Chapter Twenty Two
The Doctor paced around the cell, having been returned to the same cell they had occupied before. The Daleks had teleported to the Eagle site when they were a mere twenty five feet from their objective.
"Sooooo, these plans of yours?" the blonde Australian started as he approached the Doctor.
"Shut up Alan! It's not as if I could have scanned for a future teleport now could I?" the Doctor countered.
The Commander agreed, "He's right Alan. We had to attempt to reach the ship. It's exactly what we'd have done if we'd been here alone. He couldn't have known they'd be teleporting in." He walked over to the pair and added, "At least we have the others."
Movement could be heard beyond the forcefield. Soon a large grouping of prisoners rounded the corner and the forcefield was lowered so they could enter. "Back! Back! Back! You are the prisoners of the Daleks! You will move into the cell!" the Daleks said, their voices irritatingly intense.
The Doctor raised his eyes to the ceiling at seeing the group. Then a thought occurred to him. He hadn't seen Sarah or Sevrin. He exchanged a puzzled look with Bettan. She returned his with a slight smile. He gave her a small nod of thanks. At least Sarah would hopefully live to see another day, however slight an achievement that may be on Skaro.
Dalek Jast glided outside the forcefield. "Because of your treachery, you will not have the honor of becoming one of the many Dalek drones. You will all be exterminated!" He glided over to the far right of the cell and addressed the two Kaled scientists, Thonton and Brextin, "Your deaths will be especially excruciating."
"Leave them alone Jast!" the Doctor shouted as he approached the limits of the forcefield to get as close to Dalek Jast as possible.
"You have no power over the Dalek race Doctor!" Jast stated.
In the hallway, Davros had watched the procession and approached the cell. "Doctor?" Davros' hoarse sounding voice rasped out. He quickly looked through the faces without recognition. As his mechanical eye stopped on the Doctor, the Doctor raised his hand and wiggled his fingers in a form of wave.
"Well if it isn't the Daleks' little pet." he taunted.
"You know nothing Doctor! My children are loyal to me." Davros falsely countered.
"Till they're not. I heard that your boy Jast here isn't pleased with you at all. Isn't that true?" the Doctor provoked.
"You know nothing." Davros was furious. How did he have this information? He looked beyond the Doctor and noticed that Sarah Jane Smith wasn't among those captured. "Where is your companion Doctor?"
"One of your Dalek drones shot and killed her Davros. One of the many things you'll be paying for." the Doctor threatened. He meant it. Before he left this planet he would see Davros and every living Dalek on this planet destroyed for what they'd done to not only Sarah but the Alphans, himself and every other creature in this universe they'd hurt.
Davros observed this new Doctor. There was an edge that he'd not had before. He didn't understand how this man could be the same as the one he'd tortured before, but in his soul he knew they were one in the same. This one had a definite murderous streak in him that hadn't been there before. He had no doubt that if he ever had the chance to kill him, he would. "An error on the drone's part. I would have liked to have…examined her more closely." He tapped his misshapen fingers on his chair at the thought of the delight he would have had examining and undoubtedly dissecting the girl's body, taking her apart cell by cell if necessary.
"You have no reason to hold us here!" John Koenig yelled. "We never meant any of you harm!"
"So Commander Koenig, you could leave the base. How is that possible? Our security systems have not picked up incoming ships."
"Sorry Doctor." John said softly to the Doctor.
"On a planet you claim to be the king of," the Doctor provoked Davros, "it must be hard not to be able to control everything. Isn't that right Jast? It's Dalek Jast in charge, not you Davros!"
"I am their father." Davros protested.
"A father that was about to be the victim of patricide when I left here last." He paced from Davros over to Dalek Jast. "What happened Jast? Did the Emperor Dalek decree that he be saved?" Then he went back to Davros. "Did you ever wonder why? Why oh why would the great Emperor Dalek save you?" He pointed at Davros nearly touching the forcefield. "Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, the Emperor wanted the pleasure of exterminating you himself?" The Doctor could see by Davros' expression that this thought hadn't occurred to him. But it had now.
"Enough! You will all be exterminated." There was an alarm sounding in the distance.
Dalek Jast addressed the four Daleks that were now outside the cell. "You will remain here. If the prisoners attempt to escape, exterminate them immediately."
"We obey." the Daleks droned as one at Dalek Jast's retreating form.
The Doctor motioned everyone to the back of the cell. First he turned to Bettan. "Where are Sarah and Sevrin?"
"I left them hiding in the cavern." Bettan answered.
He looked over to Thonton and Brextin. "What is that alarm going off?"
Thonton answered, "It's an alarm in the Dalek nursery lab. Something must have gone wrong on the production line. It's mostly automated by now. There have been too many changes to the Daleks genetic makeup recently. The computer may be overwhelmed."
"Good, that should keep old Jast and Davros busy for a while. My Tardis is in a room right around the corner. I saw it on our way here. If we can get out of here, I can get everyone to safety." The Doctor rubbed his head with both hands. So close to his beloved Tardis, yet they might as well be on different planets.
Brextin asked, "Do you still have the device I gave you?"
"Yes but the Daleks would destroy us if we try to take down the forcefiled." the Doctor said.
Brextin looked back. He knew the schedule pretty well at this point. The Dalek drones were able to perform simple maintenance work. This work was an everyday occurrence thanks to fastidiousness of the Daleks. The drones would inspect and run simple diagnostics on each and every cell locking mechanism on this level. They always worked in clusters of four, two assigned to each door. The openings were directly across from the other, so in essence they were always working together. According to his timepiece they were due in just a few minutes. "In just a few minutes four Dalek drones will arrive and begin maintenance on the locks. When they arrive, you need to press the confuse symbol on the device I gave you. This will defeat their programming and they will start walking into the nearest object, and with any luck those objects will be the Daleks."
"Brextin, I could kiss you, if I had time. Everyone listen, when this happens I'll lower the forcefield. I want you to overwhelm the Daleks and push them down the corridor. We all need to head to my Tardis. We'll be safe there. I can get us back to the cavern, pick up Sarah and Sevrin and…"
"Inspiration will hit." Alan finished for him.
"You're never going to let that go, are you?" he exchanged a quick grin with Alan. "Commander, get them all in the Tardis." he said as he handed the Commander the Tardis key. "If something happens and I don't make it back, the Tardis is programmed to go to its last destination, Moonbase Alpha. So if worse comes to worse, at least you'll be back on Alpha."
John Koenig had given enough of these speeches himself in his years of command on Moonbase Alpha and he understood exactly what the Doctor was saying. "I'll take care of everything." He shook the Doctor's hand.
In the cavern, Sarah turned Alan's commlock over and over in her hands. Suddenly, it was clear. She may be investigative journalist Sarah Jane Smith but she was also an Eagle pilot. The Doctor, the Commander and Alan had been captured as were everyone else she knows on this wretched planet. The Daleks wouldn't be looking for anyone else to take Eagle Four. Once she arrived at the Eagle, she'd contact Moonbase Alpha and hopefully formulate a plan.
"Help me up." she asked Sevrin and with his help, she was pulled to her feet.
"Where are we going?" Sevrin asked.
"To Eagle Four." she answered.
"No, the Daleks will catch us." Sevrin cried out as he backed away, leaving Sarah to heavily lean on the rock she'd been balancing herself against.
"The Daleks have already searched there Sevrin. They think they have everyone so they won't be looking for us." Sevrin just continued to shake his head no. "Listen, I have to get to that Eagle. I'm going with or without you. With your help I can get there much faster but I can't make you go. I appreciate everything you've done for the Doctor and me but I understand if you can't go." Sarah said as she started to take a few tenuous steps away from the boulder.
Sevrin watched her and felt guilty. He'd promised to watch over her. She was so perfect and so brave. He hated to think of anything bad happening to her. He knew he could physically overpower her and stop her but she was headstrong and he knew eventually she'd get away and do what she wanted anyway. He approached her and placed her arm in his and said, "I'll get you to the ship. After that, I don't know."
"Thank you Sevrin. You are a good friend." Sarah smiled up into his face. In her mind she could hear something. It was almost a voice. A voice whose meaning was clear, it spoke of soon, it would be soon. She decided to put it out of her mind for now. She had a trip to make. The pair carefully left the cavern and began the gradual climb down the hill.
In the Kaled Bunker, the Dalek drones had just arrived for their maintenance shift. The Doctor watched as they approached their perspective doors as one. It was shocking to him that one who had once been a living breathing individual, who once had thoughts, had friends, had families, all were gone with only the husk left behind. The Doctor decided this wouldn't be any more of an assault on this poor Kaled than had already been inflicted upon him. He positioned himself slightly behind and between John Koenig and Alan Carter and carefully raised the makeshift weapon between the two men. "Ready Commander?" he whispered.
"Let's go." John Koenig whispered back. If all went as planned there was still a chance the Doctor could return his people to Earth. He thought of Helena's smiling face and the dream life they would have on Earth.
The Doctor carefully pressed the button marked confuse. At once the Dalek drones stopped what they were doing and turned and walked time and again into the Dalek guards. The Doctor then glanced quickly to the others to gauge their readiness. He watched the Alphans and Bettan's warriors get ready to shove the Daleks. With one hand on the button that would lower the forcefield and the other hand readying his sonic screwdriver, he began. The forcefield lowered and the Alphans, Kaleds, Thals and Mutos worked together, each group doing their best to topple the Daleks. The Doctor pressed his sonic screwdriver sending a high pitched beam that should all but sever the nerve center of the Daleks. It's something he'd been working on for years, but wasn't sure would work. He knew the fact that it worked this time only meant the next Daleks down the line would have protection from it. Still, it appeared to be working now.
In only a few minutes the Daleks were on their sides and being rolled across the floor.
John Koenig addressed the group, "This way, now!" The former prisoners ran around the corner to find the Tardis standing to the side. John Koenig quickly put the key in the lock and opened the door while urging everyone inside. The fact that they hadn't encountered any Daleks on their way to the Tardis didn't mean that they would still get away unscathed. The Doctor had said they'd be safe inside the Tardis. The Doctor had been right before, more or less. With the exception of John and Alan, the group was in awe of the large ship crammed into such a tiny box.
"The Doctor is truly amazing." Bettan exclaimed as she echoed the thoughts going through each of their heads. "Where is he?"
Before anyone could reply, sounds of laser fire could be heard. It was clear the laser fire was hitting the Tardis but much to the occupants' relief, no damage was detectible.
Alan Carter remembered seeing the Doctor activate the screen hanging down and decided maybe the Tardis could show them what was happening outside. Alan carefully twisted the same knob he'd watched the Doctor turn and waited. Nothing happened and Alan looked to his Commander and shrugged his shoulders.
John examined the complicated looking console. Aloud he stated, "The Doctor said the Tardis was sentient." He carefully, almost stroked the central console and said, "The Doctor asked us to wait here. Can you show us what's going on outside?"
The screen lit up at once. There were six Daleks that could be seen on the camera. "You will exit the ship or you will be exterminated!" the Dalek group screamed.
"Didn't they say they would kill us anyway?" the Professor smirked.
On the screen the Daleks parted allowing several Dalek drones through. They held several disks and were approaching the Tardis.
Gillam pushed his way through the others to get to Bettan's side. "Bettan, those are the things they used to move this box before! What do we do?"
Before anyone could respond a hologram of the Doctor appeared. "This is Emergency Program Two. This ship is in danger of being destroyed and or boarded. The Tardis has no weapons and has detected that life that should be protected is onboard. This ship will return to the last place I piloted it. Sarah if you're on board, there's a possibility with your new Gallifreyan DNA that you may be able to pilot it. Take yourself home and let it gather dust. Protect yourself as I always wished I could have and have a fantastic life! Always remember that I love you!" The hologram faded away and the central console's tinted glass rods in its center started rising and falling.
Professor Bergman asked, "What's happening now?"
John Koenig answered somberly, "It's taking us home, back to Alpha."
In a very few minutes, the central column went down once last time and remained still. Other than the quiet sounds that John and Alan had observed before in the Tardis, it was still. Alan looked up at the scanner. On it, he saw the computer section designation on the post immediately outside. John followed Alan's eyes. "We're home." he quietly announced.
Running into Command Center at full speed was David Kano. Everyone looked as he skidded to a stop but not before hitting the side of the entrance. "They're back! They're back in the computer section!"
Tony, Maya and Helena rushed from the room, each anxious to get to the returning Alphans. When they rounded the hallway they came face to face with one of the Mutos.
Tony immediately drew a stun gun.
John Koenig pushed his way through the crowd. "Tony no! It's all right, they're our friends." As he watched Tony withdraw the stun gun, he reached out and embraced Helena.
"I was so worried." Helena said into John's ear.
"I know and to be honest so was I." He kissed her enthusiastically.
Alan and Tony were talking about the new arrivals. "So who are all these people?" Tony asked as he took in the vastly different people in the group.
"They're a combination of groups living on Skaro." Alan answered simply. He still didn't quite understand everything himself and he'd been down on the planet in the thick of it.
Maya had been looking intently at each face, not finding who she was looking for. "Where's the Doctor?" she asked her forehead furrowed in concern.
"We don't know." John said as he and Helena joined the group, arms wrapped securely around one another's backs. "He helped us to get to his ship but he never came back. The Daleks started firing on the ship and an emergency program took over and brought us back to Alpha." He looked back at the large group, each engrossed in their new surroundings. "Maya, these are the resistance fighters that stood up against the Daleks with us. We have no way of returning them home and even if we could…morally I couldn't return them. It would mean their certain death."
"Of course Commander, I'll get them settled." Maya replied. She knew what it felt like to be cut off from all you knew. At least they had one another, she reminded herself.
Helena said, "I don't see Sarah Jane."
Victor who had joined the group stated, "She saved my life. She stepped in front of me and took a laser blast that was meant for me. Sarah Jane Smith is an exceptional woman."
"She's…" Helena began, unable to finish the sentiment.
Bettan who had been standing close to the group of Alphans stepped forward. "She's alive. At least the last time I saw her she was. When we were captured, I hid her and a friend, Sevrin in a small enclosure. I haven't seen them but I have to believe they're still alive down on Skaro…somewhere."
Tony extended his hand. "Bettan, I'm so glad to see you. I feel like we're old friends after today."
Bettan shook his hand. "You as well Tony." She looked from his face to Maya and Helena. "I feel as if I know you all. I'm terribly sorry for our intrusion. I know you weren't expecting all of us." She looked around her. It was so very different from the squalid conditions that she'd been forced to live in since the Daleks had taken over.
"We'll make it work." John answered. "Maya, will you get everyone settled while I try to figure out what to do next?"
"It won't matter what the Daleks do soon as far as the Moon's concerned." Tony lamented, his head bowed when he thought of all the Doctor had tried to do for them.
"Why?" Helena asked.
"The Moon will be beyond Eagle flight distance in twelve hours. After that, there won't be a chance to get the Doctor or Sarah Jane back, ever." A silence fell over the group, each in their own grief over the loss of the Doctor, Sarah Jane and Sevrin. They were also dealing with the pain of losing their only opportunity to return home to Earth.