Doctor Who (1963) s01e20 Episode Script

- I'll kill him.
- Do so.
He is of no importance.
(Ian pushes Kuiju away.
) (Tegana cuts the air with his sword.
) - Come come ASSASSIN AT PEKING - Will the mighty War Lord kill a child as well? - If in my way, as you are.
- And Kublai Khan? Is he in your way too? - I serve Noghai.
And with that, he will rule the world.
- Only the Doctor can make that work.
- Noghai's sorcerers will reveal its secrets.
- Now, enough of this game.
(As Tegana advances Ling-Tau arrives.
) - Disarm them! (Soldiers disarm Tegana and Ian.
) - Stop him! (Kuiju is killed as he tries to escape.
) You fool! I did not command his death.
- My name is Tegana - the War Lord.
Get rid of these men.
- I am Ling-Tau, captain and courier in the great Khan's service.
- They were trying to steal the Khan's property.
- That's not true.
- I remember both of you.
You were with Messr Marco Polo's caravan.
- He is the thief - we caught him with that.
Pardon me, my lady.
I have not the authority to judge in this dispute.
It's a matter for the great Khan.
- Then take us to Shang-Tu.
- The great Khan has left the summer palace at Shang-Tu, my Lord.
You will see him in Peking.
- My game? - You're too good for us at backgammon.
- Tea? - Please.
- Oh, that is our reckoning? - Ah, yes it is, sire, yes.
- What do we owe? - Oh, thirty-five elephants with ceremonial bridles, trappings, brocades and pavillions; - four thousand white stallions, and twenty-five tigers.
- That's not too bad, so far.
- And the sacred tooth of Buddha which Polo brought over from India.
- Oh, that? What else what more? I I'm very much afraid all the commerce from Burma for one year, sire.
(Horns announce the arrival of the Empress.
) - Oh, the Empress - hide it, hide it! (As the Empress approaches, the Doctor stands and bows.
) - Winning, my love? - One wins, one loses, my dear.
- The great Khan is far too modest, my lady.
- You're not wagering are you? You know how it affects your gout.
(The Empress leaves.
) - How charming! - Charming indeed, and yet there are moments, old friend, when we wish (The Khan pours the tea.
) our character were more like that of our lamented grandfather, Genghis.
Did you hear of him? Genghis Khan? No, I didn't meet him, I but I have heard of him.
Yes.
Oh he was the warrior of the family.
Nothing frightened him.
We are the clan of the statistician and the administrator Oh, she will be furious with me when she finds out what I have lost.
- Oh, then you've lost nothing, sire.
- No, no, no.
These are bets of honour.
Well, one more game then, and if you win, you can take it all back again.
- And if you win? - Well err .
Marco Polo has taken away my caravan and given it to you, sire.
- Ah if I win, perhaps I could have my caravan back again? - No, not that.
No, take something else.
The Island of Sumatra - we can't give you Marco's gift.
We haven't even seen it yet.
But none of this is important to me, sire.
You see, win or lose, you can have it all back again.
But if I win, my ship TARDIS comes back to me, hmm? - Let's play at that stake.
- Oh, go away! - Oh, go away! - It's Marco Polo, my Lord.
- Oh, Marco Polo.
Well, would you object to one interruption? - No, no, no.
Enter.
(Marco enters and starts to kowtow.
) We are too busy for that, Marco.
Be brief please.
Be brief.
As my lord commands.
The War Lord Tegana has arrived in Peking.
When he reaches the palace, shall I bring him directly to you? No.
No, we'll grant him an audience as soon as possible.
Oh, we want to tell you something Marco.
We owe half of Asia to our friend at backgammon.
- It is unusual for you to lose, my Lord.
- Oh he is a fortunate one! But our friend here made a truly royal gesture which we have accepted, - although it might upset you.
- Why should it do that? That's our last game.
Our losses against your gift to me.
- The caravan? - Ah yes, Marco, we're playing for the TARDIS - But my Lord - Well? Nothing, my Lord.
I will leave you to your game.
- My throw! - But yes, your throw.
You will not believe this, but I swear it's true.
They're playing backgammon for your caravan.
- What! - If the Doctor wins, he has won back "TARDIS".
- And if he loses? - He's lost everything.
- Oh, Grandfather will win.
I hope - The sly old fox - the Khan hasn't even seen it yet, and he's taking it away from me.
Then, this will solve everything.
You've made your gesture and given the TARDIS to the Khan, so he should let you go home.
And with any luck, we can go home too.
So we'll all have what we want.
- Yes, all except Ping-Cho.
- Yes, I'm afraid there's nothing we can do about her, Susan.
- Her future husband is already in Peking.
- What in the palace? Yes, there is to be a banquet tonight in his honour, at which six thousand guests will attend.
- Six thousand! - He's a very important man.
- He must be! When is the wedding? - Tomorrow morning.
- Poor Ping-Cho - My lord, Polo.
Yes? Oh, you're the courier who brought me the message from Shang-Tu, aren't you? - I am my Lord.
- It's a pleasure to see you again.
- No my Lord, I fear not.
- Why? What is wrong? Two members of your party, the lord known as Ian, and the lady, Ping-Cho, are being held under guard.
- Why? - They're accused of stealing the Khan's property.
- The TARDIS.
- Well, who accuses them? - Tegana! - Yes, my lady.
- That man! Wait! But Grandfather's going to win back the TARDIS, so no charges can be brought.
Susan, you don't take your prize until you win the game.
Grandfather! - Grandfather, you've not lost? - He gave me this - the consolation prize.
A piece of his paper currency.
Oh, grandfather! - You have told me all? - Everything from the moment I found Ping-Cho.
And you distinctly heard Tegana say that the Khan was his enemy? Yes, Tegana said 'I serve Noghai, and he will conquer the world.
' Ping-Cho heard it as well.
Distinctly, Messr Marco.
- Ling-Tau, did you hear this? - No, my lord.
I did not.
That's a pity.
You mean our word isn't strong enough against Tegana's? - There are two of us, Messr Marco.
- No, Ping-Cho.
Ian must stand trial alone.
- Why? - Your husband-to-be has asked the Khan to excuse you.
He promises to take you away from Peking as soon as the marriage ceremony is over.
- And the Khan has agreed? - You are to be married tomorrow morning.
So this is our flying caravan! Thank you for recovering it for us, Lord Tegana.
Good fortune gave me the opportunity of serving the great Khan.
The lady Ping-Cho has been excused of complicity in the theft.
The Khan shows much wisdom and compassion.
What crimes she committed were done under the influence of others.
Crimes! Who else was there? The old magician, my lord, tried several times to regain the caravan.
Were there other attempts to steal it? Marco did not mention them to us.
Is that not natural, my lord, that he would wish to guard them? - You have served us well.
- In dealings with Mongols, like ourselves, yes my lord, but he is as they are.
And does not one's loyalty first lie with one's own kind? - Your point is taken, Lord Tegana.
(Marco enters.
) - Marco, thank you for our gift.
- I am the Khan's obedient servant.
We are glad to know.
But then, there were other attempts to steal the caravan? Why did you not invoke our laws? To have done so would have been unjust, my lord.
Our laws are alien to them.
They were on our soil, therefore, subject to our laws.
Why did you not invoke them? - The caravan belonged to them, my lord.
- My lord, I can hold my peace no longer.
Forgive me.
- How can that be? You claimed it in the Khan's name? - It was wrong of me to do so.
You wear the Khan's gold seal.
It gives you your authority to take what you will.
- When the cause is just.
This was not.
- What was it then? - Selfish.
- What did you hope to gain? - He wanted to force you to let him return to Venice.
- You wanted to bribe us, Marco? - I'd hoped you would allow me to return home, my lord.
- Your gift has failed.
It is ours because we won the right to keep it in a game of chance.
Where is the key? - In my quarters, my lord.
- Bring it to us after the banquet, and then, we'll examine our prize.
My lord, you do me a great wrong.
We are distressed and angered by your conduct, Marco.
Please think about it.
You'll also attend us after the banquet, Lord Tegana.
We'll discuss the terms of our settlement with Noghai.
- But we be on guard against you.
- What have I that the Khan should fear? The power of persuasion.
(As he leaves the room, Marco closes his eyes in defeat.
) And in the middle of the feast! How shall we tell her? - Terrible! Horrible! Terrible and horrible! Horrible and terrible! (Marco, Ping-Cho and Ling-Tau enter.
) Oh, here you are, my child.
Come, we have something to tell you.
A tragedy has occurred at the table tonight.
- Tragedy, my lord? - Your beloved husband-to-be so anxious to be worthy of your love, drank a potion of quicksilver and sulphur - the elixir of life and eternal youth - and expired.
- Come into my arms, child.
Let me share your grief.
- You're overdoing it, my dear, the child is dry eyed.
Oh, ungrateful wretch! Do you not weep for your lost love? My lady, I grieve an old man's death as all would do.
But how can I weep for a love I have never known? Tell us Ping-Cho, do you wish to return to your home in Samarkand? Or would you like to stay a while in our Court and brighten all our days? - If I may, my lord, I would like to stay.
- So be it.
Wait, Marco.
Tell us, my child, your opinion of the travellers from a distant land? - They are my friends, my lord.
As they will always be.
- Thank you, Ping-Cho.
Wait, Marco.
Let that young officer escort lady Ping-Cho to her quarters.
(Ling-Tau escorts Ping-Cho out.
) She is forthright and honest.
We trust her, as we once did you.
Our mind dwells upon your conduct, Marco, and we've decided that you have to prove yourself worthy of our trust.
If you fail this to do, we take from you our patronage, banish you from our Court, and let your enemies fall upon you.
- You have the key of the caravan? - Yes, my lord.
But you would be well advised to have the Doctor with you when you open it.
Fetch him, Marco, fetch him.
No, wait! Not until our audience with the Lord Tegana is concluded.
(Marco turns and exits the throne room.
) (Outside, Marco sees Tegana.
) I underestimated you, Tegana.
No you overestimated yourself.
(Tegana enters the throne room.
) - The Khan won't even see us.
- No, we've tried everything.
- What's Tegana's game? - Well, we can be quite clear about that.
Tegana said "I serve Noghai, and he will conquer the world", with the help of the TARDIS.
- I always knew Tegana was a two-faced villain.
- Yes, well that doesn't help Ian, does it? He's got to take the blame.
I wish I could remember what it was the Khan said that upset Marco so much.
- What's it matter now? - Well, it was something about Noghai and Tegana.
- I'm sure Tegana was behind that bandit raid.
But why? - It wasn't just my ship then.
Whatever double-game Tegana is playing, he must have decided upon a long time before we appeared on the scene.
- I remember! - Hmmm? The Khan was furious because Noghai had moved his armies from Samarkand to Karakorum.
And that's why he delayed Marco Polo's caravan - to give Noghai more time to move his armies nearer Peking.
Yes, that makes sense.
Even so, why should Kublai Khan fear Noghai? He has an enormous army, and he's already defeated him once, surely.
Yes, but what you have to take into account where battles are concerned, dear boy, are its leaders.
Kill the leader, and where are you? What happens? The whole army dissipates itself into chaos and utter confusion.
- It's happened throughout your history time and time again! - Grandfather, do you mean to say Tegana's going to assassinate the Khan? Exactly, and what could be a better answer then to disorganise everything here.
It gives Noghai the perfect answer to overrun the country.
- But then, we must get to the Khan before Tegana kills him, otherwise - I've had it.
- Yes - we've all had it.
- Look, how are we going to get Ian past the guard? (The Doctor indicates for Ian to move to the door.
) (He mimes how he will jump the guard.
) Guard! Open the door.
(As the guard enters the Doctor trips him and they run out.
) - Which way? - Let's try down here.
- Ian, what are you doing, you fool? - Marco, you must stop Tegana! He's going to kill the Khan! - Marco, listen to me, Tegana - Take him back to his cell, and keep him under close surveillance.
- But Messr Marco, you must (Ling-Tau enters.
) - What is it? - A messanger has just arrived.
- Noghai's army is marching on Peking.
- We told you so! - Tegana's in the throne room with the Khan now.
- Well, then, look, somebody must protect him! - Hold that, Doctor, and stay here, all of you.
- Your terms of peace are hard, my lord.
- Tegana, those who rise against us must be humbled.
They shall be honoured.
I promised Noghai to make an end of this matter.
(Tegana draws his sword and lunges at the Khan.
He misses and kills the Vizier.
) Tegana! (Marco finally disarms Tegana.
) (Tegana is brought before the Khan.
) We warned you, Tegana, those who rise against us will be humbled.
You must die.
(Tegana grabs a sword and impales himself.
) -Take him away.
(The guards remove Tegana's body.
) - Doctor, take the keys quickly! - Thank you.
- Now go! - Thank you.
- Go! - Come along - Susan, goodbye.
- Ping-Cho - Your caravan, quickly! (The travellers rush into the TARDIS.
) - Goodbye! I'm sorry, my lord.
I had to give them back their flying caravan.
If you hadn't, the old man would have won it at backgammon.
And it is true a flying caravan there's something for you to tell your friends in Venice.
No, my lord.
They would not believe half the things that I have seen in Cathay.
But what is the truth? I wonder where they are now the past or the future NEXT EPISODE - THE SEAS OF DEATH Yes, I wonder where they are now the past or the future That was the last I ever saw the strange travellers in the course of a discussion many years ago at the way station of Lop Miss Wright was convinced I would see Venice again, how could she've known that prediction is to come true.
three years after my journey with the old Doctor and his companiens I left Cathay for the last time and finally returned home, to my be homeland Venice in 1295 now, in the year about good lord 1324 at 70 years old my travelling days are finally over.
To many years now I have been redicured for my stories and subjected to endless questioning.
I'm tired of it.
This will be my final journal entry.
Like the many sceptic sides have counted over the years I ? have finded hard to believe many wonders I behold join my travels fine caravans, travellers who journey from today and tomorrow.
If only they knew, I didn't tell half of what I saw.
Because, no one would believe me.