Fabula
S20E14 · Terminus Part 2

Doctor searches Terminus database as Kari urges departure

The Doctor frantically dismantles the ship’s computer systems to extract data about Terminus while Kari grows increasingly uneasy about lingering aboard the vessel. Her impatience clashes with his methodical search for clues amid the station’s sinister reputation for Lazar’s disease and the Garm. Nyssa’s rest reveals the fragile trust within their group when she spots Olvir hiding beneath a chair, hinting at hidden loyalties that may soon fracture their fragile alliance. The urgency of the moment escalates as both external threats and internal deceptions begin to converge.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

The Doctor searches the computer for information about Terminus while Kari expresses urgency to leave the ship.

urgency to focus ['space liner bridge']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3

Intensely driven with suppressed tension, masking concern about the station’s secrets beneath a veneer of detached investigation

The Doctor is physically dismantling the ship’s navigation computer, rearranging computer chips while methodically searching for clues about Terminus. His focused demeanor contrasts sharply with Kari’s urgency, revealing a blend of scientific determination and growing anxiety about the station’s dangers.

Goals in this moment
  • Extract critical navigation data about Terminus before the ship is forced to depart
  • Prevent the spread of Lazar’s disease by uncovering the Garm’s involvement
Active beliefs
  • Trusting that the liner’s recent docking with Terminus holds vital historical data
  • Believing that time is running out for everyone aboard as the ship’s systems degrade rapidly
Character traits
Methodical Focused Analytical Pragmatic Curious
Follow The Fifth …'s journey

A mix of bone-deep weariness from illness and sudden suspicion, her instincts overriding her usual restraint to expose Olvir’s deception

Nyssa assists the Doctor by scanning for more computer blocks but pauses to rest against the stair railing due to the physical toll of Lazar’s disease. Her sharp gaze quickly shifts from fatigue to alert observation when she notices Olvir’s concealed presence beneath a chair, exposing hidden loyalties.

Goals in this moment
  • Support the Doctor in extracting vital information from the liner’s systems
  • Confront any immediate threats to the group’s safety, including hidden adversaries
Active beliefs
  • That every moment aboard Terminus increases the risk of infection or worse
  • That Olvir’s actions may directly endanger the entire group
Character traits
Fatigued Observant Protective Resourceful Disciplined
Follow Nyssa's journey

Nervous urgency masking deep-seated distrust, driven by the escalating dangers aboard the liner and the looming threat of Terminus

Kari urgently urges the Doctor to hasten his efforts and leave the ship immediately, her pragmatism underscored by the vessel’s decaying environment. Her impatience clashes with the Doctor’s methodical approach, revealing a tension between survival instincts and the need for answers.

Goals in this moment
  • Ensure the group exits the liner as quickly as possible to avoid further exposure to its dangers
  • Challenge unnecessary delays that could jeopardize survival
Active beliefs
  • That any delay aboard the liner increases the risk of infection or encountering the Garm’s influence
  • That the Doctor’s curiosity may come at a fatal cost
Character traits
Pragmatic Impatient Skeptical Assertive Independent
Follow Kari Olvir's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

4
Space Liner's Navigation Data Chips

The Doctor aggressively dismantles the navigation computer’s circuit casing to access the embedded navigation data chips, frantically rearranging and examining them for clues about Terminus. The chips, exposed by his forceful actions, are marred by grime and flicker intermittently under the bridge’s emergency lighting.

Before: Securely seated within the intact circuit casing of …
After: Fractured casing exposes delicate circuitry; chips are scattered …
Before: Securely seated within the intact circuit casing of the navigation computer, partially obscured by dust and grime accumulated over years of service
After: Fractured casing exposes delicate circuitry; chips are scattered and handled by the Doctor, their surfaces further marred by hasty extraction
Space Liner Bridge Crew Chair (Terminus)

The chair serves as a tactical concealment point when Olvir wedges himself tightly beneath it, using the compact design to obscure his presence from standing view. Nyssa detects his hiding place by observing the subtle rippling of the chair’s seat fabric as Olvir presses against it to remain motionless.

Before: Clean and undisturbed, positioned near the bridge stair …
After: Slightly displaced and its fabric contorted from Olvir’s …
Before: Clean and undisturbed, positioned near the bridge stair railing as standard ship furniture
After: Slightly displaced and its fabric contorted from Olvir’s concealed movements, making his presence detectable upon close observation
Bridge Stair Railing

The stair railing provides Nyssa with crucial support to steady herself against the debilitating fatigue caused by Lazar’s disease. Her grip on the cold, tubular metal anchors her as she struggles to maintain focus while assisting the Doctor in scanning the bridge for clues.

Before: Intact, securely mounted along the edges of the …
After: No visible damage, though its functional role in …
Before: Intact, securely mounted along the edges of the stairwell for crew support and safety
After: No visible damage, though its functional role in stabilizing Nyssa’s condition becomes clear as her weakened state forces a prolonged pause
Automated Station Navigation Console

The navigation panel becomes a focal point of disruption as the Doctor furiously activates switches and pries apart its components to access the hidden data chips. Kari and Nyssa engage with the panel peripherally, scanning for additional computer blocks or overlooked clues amid the fractured console.

Before: Integrated into the central console, its switches and …
After: Partially disassembled with exposed wires and broken casing, …
Before: Integrated into the central console, its switches and indicators displaying a dim, intermittent glow from the bridge’s failing systems
After: Partially disassembled with exposed wires and broken casing, indicating hasty and destructive access to the systems inside

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Terminus Space Liner

The bridge serves as a pressurized hub of desperate activity where time is running out for everyone aboard. Its failing systems cast long, shifting shadows, and the air hums with the threat of environmental collapse. The Doctor’s forcible dismantling of navigation equipment contrasts with the rising unease among the companions, as hidden betrayals begin to surface.

Atmosphere Chaotic yet tense, with a palpable sense of urgency accelerated by the ever-present specter of …
Function Serve as the nerve center for extracting critical information about Terminus while grappling with both …
Symbolism Embodies the team’s fragile alliance, where the dilapidated state of the ship metaphorically mirrors the …
Access Limited to the group’s immediate occupancy, though the presence of concealed adversaries like Olvir introduces …
Flickering emergency lighting casting erratic shadows Rippling seat fabric of the chair betraying concealed movement Intermittent alarms underscoring the bridge’s deteriorating systems

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 2

"Kari's urgency to leave the ship during the Doctor's investigation directly leads to their hasty escape into Terminus when the sterilization process begins. Her concern for safety underscores the escalating danger and the Doctor's decision to enter the station."

Doctor and Kari escape into Terminus darkness
S20E14 · Terminus Part 2

"Nyssa's physical collapse from Lazar's disease (beat_9f35504830ef69e5) is directly caused by her exposure to the disease, leading to her capture by the robot drone. This continuity highlights the disease's progression and its impact on the companions' fates."

Nyssa collapses and Olvir betrays her
S20E14 · Terminus Part 2

Part of Larger Arcs

Key Dialogue

"KARI: Hurry, Doctor. I want to get off this ship as soon as possible."
"DOCTOR: In a moment. Can you see any more computer blocks?"