| The Ariane Conspiracy Part Two |
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11. INT HOSPITAL WARD WE HEAR THE BEEPING SOUND OF HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT DOCTOR: She's as comfortable as we can make her for now. I suggest you go home and get some sleep. There's nothing more for us to do until the CAT scan can be carried out in the morning. Once we've got a full picture of the damage we'll know whether the situation is operable. MR. PARRINDER: This is all my fault doctor, my own daughter… How could I have let things get this bad? DOCTOR: Don't go blaming yourself. When the police finish their investigation they'll realise it was no one's fault. MR. PARRINDER: I only wish it was that simple… WE HEAR THE DOCTOR WALK AWAY ANDERSON: (ANGRILY) I knew it was a mistake to allow your family in on this project. You seem to court disaster wherever you go. Do you realise how close we came tonight, to complete shut down of operations? MR. PARRINDER: How long have you been standing there? ANDERSON: Long enough to know the damage your family has done to our mission. MR. PARRINDER: I don't see how? She's only a child. What harm could she do? ANDERSON: (SCATHINGLY) Only one child! You don't see it do you? Just what will the doctor make of it when he does his scans and X-rays. What if they attempt to take blood samples? MR. PARRINDER: All right! I get the point, but we can't move her. Her condition's not stable. What if she dies? ANDERSON: You're forgetting the thousands back home who are about to die… Do you want their deaths on your conscience? We were sent here to carry out a mission vital to the survival of our people and I'll not let you, or anyone else, stop me from fulfilling my obligation. MR. PARRINDER: But at what cost? If we succeed we may aid our own world, but what about this one? There must be another way… perhaps if we ask the Earth authorities they will help us. ANDERSON: You know as well as I that they will never give us what we desire. Besides, their eco-system will recover eventually. Without that water our world will be a barren cinder within another two generations. MR. PARRINDER: I'm a scientist. I've studied the projections. It will take three hundred of their years for the biosphere to replenish itself, but what of the people and the animals? When the solar flare reaches the upper atmosphere they will be horribly irradiated. ANDERSON: That is a technicality that cannot be avoided. The forward reconnaissance mission deemed this planet free from intelligent life. How could we know that their evolution is so much faster than our own? It's too late for recriminations. The schedule for departure is set, and that's final. I suggest that you find some way do deal with your daughter's injuries and remove her from this place before any more curious doctors start requesting diagnostic tests. WE HEAR HIM WALK AWAY THEN STOP AND TURN AROUND. ANDERSON: Jay, I'd rather leave with you on board, but if you try to hold us back in any way I'm happy to give the retrieval order alone. INTO THEME
PAUL: (TP) Elena are you alone? ELENA: (TP) Sure Paul why… (JAUNTING FX) PAUL: I just fancied coming over to see how you're doing. ELENA: (DISBELIEVING) Are you sure that's the reason? PAUL: Well… the idea of being stuck in the Lab all day with his lordship was driving me just a little crazy… ELENA: I thought you had an important exam at Uni today? PAUL: (UNCERTAIN) I have, it's just that…I don't really see the point any more… I mean… things have changed haven't they? I don't really need to work. None of us do…John never did! ELENA: And you want to quit and live a life of leisure? Is that what you came all the way over hear to talk to me about? PAUL: Well, hmmm…Yes… and no… (SIGHS) Can we change the subject? Please? ELENA: OK, we'll discuss it later, when there's less going on. I, for one, rather like my job it gives me a sense of normality. Something we could all do with more of in our lives. PAUL: I know, I know. Long term planning was never something that worried me before. But today… I just need some space… away from the oppressive atmosphere of the lab. ELENA: (WARMLY) I understand, Paul. You're here now. Fancy a cuppa? WE HEAR ELENA AND PAUL WALKING ACROSS THE HALLWAY. PAUL: This is a nice house. Were you brought up here? ELENA: Oh no. My parents moved out here, from London, when Dad took early retirement. They needed the space to house his collection. PAUL: What exactly does he collect? You mentioned pets last night. ELENA: They're not exactly pets… Dad collects rare species of spiders, snake and other assorted reptiles. PAUL: Yuk! Oh sorry. I didn't mean… ELENA: That's OK, I'm not too keen on them myself. But thanks to TK I can feed them from the far side of the room without actually putting my arm in the tanks. They're kept at the back, in the conservatory. I'll show you later, if you're interested? PAUL: I think I'd like a coffee first. If that's OK? WE HEAR THEM WALK ON PAUL: Yeah. You'll never believe it, but someone at Kourou had actually programmed those retros to fire when they did. They must have known what it would do to the rocket. I think there's something very fishy going on at the European Space Centre. ELENA: What does John think? It seems to me that someone was trying to deliberately trash the new satellite. Do we know what its purpose was? PAUL: Now that's where it gets very interesting. It was a new telescope. Part of a world wide early warning system, to guard against rogue comets what might stray too close to the Earth. ELENA Typical Saps… just when they start working together, on a really worthwhile venture, somebody has to go and ruin it for the rest of the planet. Sometimes I think we can't break out fast enough. The sooner the TP's are running the world, the better! (JAUNTING FX) TIM: Hello, Elena. This is the second night running you've come here at this time. Is there anything wrong? ELENA: No, TIM, not really… I just had a bad dream again, that's all. TIM: How about some warm milk? (FX AS DRINK APPEARS) ELENA: Thanks… (PAUSE) TIM: Perhaps if you talk about the dream… Does it remind you of anything in particular? ELENA: Yes, and no… It's difficult to describe… I'm a young girl. I'm scared, almost terrified, of something. Someone was chasing me, although I don't know who. Then I run onto the road and a car hits me. It was horrific! TIM: It sounds to me like a fairly typical stress related dream. ELENA: I know, TIM. That's what I thought too, last night. There's something different about this dream--- a feeling like the events are real. Like I was receiving it telepathically. Has anything like this ever happened to a TP before? TIM: The Tomorrow People have shared dreams on a few occasions. One was a message sent by Peter in the past. One was Andrew, before his breakout, when he projected an image of the Headless Highlander to scare the staff at his father's hotel. ELENA: Perhaps this is something similar? Perhaps a TP is breaking out and I'm picking up the signal? TIM: I think that if a TP were breaking out, we'd all have picked up something by now… There is one curiosity about the content of your dream. Earlier this evening I was monitoring something… Please watch the view screen. NEWS CORRESPONDENT: I am standing outside the Royal Hallamshire Hospital where a child is currently in intensive care following a horrific road accident. Over a dozen reliable witnesses have given statements that indicate the girl ran directly in front of a car. The accident happened when a stranger, believed to be her father, prevented the girl from boarding a bus. The bus driver has told us that she was terrified of this man and struggled free from his grasp before running into the road. Police are currently questioning the father, Dr. Jason Parrinder, and decline to comment on the unusual circumstances surrounding the accident. Dr. Parrinder is currently on leave from the European Space Agency where he was working on the Trackstat Project. The police deny a possible link between this accident and the crash of the Ariane Six Rocket. (PAUSE) This is David Farthing for North East Today… ELENA: That does seem like a coincidence, but there must have been dozens of accidents during the day. Who is this girl? What made you monitor coverage of this accident? TIM: According to the hospital computer records her name is Jennifer Parrinder. She is seven years old and lives in Broughton, Lancashire, with her father. Since the Ariane crash two days ago, and John's subsequent suspicions about its cause, I have been monitoring all telephone, fax, radio and Internet traffic searching for particular key words. Last night, a few hours before the accident, someone made a call to the Preston Police claiming that an alien had replaced Dr. Parrinder. ELENA: TIM, you're a marvel! TIM: Thank you, Elena. I would have dismissed this incident had it not been that Dr. Parrinder is chief scientific advisor to the European Space Agency and currently working on the Trackstat Project. ELENA: How is the girl now? TIM: In a bad way. The hospital computer shows her vital signs are weakening. ELENA: Set the coordinates and I'll jaunt over there straight away. (WE HEAR ELENA STEP ONTO THE JAUNTING PAD) TIM: Shouldn't we call John and Paul first? ELENA: What if she dies? Or this whole thing turns out to be nothing but a bad dream? I don't want to drag them out of bed, on a wild goose chase, if I can help it. TIM: Very well, Elena. Take care (JAUNTING EFFECT) WE HEAR THE SOUND OF A HEART MONITOR IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT. (JAUNTING FX) ELENA: (TALKING TO HERSELF) Oh my, you poor thing. Let's see what they've done to you… ELENA: (TP) TIM, can you interpret these computer readings and medical notes for me please? TIM: (TP) It appears that Jenny is suffering from a cerebral haematoma. Unless the pressure is released immediately she will suffer permanent brain damage. This problem could even cause her death. ELENA: (TP AS MUCH TO HERSELF AS TO TIM) Surely the Saps realize the seriousness of her condition? Why aren't they doing anything about it? TIM: (TP) I don't know, Elena. Perhaps they do not have the facilities available to perform the surgery she requires. ELENA: (TP) OK then, it's up to me. Send me a matter transporter so I can bring her back to the lab? TIM: (TP) Elena, I know that you have Jenny's best intentions at heart, but do you think it wise to interfere in Sap affairs without consulting the others? ELENA: (TP) You said yourself that she could die imminently if not treated. I'm determined to prevent that from happening. TIM: (TP) I know that you are Elena. In her current condition I wouldn't advise that she be moved at all. The rigors of being teleported could do more harm than good. ELENA: (TP) What if I heal her first then jaunt her back? Can you send me the information I need to perform the procedure? TIM: (TP) I'd prefer it if you consulted John about this first. Taking matters into your own hands isn't like you. ELENA: (TP) No one else may be interested, not even her own family, but I'm going to try and save her life either with or without your help. TIM: (TP) Very well, Elena. I know how much this means to you. I will
help. Hold out your hand and probe gently into her brain tissues… WEBSTER: Webster to base. Target spotted. They took the bait and came to the girl's bedside. Over. ANDERSON: Good, any sign of Parrinder? Over. WEBSTER: No. He went home. What are my instructions? Over. ANDERSON: How many are there? Over. WEBSTER: Just one. A young woman, about twenty-four years old I'd say. Looks like she's examining the kid. Do you want me to intercept or detain her? ANDERSON: No, keep your distance. She can't be working alone. The last thing we want is to alert the authorities to our presence. Whoever these people are we must stop them interfering in the rest of the mission. WEBSTER: Very well I'll keep surveillance… (JAUNTING FX) My god! She just disappeared and took the kid with her. ANDERSON: Damn! These humans are more advanced than we originally thought. It is of no concern. Return to base, we'll track her from here. Anderson out. (JAUNTING FX) ELENA: Morning John, I'd like you to meet Jennifer Parrinder. Daughter of Dr. Jason Parrinder, the scientist responsible for the Trackstat Satellite. JOHN: (TP) What the hell were you thinking when you brought a Sap child to the lab? Don't you care what happens to the rest if us? ELENA: (TP EXTREMELY ANGRY) I was saving the poor kids life the only way I knew how, by sticking my neck out and taking actions you seem too scared of taking. JOHN: (TP) Now hold on. That's not fair! You didn't even tell us about this. What made you decide to bring her here? ELENA: (TP) She was running away from home… away from her father… when she was hit by a car. She needed help and I was the only one around to give it! (JAUNTING FX) PAUL: Morning all… Woo did I walk into an atmosphere or what? ELENA: Stay out of it, Paul. This is between John and me. JOHN: (TP) No, Elena. That's where you're wrong. Everything you do falls back on us. We're a team remember? I can see that there is more behind your actions than you're prepared to reveal, something to do with those dream perhaps? ELENA: (TP EXTREMELY ANGRY) Stay out of my head. (SWITCHING TO SPEECH) I made a decision without you that's all. I may have personal reasons for doing it but that's my own business. Jenny was in a serious condition. I healed her and brought her here for her own safety. I see no harm in that! JOHN: OK, we'll talk about this without telepathy but I do think it would be better if Jenny didn't hear everything I have to say. Paul, would you take her upstairs and show her your room. Maybe TIM can play a game with her on the monitor? PAUL: (KNOWING WHEN TO STAY OUT OF THINGS) Sure John, anything you say. (WE HEAR PAUL AND JENNY CLIMB THE METAL STAIRCASE) JOHN: Well, where shall we begin? Do you want to tell me about what's been bothering you recently or shall we play guessing games all day? ELENA: Nothing's bothering me. Well, nothing that has anything to do with my being a TP. JOHN: Everything you do is related to your being a TP. That's something you can't avoid. Are you tired of being involved? Is that it? Would you like to leave, like the others, and live a totally separate life? ELENA: (WORRIED ABOUT BEING MISUNDERSTOOD) No, of course not. I like it here with you and Paul. I feel purpose to what we do. It's just this Ariane conspiracy business. When will the Saps stop what they're doing to the planet and start being responsible for their own future? JOHN: (LIGHTENING UP A BIT) That's something that I've wondered about for over thirty years. But it doesn't explain why you brought the girl here? ELENA: She was in a really bad way. TIM can confirm that. TIM: Elena is quite right, had she not operated immediately I do believe that the girl would have died in the next few minutes. ELENA: The Sap doctors hadn't done anything to help her condition? Not even her own father was there at her bedside. JOHN: He's a very busy man. He's got a rocket crash to deal with. Perhaps he couldn't cope with the strain of it all? ELENA: What about the circumstances of her accident? It seems such a strange coincidence that she's the daughter of the person responsible for the Trackstat Satellite and that it was her father she was running away from when she ran in front of that car. JOHN: OK, I get your point. But next time you go jaunting off on… WE HEAR AN EXPLOSION. ARMED TROOPS STORM THE LAB. THERE IS SHOUTING AND CONFUSION ALL AROUND. WEBSTER: Stay right where you are. Don't move a muscle or I'll shoot. ELENA: (TP) Who are they? I thought the SIS had agreed to leave us alone? JOHN: (TP) Whoever they are, they're not SIS. Just look at those markings on the uniform. Doesn't it say European Space Agency? TIM: (TP) John, they seem totally unaware of who they are dealing with. Do you want me to stun them, or to jaunt you away? JOHN: (TP) No, TIM. I'm curious about where this is leading. Let's see what happens. WEBSTER: OK, where's the girl? We know you've kidnapped her. Where are you hiding her? JOHN: I really have no idea who you are talking about. WE HEAR THE HISS OF A WEAPON ON SOME SORT, THEN THE HUM OF A RADIO. WEBSTER: Webster to base. Over ANDERSON: Anderson here, what's your situation? WEBSTER: Location secured. The unknown agents have been neutralised. There's no sign, as yet, of the girl. Awaiting further instructions. Over. ANDERSON: The tracking device is still transmitting; she's there all right. Find her and get back here as soon as you can. And bring the enemy agents with you. Over and out. WEBSTER: OK people, you heard what the boss said. Tear this place apart. I want her found and found quick! PAUL: I don't like the sound of this. Something is happening downstairs. JENNY: Is John mad at me? PAUL: Of course not, he's a little upset with Elena, that's all. WE HEAR THE TROOPS STORM INTO THE ROOM BELOW PAUL: (TP) TIM. What's going on down there? TIM: (TP) Get away, Paul. Use this matter transporter (FX AS IT APPEARS) Take Jenny with you. Get out of here fast! WE HEAR THE SOLDIERS CHARGE UP THE STAIRS GUNS BLAZING JUST AS PAUL AND JENNY DEMATERIALIZE.
18. INT ALIEN BASE ANDERSON: (IMPATIENTLY) Let's go over this again. You're saying that you never heard of Jenny Parrinder? JOHN: That is correct. ANDERSON: And you Miss? ELENA: Elena. ANDERSON: Elena, you're saying that it wasn't you at her bedside yesterday. That you didn't use some kind of device to take her to your secret base in London? ELENA: I don't know who you think we are. I don't have the foggiest idea what you're talking about. ANDERSON: (MENACINGLY) Do I look like a fool? We found you in an underground base. We tracked Jenny to that location. She was there. We know it. What we want to know now is where you're taken her since? JOHN: (INNOCENTLY) I'm sorry, Sir. Perhaps the drugs you used on us have wiped our memories. What underground base? ANDERSON: Ahhh! (BANGS FIST ON TABLE) This is getting us nowhere. You may think you can play games with me but you don't know who you're dealing with. JOHN: (AUTHORITATIVELY) Now that's a very good point. Who exactly are you people? Who are you working with? And under who's authority have you brought us here? ANDERSON: Silence! I'm the one doing the interrogating. You're the first humans I've encountered who had this type of technology. Take these belts, for instance. They're way beyond anything I've seen the military use before. We have operatives in almost every research facility in the world. Just who are you people? JOHN: (TP) Have you heard enough of this, Elena? ELENA: (TP) Certainly have. They can't be Saps they seem to have no idea of who we are. I wonder what they want with Jenny and, come to think of it, why they sabotaged the Ariane space program? JOHN: (TP) I have no idea but I doubt he, or his guards over there, are going to willingly tell us anything useful. Let's jaunt out of here and discuss it with TIM. ELENA: (TP) If TIM's still in one piece? JOHN: (TP) The sooner we find out the better. (JAUNTING FX) WE HEAR THE NOISE OF THE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC OVERLAYED WITH JAUNTING FX. ELENA: Looks like it was a good idea to do a reccé first. There's still two men guarding the street entrance. JOHN: (APOLOGETICALLY) I'm sorry, Elena. ELENA: What for? JOHN: For arguing with you earlier. You were right to make the decision you did. Jenny was in danger and you did the only thing possible at the time. ELENA: But it was me who led them back to the lab! JOHN: You didn't know they had her under surveillance. You acted on your instinct, that's good enough for me. ELENA: Thanks, John. It's all water under the bridge now. My more immediate concern is what they've done to TIM. We've been out of contact for three hours now. JOHN: If they've searched the lab thoroughly they probably found the power over ride switch. I'm more concerned for Paul and Jenny. I hope that they got away all right. ELENA: (TP) Paul, can you hear me Paul? JOHN: It's no use, Elena. He's either unable to hear us or incapable of responding. (PAUSE) We can't get into the lab to check on TIM. Any suggestions where we can go? ELENA: Actually, yes. I know just the place.
JAUNTING FX FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF SOMEONE SNORING. ELENA: That's a noise I recognize. Someone's obviously found there way here. JOHN: Sounds like it's coming from the lounge. WE HEAR THEM ENTER THE ROOM ELENA: (SHAKING PAUL) Wake up sleeping beauty. The cavalry has arrived. PAUL: What! Huh… Am I glad to see you, I called you and TIM for hours… must have fallen asleep. JOHN: Where's Jenny? Did you bring her here with you? PAUL: Sure. (LOOKS AROUND) She was here just a little while ago. I put on the TV to amuse her. I hope that's OK with you, Elena? ELENA: Of course it is. It was good thinking to bring her to my parent's house. (TEASING) Can we assume that you gave her something to eat, showed her to the bathroom and the spare guest bedroom before you fell asleep yourself? PAUL: Well… I… errr… WE HEAR THE DOOR BURST OPEN AND AN EXCITED JENNY RUNS UP TO ELENA. JENNY: Elena, it is you. I'm so glad that the aliens didn't get you. JOHN: Aliens? What aliens? ELENA: (TP) Later, John. I don't want to upset her again. (SWITCHING TO SPEECH) Where have you been Jenny? We were getting worried. JENNY: I was playing with George. JOHN: Who's George? JENNY: Here he is! WE HEAR ALL THREE TP'S YELP WITH SURPRISE AS JENNY HOLDS UP A LARGE SPIDER. JENNY: George likes me. He came out of his tank straight away to play with me. PAUL: Is that a tarantula? ELENA: (TP) Actually no, I think it's one of the African red backs, Lathrodectus hasselltii. It has a highly venomous, possibly fatal bite. JOHN: (TP) Don't any of you say a thing to scare the girl. Elena, she responds best to you. Can you persuade her to take it back to its tank? ELENA: How about some breakfast? Jenny, are you hungry? Would you like some cereal? JENNY: Yes please. ELENA: It's probably George's breakfast time too. Let's take him back to his friends. WE HEAR ELENA AND JENNY LEAVE THE ROOM. JOHN: (RELIEVED) That's better. What's all this about aliens? Did she mention anything to you before? PAUL: Yeah, but I thought she was just a kid with an over active imagination. She said that she ran away because they'd replaced her dad and wanted to stop her telling the police. JOHN: If it's true, it would go a long way towards explaining what's going on around here. Although, it beats me why they would want to sabotage the European Space Program. PAUL: So what do we do now? I take it that TIM is still out of action? JOHN: I think it's high time we paid Dr. Jason Parrinder a visit. PAUL: (CONCERNED) What, straight away? JOHN: (LAUGHING) Don't worry, ANDERSON: Thank you, Webster. You can switch off the video now. WEBSTER: Will there be anything else? ANDERSON: Wait outside. I'll call when I need you. WEBSTER: Very well, Sir. WE HEAR WEBSTER LEAVE THE ROOM CLOSING THE DOOR CAREFULLY BEHIND HIM. PARRINDER: Who are they? What do they want with Jenny? ANDERSON: We're not sure yet. They seem to have some very advanced technology in their secret base. The humans must have been alerted to our mission. These agents were undoubtedly sent to stop us! The stakes are much higher now we'll have to bring the recall order forward. PARRINDER: But why Jenny? Why kidnap her? ANDERSON: Just look at you man? You've hardly eaten or slept since she was taken from the hospital. Can't you see what they're doing? They know how important your performance is to the mission. They're getting at us through you. PARRINDER: Why? I still don't see why? If the humans know about us they could storm our base at any time…destroy the uplink… none of this makes any sense. ANDERSON: It makes perfect sense to me. But we're not going to let them stop us. Thanks to Webster's quick thinking he placed a tracking device into Jenny's clothing. The data took some time to interpret due to its unusual nature but we now know exactly where they're keeping your daughter. PARRINDER: Where? Is she safe? Can we get her back? ANDERSON: Of course we're going to get her back. That's why I called you in here. They're located in a house on the outskirts of the village of Woodchurch in Kent. Webster has a car organised to take you there straight away. PARRINDER: But what if they won't give her back? What if they resist? ANDERSON: With the mission schedule moved up there's no need for secrecy any more. I give you full authorisation to kill them, burn the house down if you must. Just make sure you get your daughter back and be at the launch site in three hours time. PARRINDER: Kill them? ANDERSON: What better way to make sure they don't interfere any further with the mission? Don't tell me you've not got the bottle? Not even to save your daughter's life? PARRINDER: Jenny means everything to me. Don't worry, Sir; I'll do my duty. ANDERSON: (MEANING SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY) I'm not worried at all. Send Webster in on your way out. I want to speak to him before you leave. (BEAT) WEBSTER: You asked for me, Sir? ANDERSON: You realize that the future of our entire race depends on our success tomorrow? WEBSTER: Certainly, Sir. As soon as we re-energize the ship we can tow off the Earth's ice caps and take the water back to our own world. It is a brilliantly conceived plan. You will go down in the history books as the saviour of our planet. ANDERSON: (WITH FALSE MODESTY) I know… I know. But I'm fearful that Dr. Parrinder no longer shares the significance of our assignment. We must not let him obstruct us from our solemn duty. You must not let him jeopardize everything for the sake of warm-hearted sentimentality. Do you understand what I am telling you? WEBSTER: Yes, Sir. If he so much as falters in the task you have set him I will not hesitate to kill him along with his daughter and the human agents. ANDERSON: (SATISFIED WITH THE REPLY) Very good, we understand each other perfectly. END PART TWO INTO THEME |
