Chapter 34: Daleks in Manhattan

At the Laurenzi presents - New York Revue.

"New York. Nice." Mickey grins.

A showgirl in skimpy red costume with wings and feathers is hurrying along. She calls out there is two minutes to curtain up. She asks another girl where Tallulah is and the other girl replies where does she think.

Jack wolf whistles. "Honestly, All these great places I missed out on." He grumbles playfully.

"We'd never get anything done with you 'introducing yourself' to so many females." Ten rolls his eyes.

"Hey, manners are important." Jack grins cheekily.

Then she knocks on a dressing room door, calling for Tallulah to leave him alone. The chorus heads for the stage and a clown looks down sadly at his three juggling balls. In the dressing room, a woman in an angel costume is kissing someone. She tells Laszlo she has to go and he asks her to promise she will come on Sunday as his mother will kill him if he doesn't get to meet her. Tallulah asks if she won't like her and Laszlo assures her his mother will love her as much as he does.

"Aww." Rose smiles. Ten smiles sadly remembering what became of poor Laszlo.

Tallulah tells him he says the sweetest things and he asks her again to promise to be there. She promises and he gives her a white rose, telling her to wear it on stage and think of him.

"He's sweet." Martha says. "I liked both of them."

Someone outside calls for her again and Tallulah yells back she is coming. She asks Laszlo how she looks and he studies her for a second before saying she looks like an angel.

"Very fine." Jack grins.

Tallulah blows one last kiss before heading up the stairs to the stage, where the audience are already whistling and cheering. She asks him to wish her luck and he tells her to break a leg.

"I never got why we tell performers to 'break a leg'." Rose frowns.

"There is some superstition about wishing them good luck. Nobody really knows why they chose that phrase to use instead." Sarah-Jane shrugs.

Something runs past the open doorway. He calls out to Tallulah but there is no response. He goes out into the corridor. There is a strange grunting sound. Laszlo sees something run across a corridor out of the corner of his eye, and follows it. He asks who is there. He arrives at a door and wipes on the window to see inside. It's the props room, he calls out again. The door shuts behind him and there are more grunting sounds.

"Might want to get out of there. Doors shutting is never a good sign." Mickey states.

"Nor is random grunting unless someone let an animal loose backstage." Donna adds.

He strikes a match from a book and comes face to face with a wooden pirate. Then a pig in a boiler suit runs at him on its hind legs.

"What the hell?" Rose asks in surprise.

"That's not something you see everyday." Nine mutters.

The Tardis materialises in one of the corners of an eleven pointed Army base exterior wall. Martha emerges and asks where they are. The Doctor follows her out saying to smell that Atlantic breeze. Then he asks if she has met his friend. She turns around and looks up. She exclaims it is the Statue of Liberty.

"Nice." Donna says admiringly.

Martha says she has always wanted to visit New York, the real one.

"Just because it's from the future doesn't mean it isn't real." Ten smirks.

"Fine, I always wanted to see the original one then." Martha rolls her eyes.

"New York is pretty cool." Jack agrees.

He assures her that it is the genuine article, saying it's so good they named it twice. Then he notes it was New Amsterdam.

"Yeah, saying that twice would be a mouthful." Donna nods.

"The Empire State Building doesn't look finished." Sarah-Janes notes, squinting at the screen.

"It wasn't." Ten tells her.

"So you're in 1930, possibly 1931 from how close it must be to being completed." Sarah-Jane guesses, thinking hard about her history.

"Brilliant." Nine grins at her as Ten nods.

Martha wonders what year it is, noting the famous building is not completed. The Doctor tells her it is a work in progress with a couple more floors to be built. He is about to guess the date when Martha picks up a newspaper and tells him. He tells her she is getting good at this then turns around and notices the paper.

"One would hope you know your history." Rose comments with a teasing smile.

"Hey, there is a lot of history in the Universe to remember." Nine sticks his tongue out.

She asks where he wants to go first. The Doctor states their detour just got longer and shows her the newspaper. Its headline states the Hooverville Mystery Deepens. She asks what Hooverville is.

"Where the poor people had to go when they had nowhere else to live after the Wall Street Crash." Jack informs them, smiling because he actually remembered that fact.

It then shows them in Central Park as the Doctor explains what happened and that loads of people now live in Central Park. They wander through Hooverville as he continues that people lost their jobs so couldn't pay rent. He adds that there are places like it all over America.

"That's horrible." Mickey frowns.

"Yep." Ten agrees sadly.

A fight breaks out. A black man comes out of a tent and breaks them up. One of the men confesses to stealing a loaf of bread because he is starving. Soloman holds out his hand, and the white man takes the bread out from inside his coat. He says they are all starving as he breaks the loaf in half and gives them a half each. Soloman continues that they have to act like human beings no matter how bad things get.

"I like him." Rose declares.

"He seems like a good man." Donna agrees.

The two fighters walk away. The Doctor approaches Soloman and asks if he is the boss around there.

"Do Hoovervilles have a boss?" Jack asks.

"Not all of them, Soloman was pretty much in charge of that one." Ten shrugs.

"Seems like he's needed." Donna says.

Soloman asks who he is and he introduces them. He states that he is the first doctor and that the neighbourhood gets classier by the day.

"The actual doctor would be me." Martha smirks.

"True but Time Lord definitely makes the neighbourhood classier." Rose laughs.

"Besides, I thought you weren't technically a doctor yet." Mickey reminds her with a cheeky smirk. She lightly slaps his arm and his smirk widens.

Martha asked how many people live there and Soloman tells her there can be hundreds at any one time. He tells them everyone is equal in Hooverville so they are welcome. Then he asks the Doctor to explain how they can build the Empire State Building when people are starving in the middle of Manhattan.

"Creating jobs?" Donna suggests weakly.

"Or they just don't care about the poor." Mickey states darkly.

"That too." Rose mutters angrily.

Up at the top, where building work is still going on, men are standing on the scaffolding and pulling up buckets.

"No such thing as Health and Safety back then." Sarah-Jane laughs a little nervously.

Inside the structure, a man is sitting at a desk looking at blueprints while the foreman paces. The foreman states that the men won't stand for it as they already work flat out. The man at the desk tells him the new masters demand they go faster. The foreman protests that they are on schedule and the other man states that the extra work needs to be completed that night.

"New masters and extra work? That doesn't sound good." Nine frowns.

"Especially with a mystery going on in Hooverville." Jack agrees.

"But then we wouldn't be watching it if anything good was going to happen." Donna points out.

"True, we really need to watch some good moments that come without the near death events." Nine says.

"Are there any?" Mickey asks.

"Course there are." Ten tells him firmly. "These are all the bits in between."

The foreman tells him it is impossible but he simply says it is an order. The foreman says that one word from him could make everyone stop working and to tell his masters that.

"That won't end well." Jack cringes.

The other man says that if that is his attitude he can tell them himself.

"That'll go even less well." Donna notes.

"Which is why the suit guy doesn't want to tell them." Nine agrees.

"I can't imagine his masters will be happy about him losing all his staff anyway." Rose points out.

Foreman defiantely states he isn't afraid of a man in a suit. The other man summons the lift. Foreman asks what the names of the bosses are and the man tells him they are from out of town.

"I'm betting out of planet is more accurate." Sarah-Jane mutters.

He asks if they are Italians. The other man says they are from a bit further than that. He asks how much further and the reply is that it is beyond his imagination. The foremand demands from Diagoras who they are working for. As the lift comes up, Diagoras tells him to behold his masters. The lift doors open to reveal one of the Cult of Skaro Dalek with two pigmen.

"No bloody way!" Nine growls. His mind brings up images of the last time he saw them and he growls even louder. Ten looks at him, trying for a sympathetic expression but he also looks angry.

"They always survive." Ten whispers to himself.

"Seriously. Can't they bugger off to a different planet for a change?" Rose rolls her eyes, clutching onto both Doctors a lot harder than before.

The Dalek demands an explanation for his summoning. The foreman asks how the hell it can talk. He then looks at the pigmen and asks what the hell they are. Diagoras ignores him, apologising to the Dalek and saying the man is refusing to complete the work. The Dalek states they must replace him.

"If all the other workers care enough to leave with one word from him, you would hope they would question his disappearance." Jack frowns.

"Not a lot they can do except get themselves killed against the Dalek." Mickey reminds him.

The foreman asks if anyone is going to tell him what the hell is going on. The Dalek orders him to be taken for the final experiment.

"Experiment?" Donna frowns. "I didn't know Daleks conducted experiments."

"They usually don't." Nine scowls.

The pigmen take hold of the foreman and bundle him into the lift. He yells at them to get off, pleading for Diagoras to help him. The lift goes down. The Dalek states that the building must be completed in time as they look as a drawing of the Empire State Building.

Both Doctors cringe as the view switches to looking through the Dalek eyestalk.

"It's not due to be finished for another six months or so. No matter how many men they have, surely they won't be able to finish the whole thing in one night?" Sarah-Jane says, looking puzzled.

"Maybe they just mean the extra work. They probably don't care about the rest of the building." Jack shrugs.

Diagoras assures it that the man can be easily replaced. The Dalek tells him the plan must not fail as they have calculated that the gamme strike has accelerated.

"A gamma strike?" Jack looks confused. "I wonder what experiment they are conducting that needs a gamma strike."

"Nothing good." Ten states darkly.

It states they need more bodies.

"So they take people from Hooverville?" Rose guesses.

"The people that nobody will miss." Nine agrees sourly.

"How convenient for them." Donna spits, glaring at the screen dangerously.

Diagoras says yes master. The image changes to Hooverville. A man with one leg hops to speak to someone. Then they see Soloman chucking out a cup of something. The Doctor comes over to him and asks if it's true that men are going missing, showing him the newspaper article. Soloman agrees.

"I know the guy is in charge but surely people must come and go all the time. How the heck does he know if people are disappearing or simply leaving Hooverville?" Sarah-Jane asks in surprise.

"And how did the newspaper know?" Rose frowns.

"I'm more surprised it's enough of a story to make the newspaper at all." Donna sighs.

Soloman invites them into his tent as the Doctor asks what missing means. He points out nobody keeps a register. Soloman tells him it's different. Martha asks how it is different. Soloman explains that they get taken at night. People can hear them calling out for help but by the time anyone arrives they have vanished. The Doctor asks if he is sure someone is taking them.

"What else did you think it could be?" Mickey asks.

"I wasn't sure, hence the question." Ten rolls his eyes. "People being taken tend to put up a fight. Not many humans could make people vanish into thin air that quickly."

Soloman tells him that then you have next to nothing you hold on to what little you have.

"True." Rose mutters.

He continues that you don't leave bread uneaten and a fire still burning. Martha asks if he has been to the police but he says they tried. If another deadbeat goes missing, nobody cares.

"Sounds about right." Jack sighs heavily.

"Yet the papers care enough to print the story." Martha points out.

The Doctor wonders who is taking them and why. Someone calls for Soloman as a young man sticks his head in the tent. He says the Mister Diagoras is here.

"So much for taking them at night. He's here to take people in broad daylight." Nine scowls.

"He won't be able to just snatch them, I'm guessing he'll disguise it as needing more people to work on the Empire State Building." Mickey guesses.

"They'll all be so desperate for jobs they'll take it." Sarah-Jane adds.

Outside Diagoras is talking to a small crowd, saying he has some work and they look like they could use the money. Someone asks how much they get paid and the reply is a dollar a day.

"That's nothing." Rose points out angrily.

"The people are desperate. They don't have to pay much." Nine tells her sadly.

Soloman asks what the work is and Diagoras tells him they need some people to go down to the sewers.

"The sewers?" Donna asks in surprise.

"Must be where they are keeping the bodies for the experiment. Easier to send the people down there voluntarily." Sarah-Jane reasons, disgust in her voice.

"Not to mention it's dangerous work and any disappearances can be easily explained by collapsed tunnels and such things." Jack points out.

Soloman points out the wage is a slave's wage and that men don't always come back up. Diagoras doesn't seem to care just saying that accidents happen. The Doctor asks what kind of accidents but Diagoras dismisses this saying that if he doesn't need the money that's fine. The Doctor then raises his hand. Diagoras tells him that's enough with the questions and the Doctor corrects he is volunteering.

"For manual labour?" Rose asks in mock surprise. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"Oi!" Nine and Ten protest.

Martha then raises her hand telling the Doctor she's going to kill him for this.

"I don't blame you." Donna agrees.

The Doctor just smiles. Diagoras asks for anyone else. Grudgingly Soloman and the young man volunteer as well. Down in the sewers, Diagoras gives them directions. The young man asks when they get their money and he tells him when they come back up. The Doctors asks what happens if they don't. Diagoras shrugs, saying he then doesn't have anyone to pay.

"Bastard." Jack grits out.

"He thinks they won't be coming out anyway." Mickey points out, equally angry.

Soloman tells him they will be back. Martha adds that she hopes so.

"You've got the Doctor with you. It'll be fine." Jack laughs.

"Fine? That's one word for it." Martha sighs.

The Doctor stares into Diagoras' eyes for a few moments, then follows the others. The young man says they need to stick together as it is easy to get lost. He adds that you could hide an army down there.

"Oh fantastic." Nine groans. "That's just jinxed it."

"If there is an army then it was there well before he said anything." Rose points out, rolling her eyes.

Martha and Frank talk about how he got to Hooverville.

"That's sad." Sarah-Jane frowns in pity.

Then he asks about her and she tells him she is a hitcher too. Frank tells her she'll be alright if she sticks with him.

"Aww, that's sweet." Rose smiles.

"He's a good kid." Donna agrees.

The Doctor asks Soloman about Diagoras. He tells him that he was just another foreman but now he seems to be running most of Manhattan.

"Yeah, that can happen with alien backing." Martha mutters.

The Doctor asks how he managed that and Soloman just says that these are strange times. Then the Doctor looks down and exclaims as he spots a luminous green thing on the floor. Martha asks if it is radioactive, then says it must have gone off whatever it is. He picks it up.

"Of course you pick it up." Sarah-Jane laughs.

"Just, please don't lick it." Rose pleads.

"You ruin all my fun." Nine smirks at her.

He then sniffs it and Martha gags a little more.

Martha wretches again just at the memory of the smell.

"That truly was disgusting." She murmurs.

The Doctor tells her to shine her torch through it. He says it is composite organic matter and asks for Martha's medical opinion. She states it isn't human and he agrees. Frank and Soloman exchange glances.

"It's not Dalek either though, is it?" Jack frowns.

"One of the pigmen maybe?" Mickey suggests. Everybody except Martha and Ten shrug.

Then he stands up and says they must be at least half a mile in and there is no fall in sight. They all look around and he asks why Diagoras sent them down there. Martha asks what is above them and the Doctor says they are underneath Manhattan.

"Not massively helpful." Donna laughs.

Diagoras is talking to a group of men about the Empire State Building. He says that the plates need to be fixed to the mast, right to the base itself.

"That's what Daleks are made of!" Rose yelps.

"Why would they want some of that fixed to the mast?" Jack wonders. Nine goes still as his mind races.

"Fixing bits of Dalekanium to the mast in time for a gamma strike." He frowns for a second and then gasps. "They can't, surely?" He looks over at Ten who winces.

"Can't what?" Sarah-Jane asks. Nine shakes his head, apparently too horrified to speak.

"You'll find out." Ten states firmly, gesturing to the screen.

One of the men says it shouldn't take too long. Diagoras tells them it has to be finished tonight and they all protest. The same man asks if he is trying to kill them as they are already working flat out. Diagoras tells them not to argue. The man points out that it is too cold to work at night as their hands go numb and they fall.

"He won't care." Donna growls.

Diagoras tells them he can replace them easily.

"But it still takes some time. Time you don't have if it needs finishing tonight." Mickey points out.

He tells them to get going. A man picks up a panel. It is very heavy. He asks what metal it is. Diagoras tells him not to ask take the panels and leave. He yells after them that he doesn't care how cold it is or how tired they are, they should just get the job done.

"Hard to do if you're dead." Jack mutters angrily.

A few moments later, a Dalek enters from the lift. It states that the conductor must be complete if the plan is to succeed. Diagoras says that unemployment is such an incentive. He assures that he will get the job done and not to worry. It tells him Daleks have no concept of worry.

"Sure they do." Ten gives a vicious smirk.

Diagoras says it is lucky. The Dalek states the day is ending and humankind is weak. It comments how they shelter from the dark yet they built all of this. Diagoras states it is progress. You have to move with the times or get left behind. The Dalek tells him its planet is gone, destroyed in a war and yet versions of New York stand throughout history.

"Humans are very good at surviving in one form or another." Ten smiles slightly.

Diagoras tells it that humans have had wars. He adds that he was a soldier and he swore he would survive no matter what.

"You made a bad choice of master then." Jack mutters.

The Dalek states that he has rare ambition. Diagoras says he wants to run the city by any means necessary.

"Definitely deluding himself. The Daleks do not share power." Donna scoffs.

"I can't believe that he is happy sending people to their deaths just so he can run a city." Rose spits.

It tells him he thinks like a Dalek. He takes it as a compliment.

"It isn't." Martha states flatly.

The other two gold Daleks join the Black Dalek to see what number 3 is looking at. Sec states the human is their best option and orders him to be brought to Sec. The Dalek with Diagoras says that his loyalty will be rewarded, telling him to come with it. Diagoras looks unsure but follows.

"Well he's about to find out exactly why they are not the masters who will help him run a city." Sarah-Jane cringes.

Sec tells the others to prepare the lab as the Final Experiment will begin. The others all say that they obey. The lift doors close without anyone touching the controls. Diagoras looks around nervously before asking where they are going and the Dalek informs him he has been summoned by the leader. He says it is about time. Diagoras leaves the lift and puts on a pair of gloves he has in his pocket. He walks forward slowly and a crowd of pigmen gather.

"Where did those pigmen come from?" Mickey wonders.

"Well the Dalek mentioned the final experiment was about to begin. Maybe they were previous experiments?" Donna suggests, feeling sick at the thought.

"I wonder what they are trying to achieve?" Rose frowns.

A Dalek states that it brings the human. Diagoras asks if Sec is in charge. Sec introduces himself as the leader of the Cult of Skaro. Diagoras says he is honoured to meet him, rambling on about how he had always dreamt that before being cut off by Sec telling him to cease talking.

"It's never great when you agree with one of them." Donna mutters to herself.

Diagoras keeps going and Sec states that he said cease. Then he orders the pigmen to secure the human. Diagoras protests he is their partner and friend.

"I'm afraid Daleks don't have partners or friends." Jack told the screen regretfully. The man was a disgrace to the human race but he still wouldn't wish anyone to be in that situation. Whatever the Daleks did to him would not be healthy or good.

Diagoras struggles against the pigmen's grasp. The scene changes to the sewers. The four people are still walking. Soloman says they are well beyond half a mile and there is no collapse. Martha asks if Diagoras was lying. The Doctor says it looks like it. Frank wonders why he would want people to go down there. The Doctor tells Soloman to take the other two back.

"You think Martha is going to leave you down there alone?" Donna and Rose scoff.

"Not a chance." Mickey shakes his head.

He continues that he'll be quicker on his own.

"Or get yourself caught. That happens a lot." Sarah-Jane points out. Ten gives her an innocent smile.

Pig squeals echo around them. Soloman asks what the hell that was. Frank calls out a hello.

"Don't do that." Jack cries in exasperation.

Martha tells him to shush.

"Exactly." Donna nods approvingly.

Frank points out it could be one of the missing people, adding they would be scared and half mad down here alone. The Doctor asks if he thinks they are still alive. Frank then points out they haven't seen any bodies and suggests they just got lost.

"It's a nice idea." Rose sighs.

More squeals can be heard and they all look round. The Doctor starts slowly moving down one passage. Soloman says he has never heard a person make a sound like that. Frank asks where it is coming from then saying it sounds like there is more than one. The Doctor says the way he is going but Soloman's torch lights up a pigman in the opposite direction.

Everyone gives a light laugh.

Martha calls to the Doctor as Soloman asks who the pigman is. Frank asks if he is lost and can understand him. The Doctor tells him to stay back as he checks it out. He then addresses the pigman saying that Frank has a point. He would hate to be stuck down here on his own but they know the way out. Then he spots the man is a pig.

"He doesn't seem as crazy as the rest of them. In fact, I wonder why he isn't with the others." Sarah-Jane frowns.

"Can he even understand you?" Jack asks curiously. Ten nods.

The Doctor asks what he is and Soloman wonders if it is a carnival mask. The Doctor tells him it is real. He apologises to the pigman and promises to help. He asks who did it to him. Martha spots some shadows on the wall and suggests the Doctor get back to the group. He looks up and sees more pigmen. Then he stands and says good point. He backs away, towards the others. Martha points out they are following him.

"I think he noticed." Donna laughs a little.

"At least they aren't attacking?" Rose offers.

"Yet." Jack adds.

He states that he noticed. Then he calls them all by name. Martha asks what and he says basically, run. They all do so and the pigmen follow. They reach and junction and the Doctor takes the lead. The Doctor goes past a side tunnel and then doubles back having spotted a ladder. He climbs up and opens the cover with the sonic. Frank grabs an iron T bar to ward off the pigmen while the others climb up. Soloman calls for Frank and then climbs himself. Frank runs to the ladder but the pigmen catch him. The Doctor and Frank reach down to grab his hands, calling for him to come on. The pigmen win out and Frank is dragged away.

"Oh no!" Rose gasps.

"Poor Frank." Sarah-Jane sighs, hands covering her mouth in horror.

The Doctor screams after him as another pigman tries to climb up. Soloman throws him aside and puts the cover back on. He states they can't go after him. The Doctor yells that they can't just leave him. Soloman firmly tells him that he isn't going to lose anyone else. He adds that they were creatures from Hell that will take them all if they go back in. Tallulah steps out from behind a rack and points a revolver at them. She tells them all to put their hands in the air and demands to know what they did to Laszlo.

"Oh." Donna groans sadly. "He's probably one of the pigmen by now."

"Poor guy."

Martha asks who Laszlo is. She states he is her boyfriend and that he disappeared two weeks ago with no letters or anything. The Doctor points out it might help if she puts the gun down. Tallulah looks like she forgot she had it before throwing it down and saying it's a prop and it was either that or a spear.

"Definitely the better choice for looking threatening." Jack nods. The Doctors scowl slightly.

Martha asks what she thinks happened to Laszlo. Tallulah says she wishes she knew. One minute he was there and then he vanished. The Doctor asks for her name and she gives it, mentioning the three Ls and an H.

"Important that." Mickey laughs.

"Definitely." Martha agrees.

The Doctor says they can try and find Laszlo but he isn't the only one who has disappeared. Soloman mentions the creatures and she asks what he means. The Doctor cuts in saying that everyone is in danger and he needs to find out what this is, pulling the luminous thing from earlier out of his pocket.

"You had that in your pocket?" Rose asks in disgust.

"What else was I supposed to do with it?" He looks genuinely confused. She rolls her eyes and makes a mental note to clean anything he gives her from his pockets. Either that or have gloves on.

Tallulah says yuck.

Everyone except the Doctors nod in agreement.

The Doctor is scavenging for parts to build a gizmo. Solomon brings a small Art Nouveau radio. He asks if it is ok and the Doctor says it is perfect. He explains he is rigging up a crude DNA scan. If he can get a chromosomal reading then he can find out where it is from.

"Nice." Jack grins. "You need to teach me to do that sometime."

"Maybe." Nine says.

Soloman asks where he is from. He says he is just passing by and Soloman tells him he is not a fool. The Doctor apologises and Solomon goes to the NYC sewer entrance. He admits he was scared and that is why he let them take Frank. He adds that he has to get back to Hooverville as nobody will help them protect themselves against the creatures. The Doctor wishes him luck. Soloman says he hopes the Doctor finds what he is looking for, for all of their sakes.

"He always does." Rose smiles.

"It just takes him a little while." Donna smirks.

In Tallulah's dressing room she is getting ready for her next show while telling Martha about Laszlo.

"That's cute." Rose grins.

"It's the little things." Sarah-Jane agrees, sounding just a little wistful.

"So you like roses? A tad on the nose." Nine whispers to her.

"Actually I prefer orchids." She smirked. "But it's the thought behind it I was talking about."

"Fair enough." His expression becomes thoughtful.

Martha asks if she has reported him missing. Tallulah says sure but points out he is just a stagehand and nobody cares if he is missing. Martha asks if she could kick up a fuss. Tallulah tells her she would get fired. She's got one song and a back street revue because the main star broke her ankle. If she doesn't make the monthly rent then she will be in Hooverville.

"That sucks. You could lose your job for caring about people disappearing." Donna scowls.

"I'm guessing most people will just think he ran away or something." Nine shrugs.

"Why would someone run away in times like that when they did at least have a job?" Rose wonders.

"They don't really care why, just that he did, or didn't in this case." Jack points out sadly.

Martha defensively says that she has got it. Tallulah tells her it is the Depression. Your heart might break but the show goes on because if the show stops you starve.

Everyone looks down at that. That's a pretty sad state to be in and nobody could help those people.

Martha gives her a hug and tells her she is sorry. Tallulah pulls away saying she is lucky because she has got herself a forward thinking guy in a sharp suit. Martha denies them being together but Tallulah says its obvious given how Martha looks at him.

"I think that happens to most people who travel with him at some point." Sarah-Jane says quietly.

She says it's not obvious to him.

"It's plenty obvious." Nine mutters under his breath. "You're the one missing the fact that he doesn't like you that way."

"To be fair, I thought you were pretty oblivious too." Rose tells him, equally quietly. He sticks his tongue out at her.

Tallulah says she should have realised he's into musical theatre.

"What?" Rose frowns.

She continues that you have to live in hope and that is the only thing that has kept her going.

"Not the advice Martha needs." Nine groans to himself.

She picks up a white rose bud saying there is one on her dressing table every day still. Martha asks if she thinks it's Laszlo. Tallulah says she doesn't know and wonders why he would be all secretive if he is still around.

"He probably doesn't want you to see him. Not if he's been made into one of those pigmen." Mickey grimaces.

In Hooverville there is a town meeting going on. Soloman tells them the stories are true about people being taken and that they lost Frank today. He states that he made a pledge this place would be peaceful but now its time to take up arms.

"He is a good leader." Martha says.

"Shame weapons will be useless if the Daleks come." Jack points out unhappily.

Soloman orders that they need weapons and sentries on duty because no one else will help to protect them. Up on top of the Empire State Building two foremen are putting the Dalekanium on the mast. One yells that he can't feel his fingers and if they stay much longer they will fall. The other bloke says they are nearly done.

"I kinda hope they get done soon for their sake but that's also a very bad thing." Rose frowns.

In the Dalek laboratory one announces the chromatin solution is ready. Sec states their preparations are complete. Diagoras, still being held by pigmen, asks what they are doing. Sec tells him the Final Experiment. Diagoras asks if he is going to be turned into one of the pig things.

"No, they've already done that. This sounds like a new experiment." Sarah-Jane says.

Sec tells him the pig slaves are primitive and the Final Experiment is greater by far.

"So are they going to try and turn him into a Dalek? That Cult thing are about protecting the Dalek race right? Well, they are the only four left so maybe they want more Daleks." Jack suggests. Everyone except Ten and Martha gasp in horror.

Diagoras asks how it involves him and Sec states they need his flesh. He orders them to bring Diagoras to him. One Dalek calls halt as this is against the Dalek Imperative. A second one states that Daleks are supreme and Humans are weak. Sec points out there are millions of Humans and only four of them. He asks if they are supreme why they are not victorious. The other two Daleks look at each other.

"Yeah, definitely do not like the direction this conversation is going." Mickey mutters.

"That Sec Dalek seems to admire Humans. It doesn't sound like he plans to convert them into Daleks." Sarah-Jane notes.

"They need Diagoras' flesh?" Rose ponders. Then she gags. "What if they try to combine Daleks and Humans?" She asks nervously. Looking up at Nine she realises he doesn't seem too surprised. This must be what he figured out ages ago.

Sec continues that the Cult of Skaro was created to think of new ways of survival. One Dalek states they must remain pure.

"Definitely trying to create a Dalek/Human hybrid." Jack cringes.

"Think how many bodies they said they have already? If they succeed, that really is an army." Donna bites her lip nervously.

Sec tells Thay that their purity has brought them to extinction.

"Wish you were extinct." Nine mutters angrily.

He continues they must adapt to survive. They have all made sacrifices. Dalek Thay is shown to be missing some panels. He states that now he will sacrifice himself.

"So Dalek Sec is going to become a hybrid with Diagoras? Some loyalty reward. I'd rather die." Rose says, looking sick.

"Me too." Jack and Donna agree.

He orders the human be brought to him. Diagoras says he doesn't understand. He tells them to get off him, trying to shake off the pig men. Sec tells him to behold the true Dalek form.

"They are less scary in their true form." Rose says, thinking back to the Van Statten museum.

"Yeah, they look kinda pathetic like that. No wonder they have all the armour." Sarah-Jane agrees.

Dalek Sec opens its casing to reveal its organic component. He states you will join with me. Diagoras yells for them to get off him, pointing out he did everything they asked.

"Yeah, not sure great masters now, are they?" Donna rolls her eyes.

"Definitely better to work against them so they kill you quickly. This is just gross." Jack nods.

Sec lassoes Diagoras with his tentacles and then envelopes him in his stomach. When it is dragged back inside, the Dalek casing closes.

"Very gross." Martha agrees with Jack.

The Doctor aims a spotlight onto the jellyfish, which is pinned inside his gizmo, which in turn is powered by the sonic screwdriver. He says they need to heat it up. The Doctor puts on his glasses and starts to examine it. Backstage Tallulah comes out of her dressing room calling to everyone it is showtime. The girls complain amongst themselves. Tallulah asks Martha if she has ever been on stage before and invites her to take a look.

"Just the once." Martha laughs. "The Queen of England wanted to take my friend's head off." Everybody except the Doctors snigger.

Martha says a little bit of Shakespeare. Tallulah asks how dull that is and tells her to come and see a real show.

Rose giggles, agreeing with Tallulah on that one.

The Doctor studies the thing and realises it is artificial and it has been genetically engineered. Whoever did it is clever. The announcer is in the background and the Doctor looks around. On stage, the show begins.

Jack wolf whistles. Donna rolls her eyes and gently elbows him. He smirks at her.

Tallulah sings her song. Martha notices someone on the other side of the stage. She tries to sneak across the stage. Martha accidentally grabs a devil's tail and they both fall.

Martha looks down in embarrassment and the others all laugh good naturedly.

"Very subtle." Mickey teases.

The Doctor is listening to the jellyfish with a stethoscope. He lists off the DNA type and realises the planet of origin is Skaro and he dashes off.

"What?" Most people look confused.

"That doesn't look like a Dalek." Jack states with a frown.

The audience are laughing at the chaos. Tallulah tells her to get off the stage and Martha points out the figure. Tallulah screams and he runs away. Martha gives chase. She calls for him to wait but he doesn't. She heads towards the prop room.

"Oh crap. That's where the pigman snatched Laszlo." Rose remembers.

"It's a trap." Sarah-Jane agrees solemnly.

The pigman runs into the prop room and with a clang disappears into the sewers.

"Maybe not then." Jack raises an eyebrow. "I'm guessing Laszlo just didn't want to be seen. If he's still leaving rose buds for his girlfriend I can't imagine him leading people into a trap to become like him."

Backstage the girls all say that they've never seen a face like it. The Doctor arrives and asks where Martha is. Tallulah tells him she ran off stage. A different pigman grabs Martha from behind. She screams. The Doctor and Tallulah run towards the sound.

"Get off her." Mickey scowls furiously.

The sewer entrance lid hasn't been put back properly. The Doctor puts his coat on. Tallulah asks where he is going and he says they've taken her. She asks who has taken her and what he is doing. The Doctor heads down into the sewers. Tallulah calls after him asking what the hell he is doing. Then she grabs a coat and follows.

"She's brave." Donna smiles.

The Doctor tells her she is not coming and she asks him what is going on.

"Good luck getting an answer." Rose laughs.

"She's definitely not going back." Sarah-Jane looks over at Nine.

"I gathered that much." He sighs.

He tells her there is nothing she can do and to go back. Tallulah points out that whoever took Martha might have taken Laszlo. He tries to tell her she isn't safe.

"I think that's rather obvious but she doesn't care." Mickey says.

She tells him that is her problem.

"Exactly." All the companions cry out. Both Doctors sigh and glare at the screen.

Tallulah asks which way before walking off. The Doctor goes down a different tunnel saying this way. She comes back and follows him. Martha screams for the pigmen to let her go. She is pushed into a wall.

"Oi!" Mickey yells at the screen.

A line of men is escorted past and Martha spots Frank. She gives him a hug saying they thought they had lost him.

"That's wonderful." Sarah-Jane smiles.

"They aren't out of trouble yet." Jack warns.

"Spoilsport." She tells him, still smiling softly.

A pigman pushes Frank and Martha says they are moving. Frank asks where they are taking them and she says she doesn't know but they can find out what is going on. The Doctor and Tallulah walk under a portcullis. Tallulah asks who he meant by 'they' and then asks who he is.

"Took her long enough." Mickey laughs.

"They have been rather busy." Donna points out.

He tells her to shush. She says ok and he keeps telling her to shush. The shadow of a Dalek is cast on the wall ahead of them. She keeps talking. The Doctor puts his hand over her mouth and drags her back into a service alcove until the Dalek is safely past and away.

"That was a bit close." Rose lets out a sigh of relief.

The Doctor stares after it saying they always survive while he loses everything.

Ten unconsciously clutches Rose to him tighter. Nine scowls at the screen viciously.

Tallulah asks what the metal thing was and he tells her it is called a Dalek. He adds it is alive and she asks if he is kidding her.

"Oh definitely not." Jack mutters.

He angrily asks if it looks like he is kidding.

"No need to take it out on her." Mickey frowns. Nine turns to glare at Mickey who cringes back slightly. Rose squeezes his hand. Ten just lets out a deep breath.

"You're right." He sighs.

He continues that inside the shell is a creature born to hate and it won't stop until it's killed every human being alive. Tallulah points out that if it isn't human that implies it's from outer space. He just looks at her and she realises he isn't joking about that either. She asks what it's doing in New York.

"She's taking that pretty well considering Humans haven't even been to the moon at this point." Sarah-Jane remarks.

The Doctor simply glares after the Dalek. One of the Daleks calls out to stop the process as smoke is coming out of Sec's casing. It continues that Dalek Sec is failing. Sec tells them the experiment must continue. He orders them to administer the solution as they must evolve. Sec is given an injection.

"I suppose it's too much to hope everything goes wrong and Sec explodes?" Donna asks half heartedly.

"Probably." Jack tells her sadly.

The Doctor states that Tallulah is in danger and he is taking her back right now. They round the corner and see a pigman. Tallulah screams as it backs away. The Doctor heads after it asking what it has done with Martha. Laszlo says he didn't take her. The Doctor asks if he can remember his name but he just tells them not to look at him.

"He seems to be much more aware than the rest. He's not a mindless slave." Sarah-Jane notes.

Tallulah starts to come forward asking where she is but he calls out for her not to look at him. The Doctor asks what happened to him and he replies they made him a monster. He asks who did. Laszlo says the masters. The Doctor says the Daleks and then asks why. He tells them they needed slaves to steal more people so they created them part animal and part human. He escaped before they got his mind.

"Seriously! What is it with these bloody Daleks and creating things that are part human, part something else?" Donna exclaims angrily.

He asks what happened to Martha. Laszlo says she was following him. Tallulah asks if he was in the theatre and he admits he was. She asks why and he tells her he never wanted her to see him like this. Tallulah asks what she has to do with this and if he was following her. Laszlo turns around so that Tallulah can finally see him. He says he was.

"Poor guy. It's bad enough being turned into a mindless pig slave but being turned into a part pig creature and keeping your mind is a different kind of awful." Jack cringes.

"Poor both of them." Martha sighs sadly.

Tallulah keeps asking who he is as he explains that he was lonely and needed to see her. He apologises and turns away. She grabs his arm and tells him to let her look. She realises it is Laszlo and he apologises again. The Doctor asks if he can show him where they are. Laszlo tells him they will kill him. The Doctor points out that if he doesn't stop them, they will kill everybody. Laszlo glances at Tallulah before nodding and telling him to follow him.

"I don't think you'll be able to stop them in the lab. Too many Daleks and pigmen." Rose points out.

"Those panels on the top of the Empire State Building, they are obviously necessary, it'll be easier to take those down." Jack agrees.

"Except they don't know the panels exist, let alone where to find them." Nine reminds them.

"They also need to find Martha." Mickey adds.

Frank asks why they are keeping them there. Martha says she has a nasty feeling they are being kept in the larder.

"Yeah, that's not a good feeling." Sarah-Jane shudders slightly.

Laszlo brings the Doctor and Tallulah to where they can see Martha and Frank. The pigmen get nervous. Frank asks what is wrong and a Dalek calls for silence. Laszlo hides as Martha asks what the hell that is. The Dalek orders them to form a line as people panic. Martha tells them all to obey and they get into a line. The Dalek states that the female is wise.

"Yes she is." Mickey grins.

Another Dalek asks for a report and the first says they are strong specimens that will help the Dalek cause. Martha mutters Dalek in confusion. The Dalek asks for the status of the Final Experiment and the other one reports the Dalekanium is in place and the energy conductor is complete.

"Wonderful. Everything in place." Donna sighs.

The first Dalek says it will extract prisoners for selection. A pigman drags a man forwards. The Dalek initiates an intelligence scan, putting the sucker in the guy's face. It declares low intelligence and the guy asks if it is calling him stupid.

"Pretty much." Jack agrees.

"To Daleks, pretty much everyone is stupid." Donna points out.

The Dalek declares he will become a pig slave. The man protests but is dragged away. It initiates another intelligence scan. Laszlo explains to the Doctor they are divided into low intelligence and high intelligence. Low intelligence ones are taken to become pig slaves. Tallulah protests that isn't fair. The Doctor tells her to shush. Tallulah tells Laszlo he is the smartest guy she ever dated. The Doctor asks about the others and Laszlo tells him they are taken to the lab for something the master's call the Final Experiment.

"You really don't wanna know." Rose mutters.

The Dalek has scanned Frank and declares he has superior intelligence. It then scans Martha and declares superior intelligence. It says that she will become part of the Final Experiment. She screams that they can't just experiment on people as it is insane and inhuman.

Nine looks at her like she has gone insane herself. "They aren't human." He points out in his 'you're a stupid ape' tone of voice. "They've also been turning people into pig slaves so I'm not sure what you were expecting from them." Rose elbows him in the ribs.

The Dalek states they aren't human. It then orders prisoners of high intelligence to be taken to the transgenic lab. The Doctor says to look out as they are moving. Laszlo leads Tallulah away but the Doctor stays. Laszlo turns around and tells him to come on. The Doctor tells him that he has an idea and for them to go. Laszlo asks if Tallulah can remember the way out and then tells her to go. She begs him to come but he asks where he would go and tells her to save herself.

"I'm not sure letting her wander around the tunnels by herself is a safe idea." Sarah-Jane says.

"At least if Laszlo was with her it might look like she is a prisoner." Jack agrees.

"He does have a point though. He wouldn't exactly be able to just walk around New York." Mickey points out.

"No but he could at least walk her out of the sewers to make sure she gets back safely." Rose tells him.

Tallulah leaves. Laszlo and the Doctor let the Daleks glide past then join with the humans following. He tells Martha to keep walking. She says she is so glad to see him. He says she can kiss him later.

"Why would you say that?" Jack glares at Ten who is looking sheepish.

"You really can be stupid sometimes." Mickey rolls his eyes.

"And you protested when I said regeneration fried your brain." Nine mutters.

He adds that Frank can too if he wants. Meanwhile, Tallulah gets lost in the sewer tunnels.

"Laszlo definitely should have gone with her." Rose groans.

The Daleks don't realise they have an extra prisoner. One Dalek asks for a report and Thay states that Sec is in the final stage of evolution. It says to scan him and prepare for birth.

"For birth?" Donn asks in disgust.

The Doctor is confused by evolution. Martha asks whats wrong with Sec and the Doctor tells her to ask them. She tells him not to be daft. He points out he doesn't want to be noticed so she should ask what's going on. She steps out, takes a few breaths, and then demands to be told what the Final Experiment is. A dalek comes towards her and she orders it to report. It states she will bear witness. She asks to what and it tells her this is the dawn of a new age. Martha asks what that means. It explains they are the only four Daleks in existence so they must evolve to a life outside the shell. The Children of Skaro must walk again.

"I'm surprised the other three are ok with this. Earlier they were saying they should remain pure and now it's lecturing Martha that they must evolve." Sarah-Jane frowns.

"I don't think they are. This all seems to be Sec's idea and they follow orders because it's what they are programmed to do." Jack says. "Whether they still follow orders if he successfully becomes part human is another matter."

Sec's shell stops smoking and the light goes out in its eye stalk. The casing opens and a biped struggles out. The casing shuts and the biped straightens. Martha asks what that is. It has the one-eyed head and hands of a Dalek blob, but is wearing Diagoras' suit.

"Yuck!" Donna and Rose exclaim at the same time.

It takes a deep breath and speaks with Diagoras' accent, saying he is a human Dalek. He says he is their future. The screen goes black.

"No thank you. Such a kind offer but I must decline." Mickey says.

"Another two part one. Hurry up Jack." Rose says.

"We should have some early dinner after this. We sort of missed lunch altogether." Nine points out. They all agree and Jack puts the next one on.