Scream of the Shalka (webcast): Difference between revisions

On the surface, Greaves is telling Joe that the area is still not safe as there is a possibility of lava becoming dry later on. Joe shouts that he can’t believe Alison is gone but Greaves ignores him and says that the next evacuation truck will come along in ten minutes and that he is going to be on it. Joe says “I’m not going anywhere without –” but then the ground starts to shake and a series of cracks appear on the ground. There’s a flash of light and they see Alison standing there. Joe runs to her and Greaves calls for a stretcher party. Joe asks her if she’s ok but she seems to be in a bit of a daze and asks where she is. He replies that she’s back in Lannet and she realises that the Shalka let her go which she doesn’t understand. She then also realises that they killed the Doctor but Joe assures her that she’s safe now and that they’re leaving.

The Doctor is falling through an infinite void. He calls Kennet using his portable phone but the Major does not answer. He leaves him a message saying he’s about to die and the aliens are called the Shalka. He also explains about the wormhole and that if the army can destroy it then the Shalka may do a deal with them. He then laments how he got Alison killed and that it’s not the first time so that means it’s best that he not do this anymore. He also says that he has some last words for the universe; “they are……battery low??!!” when he notices his phone is low on power. He then uses the [[sonic screwdriver]] to try and fix the phone, declaring that he will have his last words. He says that this is not how he wanted to spend his last remaining… But his sentence drifts off as he thinks about time and that then makes him think of the TARDIS; realising the phone he’s holding is part of the TARDIS and tries to make the phone remember that using the sonic screwdriver. The doors to the TARDIS then begin to appear in front of him piece by piece. The Doctor shouts that he only needs a handle and not to worry about the sign! With that, a handle appears and the Doctor opens the door and pulls himself inside the TARDIS.

He finds himself facing the Master and the three Shalka. The Master is thrilled that the Doctor is alive but one of the Shalka hisses at him so he instead berates him for profaning a craft of the Shalka Confederacy with his presence. The Doctor politely introduces himself to the Shalka as he walks towards the console and then he introduces the Master who, he notices, isn’t holding onto anything. The Master then quickly grabs a nearby handrail and the Doctor presses a button on the console which opens the doors and sucks the three Shalka out of the TARDIS and into the void of the black hole. The Master prepares to explain himself but the Doctor tells him he doesn’t have to which pleases him and he asks the Doctor if he’s saved the day. He replies that he hasn’t and tells the Master to help him; adding that there is a chance she may still be alive. He begins to say that they need to do a biological scan of the caves but the Master cuts in by asking who the Doctor is referring to. He replies that he means Alison and the Master, disdainfully, says “A young woman?! Again?!” The Doctor re-affirms this and the TARDIS begins to take off but he tells the Master to stop as they can’t leave yet because of the Shalka force field. But the Master cuts in by saying that it’s now been set to hold the TARDIS in the secondary configuration mode. The Doctor tells him that he has to be sure but the Master replies that the programming the Doctor did on his electronic brain is quite specific: they leave Alison behind. The Doctor sighs that he can’t do this anymore but the Master points out that he just did. As always, he is at least two things at one which the Master calls his “most infuriatingly human trait”. The TARDIS dematerialises from the cave as a few Shalka watch.

It rematerialises in Kennet’s office. The Doctor steps out and the Major remarks that he’s surprised to see him. The Doctor apologises for his earlier behaviour towards Kennet and his men but the Major cuts in that the reason for his surprise is that Alison told them that he was thrown into a black hole. The Doctor is astonished that she’s alive but questions why the Shalka let her go. Kennet replies that she doesn’t know and they will bring her in to get the full story from her which the Doctor agrees needs to be done quickly but adds that, for the moment, he would rather she keep away so that she and Joe can talk. Kennet then beholds the TARDIS and finds it fascinating. He remarks that he hasn’t seen one since he was a young man. He asks the Doctor, now that he has the TARDIS, why he’s still there and he replies that it’s because of the message he left for the Major. Kennet then begins to play back the message but the Doctor stops it after a few seconds, saying that it’s nothing the Major needs to hear. He asks Kennet if they can now manage on their own and he confirms that they can but the Doctor tells him that he has now found some form and may not be quite so useless. Kennet replies that it’s a pity they won’t get to find out when Greaves suddenly steps in, gasping for breath, and reports that they’ve managed to capture one of the Shalka. He then notices the Doctor and is disappointed, hoping that he got crushed under the avalanche but Kennet silences him. Greaves apologises and asks for permission to speak freely and retroactively which Kennet grants. The Doctor begins to ask if he can see the captured Shalka but stops himself. However, Kennet tells him that he can.