The Korven (TV story)


 * See Korven for the titular species.

The Korven was the third episode of Series 1 of K9.

Synopsis
Starkey is homeless and K9 and Jorjie try to help. Darius, Gryffen’s assistant contacts them after the Proffesor, an agoraphobe disappears from the mansion! A warning from the year 2618 is received and K9 and the youngsters are giving chase to a mind-sucking alien called the Korven who has snatched Gryffen.

Plot
K9 and Starkey hide from The Department's surveillance, evading CCPCs and CCTV cameras. They get over a fence as K9 senses the police. Starkey announces they have "kicked surveillance butt". K9 vows to "kick surveillance posterior" whenever possible from now on. K9 asks why the Department wants to capture Starkey, who\ says because he's a dissident, meaning he doesn't do what he's told. K9 asks if he is a dissident, Starkey says he isn't, he's an alien lifeform whom the Department technicians would pull apart to figure out how he works and then turn him into cans of dog food. When K9 notes the irony, he hopes when Gryffen will get the STM working properly so he can go home. Starkey asks if he'll miss. K9 is interrupted when he detects an invisible Camo Vehicle. K9 decides to "kick surveillance posterior", Starkey has a better option, to hide. Starkey tells K9 to hide with him, the Camo Vehicle goes past them. Starkey notes they've lost them. K9 corrects him, saying the CCPCs have been avoided, not misplaced. Starkey says either way he's happy and goes to eat a tin of Baked beans.



At the Gryffen House, Darius prepares lunchwhile Gryffen is at work on the STM, hoping to use its time-travel abilities. He notes how people don't realise that Scientific discoveries are "slow and steady, trial and error". Darius asks Gryffen when he's gonna eat and is told to be paitient as Gryffen has got the Temporal Exciter working. He uses it on the STM but it switches off, an example of the error he mentioned. Darius says lunch is getting cold and he picked all the food especially. Gryffen explains to Darius that once he has the STM working at full capacity, he will be able to travel through space and time at will and he will be able to see his family again. Unknown to them the STM sends out an alien creature. When Gryffen complains that it's cold, Darius goes to warm the room up. Gryffen asks Darius if he was to go back to any point in history where would he go? Darius says he'd go back ten days and find out who stole his wallet. The alien sneaks up on Gryffen and when Darius turns around, his friend is nowhere to be seen.

Meanwhile June and Jorjie are returning from shopping. Jorjie complains of June's supervision but June announces she is 'advising'. June says she will be home by midnight when she expects Jorjie to be in bed and if she needs her she'll have her verometer. Jorjie promises to lock her door and not let anyone in until June gets home. Jorjie tells June to worrying, but June says she will never. Jorjie decides to not go home. Back at the mansion Darius is unsuccessfully searching for the professor. Starkey tries to cook the beans using twigs. K9 complains it is absurdly slow as Starkey argues he's doing his best. K9 decides to do some cooking and shoots the can of beans, causing them to burst out everywhere and annoy Starkey. Jorjie meets them. Starkey asks her what she's doing here. She says he told her about his three hiding places and she's already checked two of them. Jorjie gives him some food. When he asks her why, she says she just thought he was hungry. K9 detects she is blushing but Jorjie denies it and tells Starkey he's enduring a terrible way to live and he can't keep running forever. He says he doesn't have much choice until he gets his file wiped from the Department computer. K9 says that would require computer access codes to the Department's mainframe. Starkey checks his jacket and suggests he left them in his other jacket. K9 suggests he searches his other jacket. Starkey tells him it's a joke.

Jorjie is contacted by Darius who alerts them of Gryffen's disappearance. He searches outside and leaves a key under the rock for them. In the House, when Darius comes back, Jorjie asks if he has any news. He is shocked to see Starkey is with her. K9 detects phosphane gas in the vicinity, a cooling agent that won't be made for another 300 years. K9 accesses the STM and contacts a Human soldier from the year 2618, Senior Lieutenant Medowin of Special Operations Commando, Global Command. who informs them of the Korven threat and that they are one of the most dangerous and destructive aliens from his time. They must be stopped at all costs. K9 tells the team that the Korven are due to invade Earth in the year 2480. Medowin explains that the Earth itself has been an ally as it's too warm for the Korven to function. He says that the Korven are sending an operative back through time to find a group of scientists who created a system to cool the Earth which was misused before 2050. Gryffen is one of those scientists. Darius asks what are they going to do with him. K9 explains the Korven absorb all information from the brain and then abandon the host body, leaving it like an empty shell in a process called leeching. Medowin warns them that if they get the data they need from the scientists, they will cool the Earth and destroy Humanity. Starkey asks how to stop them. Just as Medowin says "Their only weakness--" his transmission is stopped.



K9, however, is acquainted with the Korven's weakness: during the leeching process, their entire being is focused on their victim. This is the only known time they are vulnerable. Once the Korven finds a cold enough place the leeching will commence. K9 follows the trail of Phosphane gas traces. Darius offers himself as a second pair of hands as he can't risk Gryffen getting his brains sucked out. As the Korven brings Gryffen to a deserted iceworks, Gryffen begs him not to take him outside and demands that he takes him back to his house. The Korven then blasts open the door to the iceworks as he brings Gryffen with him, terrified. At the Department Mobile HQ, June gives Jorjie a message saying she assumes that the reason she isn't responding is that she's busy doing her homework. Drake interrupts her, requesting an update on the recent alien activity. She declines as she is Head of the Alien Activity Section and Drake is the Head of Security; she doesn't report to him. When Drake asks her about information-sharing, she replies that it works on a need to know basis. When she feels he needs to know something, she'll share it with him. Drake tells her he will do the same as they're "one big happy Department".

As they team go to the entrance of the iceworks, Starkey asks what they will do once they find the Korven, saying they need some sort of plan. Darius' plan is simply "save the Prof". K9 detects more Phosphane. Darius decides to "get our skates on". When K9 stops as Darius and Jorjie leave, Starkey asks if he is all right. K9 assures him he is. Gryffen is strapped forced to a table by an immobilising force field. He determines by looking at the Korven's uniform that it is in a military operation, although the examination table suggests a completely different type of operation. He asks what the Korven is going to do to him. It uses a device which mutes Gryffen. It then takes out its phosphane tank. As the team move on, K9 detects that the phosphane is becoming rarer but still present. When Starkey says "Good Boy", K9 persists that he is not a boy but s cybernetic construction containing quantum consciousness. Starkey says it's a type of affection. K9 tells him to define it. Darius interrupts, saying they should remember Gryffen, the man who is able to have his brains relocated. Starkey argues that he also remembers that they don't have a plan for what they are going to do about the Korven. Darius says that they will find him and K9 will "zap" him. Darius suggests they split up. Darius and Jorjie go one way while K9 and Starkey go the other. Jorjie suggests she should go with Starkey but he says that Darius' way makes sense. Darius says they'll keep communication.

Jorjie says the Darius spends a lot of time with Gryffen. Darius says when he's not out making a living. She says it doesn't sound like he spends time at home. He says he doesn't have a home anymore as he and his parents don't see eye to eye. He explains that parents give you rules and tell you what to do and Gryffen does none of that. He says parents can't help themselves and he bets her mum is always watching over her shoulder. She denies it at first but finally agrees. He suggests she has a taste of freedom and should move into the mansion, as there is a spare bedroom and Gryffen would let her. She thanks him but suggests they find Gryffen before Darius gives away bits of his house. Starkey notices it's getting colder. He determines they're getting closer. He asks what the phosphane count is, K9 says that phosphane won't be invented for another 200 years. Starkey corrects him saying it's three hundred. K9 reveals he is being affected by the phosphane. His behaviour becomes increasingly stranger. Starkey sees the Korven start the leeching process. He turns around to see K9 on the floor; the robot dog explains that the gas is hurting him. Starkey says he needs him. Starkey decides to call the others and asks K9 if there's anything he can do to help. K9 says there is: run. It is too late however, and the Korven takes Starkey.

Starkey is forced to the table by the immobilising force field as well. The Korven tells him not to struggle as it's pointless. Starkey tells him they can't let it suck their brains out. Gryffen is shocked at the Korven's agenda. Starkey calls out for K9 but is muted by the Korven as well. The Korven then restarts the leeching. Darius and Jorjie find K9 on the floor. Seeing the Korven leeching Gryffen, they try to get K9 to help. He tries to focus but engages his self-protection protocol and shuts down. Gryffen has flashbacks of his lost family and he cries out. Darius gets angry and decides to help Gryffen. He destroys his phosphane tank and gets his attention. The Korven prepares to shoot Darius but K9 overrides his self-protection protocol and shoots the Korven. K9 then shuts down. Darius wakes Gryffen who recognises him. The Korven gets back up. Darius grabs the Korven's arm before it can shoot him but can't hold on. Jorjie tells K9 to fire but K9 interprets this as a warning that there's a fire. Starkey tells K9 to fire his Photon Beam. K9 interprets this as "Baked Beans?". Starkey shouts out Baked Beans. K9 shoots the Korven with the temperature required to make Baked Beans edible, killing it. Back at the mansion, Gryffen works on K9. Starkey asks if he will be okay. Gryffen says his power activation module was damaged by the phosphane, but with a few minor repairs and a recharge he should be fine. Darius asks how Gryffen's memory is. Gryffen explains how the Human brain is a remarkable organ and it can retrieve fragments of memories even if they've been lost. Gryffen confirms that it's good, thanks to Darius, who says being heroic is what he does. Gryffen accesses the Department mainframe even though it is illegal. Gryffen jokes how they just saved the humanity but if they are caught doing this then they'll be wanted criminals. He explains that the Department uses a computer encryption code which is almost impossible to break in if you don't know what you're doing. He erases it so that Starkey is no longer a wanted dissident; he may not even exist. Jorjie says he'll never have sleep behind a fence. Starkey says not until he finds a place to live. Jorjie tells Gryffen that Darius says there's a spare room. Gryffen calls it a splendid idea, saying he and Darius could use some company. K9 and Starkey later go to bed. They bid each other good night as K9 emits the remainder of the phosphane gas in a manner similar to flatulence.

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
 * Medowin - Todd Levi
 * Korven - Matthew Reimer
 * CCPC - Josh Norbido
 * CCPC - Jason McNamara
 * CCPC - Edgen Bekafigo
 * CCPC - Dane Paltman

Production crew

 * Writer - Tim Pye
 * Director - Karl Zwicky
 * 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 producers - Mark Blythe, 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 Editor - Anthony Morris
 * 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
 * Sound Mix - Ben Vlad
 * K9 Theme Music Recorded - Supersonic
 * The Postworks - Bob Blasdall
 * Marshalls and Dent Lawyers - Shaun Miller, Bryce Menzies
 * Completion Guarantor - First Australian Completion Bond Company Pty Ltd
 * Executive producer Network Ten Australia - Cherrie Bottger

Story notes

 * Although it was reported that Regeneration would be rebroadcast on 3rd April 2010, The Korven was aired instead and therefore aired on the same day as the start of Series 5 of Doctor Who The Eleventh Hour, which introduced Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor

Ratings
to be added

Myths
to be added

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors

 * Early publicity for this episode states the Korven invaded Earth in the 50th century. However the actual episode states the Korven came from the year 2618 and invaded earth in 2480.
 * Stephen Sourkis is credited as a Department Technician but didn't appear until Curse of Anubis.

Continuity
to be added

Home video releases

 * This episode is featured in the Series One complete boxset which is due to be released in Australia in 29th September 2010, UK release is unknown.
 * This episode is featured in a "vanilla" DVD called The Bounty Hunter along with Regeneration, Liberation, The Bounty Hunter. Sirens of Ceres and Fear Itself, which is due to be released in Australia in 29th September 2010, UK release is unknown.