The Last Oak Tree (TV story)

The Last Oak Tree was the fourteenth episode of Series 1 of K9.

Synopsis
Panic ensues when a museum exhibit is stolen and K9, Starkey, Darius and Jorjie are on the trail of the culprit, only to find a giant menace hiding in London's abandoned sewers. However, is the alien the real threat or is Drake the real evil? Starkey and K9 face annihilation as they try to rescue the alien's hatchlings before a gas bomb destroys them all.

Plot
In a museum, K9, Jorjie and Starkey stroll through a virtual reality Sherwood Forest where they find a notice stating "Here stood the Major Oak, sanctuary to the outlaw Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men." Jorjie tells Starkey about how she thought she would marry Robin Hood when she was a kid. When Starkey notes that both Robin Hood and the Major Oak are long gone now, a virtual reality simulation of Robin Hood comes out of the trees and contradicts him. He tells how the Major Oak lives on in the Museum, and welcomes them to Sherwood Forest. When K9 notes he should be shorter, Robin is shocked at this "sorcery." Jorjie is surprised to learn that K9 actually met the real Robin Hood. When Starkey questions Robin Hood about his tights, he tells him it was "chilly" in his day. K9 confirms that Britain was over three degrees cooler in the Middle Ages; Robin notes that pollution has affected the planet and the oaks and silver birches have been cut down or died out. Robin Hood then starts to glitch and loop, and K9 detects an alien threat. They turn off the virtual reality forest as the patrons flee.

A Department officer informs June that communications are jammed, but June insists that isn't possible as the Department controls all of London's communications and they aren't jamming their own signals. The officer tells her that a signal of alien origin is causing magnetic interference in Sector SE14 Delta. They patch into a CCPC's vision so they can take a look at what's happening. June is shocked to see the CCPCs malfunctioning and orders Inspector Drake to the scene. The curator is called and insists that the oak tree hasn't been misplaced. K9 detects an unidentified alien species and decides to investigate; they find that the Major Oak has been stolen. June arrives and stops the CCPCs (who think the curator is a suspect) with a command override, and the curator reports the situation. They find a hard alien substance where the tree used to be; K9 scans it, determining that it could be vomit or snot but he needs to examine a sample. He blasts off a chunk of the substance. Starkey picks up the piece and they run off.

At the mansion, Gryffen listens to news of the theft. K9, Starkey and Jorjie arrive and show him the alien substance, which K9 says is emitting a high-pitched frequency, shocking Gryffen (who was expecting mail). As June examines the space where the Major Oak was displayed, Drake arrives with orders from Lomax as the aliens have been classed as an A-level threat "which means it's time to let the big boys play". June claims that this is not his jurisdiction even as Drake picks up a piece of the alien substance. Gryffen tests the substance's magnetic interference, confirming that it made the CCPCs malfunction. K9 states he is not affected as unlike the CCPCs., his electromagnetic shielding is impenetrable. Darius arrives, wondering if the museum is offering a reward, disgusting Jorjie with his selfishness. Gryffen asks Darius if the post office had his invitation for the Annual Bournedecker Awards for Scientific Excellence. When Starkey wonders if he's leaving the house, he says he won't, although every year he gets an invite and every year he doesn't show up, referring to it as a "tradition". Darius suggests the postman lost it. In fact, the postman is trapped underground by the alien substance.

Gryffen completes the analysis of the substance, which is actually paper-mache. He determines that whatever they're dealing with is genetically altered. When Starkey wonders why it chose the Major Oak, Gryffen states that many species only target one form of vegetation, and considering what it did to recycled paper, he hates to think what it could do with the Oak. K9 suggests that he returns to the scene of the crime and scan for a trail. Jorjie argues that the museum is most likely patrolled by the Department now, but Starkey says they don't have to go there and they know where to find the thieves: in the sewers. As K9, Starkey, Jorjie and Darius search the sewers, Darius hopes the museum pays a big reward, while Jorjie tells him that some things are more important than money. As Gryffen detects interference while monitoring K9, and asks him if he's alright. K9 replies that it was just a spike in the electromagnetic interference; he then finds some oak leaves on the floor.

As Gryffen goes to get a book, he is contacted by June, who tells him that the alien substance has stunned the Department scientists. Gryffen complains that they're "slow-witted" and he has already unraveled the sample's mysteries. June tells him until they get the alien's ransom demands, the analysis is their only clue. Gryffen says they won't make ransom demands as they aren't looking for trade and already have what they came for. The team finds slime on the sewer walls. Darius, Jorjie and K9 move on, and as Starkey takes a closer look, he finds some slimy oak leaves. He notices that the others have left, hears a creature growling, and decides to move on. Gryffen monitors K9 and sees that he seems to be confused as to which way the aliens are. K9 confirms he is experiencing the same electromagnetic interference created by the substance from the museum and starts staring into space. K9 tells Darius the interference is getting worse; Darius looks around and finds no sign of Starkey. As Starkey searches, his light starts to flicker and he calls out for his friends. The creature's growls grow louder as the light dims, and when it turns off the alien creeps behind him.

Darius and Jorjie hear the sound of something falling, and the creature drags Starkey to its lair. Darius fears they are going in circles and Jorjie asks if K9 is sure he knows where he's going, but he tells her that he does. Gryffen's videolink with K9 starts to break up but K9 tells him everything is alright on his end. Gryffen knows K9 is confused and that something is affecting his circuits. He compares the high-pitched frequency of the alien substance to a dog whistle, and suddenly realises that it is sending out a distress signal. He tries to tell K9 but the communications are scrambled. Starkey, now trapped in the alien substance, warns the alien what Jorjie will do once she finds out what they've done to the Major Oak. The postman is trapped next to Starkey and hopes that Jorjie is a "super soldier with a couple of bazookas". Starkey replies she isn't but "she is fairly tough, for a 14 year old girl". This disappoints the postman, who ascertains they're both "toast". He gives his name as Patrick, Starkey compares it to "Postman Pat" while Patrick persists his name is "Pat-rick". Starkey gets his dog whistle out and calls for K9, but this only gains the attention of the alien creature.

The magnetic interference starts to weaken and Gryffen can talk to K9 again. K9 notes that the magnetic interference matches the pitch of a dog whistle; Gryffen explains to Darius that K9 was confused as he's been following an alien distress signal. K9 says he will consider the alien to be hostile until he can confirm Starkey is safe. As Starkey whistles again, he and Patrick are released from the encasement and fall to the ground, where they see a pile of alien eggs. As the creature moves towards them, Starkey continues to whistle as K9 races to find him. K9, Jorjie and Darius find Starkey, but just as K9 is about to neutralise the creature, Starkey shows him the eggs: the creature is a mother, and its lair is a hatchery. The creature doesn't want to attack or eat anyone, she's just protecting her babies. Gryffen tells K9 that Starkey is right and tells him to not attack the creature, known as a Centuripede, won't harm him. She's here to build a pod to transport her eggs, or as K9 and Darius put it, an "interstellar baby carriage" or "a spaceship made out of wood and centipede spit" respectively. However, she doesn't need just any wood, she specifically needs oak wood. Centuripedes have bred in oak forests for thousands of years, but since there are no more oak trees this may be the very last spawning of the Centuripede on Earth.

June contacts Gryffen, who reports the situation to her, and she tells him that both the alien and K9 are "history" if Drake catches them, and he is currently searching through the sewers. Gryffen alerts them that Drake is there, but Drake sets a gas bomb which will detonate in four minutes. Darius runs with Patrick, who is carrying Jorjie (who doesn't want to leave the aliens). K9 insists that Starkey leaves, but he wants to help save the aliens. K9 tries to keep the gas out with a photon spread but since he can't guarantee he can give the creature enough time, Starkey decides to "make time". As K9 holds off the vapour, Starkey helps the Centuripede place the eggs in the pod to protect them. As the others make their way out, K9's power starts to deplete. As the others climb up the ladder, K9 uses his maximum power. Darius is the last to climb up, taking time to rummage through Patrick's postbag to find Gryffen's invitation, hoping to get a reward for it. As Jorjie, Darius and Patrick get out of the sewer, they see no sign of Starkey or K9. K9 can't hold his power much longer, but Starkey places the final egg in and the pod rises. However, the mother collapses and appears to be dead, and K9's power is exhausted. Starkey goes to the mother when her body starts cracking into white light, knocking him down. The mother transforms into a butterfly-like creature.

The countdown reaches zero and the bomb explodes. Darius says there is no chance they could have survived. They then spot the mother and her hatched babies flying up into their pod. Darius and Jorjie believe Starkey and K9 to be dead, but Starkey (who is with K9 behind the others) notes how beautiful it was. The others are relieved to see he and K9 alright, and Starkey tells them the creatures gave them a lift. Starkey shows Jorjie a "token of appreciation" from the creatures: three acorns stashed in their nest from Robin Hood's time. Darius goes to K9, shows Gryffen (on the monitor) his invitation, and asks to discuss his finder's fee. Patrick protests that Darius can't charge people for their mail, but Darius snatches the envelope and runs away while Starkey and Jorjie laugh. The propaganda messages of the Department reappear in the sky.

Cast

 * K9 Mark 2 - John Leeson
 * Starkey - Keegan Joyce
 * Jorjie Turner - Philippa Coulthard
 * Darius Pike - Daniel Webber
 * Professor Alistair Gryffen - Robert Moloney
 * June Turner - Robyn Moore
 * Drake - Connor Van Vuuren
 * Postman Pat - Gabriel Egan
 * Robin Hood - Remi Broadway
 * CCPC - Marcel Baum
 * CCPC - Micheal Sharman
 * CCPC - John Devine
 * CCPC - Timothy Humphries
 * Centuripede - Tarek Beheiry
 * Department Technician - Piripi Neho-Popata

Production crew

 * Writer - Jim Noble
 * Director - Dale Bradley
 * Producers - Penny Wall, Richard Stewart, Simon Barnes
 * Executive producers - Jim Howell, Grant Bradley, Steve Robbins
 * Associate producers - Bob Baker, Paul Tams
 * Supervising producer - Dale Bradley
 * Co-Executive producer - Mark Blythe
 * With special thanks - Sam Tromans
 * Line producer - Pam Collis
 * VFX Director - David Napier
 * Series Production Designer - Jon Dowding
 * Episodic Designer - Adam Head
 * New K9 Design by - Paul Tams, Alex Kubalsky
 * Series Director of Photography - Ben Nott
 * Episodic Director of Photography - Tony O'Loughlan
 * Music by - Christopher Elves
 * K9 theme music by - Michael Lira
 * Editor - Russell Maggs
 * Casting - Faith Martin and associates
 * Episodic casting - Lisa Maloney
 * Drama/Dialogue coach - Peter Kent
 * Story Producer - Greg Walters
 * Script Adaption - Michaeley O'Brien
 * Production Accountant - Pru Donovan
 * 1st Assistant Director - Peter McLennan
 * Script Supervisor - Sue Ketchington
 * Costume Designer - Joanne Thompson
 * Makeup Designer - Sharon Robbins
 * Puppeteer - David Pawsey
 * Location Manager - Charles Boyle
 * Sound Recordist - Ian Grant
 * B Camera Operator - Dan Maxwell
 * Gaffer - Steve Monk
 * Key Grip - Billy Harmer
 * Special thanks to - Space Furniture, Shredox, J. Barbour & Sons Ltd, Heath Williams at Firefly Lighting, Videopro
 * Safety Supervisor/Stunt Coordinator - Danny Baldwin
 * Transport Manager - Alister Ward
 * Unit Manager - Graeme Suhr
 * Post Production Facility - Cutting Edge Australia
 * Head of Post Production - John Lee
 * Sound Design - Warren Pearson

Story notes

 * This episode aired on the same day as the Doctor Who episode The Vampires of Venice.

Ratings
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Myths
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Filming locations
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Production errors
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Continuity

 * The Department officer who monitors the situation at the museum previously appeared in K9TV: Liberation.

Home video releases
This episode is featured in the Series One complete boxset.