~Author's note: Again, to have somewhat accurate dialogue, I am taking dialogue from a transcript of the show. I do not own some of this dialogue. It belongs to the Doctor Who TV show. Enjoy.

This sucks... Oh my goodness, having to sit in the dark and just wait while we go to this new planet is so boring. Sure, I can talk to Red and them, but I want to see this new place already! Actually I just want to see in general. This darkness is throwing my eyes out of whack.

Gosh, but how long does it take to get to a new planet?

Luckily, I've had time to get to know Blue and Snowball. Since we haven't talked much, it's nice to have a bit of girl time. We talked- well, I talked, they screamed- about life on our planets. Apparently Skaro has become a wasteland now.

Stupid radiation, always messing things up.

Actually, back up, supposedly there was another group that lived on the planet, but they tangled with the Daleks. The Daleks released the radiation, which made the planet a wasteland.

During all of this history, Midnight has been trying to teach me how to act like a Dalek. He says that if I'm to be the Empress I have to know the proper way to say sentences, how the Daleks think, how to hold myself, etc. I feel like I'm in something like military boot camp meets The Princess Diaries.

I've hiked the Appalachian Trail with a 15 pound pack and it wasn't as hard as being a Dalek. Both are exhausting. Both require food, which the Doctor and Rose so graciously packed.

Eventually, it came to the point that I gave up. Well, I didn't give up, I just became too stubborn for Midnight. We argued about how I should act and lead the Daleks, quite loudly in fact. These four chose me to become the Empress. They took me for who I am, which is a human. No one should be allowed to change that.

What feels like years pass. My eyes become so heavy that they begin to droop. Reaching into the flimsy leather bag, I pull out the small pillow and blanket that I took from the Torchwood building. (This bag is legit Mary Poppins' bag.)

I curl beside Red again. During this expedition we have developed a routine. I curl against him to sleep, then after eight human hours he wakes me up. It's a good system and has worked very well so far.

"GOOD NIGHT MAN-DY!" Red yells before I drift off into my beautiful oblivion.

Waking up in this blasted sphere sucks. Of course I didn't notice this right away because for a time it was great.

I rub my tired eyes before I roll my blanket into a tight ball around my pillow, stuffing it into my bag. Reaching into the bag Rose packed for me, I retrieve a blueberry muffin flavored powder. It isn't as good as a real blueberry muffin, but it stops the hunger. I even drink a full bottle of water before I notice I'm alone.

They left me... AGAIN?!

Grabbing my bags, I pull them over my shoulders. Anger makes my blood boil. How dare they leave me? More importantly, how dare Red leave me?

I swing my leg toward the edge of the sphere like I'm kicking a soccer ball, only to find a blinding light flood my eyes. I stumble, tripping over my feet, before I fall towards the ground outside of the sphere.

Not my brightest moment.

Blinking multiple times I look at my surroundings. I'm not sure where I am, but it looks like the inside of a tall building. The abandoned workstations, boxes, and metal lying around this area doesn't seem familiar. Then I come face to face with a pig's head and a man's body.

Pigman? Gross, creepy, but cool.

"Hello," I nod to the Pigman. "Would you mind helping me stand?"

The Pigman nods its head while assisting me out of the sphere. It has hands of a human, but the skin of a pig. The rough skin brushes against mine, causing me to glance down at my arm.

I rub my tired eyes with the heel of my hand. My skin is now a deeper purple than last time I saw it. I take several deep breaths to lighten the color of my skin, surprised when it works.

"Can you take me to some angry salt shakers?" I ask the Pigman. "We need to exchange a few words."

The kind Pigman oinks and snorts as a response. His wet snout and head nods as he leads me to an open space. Sure enough, there is my favorite Dalek, Red. The place around him looks like a laboratory, with boiling chemicals and burners.

How can they build anything when all they have is a whisk and a plunger though?

I shake the thought out of my head, resulting in my two braids smacking me in the face. My eyes catch a large machine against the wall as the elevator opens, revealing Blue, Snowball, a man, and Midnight.

I tug the Pigman behind the machine, hiding in the shadows while I watch their exchange.

"I BRING YOU THE HU-MAN," Snowball announces.

A man in a business suit straightens his jacket. "I take it you're in charge?" His accent sounds familiar. Maybe because it's the same one I have. We must be in New York.

"COR-RECT." Red says. "I AM DALEK RED, LEAD-ER OF THE CULT OF SKARO."

I wrinkle my nose. Last time I checked, they made me the one in charge. I begin undoing my braids, mess is about to get real.

The man flashes him what I assume to be a charming smile. "Then, my Lord Red, I am honoured to meet you. Ever since you first made contact with me, transmitting your thoughts into the corners of my mind, tempting me with such images, such ideas. Oh, sir, I'd always dreamt that the-"

"CEASE TALK-ING!" Blue screams.

"I just want to let you know how grateful I am," the man tries again.

A chorus of "CEASE TALK-INGs" erupt.

"I SAID CEASE!" Red barks. "SLAVES, SE-CURE THE HU-MAN!"

Immediately, two different Pigmen grab the man's arms, holding him. The Pigman beside me tries to rush forwards, as well, but I stop him. I'm waiting for the moment to make my entrance.

"But you don't need to do that." The man grunts as he struggles against the Pigmen's grasp. "I'm on your side! I'm working with you. I'm your partner. I'm- I'm your friend."

Snowball moves forwards. "THE CHRO-MA-TIN SOL-U-TION IS READ-Y!"

I scrunch my eyebrows as the scene unfolds. What are they planning to do?

Midnight's head spins a complete 360°. "THEN OUR PREP-AR-A-TIONS ARE COM-PLETE!"

"What are you doing?" The man calls, still struggling. "Preparations for what?" The man, while very handsome is obviously panicking. But panicking or not, we're asking the same questions.

What are they up to?

Red hovers closer to the man, causing him to momentarily stop struggling. "THIS IS THE FI-NAL EX-PER-I-MENT!" Red shouts proudly.

"What- What do you mean? Do you mean like these pig men things?" The man looks at the Pigmen. "You're not going to turn me into one of those. Please- please don't!"

Midnight begins hovering around the group. "THE PIG SLAVES ARE PRIM-ITIVE. THE FI-NAL EX-PER-I-MENT IS GREAT-ER BY FAR!"

"But how does that involve me?" The man asks, genuinely curious.

Red hovers close enough to the man that his eye stalk touches the man's nose. "WE NEED YOUR FLESH. BRING HIM TO ME!"

Oh boy...

This seems like a good time to step in.

"Well," I say, clapping my hands together as I stand from my hiding place, "you're just going to have a party without me? That's very rude."

"YOU WERE SU-PPOSE TO BE A-SLEEP!" Red says bravely.

"Miss," the man calls, "get out of here! They'll kill you! Run!"

I snort, as I walk slowly towards the group, like a predator stalking towards its prey. The man who is still being held continues to pull against his captors restraints. The poor man is going to give out if he keeps on like this.

A smirk plays along my lips. "I don't think that will be a problem." With a wave of my hand, I give the order, "Release him."

Instantly the Pigmen drop their hands from the man. He quickly darts to the elevator, repeatedly pressing the button to open the doors. While he does that, my eyes look to Blue.

She moves away from me, her eye stalk lowered as if she's cowering from me.

Next, I look to Snowball. She does the same.

I turn my attention to Midnight. In doing so, I notice the dust clinging to his black exterior. I wonder if Daleks can collect dust or if it's from the air around him.

Not the time, Mandy.

For several long moments, Midnight holds eye contact with me. I raise my chin and step forward. If I'm really the Empress, he will back down. Not of fear, but of respect. Instantly he moves back. I won.

Now it's Red's turn. I don't bother seeing if he will back down. Stomping towards him, my hand wraps around the eye stalk, giving me the leverage I need to yank him towards me.

"Red," I articulate very carefully, "you left me again. Why?"

"THE FI-NAL EX-PER-I-MENT MUST BE-GIN!" He shouts. "BRING THE HU-MAN!"

The man frantically clicks the elevator button just as a group of people come in. Pigmen once again grab him, dragging him forwards. I roll my eyes as I drop my hand and go to the window across the room. I can't exactly yell at Red for leaving me with all this noise.

"Please!" The man calls, "Don't!"

I glance over my shoulder at the crowd of people. Pulling my ragged wrap around my torso, I nod towards the crowd. "Blue, whatever that is, handle it."

"I OBEY!" She screams as I glance out the window. People shuffle in the streets and on the sidewalks, but there are not as many as when I first left. Odd. "YOU WILL FORM A LINE. MOVE! MOVE!"

"Just do what it says, everyone, okay?" A young woman calls as she backs away to form a line. "Just obey."

"THE FE-MALE IS WISE. OBEY!" Blue continues as she handles the crowd.

I run my hand through my curled hair. I don't know what's going on, but I need to find out.

"THE DALEK-AN-IUM IS IN PLACE. THE EN-ER-GY CON-DUCT-OR IS NOW COM-PLETE." Snowball says as she moves away from machines with Midnight.

Dalekanium? Energy conductor? What have they been up to?

"YOU WILL BEAR WITNESS." Midnight yells as the crowd begins to fight against Blue and the Pigmen.

"To what?" The woman from before asks. "What does that mean?"

Red moves forward. He looks at the crowd before his eye stalk turns to look at me. "WE ARE THE ONLY FOUR DAL-EKS IN EX-IS-TENCE, SO THE SPE-CIES MUST E-VOLVE A LIFE OUT-SIDE THE SHELL."

I raise my eyebrows as I turn away from the window. Outside the shell? How?

Oh crap! They can't... Can they?

"THE CHIL-DREN OF SKAR-O MUST WALK AGAIN!" Red screams as he opens his shell, his purple tentacles wrapping around the man in the business suit from before.

"ENOUGH!" I roar, causing the crowd to notice me for the first time. Red begins to pull the man into his shell. "I- SAID- ENOUGH!"

A lousy thump echoes through the room. The man scrambles away from Red before his frightened face looks at the Pigmen and the other Daleks. Taking his chances, he scrambles towards me in fear.

"Now then," I clench my teeth, "To my lovely audience, please leave. You may use the elevator if you like, but I believe it would best if you left. Now."

Within two minutes, the crowd rushed towards the elevator, leaving the woman with chocolate skin alone. I notice a blur of brown behind her.

"Doctor," I sing. "Please come join us."

The woman looks over her shoulder, following him as he steps out of the shadows is a blonde haired young lady. He is still dressed in his brown trench coat, although now he has on a matching brown suit underneath. The lady has a pink top, jeans, and a light jacket.

"EX-TER-MIN-ATE!" Midnight yells as he whirles to face them.

I hold up my hand. "No." I rub my face. "Rose, Doctor, nice to see you again. You too, lady I don't know. But look, I don't know what is going on here. Would anyone care to explain?"

"My name's Martha," the lady calls.

Red closes his shell as he moves towards me. The man that is still hidden behind me, clings to my pullover in fear. I can feel his fingers dig into my sides as he clings to me. Gently, I pat his hand in the most reassuring was I can manage. Whatever Red was planning to do stops now.

The Doctor scratches his neck. "Hello. Surprise. Boo. Et cetera." He waves sheepishly. "Amanda, Red, the rest of you. Well first off you're in New York."

I raise my eyebrows. "Figured that. Actually, I'm only like a taxi away from home." Playing with the ends of my hair, I try to pace a bit while I add, "There isn't much left of it though. Red kinda obliterated it."

The man behind me hold on to me in place like a child clinging to their mother.

"You lived in New York," the Doctor asks, "in 1930?"

I freeze. Turning on my head slowly, I look at Red. "1930? No, I lived in 2019 New York. Red, why are we here?"

The Doctor shrugs in his brown trench coat as he loops his arms around Martha and Rose. "Seems your boyfriend doesn't want you to know he's up to something."

"Quiet Doctor." I say with a raised finger. "Red?"

The lack of emotions shown with the metal exterior makes my blood boil. No, I mean literally boil, as my skin begins turning a deeper shade of purple. The sludge in my blood thickens as I clench my teeth in anger.

The man yelps in pain as he yanks away from me. It's then I realize my skin is hot to the touch. I'm actually boiling mad.

"Fine," I scoff as I throw my hands in the air, "if you won't tell me, Midnight will."

My attention turns to Midnight, who appears to be watching the situation unfold from the corner across the room. I stomp towards Midnight and the others, causing everyone to practically run away from me.

"THE EM-PRESS IS AN-GRY AND RE-QUEST IN-FORM-ATION. I MUST OBEY!"

From behind me, I feel something on my lower back. I hold up my hand as I turn my head to see Red out of the corner of my eye. Weakly, Red says, "TEM-POR-AL SHI-FT. IT WAS SU-PPOSE TO BE A SUR-PRISE..."

Careful not to hit my face again, I turn towards Red in confusion. I scrunch my eyebrows together, looking from one Dalek to the next.

Red's eye stalk is directly in front of my face. His equivalent to making eye contact, I guess. The dark top of his shell, like Midnight, has dust clinging to it. How long were we in that shell for? What kind of surprise could involve intelligence scans and Red practically eating a guy?

"Oh, that must have roasted up your power cells, huh?" The Doctor mocks. He starts towards the Daleks as he looks around the broken lab. "But what do you mean surprise?"

Red breaks eye contact with me as he turns towards the Doctor. The Doctor causally leans against the lab set up, studying the vials and beakers with his glasses. The liquid boiling and pops around him, making him seem like a mad scientist. The Doctor takes off his glasses as he looks around the room, before putting them back on again.

"Yeah," Rose speaks up as she joins him, "what's Dalekanium and a- what was it?- a Chromatin solution?"

"DALEKS ARE SU-PER-IOR," Red screams in my face, "BUT THIS HU-MAN IS FAR MORE SU-PER-IOR."

Different emotions flash across the faces of people in the room as he continues. I feel my face deepen in color.

Red turns away from the Doctor. "HU-MANS HAVE MANY E-MO-TIONS THAT HELP THEM WIN, BUT I WANT TO BE HU-MAN, SO THAT I CAN RULE WITH MAN-DY."

I feel the floor sway beneath me. I grab the wall to steady myself. "So... So the Dalekanium, Chromatin solution, final experiment, and all of that was so that you could be with me? In a..." Dare I say... "a human body?"

Red doesn't move, so I'm going to take that as a head nod.

My legs feels weak as I hear many feet shuffle towards me. A pair of arms catches me from behind. It's the man from before and Martha.

"Doctor," Martha calls as she examines me, "get some water. I don't want her fainting on us."

I lean against the warm body behind me. This warmth is different than the heat that come off of the Daleks. Their heat is enough to boil you alive. The warmth radiating off of the man behind me makes everything click into place.

Red could... but what about... that's how...

Oh he is clever.

"Doctor!" I say as I sit straight up. "I have an idea!"