04x04 - The Sontaran Stratagem (1)

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A sweeping sh*t, the camera flies across an old manor house style building. We see a sign which indicates this building is the Rattigan Academy. The camera continues to sweep, showing us the building lit in eerie pink lighting; looking atmospheric in the night time. Coming out of the main doors we see a big group of students, led by Luke Rattigan. The students are forcefully carrying Jo Nakashima.

STUDENT: Come on, stop struggling!

JO: You're gonna regret this! Completely ridiculous! Get your hands off me!

They continue to carry her until they reach the main steps, once they reach the steps Jo is thrown down them along with her files which are scattered across the floor.

LUKE: I think that makes my answer clear.

He makes his way through the crowd of his red tracksuit-clad students. We see him, only 18 years old yet very much in charge, towering over Jo.

LUKE: Don't you? Oh, and, er... if you're gonna go to print, spell my name right. Rattigan, with two Ts!

JO: Oh this goes way beyond the newspapers! This thing's worldwide! I'm telling you, ATMOS is dangerous!

LUKE: But if you had proof then you wouldn't be here!

JO: Fine! If you won't listen, I'll find someone else who will.

Having collected her belongings from the floor, Jo storms off towards her car. Once in the car, we see a sticker displaying ATMOS and see her ATMOS sat-nav.

SAT NAV: Welcome. What is your destination?

JO: Shut up, you're the last thing I need.

She tries to switch off the ATMOS, but it will not turn off.

SAT NAV: ATMOS cannot be disabled.

JO: Right then. Take me to UNIT Headquarters. Tower Bridge, London.

SAT NAV: UNIT Headquarters.

The car sets off. In his room, Rattigan is talking to someone off screen, somewhere far away over intercom.

LUKE: Her name's Jo Nakashima. Freelance journalist, clever by the sound of it. But not as clever as me... but that goes without saying.

He picks up a squash racket and ball, he plays around with them and continues talking. We see him talking briefly over the computer screen of the alien menace before returning back to his room.

LUKE: I'd recommend... termination.

GENERAL STAAL: Remember your status boy, we do not take orders from humans.

LUKE: I said "recommend".

GENERAL STAAL: Then your advice shows m*llitary wisdom. She will be terminated.

LUKE: Cool.

He gives a smile and hits his squash ball into the distance, triumphant. Jo is driving her car down a road, while talking on her phone. She has reached the answering machine of UNIT.

ANSWER MACHINE: This is UNIT extension 221...

JO: Come on, don't go to answerphone. Yes, this is a message to Colonel Mace from Jo, Jo Nakashima. Look, you... you should've got my email. I've been investigating a number of deaths related to ATMOS systems...

SAT-NAV: Go straight on.

JO: ... no, I can't prove anything but there's got to be a link. I need you to check all the people who d*ed in ATMOS cars yesterday, and then check out the time.

SAT-NAV: Turn right.

It is now clear that Jo has reached a dead end, and the car stops near the river.

JO: I don't believe this!

SAT-NAV: This is your final destination.

JO: I said take me to UNIT!

She tries to correct the sat-nav but nothing happens.

SAT-NAV: Go straight on!

JO: I don't think so! I'll find my own way, thanks.

At that moment the car activates itself, revving up. Jo tries to control it.

SAT-NAV: This is your final destination. This is your final destination. This is your final destination...

The locks of the car are activated and Jo begins to panic.

JO: No! No! Help! No!

The car sets off driving at speed towards the river.

JO: No! NOOO!

The car speeds up, before hitting the river at great speed. We see it going slowly under after a large impact. Inside the TARDIS we see Donna at the controls, with the Doctor watching on. Seemingly he is teaching her to pilot it. Donna looks over the moon, the Doctor looks worried.

DONNA: I can't believe I'm doing this!

DOCTOR: No, neither can I.

He continues to watch on as she activates some controls.

DOCTOR: Oh, careful!

He nudges her aside, gives the console a whack with the mallet and activates another control. He moves aside allowing Donna control again. He is watching the scanner eagerly with the mallet held closely to him.

DOCTOR: Left hand down, left hand down!

Donna pulls down a control with her left hand and the TARDIS lurches. The Doctor regains control for a second.

DOCTOR: Getting a bit too close to the 1980s!

DONNA: What am I gonna do? Put a dent in 'em?

DOCTOR: Well, someone did.

A mobile phone rings, Donna looks bemused, the Doctor looks concerned. He moves around the console to the source of the ringing.

DONNA: Hold on. That's a phone!

The Doctor pulls a mobile phone from a hold in the console.

DONNA: You've got a mobile? Since when?

DOCTOR: It's not mine.

He answers the phone and sits down next to the console.

DOCTOR: Hello?

We see Martha Jones, standing in an alleyway with a phone. She turns to face the camera and smiles to herself.

MARTHA: Doctor? It's Martha, and I'm bringing you back to Earth!

OPENING CREDITS

Martha is standing in an alleyway. She hears a noise and turns to see the TARDIS materialize. The Doctor pops his head out. Looks one way then the other and sees Martha.

DOCTOR: Martha Jones.

MARTHA: Doctor.

They walk towards each other and hug.

DOCTOR: You haven't changed a bit!

MARTHA: Neither have you!

Donna starts to walk towards the door of the TARDIS.

DOCTOR: How's the family?

MARTHA: You know, not so bad. Recovering.

DOCTOR: What about you?

Donna steps out of the TARDIS. The Doctor looks around at her.

MARTHA: Right. Should have known. Didn't take you long to replace me then.

DOCTOR: Now, don't start fighting. Martha, Donna. Donna, Martha. Please don't fight, can't bear fighting.

DONNA: You wish.

She walks forward and shakes Martha's hand.

DONNA: I've heard all about you. He talks about you all the time.

MARTHA: I dread to think.

DONNA: No, no, no. No. He says nice things. Good things. Nice things. Really... good things.

MARTHA: Oh my god, he's told you everything.

DONNA: Didn't take long to get over it though. Who's the lucky man?

DOCTOR: What man? Lucky what?

DONNA: She's engaged, you prawn.

Martha waves her hand with a ring on it.

DOCTOR: Really, who to?

MARTHA: Tom. That Tom Milligan. He's in pediatrics. Working out in Africa right now, and yes, I know. I've got a doctor who disappears off to distant places. Tell me about it.

DONNA: Is he skinny?

MARTHA: No, he's sort of... strong.

DONNA (gesturing to the Doctor): HE is too skinny for words! You give him a hug, you get a paper cut.

DOCTOR: Oh, I'd rather you were fighting.

MARTHA: Speaking of which...

She gets a call over walkie-talkie.

VOICE: Dr Jones, report to base please. Over.

MARTHA: This is Dr. Jones. Operation Blue Sky is go, go, go. I repeat, this is a go!

Martha, Donna, and the Doctor stand by as UNIT soldiers, trucks, and vans roll by.

SOLDIER: Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Raise that barrier, now!

More cars and loading trucks roll by in to a factory.

SOLDIER: Leave your safeties on, lads, it's non-hostiles.

LOUDSPEAKERS: All workers, lay down your tools and surrender.

MARTHA: Greyhound Six to Trap One. B Section, go, go, go! Search the ground floor, grid pattern Delta.

DOCTOR: What are you searching for?

MARTHA: Illegal aliens.

LOUDSPEAKERS: This is a UNIT operation. All workers lay down your tools and surrender immediately!

MARTHA: B section mobilised! E section, F section, on my command!

She runs off, commanding the action. UNIT men grasp workers in blue suits and point g*ns at their heads.

DONNA: Is that what you did to her? Turn her into a soldier?

The Doctor looks uneasy.

SONTARAN (looking at a camera screen): As predicted, the UNIT forces have moved to the penultimate stage.

GENERAL STAAL: Observe their troops. Thin fabrics. Exposed skin. Feeble weapons. These are toy soldiers. The playthings of children.

Martha walks back to where the Doctor and Donna are standing.

DOCTOR: And you're qualified now? You're a proper doctor.

MARTHA: UNIT rushed it through given my experience in the field. Here we go.

They start walking.

MARTHA: We're establishing a field base on site. They're dying to meet you.

DOCTOR: Wish that I could say the same.

They walk in to a huge long truck. It is a big moving m*llitary office. Martha walks towards a man.

MARTHA: Operation Blue Sky complete, sir. Thanks for letting me take the lead. And, this is the Doctor. Doctor, Colonel Mace.

COLONEL MACE (salutes): Sir!

DOCTOR: Oh, don't salute.

COLONEL MACE: Well, it's an honour, sir! I've read all the files on you and, technically speaking, you're still on staff. You never resigned.

DONNA: What, you used to work for them?

DOCTOR: Yeah, long time ago. Back in the 70s. Or was it the 80s? But it was all a bit more homespun back then.

COLONEL MACE: Times have changed, sir.

DOCTOR: Yeah, that's enough of the "sir".

MARTHA: Come on now Doctor, you've seen it. You've been on board the Valiant. We've got massive funding from the United Nations. All in the name of home world security.

COLONEL MACE: A modern UNIT for a modern world.

DONNA: What, and that means arresting ordinary factory workers? In the streets, in broad daylight? It's more like Guantanamo Bay out there. Donna, by the way. Donna Noble, since you didn't ask. I'll have a salute.

COLONEL MACE (salutes): Ma'am.

DONNA: Thank you.

DOCTOR: Tell me. What's going on in that factory?

COLONEL MACE: Yesterday 52 people d*ed in identical circumstances, right across the world, in 11 different time zones. 5am in the UK, 6am in France, 8am in Moscow, 1pm in China.

DOCTOR: You mean they d*ed simultaneously.

COLONEL MACE: Exactly. 52 deaths at the exact same moment, worldwide.

DOCTOR: How did they die?

COLONEL MACE: They were all inside their cars.

MARTHA: They were poisoned. I checked the biopsies, no toxins. Whatever it is, left the system immediately.

DOCTOR: What have the cars got in common?

MARTHA: Completely different makes. They're all fitted with ATMOS. And that, is the ATMOS factory.

DOCTOR: What's ATMOS?

DONNA: Oh, come on. Even I know that. Everyone's got ATMOS!

They walk on a corridor overlooking the main factory area.

MARTHA: Stands for Atmospheric Omission System. Fit ATMOS in your car, reduces CO2 emissions to zero.

DOCTOR: Zero?! No carbon, none at all?

DONNA: Oh yes. Sat-nav and 20 quid in shopping vouchers if you introduce a friend. Bargain!

COLONEL MACE: And this is where they make it, Doctor. Shipping worldwide. 17 factories across the globe, but this is the central depot, sending ATMOS to every country on Earth.

DOCTOR: And you think ATMOS is alien?

COLONEL MACE: It's our job to investigate that possibility. Doctor?

They walk on, passing through the area where the UNIT soldiers are still investigating the workers.

SOLDIER: Come on, everybody. Up the pace, go on. We haven't got all day now!

Colonel Mace, the Doctor, Donna and Martha arrive to an office.

COLONEL MACE: And here it is, laid bare. ATMOS can be threaded through any and every make of car.

DOCTOR: You must've checked it, before it went on sale.

MARTHA: We did, we found nothing. That's why I thought we needed an expert.

DOCTOR: Really, who'd you get?

She doesn't answer, just looks at him meaningfully. So do Donna and Colonel Mace.

DOCTOR: Oh, right! Me! Yes! Good.

DONNA: OK, so why would aliens be so keen on cleaning up our atmosphere?

DOCTOR: Very good question.

DONNA: Maybe they want to help. Get rid of pollution and stuff.

DOCTOR: Do you know how many cars there are on planet Earth? 800 million. Imagine that. If you could control them, you'd have 800 million weapons.

In a dark corridor, Private Gray is checking a map with a torch.

PRIVATE GRAY: We should head back. There's not much down here. Should be just boiler rooms, generators.

Lights turn on as Private Harris walks around the corner. The place is deserted, but two workers are standing in front of a door at the end of the corridor.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Aye, aye. What's this, then?

They walk up to the workers.

PRIVATE HARRIS: You two. All personnel have been ordered to evacuate. The building's under UNIT control.

WORKER: This area is out of bounds.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Excuse me, sunshine? I think you'll find we're in charge. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way.

SONTARAN (watching them over video link): General Staal. They are close.

GENERAL STAAL: Excellent! And like a good warrior, I shall enter the fray myself! Let them pass.

One of the workers opens the door.

WORKER: It's open.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Ha. Come on.

The room is full of tanks and strange objects, lit by magenta and green lights.

PRIVATE HARRIS: What the hell?

PRIVATE GRAY (over walkie-talkie): Greyhound 16 to Trap One. We've found something. Basement corridor, north side, grid 36. Request backup, over.

They walk up to a huge, covered basin.

PRIVATE HARRIS: It's like something boiling inside...

PRIVATE GRAY: Don't touch it!

PRIVATE HARRIS: Come on, Steve! We get first rights on this. That means promotion!

PRIVATE GRAY: Just leave it alone! Wait for backup.

A loud thud comes from the basin.

PRIVATE GRAY: What was that?

PRIVATE HARRIS: Came from inside.

PRIVATE GRAY: Could just be the machinery.

The thudding continues.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Is there someone in there? Hello?... We've got to get this open.

PRIVATE GRAY: We should wait for the others!

PRIVATE HARRIS: You could suffocate in there!

PRIVATE GRAY (over the walkie-talkie): Greyhound 16 to Trap One, request immediate assistance. Repeat, immediate assistance, over.

PRIVATE HARRIS: How do you work this thing? Come on!

An alarm goes off as the lid is lifted. Inside the basin, there's green liquid bubbling and fuming. The soldiers cough.

PRIVATE GRAY: Oh, God, it stinks!

PRIVATE HARRIS: What the hell is that stuff?

Suddenly, a body emerges and tries to grab Harris. He falls back and the thing turns toward Gray. It resembles a half-formed clay figure.

PRIVATE GRAY (panicking): Identify yourself! Identify! (Over the walkie-talkie) Greyhound 16 declaring absolute emergency, sir. Repeat, absolute emergency, over!

PRIVATE HARRIS (to the figure): Can you hear me? Can you understand me? Look at its neck. It's like... an umbilical cord.

PRIVATE GRAY: Well, don't get too close.

PRIVATE HARRIS: I think it's harmless. I don't even think it's properly alive.

It dives back into the liquid.

PRIVATE GRAY: It's gonna drown.

PRIVATE HARRIS: No... I think it breathes this stuff. Like some kind of embryo.

PRIVATE GRAY: What d'you mean, an embryo?

PRIVATE HARRIS: Someone's growing a body. A human body.

A Sontaran appears. The soldiers take aim at him immediately.

GENERAL STAAL (to Harris): Excellent skills of deduction. I would rate you above average, soldier. Well done. (To Gray) Whereas you, you smell of sweat and fear.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Yeah? Well we're not the ones who got out of school early, sonny. Now stop playing Humpty Dumpty and tell us who you are.

GENERAL STAAL: Is that a reference to my height?

PRIVATE HARRIS: Short answer, yes.

GENERAL STAAL: A pity. Words are the weapons of womenfolk. I must judge you unfit!

PRIVATE HARRIS: Oh! What you gonna do, bite our ankles?

The Sontaran lifts up his staff-like w*apon and fires a beam to his knee. Harris falls to the ground.

PRIVATE GRAY: I'm warning you!

GENERAL STAAL: A proper soldier gives no warning! Fire! I order you! Fire!

Gray pulls the trigger, but nothing happens.

GENERAL STAAL: The room is contained within a Cordolaine signal, exciting the copper surface of the b*llet and causing expansion within the barrel, rendering your g*ns useless. And your radio signals have been blocked.

Gray tries to att*ck the Sontaran using the g*n as a club, but Staal easily stops him, stunning his leg too.

PRIVATE GRAY: My legs! I can't feel my legs!

GENERAL STAAL: I apologise for disabling you. Death has more honour, but you are needed for the stratagem. (To the two workers) Prepare them for processing. (To the soldiers) You spoke of promotion. Now you will serve a greater cause.

PRIVATE HARRIS: But... who are you?

GENERAL STAAL: Indeed, know your enemy! I am General Staal of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. Known as Staal the Undefeated!

He takes off his helmet, revealing an alien head below.

PRIVATE GRAY: Help us! Oh, my God, help us!

DOCTOR: Ionising nano membrane carbon dioxide converter, which means that ATMOS works. Filters the CO2 at a molecular level.

COLONEL MACE: We know all that, but what's its origin? Is it alien?

DOCTOR: No. Decades ahead of its time. (They both bend over the ATMOS device). Look, d'you mind, could you stand back a bit?

COLONEL MACE: Sorry, have I done something wrong?

DOCTOR: You're carrying a g*n. I don't like people with g*ns hanging around me, all right?

COLONEL MACE: If you insist.

He leaves, offended.

MARTHA: Tetchy.

DOCTOR: Well, it's true.

MARTHA: He's a good man!

DOCTOR: People with g*ns are usually the enemy in my books. You seem quite at home.

MARTHA: If anyone got me used to fight it's you.

DOCTOR: Oh, right, so it's my fault.

MARTHA: Well, you got me the job! Besides, look at me. Am I carrying a g*n?

DOCTOR: Suppose not.

MARTHA: It's all right for you. You can just come and go, but some of us have got to stay behind. So I've got to work from the inside and by staying inside, maybe I stand a chance of making them better.

DOCTOR: Yeah? (He smiles) That's more like Martha Jones.

MARTHA: I learned from the best.

DOCTOR: Well...

Donna appears in the door.

DONNA: Oi, you lot! All your storm troopers and your sonics... You're rubbish! Should've come with me.

DOCTOR: Why, where have you been?

DONNA: Personnel. That's where the weird stuff's happening, in the paperwork. Cos I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way round an office blindfold, and the first thing I noticed is an empty file.

DOCTOR: Why, what's inside it? Or what's not inside it?

DONNA: Sick days. There aren't any. Hundreds of people working here and no one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip, nothing. Not ever! They don't get ill.

COLONEL MACE: That can't be right.

DONNA: You've been checking out the building, should've been checking out the workforce.

MARTHA: I can see why he likes you.

DONNA: Mm-hmm.

MARTHA: You are good.

DONNA: Super temp!

COLONEL MACE: Doctor Jones, set up a medical post, start examining the workers. I'll get them sent through.

He walks off.

MARTHA: Come on, Donna. Give me a hand.

They leave. The Doctor runs after Colonel Mace. They walk along a corridor.

DOCTOR: So this, this ATMOS thing. Where did it come from?

COLONEL MACE: Luke Rattigan himself.

DOCTOR: And 'himself ' would be?

They look at Luke Rattigan's profile on a computer.

COLONEL MACE: Child genius. Invented the Fountain 6 search engine when he was 12 years old. Millionaire overnight. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. A private school, educating students, handpicked from all over the world.

DOCTOR: A hothouse for geniuses, wouldn't mind going there.

Colonel Mace looks puzzled.

DOCTOR: I get lonely.

Martha is at a desk looking through binders. Donna picks up a chair and sets it down next to her.

DONNA: D'you think I should warn my mum? About the ATMOS in her car?

MARTHA: Better safe then sorry.

DONNA: I'll give her a call.

MARTHA: Donna. Do they know where you are? Your family. I mean that you're travelling with the Doctor?

DONNA: Not really. Although... My granddad sorta waved us off. I didn't have time to explain.

MARTHA: You just left him behind?

DONNA: Yeah.

MARTHA: I didn't tell my family, kept it all so secret. And it almost destroyed them.

DONNA: In what way?

MARTHA: They ended up imprisoned. They were tortured. My mom. My dad. My sister. It wasn't the Doctor's fault, but... you need to be careful. Cos you know the Doctor. He's wonderful. He's brilliant. But he's like fire. Stand too close and people get burnt.

Private Gray and Private Harris walk out off the clone lab and stand to the side of the doorway. General Staal walks out.

GENERAL STAAL: Conditioning is complete. Now do your duty and advance the conquest.

PRIVATES: Yes sir.

They march away. General Staal walks back into the lab.

GENERAL STAAL: General Staal returning. The stratagem advances.

He walks in to a short tunnel-like machine and taps something on a keyboard.

GENERAL STAAL: The last days of planet Earth.

He teleports. The Doctor is walking with Colonel Mace.

DOCTOR: You are not coming with me! I want to talk to this Luke Rattigan, not point a g*n at him.

COLONEL MACE: It's ten miles outside London. How are you going to get there?

DOCTOR: Well, then get me a jeep!

COLONEL MACE: According to the records you travel by TARDIS.

DOCTOR: Yes, but if there is a danger of hostile aliens I think it's best to keep a super-duper time machine away from the front lines.

COLONEL MACE: I see. So you do have weapons, but choose to keep them hidden. Jenkins!

ROSS JENKINS: Sir!

COLONEL MACE: You will accompany the Doctor and take orders from him.

DOCTOR: Yeah, I don't do orders.

COLONEL MACE: Any sign of trouble, get Jenkins to declare a Code Red. And good luck, sir.

He salutes.

DOCTOR: I said no salutes.

COLONEL MACE: Now you're giving orders.

DOCTOR: Oh, you're getting a bit cheeky, you are.

As Colonel Mace walks away Donna appears.

DONNA: Doctor...

DOCTOR: Oh, just in time! Come on! Come on, we're going to the country. Fresh air and geniuses, what more could you ask?

DONNA
I'm not coming with you.

The Doctor stares at her.

DONNA: I've been thinking. I'm sorry, I'm going home.

DOCTOR: Really?

DONNA: I've got to.

DOCTOR (disappointed): Well, if that's what you want. I mean it's a bit soon... I had so many places I had wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade, the Lightning Skies of Cotter Palluni's World, Diamond Coral Reefs of Kataa Flo Ko... Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble, it's been brilliant. You've... you've saved my life in so many ways. You're... (comprehension dawning on his face) You're just popping home for a visit, that's what you mean.

DONNA: You dumbo!

DOCTOR: And then you're coming back.

DONNA: Know what you are? A great big outer-space dunce.

DOCTOR: Yeah.

ROSS: Ready when you are, sir.

DONNA: What's more you can give me a lift. Come on!

They climb in to the Jeep.

DONNA: Broken moon of what?

DOCTOR: I know, I know.

They drive away. Private Gray and Private Harris watch them go. In a small room, Martha is doing a health check on an ATMOS worker.

MARTHA: And your name's Trepor, yeah? Is that polish? Listen, we're not checking passports, it's not about that, but did you come across from Poland just to work?

MR TREPOR: I came to do my job.

MARTHA: OK. I need to listen to your heartbeat. This might be a bit cold.

She rubs a stethoscope.

MARTHA: Lift.

He lifts his shirt. Martha places the stethoscope on his chest and hears an extremely fast b*at. She looks at Mr Trepor and double checks it.

MARTHA: Are you on any medication?

MR TREPOR: I'm here to work.

MARTHA: How many hours a day do you work?

MR TREPOR: 24.

MARTHA: You work 24 hours a day? Down.

He pulls down his shirt.

MARTHA: Mr Trepor, have you ever had any form of hypnosis?

MR TREPOR: I'm here to work.

MARTHA (worried): OK. Um, if you could just wait here.

She walks out to a corridor. Private Harris and Private Grey follow her.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Doctor Jones.

MARTHA: Not now, I'm busy.

PRIVATE HARRIS: Just one question. Do you have security clearance level one?

MARTHA: Yes, I do. Why?

PRIVATE HARRIS: Colonel Mace wants to see you.

MARTHA: Oh good, cos I want to see him. Where is he?

PRIVATE HARRIS: Come with us.

The UNIT jeep pulls into a quiet road and the Doctor and Donna clamber out.

DONNA: I'll walk the rest of the way. I'll see you back at the factory, yeah?

The Doctor jumps back into the jeep.

DOCTOR: Bye!

DONNA: And you be careful!

The jeep pulls away leaving Donna on her own. She walks slowly down her street as if she can't believe she's home. A woman walks past her.

WOMAN: Haven't seen you for days.

DONNA: Yeah... been away.

She continues walking, past a boy playing football, and relives her recent adventures with the Doctor in her mind. Flashes of her hanging from the window cleaning platform, the Pyrovile, trying to save a little boy from the eruption of Vesuvius, crying through the bars of the Ood cage, and an Adipose baby floating up to join its family all flicker past. Her house then comes into view. Wilf is in the driveway, taking out some rubbish. Both he and Donna stop dead as they catch sight of each other. Donna places a hand to her mouth, overwhelmed by emotion, as Wilf frantically beckons her over. She begins to run and they meet in a giant embrace.



Martha, Private Harris, and Private Gray walk down a corridor.

MARTHA: What's he doing down here?

GREY: He asked to see you.

MARTHA: Why? Has he found something?

Grey and Harris do not answer. They open a door at the end of the corridor, and Martha walks inside. She looks around in puzzlement and catches sight of the bubbling, green liquid in the basin. Suddenly becoming panicked, she turns around and tries to run out of the room. Harris and Grey stand in the way, stopping her from exiting. The doors to the room slam shut, leaving Martha trapped inside. Her screams echo down the corridor, as all the lights flicker off.

Wilf and Donna are sat at the kitchen table.

WILF: I said so, didn't I? Aliens. I said they were real! I just didn't expect them in a little blue box.

DONNA: It's bigger on the inside.

WILF: Yeah but is it safe? This... Doctor, are you safe with him?

DONNA: He's amazing, Gramps. He's just... dazzling. And never tell him I said that.

WILF: No.

DONNA: But I'd trust him with my life.

WILF: Hold up, I thought that was my job!

DONNA: You still come first.

WILF: Well, for god's sake don't tell your mother!

DONNA: I dunno... I mean this is massive. Sort of not fair if she doesn't know.

Sylvia enters from the garden carrying laundry.

SYLVIA: Doesn't know what? And who's she, the cat's mother? And where've you been these past few days, lady, after that silly little trick with the car keys? I phoned Veena and she said she hadn't seen hide nor hair.

DONNA: I've just been... travelling.

SYLVIA: Oh, hark at her! Michael Palin! Are you staying for tea? Cos I haven't got anything in. I've been trying to keep your granddad on that macrobiotic diet, but he sneaks off and gets pork pies at the petrol station.

Wilf tries to protest.

SYLVIA: Don't deny it, I've seen the wrappers in the car. Oh, I don't miss a trick. Now then, what were you gonna tell me? What don't I know?

Donna catches Wilf's eye, and he gives her a measured look.

DONNA: Nothing. Just... nothing.

Wilf slyly beams at her.

SYLVIA: Good. Right, then you can sit there and cut out those coupons. Every penny helps. This new mortgage doesn't pay for itself. Dad, kettle on.

WILF (rising from the table): Yeah, kettle.

He winks at Donna as he walks past. Ross and the Doctor drive down a small road.

ROSS: UNIT's been watching Rattigan Academy for ages. It's all a bit h*tler Youth: exercise at dawn and classes and special diets.

SAT-NAV: Turn left.

DOCTOR: Ross, one question. If UNIT think that ATMOS is dodgy...

ROSS: How come we've got it in the jeeps? Yeah, tell me about it. They're fitted as standard on all government vehicles. We can't get rid of them until we prove something's wrong.

SAT-NAV: Turn right.

ROSS: Drives me around the bend.

DOCTOR (noticing they are actually driving around a bend): Oh, nice one!

ROSS: Timed that perfectly!

DOCTOR: Yeah! Yeah, you did!

SAT-NAV: This is you final destination.

We see that they have arrived at Rattigan Academy. Luke Rattigan is standing in the middle of the grounds as the students jog past. The Doctor and Ross approach.

DOCTOR: Is it PE? I wouldn't mind a kick around, I've got my chaps on.

LUKE: I suppose you're the Doctor?

DOCTOR: Hello!

LUKE: Your commanding officer phoned ahead.

DOCTOR: Ah, but I haven't got a commanding officer. Have you? (Luke stares darkly at him). Oh, this is Ross. Say hello, Ross.

ROSS: Afternoon, sir.

The Doctor rushes off towards the entrance.

DOCTOR: Let's have a look then, I can smell genius! ... In a good way.

Luke rolls his eyes behind the Doctor's back as he follows them in to a room full of students performing experiments.

DOCTOR: Oh, now! That's clever, look! (He puts on his glasses and peers at a device). Single molecule fabric, how thin is that?! You could pack a tent in a thimble. Oh! Gravity simulators! (He begins rushing around in excitement). Terraforming, biospheres, nano-tech steel constructs! Haha! This is brilliant! Do you know, with equipment like this you could... oh, I don't know, move to another planet or something?

LUKE: If only that was possible.

DOCTOR: If only that were possible. (He takes off his glasses as Luke looks darkly up at him). Conditional clause.

Luke looks as though he is about to hit the Doctor, but restrains himself.

LUKE: I think you better come with me.

He walks off and the Doctor and Ross follow. They arrive in a large room with a strange device in the corner - a teleport pod like the one in the cloning lab.

LUKE: You're smarter than the usual UNIT grunts, I'll give you that.

DOCTOR (to Ross): He called you a grunt! Don't call Ross a grunt, he's nice! We like Ross! Look at this place...

He wanders off.

LUKE (exasperated): What exactly do you want?

DOCTOR: I was just thinking, what a responsible eighteen year old. Inventing zero carbon cars? Saving the world...

LUKE: Takes a man with vision.

DOCTOR: Mmmm, blinking vision. Cos ATMOS means more people driving, more cars, more petrol, end result: the oil's gonna run out faster than ever. The ATMOS system could make things worse.

LUKE (quickly): Yeah, see, that's a tautology. You can't say "ATMOS system" since it stands for "atmospheric emissions system". So you're just saying "atmospheric emissions system system" d'you see, Mr Conditional Clause?

DOCTOR: It's been a long time since anyone said no to you, isn't it?

LUKE: I'm still right though.

DOCTOR: Not easy, is it? Being clever. You look at the world and you connect things. Random things. And think: why can't anyone else see it? The rest of the world is so slow.

LUKE: Yeah.

DOCTOR: And you're all on your own.

LUKE: I know.

DOCTOR: But not with this! (He pulls out the ATMOS devise). Cos there's no way you invented this thing single handed. I mean, it might be Earth technology, but that's like finding a mobile phone in the middle ages. (He chucks the device at Ross, who catches it). No, no, I'll tell you what it's like! It's like finding this in the middle of someones front room. (He points behind him to the teleport pod). Albeit it's a very big front room.

ROSS: And what is it?

DOCTOR: Yeah, just looks like a thing, doesn't it? People don't question things, they just say: Oh, it's a thing.

LUKE: Leave it alone!

DOCTOR (walking into the pod): Me, I make these connections. And this, to me, looks like (he presses a button on the side of the pod) a teleport pod.

The Doctor disappears from Rattigan Academy and reappears in a large futuristic spaceship. It is lit with dim, purple lighting and there are Sontarans milling around.

COMPUTER VOICE: Orbit now holding at 555.3, sector 270.

DOCTOR: Oh...

The Sontarans all turn to notice him, and General Staal raises his staff.

GENERAL STAAL: We have an intruder!

DOCTOR: How did he get in? In-tru-da window?

The Sontarans begin to charge towards the Doctor.

DOCTOR: Bye bye!

He presses the control pad again, and begins to run just as he teleports away. He appears back at Rattigan Academy, still running.

DOCTOR: Ross, get out! Luke, you've got to come with me!

He spins round, just as General Staal appears. Grabbing his sonic screwdriver, the Doctor disables the teleport pod.

DOCTOR: Sontaran! (Staal raises his staff). Thats your name, isn't it? You're a Sontaran. How did I know that, ay? Fascinating isn't it? Isn't that worth keeping me alive?

ROSS (taking aim at Staal): I order you to surrender in the name of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce.

DOCTOR: Well that's not going to work. Cordolaine signal, am I right? Copper excitation stopping the b*ll*ts.

GENERAL STAAL: How do you know so much?

DOCTOR: Well...

GENERAL STAAL (talking to Luke): Who is he?

LUKE: He didn't give his name.

DOCTOR: But this isn't typical Sontaran behavior, is it? Hiding! Using teenagers, stopping b*ll*ts? (Mockingly) A Sontaran should face b*ll*ts with dignity! Shame on you!

GENERAL STAAL: You dishonour me, sir!

DOCTOR: Yeah, then show yourself!

GENERAL STAAL: I will look into my enemy's eyes!

He removes his helmet revealing his Sontaran head underneath.

ROSS: Oh, my god...

DOCTOR: And your name?

GENERAL STAAL: General Staal, of the Tenth Sontaran Fleet. Staal the Undefeated!

DOCTOR: Well, that's not a very good nickname. What if you do get defeated? Staal the Not-Quite-So-Undefeated-Anymore-But-Never-Mind?

ROSS: He's like a potato, a baked potato, a talking baked potato.

DOCTOR: Now, Ross, don't be rude, you look like a pink weasel to him. (He goes and picks up a racket and begins bouncing a small ball upon it). The Sontarans are the finest soldiers in the galaxy, dedicated to a life of warfare. A clone race, grown in batches of millions with only one weakness...

GENERAL STAAL: Sontarans have no weakness!

DOCTOR: No, it's a good weakness!

LUKE: Aren't you meant to be clever? Only an idiot would provoke him.

DOCTOR: No, but the Sontarans are fed by a probic vent in the back of their neck, that's their weak spot. Which means, they always have to face their enemies in battle... isn't that brilliant? They can never turn their backs!

GENERAL STAAL: We stare into the face of death!

DOCTOR: Yeah? Well, stare at this!

He throws the ball into the air and hits it with the racket. The ball flies past General Staal and hits the back of the teleport pod. It bounces back and smacks into Staal's probic vent. The Doctor and Ross run. General Staal collapses onto the floor and Luke rushes over to him.

LUKE: What has he done? What has he done?!

The Doctor and Ross run down the Academy steps and jump into the jeep, speeding away as fast as they can.

GENERAL STAAL: Don't touch me! (He struggles up). A Sontaran would rather be court marshalled than show pain. I must return.

LUKE: But he broke the teleport.

GENERAL STAAL: Pah! Primitive sonic trickery! (He points his staff at the pod, there is a whirring noise). The devise is now repaired.

Staal and Luke enter the pod and teleport back to the Sontaran ship.

GENERAL STAAL: Our presence is known! Soldiers! We move to a w*r footing!

COMMANDER SKORR: I see you face battle open skinned, sir. Might I share that honour?

GENERAL STAAL: You may.

COMMANDER SKORR: Thank you!

He removes his helmet and Luke stares at them both.

LUKE: How... do you tell each other apart?

GENERAL STAAL: We say the same of humans.

COMMANDER SKORR: Tell me, boy. How many ATMOS devices have been installed?

LUKE: Uh, they've gone worldwide but only about half.

GENERAL STAAL: Which means four hundred million cars converted! A fine arsenal!

COMMANDER SKORR: Is it sufficient to trigger the conversion?

LUKE: More than enough, yeah. And the test signal proved that it works! Fifty-two deaths in the same second, man, that is just so cool!

GENERAL STAAL: Is the temperature significant?

LUKE (after a pause): No... that, that's just a phrase... But I'll get my people ready, General. You just tell me where and when!

GENERAL STAAL: Have we infiltrated UNIT?

COMMANDER SKORR: The process is about to begin.

GENERAL STAAL: Then you'll see it completed, Commander Skorr. Get to it!

COMMANDER SKORR: Yes, sir!

Skorr walks to the controls and teleports away.

Martha is secured to a metal platform. She has a strange device clamped over her head.

MARTHA: Is someone gonna tell me what the hell is going on?!

Her face falls as Skorr walks in front of her.

MARTHA: Oh... kay... So, listen! You're not the first aliens I've met. Just tell me who you are.

COMMANDER SKORR: Commander Skorr of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. Known as Skorr the Bloodbringer!

MARTHA (indicating with her head Harris and Grey): What have you done to those two?

COMMANDER SKORR: Simple hypnotic control, as with the factory drones. But with you... we need something more complex.

He turns a switch on the basin and the green liquid begins to bubble again. Martha looks on in horror as a hand rises from the liquid.

MARTHA: What... is that?!

COMMANDER SKORR: Soon, that will be you!

The hand sinks back out of sight. On the Sontaran ship, Luke stares out the window at the Earth below. Staal talks to some Sontaran soldiers behind.

GENERAL STAAL: Continue. (He joins Luke). w*r can never come to soon. Take your last look, boy.

LUKE: It was never big enough for me.

GENERAL STAAL: I like your ambition.

LUKE: That doctor, he was in a UNIT jeep, should have ATMOS installed.

GENERAL STAAL (abruptly): You said you didn't know his name!

LUKE: I don't. He just said "doctor". Does that mean something?

GENERAL STAAL: There is an enemy of the Sontarans known as the Doctor. A face-changer.

LUKE: Do you mean he's an alien too?

GENERAL STAAL: Legend says that he led the battle in the last great Time w*r. (Bitterly) The finest w*r in history and we weren't allowed to be a part of it! Oh, but this is excellent! The last of the Time Lords will die, at the hands of the Sontaran empire, in the ruins of his precious Earth!

The camera pans out to show a giant Sontaran ship hanging about Earth.

Martha tries to free herself from her bonds as Skorr fiddles with the basin.

COMMANDER SKORR: It is inadvisable to struggle. The female has a weak thorax.

MARTHA: But what are you doing?

COMMANDER SKORR: Completing mental transfer. The clone needs full memory access.

MARTHA: Clone?

The hand once again rises from the basin. Martha gasps as a perfect clone of herself rises from the green liquid.

MARTHA: You can't...

The clone reaches behind its neck and pulls out the umbilical chord that it's attached to.

MARTHA: That's not...

COMMANDER SKORR: You will sleep, girl. Sleep and keep the memories alive... Memories we can use, in battle.

Martha's eyes slowly close as she falls into a hypnotic sleep.

SONTARAN: We have the Doctor's vehicle.

GENERAL STAAL: An ordinary death for such a remarkable enemy... but proceed.

The UNIT jeep speeds along the road.

DOCTOR: Greyhound 40 to Trap 1, repeat, can you hear me? Over.

ROSS: Why's it not working?

DOCTOR: Must be the Sontarans. If they can trace that, then they can isolate the ATMOS.

SAT-NAV: Turn left.

DOCTOR: Try going right!

ROSS: It said left.

DOCTOR: I know! So go right!

The jeep swerves.

ROSS: I've got no control, it's driving itself! It won't stop!

The Doctor pulls out his sonic screwdriver and tries to fiddle with the ATMOS.

ROSS: The doors are locked!

DOCTOR: Ah, it's deadlocked, I can't stop it!

SAT-NAV: Turn left.

The jeep jolts and swerves left.

DOCTOR: The sat-nav's just a box, wired through the whole car!

LUKE (on the Sontaran ship): Oh, is he going in the water? I love it, with the water!

The jeep swerves off the road.

ROSS: We're heading for the river!

DOCTOR: ATMOS, you're programmed to contradict my orders?

SAT-NAV: Confirmed.

DOCTOR: Anything I say, you'd ignore it?

SAT-NAV: Confirmed.

DOCTOR: Then drive into the river! I order you to drive into the river! Do it! Drive into the river!

The jeep speeds towards the water, but suddenly skids to a halt a few inches from the edge of the river. The Doctor and Ross leap out and begin to run.

SAT-NAV: Turn right... left... right... left...

DOCTOR: Get down!

He and Ross throw themselves onto the floor.

SAT-NAV: Left, right, left, right, left, left, right, left, right...

The sat-nav emits a small bang that lets off a shower of sparks. The Doctor looks up from his sprawled out position on the floor.

DOCTOR: Oh, was that it?

SONTARAN: ATMOS terminated. Mission accomplished. The Doctor is dead.

GENERAL STAAL: Then prepare the weapons. Is the operative in place?

Cut sh*t to the unconscious Martha. Commander Skorr leans over, checking the equipment that she is attached to. He then walks over to stand in front of the clone, now wearing Martha's clothes.

MARTHA CLONE: Ready and waiting to advance the great Sontaran cause, sir.

COMMANDER SKORR: Then go to work.

She turns and, followed by Harris and Grey, leaves the room. At Donna's house, the Doctor rings the bell and Donna answers the door.

DOCTOR: You would not believe the day I'm having.

The Doctor walks around the Nobles' car, bending down to check the ATMOS attached underneath. Ross and Donna stand nearby, Donna trying to ring Martha. The Doctor opens the hood and peers inside.

ROSS: I'll requisition us a vehicle.

DOCTOR: Anything without ATMOS. Don't point your g*n at people!

Ross runs off just as Wilf appears from the house.

WILF: Is it him? Is it him? Is it the Doctor?

He runs round the car and catches sight of the Doctor.

WILF: Ah! It's you !

DOCTOR: Who?

He looks up and sees Wilf pointing at him.

DOCTOR: Oh! It's you!

DONNA: What, have you met before?!

WILF: Yeah, Christmas Eve. He disappeared right in front of me!

DONNA: And you never said?!

WILF: Well you never said! Wilf, sir. Wilfred Mott. You must be one of them aliens?!

DOCTOR: Well, yeah, but don't shout it out. (He shakes Wilf's hand). Nice to meet you properly, Wilf.

WILF: Oh, an alien hand...!

DOCTOR: Donna, anything?

DONNA: She's not answering. What is it, Sontorans?

DOCTOR: Sontarans. But there's got to be more to it, they can't be just remote controlling cars. That's not enough. Is anyone answering?

DONNA: Hold on.

MARTHA CLONE (on the phone): Don't tell me... Donna Noble.

DONNA: Martha! Hold on, he's here.

She gives the phone to the Doctor.

DOCTOR: Martha, tell Colonel Mace it's the Sontarans. They're in the file, Code Red, Sontarans. But if they're inside the factory tell them not to start sh**ting. UNIT will get massacred. I'll get back as soon as I can, you got that?

MARTHA CLONE: Code Red Sontaran. Gotcha.

She hangs up the phone as Colonel Mace appears round the corner.

COLONEL MACE: Doctor Jones! Found anything yet?

MARTHA CLONE: No sir, nothing to report.

Colonel Mace turns away and the Martha clone smiles to herself as she walks away. The Doctor has his sonic screwdriver out and is fiddling with the car engine, and the ATMOS that is attached.

DONNA: But you tried sonicking it before, you didn't find anything.

DOCTOR: Yeah, but now I know it's Sontaran, I know what I'm looking for.

WILF: The thing is, Doctor, is that Donna is my only grandchild. You gotta promise me you're gonna take care of her.

DOCTOR: She takes care of me!

WILF: Oh, yeah that's my Donna. Yeah, she was always bossing us around when she was tiny. The Little General we used to call her.

DONNA: Yeah, don't start.

WILF: And some of the boys she used to turn up with, a different one every week! Yeah, who was that one with the nail varnish?

DONNA: Matthew Richards. He lives in Kilbourn now. With a man.

Large spikes suddenly sh**t up from the ATMOS device.

DOCTOR: Woah! It's a temporal pocket! I knew there was something else in there. It's hidden just a second out of sync with real time.

DONNA: But what's it hiding?

SYLVIA (appearing round the car): I don't know, men and their cars! Sometimes I think if I was a car... (She catches sight of the Doctor). Oh, it's you! Doctor... what was it?

DOCTOR (waving, his head buried under the bonnet): Yeah, that's me.

WILF: What, have you met him as well?

SYLVIA: Dad! It's the man from the wedding! When you were laid up with Spanish flu! I'm warning you, last time that man turned up it was a disaster!

The spikes from the ATMOS device suddenly let off a cloud of white gas.

DOCTOR: Get back!

COMMANDER SKORR: A converter has been activated!

GENERAL STAAL: Show me where!

A projected image of the Earth appears, and zooms in to England, and then to London.

LUKE: London... that's Chiswick.

SONTARAN: Who could have such knowledge?

GENERAL STAAL: Only the Doctor! He survived! Excellent! Then battle will be joined, glorious warfare! Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet, we move to the final phase. Prepare the subjugation of Earth, for the glory of Sontar!

The Sontarans begin marching in lines, g*ns in hands and battle helmets on.

COMPUTER VOICE: Announcing Battle Status One. All soldiers to positions. Repeat, we are now at Battle Status One. Rejoice!

The Noble's car gives another spurt of gas and sparks.

DOCTOR: That'll stop it!

The sonic screwdriver finishes whirring as the smoke dies away. The Doctor then rushes back to peer under the hood again.

SYLVIA: I told you! He's blown up the car! Who is he anyway?! What sort of doctor blows up cars?!

DONNA: Oh, not now Mum!

SYLVIA: Oh, should I make an appointment?

She st*lks off back towards the house.

DOCTOR: That wasn't just exhaust fumes... Some sort of gas. Artificial gas.

WILF: And it's aliens, is it? Aliens?

DONNA: But if... if it's poisonous... then we've got poisonous gas in every car on Earth.

GENERAL STAAL: Free up the converters, and deadlock every single one!

WILF (climbing into the car): It's not safe! I'm gonna get it off the street!

The car doors suddenly slam shut and the locks all click into place. The car turns on and smoke begins to pour from the exhaust pipe.

DONNA: Hold on! (She rushes to the car). Turn it off! Granddad, get out of there!

WILF: I can't! It's not locked! It's them aliens again!

Donna pulls at the car door, growing more frantic as fumes begin to seep into the car. Sylvia stops outside the front door and turns back in horror.

SYLVIA: What's he doing? What's he done?

DOCTOR: They've activated it!

sh*ts of people in car parks and on the street coughing and choking as every car begins letting off the thick, white gas. At the ATMOS factory, Colonel Mace and some soldiers run outside, also coughing in the gas.

COLONEL MACE: Turn them off! Turn them off! Turn off the engines!

SOLDIER: It's all of them, sir. Every single car on the planet!

The Martha clone, Harris and Grey walk casually down the slope and survey the confusion around them.

MARTHA CLONE: Now we begin... Let's get to work.

Donna frantically pulls at the car door again as Wilf gasps and chokes.

DONNA: There's gas inside the car! He's gonna choke! Doctor!

The Doctor rushes round and tries to sonic open the door, to no avail.

DOCTOR: It won't open!

He turns and looks at the street around, every car spitting the poisonous fumes into the atmosphere.

DOCTOR: It's the whole world...

He rushes back to the car's engine as the Sontaran ship descends even closer to the Earth.

GENERAL STAAL: Four hundred million weapons! (He starts to chant) Sontar-ha! Sontar-ha! Sontar-ha!

Other Sontaran pick up the chant and it grows louder and louder. Luke, too, begins chanting and b*ating his hands in the w*r ritual. Back on Earth Wilf is dying from the fumes that fill the car. The Doctor runs between the engine and the door, trying to stop the gas and free Wilf at the same time.

WILF: Get me out of here!

Sylvia rushes into the house, just as Wilf collapses inside the car. As the Sontaran chant continues, the Doctor stands in the middle of the street, powerless to stop the world from being consumed in the fumes.

END