Doctor Who (TV Series)

Four Hundred Dawns (1965)

Maureen O'Brien: Vicki

Quotes 

• [first lines] 

  Vicki : Arrived have we?

  Dr. Who : We have my dear.

  Steven Taylor : Good. Where?

  Dr. Who : Well, we should know about that when we have a look at the scanner, shan't we.

  [switches on the scanner] 

  Dr. Who : Now, you can both take a look.

  Steven Taylor : Where are we Doctor? Is it a planet you recognize?

  Vicki : Keep still you nuisance! It's...

  Steven Taylor : ...Where we are.

  Dr. Who : Quiet, both of you, will you? Listen. Listen.

  [there is silence] 

  Steven Taylor : [whispering]  Listen to what? I can't hear a thing?

  Dr. Who : Exactly. Exactly. There isn't a sound out there. Not a sound! Just silence.

• Dr. Who : [running away from a Chumbley]  Oh! Oh, good gracious!

  Vicki : Are you all right?

  Dr. Who : Yes, I think so. Ahh, it's all this physical exercise at my age. Huh, huh.

  Drahvin 1 : They're nearly here. Quickly! Inside! Close external door.

  Drahvin 3 : Close external door.

  Steven Taylor : Well, it, ah, was a decent space ship once.

  Dr. Who : [breathlessly]  It's pretty backward now, isn't it? Yes, it's almost fossilized. Huh, huh.

  Steven Taylor : Oh, I don't know, it's got one or two good features...

  Vicki : We've, uh, just beat those Chumblies... they're still outside.

  Dr. Who : Are we safe yet?

  Drahvin 1 : Yes. They cannot enter.

  Drahvin 2 : Silence! Maaga is coming!

  Dr. Who : Maaga! Whoo, whoo! We're back there again.

• Maaga : Report!

  Drahvin 1 : Mission accomplished! We have brought the prisoners.

  Vicki : [in disbelief]  Prisoners?

  Maaga : And the metal mesh?

  Drahvin 1 : [with fear]  It stopped the machine.

  Maaga : Good.

  Drahvin 1 : [with fear]  We... could not get the mesh back.

  Maaga : What?

  Drahvin 1 : [with fear]  It became affixed to the machine.

  Steven Taylor : She's got them pretty frightened, hasn't she, Doctor?

  Dr. Who : [to Maaga]  Yes, ah, madam, the young lady speaks the truth. The Chumblies are magnetized.

  Maaga : [to the two Drahvin's]  I will deal with you both later. Sit.

• Maaga : I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Won't you sit down?

  Dr. Who : Ahh, yes, heh, heh. Thank you, I will. Hmm.

  Maaga : I have to hear the report first.

  Dr. Who : Oh, naturally!

  Maaga : It is necessary when you are at war.

  Steven Taylor : [surprised]  At war?

  Maaga : With the Rills and their machines.

  Vicki : The Chumblies!

  Maaga : This is a fight to the death. For existence itself...

  Dr. Who : I see.

  Maaga : ...in which one of us will be obliterated.

  Dr. Who : Oh, as bad as that?

  Maaga : Yes. So bad that it is conceivable that you, too, will be obliterated.

  Dr. Who : Oh, come now! There is no need to exaggerate.

  Maaga : It's no exaggeration!

  Vicki : [with suspicion]  You want to kill us, don't you? You want to.

  Maaga : When a planet disintegrates, nothing survives.

  Dr. Who : Disintegrates? This planet? Hmm?

  Maaga : Yes, it's in its last moments of life. Soon it will explode.

  Dr. Who : When?

  Maaga : In fourteen dawn's time.

  Steven Taylor : Look, how do you know? How can you be so certain?

  Maaga : The Rills told us. That is why they're repairing their spaceship - so that they can escape.

  Dr. Who : Hmm, hmm. Well, that sounds reasonable enough to me. Hmm, hmm...

• Maaga : To your stations! Switch off the outside radio!

  Vicki : What are they doing now?

  Steven Taylor : They're going to have another go at the Chumblies, by the look of things.

  Dr. Who : Switch off the outside radio? Why, I wonder?

  Maaga : They send the machines to tell us lies. We do not wish to hear them.

  Dr. Who : Yes, yes, Madam! You may not, but I'd like to, ah, hear it. Heh, heh.

  Maaga : It's not good for my soldiers!

  Dr. Who : Ah, I see. It's stopped.

  Maaga : Yes. Now it is sending its message. Fire!

  Dr. Who : [chuckled]  Hmm, hmm. You didn't do it very much damage, did you? Hmm, hmm?

  Maaga : My only intention was to scare it off. We've succeeded.

  [to her people] 

  Maaga : To your places.

  Dr. Who : And you haven't destroyed one Chumbley yet.

  Maaga : We will.

• Dr. Who : You know, I think you rather underestimate the Rills. Why should they tell you that this planet is going to die, hmm?

  Maaga : They were trying to tempt us on board their spaceship so that they may kill us!

  Steven Taylor : You know, it seems to me as if they offered you help.

  Maaga : That is what they maintain.

  Vicki : They might have been speaking the truth. They might have meant it.

  Dr. Who : On the other hand, it might have been a pack of lies.

  Maaga : What do you mean?

  Dr. Who : Well this planet could last another million years.

  Maaga : Yes, but we have no way of proving.

  Dr. Who : I have! I'm a scientist!

  Maaga : Very well! I should be grateful if you would find out.

  Dr. Who : Oh, thank you! Thank you!