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55. The Power of a Team.
1. On a Dalek Command Spaceship.
Three recently promoted senior Daleks are crewing their Command spaceship. A video communication request appears on the screen before them.
"The Cybermen want to communicate," Dalek Excel says. "Shall we let them?"
"They cannot harm us," Dalek Axial says. "Proceed."
The image of a Cyberman appears before them.
"We want to defeat the Doctor and his companion, Chloe, at the earliest opportunity," the Cyber Leader says. "We believe we must work together because separately we have been unable to defeat them."
"We neither wish to work with you nor to see you!" Dalek Axial rebuffs. "You are to be exterminated!"
"So, you do not wish to defeat the Doctor and Chloe?" the Cyber Leader asks provocatively.
"We do, but not with you! You must be exterminated!"
"Together, we might defeat them both!" the Cyber Leader tries desperately to tempt the Daleks.
But the Daleks are heartless and cold. Yet there is some sense in what the Cyber leader says that attracts the attention of the leading Dalek.
"We will consider what you say," Dalek Axial concludes.
The transmission ends.
Dalek Axial turns to the other two Daleks. "We could use them. We can set their army against the Doctor. If they win then the Doctor dies. If they lose, there is one less enemy army for us to exterminate. We win either way! Victory to the Daleks!"
"How has one being in the whole Universe defeated all of our plans?" Dalek Diesel asks. "The Doctor!" he says in disdain. Diesel knows it's true, but in all the years they've fought the Doctor, surely they must win eventually?
"He always has. This can't continue to be permitted!" Dalek Excel asserts simply.
"You are an idealist. We are realists," Dalek Axial observes. "We have seen the Doctor prevail so many times. With a Cyber army to distract Chloe, the Doctor will be unable to resist our multi-pronged attack."
Daleks and Cybermen have worked together before, for only very brief periods. But neither think they need the other, so their co-working is likely to fall apart!
Chloe's Lounge.
The Doctor and his companion, Chloe, are chatting in the lounge in Chloe's home. Simeon, Chloe's sister Alyssa, her father Devyon and a friend, Meran, are there, joining in. They're preparing for Alyssa's birthday.
"I can sense that the Daleks are about to try some form of attack," the Doctor says.
"How can you tell that?" Simeon asks. He feels that, as a friendly Gallifreyan, he might be the most likely to develop such a sense.
"It's a while since their last incursion," the Doctor replies. "It means they're thinking!"
"That doesn't mean they'll attack," Simeon says. If the Doctor's deduction is purely based on the length of a lull, then how can he deduce anything?
"Attack who?" Devyon asks, as he enters from the kitchen. As Chloe and Alyssa's father he's suddenly alerted. He'll defend his daughters to the last!
They all look at Devyon. No-one wants to tell him the Daleks might attack them.
"What?" Devyon says. He's unnerved by everyone looking at him. It's as if he's the odd one out who doesn't know something. .
He might be right! .
The Doctor immediately sees the need for a diversion without distressing Devyon.
"Maybe we should just all go out somewhere for the day!" The Doctor knows that's the most likely time for things to happen; if they're going to happen.
Meran pipes up. "Can I be in charge of the communications?" At least he can see what's likely to happen!
It seems he's looking for Uhura's job in Star Trek!
As the Doctor has recommended that he doesn't return home, he feels he needs something useful to do.
"Yes, alright," the Doctor agrees, so that Meran might feel affirmed. "Or maybe you could help Devyon settle down at home for a change?" The Doctor would like to minimise the number of people on certain outings who can't regenerate! This feels like one of those days.
"What if ... we took both Tardises?" Chloe suggests. She, too, has some feeling that today might be a difficult day.
The Doctor looks at her in surprise. What is Chloe thinking might happen? They've never done that before!
Yet he knows that Chloe's insights have often been correct and rarely wrong.
"I guess we can," he hears himself saying, buoyed up by his high opinion of Chloe's guesses.
He agrees only with reluctance. It feels as if it goes against the grain. His duty of care can only usually extend to those in his immediate vicinity ... or can it go further? Might it be alright to have two Tardises on the go?
Dalek Command Spaceship chat.
"We will get the Doctor," Dalek Axial asserts.
"But if Chloe is there we will fail," Dalek Excel says.
Dalek Diesel replies, "As Dalek Axial suggests, we might distract Chloe or the Doctor with a Cyber army. Both will suffer and we win."
Dalek Excel rejoins, "Then we need to have two Requests For Help at the same time, requiring the Doctor to be in two places at once. He can do that, but he might be stretched to service both requests at once. What might they be?"
"A Cyber army and ... I have two other ideas!" Dalek Axial affirms. "They might keep either the Doctor or Chloe busy for ages while we get them!"
When the Doctor receives a Request For Help, he might start it, but if he receives another immediately, he must at least complete deciphering the second signal or it might be lost! Then he might have compassion on a victim in need or distress. He will have to choose which one to answer first!