Chapter 2
Later, in the guest quarters…
"You can reach me through the comm. Panel. Later, we'd like to ask you a few more questions.
Nita left.
In the console room…
"There is no activity in the Solar System, Professor."
"Let's isolate and magnify the sensors."
"Nothing on the sensors."
"It's hard to believe in what one cannot see. And yet conceivably, with their cloaking technology, a fleet of Dalek warships could be passing before our eyes. There must be some way to neutralise this advantage."
In the console room, Nita was examining footage of the Daleks' attack on their scout vessel. "Slow playback. Display engine logs and power data of both vessels. Now watch what happens at zero nine five four three three on the the clock. The scout has sustained engine damage, forcing it to slow to point six one five impulse power. The warship should overtake it, but it doesn't. Now, just two point six seconds later, the warship slows to precisely the same speed. Three times, three speed fluctuations. The warship kept its distance every time. I don't think they wanted to catch up."
"And yet they fired at the scout ship," said Ace. "They could have destroyed it. Although, the Daleks have the capability to direct the impact of their weapons."
"Is there a possibility the damage could be self-inflicted?" asked the Doctor.
"The damage was quite extensive. I hardly think…" began Ace.
"A possibility," The Doctor interrupted.
Ace nodded.
If their guest was telling the truth, there were twenty-one hours left before the Dalek base became functional. The Doctor was sitting in his study, trying to think of a solution. Ace knocked on the door.
"Come in."
"You wanted to see me, Professor?"
"Yes, Ace. I want you to prepare a class one probe. Set the sensors for maximum scan. I want every metre of Earth monitored."
"I'll start the calibrations, Professor."
"Ace?"
"Is there something else you wanted, Professor?"
"Your clarity of thought. Your objectivity, as always. Sit down, Ace, it's very possible we are about to start a war. The repercussions of what we do during the next twenty-four hours may be felt for years to come. I want you to keep a record of these events, so that history will have the benefit of a dispassionate view."
"I'll start right away, Professor. Is that all?"
"How are you and Nita coping with this?"
"We're concerned, of course, Professor, but confident. Don't you see that?"
"Ace, unlike King Henry, it is not easy for me to disguise myself and walk among my troops. That'll be all."
Ace left.
"Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the king that led them to it."
"Why must we waste time playing this ridiculous game?" asked the Dalek.
"There's more here than you're telling us," replied Nita. "You're forcing yourself to hold back."
"I have told you everything relevant about Earth."
"I'm not talking about the base."
"The base is all that matters."
"You're lying," said the Doctor.
"Go to Earth, and you will see."
"We're not going anywhere until we get to the truth. You're a spy, aren't you?" the Doctor accused.
"No."
"Then prove it," the Doctor demanded. "You can begin by telling me something about the location and strength of the Dalek fleet."
"I do not know it."
"You're a logistics drone."
"For one sector only."
"Who's your superior officer?"
"The White Supreme Dalek."
"The location of the Dalek bases in the Solar System?"
"I do not know."
"In your sector?"
"Irrelevant."
"The number of drones under your supreme Dalek?"
"Irrelevant. Irrelevant."
"I suppose you're right. It's not worth playing this game."
"What a fool I have been. To come looking for courage in a lair of cowards."
Later, in the console room:
"Sensors are configured for the planetary probe, Professor. Ready for launch."
"Proceed."
"Probe on course. Sensors are functioning."
"Coordinate your analysis with Nita. I want this report with dispatch."
"I don't know, Ace. My gut tells me we ought to be listening to what this Dalek's trying to tell us," said Nita.
"But feelings can interfere with rational judgement, can't they?"
"You're right. Sometimes they do."
"Then why not rely strictly on the facts?"
"Because you just can't rely on the plain and simple facts. Sometimes they lie."
"They can lead to wrong conclusions, but they can't lie."
"What do you think? Is it a defector or not?"
"The facts to date would lead to an objective conclusion that it isn't."
"Somehow I think we're going to catch the Daleks with their pants down on Earth, just like it says."
"Because your gut tells you so?"
"Exactly. But you can't always go with your gut either. It's a combination, Ace. Right, I'll put it to you this way. All these feelings that get in the way of human judgement, that'll confuse the hell out of us, that make us second guess ourselves, well we need them. We need them to help us fill in the missing pieces because we almost never have all the facts."
"So, a person fills in missing pieces of the puzzle with his own personality, resulting in a conclusion based as much on instinct and intuition as fact. But what if my instinct and intuition isn't telling me anything?"
"Ace. Look at this. The facts just took a left turn."
