Empire of the Daleks
DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Doctor Who and its characters, which belong to the BBC.
-O-
Chapter 7 – Death of the Empire
The Doctor, Jade and Orleo stood still for a few moments, expecting to be attacked by dozens of the assembled Daleks; but, there was no sign of movement!
"I think they're dead!" exclaimed the Doctor, "They certainly don't seem very lively! Maybe they came out of the time-warp and didn't survive."
Suddenly, a voice from the past sent a shiver down the Doctor's spine! "They're not dead, Doctor; just awaiting their rebirth!"
The Doctor could see a hideous figure approaching down an aisle running between the amassed Daleks. Jade and Orleo thought it the top half vaguely resembled a human, but the bottom half looked like the base of a Dalek.
"Davros!" the Doctor spluttered, "I might have known! Who else would be mad enough to meddle with the space-time continuum?"
"Mad?" answered Davros, indignantly, "Come now, Doctor! Creative: maybe, inventive: certainly, but mad? You seem to forget that my creations went on to rule the old universe; and now I intend to see to it that they rule the new one, too!"
"I suppose you protected yourself in one of the stabilising stations when the timeshift reaction took place?"
"Nothing so amateur! I thought you would credit me with more ingenuity than that, Doctor! I have learned many secrets about time travel since the Timelords were kind enough to help the Daleks build the first crude machine. I have been able to use the time-stream to my advantage! Unfortunately, I could only protect myself as I have not yet refined the process! Many of my Daleks did not survive, as you have witnessed here. However, I am about to put that right!"
"If you fully understood time travel, you would realise that meddling with the time-stream is to be avoided at all costs. It could have catastrophic consequences!"
"Ha! The time-stream is not for the faint-hearted, Doctor! I would expect this reaction from you; content to meander about the space-time continuum without taking any risks!" Davros, as always, was in no mood to listen to reason.
The Doctor was becoming exasperated, "But don't you realise that mixing the old order of things with the new is like mixing matter and anti-matter! All you will get is a huge explosion and everything will cease to exist!"
"That's where you're wrong!" Davros was still adamant that he was correct, "I have created a corridor; using the time-stream, where things will be able to pass through safely!"
The Doctor was furious now, "I still say that no good will come of it and I intend to stop you from ruining this new universe!"
"Very well, Doctor, if you are going to try to stop me, I will have to put you somewhere out of the way! Take them!"
The travellers turned to see two part-humanoid, part-robot guards standing behind them. They advanced, forcing all three to walk down the aisle between the motionless Daleks and through into a smaller chamber. Suddenly, a door slid shut from above, imprisoning them.
"Well," said the Doctor, "We seem to have landed ourselves in hot water again!"
The Doctor paced around the cell, looking for a sign of a way out, when Jade spoke, "Who is this Davros, anyway?"
"I can answer that one!" said Orleo, "He is the creator of the Daleks!"
"How do you know that?" asked the Doctor.
"My people have a book of legends, passed down to us by our Thal ancestors. It is written that Davros created the Dalek machines to enable the Kaled race to survive after they mutated following the nuclear war on Skaro."
"You have a good grasp of your history," the Doctor said to Orleo, making the young man smile with pride, "I was there at the creation of the Daleks; and it looks as if I'm going to be present at their rebirth, too! Unless I can find a way to prevent it, of course."
"You amaze me, Doctor!" remarked Orleo, "I know that you can travel through time in your machine, but you seem to have been around when all the most significant episodes in history took place!"
"It's just a knack, really!" said the Doctor, with a wide grin.
"Have you got a knack for getting us out of here?" asked Jade, with sarcasm in her tone.
"Well, I have to admit, it appears pretty escape-proof in here. I'll see if my sonic screwdriver can open this door." So saying, the Doctor set to work, running his gadget around the edge of the door, but, after a short time, he gave up. "It's no use; the readings are all haywire; it's probably because we're in an 'alternative' universe!"
"So, what do we do now?" asked Orleo, becoming agitated at the lack of action.
"Don't fret, I'll think of something!" the Doctor tried to make light of their situation.
Just then, the door slid open and a guard entered the cell. He looked at each of them in turn and then addressed the Doctor, "You will come with me."
"Where are we going?" queried the Doctor.
"Davros wishes to speak with you."
As the Doctor walked through the doorway, Orleo and Jade went to follow, but the guard stopped them. "You will remain here!"
The Doctor and his guard walked along a short passageway and through a portal at the end. They entered a huge laboratory full of complicated electronic equipment. In the centre, Davros was adjusting some controls on a panel which contained many instruments and flashing lights.
"Ah, Doctor!" exclaimed Davros as he took his attention from his work, "Now that you've had time to reconsider; I thought we might have a little chat. You've a keen scientific mind, maybe we could work together on my little project!"
"Why should you need my help? I thought you had everything under control!"
"I have always treated the human race with contempt, but they do have one very true saying; 'two heads are better than one'! I'm sure you would agree, Doctor?"
"Yes, but only when those heads are in accord! What makes you think I could ever sanction the creation of a race that ruled the old universe so ruthlessly?"
"Let me put it another way, Doctor! Either you work alongside me, or you can stay in your cell and rot! The choice is yours!"
The Doctor pondered for a moment, and then saw a way of releasing Jade and Orleo.
"Alright, I'll do a deal with you! You allow my two companions to move freely around; and I will help you. Otherwise, I will go back to the cell and join them again."
"How do I know they will not sabotage my work?"
The Doctor played his next card, "They would not be capable of doing that! They do not possess the high brainpower that we have; they are no threat to you. You're not afraid of a couple of humans, are you?"
"Very well, I accept. Go and tell your friends that they are being released."
The Doctor returned to his two companions and opened the door of the cell, which was no longer locked.
"Doctor!" cried Jade, "Are you alright? Has Davros hurt you at all?"
"No, I've come to tell you that you can leave this cell; Davros is letting you go!"
"What, just like that?" Orleo said in disbelief, "How did you manage that?"
"I've won your freedom in exchange for promising to help Davros with his work."
"What?" shrieked Jade, "Doctor; you can't be serious! I can't believe you would betray us like this!"
"Listen," the Doctor spoke under his breath, "it's just a ruse to get you out of here. Don't worry; I intend to put a stop to Davros at the earliest opportunity! But, keep up the act that I've sold out to him, it'll look more convincing!"
"Doctor!" Jade shouted, catching onto his plan and winking at him, "You are a disgrace to the Timelords!"
"Yes," Orleo joined in and clenched his fists, "I ought to teach you a lesson!"
"Look, I know you think I've let you down," the Doctor spoke louder as, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Davros approaching, "But I had to get you out of here; it was the only way! In return, you must promise not to interfere with our work!"
"You owe the Doctor your freedom," Davros addressed Jade and Orleo, "I hope you will remember that and keep to your side of the bargain. If you do, I will keep to mine; and allow you to roam around freely."
The Doctor, Jade and Orleo went with Davros to the large laboratory. Once there, they studied the controls that activated the time-stream and allowed objects to pass from the old universe to the new one.
"I will show you how to access the time-stream, Doctor," said Davros, "It still needs a few final adjustments before I can bring my Daleks through to join us here. Then, they can begin to build a new empire!"
The Doctor looked on as Davros pushed a button on the console and started to operate several controls. He explained how the device worked and the Doctor nodded attentively. After a while, when he had grasped the principles of the thing, the Doctor was able to offer a number of suggestions to enable Davros to achieve his goal. He was gaining Davros' trust, especially as Jade and Orleo continued to heckle him for being a traitor! Finally, Davros threw a switch and a large portal opened at the far end of the room; like a tunnel surrounded by a bright yellow light. Then, through the mist inside the tunnel, a Dalek appeared and glided towards them. It stopped and looked them up and down.
"Success!" cried Davros, "It's alive! I can finally bring them through!"
"Where am I?" the Dalek asked, "Why have I been brought here?"
"You are about to embark on the creation of a new chapter in the history of the Daleks!" Davros answered, "You will have new worlds to conquer, new civilisations to enslave; you will be the supreme rulers once more!"
Soon, more Daleks began to file through the portal and they gradually filled the room. While Davros was busy counting them in and checking that they were unharmed, the Doctor reached underneath the control console and pulled out a small, translucent box which had a button on top. He hid the box in the pocket of his coat.
"Excellent, excellent!" said Davros, gleefully, "Now they can take up where they left off in the old universe!" So saying, he crossed back to the control console and began making further adjustments.
"Don't tell me you're going to bring more of them through!" exclaimed the Doctor.
"I still have the problem of getting the Dalek Supreme out of the time-warp," replied Davros, "He is still trapped inside the time machine; which is suspended in the vortex!"
"You won't be able to do that!" advised the Doctor, "not while there are two versions of him on board!"
"You're forgetting about my time-stream, Doctor! I can bring one out of warp and trap the other one inside with this device!"
The Doctor watched with apprehension while Davros fiddled with his instruments. Soon, the Black Dalek appeared through the portal and joined the army of creatures in the room. Davros threw a switch to disengage the time-stream but, because of the Doctor's sabotage, it did not work and, suddenly, a second Black Dalek appeared.
"No!" cried Davros, "Go back! You mustn't cross into this time zone! You're already..."
The Doctor grabbed the little box from his coat pocket and pushed the button on the top of it. He then took hold of Jade's arm, "Quickly, Jade," he said with great urgency, "Hold onto Orleo, now!"
Jade reached out and took hold of Orleo's arm just as Davros and his Daleks became completely motionless and quiet.
"What's happening, Doctor?" asked Orleo, slightly taken aback by Jade's sudden lunge.
"Davros has caused a time-lock," answered the Doctor, "by trying to bring the Daleks out of warp. I knew he'd try something like this! That's why I took this device out of his console, so he wouldn't succeed! Fortunately, while we all stay connected to this device; it allows us to jump the time-track so that we're not locked up too!"
"What do we do now?" queried Jade.
"Simple!" the Doctor replied, "All I have to do is reverse the signal on the console and Davros and his creations will return to where they belong!"
Jade and Orleo continued to hold on while the Doctor adjusted the controls. "There!" he said with satisfaction, as the cavern came back to life again.
"Doctor!" Davros cried as he began to move again, "What are you doing?"
"I'm sending you home!" replied the Doctor, "you don't belong in this universe!"
"No! You can't do this! I won't..."
The Doctor threw the switch on the console and the portal began sucking the Daleks back into their own universe.
"Quick!" the Doctor shouted to Jade and Orleo, "We'd better get back to the Tardis!"
Leaving Davros to his fate; being sucked back through the portal along with the Daleks, the three travellers ran back to their own Tardis and almost fell inside in their haste. When they were safely locked in, the Doctor pushed the button on the little box again and the Tardis began to be pulled towards the portal.
"Hold on!" cried the Doctor, "We're going home...but it's going to be a bumpy ride!"
The journey along the time-stream proved to be just as uncomfortable as on the previous occasion and, once more, all three of them passed out on the floor of the control room. When they did finally regain consciousness, they rose to their feet and the Doctor checked the instruments on his console and grinned broadly.
"Well," he turned to look at his two companions, "We're back in our own universe once again! If my gauges are now working correctly; the Tardis has automatically homed-in on Gallifrey. Come on Jade, Orleo, I'll show you the delights of my home world. I think we're due a little holiday, don't you?"
THE END
