BY: TERRANCE DICKS
Part One
Original Air Date: 3 September 1977
Running time: 24:10
VINCE: Ere, Reuben. Come and look, quick.
REUBEN: What is it, boy?
VINCE: This light, sh*t across the sky. Went under the sea, it did, and the sea was all glowing. Over there.
REUBEN: Nothing there now.
VINCE: Not now, maybe. I told you, it went under the sea.
REUBEN: It could have been a, what do they call them, meteor.
VINCE: Mmm. Weren't far off.
BEN: Oh, sightseeing now, are we? Hoping to spot some of them bathing belles on the beach, eh?
REUBEN: Vince here's been seeing stars.
VINCE: I saw a light. Clear across the sky it came and went under the sea.
BEN: sh**ting star, eh?
VINCE: Weren't no sh**ting star. I've seen them before.
REUBEN: Bring you luck, boy, that will. Bit of luck coming for you.
VINCE: On this rock? Not till my three month is up.
BEN: Well, whatever it was, it's gone now. So long as it isn't a hazard to navigation we don't have to bother with it.
VINCE: It were all red and glowing.
BEN: Aye, well, I've heard enough about now, lad. I'm off downstairs for my supper. You just forget it.
REUBEN: The old days were simple enough. You just filled her up, trimmed the wick, and that old lamp just went burning away steady as you like.
BEN: It wasn't only the lamp that b*rned sometimes though, was it. What about all those fires they had, eh? Towers gutted, men k*lled.
REUBEN: Well, carelessness, that was. That or drink. Oil's safe enough if you treat her right.
BEN: Now listen, Reuben. I've seen the inside of some of them old lighthouses
REUBEN: I served twenty year in one.
BEN: Like the inside of a chimney, they was. Grease and soot everywhere, floor covered with oil and bits of wick.
REUBEN: Never, mate. Never.
BEN: And as for the light. Oh dear oh me. You couldn't see it from the inside, never mind from the out. Great clouds of black smoke, soon as they were lit.
REUBEN: If your electricity's so good, why are they going back to oil? You tell me that.
BEN: Ah, now that's an oil vapour system. That's a different thing altogether. They're going back to that as they reckon as how that's cheaper, see.
REUBEN: Course it's cheaper.
REUBEN: Time they've paid out all that coal. Ahoy.
VINCE: That you, Reuben? (listens) King Edward, eh? Well, your majesty, will you tell the principal keeper that there's a fog coming up here like nobody's business.
REUBEN: Vince says there's a fog coming up.
BEN: Fog? There weren't no sign of that earlier.
REUBEN: He reckons it's a thick 'un, Ben.
BEN: I'd best go and see for myself. After all, the boy's only learning.
BEN: I never seen a fog come in like that afore. And thick!
REUBEN: Worst thing for sailors that ever was.
BEN: Do you feel that cold too?
REUBEN: Aye.
BEN: That come from Iceland, I reckon.
VINCE: It's come from where I saw that thing fall.
BEN: Oh, get along with you, boy. It's about time you got that siren started.
REUBEN: He might be right, Ben. It do seem unnatural.
BEN: Not you, too? And I want a blast every two minutes, and I don't mean ten.
REUBEN: Another thing with oil, it gives a better light in fog.
BEN: Oh, rubbish. Electricity's just as good, and a darn sight more reliable.
REUBEN: Reliable?
LEELA: You said I would like Brighton. Well, I do not.
DOCTOR: Does this look like Brighton?
LEELA: I do not know.
DOCTOR: It's not even Hove. It could be Worthing.
LEELA: The machine has failed again?
DOCTOR: Oh, not really, not failed. We're on the right planet, in the right time, roughly in the right general direction, assuming this is Worthing.
LEELA: You cannot tell.
DOCTOR: Because the localised condition of planetary atmospheric condensation caused a malfunction in the visual orientation circuits. Or to put it another way, we got lost in the fog. Never mind. Easy enough to pop back in and try again. That's odd.
LEELA: What is?
DOCTOR: A lighthouse without a light.
VINCE: Hey, good old Ben. Didn't take him long, did it.
REUBEN: Working, not working, working again. You never know where you are with it, do you.
VINCE: I just came down for my heavy jersey. It's freezing up there.
BEN: It's worse in the generator room, even with the boiler.
VINCE: Well, you repaired her, anyway.
BEN: No. Lights came on by 'emselves.
VINCE: What, for no reason?
BEN: It's got me flummoxed. There's something going on here tonight, something I don't understand.
LEELA: Look, the light is shining in that tower.
DOCTOR: Oh, good. We'll just knock on the door, get directions and we'll be on our way.
LEELA: What is that noise?
DOCTOR: Foghorn.
LEELA: What?
DOCTOR: I said it's a foghorn! It warns the ships off these rocks. Mightn't spot the light in this fog. You know what ships are. We saw some on the Thames, remember?
LEELA: I feel something wrong here.
VINCE: Old Ben's worried.
REUBEN: So he should be. His precious electricity.
VINCE: Writing it all down in the log, he is. Says he can't understand it.
REUBEN: Done it again, see?
VINCE: He'll be spitting blood, won't he.
BEN: Argh!
VINCE: Over two minutes.
REUBEN: Reckon it's not coming on this time.
VINCE: Make no difference, not in this weather. Have their bows right onto Fang Rock afore they see our old lamp.
REUBEN: Aye, this is a q*eer 'un. No cause for it.
VINCE: It's cold air and warm air mixing, that's the cause.
REUBEN: I've been thirty years in the service, Vince. One look at the sky and I know when fog's coming. Today was clear as clear.
VINCE: Maybe I'd best go down and see if Ben needs a hand.
REUBEN: You do that, boy. T'ain't natural.
DOCTOR: Keeper?
DOCTOR: The generator's working. I wonder what's happening to the power?
LEELA: I'm not a teshnician.
DOCTOR: It could be shorting out, I suppose.
LEELA: And I suppose you are going to mend it?
DOCTOR: What, without asking permission? I wouldn't dream of it. Let's talk to the crew first. This way. Teshnician?
DOCTOR: Anyone at home?
VINCE: That you, Ben?
DOCTOR: No, it isn't.
VINCE: 'Ere, who are you, then?
LEELA: I'm Leela.
DOCTOR: I'm the Doctor. How do you do. You seem to be having some trouble here.
VINCE: How'd you get here?
LEELA: We came in the TARDIS.
DOCTOR: We're mislaid mariners. Our craft's parked on the other side of the island.
VINCE: Oh. Oh, you got lost in the fog, did you?
DOCTOR: Yes.
VINCE: Oh, you'd best come up to the crew room.
DOCTOR: Good.
VINCE: Where was you heading for?
DOCTOR: Worthing.
LEELA: Brighton.
VINCE: You did get lost, didn't you. I'll get you some vittles soon as we're sorted out. You'll not want to go on in this fog. Small craft, is she?
DOCTOR: Yes.
LEELA: No.
DOCTOR: Well, small in some ways.
LEELA: Yes, but big in others.
DOCTOR: What's the trouble here?
VINCE: The generator keeps playing up. Lights go off then they come on again for no reason.
DOCTOR: Tricky things, the early generators.
VINCE: Oh, ours is the latest modern design, sir. Still, it's driving Ben wild.
DOCTOR: Ben? Who's Ben?
VINCE: He's the engineer.
DOCTOR: Just the two of you, are there?
VINCE: Three, sir. Old Reuben's up in the lamp room. k*lling himself, he is. Fit to bust.
LEELA: He's crippled?
VINCE: No. Oh, I mean, no, he's one of the old-fashioned sort, you see. Never been really happy since they took out the oil. Hates electricity.
DOCTOR: Yes, I know the type. In the early days of oil, he'd have said there's nothing like a really large candle, eh?
VINCE: Aye, that's Reuben right enough.
DOCTOR: Where's Ben now?
VINCE: Eh?
DOCTOR: Ben. Why isn't he working on the generator?
VINCE: Well, he is, sir. You must have seen him.
DOCTOR: No. No, I didn't.
VINCE: Oh, he must have stepped out for a moment and you missed him in the fog.
LEELA: If he had been there, I would have heard.
VINCE: I'd better go and look for him.
DOCTOR: No, that's all right, that's all right. What's your name?
VINCE: Vince, sir. Vince Hawkins.
DOCTOR: I'll go, Mister Hawkins. I'm something of an engineer myself. I might be able to help. You look after the young lady.
VINCE: Right you are, sir.
VINCE: This is quite a treat for me, miss.
LEELA: Is it?
VINCE: Oh, don't touch that, please, miss. Oh yes, it's a lonely up in the lighthouse, you see. I go out sometimes and talk to the seals, you know, just to get a change from Reuben and Ben.
LEELA: Seals are animals?
VINCE: Well, yes.
LEELA: That is stupid. You should talk often with the old ones of the tribe. That is the only way to learn.
VINCE: I'll get you a hot drink, miss.
LEELA: I could do with some dry clothes more than a hot drink.
VINCE: Oh, I'm afraid we don't have nothing suitable for a lady.
LEELA: I'm no lady, Vince. The clothes you are wearing will be most suitable.
VINCE: These are men's clothes, miss. Working clothes.
VINCE: I'll, er, I'll find you something, miss. I'll go and find something.
DOCTOR: Ben?
DOCTOR: Ben? Ben! No Ben.
DOCTOR: Curiouser and curiouser.
VINCE: Well done, sir. You're an engineer and no mistake. Doctor, where are you?
DOCTOR: I'm over here.
VINCE: Oh. Found the trouble, then?
DOCTOR: Yes, I always find trouble.
VINCE: Oh, Ben'll be pleased.
DOCTOR: I doubt it.
VINCE: Oh, he will, sir. He couldn't make head nor tail of what were wrong. I wonder where he's got to.
DOCTOR: He's over there, dead. He's been dead some little time.
VINCE: What? Ben. Oh, no!
LEELA: What k*lled him?
DOCTOR: As far as I can tell, a massive electric shock. He d*ed instantly.
VINCE: The generator? But he were always so careful.
LEELA: It was very dark.
VINCE: He had a lantern. Oh, I don't believe it.
DOCTOR: Vince, you'd better go and tell old Reuben what's happened. Go on.
VINCE: Right, sir.
LEELA: You do not believe the machine k*lled him? Then what?
DOCTOR: I thought there might have been something nasty in the coal hole. There's something nasty somewhere.
LEELA: A sea creature?
DOCTOR: What, that can open and shut doors and doesn't so much as leave a wet footprint, and has the ability to drain off electricity?
LEELA: What is wrong?
DOCTOR: That's Ben's lantern.
REUBEN: Ben knew every blessed inch of that there machine. Don't make sense, boy.
VINCE: That's what this Doctor says. Electric shock.
REUBEN: Foreign, is he?
VINCE: I don't think so. Though tis true the young lady speaks a bit strange. Why?
REUBEN: Could be spies.
VINCE: Spies! What would spies want on Fang Rock?
REUBEN: There's the Frogs, the Russkies, Germans too. Can't trust none of them.
VINCE: Oh, they ain't spies.
REUBEN: All this started just about the time they got here. Don't you forget that.
VINCE: You don't think, you ain't saying that they might have done for Ben?
REUBEN: I'm saying there's strange things afoot here tonight, and them two could be at the bottom of it. Reckon I'll just go and take a look at 'em.
VINCE: 'Ere, Reuben.
REUBEN: Aye?
VINCE: You'll have to send a message to the shore station. We'll want a relief boat to take Ben away.
REUBEN: Aye, I'll see to it, boy, soon as it's light. Where is he?
VINCE: Generator room. Oh, I know it don't sound respectful.
REUBEN: That it don't.
VINCE: It's only till the boat gets here.
REUBEN: He won't rest easy, you know, boy.
VINCE: Eh?
REUBEN: If Ben was k*lled by that damn blasted machine, there'll be anger in his soul. And when they die like that, they'll never rest easy.
DOCTOR: This is very interesting, Leela. It's called a Marconi Wireless Telegraph. You can send messages a long way with this.
REUBEN: You leave that be, if you don't mind, mister.
DOCTOR: Sorry. Shouldn't you be using it to report Ben's death?
REUBEN: Wireless won't bring Ben back, will it.
DOCTOR: No.
REUBEN: I'll use the semaphore in the morning.
DOCTOR: You do know how to operate it?
REUBEN: Course, we all does, but Ben
DOCTOR: Was the expert.
REUBEN: I'll use the semaphore tomorrow. Likely the police will be wanting to see you.
DOCTOR: Oh, very likely.
REUBEN: Do you mind?
LEELA: What is it for?
REUBEN: Shroud.
LEELA: What is that?
REUBEN: In England we have proper customs. It ain't fitting for a body just to be left.
DOCTOR: Reuben, do you think we had something to do with your friend's death?
REUBEN: I know what I know, and I know what I think.
DOCTOR: Incontrovertible.
REUBEN: And don't start talking your own lingo to each other, either. I won't have that.
DOCTOR: What are you going to do, clap us in irons?
REUBEN: I'm senior in this station now.
DOCTOR: Reuben, we're only trying to help.
REUBEN: Vince and me will manage, thank you, mister. I'll just go and tend to Ben.
DOCTOR: Stubborn old mule.
LEELA: Doctor, do you think this creature, whatever it is, will return?
DOCTOR: I don't know.
LEELA: Well, if it is out on the rocks, we must take weapons and hunt it.
DOCTOR: I don't fancy playing tag in the fog with something that can do that. I think I'll go and have a word with Vince.
DOCTOR: A fireball? A fireball?
VINCE: Yes.
DOCTOR: What time was that?
VINCE: A couple of hours ago, just getting dusk. It went into the sea, over there.
DOCTOR: How far away?
VINCE: A mile or two, near as I could tell. Don't know how big it was, you see. And then the fog came down and it got cold all of a sudden.
DOCTOR: Yes. Yes, I noticed the cold. You're a good lad, Vince.
VINCE: Thank you, sir.
DOCTOR: Of course, on Pharos they had slaves to keep the bonfires going.
VINCE: I suppose it's all different abroad. Didn't know they still had slaves, though.
DOCTOR: Oh yes, and I'll tell you something else now. On Gallifrey
VINCE: Gallifrey?
DOCTOR: Yes, Galli.
REUBEN: I'll take over here, boy. Time you got some supper.
VINCE: Oh, I'm all right.
REUBEN: Long night ahead of us. Expect you'll be tired, mister.
DOCTOR: Oh no, not a bit of it. Don't mind me.
REUBEN: I, er, stoked the boiler, and made Ben decent. Off you go, boy.
VINCE: Is someone down there? Ben?
VINCE: Reuben! It's Ben! He's walking!
REUBEN: What's that? Pull yourself together, boy.
VINCE: I tell you, he's not down here now. He's gone! You said he would. You said he wouldn't rest
LEELA: Did it come in here? What is the matter?
REUBEN: Vince!
DOCTOR: Reuben, there's a light out there.
REUBEN: What?
DOCTOR: There's a light out there.
LEELA: The dead do not walk. That is not possible.
VINCE: Well all I know is I heard a dragging sort of noise and when I came down here, he'd gone.
LEELA: Well, there was something out on the rocks just now.
VINCE: Hello? Right. It's Reuben. He says there's a ship off the rocks. She's going to strike.
REUBEN: You'm right. Steam yacht, by the look of it.
DOCTOR: And going fast.
REUBEN: He's a fool to be going at all on a night like this.
REUBEN: Warning devices, Vince.
VINCE: I got 'em.
REUBEN: Take over the siren. She'll strike any minute.
WOMAN: Help! Please, somebody, help me!
MAN: Steer the boat!
REUBEN: It's too late. They're too close to alter course. She's going to strike!
`
The Doctor
Tom Baker
Leela
Louise Jameson
Reuben
Colin Douglas
Vince Hawkins
John Abbott
Ben
Ralph Watson
Lord Palmerdale
Sean Caffrey
James Skinsale
Alan Rowe
Adelaide Lessage
Annette Woollett
Harker
Rio Fanning
Writer
Terrance Dicks
Assistant Floor Manager
Bill Hartley
Costumes
Joyce Hawkins
Designer
Paul Allen
Film Cameraman
John Walker
Incidental Music
Dudley Simpson
Make-Up
Jackie Hodgson
Production Assistant
Peter Grimwade
Production Unit Manager
John Nathan-Turner
Script Editor
Robert Holmes
Special Sounds
d*ck Mills
Studio Lighting
Bob Gell
Studio Sound
David Hughes
Theme Arrangement
Delia Derbyshire
Title Music
Ron Grainer
Visual Effects
Peter Pegrum
Producer
Graham Williams
Director
Paddy Russell
Tom Baker
Leela
Louise Jameson
Reuben
Colin Douglas
Vince Hawkins
John Abbott
Ben
Ralph Watson
Lord Palmerdale
Sean Caffrey
James Skinsale
Alan Rowe
Adelaide Lessage
Annette Woollett
Harker
Rio Fanning
Writer
Terrance Dicks
Assistant Floor Manager
Bill Hartley
Costumes
Joyce Hawkins
Designer
Paul Allen
Film Cameraman
John Walker
Incidental Music
Dudley Simpson
Make-Up
Jackie Hodgson
Production Assistant
Peter Grimwade
Production Unit Manager
John Nathan-Turner
Script Editor
Robert Holmes
Special Sounds
d*ck Mills
Studio Lighting
Bob Gell
Studio Sound
David Hughes
Theme Arrangement
Delia Derbyshire
Title Music
Ron Grainer
Visual Effects
Peter Pegrum
Producer
Graham Williams
Director
Paddy Russell