Dimensions in Time

1. EXT. THE TIME TUNNEL

(The RANI's TARDIS materialises by the swirling blue vortex.)

2. INT. RANI'S TARDIS

(Images of the FIRST and SECOND DOCTORs float around the room.)

RANI: Pickled in time like gherkins in a jar.

CYRIAN: Mistress Rani, the Time Tunnel is ready to receive its first guests.

RANI: Proceed. Fated to wander a dismal corner of the universe for twenty years; helpless, paralysed. It'll drive them insane.

3. VORTEX

(The FOURTH DOCTOR is trapped in a swirling vortex of colour. He speaks into a microphone.)

4th DOCTOR: Mayday, mayday. This is an urgent message for all the Doctors. It's vitally important that you listen to me for once. Our whole existence is being threatened by a renegade Time Lord known only as the Rani. She hates me. She even hates children. Two of my earlier selves have already been snared in her vicious trap.

(We see the images of the FIRST and SECOND DOCTORs tumble into the Time Tunnel.)

The grumpy one and the flautist too. She wants to put us out of action. Lock us away in a dreary backwater of London' East End. Trapped in a time-loop in perpetuity and her evil is all around us. I can hear the heart beat of a killer. She's out there somewhere. We must be on our guard and we must stop her before she destroys all of our other selves. Oh (in pain) ... Good luck, my dears.

4. INT. THE RANI'S TARDIS.

(Behind the roundels, we see the heads of various Doctor Who aliens. CYRIAN has been checking them off and replacing the roundel over the faces.)

CYRIAN: A Cyberman, and a Time Lord from Gallifrey. One more specimen is needed, an Earthling. The menagerie is almost complete.

RANI: Time is literally of the essence. The Doctor's remaining incarnations are teetering on the edge of a precipice.

CYRIAN: You're obsessed. Don't forget what we came here for.

RANI: Earthlings pose no threat to my technology. It's the Doctor I want out of the way.

(The scanner screen shows the TARDIS travelling through space.)

CYRIAN: Interception in five seconds, Rani.

RANI: Although I will miss the challenge.

CYRIAN: Three... two... one...

RANI: Activate.

(A bolt of blue light hits the DOCTOR's TARDIS and it disappears.)

5. EXT. CUTTY SARK, 1973

(The TARDIS materialises and the SEVENTH DOCTOR and ACE exit.)

7th DOCTOR: Oh, to be in China now that November's here.

ACE: When was the last time you had that junk heap in for an MOT, professor?

7th DOCTOR: Don't be cynical, Ace. The instruments are just a little erratic, that's all.

ACE: Great Wall of China? Looks more like the Cutty Sark to me.

7th DOCTOR: Mm... and not a soul in sight.

(He finds a newspaper and reads the date)

1973...

ACE: Oi! Is anybody there?

7th DOCTOR: If I didn't know better, I could be convinced that someone has deliberately taken us off course.

(ACE examines a nearby street sign. It reads: CUTTY SARK - SE10)

Ace, what are you doing?

(The scene changes with a white flash.)

6. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE, 1993

(The SIXTH DOCTOR and ACE walk through the market.)

ACE: Here, you're not the Doctor.

6th DOCTOR: Yes I am, Ace. We seem to have slipped a groove in time. Where have all these people come from? And where are we?

(He examines a fruit stall.)

ACE: Hey, professor, look at this!

(She shows him a jacket on a clothes stall)

SANJAY: All right, darling. Special discount for you seeing as it's nearly Christmas.

ACE: Wicked.

GITA: What do you mean, discount? This year's been bad enough as it is without you giving things away.

SANJAY: Don't worry about it, all right?

GITA: Hey, do you like that love?

(ACE holds the jacket up to the DOCTOR's coat.)

6th DOCTOR: It clashes!

GITA: I tell you, they're going to be all the rage in 1994.

(The DOCTOR frowns at this, then the scene changes with a white flash.)

7. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE, 2013

(The THIRD DOCTOR and MEL are now in Albert Square.)

MEL: What's happening?

3rd DOCTOR: Change. You, me, everything. It's as though someone is rooting through my personal time stream.

MEL: But what on Earth for?

3rd DOCTOR: Earth. Yes.

(He approaches the fruit stall.)

Excuse me, my good woman, but what year is this?

(PAULINE FOWLER calls after a boy)

PAULINE: Oi, you come back! 'Ere, he's just nicked an orange!

KATHY: Shouldn't your Martin be looking after the stall?

PAULINE: 'E's never 'ere when you want him. I wish my Arthur was still alive.

(to the THIRD DOCTOR) What do you think you're doing? Stop messing the goods about. Do you want to buy something or not?

3rd DOCTOR: Well considering the quality of everything you have, madam, I would say that your prices are rather expensive.

MEL: (over at the clothes stall) I see flares are back in fashion.

KATHY: Yeah, everything from the last century seems to be having a comeback.

3rd DOCTOR: Last century?

MEL: What year is this?

PAULINE: Oh, don't you start. There's enough oddballs around here as it is.

3rd DOCTOR: Madam, what year is this?

PAULINE: 2013.

(The scene changes with a flash.)

8. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE, 1973

(PAULINE and KATH are at the fruit stall.)

PAULINE: Yeah, I can remember exactly where I was when Kennedy was assassinated. But don't tell Arthur!

KATHY: How long ago was that, then?

PAULINE: Well, it'll be about ten years.

KATHY: NO!

(to a small boy) Ian, will you behave!

9. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE; OUTSIDE THE QUEEN VIC, 1973

(The SIXTH DOCTOR is walking with SUSAN FOREMAN)

SUSAN: Who are you?

6th DOCTOR: Precisely. I am the Doctor.

SUSAN: No you're not! You're nothing like my grandfather.

6th DOCTOR: I feel as though I'm being pulled backwards through time and my companions are being drawn back with me.

SUSAN: Ian! Barbara! Where are the others?

6th DOCTOR: The inrush of time zones is designed to seal us all together.

(The scene changes with a white flash.)

10. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE, 2013

(SARAH JANE SMITH is talking to SHARON WATTS)

SHARON: Well, my skin's been great since I started using all over sun block. I think it's right it's the law.

SARAH: Law? Since when?

(SARAH spots the THIRD DOCTOR and chases after him. SHARON calls after her.)

SHARON: Where've you been hiding then?

SARAH: Hi, I thought you'd be involved somewhere along the line.

3rd DOCTOR: What we're seeing here, Sarah, is the work of a genius. An expert in time distortion. A time traveller, maybe, and an ingenious operator.

SARAH: Well then, we must get back to the TARDIS, Doctor.

3rd DOCTOR: It's the other side of the river. You know, we seem to be flitting around in some sort of 20 year time loop; 1973...

SARAH: ... 1993, 2013.

3rd DOCTOR: Yes, well, time distortion of this nature requires an exact localised focus.

SARAH: Well, why this street market in London?

3rd DOCTOR: This isn't the focus, Sarah.

11. INT. THE RANI'S TARDIS

RANI: Blundering fools, they're getting too near the truth. Release the specimens.

12. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE, 1993

(A Cyberman fires on the FIFTH DOCTOR, NYSSA and PERI. The blast goes unnoticed by the Square's inhabitants.)

NYSSA: Feeding time at the zoo?

5th DOCTOR: And the companions went in two by two.

PERI: This isn't Noah's Ark, Doctor.

5th DOCTOR: Maybe it is. When I say 'run', 'run'. RUN!

(They do so.)

PERI: (Runs over to PAT BUTCHER.) Look, you've got to clear the streets. You're in terrible danger!

PAT: What's your game?

NYSSA: You've got to get away from here!

PAT: 'Ere, who says? If you start shoving me around, you'll know about it.

5th DOCTOR: It's no good, they're in different time zones. To them we're strangers.

(They continue their flight. Aliens leer at them from the upper storey of the Queen Vic.)

PERI: Have you any idea where we're going?

NYSSA: Doctor, where's the TARDIS?

5th DOCTOR: Twenty years back and 3 miles away. Come on!

(They run through the gardens only to find the exit is locked. From one direction, a crowd of aliens advance on them. They turn toward the Queen Vic, only to see the RANI exit the Queen Vic and step towards them.)

RANI: You can't escape, Doctor. Say "goodbye", Doctors. You're all going on a long journey. A very long journey.

1. EXT. THE QUEEN VIC, 1993

(The RANI exits the building and steps towards the FIFTH DOCTOR, NYSSA and PERI.)

RANI: You can't escape, Doctor. Say "goodbye", Doctors. You're all going on a long journey. A very long journey.

5th DOCTOR: The Rani. I take back what I said about an ingenious operator being behind these time jumps.

PERI: What's going on, Doctor?

RANI: Who else could master such a difficult operation.

(She gestures for the aliens to enter the Queen Vic.)

Back to my TARDIS!

(The FIFTH DOCTOR puts his hands to his temples and concentrates.)

NYSSA: What are you doing?

RANI: Why bother trying to summon up you remaining selves? I've weakened you.

(She turns to leave. With a flash, the DOCTOR reverts to his THIRD self accompanied by LIZ SHAW. The RANI raises her gun.)

3rd DOCTOR: I've got a few tricks up my sleeve yet, madam. It's time for you to start losing.

RANI: You, Earth female, come here.

(LIZ moves forwards).

3rd DOCTOR: No Liz, you mustn't.

LIZ: Leave this to me. I'll take my chances.

(LIZ runs towards the RANI and they struggle with the gun. The THIRD DOCTOR appears to be concentrating on some mental feat. MANDY SALTER joins the fray and pulls LIZ away from the RANI.)

MANDY: What are you doing? Leave her alone.

(The RANI turns her gun towards MANDY and the Eastender runs away. MIKE YATES enters, driving BESSIE.)

YATES: Doctor, come on. Quickly!

(The THIRD DOCTOR climbs into BESSIE. MIKE shoots the RANI's weapon from her hands. She rushes into the Queen Vic pub.)

3rd DOCTOR: Mike, thank you very much. Get me to the TARDIS as quick as possible.

(MIKE drives BESSIE away. The THIRD DOCTOR taps MIKE on the shoulder and points skywards towards an incoming helicopter.)

2. EXT. THE RIVERSIDE

(As BESSIE pulls up a UNIT Sea King Helicopter lands, piloted by the BRIGADIER. The THIRD DOCTOR runs towards it.)

3rd DOCTOR: Brigadier!

BRIGADIER: Come on Doctor, not far now.

(The THIRD DOCTOR takes the BRIGADIER's hand in order to climb aboard.)

3. EXT. THE GREENWICH OBSERVATORY, 1993

(With a flash the scene shifts to the helicopter landing at Greenwich. The SIXTH DOCTOR and the BRIGADIER climb out.)

BRIGADIER: I'm finding it difficult to keep up with all of you these days, Doctor.

6th DOCTOR: Some other time eh, Brigadier? Alas there's no time for pleasantries. I must find my young friend.

BRIGADIER: We'll speak soon, old chap. To all of you, I hope.

6th DOCTOR: I have to look for my companions.

(The SIXTH DOCTOR turns, runs up some steps and jumps over a cordon, looking in all directions. The helicopter takes off again.)

4. INT. THE RANI'S TARDIS

(The vortex is visible on the scanner.)

RANI: I now have everything I want apart from one Earthling. My menagerie is almost complete. Prepare to rematerialise at the centre of the Earth time meridian, Greenwich.

5. EXT. ALBERT SQUARE, 1993

(IAN BEALE walks through the square. PHIL and GRANT MITCHELL head towards the lock up.)

6. INT. THE MITCHELL'S LOCK UP

(ROMANA, in her second incarnation, is hiding behind a car.)

PHIL: I though you said you'd locked it?

GRANT: I did. Someone must have broken in. What's going on here?

PHIL: Oi, you! What's your game?

(ROMANA stands up.)

ROMANA: I was looking for the Doctor, if it's really any of your business.

GRANT: Well you won't find him here. He lives at number one Albert Square, over there. I suggest you leave.

ROMANA: Have you seen the Doctor?

PHIL: Yeah, Doctor Legg is the only doctor round here, love.

ROMANA: Doctor who?

7. EXT. QUEEN VIC, 1993

(ROMANA walks by. The RANI drags her through the doorway. The Rani's TARDIS then dematerialises. FRANK BUTCHER is walking by.)

FRANK: Well, I've seen them thrown out of the VIC., but never dragged in.

8. EXT. THE CUTTY SARK, 1973

(The THIRD DOCTOR and VICTORIA are running towards the TARDIS.)

3rd DOCTOR: I should be taking it easy, not bounding around like some megaluthian slime skimmer.

VICTORIA: Who was that terrible woman?

3rd DOCTOR: It's the Rani. Her handiwork is behind all this confusion in time and now her control is beginning to break down. Ah good, there's the TARDIS. Come on Victoria...

(He ushers her into the TARDIS.)

9. EXT. THE GREENWICH OBSERVATORY, 1993

(The DOCTOR's TARDIS lands with a flash. The SEVENTH DOCTOR disembarks and watches the RANI's TARDIS materialise in the guise of a stone pillar.)

7th DOCTOR: The Rani's TARDIS.

(LEELA runs from the RANI's TARDIS.)

LEELA: Doctor!

7th DOCTOR: I see she let you go.

LEELA: Not before she cloned me. She's got a menagerie of clones in there.

7th DOCTOR: She's attempting to transfer a massive time tunnel through the Greenwich Meridian.

LEELA: She has a computer in there with genetic codes and brain prints of every living creature in the entire cosmos.

7th DOCTOR: With it evolution is hers to control.

LEELA: Yes.

7th DOCTOR: Except... what form were you in when she cloned you? Now think, it's very important.

LEELA: Romana.

7th DOCTOR: The Time Lady. That means there are two time brains in the Rani's computer.

(They board the TARDIS.)

It'll overload.

10. INT. THE RANI'S TARDIS

CYRIAN: Thirty seconds to computer achieving full power status, mistress.

RANI: Excellent.

11. EXT. GREENWICH OBSERVATORY, 1993

(The SEVENTH DOCTOR, ACE AND K9 are wiring up charges around the RANI's TARDIS.)

7th DOCTOR: Hold this.

K9: Twenty-five seconds, master.

7th DOCTOR: I'm trying to overload the Rani's computer, enhance the power of the time tunnel to pull her TARDIS in and not me.

(He moves over to an array of electronic equipment lined up outside his TARDIS.)

ACE: I assume it's not as easy as it sounds?

7th DOCTOR: Of course not.

K9: Twenty seconds...

7th DOCTOR: I must try and free my other incarnations. Join me...

(The SEVENTH DOCTOR concentrates and we see images of his past selves.)

3rd DOCTOR: We must pull free.

5th DOCTOR: We must succeed.

6th DOCTOR: Precisely.

4th DOCTOR: Good luck.

K9: 5 seconds...

7th DOCTOR: K9, activate the converter.

K9: 3... 2...

7th DOCTOR: ...1... Here goes...

(He throws a switch, detonating a series of explosions around the RANI's TARDIS. It dematerialises.)

12. EXT. THE VORTEX

(The RANI's TARDIS is sucked inside and the images of the FIRST and SECOND DOCTORs are freed.)

13. EXT. THE GREENWICH OBSERVATORY, 1993

(The SEVENTH DOCTOR and ACE are gathering up the electronic equipment. THE DOCTOR piles it all on ACE.)

7th DOCTOR: Hoisted by her own peTARDIS.

ACE: What did you do to her?

7th DOCTOR: Well, there were two time brains in her computer and I used it to propel her into the trap set for me.

ACE: So now your other selves are all free?

7th DOCTOR: Certainly I, I mean we, are difficult to get rid of.

(They enter the TARDIS. With a clatter, Ace's pile of equipment collapses in a heap as the DOCTOR tries to close the doors.)