The Day
of the Clone - Part One
Written by Victor Pemberton
Simon is at the Ministry of Forward Development in Whitehall
looking for Commander Traynor. The doorman is adamant he can't
enter the building without a pass. Spotting Miss Stebbins in the
corridor, Simon brushes past the doorman and pleads with her to
see the Commander. Miss Stebbins explains that Commander Traynor
is at 'R1' but she refuses to go into further detail about what
'R1' is because of the Official Secrets Act. Miss Stebbins asks
what is so important and Simon explains that Liz has disappeared
and he fears she has been kidnapped. Miss Stebbins insists that
Commander Traynor left strict instructions that he was not to
be disturbed during the 'current series of tests.' Simon is intrigued
but Miss Stebbins merely tells him that no one asks questions
about what goes on at 'R1' and she shows Simon to the door. Before
the door closes, Simon sees Miss Stebbins hand a document folder
to the doorman with instructions that they be passed on to Commander
Traynor at once. The doorman tells her that the 'R1' truck is
about to leave. The document folder is passed onto a courier who
leaves through the main door. Simon follows him...
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In an office at R1, Commander Traynor is in a meeting. Behind
the desk is the owner of the office - Dr Frazer. Traynor is staring
at a portrait hanging on the wall. The man in the picture is wearing
academic robes and appears to be Morgan C. Devereaux. Traynor's
attention is diverted by the voice of Dr Frazer as he tells the
Commander that they cannot hold onto 'the girl' much longer. Frazer
is worried about the legal situation. Traynor reminds him that
he was invited to set up the R1 research establishment by the
Government and that it is not answerable to anyone other than
the Prime Minister and that they are not obliged to reveal the
nature or the extent of their work - even in the public interest.
Dr Frazer counters that he is worried about the staff, to which
Traynor replies that they seem to be obeying orders although Frazer
is concerned that they are beginning to 'ask questions' - especially
someone called Pitman. Frazer tells Traynor that Pitman is an
idealist and as such is inquisitive. Frazer goes on to say that
they have gone as far as they can with human volunteers and that
if the staff were to discover that they had brought Liz to R1
against her will, there could be trouble. Traynor merely states
that they need Liz - 'it's as simple as that.'
Liz wakes to find herself in bed in the strange room. She can
hear strange electronic sounds. Climbing out of bed she tries
the door, banging and shouting to be let out. She calls out for
Simon...
Simon is en route to R1 in the back of the delivery van. The
van stops and the driver goes into reception at R1 and delivers
the document case to Pitman, who signs for it and promises to
pass it on to Commander Traynor.
In his office, Dr Frazer and Commander Traynor are listening
to a tape of Liz (apparently in some sort of hypnotic trance)
recalling the events of the 'Burn-Up'. There is a knock at the
door and Dr Frazer immediately switches the tape recorder off.
Pitman comes in and delivers Traynor's package to him and informs
him that two of the patients in the hostel unit are becoming ill,
having low vitamin 'A' content and losing their appetites. Traynor
dismisses the report as normal symptoms of paranausea. Frazer
concurs with Traynor's hypothesis and he reminds Pitman that the
patients are in the midst of an intensive course of training.
Pitman states that he thought the object of the exercise was to
save human life and not to take it. Traynor accuses him of being
over-dramatic. Pitman recounts his research since joining R1 and
how he has been looking out for signs of progress in the research
but he can find none other than deterioration. Traynor says that
they are only at the beginning of the research, to which Frazer
adds that HA57 needs time to settle down. Pitman goes on to protest
that the human life being used in the experiments has no chance
of survival. Traynor tries to smooth things over by telling Pitman
he is taking on far too much. Frazer advises Pitmen to take a
few hours off, but an adamant Pitman refuses, telling both Traynor
and Frazer that he must have answers to certain questions, like
who the girl they brought in is...
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Back in the room without windows, Liz discovers her clothes in
a cupboard behind the bed. She starts to get dressed.
Simon climbs in through an open window into a corridor at R1.
An orderly comes round a corner forcing him to duck into room
that has a sign on the door stating, 'Entry Forbidden'. In the
darkened room Simon is shocked to see a figure apparently skulking
in the shadows.
In Frazer's office, Pitman is protesting about the proposed use
of hypnotherapy on Liz. Frazer tells Pitman it is essential to
explore all areas of the mind and body in order to extend Devereaux's
theories on cloning and longevity. Pitman continues his protests
as Frazer explains that Liz is a sick child who has undergone
a series of mental disturbances and hallucinations. Pitman remains
unimpressed saying that if Liz has suffered mental disturbances,
R1 is not the place for her. He comments on the way R1 treats
the old people who wander aimlessly around the place but Frazer
counters that they all volunteered and that they are making a
'contribution to the community.' Pitman asks Traynor why he wants
to extend life beyond its natural span. Traynor smoothly replies
that no one wants to die... even when they have to.
In the darkened room Simon examines the figure more closely.
It is a mannequin of Liz. The whole room is filled with other
mannequins, moulds and a covered steel cauldron from which a bubbling
sound is coming. As he is about to lift the cauldron's lid, a
sound makes Simon start. He goes back to the door and opens it.
The coast is clear so leaves the room and cautiously makes his
way along the corridor. Through the half-glazed door, Simon sees
an operating theatre being prepared for use. He moves on down
the corridor. Suddenly a tannoy bursts into life giving instructions
about 'training period number 4'. Nearby a pair of lift doors
open and a group of very old and decrepit individuals shuffle
out, single file. A woman at the back of the line notices Simon
but just shuffles away with the rest of the group. Behind Simon
a door opens and Traynor and Frazer come out discussing Liz's
forthcoming 'treatment'. Simon instantly recognises Frazer as
being identical to Alpha 4, whom he and Liz met in the 'Burn-up.'
Frazer is at odds with Traynor about the use of hypnotherapy on
Liz but Traynor orders that she be made ready for the procedure
at once. Simon sneaks into Frazer's recently vacated office and
finds the tape recorder still running, although the reel has run
off. He turns the machine off and looks around the office. He
goes over to the bookcase and removes a book. It is a copy of
'Longevity and Cerebral Processes' by Morgan C. Devereaux. He
flicks through the book then replaces it on the shelf. On the
desk he finds a ledger that contains diagrams of the human brain.
By the lift, Traynor and Frazer watch as a gurney with a blanket-covered
figure on it is wheeled out. They follow the gurney down the corridor.
In Frazer's office, Simon is listening to the tape recording
of Liz talking about the 'Burn-Up'. He switches off the machine
and makes to leave. As he opens the door he is shocked to see
the old women who noticed him earlier.
Simon asks the old woman who she is, to which she replies she
should be asking HIM that question. She enters the office and
closes the door behind her. She asks Simon what he is doing there
and he replies that he is looking for a friend. The old woman
introduces herself as Maria, but she claims that her name doesn't
matter anymore as she has lost her identity. Simon asks her why
she is at R1. Maria explains that she is a volunteer in the contribution
to the cause of scientific progress. She tells Simon that she
has been in R1 for about five years and she asks if the world
outside has changed much... Simon asks Maria if she knows where
Liz is. Maria tells him that Liz is in 'the room without windows'
and that all of the patients have been in there at one time or
another. Simon asks Maria if she can show him where the room is.
At the reception desk outside in the corridor, the desk attendant
is doing his football pools. He notices Maria wandering down the
corridor and chides her for missing her group therapy session.
She feigns forgetfulness as the desk attendant leads her away
leaving the corridor clear for Simon to make his way to the lift.
As he is waiting for the lift, Simon hears a buzzer and sees a
flashing light on the desk signalling an incoming phone call.
The buzzer brings the desk attendant running back to his post
as Simon slips unseen into the lift in the nick of time.
In the room without windows, Liz is putting her shoes on when
she hears the door open. She grabs one of her shoes, hides behind
the door and raises the shoe to strike whoever is coming in. Simon
cautiously comes through the door unaware that Liz is waiting
to strike him - which she does. As Simon collapses unconscious,
Liz realises her mistake and is horrified.
In the operating theatre Traynor and Frazer are about to begin
an operation on the blanketed figure.
In the room without windows Liz is trying to revive Simon. She
apologises for hitting him and explains how she came to be there
after trying to use the time barrier to go back and see Beth...
and how she ended up in the room without windows, completely unaware
of the passage of time. Liz tells Simon that it was Commander
Traynor who brought her to R1 to which Simon replies that he knows
all about it and how Traynor is trying to gather information about
the future.
In the operating theatre Traynor and Frazer continue working
on the patient.
Simon theorises that the room without windows is used for some
form of hypnosis. He points out the strange lightning and Liz
mentions the strange electronic sounds that she heard coming from
a speaker above the bed. Simon says he thinks it is all part of
the conditioning process. He tell Liz what he has found out about
R1 and how it appears to be some sort of research institute originally
set up by the late Morgan C. Devereaux to investigate longevity
and how to achieve it. They hear a noise from outside the room.
Simon looks into the corridor and sees the lift doors opening
and Dr. Pitman emerging. Pitman sees the door to Liz's room open
and hears sobbing coming from within. He investigates and finds
Liz sitting on the bed and notices how untidy the room is. He
starts to berate Liz but doesn't notice Simon hiding behind the
door with a blanket, ready to pounce. He leaps at Pitman, throws
the blanket over him and with Liz's help, wraps the surprised
Pitman up tightly and pushes him onto the bed. Liz and Simon bolt
from the room to make their escape.
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Traynor and Frazer emerge from the operating theatre discussing
the patient they have just treated. Traynor asks if Liz is ready
for hypno-therapy and Frazer replies that Pitman is with her.
Liz and Simon are still looking for a way out of the building
and they make for the stairs.
On a floor below Traynor and Frazer enter the lift. As the doors
close on them, Liz and Simon slip down the stairs and past the
lift doors. They pass the operating theatre and look through the
window to see the subject Traynor and Frazer had been working
on, still on the operating table.
In the room without windows, Traynor and Frazer find Pitman who
is still unravelling himself from the blankets. He explains that
Liz has escaped.
Liz and Simon make their way back to the window, through which
Simon climbed in, when he first arrived at R1, but it is now locked.
Simon pushes Liz into the room in which he hid when he first arrived
and closes the door on her. Liz is shocked to see the mannequin
that looks like her. Simon goes to look for a way out. At that
moment an alarm is sounded.
Traynor and Frazer burst out of the lift into reception. Frazer
gathers a party of orderlies and they hurry off to search for
the children whilst Traynor makes a phone call.
An orderly spots Simon and gives chase. Simon speeds back to
the room where Liz is waiting anxiously. He slams the door and
bolts it behind him. Maria emerges from the shadows. She directs
Liz and Simon to a laundry chute reassuring them that it is only
a short drop. Simon asks her to come with them but she replies
that she is too old for that sort of thing.
In the corridor outside Frazer arrives at the door of the storeroom
followed by Traynor. The orderly tells them that the children
are in the room. As Traynor hammers on the door, Frazer glances
through the window and notices the children heading away from
the building. Traynor, Frazer and a group of orderlies head off
in pursuit.
Liz and Simon find themselves at the edge of the R1 grounds.
Liz wonders where they could go, as they are miles from anywhere.
But Simon has a plan...
Traynor and Frazer leave the R1 building in hot pursuit of the
children.
Nearly exhausted, the children find themselves at the perimeter
of the Ministry field that Simon had spotted on his way to R1.
They realise that they are being cornered by Traynor, Frazer and
the orderlies leaving them only one means of escape: the time
barrier! Liz is reluctant but when Simon points out the alternatives,
she is forced to go along with his plan. They enter the barrier
leaving a frustrated Traynor and a group of stunned orderlies
behind...
Complete cast for part one
Cheryl Burfield (Liz Skinner), Spencer Banks (Simon Randall),
Denis Quilley (Commander Traynor), Ian Fairbairn (Dr. Frazer),
John Swindells (Pitman), Stebbins (Teresa Scoble), Mary Larkin
(Maria), Bruce Beeby (Desk Attendant), Harry Davis (Commissionaire),
Dennis Balcombe (Driver).
Script Editor Ruth Boswell
Scientific Adviser Geoffrey Hoyle
Designer Gerry Roberts
Director David Foster
Producer John Cooper
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