Doctor dispatches Ben to the control room
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Doctor, suspecting a deeper issue, dispatches Ben to the control room to investigate and observe, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Eager and determined, with a sense of responsibility; he is ready to take on the mission and prove his capability in a high-stakes environment.
Ben stands beside the Doctor, initially assisting in the sickbay by questioning the Doctor about the medical monitor. He listens intently as the Doctor explains the severity of the situation and the unnatural symptoms of the virus. When the Doctor dispatches him to the control room, Ben accepts the mission with a determined nod, ready to act independently. His demeanor is curious and eager, but he also shows a sense of responsibility as he prepares to leave the sickbay for the control room.
- • To successfully complete the covert mission in the control room and gather information about the Gravitron malfunction and virus source.
- • To prove his ability to act independently and contribute meaningfully to the team’s efforts.
- • The Doctor’s suspicions about the unnatural virus are credible, and the mission is critical to uncovering the truth.
- • His observations and actions in the control room could provide vital clues to solving the crisis.
Frustrated yet determined; she is deeply concerned about the patients and the overwhelming medical crisis but remains focused on helping in any way she can.
Polly moves efficiently through the sickbay, tending to the worsening patients with a mix of compassion and frustration. She attaches a medical monitor to Jamie’s chest, following the Doctor’s instructions, and later examines Doctor Evans’ chart to confirm his identity as the first victim. Polly expresses her frustration with the overwhelming medical situation, highlighting the lack of a doctor and the need for someone to take action. Her determination to help is evident as she navigates the chaos of the sickbay.
- • To provide medical assistance to the patients in the sickbay despite the lack of a doctor.
- • To support the Doctor in diagnosing the virus and understanding its unnatural origins.
- • The medical situation is dire, and immediate action is necessary to save lives.
- • The Doctor’s suspicions about the virus are valid, and his guidance is essential in navigating the crisis.
Terrified and disoriented; his mind is consumed by the McCrimmon Piper legend, reflecting his deep-seated fear of death and the virus’s grip on him.
Jamie lies unconscious and feverish on a sickbay bunk, his body wracked by delirium. He mutters frantically about the McCrimmon Piper, a clan legend tied to death, his voice filled with fear. The Doctor and Polly attend to him, but Jamie remains lost in his feverish visions, his condition worsening as the virus takes hold. His delirium serves as a haunting reminder of the virus’s unnatural and deadly nature.
- • To escape the grip of the McCrimmon Piper and the virus’s hold on his mind and body.
- • To be protected by his friends, who he trusts to keep the piper away.
- • The McCrimmon Piper is a real and immediate threat, a harbinger of his impending death.
- • His friends are his only hope of survival in this unfamiliar and dangerous environment.
None (unconscious/incapacitated); his condition serves as a grim indicator of the virus’s rapid and unnatural progression.
Doctor Evans lies gravely ill in the sickbay, his condition one of the worst among the infected. His medical chart, clipped to his bed, confirms his identity as the first victim of the virus. The Doctor studies the chart closely, noting the erratic vital signs and unnatural progression of symptoms. Evans remains unconscious and incapacitated, his body a stark reminder of the virus’s deadly and unnatural nature.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Doctor Evans’ medical chart is clipped to his bed in the sickbay, providing critical information about his condition as the first victim of the virus. Polly scans the chart to confirm his identity, while the Doctor studies it closely, noting the erratic vital signs and unnatural progression of symptoms. The chart serves as a diagnostic tool, highlighting the severity of the outbreak and the unnatural nature of the virus. Its stark clinical notes deepen the Doctor’s suspicion that the epidemic is not a natural disease but something far more sinister.
The medical monitor is attached to Jamie’s chest by Polly under the Doctor’s guidance. This device continuously tracks Jamie’s pulse, temperature, and breathing while automatically administering medications. The Doctor explains its dual monitoring and drug-delivery functions, emphasizing its critical role in stabilizing Jamie’s condition amid the feverish delirium caused by the virus. The monitor serves as a lifeline for Jamie, providing real-time data that helps the Doctor and Polly assess his deteriorating state and respond accordingly.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Moonbase Medical Unit serves as the epicenter of the viral outbreak, where the sick and delirious are brought for treatment. The space is crowded with patients, their groans and feverish mutterings filling the air. Crew members drag collapsed victims into the bunks, their faces marked by black veins—a grim visual indicator of the virus’s progression. The Doctor, Polly, and Ben navigate this chaotic environment, tending to patients and diagnosing the unnatural symptoms. The medical unit’s overwhelmed state underscores the urgency of the crisis and the need for swift action to contain the outbreak.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor is permitted to investigate in the sickbay (beat_1c944e8e1ee21338) after the base struggles to to consult Evans. This allows him to tend to Jamie, who is delirious and talks about The Piper (beat_5cde0d4ddff68a19)."
Hobson enforces containment under pressure"The Doctor is permitted to investigate in the sickbay (beat_1c944e8e1ee21338) after the base struggles to to consult Evans. This allows him to tend to Jamie, who is delirious and talks about The Piper (beat_5cde0d4ddff68a19)."
Doctor gains access to sick bay"Hobson's cover-up of information from earth control (beat_dddabbb65b6fd1ef) parallels Jamie's delirious talk of omens (beat_5cde0d4ddff68a19). Both represent a hiding of truth in the face of impending doom. Though seemingly disconnected, these events emphasize a rising sense of paranoia and dread brewing within the moonbase."
Hobson’s Cover-Up Under Pressure"The Doctor dispatches Ben to the control room to investigate (beat_5a2fb111eb239b43), leading him to the food store (beat_bf25d31df8f31887) and his encounter with Ralph."
Ralph’s disappearance in the food store"Jamie's feverish mutterings about 'The Piper' (beat_5cde0d4ddff68a19), a death omen, foreshadow the ominous death of Doctor Evans and his mention of 'The silver hand' (beat_863a496e955b49c5) as an increasing sense of doom descends on the base."
Evans dies warning of silver handPart of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"DOCTOR: There's something about this epidemic that I don't quite understand. It's not like a real disease at all. It's almost as if..."
"DOCTOR: Ben, I want you to go along to the control room and keep an eye on things."
"BEN: Well, how?"
"DOCTOR: I don't know. Give a hand, do anything, but keep your eyes and ears open."
"DOCTOR: There's something very wrong here. Very wrong indeed."