Chapter Seven: Once an Enemy, Always an Enemy


Walking beside the Doctor, Emma grinned as their hands swung between them. The Tardis had materialized in a filing room, just outside Churchill's office. The Doctor pushed opened the door and paused to stare down the barrels of three Lee Enfield riffles. They moved aside to reveal the Prime Minister.
"Amy? Winston Churchill," the Doctor said.
"Doctor? Is that you?" Churchill questioned.
"Oh, Winston, my old friend." Churchill held out his hand in a wanting motion.
"Ah, every time," the Doctor sighed with a smile.
"What's he after?" Amy asked.
"The Tardis key, of course," Emma replied.
"Think of what I could achieve with your remarkable machine, Doctor," Churchill said. "The lives that could be saved."
"It doesn't work like that."
"Must I take it by force?"

At his words, the soldiers lifted their rifles once more.
"I'd like to see you try," the Doctor murmured. Churchill grinned, then looked at his men, "At ease."
"You rang?" Emma questioned.

Leading them down a corridor, Churchill glanced up at the Doctor.
"So, you've changed your face again?"
"Yeah, well, had a bit of work done." They walked into the Cabinet rooms and Amy's face rightened.
"Got it, got it, got it. Cabinet War Rooms, right?"
"Yep," Emma nodded. "Top secret heart of the War Office, right under London."
"You're late, by the way," Churchill said.
"Late?" Emma asked as a solider handed Churchill a folder.
"I rang you a month ago."
The Doctor's ears perked up, "Really? Sorry, sorry. It's a Type 40 Tardis. I'm just running her in."

Huffing, Churchill shook his head at her before looking to his solider.
"Something the matter, Breen? You look a little down in the dumps."
"No, sir," the woman replied. "Fine, sir."
"Action this day, Breen. Action this day."
"Yes, sir."
"Excuse me, sir," a man called. "Got another formation coming in, Prime Minister. Stukas, by the look of them."
"We shall go up top then, Group Captain. We'll give them what for. Coming, Doctor?"
"Why?" the Doctor asked.
"I have something to show you."

He led them to the lift, speaking as the doors slid close.
"We stand at a crossroads, Doctor, quite alone, with our backs to the wall. Invasion is expected daily. So, I will grasp with both hands anything that will give us an advantage over the Nazi menace."
"Such as?"
"Follow me."

Amy leaned into Emma's side as they reached the roof. It was covered in sandbags and sentries. A scientist was looking at the sky with a pair of binoculars.
"Wow," she said. A bomb went off nearby and Amy jumped.
"Oh, Emma! Emma it's…"
"History," the Doctor finished for her.
"Ready, Bracewell?" Churchill called.
The scientist nodded, "Aye-aye, sir. On my order… fire!"

Energy bolts zoomed out from a sandbag emplacement towards the approaching Nazi planes. Every shot was a direct hit. Emma's breath hitched at the sound. It was something she wished to forget and dearly hoped she was imagining things. But catching the look on The Doctor's face, she felt her heart drop.
"What was that?" Amy asked.
"That wasn't human," said the Doctor. "That was never human technology. That sounded like... show me! Show me what that was!"
"Advance," ordered Bracewell.
"Our new secret weapon," Churchill said.

A metal creation rolled out from the emplacement. Emma's heart practically stopped at the sight of the Dalek. It was painted khaki with a Union Flag Logo.
"What do you think? Quite something, eh?" asked Churchill. The Doctor's face darkened, and he got close to the Dalek's eye.
"What are you doing here?" "I. Am. Your. Solider."
"What?" "I. Am. Your. Solider."
"Stop this!" the Doctor shouted. "Stop now. Now, you know who I am. You always know."
"Your. Identity. Is. Unknown."
"Perhaps I can clarify things here," said Bracewell. "This is one of my Ironsides."
"Your what?" Emma asked. Bracewell looked to the Dalek.
"You will help the Allied cause in any way that you can."
"Yes."
"And what is your ultimate aim?"
"To. Win. The. War."

Later, the Doctor paced Churchill's office. Emma sat with a cup of tea while Amy intently listened to the Doctor and Churchill's conversation.
"They're Daleks. They're called Daleks."
"They are Bracewell's Ironsides, Doctor," Churchill corrected. He gestured to his desk. "Look, blueprints, statistics, field tests, photographs. He invented them." "Invented them? Oh, no, no, no."
"Yes! He approached one of our brass hats a few months ago. Fellow's a genius."
"A Scottish genius, too," Amy added. "Maybe you should listen."
"Shush," the Doctor snapped. "He didn't invent them. They're alien."
"Alien?" Churchill repeated. He glanced at the open door as a Dalek passed by. "And totally hostile."
"Precisely. They will win me the war."

Churchill walked away, the Doctor, Amy, and Emma following after him.
"Why won't you listen to me?" the Doctor lamented. "Why did you call me in if you won't listen to me?"
"When I rang you a month ago, I must admit I had my doubts. The Ironsides seemed too good to be true."
"Yes. Right. So, destroy them! Exterminate them!"
"Doctor," Emma murmured. He didn't respond as Churchill spoke up.
"But imagine what I could do with a hundred. A thousand."
"I am imagining." A Dalek rolled past, carrying a box.

Inhaling sharply, Emma pressed up against the wall to keep out of its way.
"Amy, tell him!" the Doctor ordered.
"Tell him what?"
"About the Daleks."
"What would I know about the Daleks?"
"You should know a lot," Emma said. "They invaded your world, remember?" Amy shook her head.
"Planets in the sky! You don't forget that!" the Doctor snapped. "Amy, tell me you remember the Daleks." The redhead shook her head.
"No. Sorry."
"That's not possible."

They ended up in the Map Room where two solider were speaking to their men.
"Blue leader to Two squadron and six two three five seven. Over."
"Bandits at ten o'clock."
"Two three five seven. Over."
"So, they're up to something," the Doctor stressed. "But what is it? What are they after?"
"Well, let's just ask, shall we?" questioned Amy. She moved over to a Dalek.
"Amy!" Emma hissed.
"Amelia!" The redhead tapped on the Dalek's shell.
"Can. I. Be. Of. Assistance?"
"Oh, yes, yes. See, my friend reckons you're dangerous. That you're an alien. Is it true?"
"I. Am. Your. Solider."
"Yeah. Got that bit. Love a squaddie. What else, though?"
"Please. Excuse. Me. I. Have. Duties. To. Perform."

Tugging at his hair, the Doctor turned back to Churchill.
"Winston! Winston, please."
"We're waging total war, Doctor," said Churchill. "Day after day, the Luftwaffe pound this great city like an iron fist."
"Wait 'til the Daleks get started," the Doctor snapped.
"Men, women, and children slaughtered," Churchill continued. "Families torn apart. Wren's churches in flame."
"Yeah. Try the Earth in flames."
"I weep for my country. I weep for my empire. It's breaking my heart."
"You're resisting, Winston," Emma told him. "The whole world knows you're resisting. You're a beacon of hope."
"But for how long?" asked Churchill. "Millions of innocent lives will be saved if I use these Ironsides now?"
"Can. I. Be. Of. Assistance?" asked a Dalek.
"Shut it! Listen to me," the Doctor said. "Just listen. The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, no pity. They are my oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them."
"If Hitler invaded hell, I would give a favourable reference to the Devil. These machines are our salvation."

A siren went off and Churchill sighed.
"Oh, the All Clear. We are safe, for now." He strolled off, followed by a Dalek. Amy went to follow, but paused when she realized Emma and the Doctor weren't coming. Emma gently touched the Doctor's arm.
"Doctor?"
"It's the All Clear," said Amy. "Are you okay?"
"What does hate look like, Amy?" the Doctor asked.
"Hate?"
"It looks like a Dalek. And I'm going to prove it."
"How?"
"I'll figure it out."

Another Dalek rolled by, and Emma shivered, tugging her cardigan tighter around herself.
"Come on," the Doctor said. He took hold of her hand. "Let's find Bracewell."

They found the scientist down in the laboratory being served tea by a Dalek.
"All right, Prof," said the Doctor. "Now, the PM's been filling me in. Amazing things, these Ironsides of yours. Amazing. You must be very proud of them."
"Just doing my bit," shrugged Bracewell.
"Not bad for a Paisley boy," Amy remarked.
"Yes," Bracewell smiled. "I thought I detected a familiar cadence, my dear."
"How did you do it?" Emma asked. "Come up with the idea, I mean."
"How does the muse of invention come to anyone?"
"But you get a lot of these clever notions, do you?"
"Well, ideas just seem to teem from my head. Wonderful things, like… Let me show you."

He pushed papers around, showing them some sketches.
"Some musing on the potential of hypersonic flight. Gravity bubbles that can sustain life outside of the terrestrial atmosphere. Came to be in the bath."
"And are these your ideas or theirs?" the Doctor questioned.
"Oh no, no, no. These robots are entirely under my control, Doctor. They are the perfect servant, and the perfect warrior."
"I don't know what you're up to, Professor, but whatever they've promised you, you cannot trust them. Call then what you like, the Daleks are death."
"Yes, Doctor," said Churchill, walking into the room. "Death to our enemies! Death to the forces of darkness, and death to the Third Reich."
"Yes, Winston, and death to everyone else too."

A Dalek rolled up to Emma and she jumped back into the Doctor's arms.
"Would. You. Care. For. Some. Tea?" the Dalek asked. The Doctor moved to stand in front of Emma, knocking the tea tray from the Dalek's sucker.
"Stop this! What are you doing here? What do you want?"
"We. Seek. Only. To. Help. You."
"To do what?" the Doctor growled.
"To. Win. The. War."
"Really? Which war?"
"I. Do. Not. Understand."
"This war, against the Nazis, or your war? The war against the rest of the Universe? The war against all life forms that are not Dalek?"
"I. Do. Not. Understand. I. Am. Your. Soldier."
"Oh, yeah? Okay. Okay, solider, defend yourself!"

Picking up a huge spanner, he started hitting the Dalek.
"Doctor! What the devil?" Churchill sputtered.
"You. Do. Not. Require. Tea?"
"Stop him!" shouted Bracewell. "Prime Minster, please?"
"Doctor, what the devil?" Churchill repeated. "Please, these machines are precious."
"Come on!" the Doctor pressed. "Fight back. You want to, don't you? You know you do."
"I must protest!" said Bracewell.

"What are you waiting for? Look, you hate me. You want to kill me. Well, go on. Kill me. Kill me!"
"Doctor, no!" Emma yelped.
"Please. Desist. From. Striking. Me. I. Am. Your. Soldier."
"You are my enemy!" the Doctor shouted. "And I am yours! You are everything I despise. The worst thing in all creation. I've defeated you time and time again. I've defeated you. I sent you back into the Void. I saved the whole of reality from you. I am the Doctor. And you are the Daleks."

The Dalek beeped.
"Correct. Review. Testimony." The Doctor's voice came from the Dalek as Emma grabbed his arm.
"I am the Doctor. And you are the Daleks."
"Testimony? What is it talking about?" Emma asked.
"Transmitting. Testimony. Now."
"Transmit what? Where?" asked the Doctor.

Daleks started surrounding them and the Doctor yanked out his screwdriver. He pointed it at them.
"Testimony. Accepted."
"Get back, all of you," the Doctor warned.
"Marines! Marines, get in here!" Churchill ordered.

Two marines ran through the doors and were immediately exterminated.
"Stop it! Stop it, please!" cried Bracewell. "What are you doing? You are my Ironsides."
"We. Are. The. Daleks."
"But I created you."
"No." A Dalek blew off Bracewell's left hand. It sparked and spluttered, showing destroyed wires. "We. Created. You."
"Victory. Victory. Victory."

With a flash, the Daleks disappeared.
"What just happened, Doctor?" Amy asked.
"I wanted to know what they wanted," the Doctor murmured. "What their plan was… I was their plan!" He took off running and Amy looked to Emma.
"What does that mean?"
"Come on," said Emma. They took off running after him.

They found him mumbling to himself in the filing room.
"Testimony accepted. That's what they said. My testimony."
"Don't beat yourself up because you were right," said Amy. "So, what do we do? Is this what we do now? Chase after them?"
"This is what I do. Yeah, and it's dangerous, so you wait here."
"What, so you mean I've got to stay safe down here in the middle of the London Blitz."
"Safe as it gets around me. Come on, Emma." He pushed the doors pen and Amy grabbed Emma's hand.
"Do I have to stay?" she asked. Emma gently pulled her hand away.
"He's protecting you," she told her. "Now, stay with Churchill and K. B. O." She gave Churchill and wink then followed the Doctor into the Tardis.

She found the Doctor messing with the scanner.
"Bingo!" he shouted. The Tardis rattled around in flight, Emma grabbing onto the console to steady herself. "Emma, do we have any snacks?"
"I'm sure there are biscuits somewhere… why?"
He shrugged, "I'm suddenly hungry."

The rattling came to a stop and the Doctor pushed open the doors.
"How about that cuppa now, then?" he asked. A Gold Dalek beeped at him.
"It. Is. The. Doctor."
"Exterminate!" shouted a Dalek.
"Wait, wait, wait." The Doctor held up his hands, a Jammy Dodger appearing as he gestured to the Tardis. "Tardis self-destruct, and you know what that means. My ship goes, you all go with it."
"You. Would. Not. Use. Such. A. Device," said a Dalek.
"Try me."

He took hold of Emma's hand, sub-consciously rubbing his thumb in a soothing manner. A Dalek rolled forward and the Doctor shook his head.
"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. No scans. No nothing. One move and I'll destroy us all, you got that? Tardis bang, bang, Daleks boom!" The Dalek rolled back. "Good boy." The Doctor looked around, eyeing the damaged equipment. "This ship's pretty beaten up. Running on empty, I'd say, like you. When we last met, you were at the end of your rope Finished."
"One. Ship. Survived," said a Dalek.
"And you fell back through time, yes. Crippled, dying."
"We. Picked. Up. A. Trace. One. Of. The. Progenitor. Devices."
"Progenitor?" repeated Emma. "What's that?"
"It. Is. Our. Past. And. Our. Future."
"Oh? That's deep," said the Doctor. "That is deep for a Dalek. What does it mean, though?"
"It. Contains. Pure. Dalek. DNA," answered the Gold Dalek. "Thousands. Were. Created. All. Were. Lost. Save. Me."
"Okay, but there's still one thing I don't get though," the Doctor told it. "If you've got the Progenitor, why build Bracewell?"
"It. Was. Necessary."
"But why?"

Pausing, the Doctor's eyes suddenly widened.
"I get it! I get it! Oh ho! This is rich. The Progenitor wouldn't recognize you, would it? It saw you as impure. Your DNA is unrecognizable as Dalek."
"A. Solution. Was. Devised."
"Yes, yes, yes. Me. My testimony. So, you set a trap. You knew that the Progenitor would recognize me, the Daleks' greatest enemy. It would accept my word. My recognition of you…"

A Dalek rolled up to a control panel and began pushing buttons.
"No. No, no. What are you doing?"
"Withdraw. Now. Doctor. Or. The. City. Dies. In. Flames."
"Who are you kidding? This ship is a wreck. You don't have the power to destroy London."
"Watch. As. The. Humans. Destroy. Themselves."


All rights belong to BBC