming the friendly Imperial foot-soldier coloniser, played by a black actor,
“Cotton” was an act of racist, Imperial Colonialist oppression —
Which, to me, only serves
to prove one thing —
Bob Baker, Dave Martin and I,
are quite obviously cleverer and more sophisticated than The Salman Rushdie of 1988 —
and I think that both Supreme Leaders, The Ayatollahs Kohmeni and Kameni (Snoke and Kyle Ren)
would quite probably be in agreement with the three of us about that….
[ SKYBASE-1 Laboratory ]
SONDERGAARD:
Doctor, The Crystal, the one you
found in The Cave. You have it still?
DOCTOR:
Yes, yes, of course.
(The Doctor takes it from his cape,
still hanging over the railing.)
DOCTOR:
Yes. Now, all we've got to do
is analyse its structure.
SONDERGAARD:
But that would take hours.
DOCTOR:
Yes, well, we haven't got hours,
but we do have this.
It will help me to accelerate
The Process, I think.
(The Doctor attaches the crystal to the particle reverser.)
JO: Well, quickly, Doctor!
DOCTOR:
I'm being as quick as I can, Jo.
(The Crystal glows brightly.)
DOCTOR:
Yes, of course. Of course!
The Crystal acts as a bio-catalytic agent.
Sondergaard, take this crystal to Ky immediately.
…But what about the thaesium radiation?
Surely that's the vital part
of the process?
JO:
Well, there's thaesium radiation
in the chamber where they took us.
Cotton told me.
DOCTOR:
Well, what else can we do? We must try it.
If we hope to achieve a successful mutation, that is.
(The door lock blows up and the Marshal enters with guards.)
MARSHAL:
Get away from that machine, Doctor.
Guards, take that girl and Sondergaard
to the radiation chamber.
DOCTOR:
So, you've managed to wriggle out of trouble, have you?
MARSHAL:
I am once more in full control of Skybase, Doctor.
A fact you would do well to remember.
DOCTOR:
Congratulations. Well, what do you want now?
MARSHAL:
An Earth type atmosphere on Solos.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Your friends will be confined
to the radiation chamber while you work.
I am afraid the radiation is at
a dangerously high level
at the moment, so you'd
better hurry, Doctor.
[Skybase One]
(Ky is on the floor, twitching. Sondergaard and Jo are pushed in through the hatch.)
COTTON: I'm afraid Ky's just about had it, Miss.
SONDERGAARD: How long has he been like this?
COTTON:
It started as soon as we got in here.
The first dose didn't do him any good.
Now this lot on top.
SONDERGAARD:
The first dose? Oh yes, you were
confined here before, weren't you?
Well, we'll have to hurry.
We may already be too late.
(Sondergaard places the crystal in Ky's hands.)
COTTON:
Now what?
SONDERGAARD:
We wait.
COTTON:
We can't wait too long.
(Ky thrashes about suddenly.)
JO: Ky!
SONDERGAARD: No, no, leave him.
JO: Look, he's changing.
(Ky mutates very quickly, before their eyes.)
[Skybase One Laboratory]
(Jaeger enters.)
MARSHAL: Watch him, Jaeger. That's about all you're good for, so watch him like a hawk.
(The Doctor works on the particle reversal equipment. The Investigator enters.)
INVESTIGATOR: Marshal!
(Jaeger turns to look and the Doctor switches a couple of leads over.)
MARSHAL: Investigator.
INVESTIGATOR: Why have my men been disarmed and confined to their quarters? What is this nonsense about my ship not being allowed to leave Skybase?
MARSHAL: Oh, no nonsense, Investigator. I'm sure you and your crew will enjoy your stay on Solos.
INVESTIGATOR: Solos?
MARSHAL: Yes, as soon as our good friend the Doctor here has finished his twiddling, Solos will find itself with a new atmosphere. You and the others will be the first settlers on New Earth.
INVESTIGATOR: And you, Marshal?
MARSHAL: I shall rule from Skybase.
INVESTIGATOR: You will never be allowed
MARSHAL: Oh, come now. You didn't think I'd let you return to Earth Council? An accident will be reported. Lost with all hands I believe is the phrase.
INVESTIGATOR: Other ships will come from Earth.
MARSHAL: Oh, they'll be room for them. You should be grateful to help me. We'll begin a new Earth, the centre of a new empire.
DOCTOR: It's all right, Investigator. He's quite mad.
MARSHAL: Oh no, Doctor. I told you. Madmen lose. I've won. Solos is mine. Have you finished your work?
DOCTOR: Almost. And my companions?
MARSHAL: Will be released as soon as the job is done.
[Radiation chamber]
(The mutated Ky is glowing.)
JO: Why is he drawing all the radiation?
SONDERGAARD: I don't know, my child. We can only watch and hope.
(There is a bright flash and a beautiful person in long flowing robes emerges from the chrysalis, a rainbow of colours drifting over him.)
SONDERGAARD: It worked. Thank heavens, it worked!
COTTON: Worked?
SONDERGAARD: Yes.
JO: Ky? Ky, can you hear me?
(Ky is now a telepath.)
KY [OC]: I hear you.
SONDERGAARD: It's thought transference. That's wonderful, wonderful!
COTTON: Yeah, marvellous. But can he get us out?
KY [OC]: There is little I cannot do now. Ky thanks you, Professor Sondergaard. You have saved my people. You have shown the way. Goodbye.
(Ky floats out through the wall.)
JO: Ky!
COTTON: Goodbye? Great, innit? He just flashes off and leaves us here.
(The entry hatch swings open.)
SONDERGAARD: Out, quickly. Help Miss Grant.
(Ascended Ky floats through Skybase. He waves his arms as he passes two guards and they collapse.)
[Skybase One laboratory]
(The Marshal is guarding Jaeger, the Doctor and the Investigator on his own.)
MARSHAL: Are we ready?
DOCTOR: Yes.
MARSHAL: Very well.
(The Doctor goes over to the atmosphere control machine.)
DOCTOR:
You do realise, Marshal, that you're about to destroy a life form unique in the history of the universe?
MARSHAL: Hurry, Doctor, hurry.
DOCTOR: As you wish.
MARSHAL: Wait.
DOCTOR: Change of heart, Marshal?
MARSHAL:
I still don't trust you. Jaeger?
(Jaeger takes the Doctor's place at the controls. The Doctor leads the Investigator back to a safer distance. At the Marshal's nod, Jaeger switches on. Smoke then flames start to come out of the machine.)
MARSHAL:
Jaeger! Stop it!
JAEGER:
I can't! It's overloading!
DOCTOR: Get down.
(The machine explodes, killing Jaeger.)
DOCTOR:
Right, out!
(The Doctor and the Investigator head for the door.)
MARSHAL: Doctor, you have destroyed my dreams! I'll destroy you!
(Ky appears, standing over the particle reverser.)
KY [OC]: Die, Marshal. Let there be an end to your torture of my people.
(Ky sends a beam of energy to the Marshal, who vapourises.)
KY [OC]:
I thank you, Doctor,
for all My People. Goodbye.
(Ky vanishes.)
[Marshal's office]
DOCTOR:
Professor Sondergaard has agreed to stay on Solos and see as many of the Solonians as possible through to the stage that Ky has already achieved.
JO:
But what about the others, the mutants we saw in the caves?
DOCTOR:
They were premature mutations, Jo.
The cycle of changes was
triggered off too soon.
Rather like butterflies that hatch out on a cold spring day.
Their instincts were too confused
to seek out and use the crystal.
JO:
And now you think you'll
be able to help them?
SONDERGAARD:
Oh yes, we think so.
Ky is on Solos now and,
with the crystal,
we hope we can save them.
JO: And what are you going to do, Cotton?
COTTON:
Give Ky and Professor Sondergaard
all The Help I can.
Try and clear-up
some of the mess The Marshal made.
Then, Do something we should
have all done a long time ago.
JO:
What's that?
COTTON:
Go Home, Miss.
Back to Earth.
INVESTIGATOR:
Exactly. Cotton, you will assume
acting command of this base,
pending its return to Earth.
COTTON:
Sir.
INVESTIGATOR:
I take it you will be returning in Hyperion with me?
I still require a full account
of your involvement in this affair.
DOCTOR:
Yes, yes, of course, but I wonder
whether you'd excuse
us for the moment, Investigator?
My Assistant is feeling rather faint.
JO:
Who, me? No, I'm fine now,
honestly. I didn't feel too good earlier, but
-
DOCTOR:
No, Jo, no you have been rather overdoing it, you know, and you
JO: I have?
DOCTOR: You don't look too well.
JO: Really?
DOCTOR: Come on. Will you excuse us? We'll see you all, later.
(The Doctor and Jo leave.)
INVESTIGATOR: Doctor, who did you say?
[Skybase One storage area 4]
DOCTOR: Well, here we are.
JO: Where?
DOCTOR: The storage area where we left the Tardis.
JO: Oh!
(But this door will not open to his palm print.)
DOCTOR: Oh, no. They've locked it again.
JO: More breaking and entering?
(Jo holds up the sonic screwdriver.)
DOCTOR: Give me that.
(A quick buzz and the door opens.)
JO: Oh well, back to the broom cupboard.
DOCTOR: Yes, well at least we've made a clean sweep of this place. (Jo winces) No?
(Chuckling, they enter the storage room. A klaxon sounds.)
MAN [OC]: Attention! Attention! Computer confirms malfunction in storage area four. Investigate, please. Investigate, please.
(The Tardis dematerialises.)
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