The
Olympian Experiment
by
Robin
Gordon
Episode
5: The Polyfemos
SCENE 61 (continued)
Inside
the Humans’ cell. The Doctor and Sarah are huddled
together. Two Daleks enter the cell.
DALEK:
I
am O-dys-seus, King of the Da-leks.
The
top of the Dalek travel-machine opens and Odysseus appears.
The other Dalek top opens and Elpenor sticks his head out.
ELPENOR:
I
have heard the song of the Siren and sung the song of the
Dalek. Exterminate! Exterminate!
ODYSSEUS:
That
reminds me. Stand clear!
Odysseus
swings round and blasts a couple of rocks near the entrance.
SARAH:
Was
that really necessary?
DOCTOR:
Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude
to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative – in other
words, to fool the Circeans. [To
Odysseus]:
How did you do it?
ODYSSEUS:
I always did have an inventive turn of mind. It
wasn’t difficult dismantling those Daleks once I’d
seen you do the first. Oh, yours, I believe. [He hands over the
Doctor's
sonic screwdriver].
We emptied one each, and we
were just trying them for size, when the only one left set off along
the cavern bellowing "Exterminate: Exterminate!" So we
followed and exterminated it. Now I suggest you sneak along
to the Dalek cave, where you’ll find your travel machines
ready and waiting, while Elpenor and I create a small
diversion. [To
Elpenor]: Are you ready to
sing the song of the Dalek
again?
Odysseus
and Elpenor huddle down into their Dalek travel machines. The
Doctor and Sarah close their tops.
* *
*
SCENE
62
The
Council Chamber of the Polyfemos, who are watching the scene in the
cavern on a Cyclopic Screen. They see the Daleks come out of
the Human’s cell.
AIAIA:
The
alien creatures are destroyed. Let the Daleks return to their
stable.
The
Daleks turn in the opposite direction, swinging their viewing tubes
from side to side as if searching for more aliens to
exterminate. They blast a pile of spaceship debris.
AIAIA:
The
Daleks are out of our control. We must apply the full force
of psycho-tranquilisation.
The
Polyfemos concentrate and moan. The Daleks continue their
search.
AIAIA:
The
Polyfemos need the aid of all the Circeans. Let us call on
all the Circean people to help us. Let all work cease, let
those who sleep awaken. The Daleks must be tranquillised
before they exterminate all the alien workers.
The
Polyfemos concentrate and moan. On the screen they see the
Daleks reach the end of the cavern, abandon their search and return to
their cell. The Polyfemos collapse into relieved
exhaustion.
* *
*
SCENE
63
The
construction site, next morning. The work is under the
supervision of several Cyclopic Eyes. The
Alpha-Centauran, four Daleks and an Uperonian-Kentar
arrive. The Uperonian-Kentar begins to lift girders and
panels into position. The Alpha-Centauran begins checking and
calculating. The Daleks move towards the ship.
DOCTOR-DALEK:
We’ve got to disable the hyper-drive. Follow me.
SARAH-DALEK:
I o-bey.
The
Daleks make their way into the lower part of the ship. A
Cyclopic Eye swings low to observe them.
ODYSSEUS-DALEK:
We’ve been spotted.
DOCTOR-DALEK:
Give it all you’ve got.
The
Daleks blast the hyper-drive. Odysseus first blasts the
Cyclopic Eye then joins in the destruction of the hyper-drive.
DOCTOR-DALEK:
That’s enough. Let’s get out of here.
ODYSSEUS
[emerging]:
Abandon Daleks!
They
scramble out of the travel machines and clamber up among the girders
inside the spacecraft, just avoiding the huge claw of an
Uperonian-Kentar which is thrust into the confined space to deal with
the Daleks.
* *
*
SCENE
64
The
construction site. From among the girders of the space-ship
the Doctor, Sarah, Odysseus and Elpenor look down on the claw of the
Uperonian-Kentar as it smashes the Dalek travel-machines to
pieces. They hear the crunching of the metal and the enraged
grunting of the giant beetle. Then it withdraws.
SARAH:
Have we done enough to disable the ship.
DOCTOR:
I
don’t know. We’d letter lie low until
tonight, then I’ll disconnect one or two bits and pieces and
connect them up a different way.
SARAH:
And
with a bit of luck – bang!
Then we can get out of
here.
ODYSSEUS:
When we’ve found Eurylochos.
SARAH:
But
that means going back inside the cave.
ODYSSEUS:
Which is the last place they’ll think of looking for us.
DOCTOR:
They won’t look anyway. We’re
dead. Blasted by Daleks. And now the mutinous
Daleks have been flattened by an Uperonion-Kentar. The
Circeans must be worried by the spread of disaffection.
ODYSSEUS:
Are these Kentars intelligent?
DOCTOR:
No. The Kentars are just giant beetles.
It’s the Uperonians who are intelligent. You see
it’s a sort of parasitic symbiosis. The Uperonians
are brains without bodies, so they’ve taken over several of
the other species on their planet, including the Kentars. If
you look out there you can see the Uperonian above and between the
Kentar’s eyes. It’s completely external
to its host’s body apart from five short probes into the
brain. Yet it controls that body completely.
It’s like the brain of a man grafted onto to beast of burden
– a combination of intelligence and strength.
SARAH:
But
that’s horrible!
ODYSSEUS:
Are they willing servants of the Circeans?
DOCTOR:
About as willing as we were.
ODYSSEUS:
Have you got the crystal?
DOCTOR:
Yes.
The
Doctor produces the crystal. Odysseus takes it and swings
away.
DOCTOR:
Where are you going?
ODYSSEUS:
To gain us an ally.
DOCTOR:
Wait! [To
Sarah]: I
don’t think he ought to do
that.
* *
*
SCENE
65
The
construction site. Odysseus emerges from the spaceship and
approaches an Uperonian-Kentar. It ignores him and continues
its work. He brandishes the crystal in front of its eyes,
leaps up and down, waves his arms, and taunts it like a bull.
It lumbers unheedingly past.
* *
*
SCENE 66
The
Council Chamber of the Polyfemos. On their Cyclopic
Screen they see Odysseus run again to the front of the Uperonian-Kentar
and taunt it with the crystal.
AIAIA:
One
of the Circeoid aliens still lives. It must be destroyed.
Let the Uperonion-Kentar destroy the creature.
* *
*
SCENE
67
The
construction site. The Uperonian-Kentar becomes aware of
Odysseus. It lumbers towards him and begins to raise its
claws. Odysseus brandishes the crystal. Suddenly
the crystal flares then flashes irregularly. The
Uperonian-Kentar stops. Its claws sink to the
ground. The Uperonian brain begins to writhe horribly, then,
suddenly, it detaches itself from the Kentar and falls dead at
Odysseus’ feet. Odysseus jumps back in
horror. For a moment the Kentar remains quiet, then it begins
to gnash its mandibles and to emit a coleopterous snarling.
Odysseus backs slowly away. Suddenly the Kentar swings at him
with one of its claws. He dives out of the way and
flees. The Doctor, Sarah and Elpenor emerge from the ship and
join his flight to the rocky hillside, while the Kentar lashes the air
with its claws and begins to move in slow but accelerating circles.
* *
*
SCENE
68
From
the rocks the Doctor, Sarah, Odysseus and Elpenor watch as the
brainless Kentar hurls itself at the spaceship, crashing through the
outer wall and disappearing inside. There is an explosion
inside the spaceship, followed by another. The whole
structure slowly collapses.
ODYSSEUS:
Was that a big enough bang for you, Doctor?
DOCTOR:
I
doubt if they’ll ever get that
off the
ground. But now they know we’re still alive,
let’s take advantage of the confusion to get out of here.
They
move away in the shelter of the rocks.
* *
*
SCENE
69
They
arrive at the entrance to the cavern. The boulder-door is
open.
DOCTOR:
Isn’t that kind. They’ve left the door
open for us. Come on.
They
enter.
* *
*
SCENE
70
Inside
the cavern. They reach the mouth of a tunnel at the top end.
DOCTOR:
Up
here, I think.
Elpenor
hangs back.
ELPENOR:
That is bad place. I have heard the song of the Siren.
DOCTOR:
That settles it. Follow me.
The
Doctor and Sarah enter the tunnel. Elpenor
hesitates. Odysseus grabs him.
ODYSSEUS:
Where Odysseus goes, Elpenor follows.
ELPENOR:
Yes, my lord.
They
enter the tunnel.
* *
*
SCENE
71
The
Brain-Analysis Chamber. The Doctor, Sarah, Odysseus and
Elpenor enter.
SARAH:
What is it, Doctor?
DOCTOR:
Some sort of laboratory, or operating theatre.
VOICE OF CALUPSO:
You seek your companion as we knew you would. We foresaw your
every move. We predicted that you would return here looking
for the old Circeoid.
ODYSSEUS:
Where is he?
VOICE OF CALUPSO:
The specimen was subjected to brain-analysis. It is
dead. Its fate need not concern you. Give
us the blue crystal.
DOCTOR:
That explains the arrangement of these crystals around the operating
table. Very interesting.
VOICE OF CALUPSO:
There is no point in your puny mind trying to understand our
science. Where is the blue crystal?
DOCTOR:
Who are you? Why do you want another crystal when you have so
many?
VOICE OF CALUPSO:
Your questions are insolent. You are in our power.
We shall hand you over to the Polyfemos of Circe. They will
destroy you. We shall hand you over unless you give us the
crystal.
While
she is speaking, the Doctor moves about the room, apparently out of
aimless curiosity. He stops at one side.
DOCTOR:
I
still want to know who you are.
He
crashes open a crystalline screen dividing the Brain-analysis chamber
from a small office. Calupso, Ogugia and Nausikaa are
revealed. They cower against the wall.
DOCTOR:
So
at last we meet Circeans face to face. Come on out.
We won’t hurt you.
The
Forkiads come out.
ELPENOR:
The Circeoid must worship the Circean.
Elpenor
drops to his knees.
CALUPSO:
If we communicate by telepathy with the Polyfemos they will destroy
your minds.
DOCTOR:
Ah, but you won’t do that or you’ll never get the
crystal. It will appear time and time again to liberate your
slaves and destroy your work. Stalemate, I think.
CALUPSO:
We have underestimated you, Circeoid. You have greater
knowledge than your companion whose brain we analysed. I
shall tell you all.
We are the Forkiads of the Seventeenth Cyclops. It
was our Eye that watched over the stables. When you destroyed
it, our minds were entranced by the power of the blue crystal, but you
did not break the spell before its completion. We were freed
from the thrall that has held our people for so many centuries.
The Circeans did not develop a technology such as we have
heard of by intercepting radio-wave transmissions and seen in the
images contained in the brains we have analysed. Ours was the
contemplative way. Our ideal was to enlarge our minds both
individually and collectively. We developed those faculties
which other races have scorned: telepathy and telekinesis.
Our only artificial aids were crystals which we used to focus and
extend our telepathic powers.
We gained control over every living thing on this planet, and
we longed to extend the powers of our mind to the Seven
Galaxies. This ideal enslaved us. We used up our
energies faster than our bodies could restore them in sleep.
We sought slaves to build spacecraft for us and controlling them
drained more of our energy. The Polyfemos dream that we shall
control the Universe and be daily strengthened by the worship of our
subject races. But we have seen that we have become
parasites, feeding off others and off ourselves. If we are to
survive we must abandon our ambitions and live in freedom on Circe.
That is why we must have the crystal. The Polyfemos
must be made to understand.
DOCTOR:
Here it is.
* *
*
SCENE
72
The
Council Chamber of the Polyfemos.
AIAIA:
Let
Calupso, Ogugia and Nausikaa enter with their prisoners.
Enter
Calupso, Ogugia and Nausikaa with the Doctor, Sarah, Odysseus and
Elpenor. The Forkiads are visibly more erect and energetic
than the languid and exhausted Polyfemos. Their voices are
stronger and it is possible to tell that Calupso and Nausikaa are
female Circeans and that Ogugia is male.
AIAIA:
It
is well. You former Forkiads would have been extinguished and
your vital energy absorbed by us, but for this deed. Explain
to us how the saboteurs were captured.
CALUPSO:
Noble Aiaia, let the Polyfemos hear. The Circeoids have a
crystal which is able to concentrate and reflect back the telepathic
impulses of a mind so that the brain’s power is amplified and
enlarged. That is how they were able to break free of the
power of the Circeans. Being mere primitives with little
understanding of crystallography or encephalo-electronics, they
believed that the crystal was magic, that it freed the slave and
enslaved the master. That is why they showed it to our
Cyclopic Eye. And, while we were temporarily stunned by the
amplification of our own Circean mental powers, they destroyed the Eye.
When we regained consciousness our minds were as strong as
those of the Circeans of old. We forestalled the saboteurs
and easily subdued their puny minds. We took the crystal from
them and now present it to the Polyfemos. Let Aiaia but look
into its depths and the power of the Circeans will be as great as if we
already ruled the Seven Galaxies.
AIAIA:
Can
this be true? Can there be such a crystal? The
Forkiads are changed. They are strengthened. Let us
look into the crystal.
Calupso
gives the crystal to Aiaia.
CALUPSO:
Look deep into its centre. There you will see a blue light
which will grow brighter. It is the amplification of your
mind.
Aiaia
concentrates. Nothing happens.
AIAIA:
We
can see nothing. There is nothing to be seen.
SARAH
[whispering]:
What’s gone wrong?
DOCTOR:
It
must need a human catalyst.
AIAIA:
The
Circeoid creatures are not tranquillised. We have been
deceived. The Circeoids must be destroyed.
The
Polyfemos moan and concentrate. The Doctor, Sarah and
Odysseus clutch their heads. Elpenor falls on his knees.
ELPENOR:
The Circeoid must worship the Circean. I worship you with all
my mind and all my heart.
AIAIA:
What is this? Is this a trick?
CALUPSO:
This one was subjected to special psycho-manipulation using the Siren.
ELPENOR:
I
have heard the song of the Siren. I must the worship the
Circeans.
AIAIA:
The
Circeoid’s fervour is genuine. The Circeoid must
remain quiet in the presence of the Circean. No harm will
come to it.
Elpenor
kneels quietly, whispering to himself, "The Circeoid must worship the
Circean".
AIAIA:
We
must absorb the energy of these aliens.
The
Doctor, Sarah and Odysseus sink to the floor.
CALUPSO:
There is no hope for us. Our race is doomed.
AIAIA:
We
feel their energy flowing into our brains.
ELPENOR:
The Circeoid must worship the Circean. The Circeoid must help
the Circean. The Circeoid must give his life for the Circean.
Elpenor
stares fixedly at the Metabelis crystal which Aiaia is still
holding. It begins to glow.
CALUPSO:
The crystal! It’s glowing! Aiaia, Speaker
of the Circean Polyfemos, salvation is yours.
Aiaia
stares at the crystal.
AIAIA:
I
see a blue flame.
The
Polyfemos moan. The crystal flares brighter and brighter as
they concentrate on it. The Doctor, Sarah and Odysseus are
released from the grip of Circean power and begin to recover
consciousness.
DOCTOR:
It’s working, Sarah. It’s working.
SARAH:
Look!
She
points at Elpenor who has gone into a rigid spasm. The
crystal flares to its brightest, then its glow dies away. The
Polyfemos sigh. Elpenor slowly topples then collapses
dead. The Doctor and Odysseus leap to his side.
DOCTOR:
Dead.
AIAIA:
He
gave his life for us.
Aiaia’s
voice is stronger and deeper. The Polyfemos no longer moan in
unison but occasionally rhubarb as individuals.
AIAIA:
We
read his mind as it was extinguished when our collective energy filled
the crystal. We read the worship in his mind and accepted his
sacrifice because we could not prevent it. The power of the
crystal has cleansed the labyrinth of our thought. The
monstrous greed, which lurked, at its centre and befouled it, is
dead. We are appalled at what we have done. We have
existed as parasites upon the Circeans, and the Circeans have sought to
feed upon the free races of the Universe.
We shall make what amends we can. All the
specimens, that is prisoners,
will be allowed to return to their own
planets. As for you, whom, we called, Circeoids because we
thought you were like us but inferior, how can we repay you for opening
our minds to our own evil?
SARAH:
That’s easy. Just let us go home too.
AIAIA:
So
be it. But let the body of Elpenor remain with us.
We shall give him obsequies befitting the saviour of our race.
ODYSSEUS:
It shall be as you wish.
AIAIA:
Now
we perform our last act as Polyfemos of Circe. We proclaim
freedom, we proclaim the right of the Circean people to elect their
leaders, we appoint Calupso, Ogugia and Nausikaa to govern until then,
and we abdicate all our powers.
Aiaia
bows and leaves the Council Chamber followed by the other members of
the Polyfemos.
CALUPSO:
I
proclaim freedom and love!
Joyful
music and singing.
CALUPSO:
Will you not stay, at least until the new constitution is
established? Your help would be invaluable.
SARAH:
We
really ought to be going.
ODYSSEUS:
I must get home. I have seen dreadful visions.
Agamemnon slain by his wife. Penelope besieged by drunken
gluttons all trying to persuade her to marry them so that they can get
their hands on my property, eating us out of house and home in the
meantime, and plotting to murder my son, Telemachus. The
crystal gave me these visions as warnings. We must hurry
home, Doctor.
DOCTOR:
Be
patient, Odysseus. It will not make any difference to our
time of arrival whether we leave now or in three months time.
We shall arrive at the time the gods will. But, Calupso, we
cannot stay to help you. If you are to be truly free you
cannot depend on outside help. You must discipline your own
inner resources and learn to govern yourselves.
CALUPSO:
We shall always remember your timely assistance. Without you
our race would have died. If there is anything we can do for
you in return, you have only to ask.
DOCTOR:
There is really no need, unless, perhaps, someone could guide us back
to the Tardis. I’m really not quite sure where I
left her.
* *
*
SCENE
73
A
Circean landscape, near where Odysseus first landed. Calupso,
Ogugia, Nausikaa, Aiaia, other Circeans, the Alpha-Centauran, and
possibly some of the other non-humanoid aliens
– but not the Siren or any Uperonians
– accompany the Doctor, Sarah and Odysseus to the
Tardis. The Doctor, Sarah and Odysseus enter the Tardis amid
the friendly farewells of their companions. The Tardis takes off.
* *
*
SCENE
74
Earth:
the sandy beach at Pylos. The Tardis lands. Sarah
and Odysseus come out.
SARAH:
What a marvellous beach. Just look at all that
sand! Is this where you live?
ODYSSEUS:
No. My kingdom is Ithaca, a rocky island with a rocky
shore. This is Pylos. It’s not far from
Ithaca, but it's the last place I want to be just now.
SARAH:
Why?
ODYSSEUS:
I’m in a hurry to get home.
SARAH:
I
don’t see …
ODYSSEUS:
I’ll have to borrow a ship from King Nestor
– and that means I’ll have to listen to
his stories about his youthful exploits. You’d
think no-one else had over been a soldier the way he talks.
Doctor! Can’t we take off again and fly direct to
Ithaca?
The
Doctor comes out of the Tardis and locks the door.
SARAH:
Oh,
no! Just be thankful he’s brought us to the right
planet at the right time. It is
the right planet,
isn’t it, Doctor?
DOCTOR:
Of
course. It’s even the right country. You
heard what Odysseus said:
sandy Pylos, not far from rocky Ithaca.
SARAH:
What about the year? Is it the right year?
DOCTOR:
There’s no doubt about that. We’re right
on time. And here comes the reception committee.
Zeus
and some other Time Lords have materialised. They come up
silently and surround the Doctor and his companions. Zeus
holds out his hand. With a sigh the Doctor hands over the key
of the Tardis. Zeus nods, everyone disappears. A
moment later the Tardis takes off. The beach is deserted.
* *
*
SCENE
75
A
small bare room. Sarah paces up and down, while Odysseus sits
on a bench.
SARAH:
I
wish I knew what was happening. He’s been gone for
hours.
ODYSSEUS:
Try to relax.
SARAH:
You
don’t know what they’re like. If you
break one of their laws, they’re utterly ruthless.
ODYSSEUS:
I have known them all my life. You forget they’re
our gods.
The
door opens. Sarah swings round to look. Odysseus
gets to his feet.
* *
*
SCENE
76
Sarah
and Odysseus are led into the conference room, which has been fitted up
as a court room. They are led into the dock facing the
judges’ bench where Zeus is sitting, flanked by two other
Time Lords. Other Time Lords, including Athene, are in
court. Poseidon is not present.
ZEUS:
Odysseus, son of Laertes, King of Ithaca, and Sarah Jane Smith, Citizen
of the United Kingdom, you may thank the mercy of the High Council of
the Time Lords that it is before this court that you are called and not
before them. According to the decision of Council …
SARAH:
Where’s the Doctor? What have you done with him?
ZEUS:
Hrrmmph!
SARAH:
Where is he?
ZEUS:
I
will answer your question, but you must be brave. In entering
the Trojan zone the Doctor committed a very serious offence.
He broke the first law of the Time Lords and short-circuited our own
time-scale. For this offence he was tried by Council
itself. He was found guilty and condemned to death.
The execution was carried out at once.
Athene
folds back the cloth covering what appeared to be a table in the centre
of the room. It is a bier upon which is lying the body of the
Doctor. Sarah bursts into uncontrollable weeping.
* *
* * *
Doctor
Who: The Olympian Experiment:
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