After a few hours has passed, Sec watched the security cameras he had installed to see how many humans Diagoras had managed to trick into going down the sewers.
"See anyone yet Sec?" Katie asked, not sounding too happy about the whole thing.
"No not yet," Sec sighed as he looked at her. "I'm sorry I'm doing this to your species. If there was another way..."
"It's Ok Sec," Katie interrupted. "You're doing this to save your own species from extinction. Humans would have done the same thing" Sec nodded and smiled weakly, then continued to watch the camera.
"There's some humans," Sec said as he pointed to the screen. "There's only four of them though. Three males and one fema..." Sec stopped mid-sentence and just stared at the screen.
"Sec? Hello, anyone home?" Katie said as she waved her hand in front of his eye. Sec blinked, then jumped as he noticed her hand. "Something wrong?" Katie asked as she smiled at him, then her smile dropped as she saw the sadness in his eye. "What is it Sec?"
"That human," Sec replied as he pointed to the screen. "The tall one"
"What about him?"
"He found my Hatchling. The one I lost in the tunnels. It's in his hand but I can't hear what they're saying to each other or see them very clearly. They're too far away from the camera" Sec said as he was getting more and more distressed as he watched the human poking it, then put it in his pocket.
"Sec, don't watch it if it's making you distressed," Katie said gently as she turned him away from the screen and held him in her arms.
"But...that human. He was...was"
"Shh. I know. It's Ok," Katie comforted. Thay then came up to Katie after hearing the stress levels in Sec's voice, to see if everything was alright, but Katie put a finger to her lips before Thay could say anything. Thay nodded and was about to leave when Sec noticed him.
"Thay? Where is Caan?"
"I don't know Sec. He's around here somewhere"
"He's never here when I need him. What is Diagoras doing?"
"He's ordering workmen to finish construction of the mast"
"Good. Keep a close eye one him. I don't want him disappearing if I have to use him in the Final Experiment"
"I obey" Sec then turned to a group of pigslaves
"You pigslaves will go into the tunnels. Collect the humans and bring them here"
"Why do you want the pigslaves to bring the humans here Sec?"
"Because I want my Hatchling back. I could never find him when I looked"
"So that's why you went into the tunnels all those times recently?"
"Yes. But I could never remember where I had dropped him"
"Aww Sec," Katie smiled as they cuddled each other. "Why didn't you have me come with you? I could have helped you look"
"I wasn't thinking," Sec smiled sheepishly. "I had a lot of things on my mind"
Sec and Katie was still cuddling, when Caan entered the Lab.
"Not again!" Caan groaned in disgust. "Don't they ever stop cuddling?"
"Caan. Go and see Diagoras. Tell him the conductor must be complete for our plan to succeed," Sec ordered as he noticed him.
"Gladly," Caan said sarcastically as he went to the lift. "It's better than seeing you two cuddle," Caan whispered, completely disgusted. Sec who was now enraged was going to make Caan pay for saying that about him but Katie held him back.
"Don't do it Sec," Katie whispered. "He's not worth it"
"Why is he so disgusted about us being together? We're not hurting anyone!"
"Don't take any notice of him Commander. It's none of his business"
"Jast?" Sec asked surprised, turning around. "How long have you been there?"
"For sometime now. I'm preparing the stuff we'll need for the Final Experiment"
"So why aren't you disgusted like Caan is?"
"I'm too laid back for a Dalek to get bothered like Caan does. And I think it's kinda sweet seeing you two together. Plus I am nothing like Caan is. He thinks he's the only normal Dalek in the Cult"
"If he was a normal Dalek he wouldn't be in the Cult. That stupid trigger-happy idiot," Sec groaned.
"Sec is disgusting, Caan growled as he traveled up the lift. "He doesn't deserve to be our leader! He should be normal like me! Caan was still moody when he heard Diagoras shouting at the top of his lungs.
"I don't care how cold it is, how tired you are. Just get out there and finish the job!" Caan grinned when he heard Diagoras say those words.
"Impressive. He sounds more like a Dalek than Sec is" Caan then came out of the lift, passing Diagoras as he spoke.
"The conductor must be complete for our plan to succeed"
"Unemployment is such an incentive. It'll get done, don't worry"
"Daleks have no concept of worry"
"Yeah? Well lucky you" Caan gulped slightly as he glanced at the height they were at.
"This day is ending. Human kind is weak. You shelter from the dark and yet you have built all this," Caan mentioned, as he looked over the city.
"That's progress. You gotta move with the times or you get left behind"
"My planet is gone. Destroyed in a great war. Yet versions of this city stand throughout history. The human race always continues"
Sec blinked as he watched Caan's conversation with Diagoras.
"Sec? Is it me or does Caan sound sad?"
"You see it too Katie? I'm glad you said that. I thought I was going mad. I never seen Caan display any kind of emotion before"
"Maybe he's homesick," Jast suggested.
"Maybe Jast. I know I am," Sec sighed as he continued watching the screen.
"We've had wars. I've been a soldier myself. And I swore then I'd survive, no matter what"
"You have rare ambition"
"I want to run this city, whatever it takes. By any means necessary"
"You think like a Dalek"
"I'll take that as a compliment"
Jast and Thay joined Sec and Katie as Caan complimented Diagoras.
"Did he just compliment a..."
"Human?" Thay finished off for Jast. "I thought I was hearing things" Sec thought for a few seconds, then contacted Caan directly.
"This human is our best option. Bring him to me"
"Your loyalty will be rewarded. Come with me," Caan spoke as he headed for the lift.
"Prepare the laboratory. The Final Experiment will begin"
"We obey"
"Sec?" Thay whispered. Can I ask you something before you evolve? Just in case you don't remember when you do?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"I've been wanting to ask you this for ages. It's was when you collapsed when I found out about your...fear"
"And?"
"You kept having a recurring dream. Something about a Hatchling?"
"Oh...that. It wasn't a dream Thay. It really happened. I wanted to protect that poor Hatchling but there was nothing I could do to help it"
"What happened to it?"
"It hatched late. So late that I didn't think it would have hatched at all. When I saw it hatch it was late and dark and the other Hatchlings were all asleep. Including you. Then a lot of Daleks come over. I couldn't hear them but I could tell they were absolutely disgusted. At first I thought they were disgusted about you, so I hid you from their view. But they were disgusted with the new Hatchling"
"Why?"
"I don't know why, but a Supreme Dalek came over and ordered it's immediate extermination but the Supreme was too disgusted to do it himself so he ordered a normal Dalek to do it. I wish I could have done something to help it. It wasn't fair to be killed just after hatching"
"There's nothing you could have done Sec. Why do you feel so responsible?"
"Because I was the only one awake at the time. And it could have been a Dalek just like you"
"What makes you say that?"
"When the new Hatchling was being disposed of, the Supreme came over to me. You were hidden from his view but he knew you were there and he said loud enough for me to hear that it would be your turn one day and he said "Anything that needed to be protected was weak. Anything weak should be exterminated" Then he glided off glaring at us. It just made me protect you more. That's why I asked the Emperor if you could be put in the Cult"
"I had a feeling you did something like that Sec," Thay chuckled. "Well? What happened next? I can tell you haven't finished"
"Ok. I'll tell you but this bit was a little weird. Just after the Supreme went off, the Dalek that was ordered to get rid of the new Hatchling came back. It glanced around first, then picked us both up. I tried fighting him off because I thought he was after you, but he just moved us closer to the heat lamp, then patted me on the head. He said to keep looking after you then went off again"
"That's odd behaviour for a Dalek"
"He was also hiding something in his casing. But I couldn't see what it was when he picked us up"
"Really? It's a pity we'll never know. I would have liked to see what that Dalek was hiding," Thay commented as he started to prepare for the Final Experiment.
"Where are we going?"
"You have been summoned by our leader"
"Oh, and about time too" As the lift doors opened Diagoras stepped out and walked slowly forward staring uneasily at the pig-men.
"I bring you the human," Caan said as he looked at Sec.
"I take it you're in charge?"
"Correct. I am Dalek Sec. Leader of the Cult of Skaro"
"Then my Lord Sec, I am honoured to meet you. Ever since you first made contact with me, transmitting your thoughts into the corners of my mind..." Sec mentally gasped as Diagoras mentioned transmitting his thoughts into the corners of his mind.
"Shut up you fool! You'll ruin everything," Sec hissed quietly to Diagoras as he looked at Caan. "I hope Caan isn't paying attention to any of this"
"...with such images, such ideas, oh sir, I'd always dreamt that together..."
"Cease talking!"
"I just wanna let you know how grateful I am..."
"I said cease!" Slaves! Secure the human"
"But you don't have to do that. I'm on your side. I'm working with you. I'm your partner! I'm your friend!" Sec glared at Diagoras as he said he was his friend.
"You're no friend of mine," Sec thought to himself as he looked over to Katie, who was watching. "Not after those things you said to her" Sec passed Diagoras without saying a word and went to the pigslaves that had just returned with a young human. "Slaves! Where are the others?!" The pigslaves just looked at the young human, then looked at Sec. Sec sighed in frustration and glided up to the human.
"You human! Where are the others that were with you?! The young human just looked back at Sec, not knowing what to say.
"I said," Sec began as he opened his casing and grabbed the human by the front of his shirt "WHERE?! Where is the human with the long coat?!"
"He...escaped. I fought off these pig things so they could escape. Why do you want him?"
"He has my Hatchling!!" Sec snarled aggressively as he let the human go.
"What's a Hatchling?"
"A Hatchling is a Dalek. A new born Dalek. A baby child to you humans. I want him back!"
"You want it back?"
"I want HIM back!" Sec corrected.
"But...it was dead"
"I...I know. But...I don't want him being prodded or poked by anyone! And if that human does anything to him he will be exterminated! Pigslaves! Take this human to be Intelligence scanned!" Sec watched as the pigslaves took the confused human away, then got a glass of water and went to Katie's side.
"I got you some more water Katie," Sec said sadly as he put the water on the table.
"Don't be sad Sec," Katie said sweetly. "You'll get your Hatchling back"
"Can...I have one last hug in my pure Dalek form before I evolve?"
"Of course you can Sec," Katie smiled as she drank some of her water, then gave Sec a loving hug.
After a few minutes Katie's eyes began to feel heavy, then started to feel more and more lightheaded.
"Sec? Did...you put...something in...that...water?"
"I...I'm...I'm so sorry Katie," Sec whispered sadly as he looked away.
"I can't...believe you...Sec. I...trust...ed...y..ou" Katie said as she passed out against him.
"Katie don't say that!" Sec cried out. "You can trust me! You can trust me!" Sec said as he kissed her on the forehead. "You can trust me Katie. I promise!" Sec cried as he cuddled and stroked her hair.
Caan sniggered as he saw Katie collapse against Sec.
"At last. Sec has finally come to his senses"
"What are you on about Caan?" Thay asked as he got some of the supplies Jast needed to make the chromatin solution.
"Sec must have changed his mind about loving that human"
"Why?"
"He just drugged her," Caan sniggered evilly.
"He did what?!" Thay roared as he looked up and glared at Sec.
"I hope you can trust me again Katie," Sec said as he covered her with the blanket.
"You idiot Sec! Do you really think she'll trust you after this?" Thay said as he stopped by Sec's side, took the glass of water from him and tipped it over the floor, then stared at him coldly.
"But I'm going to evolve. It might be dangerous for me and I don't want Katie being scared"
"That was her choice to make! Not yours!" Thay snapped as he barged passed him. "And you better not do the same to me Sec!" Sec nodded to Thay and glanced down at Katie and held her hand tightly.
"I am really, really sorry Katie. I hope you can forgive me"
Thay growled as he slammed the glass down on the table, making it shatter into a million of pieces.
"Why did he do that? Why did he do that Jast?! I don't get it!"
"He did it because he loves her Thay. I don't get it either because I can't feel or express love like Commander Sec can but if he's going to evolve we'd better finish of making the chromatin solution he'll need and I need your help"
"Alright! I'll help" Thay looked up at Sec, then sighed as he saw Sec was still lovingly holding her hand.