"I'm telling you that I am a medical examiner with the OCME and I am currently assisting Detective Jo Martinez on a murder investigation," said Henry.

"And I'm telling you," said the impound lot's guard, "that until I see some credentials, I'm not letting you in."

Henry was about to say something that he'd probably regret, but thankfully Abe stepped in and pulled him aside.

"Henry, you're not going to get anywhere like this. Why don't we just wait in the car? I mean, she's not going to be in there all day, right? And obviously she's OK. So, let's just relax and take a seat."

Henry gave Abe an exasperated sigh, but he knew he was right. It just wasn't fair when children were more sensible than their parents.

"Listen to the old man," said the guard. "Wait here and you can talk to Detective Martinez when she gets back."

"Old man?" echoed Abe indignantly. "Well, thank you very much, Officer Friendly."

Henry couldn't do it. Sense or nonsense, he had to make sure that Jo was alright.

"Sorry Abe," he said, before charging past the guard and into the lot.

"Hey, wait! Get back here!" bellowed the guard before chasing after him.


Jo walked around the cavernous console room very slowly, her body tight and tense with her arms flat to her sides and her hands splayed out. It looked like she was barely keeping it together.

"That's a library," she said in disbelief as she looked at a set of mahogany bookcases.

"Nah, that's just the Doc's light readin'," said Lucie coolly. "The main library's further in."

Jo spun her head around, her eyes threatening to burst from their sockets. "Further in? You mean there's more of this?"

"Oh, of course," said the Doctor as he stood over the console, doing Time Lord knows what. "This is just the primary console room. The interior dimensions of the TARDIS are infinite – or near enough." He looked up at her. "So no wondering off, understood? Even I've been known to get turned around occasionally. I think the old girl likes to play games with me sometimes."

"I'm sorry," said Jo, clearly trying and failing to keep up with everything, "the…TARDIS? Old girl…? What…?"

"Ooh, ooh, can I take this one?" said Lucie, raising her hand in the air excitedly.

"Be my guest," said the Doctor distractedly, his attention returned to the console.

Lucie faked clearing her throat, puffed out her chest proudly and said, "TARDIS: Time and Relative Dimension in Space. This is your basic Type 40, MK III TT capsule. Oh and he calls it old girl because, like most blokes, he's got an unhealthy relationship with his car."

"Oi! Settle down," said the Doctor indignantly. "But otherwise, yes, that's about right."

The explanation did little to help Jo acclimatise and she continued to stare around the room with her mouth agape. It was only now that she really looked up, taking in the cavernous expanse above her. Suddenly there was a screeching sound accompanied by rapid motion and the flapping of wings.

"What the hell was that!" exclaimed Jo, instinctively reaching for her gun.

"Just some fledershrews, Detective," said the Doctor without looking up. "And I'd appreciate it if you could keep your weapon holstered while in the TARIDIS, if you could be so kind."

"Flay…flay-der-what?"

"Fledershrews," said Lucie. "Funky space bats the Doctor lets live in the rafters. Mind you," she said, leaning in, "just between you and me, I think he's got some bats in the belfry too, if you know what I'm saying?" she chuckled.

"No," said Jo, "not…really."

"Oh bother," said the Doctor, straightening himself after being hunched over the scanner screen.

"Oh no," Lucie sighed, "what's the problem now? You know, besides the bleedin' Daleks."

"Nothing too dire," said the Doctor. "It's just that I was hoping I could perform a long-range scan from here, to determine just how many Daleks are in the city and whether or not they're contained to that one factory. Problem is that the TARDIS' scanners are being affected by some sort of temporal disturbance that's blanketing all of New York."

"What, like the Daleks are cloaking themselves?" said Lucie.

"No, no, this isn't the Daleks. The source of the disturbance is in the 1930s and it looks like the result of multiple paradoxes overlaying one another. It's been tidied up a bit, but it's still there. Anyway, that's a problem for another time."

"So, what about the here and now then?" asked Lucie.

"Well, it means we're going to have to get closer," he said as he began pushing buttons on the console.

This was something Jo could latch onto, something that she could understand and help with. Having a task that she could understand helped to ground her again.

"Right," she said, still a little shaken, "I'll talk to someone about getting us a tow back to the factory."

Lucie and the Doctor shared a look and chuckled with one another.

"What?" said Jo, not getting the joke. "What's so funny?"

"Just hold on Detective," said the Doctor as he pushed down on a lever.

Suddenly the floor began to shake, causing Jo to jump. A strange grating, wheezing sound filled the air, as if a rend was being torn open in the very fabric of reality.

"What's going on?" she said, sounding a little panicked.

"Don't worry," said Lucie as the time rotor rose and fell behind here, "we'll be there in no time at all. Gridlock's a non-issue in this thing."

"Wait," said Jo, a stark realisation suddenly hitting her, "we're moving?"

"Got it in one, Cagney," said Lucie.

It was then that Jo remembered what Lucie had said a moment ago.

"Time and Relative Dimension in Space," she muttered. "This thing's a space ship!"

"Well," said the Doctor as he walked around the console, adjusting various settings, "time and space ship if you want to be pedantic."

"And let's face it, you always do," said Lucie.

"Cheeky," retorted the Doctor with a smile. "Unfortunately though, the TARDIS has its quirks and it's always had a bit more difficulty with short trips than long-distance; more of a marathon runner than a sprinter. She can fly the length and breadth of the universe and into dimensions unknown," he began to grunt as he leaned into the console, gripping the controls as if he were trying to physically steer the ship, "but cutting across town? That's a whole…other…issue…altogether."

The ship rocked suddenly, sending Lucie and Jo to the floor, while the Doctor steadied himself against the console.

"Flippin' heck!" said Lucie, rubbing her behind. "You might want to install some safety rails one day, you know."

"I'll take it under consideration," he said as he pulled one final lever and the TARDIS wheezed one more time, before coming to a complete stop. "Well, that wasn't so bad, wouldn't you say detective?"

Jo just sat there, sprawled on the ground, mouth open.

Lucie crouched down before her and offered her hand. "Yeah, you're one of us now. Welcome to the time and space travellers' club. Promise it's not always this rocky. Sometimes it's worse," she chuckled.

Jo shook her head. "You're both mad…"


"Detective Martinez!" Henry kept calling for Jo as he zigged and zagged through the aisles of confiscated vehicles and property. Without knowing the lot number he was looking for, it was like looking for the metaphorical needle.

Suddenly, he heard an odd sound coming from about two rows over.

"Detective?" he called.

He followed the source of the sound and found himself facing a vacant lot, just as the last notes of the strange grinding sound died away. Although, he could have sworn that as he approached, there was the faintest hint of blue in the air.

"Hey you, get back here!"

He turned to see the security guard jogging after him, gravel spraying out under his hurried footsteps.

Feeling confused and defeated – something he wasn't used to – he turned around with a sigh and accompanied the guard back to the yard's office.


Detective Mike Hanson rubbed his face in frustration. "Look, I don't know what else to tell you. When I say the nature of the threat is unknown…I mean it's unknown."

He held the phone away from his head for a moment and shook his head. It felt like he was going round in circles, like one of those funky snakes that eats its own tail.

"Look," he said, holding the phone to his ear again, "I don't know what it is we're dealing with exactly, but if I say we need S.W.A.T., we need S.W.A.T.!"

Suddenly he noticed a weird sound coming from overhead. He looked up without really thinking and nearly dropped his phone when he saw where the noise was coming from.

There was some sort of shape fading in and out above the factory, groaning and wheezing as it went. It was blue and rectangular and with every pulse it became more solid. Finally the sound died off and it settled in place and he couldn't believe it – it was that weird blue phone booth from before. He expected it to fall out of the sky, but it just hovered there, spinning slowly on its axis.

He stood there with his mouth opened wide, trying to speak but unable to find the words.

"Hanson? Hanson, you there?"

He suddenly remembered the phone in his hand.

"Just get me S.W.A.T. here stat," he said into the phone absently, "before things get any weirder."

He hung up the phone without another word and stowed it in his pocket, all the while never once taking his eyes off of the impossible flying box.

"I should have stayed in the band," he said. "Sex, drugs and rock n' roll made a lot more sense than this."


"Ah, much better," said the Doctor, looking rather pleased with himself. He hovered over the scanner, tweaking some dials. "The interference is still preventing a city-wide sweep, but I should be able to get a decent view of the factory from over here."

Jo took a few cautious steps towards the console and gawked up at the high, metallic arches that caged in the central console. They were like spider legs made from scaffolding.

"So…if this is a spaceship," she said, sounding as though she couldn't believe the words she was saying, "you two are, what, aliens?"

"Well, he is," said Lucie, "which explains the whole Lord Byron thing he's got goin' on, but not me. Born and bred in Blackpool, I was. Though, I s'pose that makes me an illegal alien to you, eh? You don't really need passports or green cards when you're travelling in the TARDIS."

Jo's eyes and mouth were still wide open, but the initial shock was wearing off. Now she was adjusting to the situation the best way she knew how: Gathering facts, building a case file. The more she knew, the easier it would be to process and understand what was going on. Unless, of course, she had actually gone crazy.

"So, what, are you a Martian or something? Is that just, like a human suit that you wear? You didn't…steal someone's body, did you?"

The Doctor looked up from the scanner and gave a crooked smile. "Rest assured, Detective, this body is my own – I've had it for a century or two now. And no, I'm not a Martian. They're a big, reptilian warrior race decked out in cyber-enhanced armour – I actually used to travel with one. No, my people are called Time Lords – and yes, they're every bit as pompous as the name implies. Aha," he said, his attention turned back to the scanner, "do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"Well, just for a change of pace, why don't we go for some good news first?" asked Lucie, as she peered over his shoulder at the screen. It was pointless of course, all of those crazy circles and symbols were just gibberish to her.

"Well, the good news is that I'm only reading four Dalek life-signs," he said, "one of them very faint – I'd say it's on death's door."

"Best news I've heard all day," said Lucie. "So come on then," she sighed, "spill it, what's the bad news?"

The Doctor looked at her and shrugged. "Four Daleks are still more than enough to wipe out this entire city. Even if you wanted to be optimistic and call it three and a half, they're still Daleks."

"Let me get this straight," said Lucie, "the good news is there's only four Daleks and the bad news is…there's only four bleedin' Daleks. What was the point of the good news/bad news thing then?"

"Well, I was trying to be optimistic," said the Doctor.

"Wait," said Jo, stepping closer to the two of them, "I get that these…Dar-lick things are lethal – I saw what they did to…" Henry's name caught in her throat as a big lump that she just couldn't bear to speak. Not yet. "But surely four of these things would be no match for a well-coordinated assault. I mean, Hanson's getting S.W.A.T. mustered as we speak; give me an hour and I could have the National Guard here too. Four of those things aren't going to be a match for the army, especially if one of them is out of commission."

The Doctor's mouth grew tight, like a parent unsure whether to ruin their child's innocent beliefs.

"It's a nice thought, Detective, but I'm afraid that you don't know the Daleks like I do."

"Well, explain it to me then. What are they exactly?"

"Hate-filled killing machines," said Lucie.

"Well, there's a little more to it than that, but essentially yes. They're from another world, Skaro, and were once very much like you or I, until one of their deranged scientists began experimenting on his own people. He mutated them into corrupted, vile little blobs fuelled by hatred and xenophobia and then dropped them in a nigh-on indestructible casing, equipped with an advanced weapons system designed to be lethal to as many forms of life as possible. A Dalek is ruthless and attacks with cold, logical efficiency. Worst of all, they view themselves as the supreme beings of the universe. Anything that isn't a Dalek is seen as wrong and therefore must be exterminated.

Now, I'll admit that given the state they're in, I am cautiously optimistic. But we must never make the mistake of underestimating the Daleks, their greatest weapon isn't their gunstick, it's their cunning. What's more, this particular batch seem to be from my personal future. I can only imagine what kind of upgrades and improvements they may come equipped with. That's why we need to ascertain what exactly their plan is. They aren't here by design; they're lost and damaged, but make no mistake, that makes them all the more dangerous."

Jo could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. He had a long history with these things. He had seen things; done things. There was a hatred bubbling just beneath the surface of his calm veneer.

"So, what do we do? Can you bomb them from up here, or, I don't know…zap them? Jo shrugged.

"Always the first thought with you humans, isn't it?"

"Oi, steady on," said Lucie.

"But no Detective, I can't 'zap' them, the TARDIS doesn't have any weapons, that's not how I do things. No, I'm going to go down there and see if I can figure out what exactly it is that they're doing. We need to know whether they killed that homeless man simply because he stumbled upon their hiding spot, or whether there's a bigger plan at play."

"Hold on," said Lucie, gobsmacked, "you're going to go down there and, what, just ask them what they're up to?"

"If I need to, yes. I'm hoping that I'll be able to move around without detection, but failing that, sometimes the direct approach is the best one. Who knows, in their weakened condition, I might even be able to strike a deal with them; relocate them to some uninhabited world where they can live out their final days away from innocent beings."

"Always the optimist, ain't ya?" said Lucie.

He smiled, "I have to be."

Lucie shook her head. "That's what I love about you, but it can be bloody frustratin' sometimes."

The Doctor grinned then began moving around the console once more.

"I've found a rear entrance that's out of the way from where the Daleks are congregated, I'll set the TARDIS down a block away and go in by foot – it's imperative that the Daleks don't get their plungers on the TARDIS. Jo, you get Lucie to safety behind the police line and get the S.W.A.T. to secure a two mile perimeter, but don't, under any circumstances, let them advance on the factory unless you hear from me, or the Daleks make a move. Otherwise they'll be walking into a bloodbath."

"Hey, you think I'm just going to sit this one out?" chided Lucie. "And don't give me the macho, chauvist 'it's too dangerous' spiel, I faced off against those bozos on day one, remember? So I'll be havin' none of that."

The Doctor smiled. "Oh Lucie, I was thinking nothing of the sort. But I need you to make sure that the Detective listens to me and doesn't let the S.W.A.T. do something stupid. No offense, Detective."

"None…taken?" said Jo, unsure how to feel.

"Hmm…alright," said Lucie. "I know what you're doing, but I'll let you have this one because I know how you get."

The Doctor smiled and plunged a lever down as the ship groaned and wheezed around them…