Doctor Who (TV Series)

The Keeper of Traken: Part One (1981)

Denis Carey: The Keeper

Quotes 

• The Doctor : What can we do for you, Keeper?

  The Keeper of Traken : Listen closely, Doctor. As you see, the passing ages have taken toll of me.

  The Doctor : Yes, yes, I know that feeling.

  The Keeper of Traken : But unlike you, my time of Dissolution is near, and the power entrusted to me is ebbing away.

  The Doctor : Oh, come on. It's still fairly impressive. I mean, I couldn't flit around the universe in an old chair like this.

  The Keeper of Traken : I have all the minds of the Union to draw on. I am only the organising principle. It is on that count I ask you to come to Traken.

  The Doctor : Right!

  The Keeper of Traken : Think carefully before you agree, there is great danger in this. For you and your young friend.

  The Doctor : How so, Keeper?

  The Keeper of Traken : I fear that our beloved world of Traken faces disaster.

  Adric : [whispers]  Universal harmony, you said.

  The Doctor : Shh.

  The Keeper of Traken : The Doctor does not exaggerate. Since the time of the Keepers, our Union has been the most harmonious the universe has ever seen. Does the boy not know of this?

  The Doctor : Oh, he's not local. E-Space wasn't it?

  [the Keeper disappears] 

  The Doctor : Where's he gone?

  The Keeper of Traken : [reappearing]  How vain one still can be? I thought the whole universe knew the history of our little Empire.

  The Doctor : Yes. They say the atmosphere there was so full of goodness that evil just shrivelled up and died. Maybe that's why I never went there.

  The Keeper of Traken : Rumor does not exaggerate, Doctor.

• The Doctor : Now, what seems to be the problem?

  Adric : We've gone into orbit round one of the planets.

  The Doctor : I thought so.

  Adric : Thought what?

  The Doctor : I thought you might appreciate it if I gave you the impression I knew what was happening. We could panic of course, but where would that get us?

  Adric : What's happening?

  The Doctor : I don't know.

  Adric : Well, you should know!

  The Doctor : Adric.

  Adric : Well, you are a Time Lord, aren't you?

  The Doctor : Adric. If I knew everything that was going to happen, where would the fun be?

  [spotting the Keeper] 

  The Doctor : Hello.

  The Keeper of Traken : How do you do?

  The Doctor : It's alright, Adric.

  [points to the Keeper] 

  The Doctor : The Keeper Of Traken.

  The Keeper of Traken : Well-guessed, Doctor. The reports I hear of your intelligence are true, I see.

  The Doctor : Oh, well, it wasn't difficult to guess who'd taken possession of the TARDIS. There can't be many people in the universe with the capacity of just dropping in like this.

  Adric : Well, you could have told me.

  The Doctor : Shh-shh... Time reveals everything, Adric.

• The Keeper of Traken : Now it begins, with my certain knowledge of the coming dissolution. No Keeper lasts forever and the period of transition is always difficult.

• The Keeper of Traken : Doctor, my time is close. I need your help.

  The Doctor : Anything I can do, Keeper.

  Adric : Goes for me, too.

  The Doctor : Shh. Well, we'll see. We'll see.

  The Keeper of Traken : I am fearful even to involve the Doctor. He will face unimaginable hazard. Confront power that would obliterate even a Time Lord. Even you, Doctor. Goodbye, my friend. Farewell.

  [he disappears] 

• [last lines] 

  Consul Seron : Keeper of Traken, by unanimous consent, your consul summons you.

  Tremas : Keeper, we have strangers amoung us who claim they are known to you.

  Kassia : And dare to say they were summoned here to Traken at your request.

  The Keeper of Traken : Bring the strangers forward.

  The Doctor : Sorry to trouble you, Keeper, but we do seem to have a problem here. Please tell them who we are, will you?

  The Keeper of Traken : [seeing the Melkur]  Evil! The sanctum is invaded.

  The Doctor : Keeper, tell us.

  The Keeper of Traken : Consuls, we are invaded! Evil! Infinite evil!