Fabula
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1

Tegan offers to help find Adric's notes

Nyssa struggles with the enzyme synthesis alone, relying on Adric’s old calculations. Tegan notices her difficulty and tries to help by offering to locate Adric’s notes before Turlough, whom they both distrust, can destroy them. The moment underscores their shared peril and the pressure to solve the crisis outside their limited resources. It also deepens the emotional weight of Adric’s absence, framing his past contributions as a lifeline in their present danger. key_dialogue: [ NYSSA: Adric did the calculation for me. My own figures aren't as good, as you can see. TEGAN: I'll see if I can find his notes, before Turlough destroys them. ]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Tegan confronts Turlough about his suspicious actions, but he is not present in this part of the conversation; instead, Tegan, Nyssa discuss Nyssa's enzyme synthesis and Tegan offers to find Adric's notes.

concern to determination

Nyssa shares her need for practice with enzyme synthesis and her reliance on Adric for calculations, prompting Tegan to offer help.

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Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3

Quietly frustrated but resilient, masking inadequacy with professionalism

Nyssa carefully conducts the enzyme synthesis, her movements precise yet visibly strained. She addresses Tegan with measured honesty, admitting her struggle without embellishment, and demonstrating both humility and dedication to the task despite its difficulty.

Goals in this moment
  • Complete the enzyme synthesis accurately to stabilize their predicament
  • Depend on Adric’s legacy calculations to compensate for her own limitations
Active beliefs
  • Adric’s expertise remains critical to their survival
  • Reliance on past calculations is a necessity in the present crisis
Character traits
Humility Precision Dedication Honesty
Follow Nyssa's journey

Cautiously assertive, driven by camaraderie and wariness of external threats

Tegan stands alert, her tone sharp yet not unkind, offering immediate assistance. She expresses concern for Nyssa’s vulnerability and distrust of Turlough while taking proactive steps to preserve critical resources, reflecting her protective instincts.

Goals in this moment
  • Safeguard Adric’s notes from falling into Turlough’s hands
  • Support Nyssa by securing the resources she needs to succeed
Active beliefs
  • Turlough cannot be trusted with critical information or tools
  • Preserving collective knowledge is vital to survival
Character traits
Protective Proactive Suspicious Loyal
Follow Tegan Jovanka's journey
Turlough

Turlough is mentioned as a potential threat whose interference could disrupt their efforts. Though physically absent, his perceived presence looms …

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

2
Adric's Mathematical Notes

Adric’s notes are referred to as the key to stabilizing the synthesis process. Tegan’s urgency to locate them is driven by the fear that Turlough may destroy or exploit this critical knowledge, making the notes a pivotal resource in their fight for survival.

Before: Scattered and unsecured, possibly within reach of Turlough
After: Unresolved; Tegan intends to secure them as a …
Before: Scattered and unsecured, possibly within reach of Turlough
After: Unresolved; Tegan intends to secure them as a priority
Adric's Enzyme Synthesis Sample

The enzyme synthesis is the immediate task at hand, with Nyssa performing it manually due to the absence of Adric’s precise calibration tools or oversight. Its unstable synthesis underscores the fragility of their situation and the inadequacy of individual expertise without collective knowledge.

Before: Being synthesized by Nyssa, visibly struggling due to …
After: Still incomplete, with the outcome uncertain and dependent …
Before: Being synthesized by Nyssa, visibly struggling due to lack of calibrated control
After: Still incomplete, with the outcome uncertain and dependent on external intervention

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Terminus Liner Crew Quarters (shared by Nyssa and Tegan)

The confined, cramped room aboard the failing Terminus liner serves as both a makeshift laboratory and a fragile sanctuary. The flickering lighting and constant hum of failing systems highlight the pressure to act quickly, while the small space contrasts with the vastness of their peril.

Atmosphere Confined and tense, burdened by mechanical failure and the weight of fading hope
Function Private workspace under duress, a place of desperate scientific effort
Symbolism Represents the fragility of survival against systemic collapse and the isolation of shared struggle
Access Likely restricted to the occupants or those they trust, given the sensitive nature of their …
Flickering single bulb casting uneven shadows Rhythmic pounding of the failing drive thrumming through the bulkheads Rumpled bedding and discarded medical equipment scattered about

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 1
Callback medium

"Nyssa’s reliance on Adric’s calculations for enzyme synthesis recalls Tegan’s earlier comment about Adric’s old quarters and his absent presence, reinforcing the theme of loss and dependence in alien environments."

Doctor and Nyssa assess breached hull
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1