Monday 22 June 2009

Scene 2

Scene 2: TARDIS console room

(Paul is sitting in a chair opposite the console and reading a book whilst behind the console a hand pops up every so often, pats the console looking for something, finds a tool and then disappears behind the console again)

Paul: (closing the book) I rather enjoyed that book, Doctor, thanks for finding it for me.

(Sound of banging from behind the console)

Doctor: (shouting above the banging) WHAT? CAN’T HEAR YOU, PAUL! DID YOU SAY SOMETHING?

Paul: (raising his voice) I said that I enjoyed that book that you found for me Doctor

Doctor: (still shouting) SORRY! CAN’T HEAR A WORD YOU’RE SAYING! (And stops banging)

Paul: (starts to shout just as the Doctor stops banging) I SAID THAT I LIKED THAT BOOK YOU FOUND FOR ME!

(The Doctor peers over the console edge looking at Paul with disdain)

Doctor: There’s no need to shout you know. I’m not deaf!

(Paul throws his hands up in despair as the Doctor sinks below the console again. A few seconds later a hand pops up again and starts feeling around for something)

Doctor: (from beneath the console) You couldn’t find me a neutron ram could you? I seem to have misplaced it.

(Paul gets out of the chair and moves to the console where a series of odd looking tools are laid out. He has a good look and then picks one up at random, leans over the console and dangles it by the Doctor’s hand. The Doctor takes it)

Doctor: (from beneath the console) Oh, well done Paul. We’ll make a TARDIS engineer out of you yet! So what did you make of that book then?

Paul: The Three Musketeers? (He goes back to the chair and picks the book up)

Doctor: That’s the one! (There is a flash of light from behind the console and a small column of smoke raises accompanied by the Doctor swearing in Gallifreyan)

Paul: It’s not that bad, but…

Doctor: But what?

Paul: Well I can’t understand why Porthos would kill himself, just to get rid of a detachment of the Cardinals' guards. I mean, collapse the cave by all means, but at least escape first!

(The Doctor peers over the edge of the console, look at Paul wearily, then emerges blowing on his fingers)

Doctor: You have, I hope at any rate, read the book from start to finish?

Paul: Of course I have!

Doctor: Then you know full well that Porthos was quite an elderly gentleman at the time of the incident. It seems better to go out in a blaze of glory, and take some of the enemy out as well, than die in a glorious chateau in the south of France sipping wine and eating regional cheese. (He dips behind the console again, and then pops up). Mind you, that said!

Paul: (interrupting) My point exactly, Doctor. Porthos didn’t have to go anywhere, least of all to his death!

Doctor: (sighing) You know, Paul, I think it’s high time that we met Monsieur Porthos and his companions and then you’ll see that I’m right. (He closes the console and starts typing in something as he speaks) Now, let me think. May 17th 1625 should do the trick. Now provided I have my mathematics correct we should arrive at the beginning.

Paul: (puzzled) Beginning?

Doctor: Yes, when Monsieur D’Artagnan first met the Musketeers. (He presses a button and the central column starts to move)

No comments:

Post a Comment