Chapter 7—Tactics

(A/N: Well here is the next chapter. I'm glad I got such good feedback recently. I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter just as much.)

(Disclaimer: I don't own Voyager or Doctor Who)

"Contact your captain!" the Dalek demanded, pointing its weapon at Harry, he nodded hesitantly and tapped his commbadge.

"We are receiving a signal from engineering," Tuvok said, "on Mr. Kim's commbadge."

"Let's hear it," Janeway ordered.

"Establish visual communications!" the Dalek demanded.

"On screen," Janeway said.

"You have 5 minutes remaining," the Dalek stated, pointing its weapon at the engineering crew.

"Let me talk to my people," Janeway commanded

"Request denied. Bring me The Doctor."

"He's on his way," Janeway replied.

"Terminate communications," the Dalek said, pointing its weapon threateningly.

"Screen off," Janeway ordered reluctantly. Despite the fact that two of her best officers were on the way to rescue their crewmates, she couldn't help but feel some anxiety which, being the captain, she didn't have the luxury of expressing. She put on her best captain's face to show her confidence in her subordinates.

XXX

Tom and Chakotay got off the turbolift one deck above engineering and The Doctor and Rose continued the rest of the way on their own. Tom and Chakotay reached the armory and found the phaser rifles that fired on rotating frequencies.

"Lock and load, Commander," Tom said, handing Chakotay a rifle.

"We'll get them back, Tom, I promise," Chakotay said reassuringly as Tom got a rifle for himself. Then they opened the small doors that allowed them to crawl into the Jefferies Tubes.

"How do you want to do this commander?" Tom asked.

"We should split up once we get close to engineering. Try to attack the Dalek from two directions at once."

"We'll have to deactivate two forcefields instead of one sir," Tom pointed out, "that will take us longer."

"Maybe so, but in the long run, it's the best chance for success," Chakotay replied, "Consider this a first day in my old advanced tactical training class. Let's go, ensign. I'll take the lead."

"You sure? A pilot makes better cannon fodder than the first officer," Tom joked.

"I appreciate the gesture, but with all due respect, I really do know what I'm doing better than you."

"You're the commander, commander," Tom gestured for Chakotay to take the lead and soon followed.

XXX

Meanwhile, The Doctor and Rose arrived at the front door to engineering.

"Knock Knock," The Doctor said loudly.

"The Doctor!" the doors to engineering opened and the Dalek was standing in front of his adversary.

"And his companion," Rose added.

"The female is of no importance," the Dalek said.

"Hey I was instrumental in defeating your precious Emperor," Rose pointed out.

"Impossible. The Emperor lives! He does battle as we speak!" the Dalek replied.

"Well that's interesting, isn't it. I saw him die myself," The Doctor said.

"When was this? You lie! You only wish to prevent his attack!"

"It was in the year…" Rose began.

"Don't say any more!" The Doctor shouted quickly when he had a revelation, "I know what's going on here. Don't say anything about that time Rose, it's essential!"

"You will tell me!" the Dalek pointed its weapon at Rose.

"Aha!" The Doctor pointed his sonic screwdriver back at it, "Stalemate it seems. Did you forget the forcefield. You can't touch us!" Go ahead Dalek hit us with your best shot. Exterminate us if you can!"

"You will regret those words!" The Dalek opened fire but his beam was abosorbed harmlessly by the forcefield while The Doctor scanned the forcefield with his sonic screwdriver.

"I got what I needed," The Doctor continued, he switched the frequency on his sonic screwdriver and activated it. The sound that came from it shorted out the forcefield, "Now we can talk, Time Lord to Dalek, as it was meant to be."

"You will tell me of the Emperor!"

"Nope," The Doctor said bluntly.

"Then your female will be exterminated!"

"I wouldn't. She knows more about what happened to your Emperor than I do," The Doctor replied.

"Then I will exterminate the crew of this ship," the Dalek threatened.

"I already told you why you couldn't do that," The Doctor said, "Face it, you are no longer in control of the situation. Now let's go ask the nice Starfleet people to dismantle your time drive from their ship."

"No. The time drive will remain until it can be used. It's assembly is already complete. I just need the computer to make it work. Tell Seven of Nine to release the computer to me!"

"I can't do that," The Doctor said.

"Obey! Or one random lifeform will be exterminated!" the Dalek threatened. Seven and Chell stood in front of Vorik and Carey who were busy applying the medkits to B'Elanna and Harry.

"She doesn't have the release code," Rose said.

"Rose!" The Doctor whispered strongly.

"I know who does though. If you want me to tell you, don't kill anyone," Rose continued.

"Agreed for now," the Dalek replied.

"Good. Now follow The Doctor to the others. I'm about to get that code." The Doctor led the Dalek towards the middle of engineering while Rose turned on her cell phone, "Chakotay. Tom. Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Chakotay replied.

"The Doctor is luring the Dalek to the center of engineering. You'll have your shot soon."

"Okay, we're almost done with the forcefields," Tom added.

"Okay. Good luck," Rose said, then hanged up and went to where The Doctor and the Dalek were. They saw that Vorik and Chell were still busy giving first aid.

"Are they alright?" The Doctor asked.

"They need immediate medical attention," Carey said, "There's only so much these medkits can do."

"Will you let them go? They won't be much use to you if they die," The Doctor pointed out.

"These two must remain," the Dalek replied, pointing at Vorik and Seven, "The others can leave."

"Come on, lieutenant," Carey said, helping B'Elanna to her feet.

"The Doctor will have you fixed in no time," Chell said to Harry as he helped him to his feet. When they left the Dalek turned to Rose.

"You will now give me the code," it ordered.

"It's hidden…over there," Rose pointed at a Jefferies Tube exit.

"It shall be mine!" The Dalek said heading towards that area.

"Stop right there!" The Doctor said, "There's a surprise waiting for you!" He pointed at one of the other Jefferies Tubes entrances and used his sonic screwdriver on it, shorting out the forcefield and opening its door.

"An ambush!" The Dalek immediately opened fire at the entrance and concentrated there, not noticing the other forcefields that shorted out. One of the doors that were freed opened and a crimson beam shot out from it, hitting the Dalek in the side in a shower of sparks leaving a scorch mark behind, "Impossible! My shield is perfect!" The Dalek turned its weapon towards the now open door and fired but Chakotay scooted back far enough and was just at the right angle where the Dalek's weapon couldn't target him. Then the other door opened and Tom Paris fired with his own rife, hitting the Dalke in the other side. As the Dalek turned towards the new threat, Chakotay fired on it again. Unable to determine the greater threat, the Dalek stood confused as Tom and Chakotay alternated firing on it.

"Go for it's eye, that's it's weak point!" The Doctor shouted. Chakotay took careful aim and hit his mark with the accuracy of a sniper.

"Vision is impaired! Vision is impaired!" The Dalek panicked spinning around as its eyepiece fell. Tom fired at the Dalek's appendage and weapon causing both to fall off in a shower of sparks, then both he and Chakotay continued to fire until it was motionless against the railing. Both officers left their hiding spots, weapons still trained at the Dalek.

"Did we get it?" Tom asked.

"Not sure," Chakotay replied. Seven approached with a tricorder and scanned it.

"The mechanism is completely disabled, but I get no reading on the lifeform within," she said.

"Let's open it," The Doctor said. Seven nodded and Vorik brought a tool. Tom and Chakotay still had their phaser rifles pointed at the Dalek as the Vulcan cut away at the Dalek's armor. The door opened and the strange lifeform that was the true appearance of the Dalek was revealed again to the crew.

"It appears to be unconscious," Vorik said. Seven nodded and tapped her commbadge.

"Engineering to the bridge: The Dalek has been neutralized. Commander Tuvok can return computer control.

"Acknowledged. How are Torres and Kim?" Janeway asked.

"On their way to sickbay. There are no other casualties besides the three security guards."

"Good job everyone. Mr. Tuvok, I believe that we need our computer back online."

"Yes captain," Tuvok replied, "Computer. Restore control of main computer. Authorization Tuvok Gold Alpha Pi Seven Blue."

"Acknowledged," came the computer's reply. The displays in engineering returned to normal and Tom and Chakotay began to relax a little.

"What do we do with it?" Tom wondered outloud.

"It would not hesitate to try and destroy us again," Seven pointed out, "We should kill it," she picked up the phaser that the third guard dropped.

"Just like that?" Rose asked.

"What's the alternative? Keep it as a prisoner for the rest of our journey and potentially give it a chance to take over again? It's too dangerous for that," Seven replied.

"Doctor?" Chakotay asked, "You're the expert on this species. Can we or you keep it a prisoner indefinitely?"

"No unfortunately Seven is right. You should destroy it," The Doctor replied. Just then the Dalek's eye opened.

"Computer. Execute program Dalek 2!" it said. Seven fired her phaser, vaporizing the evil alien as it screamed.

"That should prevent it from inputting any more commands," Seven said. The ship's system's lit up and the sound of power running throughout the conduits hummed throughout engineering. The Doctor put on his glasses as the officers went to the nearest consoles to figure out what was going on.

"Engineering to bridge:" Chakotay started, "Seven killed the Dalek, but not before it executed another computer program."

"What kind of program?" Janeway asked.

"It activated its time device," Seven reported, "A chroniton field will be forming in front of the ship shortly. We won't be able to abort without irreparably damaging the ship."

"Do you know where and when it will take us?" Janeway asked.

"There's no way to tell," Seven replied.

"I have a good theory though," The Doctor said talking through Rose's cell phone, "I suggest you prepare for the battle of your lives!"

"Understood. Red Alert! Mr. Tuvok, raise the shields and arm the phasers and photon torpedoes," Janeway ordered. The bridge got dark as the red alert lights lit up the consoles and the alarm sounded throughout the ship, "Seven can you run engineering on your own or do you require Chakotay's assistance?"

"I believe that Ensign Vorik and will be adequate until Lt. Torres can return," Seven replied.

"Very well. Chakotay, Mr. Paris, return to the bridge."

"I'm coming too," The Doctor said, "If I'm right you'll need me up there."

"You should hurry, the chroniton field is almost complete," Seven said. After running through a corridor, Chakotay, Tom, The Doctor and Rose reached a turbolift to the main bridge and got out at their destination. On the main viewer they saw a red beam coming from the ship forming a wormhole. Tom and Chakotay took their stations.

"We're being pulled towards it," Tom said.

"Can we steer away from it?" Janeway asked.

"I'll try," Tom said. As he did, the ship started to shake.

"The structural integrity field is rapidly weakening," Tuvok reported, "I don't believe the ship will survive this attempt."

"All stop Mr. Paris. Let it take us in," Chakotay ordered.

"Yes sir." Soon Voyager moved closer to the wormhole and eventually disappeared into it…

(A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed that. Your comments are welcome, as always. Where and when will this wormhole take Voyager and its crew? You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out!)