When the Doctor's eyes opened again, he had a massive headache, and Davros, one of the most evil genius's ever in the history of the universe, creator of the most evil and feared species in all creation, was glaring at him. The Doctor quickly took in the room – traditional Dalek design. He wasn't surprised at the lack of imagination. He took in his own situation; tied to a table. Brilliant. Worse still, there were various implements that were obvious Dalek attachments, and even more obviously torture devices, that quite frankly looked so impractical as to only be for show. Daleks were as unimaginative as torturers as they were at anything else. He knew from somewhat unpleasant personal experience.
"Hello," he said. "How's it going? You look slightly more you than last time, or is that because the real Emperor got narky…?"
"You don't seem to have changed much," Davros noted. "Still prattling."
"Well, you know what they say," the Doctor smiled. "Always do what you're best at."
"You are 'best' at little, Doctor, save interfering," Davros said.
The Doctor raised an eyebrow, and smiled.
"Well," he said. "If I'm so useless, why am I here?"
Davros didn't say anything for a long moment.
"Well?" the Doctor pressed.
"Do not push me, Doctor," the Kaled scientist said. "I could kill your friends if I so chose."
"Well, of course you could," the Doctor said, and then he allowed a dangerous edge to fill his voice. "But if you did you know full well I'd make you pay for it."
Davros regarded him for a long moment, his aged, scarred face inscrutable.
"Yes," he conceded. "There is always that. You have an infuriating knack for getting in my way Doctor."
"Thank you," the Doctor smiled.
"One of these days, I'm going to kill you for it," Davros continued.
"Really," the Doctor said, his tone making his scepticism clear. He had no time for this, he knew – he had to escape, and get the humans – including Daniel and Carrie – out with him.
"But for now, you're expertise may prove necessary," Davros continued. "You seem to have a great deal of knowledge of this anomaly."
The Doctor paled. Not even Davros deserved the fate that awaited those who angered the Child…
"I really wouldn't bother with it, Davros," he said, slowly. "It's beyond your control."
"Really," Davros said. "I recall the Last time you tried that trick, Doctor…"
"You nearly died when I did!" the Doctor shouted, suddenly forgetting that he was tied down. "This thing is not some weapon. It's alive…"
"I doubt it," Davros said. "It's scientifically impossible…"
"You used to think life beyond Skaro was impossible," the Doctor reminded him.
"I used to be limited," Davros countered. "I used to be small. I have grown."
"Yes," the Doctor said. "You've grown ever more insane and megalomaniacal."
"And you have grown ever more prattling and idiotic," Davros snarled. "Although the first time I met you, you were far worse, I must admit."
The Doctor smiled softly. "I was all teeth and curls then, and I was sent to destroy the Daleks – and I said no."
"You said no," Davros repeated softly. "And here we are. Do you regret your decision?"
The Doctor blinked, and his smile fizzled away.
"I did once," he said after a moment. "When I decided to kill you. But… but I don't, not anymore. There's no point regretting it now."
"Fascinating," Davros said. "But… ultimately pointless nostalgia, Doctor. You and I are here for only one purpose, Doctor – the purpose of discussing the anomaly you call 'the nightmare child'."
"I don't call it anything," the Doctor snapped. "It's what it is," he added, calmer now, "and what it is, is monstrous beyond any weapon or design, or anything that you can possibly imagine."
"I don't know," the creator of the Daleks smiled. "I can imagine a great deal."
The Doctor grinned at the reference, which was most likely accidental.
"You smile now, Doctor," Davros told him, but after a few hours with me, you will not be so flippant. Torturer!"
A door slid open to his right and an ivory Dalek glided in – with a brand new torturers attachment.
"New toy?" the Doctor asked, although he eyed it with some fear.
"Yes Doctor," Davros said, and smiled. "I wonder if you might tell me whether it works well or not…"
The Dalek moved closer and closer…
--
Captain Kirk swore and punched a wall. He then swore again.
Only thirty one of his crew of five hundred of the Marine Space Corps' finest troops and researchers had escaped death. His bridge crew and a few engineers. And the Doctor's friends, of course.
"We're doomed," Carrie was saying, over and over again. Daniel was saying nothing, but for some reason, he was, to all intents and purposes, quie calm and relaxed.
"The Doctor will get us out of this," he said after a moment.
"How the hell do you know?!" Kirk yelled at the UNIT trooper. Daniel gave him a filthy look.
"The Doctor is the Doctor," he said, as if explaining to a simpleton. "If anyone can save us, he can."
Kirk raised an eyebrow. Then he shared a look with McCoy, and then with Lancaster, whose face was tear stained, but now she had recovered.
"But," he said to Daniel, "what if the Doctor can't?"
Daniel looked thoughtful, but then smiled.
"He can," he insisted. And then, as an aside, he added "he has to."
--
The Doctor blinked, and opened his eyes properly. He didn't know if he had been screaming, but judging by the relish on Davros's face, he had been. He smiled softly.
"You're lucky I'm a correspondent for the good cell guide," he said. "This is awful. You'll get five slop buckets."
"Still using infantile humour to make a point, Doctor," Davros said. "How dissapointing. Now - will you tell me how to use the anomaly?"
The Doctor blinked, and considered. He felt a vague sense of unease, a vague sense of 'there's no poitn anymore', lingering somewhere in the back of his mind.
It was time.
"Alright," he said. "You've made your point. The Nightmare Child, then - hope you're listening Davros, we have a fair bit to cover..."
--