Copyright 1990, 2000 by Douglas B. Killings. All rights Reserved. ***** SCENE I -- Nyssa tries to stop Adric from confronting The Master. Nyssa: Adric, stop! Please! Adric ignores her and taps a command on a touchpad control. A door slides open, revealing a cramped cockpit. The cockpit begins to light up as the door opens, and a dull humming noise can be heard, slowly getting louder as something begins to power-up. Adric: I can't. Not while he lives. I've come too far to give up now. Nyssa: He'll kill you, Adric. He's not worth it! Adric: Exactly. That's why he has to die. Nyssa watches, exasperated, as her friend climbs into the cockpit, straps himself in, and methodically activates some controls. The humming noise becomes louder. Nyssa: (slightly frantic, desperate) Adric, you don't have to do this. You're throwing your life away again on another useless gesture! Adric: (shrugging) Maybe. We'll find out soon enough. Nyssa: Why?!? Why put yourself through this? You're alive, Adric. Despite everything, you're still alive. Doesn't that mean anything to you? Adric: No... it doesn't. Nyssa stares at him, dumbfounded. Adric continues pre-flight checks. Nyssa: (quiet, hollow whisper) What did he do to you? Adric hesitates, not quite sure if he should answer the question; She is asking him about something he has tried very hard not to think about. Finally, after a moment of contemplation, he turns to face her directly. Adric: (quiet, matter-of-fact) Destroyed everything I was... everything I could have been... slowly and methodically... over the course of three years. Nyssa: W...why? Adric: A potential pawn against the Doctor... organic computer for a decrepid TARDIS... spare body for when his regeneration fails... take your pick. Adric resumes preparations. Nyssa looks both sickened and pained; she obviously feels in some part guilty for what has happened to her friend. Nyssa: (whisper) We never knew, Adric. We never had any idea. We thought there was no way you could have... could have... Adric: I know what you thought. It would have been better if I hadn't. That still doesn't change things. Nyssa: We'd have gone after you if we knew... you have to believe that. Is... is that why you never told us? Because you blame us? Adric seems to ignore the question completely. Nyssa appears pained and dismayed, guilt for something she had little control over. Nyssa: (quiet whisper) Adric... Adric sighs and faces her once more. Adric: It happened, and that's all there is to it. Nothing said or done now can possible change that. Nyssa: But... Adric: The truth is, Nyssa... I don't know what to think anymore... I can't feel anything anymore... I can't even cry anymore... All that's there is a dull numbness, an emptiness where something should be. (returning to pre-flight check) The person you knew is gone, Nyssa. Gone forever. I suggest you quit looking for him. Nyssa: (anger, bitterness) You're wrong. He's sitting here in front of me, as stupid and stubborn as he always was... and now trying to get himself killed just to prove he's not the failure he takes himself to be. Adric ignores the sarcasm. Nyssa looks increasingly dismayed. Nyssa: (shaking head) Is this all life means to you, Adric? Vengeance? Is this all that's left? Adric sighs and stares briefly into space. He seems about to say something, but changes his mind. Instead, he faces her one last time. Adric: Just one question, Nyssa. The answer to one question is all I ask. Nyssa looks at him strangely as his face seems to soften, but only slightly. For the first and only time in the story, there seems something like emotion in his voice. Adric: (quiet, almost whisper) Are you happy? Nyssa is dumbfounded and caught off-guard by the surprising question. Nyssa: W... what? Adric: Are you happy, Nyssa? Has your life worked out the way you wanted it to? Nyssa: (confused) Well, I mean... I can't complain, I suppose. I have friends like family... and Terminus has worked out very well... (to Adric, still very confused) W...why do you...? Adric sighs and slowly nods his head. The single trace of emotion is now gone. He looks resolute. Adric: Good. That's all I wanted to know. Adric presses a button on one instrument board. The door begins to slide shut. As it closes, he continues to watch her. Adric: Goodbye, Nyssa. ***** SCENE II -- Adric kills The Master. Adric kicks the T.C.E. from out of the Master's hands. It lands way out of reach. With only a brief glance he fires his gun at it, and the Master's favorite weapon explodes in a shower of sparks. Adric then brings his gun back to bare on a cowering Master. The Master: (looking up at Adric in fear) No! Adric: (quiet, unemotional) So here's how it ends, Bastard. As the pathetic coward you always were. From the ground the Master looks up at Adric and down the barrel of Adric's gun. He tries to appear calm and commanding, "Master"-ish, but it is obvious he is full of terror and fear. His sanity has completely snapped, and he is now reduced to clutching at straws. The Master: You can't defy me!! I... I am the Master. You will obey me... In the distance, Nyssa and the Doctor are frantically running toward them. The Master is getting desperate. Adric: You are the Master of nothing. You always have been. Face it, Bastard. You're a failure. A complete and utter failure. The Master: You... you have scruples! You're just like the Doctor! You'd... you'd never kill me in cold blood! Adric: All rules have exceptions. You're one of them. Nyssa and the Doctor are getting closer. The Master is getting more desperate. The Master: Mercy, then! I plead mercy! Have you no pity? Adric: No... no pity at all. You taught me that. You should feel proud. The Master: But you can't... Adric: You killed me, Bastard. You killed me as thoroughly as if the Cybermen had done it. "Adric" might have let you live... his wraith will not. Nyssa and the Doctor are now close enough that their shouts can be heard. The Doctor: Stop, Adric!! Adric ignores them. The Master is close to hysterics. The Master: (terrified) Anything, Adric!! Anything you want! Anyone you want!! I can get it for you!! Riches... power... all for the asking!! Adric: (sarcastically) "Anything", Master? Nyssa and the Doctor are now close enough to hear Adric and The Master. The Master looks at Adric, suddenly hoping that he has found his salvation. The Master: A...anything... anything you want! Adric gives him a cold stare; there is a short flicker on his face. Adric: (icy, icy cold voice) I want to forget. You can't do that for me. Adric aims his gun at the Master's head. The Doctor and Nyssa are running toward Adric. The Master: Doctor!! Stop him!! The Doctor: ADRIC, DON'T!!!! Nyssa: ADRIC!!! CUT TO: Exterior, the wooded valley. There is a single, thunderous gunshot that echoes among the rocks and trees. CUT TO: Exterior, the grassy knoll. Absolute silence. Adric is standing over the Master's body, emotionless and without any sign of remorse. There is smoke coming from his gun. The Master's body is sprawled where it has fallen, dead. Adric continues to point his gun at the Master, then methodically takes two or three more shots just to make sure the job is finished. After a brief moment staring at the corpse, Adric turns to face the Doctor and Nyssa, then walks toward them. CUT TO: Close-up of the Doctor and Nyssa. As Adric slowly walks (one leg limping), the camera focuses on the Doctor and Nyssa. There are varying degrees of horror and dismay on both of their faces. As Adric approaches the Doctor, the camera centers on the two of them. Adric gives the Doctor a dead-pan look, as if the timelord were someone he no longer wished to be associated with. The Doctor, for once, is truly unable to find someway of reacting to this event. He is horrified at what has happened, but there is also a trace of understanding. The two trade emotionless stares. Adric drops his gun at the Doctor's feet. Adric: Your brother is dead, Doctor. I suggest you observe the proper rites. Adric turns away from the Doctor, there being nothing more to say. Instead, he turns to look one last time at Nyssa. Her face is a mixture of emotions: horror for what her friend has done; pain for what her friend has become; self-guilt for her part in that change... maybe even regret for something that might have been. She is on the verge of tears. Adric gives her the same dead-panned stare he gave the Doctor, except for another brief flicker of some indescribable emotion. Nyssa: (hollow whisper) Adric... Adric raises his hand and slowly shakes his head, stiffling any further words she may have. Then, without another word, he simply sighs, turns his back to them, and begins to walk away. Nyssa takes one step forward, as if about to say something, but the Doctor holds her back with one hand on her shoulder. The Doctor: Don't. You'll only make it worse. A few tears are now running down Nyssa's face. The two watch as Adric departs the story the same way he entered it -- alone, a solitary person, a perpetual outsider. CUT TO: Exterior, the wooded valley. Adric is now some distance from the Doctor and Nyssa. Suddenly, Nyssa's voice can be heard shouting. Nyssa: (stiffling tears) Goodbye, Adric! Take care of yourself... CUT TO: Close-up of Nyssa. Nyssa: (whispering to herself) ...find yourself... CUT TO: Close-up of Adric. Adric continues to distance himself from his old friends. The camera freezes on his face. One tear, and one tear only, is travelling down an otherwise impassive face. End episode, roll credits.