Transcript for “Nectar” Episode 1x04 Originally Aired: 10/09/99 Writer: Durnford King Director: Colin Budds Transcribed by Carol Murdock for TWIZ TV.com [Scene: The jungle - Veronica and Summerlee are collecting food. An ape-man is watching from a distance.] Summerlee: What magnificent abundance. I imagine the Garden of Eden must have been like this. Veronica: Without the dinosaurs and the ape-men. Summerlee: Oh yes my dear but every garden has its serpent. [Veronica hears a noise.] Veronica: Time to go home - come on Professor. [A buzzing sound gets louder.] Summerlee: My goodness, could that be an airplane? Veronica: Get away from the flower – Now! [A giant bee descends and chases Summerlee; stinging him. Veronica throws her knife and hits the giant bee] Are you alright? Summerlee: I don’t know. Veronica: Come on. Summerlee: Owww my leg [Summerlee has a large gash on his leg] It’s not that bad. Veronica: No…no stay down. I’m making a tourniquet. Summerlee: But Veronica I’m not bleeding that badly. Veronica: It’s the bee venom it’s deadly. **** Begin Intro**** At the dawn of the century A band of adventures set out to prove the impossible The existence of a prehistoric world The Visionary The Heiress The Hunter The Scientist and The Reporter All chasing the story of a lifetime Stranded in a savage land Befriended by an untamed beauty Together they fight to survive In this amazing world of lost civilizations and terrifying creatures Always searching for a way home A way out of……the Lost World ****End Intro**** [Scene: The treehouse – Summerlee is in bed gravely ill.] Challenger: So you’re standing in front of an elephantine flower and you hear a buzzing sound. Summerlee: I thought it was an airplane. Challenger: You’re a botanist for God sakes. Summerlee: Anyone could have made the same mistake. Challenger: An Imbecile, now look what you’ve gone and done to yourself. Roxton: That’s enough, let him rest. Summerlee: No he’s right. [Roxton and Challenger leave him to rest and join the others in the common room.] Malone: So it’s always fatal? Veronica: I’ve never heard of anyone surviving. Marguerite: How long? Veronica: Two maybe three days. Challenger: So we’ve got forty eight hours to find an antidote. What do you suggest? Veronica: I just told you there’s nothing. Challenger: There must be something, somebody. Well think child you’ve lived here all your life. Malone: Go easy she said she didn’t know. Challenger: Unacceptable Malone: It’s not her fault. Challenger: She was with him. Veronica: Wait! There is someone - a healer. I think her name was Adama. Challenger: Where? Veronica: I haven’t been there since I was a child. I don’t know if I can find her. Roxton: We’ll find her. The sooner we get going the better. Malone: I’m coming with you. Roxton: Okay - someone should stay with the Professor. Marguerite: Florence Nightingale reporting for duty. Roxton: Hmm must be those strong maternal instincts. Challenger: I’ll stay too. [As Roxton is gearing up Challenger approaches] I saw tracks this morning. Roxton: Ape-men Challenger: They’re getting brave again. Roxton: We’ll be quick. Let’s go we don’t want to be stumbling through the jungle in the dark. [Scene: The trail to Adama’s. An ape-man watches them from a distance.] Malone: Feels like we’ve been walking for hours. Roxton: Which way? Veronica: I don’t know. It’s been eighteen years she may not even be alive anymore. Roxton: No time for second thoughts Summerlee’s counting on us. Malone: Come on – think. Is there a landmark anything you can remember? Roxton: You can do this Veronica. Veronica: I don’t know it all looks so different. Roxton: You got us this far. Take a deep breath and relax…good. Now use your instincts. Forget what you see - what do you feel? Veronica: That way. [Scene: The treehouse – Summerlee’s bedside.] Challenger: You know Arthur, it really is extraordinary the lengths to which you will go just to get attention. Marguerite: Hope I’m not disturbing you two. Challenger: Here, I’m not very good at this sort of thing. Marguerite: Modesty, from the great George Challenger. What a surprise, I thought you were good at everything. Challenger: You know where I come from women are not so bold. Marguerite: Oh, how dull for you. [Scene: The trail to Adama’s] Roxton: Any of this look familiar yet? Veronica: I think so; I think we’re close. There it is. Roxton: I knew you could do it. Veronica: Adama? Adama? [They enter her hut] Adama? She still lives here. Roxton: Well someone definitely lives here. Malone: What the hell is this place? [Roxton is hit by a dart.] Malone: Roxton! [Veronica is hit by a dart, then Malone.] [Scene: The treehouse – Summerlee’s bedside. Challenger is asleep in a chair.] Marguerite: Humph Challenger: I must have dosed off. Marguerite: How is he? Challenger: Judging from his color his liver’s beginning to fail. Marguerite: His fever’s worse. Challenger: There were some Boletus Mushrooms growing down by the pond. If we boil them they may bring his fever down. Marguerite: He needs more than that. Challenger: Where are they? I should have gone with them. Marguerite: And done what? Challenger: It would have been better than the nothing we’re doing here. Marguerite: We’re not doing nothing; we’re making him comfortable. At least he’ll be among friends when he dies. Challenger: He is not going to die. [Scene: Adama’s hut.] Adama: Here drink this you’ll feel better. Forgive my welcome but as I grow older I find myself less trusting of strangers. Roxton: Yes don’t we all. Adama: As for your friend there’s nothing I can do. Malone: There’s no antidote? Adama: None that you could find. Roxton: But it exists? Adama: Queen’s Bee Royal Jelly it is in the center of the hive. Roxton: Then that’s where we’ll go. Adama: Don’t be a fool. Nothing human survives in the hive and even if you get in. Veronica: What? Adama: Twenty years ago a man stole honey from the hive. Oh He escaped with his life but he brought destruction of upon us all. Malone: How? Adama: The bee’s tracked his scent back to our village. They attacked, killed everyone except me and Ilura my daughter. My people had managed to kill one of them. So I cut it open the two of us hid ourselves inside its body - until the screaming stopped. It wasn’t long enough. This bee thought Ilura was an injured drone and it carried her off. I never saw her again. It was along time ago. If you journey to the hive it will not save your friends life; you will only lose your own. [Scene: The treehouse outside in the garden - Marguerite hears grunting and she is chased by some ape-men. Challenger is by rock that is releasing air straight up.] Challenger: It just might work [Marguerite comes running.] Marguerite: Ape-men [Challenger shoots it.] Marguerite: Thanks Challenger: Is that all of them? Marguerite: And the one I left on the trail. Why were you expecting more? Challenger: No Marguerite: Don’t lie Challenger you don’t do it well. Challenger: I saw tracks this morning just outside the camp. Marguerite: How many? Challenger: Eight maybe ten. Marguerite: That’s why you stayed behind. Challenger: Where are you going? Marguerite: To pack - I’m going to the Zanga village until the others get back Challenger: Summerlee won’t make it. Marguerite: The ape-men will kill us all if we stay. Summerlee has spent half his adult life attacking you. I don’t understand why you’re risking your neck for him now. Challenger: No I don’t suppose you would. Marguerite: Don’t try and make your guilt mine. Summerlee isn’t here because I goaded him into it Challenger: We are all adults. We all made choices; each of us are here for our own reasons. Now it’s time to get back to work. I may have a way for us to survive you may go or you may stay - your choice. [Scene: The treehouse.] Challenger: I’ve been working on this for some time - behold the electric coil. Marguerite: At least the condemned will eat a hearty meal. Just what is that supposed to be? Challenger: It’s an essential element in the production of electricity. Marguerite: How is that going to protect us from the ape-men? Challenger: Oh I assure you, they will find it very shocking. You will stay? Marguerite: Whatever it is it has better work. [Scene: The trail to the hive.] Malone: That woman. Veronica: Adama? Malone: Don’t get me wrong she had a lovely collection of eyes. Is it just me or is she a little – different. Roxton: Depends on where you come from. Malone: This is New York she’d either be in a side show or an asylum. Veronica: We’re not in New York we’re in her world. As far as she’s concerned we’re the crazy ones for trying to get into the hive. Malone: Maybe she’s right. Roxton: You can go back anytime. Malone: Summerlee means as much to me as he does to you Roxton. Roxton: It’s okay Malone you’d be crazy not to be scared. Malone: It’s just with bees the size of iceboxes the learning curves a little steep. Roxton: Run fast stay alive. Now according to her directions, we should be getting close. Veronica: Shhh listen - the hive is just over that hill. Roxton: Come on then. [The come to some mountains.] Malone: I can hear it but I can’t see it. So you think the hive is in that mountain? Roxton: I’ve got news for you Malone, that mountain is the hive. [Fade Out] [Scene: Outside the hive.] Roxton: We can’t chance firing their weapons. Malone: Why not? Roxton: A gunshot this close to the hive; they’ll swarm. Veronica: We’d have a thousand bees on our tail. Malone: How are we going to get inside if we can’t shoot our way in? We won’t survive. Roxton: No human would. Malone: Exactly my point. Roxton: And mine. Malone: Is any of this making sense to you? Veronica: I think so. Adama survived the attack. Malone: Because the bee thought she was one of them. Roxton: All we need is a dead bee. Malone: We can’t shoot one - we going to wait ‘til one dies of old age? Veronica: No [she pulls her knife] Malone: Your kidding. Veronica: I did it once. I can do it again. [Scene: The treehouse Summerlee’s bedside - Marguerite is trying to feed Summerlee.] Summerlee: I don’t seem to have my usual appetite. Marguerite: Water? Summerlee: Oh I’m fine thank you very much. Marguerite: If you need anything else I’ll be in the next room. Summerlee: If you don’t mind you’ve been so kind already. Marguerite: What is it? Summerlee: Stay just a few more moments. Marguerite: Sure I won’t disturb you? Summerlee: No not at all. You could sit over there and read or…… I’m being very foolish. Marguerite: You’re going to be alright you know. Summerlee: I’m going to tell you a secret my dear - I’m afraid to die alone. Marguerite: Don’t talk nonsense. Summerlee: Years ago my wife contracted typhoid fever doctors did all they could came down to a matter of days – hours - minutes and at the last I was a coward. Marguerite: Professor you don’t have to. Summerlee: Anna was her name. She wasn’t even lucid at the end. Certainly not the beautiful, laughing girl I married. More like a raving fevered animal. I couldn’t stay, I couldn’t watch. Kept telling myself it wasn’t her. Marguerite: I’m so sorry Arthur. Summerlee: It must have been horrible for Anna to go along without anyone there to hold her hand. [Marguerite takes Summerlee’s hand.] [Scene: Outside the treehouse - Challenger is pouring a substance from a spring into a canister.] Challenger: Black tar next best thing to oil. [Challenger hears a noise.] Challenger: Marguerite? [An ape-man attacks Challenger. He knocks it out. Marguerite approaches.] What are you doing here? Marguerite: I heard the shot I thought maybe you were in trouble. Challenger: You’ve left Summerlee unprotected. Marguerite: Next time I’ll let him eat you. [Scene: Outside the hive - A dead bee is on the ground.] Veronica: Piece of cake what’s next? Roxton: It’s time to become the bee. [Roxton cuts open the bee. He punches his hand inside and sinks into the honey.] Malone: You can’t be serious. [Roxton takes the honey and wipes it on his face. Veronica and Malone follow suit.] [Scene: Outside the treehouse – Challenger is connecting the coil.] Marguerite: The bodies gone. Challenger: Ape-men eat their dead. Marguerite: Charming Challenger: How’s the Professor? Marguerite: Sleeping finally. Challenger: I’m almost there. Marguerite: If you say so. Challenger: The physics may be too complex for you. Marguerite: Humor me oh great one. Challenger: Sufficed to say it involves magnetic fields and this meteorite that was good enough to join us from outer space. Marguerite: So what are we waiting for? Challenger: You Marguerite: Me? Challenger: In order for the device to work it I require a quantity of non-conducting fabric. Silk is most desirable. In other words madam, I’m asking you to surrender your undergarments. In the name of science of course [Scene: The treehouse – Marguerite is cutting up her silk underwear.] Marguerite: What? Challenger: Such a tableau of domestic tranquility. Marguerite: Isn’t it though? Ape-men poised to attack; me cutting up my own underwear; Summerlee dying in the next room oh real cozy. [Challenger goes into Summerlee’s room he finds a letter lying next to him.] Challenger: To the London Zoological Society. I Arthur Edward Summerlee (mumbling as he reads) Oh god you do go on don’t you. I hear by attest to the full truthfulness and accuracy of Professor Challenger’s claim regarding the Lost World as my final act before death. Before Death? Unacceptable – you are not allowed to die. Do you hear me? I am the leader of this expedition and I do not give you permission to die. Marguerite: Quiet you’ll wake him up Challenger: Do you know what this fool has done? Marguerite: You can tell me outside. [Summerlee sits straight up in his bed.] Summerlee: Anna Marguerite: It’s me Marguerite. Summerlee: Anna I’m so sorry. Challenger: What’s he talking about? Marguerite: Hush now lie back down. Summerlee: I wanted to stay. Challenger: He’s delusional poor chat. Summerlee: Anna I’m sorry. Marguerite: Everything’s alright Arthur. Anna’s here, lie back down take my hand. There see what a good husband you are. Stay right here by my side. Never leave me……never. Summerlee: Anna Challenger: Asleep again. [Scene: Outside the hive at the opening.] Roxton: Each bee is checked by a sentry we’ll have to pass the same inspection. Malone: Let’s hope they don’t have a secret handshake. Roxton: I’ll go first; if something goes wrong run like hell. Veronica: What about you? [A bee comes out of the hive.] Roxton: I’ll be dead. [Fade Out] [Scene: The Hive opening.] Veronica: Here goes nothing. [They’re inside the hive. The honeycombs emit light throughout the hive.] Malone: I guess we won’t be needing this. [lantern] Roxton: Keep it you never know. [Veronica taps on the honeycomb] Veronica: Hard as a rock. Malone: But it’s wax. Roxton: Look at the size of this place. [They step out of the way when a bee crawls by.] Malone: It’s the giant maze we’re never going to find the queen’s chamber. Roxton: Then Summerlee’s dead. Malone: Ennie meenie minie. Roxton: Moe it is. [They make their way through the hive.] Veronica: This way. Roxton: How do you know? Veronica: Instinct Roxton: Weapons ready. [They find a giant chamber. In the center is a pool of golden honey.] Malone: Honey Roxton: Come on keep up. [As they walk by the pool Ilura surfaces from the pool.] Malone: Would you look at this place there must be hundreds of them. Roxton: Try thousands Veronica: Hatching areas for eggs. Roxton: Good that means we’re close to the queen. [They hear a buzzing sound.] Veronica: Worker bee. Roxton: In there. [They duck into empty hatching areas for cover. When they come out Veronica falls through the side of a hatching area into a pool of honey.] Malone: Veronica - are you alright? Veronica: I’ve been better. [Roxton jumps into the hatching area and puts his arm out to Veronica.] Roxton: Oh boy. Take my arm. [Veronica feels something swimming in the area with her. She jerks as it swims by.] Veronica: There’s something in here with me. Roxton: Come a little closer. Malone: Stop kicking your legs so we can grab you. Veronica: I don’t know what it is. Malone: I’m going in grab my ankles. [Veronica stabs the creature. Ilura gives out a screech.] Veronica: What was that? Roxton: Trouble Malone: But it sounded almost human. Roxton: Nothing human sounds like that. [The hive shakes. Roxton grabs Malone who has a hold on Veronica before she falls through the hatching area.] Roxton: Hold on Veronica: Roxton you were right. Malone: Come on. Roxton: You okay? Veronica: I am now - we just found the queen’s chamber. Malone: Where? That’s a long way down. Veronica: There are footholds in the honeycombs we can climb down. Roxton: Didn’t come all this way for nothing. Malone: Let’s do it. [Scene: Outside the treehouse – Challenger is working with bamboo pipe. Marguerite is checking the wire fence.] Marguerite: All done. Challenger: As am I. Marguerite: I hope you know what you’re doing. Challenger: Really Miss. Krux your lack of faith is becoming disturbing. [Challenger starts the machine.] Marguerite: Let’s just say I don’t take anything for granted - rules are different out here. Challenger: The fundamental principles of science are not. [They hear ape-men coming.] Marguerite: Now’s your chance to prove me wrong. [Marguerite grabs her rifle. Challenger tries to get a spark from the positive and negative leads made from bamboo stalks. Marguerite shoots at the ape-men. Challenger is having no luck.] Marguerite: Any time now. Somedays I hate being right. [Marguerite throws her rifle to Challenger. She picks up the bamboo pipe and puts it in the fire making a fire torch. She aims it at the ape-men.] Marguerite: Saving your arrogant ass. [The ape-men run off. Marguerite throws down the fire torch.] Marguerite: I bought you an hour. [Scene: The hive.] Roxton: Did you hear that? Malone: Hear what? Veronica: Just bees, come on. Roxton: I guess your right. I could have sworn I heard footsteps though. Malone: Footsteps? That’s impossible. Roxton: This whole place is impossible Malone. Veronica: There look. Malone: Footprints Veronica: Small barefoot. Roxton: Definitely human. Veronica: The scream. Malone: What the hell have we gotten ourselves into? [Scene: Nighttime - outside the treehouse.] Challenger: There it’s ready. Marguerite: More ready than last time? Challenger: Mans greatest gift is the power of his intellect. Marguerite: Ahh Challenger: Oh do shut up. [Challenger picks up the bamboo positive and negative leads and they still won’t spark.] Marguerite: I cut up my silk underwear for this [Challenger kicks the machine. He gets a spark and hurts his hands.] I gotta hand it to you, you really are a genius. [Scene: The hive – The queen’s chamber.] Malone: Let me guess. [They see a giant bee vertical against the hive wall.] Veronica: The queen. Roxton: Whoa look at the size of her. She must be centuries old. Malone: Royal jelly. Roxton: Let’s get it and get out here. [Malone pulls bottles out of his backpack, they start scooping up the jelly from the honeycomb on the ground.] Ilura: That does not belong to you. Roxton: We only need a little to save a friends life. We mean you no harm. Ilura: You have killed one of my brothers, murdered one of the babies. You have already caused us harm. Veronica: These are not your brothers. You’re human like us. Ilura: I am nothing like you. The punishment for murder is death. [Fade out] [Scene: The hive.] Veronica: Oh my god your Ilura. Ilura: What did you say? Veronica: Ilura don’t you understand? It’s your mother who sent us here Adama. Ilura: This is my mother the only mother I’ve ever known. Roxton: That’s not true. If you remember your name you must remember your mother. Her voice singing you to sleep her arms holding you up to the sunlight. Malone: That’s right, remember your village? The attack before the hive. Ilura: Before the hive there was nothing – I was nothing. Now I am at one with them. I fee the wind caressing each wing; share the joy of drinking from the blossom. I am more than their queen I am their heart; the soul itself of the hive. The memories you offer they have nothing to give me. Roxton: That’s too bad we’ll have to do this the hard way [Roxton pulls out his pistol and points it at the queen bee. Ilura screams and bees start to swarm] Let’s go! [Scene: The treehouse – Summerlee’s bed side.] Challenger: I don’t know if you can hear me Arthur. But it really is pathetic the lengths to which you will go just to get some attention. Not often I get the last word. I know we’ve not always seen eye to eye professionally speaking that is. But personally and I never told you this because I knew you would use it against me. In some ways I envy you. Not your myopic scientific view of the natural world, but certain qualities: Your sense of humor, your humanity and your children. Peace there friend; peace. Marguerite: I think he heard you. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Challenger: Little matter now. [They hear a screech from outside.] Marguerite: Early warning system? Challenger: One way to find out [They walk to the balcony Challenger fiddles with the on/off box that leads to the electric fence] Persistent little buggers aren’t they? Marguerite: No second chances this time around. Challenger: It’ll work. I’d stake my life on it. Marguerite: You already did. [Challenger flicks the switch and when the ape-men approach the fence they are zapped by the electricity flowing through it. Sparks fly as they repeatedly try to get by the fence. The ape-men run off.] Challenger: I think they’re beginning to get the message. [Summerlee is moaning from his room.] Marguerite: I’ll take the first watch just in case. You’ll look after Summerlee and Challenger - well done. Challenger: Yes if only I could heal as effectively as I managed to kill. [Scene: The hive – Veronica Malone and Roxton are running out but stop and duck into an alcove.] Roxton: Don’t move. Malone: And I thought bees didn’t see well. Roxton: Ilura does. Veronica: We’re trapped. Roxton: We’ll make our stand here. Malone: How the hell do we do that? Ilura: A life for a life. Roxton: Stay back. [Roxton takes the lantern and throws it on the hive wall starting a fire. It burns an opening in the wall.] Malone: Over there come on. Roxton: Ilura come with us the hive is dying. Veronica: Come with us! Come home! Ilura: I am home. [Ilura is surrounded by flames.] Veronica: Ilura! Roxton: She’s gone - we have to go. [They watch the hive burn from a distance.] Veronica: We failed. Roxton: We survived. Veronica: The hive is gone and the royal jelly with it. What are we going to tell Professor Summerlee? Malone: How about [Malone has a jar of royal jelly in his backpack] get well soon. [Veronica ecstatic kisses Malone.] [Epilogue] [Scene: Adama’s hut – Summerlee, Malone and Veronica are sitting with Adama.] Summerlee: This tea is delicious. What’s in it? Malone: Trust me, not a question you want to ask. Adama: Orange blossom, jasmine an eel or two. Summerlee: I don’t care what you put in it. I’m not the man to refuse one of your potions; after all without your antidote I’d be nothing more than a hopefully fond memory. Adama: It was the royal jelly that cured you; you’ve your friends to thank for that. Summerlee: Nevertheless there is something I’d like to give you [He hands her a jar of the royal jelly] a small token. It’s what’s left of the royal jelly. Maybe it will help save another life. One day perhaps the bees will return. Adama: I hope not. Do you know for the first time since Ilura was taken; I’ve managed to sleep without the nightmares. Tell me when you were there in the hive did you see; I mean was there anything; any sign that Ilura might of survived? Malone: We Veronica: I’m sorry Adama but your daughter……nothing human survives the hive. End of episode