Chapter 1

1st April, 1599, The Globe Theatre, London, England

The setting was the English Camp at Agincourt at night. On stage were two soldiers: John Bates and Michael Williams (played by the Seventh Doctor).

"Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which breaks yonder?"

"I think it be. But we have no great cause to desire the approach of the day."

"Who goes there?"

King Henry entered, his back to the audience, so they could not see that the role was actually being played by a woman – Ace.

"A friend."

"Under what captain serve you?"

"Under Sir Thomas Erpingham."

"I pray you, what thinks he of our estate?"

Ace finally faced the audience. No one seemed to notice that she was a woman, probably due to the low lighting. "Even as men wrecked upon a sand, that look to be washed off the next tide."

"He hath not told his thought to the king?"

"No, nor it is not meet he should. For though I speak it to you, I think the king is but a man, as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to me, in his nakedness he appears but a man. Therefore, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as ours are. Yet, no man should possess him with any appearance of fear, lest he, by showing it, should dishearten his army."

The Doctor discretely smiled proudly at Ace, delighted at her ability to remember her complicated lines.

"He may show what outward courage he will, but I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in Thames up to the neck."

"Methinks I could not die anywhere so contented as in the king's company, his cause being just and his quarrel honorable."

"That's more than we know."

"Aye, or more than we should seek after. If his cause be wrong, our obedience to the king wipes the crimes of it out of us."

"But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make when all those legs and arms and heads chopped off in a battle shall join together at the latter day and cry all 'We died at such a place' – some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them. I am afeared there are few die well that die in a battle."

"The king is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers, the father of his son, nor the master of his servant."

Later, backstage:

"Delightful…you're getting better and better, Ace…"

"Thank you, Professor. I plan to study the performances of Olivier, Branagh, Shapiro, Kullnark…"

The Doctor frowned. "Ace, you are here to learn about the sixteenth century…and there's no better way than embracing Shakespeare…but you must discover it through your own performance, not by imitating…"

"Doctor…"

"Yes, Nita."

"Sensors are picking up an unidentified craft in orbit…"

"On our way. We'll come back and perform the next act later, Ace."

The Doctor and Ace slipped out of the theatre and started walking back to the TARDIS. Ace began to take off her costume. "It's interesting that a king could pass as a commoner, but why should he wish to? If he is the leader…shouldn't he be leading?"

"But listen to what Shakespeare is telling you about the man, Ace…a king who has a true feeling for his soldiers must share their fears on the day of battle."

They walked down an alley and a passerby stared at Ace's costume. They entered the TARDIS and Nita moved to the console. The Doctor followed her.

"Our readings identify it as a Dalek scout ship. Bearing two seven zero mark one four."

"A scout ship? What would a scout ship be doing here in this century?"

"Doctor, what should we do?"

"Open a hailing frequency."

"Ok. Doctor, the Daleks are hailing us!"

"Visual."

"Not within range yet."

"Open a channel."

"Gallifreyen time capsule, do you read? I require urgent assistance."

A Dalek asking for help? "This the Gallifreyen…"

"Gallifreyen capsule. Please, help me. Requesting asylum. Under pursuit."

"Pursuit?" asked Nita. A Dalek requesting asylum? "Visual range. On screen, Doctor."

A large spinning saucer-shaped ship appeared behind the smaller ship and opened fire.

"Mauve Alert. Open a channel to the warship."

"Channel is open," said Nita.

"Dalek warship, you do not belong in this century, and are engaged in hostile action. Explain yourself and your intent."

"No reply, Doctor."

"Hail the scout."

"Responding."

"On screen."

A Dalek appeared on the viewscreen. "Doctor, please, you must help me!"

"We are moving to intercept. Maintain your course and power."

The picture broke up. The little ship had been hit.

"Scout ship is severely damaged, Professor. Engines inoperative, shields are down."

"Position?" asked Nita.

"Coordinates one four zero by two zero five."

"Right. We will materialise around the Dalek in the scout ship."

"Are you sure you want to bring a Dalek on board, Professor?"

"There's something different about this Dalek. Set the coordinates."

"Coordinates set," said Ace. She materialised them around the Dalek.

"Weapons on the warship are fully powered, Doctor."

"Open a channel."

"Ready."

"Dalek vessel, you do not belong here. Unless you withdraw…"

The warship dematerialised.

"No argument?" asked Nita "The warship has re-entered the time vortex."

"I have information vital to your survival," said the Dalek.

The Dalek claimed to be a low ranking logistics officer with extraordinary information about a secret offensive.

"The humiliating defeat at the Battle of the Game Station in the Earth year 200,100 has not been forgotten. One Dalek survived and now the new leaders have vowed to destroy the Earth in the past."

"I have no knowledge of that event," said the Doctor. "It must be in my future."

"You're saying an entire base has already been established in the 16th century?" asked Nita.

"In forty-eight hours, the reactor core will be online."

"So the TARDIS' sensors that monitor Earth just missed it?" asked Nita.

"It would seem so. In two days, a fleet of Dalek warships will be within striking distance of fifteen Earth sectors."

"I will not permit that."

"Then it is war that we are talking about. Destroy the base now and the threat is over."

"Well, you appear to be damaged by your ordeal and you require attention. Nita, will you accompany the Dalek to the engineering room. We will attend to your quarters."

"No doubt you will wish to question me further."

"No doubt."

Nita and the Dalek left the console room.

"He tells a hell of a story," said Ace.

"You don't believe it?"

"The Empire knows that we'd never allow them to maintain a base on Earth. Although, I suppose that would not be an unusual Dalek ploy. In their long history of war, the Daleks have sometimes not attacked first. Sometimes they test their enemy's resolve. I think this Dalek is a plant draw us in. Then we'll look like the aggressors."

"And the Daleks would have a legitimate excuse for responding in force."

"Exactly. That would also not be an unusual Dalek ploy."

"It's always a chess game with them, isn't it?"

"Well, at least it's given us the chance to get a look at some Dalek technology close up."

"Ace, I'm going to materialise the TARDIS inside the scout ship and I'd like you to examine it. I'll get Nita to interrogate the Dalek."

"Couldn't I watch the interrogation?"

"No, Ace, I need you on the ship. There is much to be done. We have less than forty-eight hours to prevent a war. Or perhaps to start one. This will depend on establishing the truth off…"

At that moment, the scout ship exploded.

In the engineering room, Nita was patching up the Dalek.

"I set the auto-destruct sequencer before I left the ship."

"Why?"

"Wouldn't you? To prevent your ship from being captured?"

"Excuse me for being a little confused, but I thought you were defecting."

"I am not a traitor. All you can see is the opportunity to exploit me. The Doctor would. He couldn't get aboard my ship fast enough. Strip it down. What secrets might it reveal that he can use? He is short-sighted. Can't you understand? I came to stop a war."

"If you could just hold still? With your metabolism, this will heal in a few moments."

"Thank you, Nita. How fortunate you know something of Dalek engineering."

"Yes. I had a chance to gain some experience recently."

"Ah, yes. The incident at Shoreditch. The renegade Daleks."

"You are aware of a great deal for a logistics clerk."

"It was common knowledge."