The Last Oak Tree (TV story)

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 Great Oak are long gone now, a Virtual Reality Simulation of Robin Hood comes out of the trees and contradicts Starkey. Telling how the Great Oak lives on in the Museum, he welcomes them to Sherwood Forest. When K9 notes he should be shorter Robin is shocked at this "Sorcery", Jorjie is surprised to find out K9 actually met the real Robin Hood. When Starkey questions Robin Hood on his tights, he tells him it was "chilly" in his day. K9 confirms that Britain was on over 3 degrees cooler in the middle ages, Robin notes how pollution has affected the planet and the Oaks and Silver Birches have been cut down or Died out. As Robin Hood starts to glitch and loop, K9 detects an alien threat. They turn off the Virtual Reality forest as the patrons flee.

When a Department officer informs June that communications are jammed, June argues that isn't possible as the Department controls all of London's communications and aren't jamming their own signals. The officer tells her that a signal of Alien origin is causing magnetic inteferance in Sector SE14 Delta. They patch into a CCPC's vision so they can take a look at whats happening, June is shocked to see the CCPCs malfunctioning and orders Inspector Drake to the scene. The Curator is called and insists the Oak Tree hasn't been misplaced. K9 detects an unidentified alien species and decides to investigate, they find that the Great Oak has been taken. June arrives and stops the CCPCs (who think the Curators a suspect) with a command override, the Curator then reports the situation. They find a hard alien substance on the space of the tree, K9 scans it determines it could be vomit or snot but needs to examine a sample. He then 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 takes a look at the space of the Great Oak, Drake arrives with orders from LOMAXX as the aliens have been classed as an A-Level threat "which means it's time to let the Big Boys play". June argues that this is not his Jurisdiction as Drake picks up a piece of the alien substance. Gryffen tests the substance's magnetic interferance, confirming that 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, Jorjie complains about his selfishness. Gryffen asks Darius if the post office had his invite for the Annual Bournedecker Awards for Scientific Excellance. When Starkey wonders if he's leaving the house, he says he won't "although every year my genius warrants an invite and every year i don't show up." refering to it as a "tradition". Darius suggests the postman lost it.

It turns out the Postman is actually trapped underground by the alien substance. Gryffen completes the analysis of the substance is actually paper-mache. He determines that whatever they're dealling with is genetically altered. Starkey wonders why it chose the Great Oak, Gryffen states how many species only target one form of vegetation and after what it done 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 scans for a trail. When Jorjie argues that the Museum is most likely patrolled by the Department now, 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 somethings are more important the money. As Gryffen detects interferrance while monitoring K9 he asks K9 if he's alright. He replies it was just a spike in the electromagnetic interferrance. K9 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 then says they won't make Ransom Demands as they aren't looking for trade and already have what they came for. The team then find slime on the sewer walls. Darius, Jorjie and K9 move on as Starkey takes a closer look, he finds some slimey Oak leaves. He then finds that the others have left, he hears a creature growling and decides to move on. As Gryffen monitors K9 he sees that K9 seems to be confused as to which way the aliens are. K9 confirms he is experiencing the same Electromagnetic interferrance created by the substance from the Museum and starts staring into space. K9 tells Darius the interferrance is getting worse, Darius then looks around and finds no sign of Starkey. As Starkey searches his light starts to flicker, he calls out for his friends. The creatures's growls grow louder as the light dampens down, and when it turns off the alien creeps behind him.

Darius and Jorjie then hear a dropping sound, the creature drags Starkey to its hideout. Darius fears they are going in circles and Starkey asks if K9 is sure he knows where hes going, he tells her he does. Gryffen's videolink with K9 starts to go haywire but K9 tells him everythings alright on his end.

Cast

 * K9 Mark 2 - John Leeson
 * Starkey - Keegan Joyce
 * Jorjie - 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

Production crew
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Story notes
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Ratings
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Myths
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Filming locations
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Continuity
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Home video releases
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