"THE LONG SLEEP"

Teleplay by:
David Tomblin

Directed by:
Jeremy Summers

Created by:
Gerry and Sylvia Anderson & Reg Hill

Producer:
Reg Hill

Executive Producer:
Gerry Anderson

INTERIOR : SHADO CONTROL
COMMANDER STRAKER crosses the room, saying hello to VARIOUS OPERATIVES, including COLONEL VIRGINIA LAKE, who is looking through a report folder in her hands. She watches as:
Straker crosses the hallway to his office. The doors open and he enters:

INTERIOR : STRAKER'S OFFICE
There is a pile of folders on the desk about a foot high. He sets his briefcase on the desk, picks a cigarillo from a silver pail on the desk and goes to the corner shelf to pick up a cigarette lighter. Behind him, the office doors open and Virginia Lake enters. She still holds the report folder.

LAKE
It looks as though case P-115 can be re-opened now, sir. Who do you want to handle it?

STRAKER
(perplexed)
P-115?

LAKE
You don't remember, sir?

STRAKER
(peeved)
Colonel, as I recall, the last report I read was number two-thousand something.

LAKE
It involved a Ufo incident. The witness was struck down by a car, ten years ago.

CUT TO: SEPIA TONES
A light colored Mustang on a country road, brakes squealing as the car tries to stop. A young woman, KATHRYN FRAZER, is struck by the car, going over the hood as the car stops.

CUT TO :
PRESENT

STRAKER
(remembering - shaken)
Oh, I see.

LAKE
Do you want Colonel Johns to handle it? He was on the case.

STRAKER
No, no, I'll take care of it myself.

EXTERIOR : A SMALL HOSPITAL
Straker's car drives up and stops. DOCTOR JACKSON is waiting by the main entrance. A NURSE comes up and hands Jackson a report as Straker gets out of his car and walks up to him.

JACKSON
(to nurse)
Thank you.

The nurse reenters the hospital building.

JACKSON
Commander . . .

STRAKER
Doctor Jackson . . .

As he speaks, Jackson opens the entrance door and they enter the hospital.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL LOBBY

STRAKER
Thanks for getting here so quickly. Has she remembered anything, yet?

JACKSON
Well, she hasn't spoken yet. Ah, shall I lead the way?

Jackson leads the way up a flight of stairs to a HOSPITAL CORRIDOR. A GUARD stands beside one door.

STRAKER
How's our security?

JACKSON
Adequate.

Straker stops in the corridor. He looks worried. Jackson stops.

STRAKER
Doctor, medically speaking, do you think it's safe for me to question her so soon?

JACKSON
Oh, yes, certainly. In fact, it can only help. You see, she's been in limbo for the last ten years. We must get her mind active as quickly as possible. It's very difficult in a case like this. She could have total recall, or remember only fragments. You see, as far as she's concerned, the accident happened yesterday and this will be your best opportunity.

STRAKER
I see.

They continue down the corridor to the Guard.

JACKSON
(to Guard)
Okay, thank you.

The guard nods and leaves as Jackson opens the door to a patient room. He beckons Straker to follow him in.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM
KATHRYN FRAZER is lying in the hospital bed. She appears to be about thirty years old. Her eyes are closed.

JACKSON
(to Frazer)
Miss Frazer? Miss Frazer?
(pause)
Can you hear me?
(pause)
There's a gentleman here to ask you some questions.

Frazer opens her eyes and sees Straker standing beside her bed. She gasps and turns away from him, afraid.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL CORRIDOR
Straker stands in the corridor, leaning against the wall beside the door, smoking a cigarette. The door to Frazer's room opens and Jackson comes into the corridor. Straker straightens up.

STRAKER
(worried)
How is she?

JACKSON
Ah, much calmer now.

STRAKER
Well, she obviously remembers me as the man who was driving the car that knocked her down.

JACKSON
Um, yes, but I explained that you were in no way responsible.

STRAKER
Does she accept that?

JACKSON
In the main. But it's up to you to gain her confidence.

STRAKER
Shouldn't we wait a few days, Doctor?

JACKSON
Well, ah, she needs, ah, shock therapy. As I said, you can only help her.

STRAKER
Have you told her she's been in a coma for the past ten years?

JACKSON
No, no, but when she finds out, she'll need a friend. Her parents are both dead, now.

STRAKER
(surprised)
She doesn't know that either?

JACKSON
No, she specifically asked us not to contact them.

STRAKER
(puzzled)
Do you know why?

JACKSON
No, but it's really up to you. You're her only link with the past.

With obvious trepidation Straker opens the door and enters hospital room.

A RADIO, SOMEWHERE
Someone is listening in on the conversation in Frazer's room.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM.
Straker stands by the bed. There is a chair near-by.

STRAKER
(watching Frazer's reaction)
May I sit down?

Frazer nods and Straker pulls up the chair and sits.

STRAKER
I'm sorry if I frightened you just now.
(pause)
Perhaps it would help if I explained things to you. My name is Straker, Ed Straker. I work for an organization whose function it is to investigate all reports concerning Unidentified Flying Objects.
(pause)
You saw one?

FRAZER
(soft)
Yes.

STRAKER
Would you like to tell me about it? Just take your time.

FRAZER
Yesterday . . .

STRAKER
Where did you see it?

FRAZER
A farmhouse.
(pause)
I was on the roof of the farmhouse.

STRAKER
Do you remember where this farmhouse was . .
(pause, correcting himself)
Is, Miss Frazer?

FRAZER
No, I don't know.

STRAKER
How did you come to be there?

FRAZER
We needed somewhere to sleep.

STRAKER
We?

FRAZER
Tim.

STRAKER
Who is Tim?

FRAZER
I didn't know him very well. We met at Picadilly Circus.

FLASHBACK TO TEN YEARS BEFORE: EXTERIOR, NIGHT. SEPIA TONES
TIM lies, sprawled on the ground, dead.

PRESENT:

FRAZER
He's dead!

She starts crying. Straker gets out of the chair and goes to the bed-side table. He pours water from a carafe into the tumbler, continuing his questioning as he does so.

STRAKER
How did he die?

FRAZER
He fell from the roof.

STRAKER
Do you live in London?

FRAZER
No . .

STRAKER
Then, what were you doing at Picadilly Circus?

FRAZER
(still crying)
I ran away from home.

STRAKER
Why?

FRAZER
To be by myself.

STRAKER
Where is that farm?

FRAZER
(upset)
I don't know.

STRAKER
What is your name?

FRAZER
(crying)
Kathryn Frazer.

Straker hands her the tumbler of water. She takes it, drinks and begins to calm down. Straker returns to his chair.

STRAKER
Now, do you feel like telling me about it?

FRAZER
I ran away from home because I was being stifled by my parents.
(pause)
I. . I love them very much, but I just wanted to be by myself for awhile.

FLASH-BACK: SEPIA TONES
A teenage Kathryn Frazer in long skirt at Picadilly Circus.

FRAZER
(voice over)
I was on the point of returning home. There was nowhere to go. I was just wandering through the crowds. Then I met Tim.
(pause)
It was only yesterday, there must be something we can do . .
(pause, regretful)
If only we hadn't met, he might . . .
(pause)
We chatted for a while, then we were asked to move on.

As Frazer speaks, we see her meeting Tim, sitting by a fountain. A POLICEMAN comes and shoos them away. They leave, laughing.

EXTERIOR : TEN YEARS BEFORE, PICADILLY CIRCUS.
Tim and Frazer walk away from the policeman.

TIM
It's no matter.

FRAZER
Why, then? Why did you just give up when you only had two years to go?

TIM
Two years, two weeks. It didn't seem to make much difference. I just couldn't see the point anymore.

FRAZER
But, you could've had your own practice by now, instead of just, you know, just wasting your time.

TIM
(getting angry)
Now look, when I was at the hospital, I assisted on a sixteen hour operation on a little kid and he lived. And that same night, on television, I saw a newsreel of men killing each other. Suddenly, I lost the urge to become a doctor.

FRAZER
Oh, that's silly, look . . .

TIM
(interrupting)
Now look, let's drop it, okay? I mean, you know, just enjoy the day.

FRAZER
(contrite)
Okay, sorry. It's none of my business anyway.

TIM
Hey, look . . .

They've walked near a flock of pigeons feeding on the sidewalk. Tim runs into the flock, scaring them into flight.

EXTERIOR : LATER : A STREET IN LONDON
Frazer and Tim are walking, talking.

TIM
. . . So, I left home, before they could kick me out, but I wanted to prove to them that I wasn't just a lay-about. You know, I wanted to do something that I really believed it.

FRAZER
Oh, that's good. Did you?

TIM
Yeah, I went on a peace march. Only got as far as Manchester. It started raining.
(pause)
Hey, do you like the country?

FRAZER
(confused)
Country?

TIM
(excited)
Yeah, fields and trees.

FRAZER
Certainly.

TIM
(grabbing her hand)
Well, come on then.

They start running down the road.

PRESENT : INTERIOR HOSPITAL ROOM
Straker sits, listening as Frazer speaks

FRAZER
He said he wanted to leave, get out into the country-side. He knew a place, a farmhouse.
(pause)
If we hadn't managed to catch a lift, he'd still . . .
(pause)
Oh, I'm sorry . . .

FLASH BACK : TEN YEARS BEFORE - SEPIA TONES
Tim and Frazer walking to a run-down farm house and barn. They are laughing.

FRAZER
(VOICE OVER)
As we walked to the farm, we were happy, How could I have possibly known what was going to happen?

INTERIOR :EVENING : RUN-DOWN BARN
Frazer is lying down on a pile of hay on the floor. Tim is walking about, apparently anxious and unable to sleep.

FRAZER
What's the matter?

TIM
I don't know. I don't mind the day-light. I just can't take the night.

FRAZER
Oh, well, I've got some aspirin.

She reaches for her purse.

FRAZER
It might help.

TIM
(laughs)
Aspirin?

FRAZER
(miffed)
Well, you can't spend the whole night walking around, can you?

TIM
You go to sleep. I'll be all right, okay?

Frazer lays back in the hay as Tim wanders about the barn. After a few moments, he pulls a bottle of pills from his knapsack. Frazer gets up and walks up behind him.

FRAZER
(curious)
What are they?

TIM
(startled)
Wha..?
(pause)
Oh, it's something to . . . make me relax.

FRAZER
I don't believe you.

TIM
They're perfectly harmless.

FRAZER
What do they do to you?

TIM
Here, try a couple.

He hands her a few tablets. She looks dubious.

TIM
Take it.

He swallows several tablets.

TIM
It's all right, they're not addictive.

She swallows the tablets in her hand and waits a moment.

FRAZER
Nothing.

After a moment, her perceptions become distorted. Frazer and Tim begin playing tag in a distorted, slow-motion visual. They climb to the roof of the house and down again, all over the house. A U.F.O. lands near-by, outside the house. Neither Tim or Frazer appear to care.

FRAZER
(voice over)
Even when we saw the space-men, we'd no idea, no sense at all, of the terrible danger we were in.

STRAKER
(voice over)
What were they doing?

FRAZER
(voice over)
They were digging a sort of hole, in the floor, burying something,
(pause)
And there was this cylinder . . .

STRAKER
(voice over)
Cylinder?

FRAZER
(voice over)
Yes, like a mechanism.
(pause)
Tim picked it up, then he threw it to me.

STRAKER
(voice over)
And this device belonged to the aliens?

FRAZER
(voice over)
Yes, they wanted it back. They chased us. But to Tim and I, it was just a game. We weren't afraid of anything. Tim even encouraged them to join in.

VISUAL : TEN YEARS BEFORE
The aliens are seen working on the hole in the floor and Tim takes a small cylinder from them, which he tosses to Frazer. The aliens chase Tim and Frazer who are still playing. Tim climbs to the roof of the barn, encouraging the aliens to follow him. Tim slips and falls from the roof, landing in a broken heap. Kathryn laughs hysterically as the aliens drag Tim's body away.

PRESENT: INTERIOR hospital ROOM

FRAZER
And then I lost consciousness.

STRAKER
Now, what was in the hole that they had dug?

FRAZER
I don't know.

STRAKER
(patient)
Try and describe it to me.

FRAZER
Well, it was a sort of container, quite big. You could see through it. It had sections. Colored.

STRAKER
And what did you do with the piece you took?

FRAZER
I had it with me when I left the farm house. But, I don't know what I did with it.

STRAKER
(worried)
Please, try and remember, Kathryn. It's very important.

FRAZER
I don't know, I just don't know.

A RADIO, SOMEWHERE
Someone is still listening on the conversation in Frazer's room.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM

STRAKER
I'm sorry to have to ask you all these questions. You must be . .

FRAZER
(interrupting)
No, it's all right.

STRAKER
Now, think very carefully before you answer this. Kathryn. Where is that farm?

FRAZER
All I can tell you is that we walked for miles after the truck driver dropped us. I'm sorry, but I just have no idea.

STRAKER
It's all right, don't worry about it.
(pause)
Now, tell me what happened after you came to.

FRAZER
I, I must have been unconscious for a long time. When I woke up, I was cold and frightened. It was morning. It all seemed like a horrible nightmare.

FLASHBACK : TEN YEARS BEFORE
Frazer wakes up on the ground outside the house. She looks around, becoming frightened. She runs away from the farm. As she runs she flashes back to:
Tim, lying on the ground, dead.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM

FRAZER
I was so frightened. I can barely remember what he looked like. Just his name, Tim.

STRAKER
All right. I think that's enough for today.
(pause)
May I come back tomorrow?

FRAZER
Yes, of course.

STRAKER
Try not to worry, Kathryn. You're in safe hands here.
(pause)
Oh, and if there's anything you need, just ask Doctor Jackson.

Straker smiles and leaves the room.

INTERIOR : STRAKER'S OFFICE
Lake and PAUL FOSTER are waiting in the office The doors slide open and Straker enters. He goes to the cabinet doors behind his desk and begins going through the maps thrown inside.

STRAKER
Well, this dead case has come back to life with a vengeance.

He closes the doors on the first cabinet and goes to the second, finally finding the paper he was looking for.

STRAKER
In a derelict farmhouse, the aliens planted a bomb. Ten years ago.

Straker spreads the map out on the conference table.

FOSTER
And the girl doesn't remember where the bomb is?

STRAKER
(grim)
Right.

LAKE
Why hasn't the bomb exploded?

STRAKER
Well, it seems the girl took away one of its vital parts and lost it, and we have to find that bomb. Paul, I want you to start searching every farm that existed between here and here.

Straker indicates widely spread points on the map.

FOSTER
Well, that's gonna' take weeks. I mean, most of this area's built up now.

STRAKER
(worried, impatient)
Yes, yes. I know, I know. The only other alternative is that the girl suddenly remembers what she did with the part of the bomb that she took away. And at the moment, that doesn't seem very likely.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM - EVENING
A NURSE is tending to Frazer.

FRAZER
(to Nurse)
Nurse, would you be kind enough to ask the doctor if he could come in here for a moment?

EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL - NEXT MORNING
Jackson is waiting by the front entrance as Straker's car drives up and stops. Straker gets out and approaches him.

JACKSON
(upset)
I'm sorry, Commander, but I had to tell her.

STRAKER
(unhappy)
Why? You should have left it to me.

JACKSON
Well, last night she asked for her parents. I didn't have a choice.

STRAKER
(sympathetic)
Oh, the poor kid. How did she take it?

JACKSON
Pretty hard, pretty hard. But, she asked for you.

Straker hurries into the building. Jackson trailing on his heels.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL CORRIDOR.
Straker enters Frazer's room.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM
Frazer is sitting in bed, crying. Straker goes over to her. She puts her arms around him.

FRAZER
I don't know. .
(pause)
You're the only person I know in the world.

STRAKER
(worried, helpful)
Do you have any relatives, apart from . . ?

FRAZER
No, my parents weren't young, and I was an only child.

STRAKER
Friends? School friends?

FRAZER
None.

STRAKER
Kathryn, when all this is over . . .

FRAZER
(stopping crying)
You're very kind, thank you. The sooner it is over . . .

Straker nods and moves to sit on the chair next to the bed.

STRAKER
Well, do you feel up to it?

FRAZER
I'm all right.
(pause)
Well, when the U.F.O. left, I hid for a long time. I didn't know what to do, so I ran away from the farmhouse. I was so confused, I just had to get away. The next thing I remember was coming out of a field, onto a road.

FLASHBACK : TEN YEARS BEFORE - SEPIA TONE
Frazer crossing a field, onto a road.

PRESENT : EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL GROUNDS
Frazer is seated in a wheelchair while Straker is slowly pushing her around the hospital gardens.

STRAKER
Do you remember seeing a sign post?

FRAZER
No, I don't think so.
(pause)
Oh, there was an orchard, but I stopped a truck and got a lift.

FLASHBACK - TEN YEARS BEFORE
Frazer crossing an orchard, flagging down a truck and getting in.

FRAZER
(voice over)
The driver was chatting about something, but I wasn't really listening. I was still confused, frightened. Then he pulled the truck off the road.

The DRIVER stops the truck and makes a grab for Frazer. She jumps out of the truck and runs away, the driver chasing her. After a short chase, the driver goes back to his truck, gets in and drives off, leaving her.
In a panic, she runs into the road on the far side of the field she's just crossed, right in the path on an oncoming car. The driver, Straker, brakes hard, but Frazer is struck by the fender, then hits the ground.
The car stops and Straker and his PASSENGER get out. Straker is very upset. They go to check on Frazer.

STRAKER
(to passenger)
She just ran out, right in front of me. There was nothing I could do.

FRAZER
(hurt, gasping)
A U.F.O., a flying saucer . . . Tim . . .

EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL GROUNDS
Frazer is in the wheel chair, facing Straker, who is seated on a bench.

FRAZER
And that's the last thing I remember.

STRAKER
Do you think you still had that piece of mechanism then?

FRAZER
(frowning, trying to remember)
I'm not sure . . . I remember . . . No, I'm sorry.

STRAKER
Oh, that's all right.
(pause)
Well, I'd better take you back to your room. I don't want to get into any trouble with your doctor.

Straker gets up and takes the handles of the wheelchair. He turns the chair and heads them back to the hospital.

EXTERIOR : NEARBY ROOF
A man (TIM) is lying on a near-by roof, watching Straker and Frazer and listening to them with a shot-gun microphone.

EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL GROUNDS
Straker is wheeling Frazer up to the entrance.

FRAZER
When are you coming again?

STRAKER
Tomorrow.

INTERIOR : STRAKER'S OFFICE
A map has been pinned to one wall. Lake, Foster and Straker are looking over the map.

LAKE
Well, the search in area eighteen is completed.

FOSTER
But, even with a full crew, it's still gonna' take us the better part of three months.

STRAKER
(worried, upset)
Well, then, you'll have to split your forces, Paul. Kathryn thinks she had her piece of the bomb when she left the farmhouse.

FOSTER
Look, don't you think we're making a mountain out of a molehill? I mean, that was ten years ago!

STRAKER
Do you remember what happened in Turkey in 1970, Paul? Eighty thousand people killed? An entire city destroyed?

LAKE
Yes, but that was an earthquake.

STRAKER
Was it? A Ufo was reported over the area a few hours before the 'quake' struck. Now, our farmhouse incident occurred three days later.

Chastened, Foster goes to the desk and picks up the phone.

FOSTER
(to phone)
Put me through to search headquarters.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM
Frazer is asleep in bed. There is a man in the room, Tim. Frazer wakes with his hand over her mouth. After a moment, he takes his hand away.

FRAZER
(surprised)
Oh, I thought you were dead.

TIM
(distracted)
Did you?
(pause)
I'm sorry I shocked you.

FRAZER
Oh?
(pause)
I'm just so happy.

TIM
It was all a dream, a bad trip.

FRAZER
You mean, I imagined it?

TIM
(smiles)
Everything.

FRAZER
(momentarily stunned)
Oh, Tim. I'm so glad to see you.

TIM
I'm so glad you remembered me.

FRAZER
It was so real. Some of it was real. The farmhouse, the mechanism.
(pause, thoughtful)
I had that, I . .

TIM
(interrupting)
Yes, what about the mechanism.

FRAZER
(confused)
Ed Straker wants it.
(pause)
Oh, I don't know. I'm so confused.
(worried)
Was that part of the dream?

TIM
Where is it?

FRAZER
What?

TIM
The mechanism. What did you do with it? Well, you can tell me, Kathryn.

FRAZER
I've tried. I can't remember.

FLASHBACK - TEN YEARS BEFORE
Tim's body is dragged off by two aliens.

PRESENT : HOSPITAL ROOM

FRAZER
(frightened)
So, it wasn't a dream. You were dead. They dragged you to the . . .

TIM
(interrupting)
Shut up!
(pause)
When they took me on board, I was resuscitated. I have a task to complete.
(pause, harsh)
Where is the mechanism?
(angry)
Where is the missing piece?

FRAZER
(confused, frightened)
Tim . . .

TIM
This will make you tell me.

From a small case, Tim brings out a vial and a hypodermic. He fills the hypodermic and, despite her struggles, gives her an injection.

TIM
You will tell me.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL LOBBY.
Jackson stands, talking into a wall phone.

JACKSON
(to phone)
Commander, you'd better come to the hospital immediately.

INTERIOR : STRAKER'S OFFICE
Straker is listening on the phone at his desk. Lake and Foster are looking over the map on the conference table. They are moderately concerned.

STRAKER
(to phone)
I'm on my way.
(hangs up phone, to Lake and Foster, distracted)
I have to go to the hospital, I'll call you from there. I have to see Miss Frazer.

Straker hurries out of the office, leaving Lake and Foster.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM
Jackson and Straker are beside Frazer's bed. Frazer seems dazed.

FRAZER
The injection worked. I remembered every detail. After I left the farm, I came to a humped back bridge, over a canal. I still had the mechanism with me.

FLASHBACK - TEM YEARS BEFORE.
Frazer, carrying the alien cylinder, comes to the humped back bridge.

PRESENT:

FRAZER
I threw it over the bridge.

STRAKER
Into the water?

FRAZER
No, it was a houseboat. It landed in the houseboat.

STRAKER
And you told Tim all this?

FRAZER
Yes. I can hardly remember his name - Tim.

STRAKER
How long ago did he leave?

FRAZER
About an hour.

Straker goes to the phone on the bedside table and picks it up.

STRAKER
(to phone)
Get me security.

EXTERIOR : HUMPED BACK BRIDGE
Paul Foster's car drives up and stops on the bridge. He gets out and looks down at a houseboat docked beneath the bridge. He climbs aboard the houseboat and finds the owner sprawled on the floor of the living area, dead.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM
Foster and Straker are talking. They stand near the window, away from Frazer.

FOSTER
(quietly)
When I arrived, the owner had been dead for only a few minutes. Now, the boy must have found the mechanism, otherwise, he'd've still been there.

STRAKER
(to self)
God help us.
(to Foster)
Where are the maps?

FOSTER
In the car.

STRAKER
Better get them.

Foster nods and leaves the room.

CUT TO:
Straker spreads the maps out on the hospital bed so Frazer can look at them. Jackson and Foster stand near-by.

STRAKER
(gentle)
Kathryn, Kathryn, I'm sorry, but you must try again. This is where the accident happened.
(he points to the map)
You ran into the road from here. Now, can you retrace your steps, back to the farmhouse, from that point?

Frazer shakes her head. She seems tired.

FOSTER
Do you remember how long you walked?

FRAZER
Two, three, maybe five hours. I don't know.

FOSTER
(to Straker, angry)
Look, this is no good. We're still gonna' be here when that bomb blows up and Britain splits in half!

Foster looks over to the hypodermic and vial lying on the bedside table. The vial is still half full.

FOSTER
(to Straker and Jackson)
It worked before. It's our only chance.

STRAKER
(to Jackson)
What is this drug, Doctor?

JACKSON
(shaking head)
I don't know. It wasn't anything I've seen before.

STRAKER
Would another injection harm her?

JACKSON
(worried)
The last one doubled her pulse rate. It's nowhere near back to normal. I don't know what would happen.

FOSTER
(insistent)
But, you must use it.

JACKSON
I won't take the responsibility.

STRAKER
(surprised, worried)
Paul, it could kill her.

FOSTER
(grim)
Look, thousands of people may die if we don't try!
(to Jackson)
Use it!

With obvious reluctance, Jackson fills the hypodermic syringe and starts towards Frazer.

STRAKER
(to Jackson)
Wait.

Jackson stops and Straker moves closer to Frazer. He is worried, upset and apologetic.

STRAKER
(to Frazer)
Kathryn, I, I want to explain, that . . .

FRAZER
(interrupting)
No need . . .

As Jackson moves towards her with the syringe, Straker backs away, then turns and leaves the room. Foster seems surprised.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL CORRIDOR
Straker sits on a bench, waiting. After a long moment, he stands and goes back to Frazer's room.

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM
Straker stands with Foster and Jackson. Frazer seems dazed and feverish.

FRAZER
. . Then I turned left and ran for about four or five hundred yards, till I came to some fields. I cut across them. There was a water tower in the second one. Next, I came to a public house called 'King's Arms'. The farmhouse was only, um, a third of a mile from the main road, on the right.

Foster checks in information against the map.

FOSTER
It's there, the farm's still there.

STRAKER
(to Jackson, worried)
How is she, Doctor?

Jackson shrugs and shakes his head as he tends to his patient.

STRAKER
(to Foster)
All right, Paul. Let's get to that farm.

Foster and Straker leave the room. Frazer doesn't seem to notice them leave.

INTERIOR : FARMHOUSE
Tim locates the alien device, a large cylinder buried in the dirt with several partitions. He inserts a small cylinder into the center. Then, he goes to the boarded-up window in the room and begins tearing away the boards, letting light hit the device.

EXTERIOR : FARMHOUSE
Foster and Straker walk up to the house. Tim comes out of the house and begins to run away. Foster and Straker chase after him. Foster catches him near an exterior wall.

STRAKER
Against the wall!

As Foster and Straker try to get Tim against the wall, Tim breaks away, heading for the area in front of the house where he'd fallen ten years before. Foster starts after him. Straker grabs Foster's arm, holding him back.

STRAKER
(urgent)
Wait, Paul!

As Straker and Foster watch, Tim collapses to the ground. His body deteriorates almost instantly into a skeleton.

FOSTER
(shocked)
God in heaven!

LATER : INTERIOR FARMHOUSE.
A SHADO MAJOR and his ASSISTANT have arrived and inspect the device with Foster and Straker. The Major takes off his jacket and crouches beside the device.

MAJOR
Four liquids, all contained by separate compartments. The outer casing of the last piece to be inserted is of a different substance. It appears to be the detonator. The object, you see, is to fracture the wall between the chemicals. They mix and, uh, good-by England.

STRAKER
How is the detonator activated?

MAJOR
I haven't the faintest idea. The only suggestion I can make is to drill through the outer casing and extract one of the liquids.

FOSTER
Will that work?

MAJOR
Well, if it doesn't, there won't be anybody around here to say 'I told you so'.
(to assistant)
Bring me the drill, will you? And I'll need that green box.

The assistant leaves and brings back a green tool box and a drill motor with large bit.

MAJOR
(to assistant)
Good.

The Major begins drilling. After a moment, he stops and looks and the result. The drill bit is visibly dulled. The device is unmarked.

MAJOR
(surprised)
Look at that. That drill will go through beryllium steel and not a scratch.
(looks to Straker)
Well, there's only one thing for it. We'll have to remove it.

FOSTER
To where?

MAJOR
The middle of the Atlantic.

FOSTER
The tidal wave will destroy the coast line of every country around it.

MAJOR
Yes, I'm aware of that. It's simply a matter to evacuate.

STRAKER
Space.

The Major and Foster look surprised.

STRAKER
We'll dump it in space.
(to Foster)
Paul, get onto Colonel Brandt. Tell him to get a radio controlled space-dumper down here immediately.

FOSTER
Yes, sir.

Foster turns and hurriedly leaves the farmhouse, heading for his car.

STRAKER
(to others)
And we'll get ready to tow this thing out of here.

Straker grabs a shovel.

STRAKER
All right, gentlemen. let's start digging.

As Straker and the Major's assistant begin digging the dirt out around the device, more light hits it.

STRAKER
Careful. . .

The device begins to react, bubbling in the central cylinder. They stop digging.

MAJOR
(warning)
Commander, it's beginning to react.

As Straker and the others back away, Straker's shadow falls over the device and the reaction slows. He grabs the Major's jacket and the reaction speeds up as the light hits it again. Straker holds the jacket against the open window and the reaction slows again. Finally, he throws the jacket over the device and the reaction stops.

LATER: EXTERIOR FARMHOUSE
A Space-dumper (a small re-usable rocket) lands in a near-by field. Straker and Foster stand in the door of the farmhouse and watch. The Major walks up to them.

MAJOR
Well, Commander, I don't think you'll need us anymore, so ah, we'll leave you to it.

STRAKER
Well, thank you, Major.

MAJOR
(smiles)
All right, all in a day's work.

The Major and his assistant leave.

FOSTER
(Looking after Major)
Some work.
(to Straker)
Um, why don't you go back with them. I can take care of this.

STRAKER
Well, thank you, Paul, but I think I'll stay here and see this through. Ah, but you go back, look after Kathryn.

Foster nods and turns to leave.

STRAKER
Oh, tell her . . .

Foster stops to look back at Straker.

STRAKER
Tell her I'll be back as soon as I can.

FOSTER
Of course.

Foster goes to his car, gets in and drives off as the space-dumper lifts off.

EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL.
Foster's car drives up and stops. Foster gets out and goes to the hospital entrance. He enters, crosses the lobby and begins to climb the stairs.

INTERIOR : SHADO CONTROL
Lieutenant Johnson sits at her station, watching her monitor and listening to her headphones.

JOHNSON
Space dumper, twenty-four thousand miles from earth. Detonation time, ten seconds, nine, eight, seven, six...

EXTERIOR : BRITISH COUNTRY ROAD.
Straker's car is seen driving down the road.

JOHNSON
(voice over)
Five, four, three, two, one, zero.

EXTERIOR : SPACE
The Space dumper is seen against the stars. It explodes.

EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL.
Lake is waiting by the entrance. Straker's car drives up and stops. Straker gets out, going to her. Her expression is anxious.

LAKE
(warning)
Commander . . .

STRAKER
(worried)
What's wrong? Is it Kathryn?

Straker runs past Lake, into the hospital and starts up the stairs.

LAKE
(shouts)
Commander!

INTERIOR : HOSPITAL ROOM.
Straker enters the room to find Jackson and Foster waiting for him. A sheet covers Frazer's face and body.

JACKSON
(worried)
Commander . . .

Straker ignores him, pulling the sheet back from Frazer's face. The woman on the bed appears to be at least seventy years old.

STRAKER
(shocked, to Jackson)
My God, is that . . .?

JACKSON
Yes, it is. Kathryn Frazer.

STRAKER
It can't be.
(pause)
That drug?

JACKSON
(shrugs)
The boy's extra years had to come from somewhere. We can only assume they took them from Kathryn when she was unconscious, at the farm.

STRAKER
How is that possible?

JACKSON
I don't know, and I'm glad I do not.

STRAKER
(confused, upset)
But even ten years . . . She's . . .

JACKSON
They didn't know how long it would take the boy to complete his task. He could have lived on borrowed time for another fifty years.

Straker drops the sheet back over Frazer's face.

STRAKER
When did it happen?

FOSTER
About six hours ago. About the same time the boy died.
(worried)
Ed, if there's anything I can . .

STRAKER
(dazed)
No, no . . .

Straker leaves the room.

EXTERIOR : HOSPITAL GROUNDS
Straker leaves the hospital and heads into the gardens. Lake sees him and begins to walk just behind him. He doesn't speak to her but does react as they walk past the bench he sat on the day before.

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Transcriptions