Episode Guide

Story One...
The Wrong End Of Time

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

Story Two...
The Time of the Ice Box

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

Story Three...
The Year of the Burn Up

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

Part Seven Part Eight

Story Four...
The Day of the Clone

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

The Year of the Burn Up - Part Six

Written by Bruce Stewart

Beth and Liz have found their way into the Ministry and into 2957's office. Liz tries to uses the video screen to find Simon. Flipping between locations she eventually brings up an image of Simon and 2957 in their cell. They are being served food by one of the Alpha secretaries and a Delta guard. Whilst Liz and Beth discuss ways of finding their actual whereabouts, they fail to notice Alpha 4 enter the office.

In the cell, Simon is fiddling with the light fitting unbeknown to the two clones as 2957 engages in conversation about the current climate situation.
In the office, Alpha 4 sees Beth and Liz watching the two prisoners on the screen.
Simon is angling the light fitting to get a better grip on it.
As Beth and Liz turn from the screen, Alpha 4 orders them not to move.
Simon swings the light fitting to shine directly in the face of the Delta guard who staggers and falls to the floor. He does the same to Alpha 16 who screams and topples over the dinner trolley. He grabs 2957 and both make their escape.
Alpha 4 asks Liz and Beth who they are.

Simon and 2957 enter the Computer room. As he explains about the clones weakness with bright light, he shows 2957 into the secret room which 2957 identifies as part of the old ministry. Simon picks up the torch he found earlier. It may prove useful. 2957 is reluctant to join Simon at first. He feels he'll be needed to help with the increasing climate problems. Simon points out the folly of such a move and reluctantly follows Simon.
Alpha 4 identifies Liz as Simon's friend. Liz tries to lie about Beth's identity but Alpha 4 is having none of it. Beth says she has nothing to say to a technocrat. She reveals her name to him. He knows of her meetings with 2957. Alpha 4 points out she has no social registration and accuses her of being a Misfit... He asks her what she is doing here.
In the cell, Alpha 16 is coming around. She winces in pain as she tries to revive the Delta guard. She staggers out of the door.

Alpha 4 accuses Beth of being under the protection of 2957. Beth denies it. Liz tries to defend 2957 but ends up implicating him much to her chagrin. Alpha 4 is pleased by the admission and tells Alpha 17 that they can now adjourn to the Computer room. As the group leave the office, they bump into a still dazed Alpha 16. She explains to them that Simon and 2957 have escaped. The alarm is raised.

Simon and 2957 are now in the jungle making their way back to community. 2957 is tiring and Simon admits that there is now nowhere else to go except to Beth. 2957 asks Simon why he had to get involved with Liz in the first place. Simon is having none of it and blames 2957 for taking up where he left off! Simon admits to actually liking Liz. 2957 tells Simon that he was wrong to accept that science could make a better world. Simon agrees. He reveals to Simon that he wasn't very kind to Beth.... Indeed, he hasn't been very kind to anyone... "Not even to poor old Traynor!" He goes on to reveal that his denouncement of Traynor was for only little things and part of the struggle for power. Simon is shocked and he tells Simon that he changed when he took up his position at the Ministry for Forward Development.
In the Computer room, Alpha 4 is overseeing the setting up of some electronic equipment attached to a headset and a chair. He explains to Beth that the chair is a very special chair. He asks Beth about her Community's location and she refuses to answer. The offer of clemency for her Misfit crimes does nothing to change Beth's mind. She laughs, further riling Alpha 4 who finally explains the electronic chair is a Mind Reconstructor used on clones who haven't turned out properly. It re-adjusts them to a lower level of intelligence and turns them into basic Deltas. He threatens to use it on Beth if she doesn't reveal the location of the Community.

Back at the Community, Vera is painting a picture. Traynor is struggling to get a picture on the video scanner which currently displaying static. He says they must keep a watch on the jungle. His attitude annoys Vera who leaves.
Outside, she joins Paul. The two of them duck into hiding as two figures approach. It is Simon and 2957. Vera is happy to see Simon and Paul greets 2957. He tells the pair that Liz and Beth have gone to the conurbation in search of them.
Inside, Traynor hears their voices and steps out into the clearing.
He grabs 2957 and holds a knife to his throat. Traynor is still angry with 2957 for his past betrayal whilst Simon attempts to explain that things have changed and that the Controller has now been betrayed himself. Traynor is hearing none of it. Suddenly, Paul calls out to look at the stars as a shower of glittering particles falls. The stars in the sky look larger now. Traynor becomes lost in thought as he releases 2957. His gaze turns to the sky as he mutters "The stars will drop from the firmament and the moon will turn to blood. The end and the beginning..."

In the city, Alpha 16 is also looking up at the bizarre phenomenon happening in the sky.
Beth is now sitting in the Reconstructor chair as Alpha 4 continues his questioning of her. She remains adamant about 2957's non-involvement with both her and the community. Alpha 4 then orders her to stand up from the chair which she does, then orders Liz to sit in it. Alpha 16 is horrified that Alpha 4 wants to use the chair on Liz and accuses Alpha 4 of turning it into a personal matter. He orders Alpha 16 to put her in the chair. Beth then says that it won't be necessary. Liz is mortified and demands to speak privately to Beth. Alpha 4 refuses. Liz tries to remind Beth that people from the other side of the time barrier cannot come to harm. Alpha 4 puts Liz in the chair as Beth remains silent. He explains to Liz about the chair and that they are about to reduce her to Delta status by first deactivating her memory. As Alpha 17 activates the machine, Beth tries to stop them but Liz remains adamant that she'll be alright. As the machine hums into life, Alpha 4 asks if there is any pain. Liz says there is none. After a short while, Alpha 4 calls for the machine to be switched off. He asks Liz her name. She says it is Liz. He asks her why she is here. She can't remember. Alpha 4 is pleased with the first stage of the process and orders they proceed with the next stage, which will involve the breaking down of the brain centres that allow the power of imagination. Beth interrupts and says that she will show them where the community is. Coming out of her trance, Liz is furious with Beth but Beth calms her as she explains that they'll have to SHOW them where the community is as it is a very difficult place to describe.

At the Community, Vera staggers into a hut. She complains about the humidity. Traynor seems to be looking out for something from the doorway and mutters incoherently. Simon and 2957 are working on their "secret weapon" which is a jury-rigged flood light made from a large tin can. Traynor continues his musing on the apocalypse. Suddenly, he turns to 2957 and asks why 2957 is allowed to remain amongst them. 2957 counters that he tried to apologise to him and that what he did to him might not be as bad as it seemed. They were both as wrong as each other and should now be working together to help Beth. Traynor says that Beth doesn't serve science and won't understand the new beginning. Traynor is interrupted by Vera who has spotted Alpha 4, Beth, Liz and a group of Delta hunters on the video screen.
Liz and Vera are trying to give Alpha 4 and the Delta hunters the run-around. They tell Alpha 4 that they need to find a route that doesn't cross a bare patch of ground due to the heat. Alpha 4's impatience is growing. Finally, the two decide that they should be heading northeast.

Outside the community, Simon and 2957 are lying in wait with their "secret weapon". Both are tired. 2957 says that Beth must be leading Alpha 4 and co. round in circles. Simon asks about the large stars. 2957 says it's due to the temperature. They hear the snap of a twig and the two of them dive for cover. Recovering from their fight, Simon recounts the increasing number of things going wrong... the video screen being one of them. He accuses 2957 for pumping the wrong amount of water into the Southern Atlantic. 2957 realises that it was due to Traynor's sabotage. Suddenly Simon notices something in the distant. It appears to be a series of caves set into the side of a quarry wall.

Elsewhere in the jungle, Liz and Beth stop to rest. An angry Alpha 4 accuses the two girls of leading them in circles, unaware that Simon and 2957 are watching from the bushes.
Vera is stumbling through the jungle searching for Simon.
Alpha 4 demands to know the whereabouts of the Community when 2957 and Simon leap from hiding. Using their powerful lamp, the two disable Alpha 4 and the Delta hunters and rescue Liz and Beth. Leaving the clones collapsed on the jungle floor, the group escape into the undergrowth.
In the Community, Paul is worried about Vera. Traynor is still obsessed. They are interrupted by Simon and co. returning. He explains to Traynor about the clones' weakness with bright light...

As Alpha 4 and the Delta hunters regain consciousness, Vera wanders into their clearing and is captured by them.
In one of the huts, 2957 tells Beth about the caves and that the Community could hold out there for months. 2957 finally admits to Beth he no longer believes in the Master Plan and that they must save the Community above all else.
Outside, Alpha 4 and the Deltas arrive in the Community with Vera their prisoner. Their noise causes the Misfits to come out of the huts. Simon calls out for the light but is shocked when Traynor throws it to the ground and smashes it. He says that nothing must stand in the way of the Master Plan. He turns to Alpha 4 and admonishes him for taking his time. He then tells him that he is resuming command.

Complete cast list for part six

Denis Quilley (Commander Traynor), Cheryl Burfield (Liz Skinner), Spencer Banks (Simon Randall), Mary Preston (Beth Skinner), David Graham (2957), Brian Pettifer (Paul), Merdel Jordine (Vera), Ian Fairbairn (Alpha 4), Teresa Scoble (Alpha 16), Lisa Scoble (Alpha 17), Patrick Durkin (Delta 22)

Script editor Ruth Boswell
Scientific Advisor Geoffrey Hoyle
Designer Michael Eve
Director Peter Jefferies
Producer John Cooper

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