Here are the links to the last 5 episodes of my current fan fiction serial script.
And now the disclaimer.
And off we go!
Lifetime Companion
by David Long
Episode Six
Scene opens: from space, a green ray strikes the planet Xanxanar below.
Scene change: planet side, where the ray strikes, life cycles quickly to death, trees and plants shift abruptly to rotted and dead vegetation, lakes dry up, animals reduced to bones.
Scene change: population center on the planet, Mire soldiers are marching through the streets and firing at the humanoid inhabitants.
Scene change: the Xanxanarian leader is being led away from the carnage by her security detail.
Security person: Madame! This way!
Leader: My people! They’re being slaughtered!
Security person: So will you if we don’t get you out of here!
Leader: Out to where? The whole planet is in danger!
Security: I don’t know…just keep your head down….
Odin (VO): PEOPLE OF XANXANAR!
Leader: Oh, not him again!
Scene shift: Odin’s gigantic holographic head in the sky.
Odin: I LAY CLAIM TO YOUR WORLD! I WILL REDUCE IT TO A DEAD HUSK TO GROW MY POWER! MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR GOD! MAKES PEACE…WITH ME!!!!
Scene shift: back to the leader and her security detail.
Leader: If we’re going to die here, still I would give anything to make that pompous jackass shut up!
Suddenly, a noise is heard from above.
VWORP!
VWORP!
VWORP!
Leader (looking up): Oh, what fresh hell is this?
Scene shift: back to the sky where a spinning materializing TARDIS shreds Odin’s holographic head. Then the TARDIS falls to the ground, landing with a dramatic and resounding THOOM in front of the Xanxanar leader and her security detail. The door open and out comes the Doctor and Toby.
The Doctor: Hello, Xanxanar! I’m the Doctor, this is my friend Toby! And we’re here to save your planet. Any questions?
Child (VO): Yeah, I have a question.
Scene change: a group of three kids sitting on a floor in a living room. We see the legs of an adult person sitting in a chair. The child with a question is a young girl with her hand in the air.
Sally: What happened? This is not where you left the story last time!
Man (VO): Oh really?
Harry: Yeah….
Scene change: Flashback to the Mire spaceship
Harry (VO): That weird space Viking shot his super gun….
Odin astride his weapon and aiming his weapon.
Sally (VO): Which blew up the TARDIS!
TARDIS goes BOOM!
Scene change: back to the kids.
Liz: Yeah! And the Doctor was trapped!
Harry: Yeah, those super alien soldiers had him surrounded!
Scene change: the Doctor surrounded by the Mire.
Sally(VO): then he jumped through a door in the ship….
The Doctor hurls himself through a portal
Harry (VO): And into OUTER SPACE!
The Doctor hurtling through space.
Scene change: back to the kids.
Harry: Where the Doctor faced CERTAIN DEATH!!
Liz: So how did the Doctor survive?
Sally: And the TARDIS?
Harry: Yeah, how did you get out of all that…
Scene shift to the man sitting in the chair. It’s Toby Parker, much older than we saw him before.
Harry (VO): Uncle Toby?
Toby leans forward towards the children with a broad smile.
Toby: Well, maybe I better go back a bit then.
Scene change: the Doctor on the bridge of the Mire ship. The Doctor’s talking and weaving around the lumbering around the bridge as we saw last episode.
The Doctor: It...and you...were never in any danger. The TARDIS' Hostile Action Displacement System removed it from the bridge.
The Doctor: Because I can't whip off my sunglasses dramatically and say, "I have the rough outline for a possible concept of a potential idea for a plan." That's just not done!
Leader: Doctor?
The Doctor: Right! Work to do! First of all I need an 8-track tape deck or its nearest Xanxanar equivalent!
Scene change: the green beam striking the surface of the planet and changing living things into dead things.
Toby (VO): The Doctor predicted the time cannon would burn itself out but it hadn't so far as it continued to reduce this world to ruin.
Scene change: Elsewhere on the planet, hordes of the Mire continue to rampage through the populace.
Toby (VO): Meanwhile the Mire soldiers continued to attack the people of Xanxanar.
Our focus shifts to one group of people, a family with children. We watch as a group of the Mire bear down upon them as the people cower in fear.
Toby (VO): The Mire were ruthless, relentless and it seemed nothing was going to stop them.
Toby 28 (VO): Hey, you!
The Mire stop their advance on the terrorized family and turn.
Toby (VO): That is, until...
Toby 28 (VO): Yeah, I'm talking to you!
Our view shifts as we see younger Toby standing alone, one hand outstretched towards the Mire and the other behind his back.
Toby 28: Yeah, you stupid, bumbling bucket heads! Leave those people alone!
The Mire start to advance towards Toby 28.
Toby 28: Yeah, that's right! I'm calling you out! Maybe...
The Mire are closer still but our view shifts to the hand behind Toby's back which is holding a strange device.
Toby 28: You need to pick on somebody...
The Mire are getting threatening close to Toby 28 now but then Toby pushes a big button on the device.
Toby 28: ...your own size.
Within perhaps barely an inch of Toby 28, the Mire stop, take a step back, take a look at each other. Then one of the Mire slugs another one with a mighty upper cut punch, sending the 2nd Mire flying. Another pair slug each other the same way.
Toby 28 (excited): OH YEAH!
Our view expands as we see elsewhere, the Mire are now fighting with each other.
Toby 28: Rock 'em, Sock 'em Aliens! That's what I'm talking about!
Toby 28 looks up to the sky. The green death ray coming down from beyond the sky is sputtering now, growing dimmer and less coherent.
Toby 28: Time to bring it in for a landing, Doctor.
Sally hugs Katy, looks at Toby over Katy's shoulder with a wink and a smile.
The Doctor awkwardly gets up from the swing.
The Doctor: Toby, your mother... was a very wise and insightful woman.
Toby: Yes, I know. I miss her... every day.
The Doctor: And I am an old man. A very, very, very old man and ever so foolish.
Toby: So...you keep your secrets then?
The Doctor: It's what old, foolish men do.
Toby: I see.
There is silence between the two men as the evening grows darker. The Doctor sighs and gestures towards the TARDIS.
The Doctor: Care for a quick spin through time and/or space?
Toby: Nah. Not this year, if you don't mind. I think I need some quality time with my wife.
The Doctor: Of course.
The Doctor wanders over to the TARDIS and opens the door as Toby turns towards his home. Then Toby stops at the backdoor and turns towards the Doctor.
Toby: Doctor?
The Doctor turns in Toby's direction.
The Doctor: Hmmm?
Toby: Stay safe, Doctor!
The Doctor nods towards Toby.
The Doctor: Stay well, Toby.
Toby smiles and he disappears into the house. The Doctor enters the TARDIS. The light on top begins to glow.
VWORP!
And the TARDIS vanishes as night falls.
_______________________________
Next time....
Toby asks the Doctor for a special trip back in time to a special day in his past. What is.... The Day Everything Changes?
Next week..... Episode Seven of Lifetime Companion
Meanwhile a new blog on something or another will be up tomorrow. Until then, remember to be good to one another.
Scene change: the Doctor on the bridge of the Mire ship. The Doctor’s talking and weaving around the lumbering around the bridge as we saw last episode.
Toby (VO): The thing to remember about the Doctor is that he sees things differently from humans. That whole time he was chatting with Odin, the Doctor was watching…
We zoom in on various monitors with visuals of the planet, digital schematics, data, etc.. Also the ship itself including the portals.
Toby (VO): The Doctor was collecting info on the size of the ship, details of its design, its relative position to the planet below, the speed used to maintain the orbit of the ship…
We see Odin destroying the TARDIS over the Doctor’s protests. But as we close in on the Doctor’s face, we can see he’s not quite as frantic as he originally appeared.
Toby (VO): Even when Odin destroyed the TARDIS, the Doctor was still thinking, planning, scheming.
We see the Doctor breaking free and escaping the Mire through one of the portals.
Toby (VO): It may have looked like the Doctor was desperate when he escaped from the Mire…
We see the Doctor hurtling through space.
Toby (VO): But the Doctor knew EXACTLY which portal to jump through….
We see the Doctor hurtling towards the TARDIS floating space above the planet.
Toby (VO): To get him exactly where he wanted to go!
Voice over of kids all trying to speak at once: “Hold on!” “What a minute!” “What?”
Scene change: Back to Toby’s living room with the group of kids excitedly gathered around and the kids are still chattering.
Toby (raising his hands): Hold it! Settle down! One at a time…
Toby points to Sally.
Toby: You!
Sally: How did the Doctor survive in outer space?
Toby: The Doctor’s a Time Lord, remember? Has two hearts!
Scene change: The Doctor floating to the door of the TARDIS as he reaches for his key.
Toby (VO): The Doctor can’t stay in space forever but he can hold oxygen longer than humans. Long enough to get to…
Scene change: Living room
Harry (interrupting): The TARDIS! It got blowed up! How…
Toby: Oh come on! You’ve heard these stories before! The TARDIS can’t be destroyed!
Liz: But there was big KABOOM!
Harry: Yeah, it left sawdust!
Toby: You know the TARDIS may LOOK like a wooden box but…
Scene change: Interior of the TARDIS.
Toby (VO): But it's so, so much more!
The Doctor hurls himself inside through the front door, quickly shuts the door and leans against it, breathing hard. 28 year old Toby runs from the console to the Doctor to help steady him.
Toby (VO): But it's so, so much more!
The Doctor hurls himself inside through the front door, quickly shuts the door and leans against it, breathing hard. 28 year old Toby runs from the console to the Doctor to help steady him.
Toby 28: Doctor! What? How?
The Doctor: Not…now….explain…later.
The Doctor staggers over to the console with Toby 28 guiding him. The Doctor begins working the controls.
The Doctor: Odin thinks the TARDIS…is destroyed. Eventually even the dim witted Mire will notice this box on their proximity sensors.
Scene change: The TARDIS floating between the Mire ship and the planet Xanxanar vanishes from view.
Scene change: TARDIS interior.
Toby28: Doctor, are you going to be all right?
The Doctor: Getting there. And you?
Toby28: Better now. Ever since the TARDIS materialized outside the Mire ship, I haven’t felt as sick.
Sally (VO): Why?
Scene change: Toby’s living room.
Toby: Why?
Sally: Why were you sick?
Toby looks at her a moment silently. Then...
Scene change: Interior of the TARDIS with the Doctor and Toby 28.
The Doctor: I'd imagine so. The chronovirus in the time cannon and the one inside your body were farther apart.
Scene change: Living room
Scene change: Interior of the TARDIS with the Doctor and Toby 28.
The Doctor: I'd imagine so. The chronovirus in the time cannon and the one inside your body were farther apart.
Scene change: Living room
Toby: Radiation on the Mire ship. Not good for humans.
Sally: Oh.
Toby pauses a moment while the kids look at him expectantly.
Toby: So…
Scene change: interior of the TARDIS with the Doctor and Toby28.
The Doctor: I had to goad Odin into using his chronovirus weapon on the TARDIS. The chronovirus works on biological life. The temporal shielding of the TARDIS? Not a good mix.
Toby 28: I could still see what was going on on the bridge. Odin thought he had reduced the TARDIS to sawdust.
The Doctor: Before I left the TARDIS, I reduced the defenses by .00007%. A very thin outer most shell of the TARDIS was actually wood.
Toby 28: And the TARDIS...?
Toby 28: So what now?
The Doctor: If I’ve figured this right, the chronovirus’s life cycle has been greatly escalated by tapping into temporal energy instead of drawing on the life forces of organic matter. Odin’s reign of terror is almost over. Question is, will it be over before he completely destroys the planet below?
Scene change: back to the living room with older Toby and the kids.
Toby: And that, dear children, brings up to where we came in.
Scene change: the surface of Xanxanar with the Doctor, Toby, the Xanxanar leader and her contingent of security/helpers.
Leader: Why should we listen to you?
The Doctor: Because I came out of a blue box that dropped out of the sky. I think my credentials speak for themselves.
The Doctor touches the sides of his glasses which make a trilling noise. The Doctor focuses on the green energy beam from space.
Toby: Another pair of sonic sunglasses?
The Doctor: I got a whole box of 'em through Amazon. A-ha!
Toby: A-ha... what?
Toby: Another pair of sonic sunglasses?
The Doctor: I got a whole box of 'em through Amazon. A-ha!
Toby: A-ha... what?
The Doctor: OK, the tachyon wave front is definitely decompressing. Odin’s time cannon is losing steam. But still not quite out of juice before killing half of this planet.
Leader: Meanwhile those soldier creatures are killing the other half.
The Doctor: Don't worry!
The Doctor dramatically whips off his sunglasses.
The Doctor: I have a plan!
Toby: OK, what's the plan?
The Doctor: Er, well, it's more like I have the rough outline for a possible concept of a potential idea for a plan.
Toby: Then why say you have a plan?
Leader: Doctor?
The Doctor: Right! Work to do! First of all I need an 8-track tape deck or its nearest Xanxanar equivalent!
Scene change: Toby's living room as older Toby continues to tell his story to the kids.
Toby: So the Doctor went to work inventing a device that he said would save the people of Xanxanar from the Mire. But time was running out....
Scene change: the green beam striking the surface of the planet and changing living things into dead things.
Toby (VO): The Doctor predicted the time cannon would burn itself out but it hadn't so far as it continued to reduce this world to ruin.
Scene change: Elsewhere on the planet, hordes of the Mire continue to rampage through the populace.
Toby (VO): Meanwhile the Mire soldiers continued to attack the people of Xanxanar.
Our focus shifts to one group of people, a family with children. We watch as a group of the Mire bear down upon them as the people cower in fear.
Toby (VO): The Mire were ruthless, relentless and it seemed nothing was going to stop them.
Toby 28 (VO): Hey, you!
The Mire stop their advance on the terrorized family and turn.
Toby (VO): That is, until...
Toby 28 (VO): Yeah, I'm talking to you!
Our view shifts as we see younger Toby standing alone, one hand outstretched towards the Mire and the other behind his back.
Toby 28: Yeah, you stupid, bumbling bucket heads! Leave those people alone!
The Mire start to advance towards Toby 28.
Toby 28: Yeah, that's right! I'm calling you out! Maybe...
The Mire are closer still but our view shifts to the hand behind Toby's back which is holding a strange device.
Toby 28: You need to pick on somebody...
The Mire are getting threatening close to Toby 28 now but then Toby pushes a big button on the device.
Toby 28: ...your own size.
Within perhaps barely an inch of Toby 28, the Mire stop, take a step back, take a look at each other. Then one of the Mire slugs another one with a mighty upper cut punch, sending the 2nd Mire flying. Another pair slug each other the same way.
Toby 28 (excited): OH YEAH!
Our view expands as we see elsewhere, the Mire are now fighting with each other.
Toby 28: Rock 'em, Sock 'em Aliens! That's what I'm talking about!
Toby 28 looks up to the sky. The green death ray coming down from beyond the sky is sputtering now, growing dimmer and less coherent.
Toby 28: Time to bring it in for a landing, Doctor.
Scene change: Close up of Odin screaming.
Odin: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Our view widens and we're back on the bridge of the Mire ship. All around, half of the Mire soldiers are fighting the other half like an outer space version of Rock'em Sock'em Robots. But Odin's frustration is focused on the time cannon which has sputtered to a stop, the green energy beam reduced to random sparks.
Odin: What is wrong with you? Damn you! We've barely begun to take the life of this forsaken planet!
The Doctor (off screen): No, Odin! Your time...
Odin whirls around to face the Doctor surrounded by the last gasping remnants of the Mire as they punch each other into oblivion.
The Doctor: ...is up.
Odin: Doctor! You yet live! But not for much longer! The time cannon has fed my power...
Odin yanks the canister attached to the weapon.
Odin: ...and I will crush you with my bare hands to...
Odin starts to consume the contents of the canister but nothing falls out but a faint plume of dust.
Odin: ...dust?
The last of the Mire have punched each other out and fall to the floor along with the rest of the unconscious warriors as the Doctor steps forward. Odin begins gasping as he falls to his knees, clutching the empty canister.
Odin: No! No. Not...my power...no...
The Doctor: No, not your power and it never was. Weapon like a time cannon, way out of your league, as I said before. Let me guess, a black market pick up from someone scrounging old Dalek battlefields?
The Doctor: No, not your power and it never was. Weapon like a time cannon, way out of your league, as I said before. Let me guess, a black market pick up from someone scrounging old Dalek battlefields?
The Doctor stands tall over the whimpering Odin. The Doctor is in shadow, dark and menacing.
The Doctor: Odin, I was content to send you scampering away when I defeated you before. This time, I must see that you answer for what you've done.
Scene change: back on the planet, Toby 28 moves about to check on people. Security personnel are dragging away the Mire soldiers who have beaten themselves unconscious.
Woman's voice (off screen): Toby?
Toby 28 turns towards the Xanxanar leader.
Toby 28: Yes, ma'am!
Xanxanar leader: You and the Doctor did it! The attack on our world is over. Thank you!
Toby: You're welcome but I just pushed a button. The real thanks go to the Doctor.
Xanxanar leader: And where is the Doctor?
At that moment, there is a massive explosion high up in the sky.
Toby 28: I have an idea...
Toby 28 looks up at the sky with a worried expression.
Older Toby (VO): There were times I worried about the Doctor. The things he was capable of towards those who hurt innocents. Sometimes I worried that the Doctor could go too far. That he would choose vengeance over justice.
Suddenly around Toby 28, the Xanxanar Leader and others, there is a widespread glowing teleportation effect. Out of the glow we see the Doctor with a kneeling Odin at his side and surrounded by collapsed Mire soldiers and also the TARDIS.
Older Toby (VO): But not that day.
The Doctor: Madam, I present Odin to answer to your system of justice to stand trial for crimes committed against your planet.
The Xanxanar leader nods knowingly towards the Doctor. The Doctor makes eye contact with Toby, withdraws the chronovirus collector device in 1 hand and holds up two fingers with the other. Toby 28 gives the Doctor a thumbs up which elicits a bit of a smile from the Doctor.
Older Toby (VO): And that...
Scene change: Toby's living room with Toby surrounded by kids.
Toby: Is how the Doctor...
Sally: And you!
Toby smiles.
Toby: How the Doctor and I saved the planet Xanxanar.
The kids collectively cheer.
Jamal (off screen): And just in time too!
Our view shifts as we see Jamal and another man enter the living room.
Toby: Hey, Jamal!
Harry and Liz: Daddies!
Jamal and Toby hug.
Jamal: Thanks for watching Liz and Harry for Brent and me.
Toby: No problem! Glad to do it. Hey, Brent, you keeping Jamal out of trouble, right?
Brent: You know Jamal.
Toby: So the answer is no.
Jamal: Hey, no fair! My husband and my best friend should not be ganging up on me!
Jamal and Brent each take the hand of a child.
Brent: Toby, we're on for the match for Saturday, right?
Toby: Absolutely! Got the tickets?
Brent: Jamal?
Jamal: I'm working on it!
The men laugh.
Jamal: Hey, Toby, I know I'm a day late but Happy Birthday, Toby!
Toby: Thanks! See ya later.
Jamal: Bye, everyone!
Jamal, Brent and their kids exit.
Toby takes Sally by the hand.
Toby: C'mon, Sally, let's go see your mom and your gran.
Sally: OK!
Toby and Sally walk into a kitchen where an older looking Ellie and a young woman (Katy) are sitting at a table eating cake.
Toby: Hey, is that my birthday cake?
Katy: Don't worry, dad, we saved you a piece.
Toby: Thanks, Katy.
Ellie: Yes, a small piece!
Toby: Oh come on, Ellie!
Ellie: Just looking out for your health, sweetie.
Sally: Granddad told us another Doctor story, mommy!
Katy: Oh, really?
Toby: Uh, yeah.
Sally: Granddad has such a great imagination.
Sally hugs Katy, looks at Toby over Katy's shoulder with a wink and a smile.
Ellie: Yeah, such an imagination, that one.
Katy: Hey, did you hear from Patrick?
Ellie: Your brother called yesterday from university to wish your dad a happy birthday.
Katy: I need to give him a call myself. Well, we need to go.
Katy stands up along with Sally as they hold hands. Katy leans in and kisses Ellie then Toby on the cheek as Sally hugs them both.
Katy: Bye! Love you, mom, dad.
Sally: Love you, grandma! Granddad!
As she hugs Toby, Sally whispers in Toby's ear.
Sally: Thanks for saving all those people on that planet.
Katy and Sally leave as Ellie gets up from the table and hugs Toby from behind as they look out the kitchen window. Then we hear a distinctive and familiar sound.
VWORP!
VWORP!
VWORP!
The blue box shape of the TARDIS is reflected in the glass of the kitchen window.
Toby: Ellie...
Ellie: Yeah, I know.
Scene change: a close up of the Doctor's hand holding the sonic screwdriver scanning Toby's chest. Our view pulls out as we see the two men standing in Toby's back yard with the TARDIS in the background. The Doctor withdraws the sonic and places it back in his jacket.
Toby: And...?
The Doctor: As always.
Toby: Locked up tight?
The Doctor: Tight as a drum.
Toby: Good.
Toby sighs and wanders over to a swing set and the Doctor follows.
Toby: Doctor, I feel... old.
The Doctor: Uh huh.
Toby: I know that sounds funny, from your point of view. 55 years old, I'm still a child compared to you but....
Toby sits in a swing.
Toby: But I've really been... feeling it, you know. I hurt in places I didn't know existed. Ellie's protecting me from my own birthday cake.
The Doctor sizes up the swing, touches the chain as if unsure what to do.
The Doctor: Toby, the chronovirus...
The Doctor awkwardly sits in the other swing.
The Doctor: The chronovirus doesn't make you immortal.
Toby: I know that. I know what the chronovirus is doing to me. But what happens, Doctor....what happens when I die? What happens to the chronovirus then?
The Doctor looks down at the ground.
The Doctor: I... can't say.
Toby: Can't? Or won't?
The Doctor doesn't answer and Toby gets up and steps away from the swing set, turning on the Doctor.
Toby: Damn it, Doctor! This! Stuff like this! This is why it was so hard for my mother to trust you!
The Doctor awkwardly gets up from the swing.
The Doctor: Toby, your mother... was a very wise and insightful woman.
Toby: Yes, I know. I miss her... every day.
The Doctor: And I am an old man. A very, very, very old man and ever so foolish.
Toby: So...you keep your secrets then?
The Doctor: It's what old, foolish men do.
Toby: I see.
There is silence between the two men as the evening grows darker. The Doctor sighs and gestures towards the TARDIS.
The Doctor: Care for a quick spin through time and/or space?
Toby: Nah. Not this year, if you don't mind. I think I need some quality time with my wife.
The Doctor: Of course.
The Doctor wanders over to the TARDIS and opens the door as Toby turns towards his home. Then Toby stops at the backdoor and turns towards the Doctor.
Toby: Doctor?
The Doctor turns in Toby's direction.
The Doctor: Hmmm?
Toby: Stay safe, Doctor!
The Doctor nods towards Toby.
The Doctor: Stay well, Toby.
Toby smiles and he disappears into the house. The Doctor enters the TARDIS. The light on top begins to glow.
VWORP!
VWORP!
VWORP!
And the TARDIS vanishes as night falls.
_______________________________
Next time....
Toby asks the Doctor for a special trip back in time to a special day in his past. What is.... The Day Everything Changes?
Next week..... Episode Seven of Lifetime Companion
Meanwhile a new blog on something or another will be up tomorrow. Until then, remember to be good to one another.
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